HCR334

WHEREAS, the trade fair certification program, run by the United States Commercial Service under the International Trade Administration of the Department of Commerce, is a cooperative arrangement between private sector trade show organizers and the United States government to increase United States exports and expand United States participation in overseas trade shows; and

WHEREAS, certification of a United States organizer signals to exhibitors, visitors, and the host country government that the organizer's event is an excellent marketing opportunity and that participants will receive the support of the United States government; and

WHEREAS, trade associations, trade fair authorities, United States show organizers, American Chambers of Commerce, United States agents of overseas fair organizers, and other private sector entities that organize and manage international fairs overseas are eligible to seek certification; and

WHEREAS, certified organizers receive government assistance such as:

(1) Designation as the official United States pavilion;

(2) Authorized use of an official Department of Commerce Commercial Service certification logo;

(3) On-site support and counseling for exhibitors from United States embassy commercial staff;

(4) Local market information and contact lists;

(5) Press releases and other promotion actions;

(6) Advertising and marketing assistance from Department of Commerce Export Assistance Centers;

(7) Promotional letters from the Secretary of Commerce or the President of the United States where appropriate;

(8) Exhibitor briefings; and

(9) Opening ceremonies, ribbon-cutting, and dignitary liaison; and

WHEREAS, the United States Commercial Service also provides the following domestic support:

(1) Assignment of a project officer to coordinate Commerce Department support for the event;

(2) Issuance of a certificate endorsing the event and the organizer;

(3) Provision of the latest available research compiled by Commercial Service specialists at overseas posts;

(4) Provision of a potential exhibitor contact list from an internal database of more than thirty-five thousand firms that have participated in prior programs or shows or have expressed an interest in doing so;

(5) Listing of the event in the National Trade Data Bank, on the Internet, on the Export Promotion Calendar, on Commerce Department publications such as Business America, and in cooperating private sector publications, such as the Journal of Commerce, National Association of State Development Agencies;

(6) Production of a detailed public press release and distribution of event notice announcements to all Commercial Service Domestic Offices to contact appropriate client firms including via newsletters, team lists, and direct mail;

(7) Provision of an endorsement information assistance letter for use in recruiting potential exhibitors;

(8) Provision of interagency contacts or coordination in Washington, D.C., if necessary; and

(9) Assistance in formulating a budget and provision of a $1,200 show budget; and

WHEREAS, the United States Commercial Service also provides the following support in the host country:

(1) Provision of a pre-show industry and country market briefing and briefing kits to exhibitors;

(2) Staffing a Business Information Office on the show floor to provide information, facilitate contacts, and perform one-on-one counseling for exhibitors on topics such as working with local firms, pursuing promising opportunities, pricing, distribution, making agreements, local laws, tariffs, and government services;

(3) Provision of targeted in-country promotional campaign to potential buyers and exhibitors, including direct mailing to local industry lists, newspaper articles, press releases, notices in trade magazines, American Chamber of Commerce and American embassy commercial publications and newsletters, and sending show invitations and distributing show tickets;

(4) Identification, and where appropriate, invitation of foreign government and trade association officials;

(5) Provision of on-site matchmaking and contact facilitation for exhibitors from local firms invited to the show;

(6) Arrangement and coordination of official military or other foreign buyer delegations to visit exhibitors, where applicable;

(7) Coordination of efforts of other agencies overseas to support the event;

(8) Provision of and end-of-show debriefing and report and sales surveys;

(9) Arrangement and coordination of American embassy receptions for exhibitors and clients;

(10) Organizing local press conferences; and

(11) Provision of translation assistance; and

WHEREAS, the State has organized, sponsored, or staged various overseas trade fairs and trade missions led by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and involving a number of Hawaii businesses and will continue to do so; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii does not currently offer the services and benefits of a trade fair certification program at the state level similar to services and benefits provided by the certification program offered by the United States Commercial Service; and

WHEREAS, the development and implementation of a state-level trade fair certification program in the State will dramatically improve Hawaii's foreign trade and commerce and will greatly benefit Hawaii's businesses wishing to do business abroad; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism is requested to develop and implement a state-level trade fair certification program for Hawaii businesses wishing to participate in a trade fair or mission to obtain certification prior to embarking on foreign trade fairs or missions representing the State of Hawaii; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor and the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

State Trade Missions; DBEDT Trade Fair Certification

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	334
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII