Ms. Barbara Bradford, USTDA, Suite 300, 1621 N. Kent Street, Arlington, VA 22209-2131, Telephone: (703) 875-4357, Fax: (703) 875-4009

B -- TDA SESSIONS FOR U.S. FIRMS ON "HOW TO DO BUSINESS WITH TDA" POC Ms. Barbara Bradford, USTDA, Room 300, 1621 N. Kent Street, Arlington, VA 22209-2131, Telephone: (703) 875-4357, FAX: (703) 875-4009 The U.S. Trade and Development Agency offers a session on "How to Do Business with TDA" on Tuesday, March 9, at the Hilton St. Petersburg in St. Petersburg, Florida from 10:30 a.m. until 6:15 p.m. Topics: Feasibility Study Grants ($200,000-$800,000); Contracts for Technical Expertise ($25,000 or less); Project specific Conferences; Orientation Visits bringing foreign procurement officials to the U.S.; Information and Resources of the Agency Who should attend: U.S. firms with engineering or production capability in energy, telecommunications, transportation, and water & environment projects. U.S. consultants providing technical expertise in these sectors. U.S. manufacturers and suppliers of equipment and services for installations in these sectors. State, Utilities, Not-for-Profits, and Trade Associations active in these sectors. Project developers and companies seeking to become involved in overseas projects in these sectors. The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA) extends an invitation to U.S.firms to attend a day long session to familiarize both firms and individuals with the operations of TDA and the contracts it reserves specifically for small businesses. The session is designed to improve the businesses community's understanding of TDA's grant and contracting process, alert it to upcoming contracting opportunities, and provide it with an informal setting to meet TDA program staff and to discuss contracting opportunities and contractor qualifications. 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 for projects in a variety of sectors. The agency does not become involved in retail or marketing activities. TDA is located in Rosslyn, Virginia, has 40 employees, an annual budget of approximately $42 million, and funds transferred from other agencies of approximately $15 million. The outreach session is targeted for U.S. citizens, and both large U.S. businesses and small U.S. businesses (SBA definition) which have technical expertise in energy, manufacturing, telecommunications, transportation, water & environment, and project financing, or which produce or supply equipment suitable for large infrastructure projects in these sectors. TDA's grants for feasibility studies usually range from $200,000 to $800,000. The grant is given to the foreign project sponsor on the condition that the sponsor hire a U.S. firm to do the feasibility study. The sponsor, through TDA, holds a competition, and chooses the U.S. firm it wants to do the study. The U.S. firm undertakes the study for its new client, the project sponsor, and TDA pays the U.S. firm for its work. Feasibility studies are the "nuts and bolts" of project planning. These studies, which evaluate the technical, legal, economic, and financial aspects of a development project, arerequired by financial institutions to assess the credit worthiness of a project. Most importantly, when U.S. engineering firms conduct feasibility studies, recommendations and specifications can be written to American codes and standards, providing U.S. suppliers with an increased chance of winning the implementation contracts that follow. Doing the feasibility study also places the U.S. firm in an excellent position to win the follow-on work involved in implementing the project. 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 overseas projects. Pursuant to these contracts, experts produce either a Desk Study or a Definitional Mission report. A Definitional Mission involves a contract with one or more 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 involves a contract for a specialist to analyze technical or financial information about an overseas project when there is already sufficient project information available here in the United States. In these situations, TDA hires a technical specialist to perform a quick review of the project and answer specific questions dealing with the project, but does not require an overseas trip. The outreach session will explain how to compete for these contracts, as well as the host country contracts to conduct the feasibility studies. During the session, senior members of the TDA staff and program officers will present in-depth explanations of TDA's program and how U.S. businesses can utilize the programs of TDA. Registration begins at 9:30. The program begins at 10:30, and includes a luncheon and afternoon networking reception. The attendance fee is $95, payable by check to the Florida District Export Council, and mailed to the Florida District Export Council, 1130 Cleveland Street, Clearwater, FL 33755. For your convenience, a special room rate for staying at the Hilton St. Petersburg is available for $129 by calling the hotel directly at 1-888-843-6929 and making reservation by asking for the TDA group rate. Those attending the TDA session are responsible for their own travel and accommodation arrangements. For further information about the TDA session, please contact Barbara Bradford at bbradford@tda.gov or by fax: 703 875-4009 or by phone (703) 875-4357 or George Martinez or Sandra Campbell at U.S. Dept of Commerce, phone 727-893-3738 or fax 727-449-2889 or e-mail martifsu@gate.net. Please include your contact information including name, title, company name, address, phone, fax, and e-mail. . Posted 12/14/98 (I-SN279937). (0348)

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