The Global
Technology Network (GTN)
Are you
Getting Your Share?
 The
Global Technology Network (GTN)
is a U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID)
program designed to assist
small and medium-size U.S.
companies gain access to
developing markets.
GTN facilitates the
transfer of technology and
services from the U.S. to
countries world wide through
the dissemination of trade
leads free of charge. GTN
focuses primarily on four
industry sectors:
- Agricultural Technology
- Communications &
Information Technology
- Environment & Energy
Technology
- Health Technology
Appropriately, these are
sectors well matched with
Washtenaw County Exporters.
GTN Success Stories
include:
- A Tunisian company
purchases $400,000 of
street cleaning/garbage
collection trucks from a
company in Illinois.
- A Singapore Government
Ministry purchases
$850,000 in odor control
equipment from a company
in Minnesota.
- A New Jersey information
technology firm enters
into partnership with a
company in Cameroon to
supply satellite equipment
to 25 cities.
- A Chilean company buys
$350,000 of food and dairy
processing equipment from
a corporation in Ohio.
GTN Trade Lead Process
GTN facilitates the
transfer of U.S. technology
and services to developing
countries by matching a
foreign company’s
development needs with U.S.
firms equipped to provide the
appropriate technological
solutions. The three basic
types of GTN leads are
equipment purchases,
agent/distributor agreements,
and joint ventures. The
majority of GTN business
opportunities originate from
private companies and do not
represent USAID projects or
procurements, although GTN
occasionally disseminates
USAID procurement bulletins
and foreign government
tenders. To learn more about
USAID, please visit their
website: http://www.info.usaid.gov/.
The trade lead process
functions as follows:
Overseas business
opportunities are identified
by local GTN Representatives
and/or partner organizations.
The GTN Representative will
personally meet with the local
company, if possible, and
provide a detailed
questionnaire. GTN currently
receives leads from the
following regions:
- Asia/Near East
- Central & Eastern
Europe/NIS
- Latin America
- Sub-Saharan Africa
Once the questionnaire is
completed, the trade lead is
transmitted to GTN/Washington,
where it is qualified,
matched, and e-mailed to U.S.
firms registered in GTN’s
databases. Registration is
free of charge. Extensive
follow-up is done overseas and
in the U.S. by GTN and partner
organizations until a business
transaction or relationship
has been established between
the two companies.
Follow-up on trade leads,
as well as information on
general USAID procurement, is
provided through GTN/Washington
and outreach offices in
California, Florida, and
Illinois. Additional follow-up
on leads is provided through
U.S. Export Assistance Centers
and more than 30 state trade
partner organizations across
the U.S. Partner organizations
use GTN's internet-based Trade
Lead Tracking System to assist
local companies respond to GTN
trade leads
GTN Travel
Grants
The Office of Business
Development administers a
small travel grants program to
support U.S. firms pursuing
GTN trade leads. This GTN
travel grant program is
designed to increase the
number of successful
transactions as a result of
the linkages made through the
GTN system. GTN travel grants
are available to companies
that submit or respond to a
GTN trade lead. After the
developing country and U.S.
parties have identified a
mutual interest in pursuing a
business relationship, either
organization may apply for a
GTN grant for a maximum of
US$5,000.00, to cover the
travel costs of one
individual's travel to meet
with the potential partner
GTN Regional
Trade Initiatives
GTN provides electronic
commerce linkages that
facilitate domestic and
regional trade in USAID-assisted
regions worldwide. With USAID
regional bureau or mission
funding, GTN will install an
electronic trade opportunity
matching system and a
communications network in
selected host country
organizations and train local
staff on their use. The GTN
regional initiative
complements USAID strategic
objectives by creating a
permanent link to domestic,
regional, and U.S. markets.
GTN trade mission services,
which include sector briefings
and networking support to
USAID field missions and
domestic partners, are
provided in cooperation with
other federal and multilateral
agencies. Trade missions are
held at USAID offices in the
International Trade Center in
Washington, DC. Similar
services are available for
in-coming GTN trade
delegations sponsored by USAID
missions and U.S. Embassies
abroad, foreign embassies, or
other GTN partner
organizations.
For further information and
registration, please visit
GTN’s website at http://www.usgtn.net/.
Date Updated: March 27, 2007
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