For Immediate Release
Contact: Jim Dyke, Curt Cultice, 202-482-4883/3809

October 19, 2001

Commerce Department Award to Promote U.S.
Transportation Technology and Service Exports

Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITSA)

U.S. Commerce Secretary Donald Evans today announced a $400,00 financial assistance award to the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITSA). The Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization promotes the development and use of transportation technology such as "smart" cards and other mass transit innovations as well as engineering services for transportation infrastructure. ITSA will help expand exports to key markets such as Brazil and China through trade missions, export seminars, trade leads, strategy sharing, matchmaking, and legislation to dismantle trade barriers.

The funds are made available through the Commerce Department's Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP), a public-private partnership developed to help small- and medium-sized U.S. firms expand exports that support jobs. The MDCP is a competitive matching grants program that builds partnerships by providing federal assistance to non-profit organizations involved in export promotion.

"The Cooperator program enables American businesses to take the risks necessary to innovate, and to pursue profitable export markets," Evans said. "Now, more than ever, we must be diligent in our efforts to expand trade and economic opportunity for America and around the world."

In his announcement, Secretary Evans identified six other organizations from across the country that will also receive MDCP awards. The seven awards, which total $2.3 million, will go to the non-profit organizations listed below:

• World Trade Center Association, Los Angeles-Long Beach, Long Beach, Calif.
• The Montana World Trade Center at The University of Montana, Missoula, Mont.
• Alameda Center for Environmental Technology, Alameda, Calif.
• National Association of Credit Management, Inc., Columbia, Md.
• Intelligent Transportation Society of America, Washington, D.C.
• Evergreen Building Products Association, Tacoma, Wash.
• Association for Manufacturing Technology, McLean, Va.

These organizations will dedicate an additional $5.3 million dollars for export promotion to the $2.3 million in awards by the Commerce Department.

Since 1993, the Commerce Department has made 61 MDCP awards totalling $19 million.

When all projects funded to date have been completed, the private/public partnership to develop foreign markets will have totaled $67 million.

Organizations interested in the MDCP can obtain information by calling Brad Hess at the Commerce Department: tel. (202) 482-2969, or by visiting the MDCP web site at www.export.gov/mdcp.