Security Infrastructure Trade Mission

Ottawa, Canada

May 24-26, 2005

Mission Description:

The International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Commercial Service in Canada, is organizing a Security Infrastructure Trade Mission to take place in Ottawa, May 24-26, 2005. The mission will assist U.S. manufacturers of security products/services to meet senior representatives of Canadian federal, provincial and municipal governmental agencies, as well as interface with Canadian companies attending the first Canadian Public-Private sector Summit on National Security, May 25-26, 2005. The mission members will also attend the summit, which will bring together Canadian business leaders, top government and law enforcement officials, academics and heads of non-governmental organizations to discuss Canada’s extensive needs to protect its critical infrastructure from terrorist attacks and natural or other man-made disasters.

The two-and-a-half day mission program of intensive Canada-wide market exposure for U.S. participants will start with a full day of briefings, supplemented with tabletop displays of participants’ products and services to key Canadian Government and business invitees. Networking opportunities will continue via a reception hosted by the U.S. Ambassador. On the second and third days, the participants will attend the Summit. The participants will benefit from a full range of business facilitation services provided by the U.S. Commercial Service including market research, business briefings and logistical support.

For US $1,850 per company * the mission participants will receive:

• A briefing by industry experts arranged by the Commercial Service
• Market research by Commercial Service
• A one-day tabletop display program and opportunity to conduct networking business meetings with key Canadian Government and business representatives invited by the Commercial Service
• A networking reception hosted by the U.S. Ambassador at his residence for mission members and key Canadian government and business invitees
• Full participation in the first Public-Private sector Summit on National Security, including lunch and gala dinner on the first day of the Summit
• Full logistical support including hotel bookings at preferred rates and expedited custom clearance for exhibits and promotional materials

*One representative per company. Each additional representative is US $925 (includes Summit registration).

Commercial Setting

The Canadian security sector affords extensive opportunities for industry leaders and government officials to work together. With strong growth forecast to continue in the Canadian security sector for the foreseeable future, opportunities for U.S. suppliers of security products and technology have never been better.

The Canadian government is seeking to define procurement partnerships with emerging security firms. Advanced U.S. security technology has allowed U.S. firms to offer products that are more efficient and effective, relative to their counterparts in Canada.

As stated in the Summit’s brochure, Canada’s most vulnerable assets are the critical infrastructure networks essential to the continuity of government, economic activity and everyday life. The sectors such as banking and finance, telecommunications and information networks, the health care system, energy grids, water and food supplies, key sanitation installations, the national and commuter rail systems, air transport, seaports, roads, bridges and tunnels are all critical to internal and cross border trade. Most of these sectors are inter-dependent, and a large proportion of the infrastructure is privately owned and operated.

Canadian governmental agencies are seeking the most advanced technologies and resources to protect and maintain the critical components of Canadian infrastructure in the event of a serious disaster. Collaboration between government and industry is essential to develop the complex strategies required to ensure their smooth functioning.

Canada’s network of political, personal and trade relationships with the United States also make cross-border harmonization integral to this effort.

More information on the Summit is available at www.conferenceboard.ca.

Mission Goals

This trade mission’s goal is to maximize export opportunities for the participating U.S. companies by providing an inexpensive yet effective method of meeting Canadian Government procurement officials, buyers and joint venture partners.

This mission is ideal for U.S. companies interested in gaining first-hand knowledge of Canadian federal and provincial government policies and requirements while at the same time developing sales in Canada’s rapidly growing security market.

Mission Scenario

Security Infrastructure trade mission participants should arrive in Ottawa on Monday, May 23, 2005, and check in at the hotel designated by the U.S. Commercial Service. The mission program will begin on the evening of May 23, 2005 with an informal icebreaker dinner.

A breakfast briefing on Tuesday, May 24, 2005, will include welcoming remarks by Commercial Service Canada followed by individual presentations by experts dealing with the Canadian security commercial climate and business practices. The participants will have a tabletop area

(a 6-foot long skirted table suitable for the display of small samples and product literature and company signage) to display their products to invited Canadian federal and local government officials and Canadian distributors, agents, multipliers and end users of security equipment. A light lunch will be provided to the participating U.S. companies. Following the lunch, U.S. firms will continue with their tabletop exhibits. In the evening, the U.S. Ambassador will host a networking reception at his residence.

On May 25-26, 2005, the mission participants will attend the first Public-Private sector Summit on National Security, organized by the Conference Board of Canada. This forum will provide public and private sector leaders the opportunities to explore how business and government together can address the new security challenges. The participation will include a lunch and

gala dinner on the first day of the Summit.

Timetable

Recruitment for the Security Infrastructure trade mission will begin with the release of this mission statement and publication of this announcement in the Federal Register.

Recruitment and Criteria for Participation

Commercial Service Ottawa and Montreal will recruit U.S. firms. Criteria for participation are as follows:

• Relevance of the company’s business line to mission goals
• Potential for business in the Canadian market
• Timely and adequate provision of company’s product/service information and literature
• Timeliness of company’s completed application, payment of US $1,850 participation fee, completed participation agreement and certifications. The fee does not include airfare, hotels, meals and other personal expenses.
• A minimum of 15 and a maximum of 30 companies participating in the mission
• Certification that the company meets U.S. Department of Commerce guidelines for participation, including certification that the company’s products and/or services are manufactured or produced in the United States. If the company’s products and/or services are manufactured or produced outside the United States, the product/service must be marketed under the name of the U.S. firm and U.S. content representing at least 51% of the value of the finished goods or service.

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.

Any partisan political activities of an applicant, including political contributions, will be entirely irrelevant to the selection process.

Contact Information :

Connie Irrera
Commercial Specialist
U.S. Commercial Service
Consulate General of the United States of America
P.O. Box 847
Champlain, New York 12919
Tel: (514) 398-9695, ext. 2262
Fax: (514) 398-0711
E-mail: connie.irrera@mail.doc.gov

Lucy Latka
Commercial Specialist
U.S. Commercial Service
Embassy of the United States of America
P.O. Box 5000
Ogdensburg, New York 13669
Tel: (613) 688-5219
Fax: (613) 238-5999
E-mail: lucy.latka@mail.doc.gov