Commerce Trade Fair Privatization: Private Sector Organization and Management of U.S. Exhibitor Pavilions in Overseas Trade Fairs

SUMMARY: This notice sets forth a summary of the objectives and

procedures for qualified U.S. firms to assume responsibility for

recruiting, promoting, organizing, and managing a U.S. exhibitor

presence abroad in select overseas trade fairs which previously have

been organized and managed by Commerce. In this context and throughout

this notice, this transfer of responsibilities is referred to as

``privatization.''

DATES: These administrative procedures are effective October 6, 1995.

The deadline for receipt of applications from U.S. firms wishing to

assume responsibility for recruitment, promotion, construction, and

management of a U.S. exhibitor pavilion is November 15, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Trade Fair Certification Program, Room 2116, Export

Promotion Services, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department

of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, D.C. 20230.

FOR A COPY OF THE SOLICITATION OR

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Paul Bucher, U.S. Department of

Commerce, Room 2116, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington,

D.C. 20230. Tel: (202) 482-1609 Fax: (202) 482-0115

Applicants also may want to contact the relevant trade fair

proprietor about actual show dates, event specifics and logistics (see

below).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 November 15, 1995.

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.

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

International Trade Administration {ITA}-organized and managed U.S.

exhibitor pavilions in overseas trade shows that occur between October

1, 1996, and November 30, 1997.

As with shows under the Trade Fair Certification Program, 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. Certification,

via the privatization process, 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 where the applicable show is being held, 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.

* In order to qualify, all applications must be received by

November 15, 1995.

* Unless circumstances dictate otherwise, formation of a U.S.

pavilion within the overseas fair is required.

* Production of a catalog of U.S. exhibitors is required.

* Selected organizers must recruit a minimum number of

participants, which varies according to the specific event, who will

display U.S. products.

* A show consisting solely of U.S. products must continue to be

recruited as such. Such shows {SFO or SFW} are noted accordingly.

* 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 may not restrict their U.S.

exhibitor recruitment campaign to association members only. Such

applicants must acknowledge and agree to this condition.

* For events listed as TFOs or TFWs (trade fairs recruited by

overseas' U.S. embassy staff or Washington-based Commerce staff,

respectively), 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 notice 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. 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 it.

The appropriate Commerce Officer should be contacted to discuss

Commerce's activities and responsibilities as they relate to the U.S.

pavilion in that particular show. Commerce seeks applications from

qualified firms, associations, or

[[Page 52513]]

American Chambers of Commerce abroad to assume U.S. pavilion

recruitment, promotion, organization and management functions in the

following overseas trade fairs:

------------------------------------------------------------------------

City/ Event

country Industry name Date Type Ex. No.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Poznan, Agricultural Polagra Oct-96 TFO 20

Poland machinery amd

Equipment

Barbara Grabowska

Commercial Assistant

U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service

U.S. Trade Center Warsaw

Unit 1340

APO AE 09213-1340

Tel: 48-2-621-4515; 621-4216; 625-4300

Fax: 48-2-621-6327

Prague, Medical MEFA Oct-96 TFO 15

Czech Instruments,

Rep. equipment and

supplies

Kathleen Kriger

Commercial Officer

U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service

U.S. Embassy Prague

Unit 1330

APO AE 09213-1330

Tel: 42-2-2421-9844

Fax: 42-2-2421-9965

Perth, Oil and gas field PTA- Oct-96 TFO 17

Australi machinery Petroleu

a m

Amy Niesporek

U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service

U.S. Consulate Sydney

PSC 280, Unit 11026

APO AP 96554-0002

Tel: 61-2-373-9200

Fax: 61-2-221-0573

Bucharest General Bucharest Oct-96 TFO 30

, industrial internat

Romania equip. ional

fair

William Crawford

Senior Commercial Officer

U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service

U.S. Embassy Bucharest

Unit 1315

APO AE 09213-1315

Tel: 40-1-210-4042; 210-0149

Fax: 40-1-210-0395

New Process controls, Indian Feb-97 TFO 20

Delhi, instrumentation engineer

India ing fair

Shantanu Mitra

Commercial Specialist

U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service

U.S. Embassy New Delhi

Shanti Path, Chanakyapuri 110021

New Delhi, India

Tel: 91-11-600651

Fax: 91-11-687-2391

Cairo, General Cairo Mar-97 TFO 35

Egypt industrial int'l

equip. fair

Laron Jensen

Senior Commercial Officer

U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service

U.S. Embassy Cairo

APO AE 09839-4900

Tel: 20-2-355-7371

Fax: 20-2-355-8368

Casablanc Computers and SITEB Apr-97 TFO 15

a, telecommunicatio

Morocco ns

Latifa Louraqui

Commercial Specialist

U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service

U.S. Consulate Casablanca

APO AE 09718 (CAS)

Tel: 212-2-26-45-50

Fax: 212-2-22-02-59

Brussels, Telecommunication Telecomm May-97 TFO 15

Belgium s equipment Brussels

Nicole Pollet

Commercial Specialist

U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service

U.S. Embassy Brussels

PSC 82, Box 002

APO AE 09724

Tel: 32-2-508-2111

[[Page 52514]]

Fax: 32-2-512-6653

Tel Aviv, High technology Technolog May-97 TFO 20

Israel goods y

Elana Shelemay

Commercial Assistant

U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service

U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv

PSC 98, Box 100

APO AE 09830

Tel: 972-3-517-6161

Fax: 972-3-510-7215

Sao Food processing FISPAL Jun-97 TFO 20

Paulo, and packaging

Brazil machinery

Eduardo Altenfelder

Commercial Specialist

U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service

Rua Estados Unidos, 1812

Sao Paulo, S.P. 01427-002

Brazil

Tel: 55-11-853-2011/2411/2778

Fax: 55-11-853-2744

Santo General EXPO USA JUN-97 SFO 60

Domingo, industrial

Dominica equip. and

n consumer goods

Republic

Robert Bucalo

Senior Commercial Officer

U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service

U.S. Embassy Santo Domingo

Unit 5500

APO AA 34041

Tel: 809-221-2171

Fax: 809-688-4838

Barcelona Telecommunication FERCOM Oct-97 TFO 15

, Spain s

Dorothy Lutter

Commercial Officer

U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service

U.S. Consulate Barcelona

PSC 61, Box 0005

APO AE 09642

Tel: 34-3-280-2227

Fax: 34-3-205-7705

Basel, Hotel and IGEHO Nov-97 TFO 15

Switzerl restaurant

and

Werner Wiedmer

Commercial Specialist

U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service

U.S. Embassy Bern

Jubilaeumstrasse 93

3005 Bern

Switzerland

Tel: 41-31-357-7011

Fax: 41-31-357-7336

------------------------------------------------------------------------

SHOW TYPE:

TFO Trade Fair recruited by Commerce staff overseas.

SFO Trade Fair for U.S. products/services only (recruited by

overseas post).

TFW Trade Fair recruited by Washington-based Commerce staff.

Ex. No. The minimum number of firms exclusively exhibiting U.S. products

or services to be recruited.

Dated: September 29, 1995.

Mary Fran Kirchner,

Chairman, ITA Trade Events Board.

[FR Doc. 95-24879 Filed 10-5-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-FP-P