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

B -- TDA'S PROGRAMS AND SERVICES - HOW SMALL BUSINESSES WORK WITH TDA POC Barbara Bradford, USTDA, Room 309, SA-16, Washington, D.C. 20523-1602, Tel No.: (703) 875-4357, Fax No.: (703) 875-4009. The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA) extends an invitation to U.S. small businesses to attend a half day outreach session designed to familiarize them with the operations of TDA and the programs and services it provides. The session is designed to improve the small business community's understanding of TDA's grant and contracting process, as well as TDA's Conferences, Orientation Visits, library, and publications. 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 in infrastructure and industrial projects in developing and middle income countries. TDA funds feasibility studies, orientation visits, specialized training grants, and various forms of technical assistance related to projects in a variety of sectors including telecommunications, transportation, energy and environment. The agency does not become involved in retail or marketing activities. TDA is located in Rosslyn, Virginia, has 38 employees, an annual budget of approximately $40 million, and funds transferred from other agencies of approximately $20 million. The outreach session is targeted for U.S. citizens and small businesses (SBA definition) with technical expertise in energy, manufacturing, telecommunications, transportation, water/environment, and project financing, as well as manufacturers/suppliers of equipment suitable for large infrastructure projects in these sectors. In carrying out its mandate, TDA provides grants to host country sponsors of infrastructure and industrial projects in the developing world. The project sponsors use the grant funds to pay for the services of a U.S. firm to conduct the basic engineering feasibility and planning study for the project. Based upon the study and the relationship developed between the U.S. firm and the project sponsors, U.S. firms and suppliers generally will have a preferred position in the project. The outreach session will cover how to compete for the contract to conduct the feasibility study as well as how to pursue the opportunities created by having a U.S. firm involved in the project at an early stage. In the process of providing feasibility study grants, 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 are 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 and 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 outreach session will explain how to compete for these contracts, as well as the host country contracts to conduct the feasibility studies. Senior members of the TDA staff and program officers will present in-depth explanations of TDA's program, and how U.S. small businesses can benefit from, or engage in TDA activities. The session will take place on Friday, December 6, 1996 in Arlington, Virginia from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm. To register, mail the following: 1) A check for $20.00, made out to the Rosslyn Westpark Holiday Inn; 2) Your name; 3) Title; 4) Firm name; 5) Address; 6) Telephone number; 7) Fax number; 8) The category which most closely describes your business among these categories: consultant, engineering, manufacturer/supplier; or financial expert. The luncheon, (included in the $20.00 fee) will be widely attended by TDA staff as an opportunity to more informally discuss our agency and its goals. Mail to: Small Business Outreach, TDA, Room 309, SA-16, Washington, D.C. 20523-1602. Registrations which are faxed or incomplete or not accompanied by a check will not be honored. No cancellations or refunds will be made after December 2, 1996. The outreach session will take place at the Rosslyn Westpark Holiday Inn, Rosslyn Ballroom, 1900 North Fort Myer Drive, Arlington (Rosslyn), Virginia, 22209, tel. (703) 807-2000. (0306)

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