USTDA Sector Brief - Information & Communications Technology

The information age is fueling the expansion and development of reliable information and communications technology (ICT) systems and services throughout the world. Ambitious plans are under way in many countries in this sector, and U.S. firms are poised to supply needed technology and equipment. USTDA furthers the development of this sector by funding various forms of technical assistance, early investment analysis, training, orientation visits and business workshops that support the development of a modern infrastructure and a fair and open trading environment. USTDA's strategic use of foreign assistance funds to support sound investment policy and decision-making in host countries creates an enabling environment for trade, investment and sustainable economic development.

In fiscal year 2007, USTDA invested in 30 new activities in the ICT sector. The following is an illustrative list of USTDA-supported projects in this area:

East Asia

China E-Government Capacity Program Orientation Visit – USTDA approved $204,000 to bring 14 delegates from the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) to the United States to learn about U.S. practices in e-government, and to meet with providers of e-government systems and other IT products and services.

China Healthcare IT Systems Orientation Visit – USTDA provided $226,000 to bring 13 delegates from the Ministry of Health and various hospitals to the United States to learn about U.S. technology in the healthcare IT sector.

Europe and Eurasia

Russia E-Procurement – USTDA is providing partial funding of $316,686 for a pilot project to establish an Internet portal for government procurement. C-Win of Chamblee, GA is conducting the pilot program.

Montenegro Telecommunications Development Policy Technical Assistance – USTDA awarded $306,771 to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Policy and Development in Montenegro to assist in developing the nation’s telecommunications policy. Arthur D. Little was competitively selected.

Poland MPEC Wroclaw Telecom Network Expansion – USTDA awarded $492,098 to MPEC Wroclaw to partially fund a study on expanding the geographic coverage and product service offering for a metropolitan area telecommunications network in Wroclaw, Poland. The Reston Consulting Group completed the study.

Romania INTEROPERATE – USTDA provided $340,100 for a study on the Integrated Climatology, Agro-Meteorological, Air Pollution Forecast and Warning, Computation and Training Center project for the Romanian National Administration of Meteorology (NAMH). Burgess & Niple of Columbus, OH is completing the study.

Afghanistan Telecommunication Development Fund – USTDA provided $404,500 for technical assistance to the Afghanistan Telecommunications Regulatory Authority to effectively utilize the newly created Telecommunications Development Fund to improve rural telecommunications access. Astro Systems, Inc. is providing the technical assistance.

Latin America and the Caribbean

Honduras ENEE Fiber-Optic Telecom Network – USTDA provided a $300,000 technical assistance grant to National Electric Energy Company (ENEE) to develop a blueprint for deployment and the eventual commercialization of a fiber-optic infrastructure. The project will strengthen the capacity of the nation’s network of telecommunications connectivity while providing incentives for new market investment. Furthermore, it will improve telecommunications access in rural areas, and improve efficiency and productivity throughout the country.

Colombia Telecommunications Capacity Building – USTDA provided $484,600 to the Colombian Ministry of Communications to assess long distance licensing, local loop unbundling, and emerging technologies. The technical assistance seeks to foster enhanced competition in the long distance and cellular markets, as well as developing advanced wireless, broadband and VoIP services.

Jamaica Submarine Telecommunications Cable Regulations – USTDA is providing $235,288 to the Jamaican Office of Utilities Regulation to support the development of new submarine telecom cable regulations. The technical assistance is designed to level the playing field for international carriers in the Jamaican market by supporting the development of a regulatory framework that enhances competition.

Middle East and North Africa

Iraq ICT Training – USTDA is funding a train-the-trainers program in adult education techniques and ICT for 120 Iraqis. The trainers will then provide vocational training in ICT in Iraq. Training is being conducted on U.S. equipment and is being delivered in cooperation with the Informatics Commission, a university that is part of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research's network of institutions.

Regional ICT Conference – USTDA, with the support of several U.S. government agencies, sponsored a conference in May 2006 to highlight issues and opportunities in the ICT sector in the Middle East and North Africa region. As a follow-on to the event, USTDA is funding a $197,650 training program for delegates from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen in spectrum management and telecom/IT policy and regulation issues.

E-Government Orientation Visit – Delegates from Egypt, Morocco, Jordan and Lebanon participated in an e-government orientation visit to the United States in October 2007. The orientation visit introduced delegates to suppliers of technology and equipment and expertise on establishing and maintaining e-Government systems.

West Bank WiMax Network – USTDA is providing a $480,625 technical assistance grant to BCI Communication & Advanced Technologies to provide business advisory services, technical analysis, and human resources training related to the establishment of a WiMax broadband wireless network serving the West Bank. The network would target the 10 largest cities in the West Bank, which would provide approximately 45,000 users with broadband wireless services.

South and Southeast Asia

Pakistan Undersea Fiber Optic Cable Project – USTDA awarded $145,000 to determine the viability of a private Undersea Fiber Optic Cable System to connect Pakistan with the FLAG Global Network. Implementation is the first major private sector venture in basic telecom infrastructure in Pakistan and would provide a critical second link in case of interruptions to the existing SMW-3 link. T. Soja and Associates carried out the study.

Indonesia Disaster Management Plan and Technology Strategy – USTDA awarded a $650,000 grant to Badan Meteorologi dan Geofisika (BMG), Indonesia’s Meteorology and Geophysics Agency, for technical assistance to help integrate and modernize its disaster management systems so that it may implement a functioning Tsunami Early Warning System and Command and Control Center.

Philippines Tax Computerization Project – USTDA provided a $584,100 grant to the Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) for a study on a tax computerization project. The study considered outsourcing options for the BIR's IT functions, as well as technology solutions for the organization's infrastructure. The M Group of Phoenix, AZ completed this study.

Vietnam EVN Financial Management Information System – USTDA is providing $306,000 to Electricity of Vietnam for technical assistance to manage a World Bank-funded international competitive bid for a new IT infrastructure. Chemonics of Washington, D.C. was selected competitively to perform the study.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Regional Telecommunications Training – USTDA is funding a $258,350 training program for approximately 20 delegates from 16 countries on ICT management, regulatory frameworks and privatization. The two-part Training Program will be held at the U.S. Telecommunications Training Institute.

USTDA is supporting a West Africa ICT Roadmap to Opportunities Conference in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State, in Accra, Ghana, in July 2008. The conference will convene top business and governmental decision makers from 12 African countries and the United States to promote dialogue on key issues including regional integration, deregulation, privatization, public sector initiatives and telecom solutions. The conference will present more than 25 projects that offer the best opportunities for U.S. firms in the ICT sector.

Burkina Faso National ICT Backbone Network – USTDA is providing a $350,000 grant, to the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, to fund a Feasibility Study for the implementation of a National ICT Backbone Network. The FS will focus on assessing the technical and financial viability of implementing the National ICT Backbone Network in Burkina Faso. Competitive selection of the contractor is ongoing.

Rwanda Communication Infrastructure Backbone – USTDA is providing $390,000 to the Rwandan Ministry of Infrastructure to fund a study on the implementation of a Communications Infrastructure Backbone. The study will assess the project’s financial viability, ownership and business operational model. The project supports the Government of Rwanda’s Vision 2020.

Worldwide

Global Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Executive Training Cooperation Program – In partnership with the U.S. Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI), USTDA is funding customized training on ICT technologies and regulatory policy for newly appointed Ministerial-level officials from developing and middle-income countries around the world. The program complements a regional initiative with USTTI in Sub-Saharan Africa that is providing targeted training for key government officials, with the goal of ICT deployment throughout the region.