[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 53 (Thursday, March 19, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13393-13394]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-7329]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
Business Development Mission to Belfast and Londonderry (Derry),
Northern Ireland and Sligo, Ireland, the Week of June 8th, 1998
AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice serves to inform the public of a business
development mission to Belfast and Londonderry, Northern Ireland and
Sligo in the border counties of Ireland to be held the week of June
8th, 1998; provides interested U.S. firms with the opportunity to
submit an application to participate in the mission; sets forth
objectives, procedures, and selection review criteria for the mission;
and requests applications. The recruitment and selection of private
sector participants in the mission will be conducted in accordance with
the Statement of Policy Governing Department of Commerce Overseas Trade
Missions announced by Secretary William Daley on March 3, 1997 and
reflected herein.
DATES: The mission is scheduled for the week of June 8th, 1998.
Recruitment will begin after March 18th and conclude by April 24, 1998.
Applications received after that date will be considered only if space
permits.
ADDRESSES: Requests for and submission of applications:
Applications are available from Lucie Naphin, Director, Office of
Business Liaison at (202) 482-1360, fax (202) 482-4054, U.S. Department
of Commerce, Room 5062, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington,
D.C. 20230. An original and two copies of the required application
materials should be sent to the Director at the above address.
Applications sent by facsimile must be immediately followed by
submission of the original application.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Mission Description
The U.S. Department of Commerce will organize a business
development mission to Belfast and Londonderry, Northern Ireland (NI)
and Sligo in the border counties of Ireland, the week of June 8th,
1998. The Secretary of Commerce, William M. Daley, will lead the
mission which will be comprised of about 20 U.S. company executives
from five industry sectors: environmental technology, food technology/
processing, health technology, information technologies, and wood/
timber products.
The business purpose of the mission is the promotion of U.S. trade,
exports, and investment in Northern Ireland and the Border Counties of
Ireland. The present state of the Northern Ireland and Ireland
economies and the ready access to the $7.8 trillion European market
provide strong and growing markets for U.S. products and services.
The itinerary of the mission will include stops in Belfast and
Londonderry (Derry), Northern Ireland and in County Sligo in the border
counties of Ireland. The private sector participants will be offered:
(1) One-on-one, pre-screened, business appointments with Northern
Ireland and Ireland companies; (2) expert market briefings with senior
U.K. (Northern Ireland) and Ireland (regional) Government officials;
(3) site visits to U.S. companies operating in Northern Ireland and the
Border Counties of Ireland; and, (4) logistical support and
transportation in and between Belfast and Londonderry, Northern Ireland
and Sligo in the border counties of Ireland.
Mission Goals
The goals of the mission are to: (1) Reaffirm the U.S. Government's
commitment and support to underpin the peace process through U.S.
commercial activity in the region; (2) increase sales of U.S. products
and services to Northern Ireland, Ireland, and the European Union; (3)
foster the increase of joint ventures and investments involving U.S.
companies in Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland,
especially those likely to result in U.S. exports; (4) seek resolution
of outstanding bilateral commercial issues, specific problems, and
opportunities and advocate interests in the key sectors targeted for
this mission; and, (5) facilitate and establish meetings between U.S.
companies and Northern Ireland/Border Counties of Ireland businesses.
Participation Criteria
About 20 companies will be selected to participate in the mission.
Participants must fall into one of the five sectors of environmental
technology, food technology/processing, health technology, information
technologies, and wood/timber products. A company's product or
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service must be either produced in the U.S. or if not, marketed under
the name of a U.S. firm and have at least 51% U.S. content of the
finished product/service. New-to-market companies are encouraged to
apply. Participant executives ideally will be at the level of CEO,
president or senior vice president. Each firm participating in this
mission will have been recruited by U.S. DOC in Washington and reviewed
by our U.S. Embassies in London and Dublin and our U.S. Consulate in
Belfast for:
(1) Consistency of the company's goals with the scope, nature and
desired outcome of the mission (as described herein); (2) relevance of
the company's line of business to the mission goals; (3) past, present,
or prospective business activity in the U.K., Ireland, or Europe; (4)
diversity of company size, type, location, demographics and traditional
under-representation in business. An applicant's partisan political
activities (including political contributions) are irrelevant to the
selection process.
Endorsements/Referrals
Third parties may nominate or endorse potential applicants, but
companies that are nominated or endorsed must themselves submit an
application in order to be eligible for consideration. Referrals from
political organizations will not be considered.
Costs
The fee for the mission will be determined prior to the application
deadline. The participation fee will not cover the participant's
travel, lodging or other personal expenses.
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 1512.
Ellis R. Mottur,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Trade Development.
[FR Doc. 98-7329 Filed 3-18-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DA-P
