Association Uses $500,000 Award to Target Foreign Buyers

Enhanced well beyond its original equipment state with wheels, tires, extra safety products, and performance equipment, this pick-up truck incorporates many of the products that the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) promotes. Peter Perez, ITA’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing, second from left, presented SEMA with a $500,000 MDCP award at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas in November.

Over 39,000 foreign buyers were on hand to do business at the show. For its MDCP project, SEMA is targeting buyers in China and the Persian Gulf. SEMA is using part of its MDCP funds to organize a Middle East Business Development Conference, which will be held in the United Arab Emirates in April 2012.

MDCP Awards to Industry Groups: Up to $300,000 for Foreign Market Development Projects
ITA is planning to make from seven (7) to ten (10) financial assistance awards to industry groups this spring. If your organization seeks to help U.S. firms export and create jobs, find out more about getting funds to help. Visit our About MDCP page.

Submit MDCP Applications by Feb. 21, 2012
ITA announced the 2012 competition on January 3. Applications are due on or before February 21, by 5 pm EST. Visit our About MDCP page for more information.

Clarification on Application Type Size and Margins
On page 9 of ITA's federal funding opportunity notice restrictions on the size of type and margins are set forth. All who are preparing applications should consult this clarification of these restrictions.

Five New MDCP Awards Announced for 2011
On September 20, 2011, Acting Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank five MDCP awards. See the press release for a list of the winners.

MDCP Supports the National Export Initiative.
On March 9th, 2010, ITA issued a press release, detailing ways in which MDCP supports the National Export Initiative.

Exports Create Jobs.
In a January 15, 2010, speech delivered in Anchorage, Secretary Locke noted that every $180,000 increase in exports creates one U.S. job. Refer to the study on jobs and exports for more information.

How to Know if You Are On Our Email Contact List
If you received an email on December 30 then you are on the list. If you did not receive an email and you have not received an email since then notifying you that you are on the list, please email Ms. Latonya Milstead at Latonya.Milstead@trade.gov and request to be added to the contact list.

Who from ITA Works with MDCP Award Winners?
In addition to MDCP Director Brad Hess, MDCP award winners will work with a team of ITA professionals who can help them accomplish project goals. You can search for likely ITA team members using the directories on line 4 of Step-by-Step Application Process.

MDCP is designed for non-profits, trade associations, etc. that represent an industry. It is not designed for individual companies. For more information about eligibility for financial assistance programs other than MDCP, visit the eligibility page of grants.gov.