31384 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 119 / Wednesday, June 19, 1996 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[Docket Number 960611170–6170–01]

RIN 0625–XX07

International Buyer Program (Formerly

Known as the Foreign Buyer Program);

Support for Domestic Trade Shows

AGENCY: International Trade

Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice and Call for Applications

for the FY 1998 International Buyer

Program (October 1, 1997, through

September 30, 1998).

SUMMARY: This notice sets forth

objectives, procedures and application

review criteria associated with the U.S.

Department of Commerce’s International

Buyer Program (IBP) to support

domestic trade shows: Selection in the

International Buyer Program for Fiscal

Year (FY) 1998.

The International Buyer Program was

established to bring international buyers

together with U.S. firms by promoting

leading U.S. trade shows in industries

with high export potential. The

International Buyer Program emphasizes

cooperation between the U.S.

Department of Commerce (DOC) and

trade show organizers to benefit U.S.

firms exhibiting at selected events and

provides practical, hands-on assistance

to U.S. companies interested in

exporting such as export counseling and

market analysis. The assistance

provided to show organizers includes

worldwide overseas promotion of

selected shows to potential international

buyers, end-users, representatives and

distributors. The worldwide promotion

is executed through the offices of the

Commerce Department’s Commercial

Service of the United States of America

(formerly referred to as United States

and Foreign Commercial Service) in 70

countries representing America’s major

trading partners, and also in U.S.

Embassies in countries where the

Commercial Service of the United States

of America does not maintain offices.

The Department expects to select

approximately 22 shows for FY 1998

from among applicants to the program.

Shows selected for the International

Buyer Program will provide an avenue

for U.S. companies interested in

expanding their sales into international

markets. Successful applicants will be

required to enter into a Memorandum of

Understanding (MOU) that sets forth the

specific actions to be performed by the

show organizer and the DOC. The MOU

constitutes a participation agreement

between the DOC and the show

organizer specifying which services are

to be rendered by DOC as part of the IBP

and, in turn, what responsibilities are

agreed to be performed by the show

organizer. Anyone wishing to apply will

be sent a copy of the MOU along with

the application package. The services to

be rendered by DOC will be carried out

by the Commercial Service of the United

States of America unless otherwise

indicated.

DATES: Applications must be received

by August 5, 1996. A contribution of

$6,000 for shows of five days or less in

duration is required. For shows of more

than five days in duration or with

multiple International Business Centers

(IBC’s) the contribution is $8,000.

Contributions are for shows selected by

the IBP for inclusion in the FY 1998

program.

ADDRESSES: Export Promotion Services/

International Buyer Program,

Commercial Service of the United States

of America, International Trade

Administration, U.S. Department of

Commerce, Room 2116, 14th and

Constitution Avenue, N.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20230. Telephone:

(202) 482–0481 (Facsimile applications

will not be accepted.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON WHEN,

WHERE, AND HOW TO APPLY: Contact Jim

Boney, Product Manager, International

Buyer Program, Room 2116, Export

Promotion Services, U.S. and Foreign

Commercial Service, International Trade

Administration, U.S. Department of

Commerce, 14th and Constitution

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

Telephone: (202) 482–0148 or Fax: (202)

482–0115.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

International Trade Administration

(ITA) of the U.S. Department of

Commerce is accepting applications for

the International Buyer Program (IBP)

for events taking place between October

1, 1997, and September 30, 1998.

Under the IBP, the Department seeks

to bring international buyers together

with U.S. firms by selecting domestic

trade shows in industries with high

export potential and promoting them in

international markets. Selection of a

trade show is one-time, i.e., a trade

show organizer seeking selection for a

recurring event must submit a new

application for selection for each

occurrence of the event. If the event

occurs more than once in the 12-month

period covering this announcement, the

trade show organizer must submit a

separate application for each event.

The Department will select

approximately 22 events to support

during this 12-month period. The

Department will select those events that,

in its judgment, most clearly meet the

Department’s objectives and selection

criteria mentioned below.

Selection indicates that the

Department has found the event to be a

leading domestic trade show

appropriate for promotion in overseas

markets by U.S. Embassies and

Consulates. Selection does not

constitute a guarantee by the U.S.

Government of the show’s success.

Selection is not an endorsement of the

show organizer except as to its

International Buyer Program activities.

Non-selection should not be viewed as

an indication that the event will not be

successful in the promotion of U.S.

exports.

Exclusions

Trade shows will not be considered

that are either first-time or horizontal

(non-industry specific) events. Annual

trade shows will not be selected for this

program more than twice in any threeyear period (e.g., shows selected for

fiscal years 1996 and 1997 are not

eligible for inclusion in this program in

fiscal year 1998, but can be considered

in subsequent years). Notwithstanding

any other provision of the law, no

person is required to respond to, nor

shall any person be subject to a penalty

for failure to comply with a collection

of information, subject to the

requirements of the PRA, unless that

collection of information displays a

currently valid OMB Control Number.

The Office of Management and Budget

has approved the information collection

requirements of the application to this

program under the provisions of the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (44

U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) (OMB control no.

0625–0151).

Public reporting burden for this

collection of information is estimated to

average 3 hours per response, including

the time for reviewing instructions,

searching existing data sources,

gathering and maintaining the data

needed, and completing and reviewing

the collection of information. Send

comments regarding this burden

estimate or any other aspect of this

collection of information, including

suggestions for reducing this burden, to

Reports Clearance Officer, International

Trade Administration, Room 4001, U.S.

Department of Commerce, Washington,

D.C. 20230 and to the Office of

Information and Regulatory Affairs,

Office of Management and Budget,

Paperwork Reduction Project (0625–

0151), Washington, D.C. 20503.

General Selection Criteria

Subject to Departmental budget and

resource constraints, those events will
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 119 / Wednesday, June 19, 1996 / Notices 31385

be selected that, in the judgment of the

Department, most clearly meet the

following criteria:

(a) Export Potential: The products and

services to be promoted at the trade

show are from U.S. industries that have

high export potential, as determined by

U.S. Department of Commerce sources,

i.e., best prospects lists and U.S. export

statistics. (Certain industries are rated as

priorities by our domestic and

international commercial officers in

their Country Commercial Guides.)

(b) International Interest: The trade

show meets the needs of a significant

number of overseas markets covered by

the Commercial Service of the United

States of America and corresponds to

marketing opportunities as identified by

the posts in their Country Commercial

Guides (e.g. best prospects lists).

Previous international attendance at the

show may be used as an indicator.

(c) Scope of the Show: The trade show

offers a broad spectrum of U.S. made

products and/or services for the subject

industry. Trade shows with a majority

of U.S. firms will be given preference.

(d) Stature of the Show: The trade

show is clearly recognized by the

industry it covers as a leading event for

the promotion of that industry’s

products and services both domestically

and internationally and as a showplace

for the latest technology or services in

that industry.

(e) Exhibitor Interest: There is a

demonstrated interest on the part of U.S.

exhibitors in receiving international

business visitors during the trade show.

A significant number of these exhibitors

should be new-to-export or seeking to

expand sales into additional

international markets.

(f) Overseas Marketing: There has

been demonstrated effort made to

market prior shows overseas. In

addition, the applicant should describe

in detail the international marketing

program to be conducted for the event,

explaining how efforts should increase

individual and group international

attendance.

(g) Logistics: The trade show site,

facilities, transportation services and

availability of accommodations conform

to the expected norms of an

international-class trade show.

(h) Cooperation: The applicant

demonstrates a willingness to cooperate

with the Commercial Service of the

United States of America to fulfill the

program’s goals and to adhere to target

dates set out in the Memorandum of

Understanding and the event timetable,

both of which are available from the

program office (see FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION ON WHEN, WHERE, AND HOW

TO APPLY). Past experience in the IBP

will be taken into account in evaluating

current applications to the program.

Authority: The statutory authority allowing

the Department to provide the type of

assistance contemplated under the

International Buyer Program is 15 U.S.C.

4724.

John Klinglehut,

Deputy Director, Office of Public/Private

Initiatives, The Commercial Services of the

United States, International Trade

Administration, U.S. Department of

Commerce.

[FR Doc. 96–15587 Filed 6–18–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–FP–P