![Privacy Policy Privacy Policy](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20120928001216im_/http://www.ustda.gov/images/subheaders/policies/privacy.gif)
USTDA takes pride in its customer service. The agency values its relationship with its many partners in the United States and overseas. We welcome the opportunity to increase the agency's effectiveness through these interactions.
The following is USTDA's policy on what is done with information that individuals provide to us when visiting our website. While we take steps to protect the integrity of such information and to prevent abuse, please note that there is no guaranty of privacy when accessing our website. Please see General Information below.
USTDA eNewsletter
USTDA does not collect personal information from individuals unless they specifically provide it to the agency. When you subscribe to the USTDA eNewsletter, the information that you provide is collected into a firewall-protected database.
We search this database from time to time to look for possible matches between your areas of interest and upcoming USTDA and USTDA-supported events. If we think there is a match, we may send you information about a relevant USTDA event either by e-mail, regular mail, or by fax. In addition, USTDA may also share your information with contractors that carry out USTDA activities, other U.S. government agencies, or interested entities that share USTDA's mission (e.g., trade associations, multilateral development banks, etc.). Please also see General Information below.
Consultant Database
USTDA's Consultant Database is housed on a secure server (SSL) with a Thawte Certificate to help us verify a secure connection with your browser. In order for us to authenticate your identity - and therefore prevent others from logging in under your name and tampering with your account - you are required to log in with a username and a password. The User ID and Password that you enter is checked against a secure database housed on the server. Once verified, your browser is issued a temporary "session" that expires if:
- You log out of the Consultant Database area, or
- Your browser is left idle for more than 40 minutes.
Cookies
USTDA does not use "cookies" on its website to store personal information to your computer or to save personalized information about your visit. USTDA does not set cookies on your computer.
Information Collected About Your Visit to USTDA's Website
While you browse the USTDA Website, we gather and store certain information about your visit automatically. We collect and store the following information about your visit:
A. The Internet domain from which you access USTDA's Website. The Internet domain could be "the name of the university.edu" if you visit from a university's domain, "the name of the agency.gov" if you visit from a government domain, or "the name of the company.com" if you visit from a private company;
B. If you linked to the USTDA Website from another site, we track the referring page;
C. The type of browser and operating system used to access our site;
D. The date and time you access our site;
E. The pages that you visit on the USTDA Website; and
F. The Internet Protocol Address (IP Address) of the machine that you are using to read or post information from and to our servers.
Prospective Bidders' List
As a courtesy, USTDA often assists its grant recipients by publishing contracting opportunities on the Federal Business Opportunities website (www.fbo.gov). USTDA also distributes the corresponding Request for Proposals (RFP) packets to interested persons who seek them. The contact information that you provide in your RFP request is stored in a firewall-protected database with that of others who have requested the same RFP packet. In an effort to promote partnerships between U.S. firms in pursuing overseas commercial opportunities, USTDA may make this contact information available to interested persons upon request.
General Information
The eNewsletter and Consultant Database information, the information that USTDA collects about your visit to its website (see above), and any e-mail or other written, faxed or electronic contact with USTDA, may be released by USTDA if requested by the U.S. Congress, other U.S. government agencies, or other organizations or individuals, to the extent as noted above or as allowed by the Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act, and other relevant laws.
As a result, please note that there can be no guaranty of privacy when accessing USTDA's website.