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try.
U.S. Trade
and
Development Agency
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA) 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, business
workshops, and various forms of technical assistance, TDA enables American businesses to
compete for infrastructure and industrial projects in middle-income and developing
countries.
TDA AT A GLANCE
Since the U.S. Trade and Development Agency's inception in 1981, TDA has been associated
with approximately $16 billion in exports -- or nearly $37 in exports for every dollar
invested in TDA activities.
TDA is a small, independent federal agency. Because of their size and management style,
they respond quickly to assist U.S. companies in capitalizing on overseas business
opportunities and responding to foreign competition.
In Fiscal Year 1999, TDA obligated $57 million for U.S firms in more than 67
strategically targeted developing and middle-income countries in the following regions:
Africa/Middle East; Asia/Pacific; Central and Eastern Europe; Latin America and the
Caribbean; and the New Independent States (NIS).
TDA primarily is involved in these sectors: agriculture; energy; environment; health
care; information technology manufacturing; mining and minerals development;
telecommunications; transportation; and water resources.
TDA, through the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC), works closely with the
Department of Commerce, The Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private Investment
Corporation, and other export promotion agencies to advance American business interests
abroad.
TDA funds project planning activities that directly influence the procurement decisions
related to major industrial or infrastructure projects in developing and middle-income
countries - projects that typically represent millions of dollars in U.S. export
potential. From radar for airports in Asia to process controls for refineries in Latin
America, hundreds of goods and services are required to implement a project. TDA works to
ensure that the services and products needed for projects will be stamped "Made in
the U.S.A."
All TDA activities are carried out by U.S. firms. The following is a brief summary of
the activities that TDA funds:
ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES - TDA is active in more than 40 nations around the world. At
times, statutory, resource, and policy constraints limit the availability of TDA programs
in certain nations.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT - TDA reviews the environmental impact of each project. TDA
will decline funding for projects that have an adverse impact on the environment of the
host nation.
EFFECT ON U.S. JOBS - TDA is designed to increase American jobs through increased
exports as well as to support the economic development of the host nation. TDA will not
fund a project if it develops jobs overseas at the expense of jobs in the USA.
WORKING WITH OTHER TRADE PROMOTION AGENCIES – TDA learns of many viable
public and private sector projects from the Commerce Department's U.S. and Foreign
Commercial Service (US&FCS) and the State Department's economic and commercial
officers. TDA works closely with these agencies to identify projects and gauge the
likelihood of their implementation. TDA funded feasibility studies are often used by the
Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and the Export-Import Bank of the United
States (Ex-Im). Proposals often dovetail with OPIC and Ex-Im requirements.
RELATIONSHIPS WITH FINANCING INSTITUTIONS – TDA maintains trust funds at six
multilateral development banks (MDBs): the World Bank, the International Finance
Corporation, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Inter-American
Development Bank and its private sector arm, the Inter-American Investment Corporation,
and the African Development Bank. These funds can be used for technical assistance or
feasibility studies.
FEASIBILITY STUDIES - TDA's primary tool for getting U.S. firms in on the
"ground floor" of major projects abroad is the funding of feasibility studies.
Feasibility studies examine the technical, legal, economic, and financial aspects of a
development project in the concept stage.
You may also wish to visit the following websites:
For additional information and assistance, please contact the nearest office of the US Commercial Service which can be found at
http://www.export.gov/comm_svc/eac.html.
Date
Updated: March 27, 2007
Copyright 2006 - Michigan District Export
Council. All rights
reserved
U.S. Trade