Barbara Bradford, Small Business Outreach, USTDA, Room 309, SA-16, Washington, D.C. 20523-1602, Fax No.: (703) 875-4009

C -- DOING BUSINESS WITH TDA - HOW ITS SMALL BUSINESS CONTRACTS WORK DUE 111595 POC Barbara Bradford, USTDA, Room 309, SA-16, Washington, D.C. 20523-1602, Tel: (703) 875-4357, Fax No.: (703) 875-4009 The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA) extends an invitation to U.S. citizens and small businesses to attend a one day session on ''Doing Business with TDA - How Its Small Business Contracts Work''. TDA intends to increase the number of small businesses that it contracts with over the next year by enlarging the number of individuals and small businesses that are familiar with, and compete for, TDA contracts. The session is designed to improve the business community's understanding of the contracting process and of the form and substance of the of the expertise and advice TDA seeks through its contracting. The U.S. Trade and Development Agency is a small, independent agency of the Federal government. It assists in the creation of jobs for Americans by helping U.S. companies pursue overseas business opportunities. Through the funding of feasibility studies, orientation visits, specialized training grants, and various forms of technical assistance, the agency provides American firms with market entry, exposure and information, and thus helps them establish a position in markets that are otherwise difficult to penetrate. TDA is located in Washington, has 38 employees, and an annual budget of approximately $40 million. The one day session is limited to U.S. citizens and small businesses (SBA definition) with expertise in agribusiness, energy, human resources development, manufacturing, telecommunications, transportation, water/environment, and project financing. In carrying out it feasibility study program, TDA contracts with small businesses to provide TDA with technical expertise on a number of aspects of potential projects overseas. Pursuant to these contracts, experts produce either a Desk Study or a Definitional Mission report. A Definitional Mission is a team of technical specialists that is dispatched by TDA for a short-term visit to a host country to gather additional information on a project. Definitional Missions give small businesses an opportunity to travel overseas and establish working relationships with foreign officials in the public an private sector. A Desk Study is used when there is already sufficient project information available. In these situations, TDA hires a technical specialist to perform a quick review of the project and answer specific questions dealing with the project -- without leaving the United States. The purpose of Definitional Missions and Desk Studies is to review the nature of the proposed project, its priority to the host government, its likely total cost, the likelihood of project financing, the need for a feasibility study, the scope of work and budget for the study, its environmental impact, the U.S. export potential, expected impact on U.S. jobs, and the U.S. companies which could compete for procurement of goods and services for the project. During the session, senior members of the TDA staff and program officers will present in-depth explanations of the type and form or expertise and advice that TDA is looking for in its contracts with small business for its Definitional Mission and Desk Study activities. The session will take place on Friday, December 8, 1995 in Arlington, Virginia. Registration begins at 9:30. The program is scheduled from 10:00 am to Noon, and from 1:30 pm until 3:00 pm. There is no charge for the program, however, there will be a luncheon at noon at the hotel facility where the program will take place. Luncheon tickets, available for sale the day of the session, will cost approximately $25, payable in cash or check only. The luncheon will be widely attended by TDA staff as an opportunity to more informally discuss our agency and its goals. For those attending from out of town or who have never visited TDA, there will be an informal open-house at the TDA offices and library, located a short distance away, following the end of the session at 3:00 pm. While we urge you to attend the session, attendance is NOT required to compete for contracts from TDA. Nevertheless, we believe you will find the session useful, and hope that you will take advantage of this opportunity to become more familiar with TDA staff, policies, and operations. Space is limited, so please indicate your interest in attending by November 15, 1995. Send your Name, Company Name, Address, Phone, and Fax number to TDA at the following address: Attn: Small Business Outreach, TDA, Room, 309, SA-16, Washington, D.C. 20523-1602 or by fax at: Attn: Small Business Outreach, (703) 875-4009. Upon receipt of this inforation, TDA will send you material about TDA programs and contracts, and well as the specific location in Arlington, Virginia of the session on December 8, 1995. (0310)

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