7126 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 31 / Friday, February 14, 1997 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[Docket No. 960306059–7012.02]

RIN 0625–ZA01

Commerce Trade Fair Privatization:

Private Sector Organization and

Management of U.S. Exhibitor

Pavilions at Overseas Trade Fairs

AGENCY: International Trade

Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of privatization and

request for applications from qualified

U.S. firms.

SUMMARY: This notice sets forth a

summary of the objectives and

procedures for qualified U.S. firms to

apply for and assume responsibility for

recruiting, promoting, organizing,

constructing, and managing a U.S.

exhibitor pavilion at various FY 1998

international trade shows previously

organized and managed by Commerce.

In this context and throughout this

notice, this transfer of responsibilities is

referred to as ‘‘privatization.’’ In order to

apply, interested firms must contact

Commerce for a complete set of

eligibility criteria, instructions, and an

application.

DATES: These administrative procedures

are effective on February 14, 1997.

Applications must be received by

Commerce by March 31, 1997.

ADDRESS: Trade Fair Certification

Program, Room 2116, Export Promotion

Services, International Trade

Administration, U.S. Department of

Commerce, 14th and Constitution

Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Donald Huber, Manager, Trade Fair

Certification Program, U.S. Department

of Commerce, Room 2116, 14th and

Constitution Avenue, N.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20230. Tel: (202) 482–

2525; Fax: (202) 482–0115. Applicants

may also want to contact the U.S.

Department of Commerce industry

officer, the Commercial Section of the

U.S. Embassy in the respective country

that has previously organized and

managed the U.S. pavilion, and/or the

trade fair proprietor about actual show

dates, event specifics and logistics.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of

its focus to increase exports, the

National Export Strategy, dated

September 30, 1993, calls for the

Administration to reduce the number of

trade events the U.S. Government (USG)

organizes, encourage more private sector

participation in the trade event process,

and invite qualified private sector firms

to bid for those events they desire to

handle. While this strategy refers to all

USG-organized events, this notice is

concerned only with the privatization of

the International Trade Administration

events listed in this notice. Private

sector organizers in this privatization

process assume the responsibilities of

organizing and managing a U.S. pavilion

in designated overseas trade fairs, in

lieu of Commerce. As part of this

privatization process, those firms

selected to organize, recruit, and

manage a show listed in this notice will

also receive, on a one-time basis,

certification for the show under the

Trade Fair Certification Program.

Subsequent certification must be

applied for on an annual basis and will

be open to any organizer. Certification

assures Commerce’s recognition and

support of these private sector efforts.

Commerce does not provide any

financial assistance to organizers or to

exhibitors at these shows. As with the

existing Trade Fair Certification

Program, the selected organizer

contributes $1,500 to assist in defraying

Commerce expenses incurred in

supporting the organizer and exhibitors.

Organizers selected by Commerce are

not representatives of the Department or

the U.S. Government and are prohibited

from making statements to that effect.

Principal requirements and criteria of

the privatization process are

summarized below:

• The applicant must be a U.S.

person. A ‘‘U.S. person’’ means a U.S.

citizen, or an entity (such as a

corporation, partnership, association or

other entity) created under the laws of

the United States or of any state, or the

U.S. branch or agent of a foreign person.

An officer of an American Chamber of

Commerce, located in the country, is

eligible to submit an application. Such

an applicant must meet the same criteria

and perform the same requirements as a

U.S. person. Applications will not be

accepted from other foreign-based

persons or entities.

• Formation of a U.S. pavilion is

required.

• In order to qualify, all applications

must be received by March 31, 1997.

• The selected U.S. pavilion organizer

must offer U.S. firms that participated in

the last show, space in the upcoming

show that is at least equivalent in size,

quality, and location.

• Production of a catalog of U.S.

exhibitors is required.

• The selected pavilion organizer

must recruit a minimum number of

exhibitors. This number will vary

according to the specific event.

• Selected organizers must undertake

a comprehensive U.S. exhibitor

recruitment campaign, including

measures to target and recruit small,

medium size, and new-to-market firms.

• Selected organizers are required to

send a representative to the show for its

duration and staff an office or booth

within the show.

• Trade association applicants cannot

restrict their U.S. exhibitor recruitment

campaign or exhibitor participation to

association members only. Such

applicants must acknowledge and agree

to this condition.

• Commerce cannot guarantee that

the foreign trade fair proprietor will

agree to privatization of the U.S.

pavilion in the subject event. Commerce

will assist the selected U.S. pavilion

organizer in its discussions with the

foreign event proprietor, but it is the

foreign event proprietor’s decision to

grant the necessary lease for exhibit

space.

• Within 60 days from the date of

being notified of selection, the U.S.

pavilion organizer must submit the

necessary lease documentation.

• Pavilion organizers should note that

the foreign event proprietor may opt to

select its own agent in advance of

Commerce’s selection of a U.S. pavilion

organizer. In such cases, Commerce will

continue to offer its support to the U.S.

pavilion organizer and event, but via the

standard Trade Fair Certification

Program, as prescribed in the Federal

Register notice dated April 30, 1993, 58

FR 26116.

• Prior to selection of the U.S.

pavilion organizer, Commerce reserves

the right to withdraw an event from the

privatization process if circumstances

warrant Commerce’s retention of the

event. Also, following selection of the

U.S. pavilion organizer, Commerce may

withdraw its support of the U.S.

pavilion organizer if Commerce

determines that the U.S. pavilion

organizer has not complied with the

provisions outlined in this notice or in

the application materials and process.

Commerce also retains the option to

directly organize and manage a pavilion

of exhibitors under these circumstances.

• While the foreign event proprietor

will be encouraged to offer the selected

U.S. pavilion organizer leased space

under the same conditions and rates

that would be offered to Commerce,

Commerce cannot guarantee this will be

the case.

Commerce seeks applications from

qualified firms, associations, or the local

American Chamber of Commerce abroad

to assume U.S. pavilion recruitment,

promotion, organization and

management functions in the following

shows. Show name, minimum number

of exhibitors to be recruited, location,
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 31 / Friday, February 14, 1997 / Notices 7127

month/year and basic industry(s) are

shown below. In order to apply,

interested firms must contact Commerce

for a complete set of eligibility criteria,

instructions, and an application.

Applications must be received by

Commerce by March 31, 1997. The

collection of information is approved by

the Office of Management and Budget,

OMB Control Number 0625–0222.

Persons are not required to respond to

the collection of information unless it

displays a currently valid OMB control

number.

SHOWS FOR PRIVATIZATION IN FY 1998 AND 1ST QTR FY 1999

Event name Min

exb. Location Date Industries

1. Bucharest Int’l Fair ...................... 25 Bucharest, Romania ..................... Oct. 97 ............................ Indust eqpmt/consumer goods.

2. Comdex/Pacific Rim .................... 10 Vancouver, Canada ...................... Jan. 98 ............................ Computers/periph/services.

3. Canadian Hrdwr/Hswr/Home ...... 10 Toronto, Canada ........................... Feb. 98 ............................ Consumer goods.

4. Wisitex ’98 # ................................. 20 New Delhi, India ............................ Feb. 98 ............................ Procs cntrls/telcom/electronic.

5. Visit USA ..................................... 20 Sao Paulo, Brazil .......................... Mar. 98 ............................ Tourism products/services.

6. Canadian Int’l Auto Show # ......... 10 Toronto, Canada ........................... Apr. 98 ............................ Parts/accessories/rpr eqpmt.

7. Forest Expo ’98 ........................... 10 Pr. George, Canada ..................... May 98 ............................ Log&mill eqpmt/pulp/mgmt.

8. Expomin 98 ................................. 200 Santiago, Chile .............................. May 98 ............................ Mining/extraction eqpmt.

9. Plastex ’98 .................................. 10 Toronto, Canada ........................... May 98 ............................ Plastic machs/molds/tech.

10. National Petroleum Show ......... 15 Calgary, Canada ........................... Jun. 98 ............................ Oil&gas eqpmt/services.

11. Zagreb Fall Fair ........................ 10 Zagreb, Croatia ............................. Sep. 98 ............................ consumr good/indust mach.

12. Canadian High Technology ...... 10 Toronto, Canada ........................... Sep. 98 ............................ Electron compnts/test eqpmt.

13. Euronaval .................................. 20 Paris, France * .............................. Oct. 98 ............................ Defense industry.

14. Pollutec ..................................... 15 Lyon, France * ............................... Oct. 98 ............................ Pollution control eqpmnt.

15. Jeddah Motor Show .................. 10 Jeddah, SA* ................................. Nov. 98 ............................ Vehicles/parts/repr eqpmt.

16. Construct Canada ..................... 10 Toronto, Canada * ......................... Dec. 98 ............................ Const eqpmt/matrls/services.

17. Aero India ’98 ............................ 15 Bangalore, India * .......................... Dec. 98 ............................ Aircraft industry.

Bienniel Show.

FY 1999 Show.

Dated: February 7, 1997.

Mary Fran Kirchner,

Chairman, ITA Trade Events Board.

[FR Doc. 97–3734 Filed 2–13–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–FP–P