Export Programs Guide A Business Guide To Federal Export Assistance 2009

This comprehensive guide describes useful programs from more than 20 U.S. Government agencies that help U.S. companies export their goods and services to markets around the world. As many new and successful exporters have discovered, exporting can be an important source of growth, yet challenging. The information in this guide can ease this challenge by offering support and assistance you need to become a successful exporter. While the United States remains one of the most competitive and productive nations in the world, a relatively low percentage of U.S. companies are engaged in exporting compared to other developed nations. Although U.S. small and medium-sized companies with fewer than 500 employees make up about 97 percent of the U.S. exporting firms, they represent less than 30 percent of the value of U.S. exports or merchandise goods. Furthermore, nearly 60 percent of all exporters sell to only one foreign market. Many of these firms could boost U.S. exports by expanding into other markets. In fact, there has never been a better time to export. Increased use of the Internet, improved transportation, and enhanced trade and investment rules have greatly simplified the export process and made it easier to sell abroad.

This comprehensive guide describes useful programs from more than 20 U.S. Government agencies that help U.S. companies export their goods and services to markets around the world. As many new and successful exporters have discovered, exporting can be an important source of growth, yet challenging. The information in this guide can ease this challenge by offering support and assistance you need to become a successful exporter. While the United States remains one of the most competitive and productive nations in the world, a relatively low percentage of U.S. companies are engaged in exporting compared to other developed nations. Although U.S. small and medium-sized companies with fewer than 500 employees make up about 97 percent of the U.S. exporting firms, they represent less than 30 percent of the value of U.S. exports or merchandise goods. Furthermore, nearly 60 percent of all exporters sell to only one foreign market. Many of these firms could boost U.S. exports by expanding into other markets. In fact, there has never been a better time to export. Increased use of the Internet, improved transportation, and enhanced trade and investment rules have greatly simplified the export process and made it easier to sell abroad.

This guide to exporting will help businesses develop an export strategy, locate economic market research, ship overseas, complete export documentation, respond to overseas inquiries, and take advantage of U.S. Government export assistance programs. Contents: general export counseling; industry-specific export counseling; country-specific export counseling; market info.; international trade contacts; financing and insurance; investment and feasibility studies; agriculture export programs; and export licenses and controls. List of programs. Directory of programs and services from 19 Federal agencies.

For well over a decade the Export Programs Guide has been the most comprehensive guide to federal programs which assist U.S. exporters. The completely updated 2009 edition continues this tradition, with detailed descriptions of more than 100 programs offered by 20 different federal agencies. These include: Export counseling programs Information on trade promotion events Export financing programs Sources of industry- and country-specific information and assistance Information on export controls and licenses

Includes basic info. about fed. gov't. programs that help U.S. companies export their goods and services around the world. Chapters: general, industry-specific, and country-specific counseling and assistance; special market access and technical assist.; making contacts through trade promotion events; other trade contact and market info. programs; export financing, insurance, grants, and tax incentives (non-agricultural); agriculture export and financing programs; export licenses and controls; Export Assistance Center Network; list of programs by agency; alpha. index of programs; and Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee agencies and addresses.