[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 149 (Tuesday, August 4, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46243-46245]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-19123]


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 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Smart Cities Infrastructure Business Development Mission to 
India; February 8-12, 2016

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade 
Administration (ITA) is organizing an Executive-led Smart Cities 
Infrastructure Business Development Mission to India (New Delhi, Mumbai 
and Chennai, with an optional spin off site visit to Vizag) from 
February 8-12, 2016.
    Today, India's cities account for approximately 60% of the 
country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). By 2030, that share is expected 
to reach 75% and the urban labor force is expected to increase by 
nearly 200 million workers. The new Indian Government led by Prime 
Minister Modi assumed office in June 2014 with an overwhelming mandate 
to focus on economic development. To capture the popular imagination 
and motivate the people of India, the new government has proposed a 
dramatic nationwide program to build 100 smart cities. In practice this 
will mean a wide variety of major infrastructure projects across the 
country that will be funded by the central and state governments over 
the next few years along with private sector capital. Infrastructure 
needs in India are estimated to be in the $1.5-$2 trillion range. The 
recently launched initiative

[[Page 46244]]

will move to define and implement reforms that drive the growth of 
smart cities. At this stage, the government has highlighted resource 
management, 24 hour water and power supply, world class transportation 
systems, state of the art education systems, advanced e-government, and 
environmental sustainability as pillars of India's smart cities. This 
initiative offers excellent opportunities for U.S. companies to 
participate in these projects in selected areas and sectors.
    In recognition of cutting-edge U.S. technologies, products and 
services, the Government of India is encouraging the U.S. Government 
(USG) and U.S. companies to take the lead in developing smart city 
projects in three major urban areas: Ajmer in the state of Rajasthan, 
Allahabad in the state of Uttar Pradesh, Vishakhapatnam (aka Vizag) in 
the state of Andhra Pradesh. With the support of the U.S. Trade and 
Development Agency, U.S. companies will be involved in planning and 
technical assistance for each of these cities. However, U.S. 
participation is not limited to these three cities. CS India, in 
partnership with the American Chamber of Commerce and other local 
commercial chambers, has been staging events throughout the country in 
cities with additional public and private smart city projects.

                                Schedule
------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Day of week                Date                Activity
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday......................  Feb. 7.........  Participants arrive in
                                                Delhi.
Monday......................  Feb. 8.........  Country briefing by U.S.
                                                Embassy staff on
                                                programs and
                                                opportunities in the
                                                infrastructure sector.
                                               B-2-B Business Meetings
                                                for delegates in New
                                                Delhi.
                                               Evening Reception.
Tuesday.....................  Feb. 9.........  Government meetings.
                                               Depart for Mumbai
                                                afternoon.
                                               Briefing on Western
                                                India.
                                               Evening Reception.
Wednesday...................  Feb. 10........  B-2-B Business Meetings
                                                for delegates in Mumbai.
                                               Evening Travel to
                                                Chennai.
Thursday....................  Feb. 11........  Briefing on Southern
                                                India
                                               B-2-B Business Meetings
                                                for delegates in
                                                Chennai.
                                               Evening Reception.
Friday......................  Feb. 12........  Optional smart city site
                                                visit to Vizag.*
                                               Return to the United
                                                States on own itinerary.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Vizag (aka Vishakhapatnam) has made the most progress in terms of
  planning for physical infrastructure upgrades and implementation of
  smart city technologies. Additionally, the US Trade and Development
  Agency recently awarded a master planning contract to a consortium of
  US companies to facilitate smart city implementation in Vizag. A spin
  off visit to Vizag will provide an opportunity for mission
  participants to visit an up and coming smart city in India and to
  market their technologies directly to decision makers in Vizag as well
  as to the US consortium that has the master planning contract.


                             Target Sectors
------------------------------------------------------------------------
              IT infrastructure                          Water
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[ssquf] IT architecture, security solutions,  [ssquf] Engineering,
 and other Internet of Things applications.    procurement, and
                                               construction services.
[ssquf] Smart Grid applications, including    [ssquf] Operations
 Demand Management and Demand Response,        services.
 Distribution Automation, and Distributed     [ssquf] Advanced
 Energy Resource Management.                   Filtration.
[ssquf] Building Energy Management Systems,   [ssquf] Membrane
 LED Lighting, Smart Street Lighting and       filtration.
 other energy efficient lighting systems and  [ssquf] Sewage treatment
 control technology.                           technology.
                                              [ssquf] Waste to energy
                                               technology.
[ssquf] Energy efficient technologies and     [ssquf] Anaerobic
 applications in transportation.               digestion.
[ssquf] Services for city planning,           [ssquf] Nitrification.
 including Environmental Sustainability       [ssquf] Biological
 Plans, GIS mapping, and financial services.   denitrification.
                                              [ssquf] Monitoring
                                               equipment.
                                              [ssquf] Testing equipment.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Web site: Please visit our official mission Web site for more 
information: http://www.export.gov/trademissions/smartcitiesindia2016/index.asp
    Fees:
    $4,000 for SME firms.
    $4,500 for large firms.
    Additional participants: $1,000 per person.
    Additional fees for optional trip to Vizag:
    SME firms that will be attending the optional Vizag trip will pay 
$4,100, Large firms that attend will pay $4,800.
    Application: All interested firms and associations may register via 
the following link, https://emenuapps.ita.doc.gov/ePublic/TM/6R0Q.
    Application Deadline: November 10, 2015.

Exclusions

    The mission fee does not include any personal travel expenses such 
as lodging, most meals, local ground transportation, and air 
transportation from the U.S. to the mission sites, between mission 
sites, and return to the United States. Business visas may be required. 
Government fees and processing expenses to obtain such visas are also 
not included in the mission costs. However, the U.S. Department of 
Commerce will provide instructions to each participant on the 
procedures required to obtain necessary business visas.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Each applicant must submit a completed and 
signed mission application and supplemental application materials, 
including adequate information on the company's products or services 
primary market objectives, and goals for participation. If the U.S. 
Department of Commerce receives an incomplete application, the 
Department may reject the application, request additional

[[Page 46245]]

information, or take the lack of information into account when 
evaluating the applications.
    Companies must provide certification of products or services 
originating from the United States or if manufactured/produced outside 
of the United States, the product/service is marketed under the name of 
a U.S. firm and has U.S. content representing at least 51% of the value 
of the finished good or service. In the case of a trade association or 
trade organization, the applicant must certify that, for each company 
to be represented by the trade association or trade organization, the 
products and services the represented company seeks to export are 
either produced in the United States or, if not, marketed under the 
name of a U.S. firm and have at least 51% U.S. content.

Criteria for Application

    The following criteria will be evaluated in selecting participants:
     Relevance of the company's (or in the case of a trade 
association/organization, represented companies') business to the 
mission goals;
     Company's (or in the case of a trade association/
organization, represented companies') market potential for business in 
India; and
     Provision of adequate information on the company's 
products and/or services, and communication of the company's (or in the 
case of a trade association/organization, represented companies') 
primary objectives.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Jessica Dulkadir, International Trade Specialist, Trade Missions, 
U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230, Tel: 202 482 2026, 
Fax: 202-482-9000, [email protected].
Ms. Camille Richardson, Principal Commercial Officer, U.S. Commercial 
Service, Mumbai, Tel: +91 22 2672-4215, [email protected].

 Frank Spector,
Trade Missions Program.
[FR Doc. 2015-19123 Filed 8-3-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P