[Federal Register: August 27, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 166)]
[Notices]               
[Page 46884]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27au99-35]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

 
District Export Council Nomination Opportunity

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of Opportunity to Serve as a Member of One of the Fifty-
five District Export Councils.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Commerce is currently seeking 
expressions of interest from individuals in serving as a member of one 
of the fifty-five District Export Councils (DECs) nationwide. The DECs 
are closely affiliated with the Export Assistance Centers (EACs) of the 
Commercial Service. DECs combine the energies of more than 1,500 
exporters and private and public export service providers who volunteer 
their time to supply specialized expertise to small and medium-sized 
businesses in their local communities who are interested in exporting. 
DEC members volunteer at their own expense.

DATES: Applications for nomination to a DEC must be received by the 
designated local DEC representative by September 10, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Stone, International Trade 
Specialist, the Commercial Service, tel. 202-482-6298. Additional 
information about the DECs is also found on the National DEC Homepage 
at http://www.ita.doc.gov/dec.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Providing their expertise and mentoring 
services, DEC members help local firms move from their first 
international business plan to their first export sale. The DECs create 
seminars that simplify trade finance, host international buyer 
delegations, design breakthrough exporting guides, put exporters on the 
Internet, and help build local partnerships that strengthen export 
assistance programs. Because DEC members represent both the users and 
providers of local export assistance services, they can identify gaps 
in the export services that EACs provide to U.S. businesses and thus 
shape EAC international trade programs to better meet local business 
needs.

Selection Process

    About half of the approximately 30 positions on each of the 55 DECs 
will be open for nominations for the term that begins January 1, 2000, 
and ends December 31, 2003. Nominees are recommended by the local DEC 
Executive Secretary in consultation with the DEC and with other local 
export promotion partners. After undergoing a review process, DEC 
nominees are then selected and appointed to DEC membership by the 
Secretary of Commerce.

Membership Criteria

    Each DEC is interested in nominating highly-motivated people active 
in the local exporting community. Membership composition on the DECs 
include: exporters (such as representatives from manufacturing, the 
services industry, and export trading companies); bankers; U.S. Small 
Business Administration representatives; state and local officials; and 
other ``partners'' including international lawyers and accountants as 
well as representatives from world trade centers, chambers of commerce, 
export management companies, labor and freight forwarders.

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 1501 et seq., 15 U.S.C. 4721.

    Dated: August 19, 1999.
Daniel J. McLaughlin,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Domestic Operations, U.S. and Foreign 
Commercial Service.
[FR Doc. 99-22356 Filed 8-26-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-FP-P