2013 International Buyer Program Application Period Now Open.

The Commercial Service is now accepting applications for the International Buyer Program for trade events taking place between 1 January 2013 through 31 December 2013. The International Buyer Program was established to bring international buyers together with U.S. firms by promoting leading U.S. trade shows in industries with high export potential.  The International Buyer Program emphasizes cooperation between the DOC and trade show organizers to benefit U.S. firms exhibiting at selected events and provides practical, hands-on assistance such as export counseling and market analysis to U.S. companies interested in exporting.  The assistance provided to show organizers includes worldwide overseas promotion of selected shows to potential international buyers, end-users, representatives and distributors.  The worldwide promotion is executed through the offices of the DOC U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service (hereinafter referred to as the Commercial Service) in more than 76 countries representing the United States’ major trading partners, and also in U.S. Embassies in countries where the Commercial Service does not maintain offices. 
 
Details regarding the application, eligibility, participation requirements, and selection process are available on http://www.export.gov/IBP or you may contact the IBP at 2013IBP@trade.gov for an application package. The deadline for applying to the International Buyer Program for 2013 events is Monday, 10 December 2012. The IBP expects to issue the results of this process by April 2013.
 
Should the applicant be accepted into the program, a signed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) along with applicable program fee will be required within 45 days of the written notification of acceptance into the 2013 IBP. A sample MOA is available for reference purposes only. The MOA outlines the terms of participation that accepted applicants must commit to if accepted into the program. The Federal Register Notice sets forth objectives, procedures and application review criteria associated with support for domestic trade shows by the IBP.

Contact:
Gary Rand
Director, International Buyer Program 
U.S. Department of Commerce
USA Trade Center/Trade Promotion Programs
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
Suite 800, Mezzanine Level
Washington, D.C. 20004 
phone: (202) 482-0691
gsry.rand@trade.gov