Who should I contact about trade advocacy services?
The Advocacy Center at the U.S. Department of Commerce
puts the resources and authority of the U.S. government
behind your team in pursuit of international contracts
or other U.S. export opportunities.
The U.S. Commercial Service has offices located
in Embassies and Consulates in over 80 countries
worldwide to provide on-the-ground assistance to
U.S. companies facing trade and export-related issues.
The U.S. Foreign Agriculture Service has offices
located in U.S. Embassies and Consulates around
the world.
What Is Trade Advocacy?
Trade advocacy is assistance on a specific trade
or export related issue rendered by the U.S. Government
on behalf of a U.S. company. Advocacy assistance can
help you overcome trade barriers, bureaucratic problems,
unfair trading practices and help level the playing
field to ensure that your company has the best possible
chance to sell its products and services.
What types of advocacy assistance are available?
Advocacy assistance is wide and varied, but often
involves assisting companies that must deal with foreign
governments or government-owned corporations in some
way. Assistance can include:
-
A visit to a key foreign official by a high-ranking
U.S. Government official;
-
Direct support by U.S. officials (including
Commerce and State Dept. officers) stationed
at U.S. Embassies and Consulates;
-
Coordinated action by U.S. government agencies
to provide maximum assistance.
When should my company seek advocacy services?
You should seek advocacy assistance to help resolve
problems like these:
-
Contracts pursued by foreign firms that receive
assistance from their home governments to pressure
a customer into a buying decision;
-
Unfair treatment by foreign government decision-makers,
preventing you from a chance to compete;
-
Politicized procurement processes linking contracts
to concessionary financing, promises of technology
transfer, or flow of aid; and
-
Tenders tied up in bureaucratic red tape, resulting
in lost opportunities and unfair advantage to
a competitor.
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