[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 190 (Friday, October 1, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60736-60738]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-24639]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
Water Technology Trade Mission to India
AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
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[[Page 60737]]
Water Technology Trade Mission to India; February 28-March 4, 2011
Mission Description
The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade
Administration, U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service (CS), is organizing
a Water Technology Trade Mission to India from February 28 to March 4,
2011. The purpose of the mission is to expose U.S. firms to India's
rapidly expanding water and waste water market and to assist U.S.
companies to seize export opportunities in this sector. The trade
mission participants will be comprised of representatives from leading
U.S. companies that provide state-of-the-art water and waste water
technologies ranging from hydropower and desalination plants to
appliances and purification systems. The mission will visit two cities:
Bangalore and Mumbai, where participants will receive market briefings
and meet with key government decision makers and prospective private
sector partners on a one-on-one basis. During the Mumbai portion of the
mission, delegates will use Aquatech India 2011, a leading
international water technology show, as a platform for business
meetings and networking with the option to exhibit either on their own
or in a shared CS exhibition area that will be offered separately as a
supplemental service to Trade Mission participants.
Commercial Setting
India faces a critical shortage of reliable, safe water for
personal consumption and for industrial use. In recent years rapid
industrialization and a growing population have placed increasing
demands on the country's limited water resources. Although India
receives substantial amounts of annual rainfall, the monsoon season is
unpredictable and much of the rainfall is not captured. Furthermore,
most of India's water resources are allocated to the agricultural
sector, leaving little or no resources for other uses. To address this
issue, the government of India and the private sector have made
commitments to invest in water and wastewater treatment technologies.
To explore these and other opportunities, the trade mission will visit
two cities: Bangalore and Mumbai.
The city of Bangalore, located in the state of Karnataka, receives
70 percent of its water supply (714 million liters per day) from two
rivers: The Cauvery and the Arkavati rivers, and the balance from
groundwater systems (bore wells, lakes, etc.), yet demand still
outstrips supply. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB)
and the Karnataka Water Supply and Sewerage Board (KWSSB) are the two
main government agencies that provide drinking water and sewerage
disposal systems to Bangalore and other villages throughout the state.
The BWSSB and KWSSB are looking to the private sector to initiate
projects on a public-private partnership basis to conserve, recycle,
improve operation and maintenance of water treatment plants, and to
improve management of water and wastewater utilities. In addition,
private real estate developers are creating small residential/
commercial townships and are looking for water technologies for
conservation and reuse.
Mumbai, in the state of Maharashtra, is the commercial capital of
India and a rapidly growing metropolis with a population nearing 20
million people. Mumbai has six lakes serving as freshwater resources,
yet the city faces a chronic water shortage. The city does not have
adequate supplies of safe drinking water as much of the groundwater is
polluted due to sewage and industrial waste. Furthermore, given the
Mumbai region's position as an industrial hub, industry needs for
highly purified water are large and growing.
The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) is responsible
for water purification, supply, sewage treatment and disposal. The MCGM
has proposed two recycling plants to be constructed to recycle 250
million liters of water every day. Also, the MCGM is exploring the
feasibility of establishing a desalination plant with a capacity of 100
million liters. Private sector water players are looking for community-
based wastewater treatment systems that would allow them to bypass the
inadequate municipal system. Efforts are also underway to improve
citywide rainwater harvesting systems, which creates opportunities for
U.S. companies that have expertise in these technologies.
Mission Goals
The goals of the Water Technology Trade Mission to India are to
help U.S. water and waste water technology companies initiate and/or
expand their exports to India by providing introductions to industry
representatives and potential partners, networking opportunities,
current market information and a platform for policy discussions with
the local Municipal Corporations. U.S. companies will find the best
opportunities in sanitation, urban water supply improvement, rainwater
capture, and municipal waste treatment. Additional opportunities exist
in providing consulting and design services to the Indian water
industry.
Mission Scenario
The mission will start in Bangalore, where participants will meet
with officials from the state of Karnataka, the local Municipal
Corporation and potential private sector partners. Next, the
participants will visit Mumbai where they will meet with private water
companies and officials from the state of Maharashtra. In Mumbai the
participants will have the option to attend Aquatech India 2011, a
leading international water technology show in India. The participants
will also attend policy, market and commercial briefings by the U.S.
Commercial Service as well as networking events offering further
opportunities to speak with local business and government
representatives. U.S. participants will be counseled before and after
the mission by CS India staff. Participation in the mission will
include the following:
Pre-travel briefings on subjects ranging from business
practices in India to security;
Pre-scheduled meetings with potential partners,
distributors, end users, or local industry contacts in Bangalore and
Mumbai;
Airport transfers in Bangalore and Mumbai;
Meetings with state government and local Municipal
officials; and,
Participation in a networking reception in Bangalore.
For trade mission recruitment efforts CS India will work in
conjunction with the Global Environmental Team, which will serve as a
key facilitator in establishing strong commercial ties to the U.S.
water industry. The Global Environmental Team will play an active role
in promoting U.S. water technology exports, broadening the
identification of NTE/NTM clients, deepening internal CS industry
expertise, and contributing to relevant commercial diplomacy successes.
Proposed Timetable
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Sunday, February 27, 2011......... Bangalore:
Delegates arrive in
Bangalore/check-in and rest
overnight.
[[Page 60738]]
Monday, February 28, 2011......... Bangalore:
Briefing.
Meetings with State
Government officials.
Meetings with local
Municipal officials.
Business matchmaking
sessions.
Networking reception.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011............ Bangalore/Mumbai:
Site visit.
Travel to Mumbai.
Arrive in Mumbai/check-
in and rest overnight.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011.......... Mumbai:
CS Mumbai briefing.
Aquatech India 2011
inauguration and exhibition
(optional).
Business matchmaking
sessions.
Thursday, March 3, 2011........... Mumbai:
Meetings with State
Government officials.
Meetings with local
Municipal officials.
Business matchmaking
sessions.
Aquatech India 2011--
conference and exhibition
(optional).
Delegates may depart for
U.S. or stay for optional Friday
activities.
Friday, March 4, 2011............. Mumbai:
Site visit (optional).
Aquatech India 2011--
conference and exhibition
(optional).
Departure for the U.S.
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Participation Requirements
All parties interested in participating in the Water Technology
Trade Mission to India must complete and submit an application package
for consideration by the Department of Commerce. All applicants will be
evaluated on their ability to meet certain conditions and best satisfy
the selection criteria as outlined below. The mission will open on a
first come first served basis for up to 15 qualified U.S. companies.
Fees and Expenses
After a company has been selected to participate in the mission, a
payment to the Department of Commerce in the form of a participation
fee is required. The participation fee will be $3,000 for large firms
and $2,400 for a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME), which includes
one representative.\*\ The fee for each additional firm representative
(large firm or SME) is $250. Expenses for travel, lodging, most meals,
and incidentals will be the responsibility of each mission participant.
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\*\ An SME is defined as a firm with 500 or fewer employees or
that otherwise qualifies as a small business under SBA regulations
(see http://www.sba.gov/services/contracting opportunities/
sizestandardstopics/index.html). Parent companies, affiliates, and
subsidiaries will be considered when determining business size. The
dual pricing reflects the Commercial Service's user fee schedule
that became effective May 1, 2008 (see http://www.export.gov/newsletter/march2008/initiatives.html for additional information).
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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.
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 the company's products or services to the
market or markets targeted by the mission.
Consistency of the applicant's goals and objectives with
the scope and design of the mission.
Applicant's potential for business [in the target markets/
in the mission country(ies)], including likelihood of exports resulting
from the mission.
Diversity of company size, sector or subsector, and location may
also be considered during the review process.
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.
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.html) and other Internet Web sites, press releases to general and
trade media, direct mail, notices by 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 January 15, 2011. The mission
will be open on a first come first served basis. Applications received
after that date will be considered only if space and scheduling
constraints permit.
Contacts
U.S. Commercial Service India
Mr. Kamal Vora, U.S. Commercial Service, Mumbai, Tel: 91-22-22652511,
E-mail: [email protected].
Mr. Leonard Roberts, U.S. Commercial Service, Bangalore, Tel: 91-80-
2220 6403, E-mail: [email protected]. Contacts.
U.S. Commercial Service Export Assistance Centers
Ms. Julia Rauner Guerrero, Senior International Trade Specialist,U.S.
Commercial Service, San Diego, Tel: 858-467-7038, E-mail:
[email protected].
Mr. Bill Cline, Director, U.S. Commercial Service, Reno, Tel: 775-784-
5203, E-mail: [email protected].
Lisa Huot,
Trade Promotion Programs, International Trade Specialist, U.S.
Commercial Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-24639 Filed 9-30-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-FP-P