[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 89 (Friday, May 8, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26539-26541]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-11070]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
Education Trade Mission to Africa, March 7-10, 2016
AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade
Administration, is organizing an education mission to South Africa and
Ghana with an optional stop in the C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire. Department of
Commerce is partnering with the Department of State's EducationUSA
Advising Centers in each location. This trade mission will be led by a
senior Department of Commerce official and the emphasis will be on
higher education programs, community college programs and summer,
undergraduate and graduate programs.
This mission will seek to connect U.S. higher education
institutions to potential students and university/institution partners
in these three African countries. The mission will include student
fairs organized by Education USA, embassy briefings, site visits, and
networking events in our target cities of Johannesburg, Accra, and
Abidjan. Participation in the Education Mission to these nations,
rather than traveling independently to each market, will enhance the
ability of participants to secure appropriate meetings with productive
contacts in the target markets.
Summer programs seeking to participate should be appropriately
accredited by an accreditation body recognized by the U.S. Department
of Education. Community colleges, undergraduate and graduate programs
seeking to participate should be accredited by a recognized
accreditation body listed in Council for Higher Education Accreditation
(CHEA) or Accrediting Council for Education and Training (ACCET), in
the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA), or
any accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
The delegation will include representatives from approximately 25
different educational institutions.
Mission Goals
The goals of the United States Education Mission to Africa are: (1)
To help participants gain market exposure and to introduce participants
to the vibrant African market in the countries of South Africa, Ghana,
and C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire (2) to help participants assess current and
future business prospects by establishing valuable contacts with
prospective students and educational institutions/partners; and (3) to
help participants develop market knowledge and relationships leading to
student recruitment and potential partnerships.
[[Page 26540]]
Proposed Mission Schedule--March 6 to 12, 2016
Johannesburg, South Africa--March 6-8, 2016
Sunday, March 6, 2016 Johannesburg
Arrive in Johannesburg.
Check into hotel.
Monday, March 7, 2016 Johannesburg
Welcome and Briefing from the U.S. and Foreign Commercial
Service.
Visit to Oprah Winfrey's Leadership Academy.
Visit to schools.
Networking reception.
Tuesday, March 8, 2016 Johannesburg.
Additional visits to schools.
Education Fair.
Travel to Accra, Ghana.
Accra, Ghana--Wednesday, March 9-10, 2016
Wednesday, March 9, 2016 Accra
Travel recovery.
Welcome and briefing from the U.S. and Foreign Commercial
Service.
Visits to schools.
Reception at the U.S. Ambassador's residence.
Thursday, March 10, 2016 Accra
Education Fair.
Depart to Abidjan, C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire for optional stop
or return to the United States on own itinerary.
Official Trade Mission Ends
Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire (OPTIONAL)
Friday, March 11, 2016 Abidjan
Welcome and briefing from the U.S. Department of State
(EducationUSA)
Visits to schools.
Education Fair.
Reception.
Saturday, March 12, 2016
Departure to the USA.
Participation Requirements
All parties interested in participating in the Education Trade
Mission to Africa must complete and submit an application package for
consideration by the Department of Commerce. All applicants will be
evaluated on their ability to meet certain conditions and best satisfy
the selection criteria as outlined below. The mission will open on a
rolling basis to a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 25 appropriately
accredited U.S. educational institutions. U.S. educational institutions
already recruiting in Africa, as well as U.S. education institutions
seeking to enter the African market for the first time, may apply.
Fees and Expenses
After an institution has been selected to participate on the
mission, a payment to the Department of Commerce in the form of a
participation fee is required. The participation fee is $2,800 for one
principal representative from each non-profit educational institution
or educational institution with less than 500 employees and $3,300 for
for-profit universities with over 500 employees.\1\ An institution can
choose to participate in the optional stop in Cote d'Ivoire for an
additional $1,800 for one principal representative from each non-profit
educational institution or educational institution with less than 500
employees and $1,900 for for-profit universities with over 500
employees. The fee for each additional representative is $600. Expenses
for lodging, some meals, incidentals, and all travel (except for
transportation to and from airports in-country, previously noted) will
be the responsibility of each mission participant. The U.S. Department
of Commerce can facilitate government rates in some hotels.
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\1\ An SME is defined as a firm with 500 or fewer employees or
that otherwise qualifies as a small business under SBA regulations
(see http://www.sba.gov/services/contractingopportunities/sizestandardstopics/index.html). Parent companies, affiliates, and
subsidiaries will be considered when determining business size. Non-
profit educational institutions will be considered SMEs for purposes
of this guidance. The dual pricing reflects the Commercial Service's
user fee schedule that became effective May 1, 2008 (see http://www.export.gov/newsletter/march2008/initiatives.html for additional
information).
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Conditions of Participation
An applicant must submit a timely, completed and signed mission
application and supplemental application materials, including adequate
information on course offerings, primary market objectives, and goals
for participation. The institution must have appropriate accreditation
as specified per paragraph one above. The institution must be
represented at the student fair by an employee. No agents will be
allowed to represent a school on the mission or participate at the
student fair. Agents will also not be allowed into the fairs to solicit
new partnerships. If the Department of Commerce receives an incomplete
application, the Department may reject the application, request
additional information, or take the lack of information into account
when evaluating the applications.
Participants must travel to both stops in South Africa and Ghana on
the mission. C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire is the only optional stop.
Each applicant must certify that the services it seeks to export
through the mission are either produced in the United States, or, if
not, marketed under the name of a U.S. firm and have at least 51
percent U.S. content of the value of the service.
Selection Criteria for Participation
Consistency of the applicant's goals and objectives with
the stated scope of the mission.
Applicant's potential for doing business in Africa,
including the likelihood of service exports (education)/knowledge
transfer resulting from the mission.
Referrals from political organizations and any documents containing
references to partisan political activities (including political
contributions) will be removed from an applicant's submission and will
not be considered during the selection process.
Timeframe for Recruitment and Applications
Mission recruitment will be conducted in an open and public manner,
including publication in the Federal Register, posting on the Commerce
Department trade mission calendar (http://export.gov/industry/education/) and other Internet Web sites, press releases to general and
trade media, direct mail, notices by industry trade associations and
other multiplier groups, and publicity at industry meetings, symposia,
conferences, and trade shows. Recruitment for the mission will begin
immediately and conclude no later than January 15, 2016. Applications
for the mission will be accepted on a rolling basis. Applications
received after January 15, 2016, will be considered only if space and
scheduling constraints permit.
Contacts
CS Portland, Jennifer Woods, Senior International Trade Specialist,
U.S. Commercial Service Portland, 503-326-5290,
[email protected]
CS Ft. Lauderdale, Tyler Hacking, Commercial Officer, U.S. Commercial
Service Ft. Lauderdale, 954-356-6645, [email protected]
CS South Africa (Johannesburg), Mike Calvert, Commercial Officer, U.S.
Commercial Service South Africa (Johannesburg), (+27) 11 290-3062,
[email protected]
Sanjay Harryparshard, U.S. Commercial Service South Africa
(Johannesburg), [email protected]
CS Ghana, Joseph Snapp, Commercial Specialist, U.S. Commercial Service
Ghana, +233 (0) 30 274 1329, [email protected]
[[Page 26541]]
Paul Taylor, Senior Commercial Officer, U.S. Commercial Service Ghana,
+233-302-741-086, [email protected]
C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire, Nina Toyo, EducationUSA Advisor, U.S. Embassy
Abidjan, (225) 22 49 41 45, [email protected]
Frank Spector,
Trade Promotion Programs.
[FR Doc. 2015-11070 Filed 5-7-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-FR-P