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About MDCP

Application Kit

Frequently Asked Questions

Application
Preparation

Award Recipients
Success Stories

MDCP Results and Notes

 
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Results & other points.
Notes
1
Cooperative agreements, not grants.

Each MDCP partner works with a team of ITA professionals that helps achieve project goals. By working as a team, ITA can help U.S. industry organizations:

- Leverage ITA’s 123 posts in 75 countries, 108 domestic offices in 49 states, and relevant Washington, D.C.-based resources,

- Coordinate in advance for more effective activities, and

- Ensure that activities result in quantifiable success.

 

2
MDCP multiplies ITA’s effectiveness.

By inviting new MDCP partnerships, ITA:

- Acknowledges that it does not have all the answers on how to help U.S. industry to be more competitive,

- Engages its staff directly where it can be most effective, working alongside industry organizations, and

- Reaches member companies of its MDCP partners that it would not reach if ITA were working alone.

 

3
High return.

Exports generated for every federal dollar invested : $104.

 

4 Broader competiveness projects being undertaken. More than half of the projects undertaken since 2003, have transcended traditional foriegn market development strategies to include broader competitiveness enhancement elements such as: supply chain management, standards, intellectual property rights, efficiency audits, trustmarking, and after-sale servicing.
5
Traditional average annual total for MDCP awards.

While the program was funded without interruption between 1993 and 2005, the total amount for MDCP awards each year was $2.3 million on average.

 

6
U.S. industry organizations commit a substantial amount of their own resources.

Value of MDCP awards made since 1993: $27.7 million

Match pledged by partners: $77.3 million

Ratio of partner contribution to MDCP award: $2.79 to $1.

 

7
A very competitive program.

In an average year, 50 organizations compete for awards. Odds of being selected for an MDCP award: 1 in 7.

 

8
Projects are underwritten by non-profits to strengthen the global competitiveness of U.S. industry, and not to benefit any particular company.

MDCP partners by type of organization:

- Trade associations,

- Standards developing organizations,

- State departments of international trade and/or economic development,

- Chambers of commerce,

- World Trade Centers,

- Small business development centers,

- Other non-profit industry organizations.

 

9
Target markets.

Fifty-two (52) foreign markets targeted, including the following listed in order of popularity: China, Mexico, Japan, Brazil, Korea, Argentina, UK, Germany, Chile, Taiwan, France, and India.

 

10
Partners from every region in the United States.

Organizations in 27 states plus D.C. have received MDCP awards. Here they are in descending order of number of MDCP awards:

Virginia, D.C., California, New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Washington, South Dakota, Ohio, New Jersey, Missouri, Maryland, Hawaii, Georgia, Florida, Arizona, Colorado, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, New Mexico, Vermont, West Virginia.

 

11
MDCP-inspired innovation entails risk, but usually results in success.

Total projects undertaken: 97 (includes 14 still receiving MDCP funds)

Projects completed successfully or in process: 89 (92%).

 

12
Self-sustaining activity usually continues after the award funds are spent.

Projects that continued for a year or more after the MDCP award period: 49

Of these, the number still operating today: 42

Of the 49 projects that operated for one year or more, 18 are foreign bases. Since 1993, our partners have leveraged MDCP awards to open 18 bases of operations in foreign markets. These include offices, product demonstration/servicing centers, and training facilities. All 18 continued in operation for at least a year after the MDCP award period ended, and 15 continue in operation today.

 

13
MDCP project experience often encourages alumni to initiate their own competitiveness enhancement projects.

In 2004, AMT-The Association for Manufacturing Technology, opened its first product demonstration and service center in Shanghai as part of an MDCP project. In 2006, it opened a demonstration/service center in Monterrey, Mexico. Although this was inspired by the success of AMT's MDCP project in Shanghai, the association undertook the Monterrey project without the benefit of MDCP funding.

In 2004, four standerds-developing-organizations set up a joint office in Beijing as part of an MDCP project. By 2008, three of those SDOs, ASTM, ASME International, and the American Petroleum Institute, had each set up their own offices in China without MDCP assistance.

 

14
Cross pollination.

ITA leverages the experience gained through MDCP projects by encouraging MDCP alumni to share their experience and best practices with trade association executives and others. This they have done generously in various venues such as the regular meetings of the National Association of Manufacturers’ Council of Manufacturing Associations.

For example, AMT shared the experience gained from its MDCP-supported Shanghai technical center with the Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America. WMMA benefited from the interaction, and, in 2008, ITA made an MDCP award to WMMA to set up a technical center in India similar to the one set up by AMT in China.

 

15
History of limits to size of MDCP award.

Limit to amount of each award:

- 1993:$450,000

- 1994-2005: $400,000

- 2007: $175,000

- 2008: $250,000

 

16
MDCP projects make U.S. industry more aware of ITA programs
     
     

 

 

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