Port of Veracruz Trade Mission

MISSION DESCRIPTION 

The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service (CS) is organizing an executive-led trade mission to the Port of Veracruz, Mexico, for December 6-9, 2010.  This mission is intended to include representatives of a variety of U.S. industry and service providers, particularly those in the transportation, security, and infrastructure industries.  The mission will introduce mission participants to end-users and prospective partners whose needs and capabilities are targeted to the respective U.S. participant’s strengths.  

Participating in an official U.S. industry delegation, rather than traveling to the Port of Veracruz independently, will enhance the companies’ ability to secure meetings with the port authorities and the private terminal operators, and provide an opportunity to them to tour the port facilities. The mission will include meetings with Port of Veracruz operators, industry groups, and local companies in Veracruz interested in partnering with U.S. companies.

Best Prospects coming soon!

MISSION AGENDA

Upon arrival in Mexico City, the U.S. mission members will be invited to a networking welcome reception at the residence of the U.S. Ambassador, to meet key government and industry contacts in the Mexico City area important to ports infrastructure development at the national level.

The next day, participants will depart to the Port of Veracruz, for a program that will include technical visits with the private port operators and industrial groups in Veracruz, and a site visit to the Port of Veracruz facilities and to the site where the expansion project will be developed.  During the meetings, participating companies will have the opportunity to make short presentations of their products and services and later meet one-on-one with interested clients/partners.

Matchmaking efforts will involve local companies in Veracruz interested in partnering with the U.S. firms.  U.S. participants will be counseled before and after the mission by the USCS Mexico City officers and commercial specialists. The following items are included in the price of the trade mission:

• Pre-travel webinar briefing, covering Mexican business practices and security aspects
• Welcome kit with general information about the State of Veracruz
• Welcome reception at Ambassador’s residence
• Roundtrip transportation between Mexico City and Veracruz, by chartered bus
• Lunch with industry leaders in Veracruz
• Networking reception with industry contacts
• Breakfast with Port of Veracruz operators
• Technical visit to the Port of Veracruz facilities
• Reception with State of Veracruz Government officers, port operators and industry contacts
• Pre-scheduled meetings with potential partners, distributors, end-users, or local contacts

 PARTICIPATION  REQUIREMENTS

All parties interested in participating in the Trade Mission to the Port of Veracruz must complete and submit an application for consideration by U.S. Department of Commerce.  All applicants will be evaluated on their ability to meet certain conditions and to satisfy the selection criteria as outlined below.  This mission has a goal of a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 15 companies to be selected to participate in the mission from the applicant pool.  U.S. companies already doing business in Mexico as well as U.S. companies seeking to enter the market for the first time are encouraged to apply.

Conditions for Participation:

An applicant must submit a completed and signed mission application and supplemental application materials, including adequate information on the company’s products and/or services, primary market objectives, and goals for participation.  If the U.S. Department of Commerce receives an incomplete application, the Department may reject the application, request additional information, or take the lack of information into account when evaluating the applications.

Each applicant must also certify that the products and services it seeks to export through the mission are either produced in the United States, or, if not, marketed under the name of a U.S. firm and have at least fifty-one percent U.S. content. 

Selection Criteria for Participation:

• Suitability of a company’s products or services to the mission’s goals
• Applicant’s potential for business in Mexico, including likelihood of exports resulting from the trade mission
• Consistency of the applicant’s goals and objectives with the stated scope of the trade mission (i.e.,  the sectors indicated in the mission description)

Referrals from political organizations and any documents containing references to partisan political activities (including political contributions) will be removed from an applicant’s submission and not considered during the selection process.

APPLICATION  PROCESS AND FEES

Timeframe for Recruitment and Applications:

Mission recruitment will be conducted in an open and public manner, including publication in the Federal Register, posting on the Commerce Department trade mission calendar (http://www.ita.doc.gov/doctm/tmcal.html¹) and other Internet web sites, press releases to general and trade media, direct mail, the Maritime Technologies Team, industry trade associations and other multiplier groups, and publicity at industry meetings, symposia, conferences, and trade shows. 

Recruitment for the mission will begin immediately and conclude no later than October 15, 2010. CS Mexico City will review all applications immediately after the deadline.  We will inform applicants of selection decisions as soon as possible after October 15, 2010.  Applications received after that date will be considered only if space and scheduling constraints permit.

Trade Mission Application²

Completed applications should be sent via email TO alicia.herrera@N0SPAM.trade.gov³ , with CC dinah.mcdougall@N0SPAM.trade.gov⁴ .

Fees and Expenses

After a company has been selected to participate on the mission, a payment to U.S. Department of Commerce in the form of a participation fee is required.  The participation fee will be US $ 3,100 for large firms and $2,500 for a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) or small organization, which will cover one representative.  The fee for each additional firm representative (large firm or SME) is $350. 

Expenses for travel to Mexico City, lodging, most meals, and incidentals will be the responsibility of each mission participant. However, the roundtrip bus from Mexico City to Veracruz will be covered by the participation fee.

Hotel Information coming soon!

CONTACTS

Ms. Alicia Herrera
U.S. Commercial Service – Mexico City
Tel: (011-52-55) 5140-2629
alicia.herrera@N0SPAM.trade.gov³

Ms. Dinah McDougall – Trade Americas Team Leader
U.S. Commercial Service - Mexico City
Tel: (011-52-55) 5140-2620
dinah.mcdougall@N0SPAM.trade.gov⁴

Ms. Julia Rauner – Marine Technologies Team Leader
U.S. Commercial Service – San Diego, CA
Tel: (858) 467-7038
julia.rauner@N0SPAM.trade.gov⁵