395 
(A) identifying subsectors of the small business community with 
strong export potential; 
(B) identifying areas of demand in foreign markets; 
(C) prescreening foreign buyers for commercial and credit pur-
poses; and 
(D) assisting in increasing international marketing by dissemi-
nating relevant information regarding market leads, linking poten-
tial sellers and buyers, and catalyzing the formation of joint ven-
tures, where appropriate; 
(3) in cooperation with the Department of Commerce, actively assist 
small business concerns in forming and using export trading compa-
nies, export management companies and research and development 
pools authorized under division I of subtitle II; 
(4) work in conjunction with other Federal agencies, SBA regional 
offices, SBA district offices, the small business development center net-
work, and the private sector to identify and publicize translation serv-
ices, including those available through colleges and universities partici-
pating in the small business development center program; 
(5) work closely with the Department of Commerce and other rel-
evant Federal agencies to— 
(A)(i) collect, analyze and periodically update relevant data re-
garding the small business share of United States exports and the 
nature of State exports (including the production of Gross State 
Product figures); and 
(ii) disseminate those data to the public and to Congress; 
(B) make recommendations to the Secretary of Commerce and 
to Congress regarding revision of the North American Industry 
Classification System codes to encompass industries currently 
overlooked and to create North American Industry Classification 
System codes for export trading companies and export manage-
ment companies; 
(C) improve the utility and accessibility of existing export pro-
motion programs for small business concerns; and 
(D) increase the accessibility of the Export Trading Company 
contact facilitation service of the Department of Commerce; 
(6) make available to the small business community information re-
garding conferences on exporting and international trade sponsored by 
the public and private sectors; 
(7) provide small business concerns with access to up to date and 
complete export information by— 
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396 
(A) making available, at SBA regional offices and SBA district 
offices through cooperation with the Department of Commerce, ex-
port information, including the worldwide information and trade 
system and world trade data reports; 
(B) maintaining a list of financial institutions that finance ex-
port operations; 
(C) maintaining a directory of all Federal, regional, State and 
private sector programs that provide export information and as-
sistance to small business concerns; and 
(D) preparing and publishing such reports as the Office deter-
mines to be necessary concerning market conditions, sources of fi-
nancing, export promotion programs, and other information per-
taining to the needs of exporting small business concerns so as to 
ensure that the maximum information is made available to small 
business concerns in a readily usable form; 
(8) in cooperation with the Department of Commerce, encourage 
greater participation by small business concerns in trade fairs, shows, 
missions, and other domestic and overseas export development activities 
of the Department of Commerce; 
(9) facilitate decentralized delivery of export information and assist-
ance to small business concerns by assigning primary responsibility for 
export development to 1 individual in each SBA district office and pro-
viding each SBA regional office with a full-time export development 
specialist, who shall— 
(A) assist small business concerns in obtaining export informa-
tion and assistance from other Federal agencies; 
(B) maintain a directory of all programs that provide export in-
formation and assistance to small business concerns in the region; 
(C) encourage financial institutions to develop and expand pro-
grams for export financing; 
(D) provide advice to SBA personnel involved in making loans, 
loan guarantees, and extensions and revolving lines of credit and 
providing other forms of assistance to small business concerns en-
gaged in exporting; 
(E) within 180 days after being appointed as an export develop-
ment specialist, participate in a training program designed by the 
Administrator, in conjunction with the Department of Commerce 
and other Federal agencies, to study export programs and to ex-
amine the needs of small business concerns for export information 
and assistance; 
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397 
(F) participate, jointly with employees of the Office, in an an-
nual training program that focuses on current small business 
needs for exporting; and 
(G) develop and conduct training programs for exporters and 
lenders, in cooperation with the export assistance centers, the De-
partment of Commerce, the Department of Agriculture, small 
business development centers, women’s business centers, the Ex-
port-Import Bank of the United States, the Overseas Private In-
vestment Corporation, and other Federal agencies; 
(10) make available on the SBA website the name and contact infor-
mation of each individual described in paragraph (9); 
(11) carry out a nationwide marketing effort using technology, online 
resources, training, and other strategies to promote exporting as a 
business development opportunity for small business concerns; 
(12) disseminate information to the small business community 
through SBA regional offices and SBA district offices, the small busi-
ness development center network, export assistance centers, the net-
work of women’s business centers, SCORE chapters, State and local 
export promotion programs, and partners in the private sector regard-
ing exporting trends, market-specific growth, industry trends, and pros-
pects for exporting; and 
(13) establish and carry out training programs for the staff of SBA 
regional offices and SBA district offices and resource partners of SBA 
on export promotion and the provision of assistance relating to exports. 
§ 277104. Export financing programs 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Associate Administrator shall work in cooperation 
with the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Department of Com-
merce, other Federal agencies, and the States to develop a program through 
which export specialists in SBA regional offices, regional and local loan offi-
cers, and small business development center personnel can facilitate the ac-
cess of small business concerns to— 
(1) relevant export financing programs of the Export-Import Bank 
of the United States; and 
(2) export and pre-export financing programs available from the Ad-
ministrator and the private sector. 
(b) TRADE FINANCE SPECIALISTS.—To accomplish the goal established 
under subsection (a), the Associate Administrator shall— 
(1) designate at least 1 individual within SBA as a trade finance 
specialist to oversee international loan programs and assist SBA em-
ployees with trade finance issues; and 
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398 
(2) work in cooperation with the Export-Import Bank of the United 
States and the small business community, including small business 
trade associations, to— 
(A) aggressively market existing SBA export financing and pre- 
export financing programs; 
(B) identify financing available under various programs of the 
Export-Import Bank of the United States, and aggressively mar-
ket those programs to small business concerns; 
(C) assist in the development of financial intermediaries and fa-
cilitate the access of those intermediaries to existing financing pro-
grams; 
(D) promote greater participation by private financial institu-
tions, particularly institutions already participating in loan pro-
grams under this subtitle, in export finance; and 
(E) provide for the participation of appropriate SBA personnel 
in training programs conducted by the Export-Import Bank of the 
United States. 
§ 277105. Trade remedies 
The Associate Administrator shall— 
(1) work in cooperation with other Federal agencies and the private 
sector to counsel small business concerns with respect to initiating and 
participating in any proceedings relating to the administration of the 
United States trade laws; and 
(2) work with the Department of Commerce, the Office of the United 
States Trade Representative, and the International Trade Commission 
to increase access to trade remedy proceedings for small business con-
cerns. 
§ 277106. Discharge of international trade responsibilities 
The Administrator shall ensure that— 
(1) the responsibilities of the Administrator regarding international 
trade are carried out by the Associate Administrator; 
(2) the Associate Administrator has sufficient resources to carry out 
those responsibilities; and 
(3) the Associate Administrator has direct supervision and control 
over— 
(A) the staff of the Office; and 
(B) any SBA employee whose principal duty station is an export 
assistance center, or any successor entity. 
§ 277107. Export and trade counseling 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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399 
(1) LEAD
SMALL
BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT
CENTER.—The term 
‘‘lead small business development center’’ means a small business devel-
opment center that has received a grant from the Administrator. 
(2) LEAD WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTER.—The term ‘‘lead women’s 
business center’’ means a women’s business center that has received a 
grant from the Administrator. 
(b) CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.—The Administrator shall establish an ex-
port and trade counseling certification program to certify employees of lead 
small business development centers and lead women’s business centers in 
providing export assistance to small business concerns. 
(c) NUMBER OF CERTIFIED EMPLOYEES.—The Administrator shall en-
sure that the number of employees of each lead small business development 
center who are certified in providing export assistance is not less than the 
lesser of— 
(1) 5; or 
(2) 10 percent of the total number of employees of the lead small 
business development center. 
(d) REIMBURSEMENT FOR CERTIFICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the availability of appropriations, the 
Administrator shall reimburse a lead small business development center 
or a lead women’s business center for costs relating to the certification 
of an employee of the lead small business center or lead women’s busi-
ness center in providing export assistance under the program estab-
lished under subsection (b). 
(2) LIMITATION.—The total amount reimbursed by the Adminis-
trator under paragraph (1) shall not exceed $350,000 in any fiscal 
year. 
§ 277108. Performance measures 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Associate Administrator shall develop perform-
ance measures for SBA to support export growth goals for the activities of 
the Office under this chapter that include— 
(1) the number of small business concerns that— 
(A) receive assistance from the Administrator; 
(B) had not exported goods or services before receiving the as-
sistance described in subparagraph (A); and 
(C) export goods or services; 
(2) the number of small business concerns receiving assistance from 
the Administrator that export goods or services to a market outside the 
United States into which the small business concern did not export be-
fore receiving the assistance; 
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400 
(3) export revenues by small business concerns assisted by programs 
of the Administrator; 
(4) the number of small business concerns referred to an export as-
sistance center or a small business development center by the staff of 
the Office; 
(5) the number of small business concerns referred to SBA by an 
export assistance center or a small business development center; and 
(6) the number of small business concerns referred to the Depart-
ment of Commerce, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of 
State, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Overseas Pri-
vate Investment Corporation, or the United States Trade and Develop-
ment Agency by the staff of the Office, an export assistance center, or 
a small business development center. 
(b) JOINT PERFORMANCE MEASURES.—The Associate Administrator 
shall develop joint performance measures for SBA district offices and export 
assistance centers that include the number of export loans made under— 
(1) section 205110 of this title; 
(2) the export working capital program; 
(3) the preferred lenders program; and 
(4) the export express program. 
(c) CONSISTENCY OF TRACKING.—The Associate Administrator, in co-
ordination with the Federal agencies that are represented on the Trade Pro-
motion Coordinating Committee established under section 2312 of the Ex-
port Enhancement Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 4727) and the small business 
development center network, shall develop a system to track exports by 
small business concerns, including information relating to the performance 
measures developed under subsection (a), that is consistent with systems 
used by the Federal agencies and the network. 
§ 277109. Export assistance centers 
(a) MINIMUM NUMBER OF EXPORT FINANCE SPECIALISTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator, in coordination with the Sec-
retary of Commerce, shall ensure that the number of export finance 
specialists at all times is not less than the number of employees as-
signed as export finance specialists on January 1, 2003. 
(2) SBA REGIONS.—The Administrator, in coordination with the 
Secretary of Commerce, shall ensure that at all times there are not 
fewer than 3 export finance specialists in each SBA region. 
(b) PLACEMENT OF EXPORT FINANCE SPECIALISTS.— 
(1) PRIORITY.—The Administrator shall give priority, to the max-
imum extent practicable, to placing SBA employees at any export as-
sistance center that— 
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401 
(A) had an SBA employee assigned to the export assistance cen-
ter before January 2003; and 
(B) has not had an SBA employee assigned to the export assist-
ance center during the period beginning January 2003 and ending 
on September 27, 2010, through either retirement or reassign-
ment. 
(2) NEEDS OF EXPORTERS.—The Administrator shall, to the max-
imum extent practicable, strategically assign SBA employees to export 
assistance centers based on the needs of exporters. 
(3) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section shall be con-
strued to require the Administrator to reassign or remove an export fi-
nance specialist who was assigned to an export assistance center on 
September 27, 2010. 
(c) GOALS.—The Associate Administrator shall work with the Depart-
ment of Commerce, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, and the 
Overseas Private Investment Corporation to establish shared annual goals 
for the export assistance centers. 
(d) OVERSIGHT.—The Associate Administrator shall designate an indi-
vidual within SBA to oversee all activities conducted by SBA employees as-
signed to export assistance centers. 
§ 277110. State trade expansion program 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) ELIGIBLE SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN.—The term ‘‘eligible small 
business concern’’ means a business concern that— 
(A) is organized or incorporated in the United States; 
(B) is operating in the United States; 
(C) meets— 
(i) the applicable industry-based small business size stand-
ard established under section 101103 of this title; or 
(ii) the alternate size standard applicable to the program 
under section 101103(b)(5) of this title and the loan pro-
grams under chapter 331; 
(D) has been in business for not less than 1 year, as of the date 
on which assistance using a grant under this subsection com-
mences; and 
(E) has access to sufficient resources to bear the costs associ-
ated with trade, including the costs of packing, shipping, freight 
forwarding, and customs brokers. 
(2) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘program’’ means the State trade expan-
sion program established under subsection (b). 
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402 
(3) RURAL
SMALL
BUSINESS
CONCERN.—The term ‘‘rural small 
business concern’’ means an eligible small business concern located in 
a rural area (as defined in section 1393(a) of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 1393(a))). 
(4) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means a State, the District of Co-
lumbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, and 
the Northern Mariana Islands. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.—The Associate Administrator shall 
establish a trade expansion program, to be known as the State trade expan-
sion program, to make grants to States to carry out programs that assist 
eligible small business concerns in— 
(1) participation in foreign trade missions; 
(2) a subscription to services provided by the Department of Com-
merce; 
(3) the payment of website fees; 
(4) the design of marketing media; 
(5) a trade show exhibition; 
(6) participation in training workshops; 
(7) a reverse trade mission; 
(8) procurement of consultancy services (after consultation with the 
Department of Commerce to avoid duplication); or 
(9) any other initiative determined appropriate by the Associate Ad-
ministrator. 
(c) GRANTS.— 
(1) JOINT REVIEW.—In carrying out the program, the Associate Ad-
ministrator may make a grant to a State to increase the number of 
eligible small business concerns in the State exploring significant new 
trade opportunities. 
(2) CONSIDERATIONS.—In making grants under this section, the As-
sociate Administrator may give priority to an application by a State 
that proposes a program that— 
(A) focuses on eligible small business concerns as part of a 
trade expansion program; 
(B) demonstrates intent to promote trade expansion by— 
(i) small business concerns owned and controlled by socially 
and economically disadvantaged individuals; 
(ii) small business concerns owned and controlled by 
women; and 
(iii) rural small business concerns; 
(C) promotes trade facilitation from a State that is not 1 of the 
10 States with the highest percentage of eligible small business 
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concerns that are engaged in international trade, based on the 
most recent data from the Department of Commerce; and 
(D) includes— 
(i) activities that have resulted in the highest return on in-
vestment based on the most recent year; and 
(ii) the adoption of shared best practices included in the 
annual report of the Administrator. 
(3) LIMITATIONS.— 
(A) SINGLE APPLICATION.—A State may not submit more than 
1 application for a grant under the program in any 1 fiscal year. 
(B) PROPORTION
OF
AMOUNTS.—The total value of grants 
made under the program during a fiscal year to the 10 States with 
the highest percentage of eligible small business concerns, based 
on the most recent data available from the Department of Com-
merce, shall be not more than 40 percent of the amounts appro-
priated for the program for that fiscal year. 
(C) DURATION.—The Associate Administrator shall award a 
grant under this program for a period of not more than 2 years. 
(4) APPLICATION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—A State desiring a grant under the program 
shall submit an application at such time, in such manner, and ac-
companied by such information as the Associate Administrator 
may establish. 
(B) CONSULTATION TO REDUCE DUPLICATION.—A State desir-
ing a grant under the program shall— 
(i) before submitting an application under subparagraph 
(A), consult with applicable trade agencies of the Federal 
Government on the scope and mission of the activities that 
the State proposes to carry out using the grant, to ensure 
proper coordination and reduce duplication in services; and 
(ii) document the consultation conducted under clause (i) 
in the application submitted under subparagraph (A). 
(d) COMPETITIVE BASIS.—The Associate Administrator shall award 
grants under the program on a competitive basis. 
(e) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of the cost of a trade expan-
sion program carried out using a grant under the program shall be— 
(1) for a State that has a high trade volume, as determined by the 
Associate Administrator, not more than 65 percent; and 
(2) for a State that does not have a high trade volume, as deter-
mined by the Associate Administrator, not more than 75 percent. 
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