Mission Statement

Mission Description

The Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce will sponsor a textile trade mission to the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, December 3-9, 2000. The mission will be led by an officer from the Office of Textiles and Apparel and accompanied by a staff member from the American Textile Manufacturers Institute (ATMI). The ATMI is the national trade association for the U.S. textile industry. The mission will consist of representatives from U.S. apparel fabric companies interested in selling their products in Central America and the Dominican Republic or establishing local representation agreements.

U.S. Companies selling apparel fabrics made from natural fibers and cotton blends of fibers and yarns in the better price and quality ranges are likely to have the best chance of success. The mission is planned to consist primarily of apparel fabric manufacturers and suppliers. However, should local market conditions or recruitment needs dictate, OTEXA may modify the mission to include other suppliers. U.S. companies that export fabric or textiles used for housing purposes, such as carpet or upholstery, are also encouraged to apply, in the context of the Department of commerce's Hurricane Mitch reconstruction activities.

Commercial Setting

The Trade Development Act of 2000 will expand trade benefits to countries in the Caribbean Basin. This new legislation, the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA), is expected to increase U.S. textile shipments by $8.4 billion and raise U.S. textile and textile-related employment by 121,400 within five years. This is the conclusion of a study conducted by Nathan Associates, an economic and management consulting firm, and released by ATMI. These countries are important importers of U.S. apparel fabrics due to the number of outward processing facilities in the area. According to the study, this new law will increase U.S. textile exports to CBERA countries by $11.0 billion over five years, while other U.S. textile shipments to U.S. apparel manufacturers and other export markets, would decline by $2.2 billion.

The CBERA area is a major consumer of apparel fabric for outward processing and many CBERA nations have a highly developed apparel industry.

Mission Goals

The mission's goal is to increase mission members' U.S. exports of apparel fabric to the CBERA area or secure representation agreements for mission members with qualified agents and distributors.

Mission Scenario

Mission participants will meet individually with buyers, agents, and distributors pre-selected and qualified by the U.S. Commercial Service. Meetings will take place in hotel function rooms or other appropriate venues.

Most meetings will be by appointment, but "walk-in traffic" also may occur. In each country, there also will be a mission briefing for participants on local market conditions and selling opportunities. The precise schedule will depend on availability of local government and business officials and the specific goals of mission participants.

Timetable

The itinerary follows: 12/3, arrive Dominican Republic; 12/4 meetings Dominican Republic; 12/5, travel to Honduras; 12/6, meetings Honduras, travel to Guatemala; 12/7, meetings Guatemala, travel to El Salvador; 12/8, meetings El Salvador; 12/9, mission concludes, members depart.

Recruitment for the mission will begin immediately and should be concluded by November 1, 2000. Applications received after that date will be considered only if space and scheduling constraints permit.

Criteria for Participant Selection

Relevance of a company's product line to mission goals.

Potential for business in the CBERA area.

Provision of adequate information on company's primary market objectives in order to facilitate appropriate matching with potential business partners.

Maximum of 12 and a minimum of six participating companies.

Mission recruitment will be conducted in an open and public manner, including publication in the Federal Register, posting on the Internet, press releases to the general and trade media, direct mail and fax, notices by industry trade associations and other multiplier groups, and at industry meetings, conferences, trade shows, etc.

A company's products must be manufactured or produced in the United States and labeled "made in the U.S. A." Any partisan political activities (including political contributions) of an applicant are entirely irrelevant to the selection process.

Timeliness of receipt of company's signed application and Participation Agreement, including participation fee of $4,000.

Contact

Bill Dawson at 202/482-5155, fax 202/482-2859.

Mailing address: U.S. Department of Commerce, Room H-3100, Washington, D.C. 20230.

Internet: william_dawson@ita.doc.gov