Project 

Sponsor 

Information

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U.S. Trade and Development Agency

1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1600

Arlington, Virginia 22209

Phone: 703.875.4357 • Fax: 703.875.4009

 Website: www.ustda.gov

8/09
Recognizing that trade and private 

sector growth are catalysts 

for development, the U.S. Trade and 

Development Agency (USTDA) helps 

project sponsors in developing and 

middle-income countries to establish 

the infrastructure and environment 

necessary for economic growth to occur. 

By providing access to U.S. expertise 

in the planning and development of 

priority projects and capacity-building 

activities, USTDA facilitates partnerships 

between project sponsors and U.S. firms 

that contribute to the achievement of 

important development goals. 
With whom does USTDA work?

USTDA provides grants directly to foreign project 

sponsors. 

A foreign project sponsor is the local entity with 

the decision-making authority and ability to implement a project. The sponsor may be a government 

institution at the national, state/provincial, or local 

level, or it may be a local private sector company. 

USTDA is open for business in more than 100 

nations around the world. 

What types of activities does USTDA support?

USTDA accomplishes its mission by funding: 

1) trade capacity building and sector development; 

and 2) project definition and investment analysis. 

Trade capacity building and sector development 

assistance supports the establishment of industry 

standards, rules and regulations, market liberalization and other policy reform. Project definition and investment analysis involves activities 

that support large capital investments related to 

overseas development. 

Trade Capacity Building and Sector Development

Sect or Development Technica l Ass ista nce

USTDA provides technical assistance to help with 

the development of sector strategies, industry 

standards, and legal and regulatory regimes. This 

assistance helps to create a favorable business and 

trade environment. Transportation safety and 

security are particularly important sectors for 

USTDA’s technical assistance work. 

Training

USTDA provides training for foreign decisionmakers in economic sectors where there are opportunities for the sale of U.S. equipment and services. 

The training is normally focused on technology 

or regulatory issues and is designed to give project 

sponsors a better understanding of U.S. experience 

and capabilities. Training can be conducted in the 

United States and/or in the host country. 

What is USTDA?

USTDA is an independent U.S. Government 

foreign assistance agency that is funded by the 

U.S. Congress.

What are USTDA’s objectives?

Our aim is to advance economic development in 

developing and middle-income countries by providing foreign project sponsors with access to U.S. 

technology and expertise.

What types of projects does USTDA support?

USTDA provides grant funding for the planning of 

projects that support the development of modern 

infrastructure and an open trading system. 

While USTDA activities span a wide variety of 

sectors, many focus on clean energy and power, 

transportation, information and communications 

technology, environmental infrastructure and 

services, and healthcare. 

On what eligibility factors are USTDA grants 

based?

USTDA evaluates projects primarily based on:

• Their priority to the project sponsors and the 

countries where they are located and their 

likelihood of receiving implementation financing 

or, in the case of USTDA’s trade capacity building 

work, advancing trade liberalization efforts; and

• Whether they offer mutual economic benefit for 

the host country and the United States, including 

opportunities for commercial cooperation with 

U.S. firms, thereby supporting U.S. jobs. 
Procu rement Ass ista nce

To promote project transparency and integrity, 

USTDA provides grants to assist in the establishment and oversight of international project procurement activities. Support can take the form of 

developing appropriate bidding procedures, assisting in the evaluation of technical proposals, and 

identifying potential suppliers or bidders. 

How is a project brought to USTDA for consideration?

If you are developing a project or initiative that you 

would like USTDA to consider for possible grant 

funding, you should begin by:

1. Contacting the appropriate USTDA Regional 

Director or Country Manager for your region 

(see How Do I Contact USTDA?); or,

2. Communicating with the commercial or economic officer, or USTDA representative, at the 

U.S. Embassy in your country. 

To formally initiate USTDA consideration of a 

project, a project sponsor should direct a request to 

USTDA. In cases where a specific U.S. company 

has been identified as a partner or preferred supplier 

on the project, the U.S. company submits a separate, detailed proposal to USTDA. There is no set 

deadline for projects to be considered.

Trad e and Indust ry Advisors

Foreign government entities may obtain USTDA 

grants for trade and industry advisors. These advisors are typically located in ministries or municipalities, where they can help with capacity building 

activities relevant to trade regulations, standards or 

the import of technology and additional expertise.

Project Definition and Investment Analysis

Feas ibility Stud ies

USTDA provides grants for overseas infrastructure 

project planning assistance, such as feasibility studies. These studies evaluate the technical, financial, 

environmental, legal, and other critical aspects of 

infrastructure development projects that are of 

interest to potential lenders and investors. 

Orientat ion Visits

Orientation visits bring foreign project sponsors 

to the United States to observe the design, 

manufacture, demonstration and operation of 

U.S. products and services that can potentially 

help them to achieve their development goals. 

Workshops and Conferences

USTDA organizes workshops, conferences and technical symposia worldwide. These events are sector 

or project oriented and connect overseas project 

sponsors with U.S. firms and entities that supply 

project finance, technology and industry expertise 

that may be useful in project implementation. 
Where is USTDA located?

USTDA is active in every region of the world. The 

agency is headquartered in the Washington, D.C. 

area, in Arlington, Virginia. In addition, USTDA 

has representatives in South Africa and Thailand 

to promote the agency’s program throughout 

Sub‐Saharan Africa and Asia. 

What other U.S. Government Agencies 

can I contact?

• U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service 

www.usatrade.gov

• U.S. Department of State

www.state.gov

• Office of the U.S. Trade Representative 

www.ustr.gov 

• Overseas Private Investment Corporation 

www.opic.gov 

• Export-Import Bank of the United States 

www.exim.gov

• U.S. Agency for International Development 

www.usaid.gov

• Millennium Challenge Corporation

www.mcc.gov

How does the approval process work?

USTDA’s due diligence review of a proposal 

involves two steps. First, USTDA staff conducts 

an internal review to determine whether the proposal represents an appropriate opportunity for 

USTDA support. Second, proposals that satisfy this 

internal analysis are then independently assessed 

by USTDA-funded definitional mission and desk 

study consultants. Because of the high demand 

for USTDA funding, not all proposals that meet 

USTDA funding criteria can be supported. 

How does the grant process work?

If USTDA approves funding, it signs a Grant 

Agreement with the foreign project sponsor (the 

Grantee). The Grantee then signs a contract with 

the U.S. company it has selected, usually on a 

competitive basis, to carry out the USTDA-funded 

activity. Both the Grant Agreement and the contract 

contain the terms of reference that outline the 

parameters of the activity. 

What are the responsibilities of the Grantee?

The Grantee is responsible for managing the 

USTDA-funded activity, including the review of 

invoices, and providing some limited administrative support.

Who pays the U.S. contractor?

The Grant Agreement is signed by USTDA and 

the Grantee. The U.S. contractor works under its 

contract with the Grantee and submits its invoices 

to the Grantee. Once the Grantee is satisfied 

with the work product, the invoices are approved 

and forwarded to USTDA, which then pays the 

contractor directly. 

Do USTDA Grants have to be repaid?

USTDA funds are grants, not loans. Grantees 

are not required to repay USTDA for the grants 

they receive.

How much money is available?

Each year, USTDA funds approximately 125 grant 

activities. The average USTDA grant is $400,000. 

This 47.5 megawatt power plant was constructed in the 

Aydin-Germencik geothermal field in Turkey by the Gurmat 

Energy Investment and Trade Company, a private Turkish 

company, following the findings of a USTDA-funded feasibility 

study. The plant, which became operational in May 2009, is 

providing an important renewable energy source to further 

Turkey’s economic growth. 
how do i contact ustda ?

More information about USTDA is 

available at www.ustda.gov. General 

inquiries about USTDA’s program can 

be made by calling (703) 875-4357, 

sending a fax to (703) 875-4009 or an 

e-mail to info@ustda.gov, or completing 

the Contact Form on USTDA’s website. 

To contact USTDA’s program staff, send 

an e-mail to your region of interest:

• East Asia:

East_Asia@ustda.gov

• Europe and Eurasia:

Europe_Eurasia@ustda.gov

• Latin America and the Caribbean:

LAC@ustda.gov

• Middle East and North Africa:

MENA@ustda.gov

• South and Southeast Asia: 

South_Southeast_Asia@ustda.gov

• Sub-Saharan Africa:

Africa@ustda.gov