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Arun KumarAssistant Secretary and Director GeneralInternational Trade Administration (ITA)
FY 16-17: Agency Priority Goal
Companies assisted by Global Markets that achieve export objectives
Priority Goal
Goal Overview
Exports are important to U.S. economic prosperity. The International Trade Administration (ITA) is committed to providing high-quality assistance that helps U.S. companies achieve their export objectives. This priority goal focuses on improving the quality of assistance ITA’s trade and commercial specialists provide to companies and supports objective 1.2 (Increase U.S. exports) under the Trade and Investment strategic goal in the Department of Commerce’s Strategic Plan. ITA’s delivery of substantive, high value-added assistance is affirmed when companies receiving this assistance respond that they have achieved their export objectives. The Global Markets (GM) business unit within ITA is the organizational lead on this priority goal.
It is imperative that GM employees worldwide – all of whom interact with U.S. companies – are unified behind a common goal that focuses on the needs of customers. The FY 2011–FY 2014 baseline average percentage of companies assisted that achieved their export objectives was 69% for GM’s fee-for-service clients. To achieve this priority goal, GM seeks to understand individual U.S. company needs to be successful internationally and, subsequently, offer a customized approach to meet those needs drawing on the full resources available across ITA and the Federal Government. This approach steers ITA professionals toward identifying problems and challenges with exporting, and designing holistic solutions. It focuses ITA on engaging with clients to offer substantive, high value-added assistance, such as helping companies select the best markets to enter, overcoming export trade barriers, or finding suitable international business partners.
Possible barriers and challenges to achieving this priority goal originally included the transition to a new survey system within ITA’s new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system; however, ITA successfully replaced its survey system and has not experienced barriers or challenges to date.
Strategies
Train ITA staff outside of Global Markets: ITA will educate and train all client-facing staff, specifically those in the I&A and E&C units, on how they contribute to the Agency Priority Goal and its performance indicators. New business processes, as needed, will be implemented for I&A and E&C staff.
Continue training Global Markets client-facing staff: To improve APG performance, Global Markets will continue to train client-facing staff across the country and around the world on how to better understand, develop, and document a client’s export objectives, as well as help the client achieve those objectives.
Expand data collection: Global Markets will expand usage of Comment Cards (survey) to include all ITA non-fee-based and fee-based services and events. Additionally, ITA is implementing a new CRM system that will enable surveys to be sent out to all clients that receive substantive assistance during FY 2016. Substantive assistance is assistance that generally requires many hours of work by more than one ITA professionals to complete. It may be a fee-based service, but may not. Non-fee based assistance of this type is not currently tracked in a way that is efficient and effective.
Knowledge Management: ITA is developing an enterprise-wide knowledge capture, access, and sharing system in order to provide better service to more customers. Knowledge Management will enable users to easily search, find, and access all content collected across ITA on its intranet (ITA Central/ SharePoint); share various types of CRM information via Salesforce; reach exponentially more companies using mass customization, semi-automated, and fully-automated web delivery; and, provide customers with customized market research reports based on their specific needs.
Progress Update
In FY2016 Q4, 80 percent of GM clients reported that they achieved their export objectives exceeding the annual target of 73 percent. ITA has made good progress to date on expanding this goal across ITA. The first unified performance measure guidance is available to all employees via the ITA intranet. In addition, the training of ITA employees contributing to this measure has been completed. The effort to expand this metric beyond GM across ITA units is limited to a subset of Industry and Analysis (I&A) and Enforcement and Compliance (E&C) offices that provide export assistance; these units are not solely export promotion organizations and have significant responsibilities outside of export assistance. In order to identify additional ways to help clients achieve their export objectives, ITA will be employing multiple channels for customer feedback. Pilot tests of feedback from non-fee based clients, analysis of customer wait times, and customer focus groups are all progressing.
In FY 2016 Q1, ITA completed the following:
- Measured and collected data on the service delivery time for GM’s fee-based services in an effort to address customer wait times (i.e., the time it takes to complete a fee-based service such as a Gold Key).
- Trained staff on collaboration features within the new CRM system, Salesforce. This new CRM system allows staff across ITA to see ITA interactions with any given client; this feature improves the customer service experience because it facilitates identifying the best ITA resource for the client more quickly.
- Began the collection of data from the two other ITA business units, I&A and E&C, on two contextual indicators: the number of clients assisted and percentage of clients highly likely to recommend ITA, in order to establish a baseline. The effort to expand this metric across ITA units is limited to a subset of I&A and E&C offices that provide export assistance.
- Analyzed the results of the ITA Annual Survey to further inform how ITA can best meet its clients’ export objectives.
In FY 2016 Q2, ITA completed the following:
- Expanded the Comment Card feedback system to include all services, including non-fee based. As data collection is expanded to the two other ITA business units (I&A and E&C), the new Salesforce CRM system will capture more substantial information, not only on GM clients, but on all ITA’s export clients. The effort to expand this metric across ITA units is limited to subsets of I&A and E&C offices that provide export assistance.
- Conducted industry specific focus groups and phone interviews to collect intelligence on ITA clients’ export promotion assistance and market intelligence needs.
- Worked with partners, including the Appalachian Regional Commission, to double the number of 2014 rural participants (sponsored) in trade promotion events (e.g., trade missions): ITA’s Rural Team consists of almost 100 staff members across the U.S. helping rural businesses to export. The team contributed to export success of more than 130 rural companies in 39 states and held more than 250 rural-focused events. This effort continued beyond FY2016 Q2.
In FY 2016 Q3, ITA completed the following:
- In FY16 Q3, ITA’s I&A unit released the 2016 edition of the Top Markets reports, which provide sector, specific market intelligence to help U.S. companies understand export opportunities. In Q3, 22 reports were published, including reports on 8 brand new sectors. After the release, the 2016 reports were downloaded over 6,100 times and the website pages were viewed 13,000+ times by 2,750 users.
In FY 2016 Q4, ITA completed the following:
- Recruited an ITA detailee with the responsibility of conducting additional research for the next generation of the Emerging Industries Program (EIP), developing a work plan in close collaboration with I&A offices, and performing outreach to the relevant business communities.
- Released a new version of Export.gov to help clients access ITA’s new knowledge management system that will enable users to easily search, find, and access all content collected across ITA. Currently Country Commercial guides have been digitized allowing users to search across Country Commercial guides instead of downloading each one.
- Completed Start-up Global program in New York City to help new companies understand how to export.
- Trained 40 Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) staff on various aspects of exporting at the SBDC annual conference
- Held two sessions of Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC) officer training, which included training about 85 U.S. Government staff and 15 state and local government staff on exporting assistance.
- Developed counseling and engagement strategies for veteran-owned businesses through the Vets Go Global team.
- Finalized a proposal to update and revise Global Markets’ service offerings and user fee schedule to better accommodate and adjust to client needs.
Next Steps
In FY 2017, ITA will pursue the following milestones to achieve its priority goal:
FY 2017 Q1:
- The Deputy Secretary-led Healthcare Business Development Mission to China is expected to be comprised of 12 companies that will travel to Beijing and Chongqing. The Safety and Security Mission to Saudi Arabia will be led by the Acting Under Secretary for Trade.
- Start-up Global Long Island plans to train start-ups on exporting basics and resources.
- Develop registration for Export.gov.
- Develop a pilot program to offer a menu of service options for trade shows.
- The Emerging Industries Program (EIP) will continue to identify key challenges faced in international markets, to perform outreach to potential emerging industries, and to develop a work plan for the relevant business communities.
FY 2017 Q2-4:
- Develop an education strategy to enable more small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to leverage eCommerce. This includes developing eCommerce services online for SMEs and building private-sector partnerships that leverage industry’s content and tools to build ITA’s resources and client base.
- Review FY 2016 performance measure data, ITA Annual Survey results, and pilot results to gain a better understanding of client needs across all of ITA.
- Obtain clearance and implement proposal to update and revise Global Markets’ service offerings and user fee schedule.
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Performance Indicators
Percentage of companies assisted by Global Markets that achieved their export objectives
Percentage of clients highly likely to recommend Global Markets
Number of clients assisted by Global Markets
Other Indicators
Number of Clients Assisted by ITA
Percentage of clients highly likely to recommend ITA
Contributing Programs & Other Factors
Industry and Analysis; Enforcement and Compliance; the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee member agencies; and, ITA programs including, but not limited to counseling, trade advocacy, commercial diplomacy, business matchmaking, and the National Export Initiative.
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Strategic Goals
Strategic Goal:
Expand the U.S. economy through increased exports and inward foreign investment that lead to more and better American jobs
Statement:
Expand the U.S. economy through increased exports and inward foreign investment that lead to more and better American jobs
Strategic Objectives
Statement:
Increase opportunities for U.S. companies by opening markets globally (ITA, USPTO, NTIA, NOAA)
Description:
The strength of the U.S. economy continues to depend on competitive manufacturing and services sectors and a vibrant open global marketplace. Growth in key foreign markets will help drive global economic recovery. More than one billion new consumers worldwide will enter the middle class during the next 15 years, and their buying power will increase the consumption of goods and services worldwide.
As economies around the world grow, some foreign governments develop policies that create barriers to U.S. companies in those markets. Such trade barriers and other unfair trade practices cost U.S. companies billions of dollars in lost revenue. Trade barriers result not only in financial loss, but also limit the ability of U.S. companies to expand production, hire additional workers, or pursue investment opportunities. Studies indicate that trade openness has added between $800 billion to $1.4 trillion to the U.S. economy since World War II, amounting to $7 thousand to $13 thousand per U.S. household.Removing the remaining trade barriers could result in an additional $400 billion to $1.3 trillion annually, or about an additional $4 thousand to $12 thousand per U.S. household.
The Department will deploy its policy and promotional tools to help U.S. firms compete for new opportunities globally. A renewed focus on global competitiveness will help strengthen the long-term health of U.S. industries and stimulate domestic job creation. The Department will also use its strong expertise on export promotion and industry-economic-country issues to conduct holistic analyses of U.S. trade issues and needs, make recommendations, and take actions.
Statement:
Increase U.S. exports by broadening and deepening the U.S. exporter base (ITA, BIS, ESA, MBDA, EDA)
Description:
Recognizing the important role of exports to the U.S. economy, President Obama announced the National Export Initiative in 2010. U.S. exports have increased steadily since the launch of this initiative, reaching a record $2.2 trillion in 2012. However, the nation still remains below its full export potential. U.S. firms under-export compared to competitor industrialized nations. Of the U.S. companies that do export merchandise, 58 percent export to only one market. The International Monetary Fund forecasts that approximately 80 percent of world economic growth over the next five years (2014 – 2018) will take place outside of the United States. Yet many small and medium-sized companies in the US, the engines of economic growth and innovation, rarely export.
The Department, through its programs, expertise, and global presence, is uniquely positioned to help U.S. companies understand the importance of exporting. Department research and analyses can identify the best export opportunities for U.S. goods and services. With offices located in more than 70 countries, 48 U.S. states, Puerto Rico and Washington D.C., Department experts help U.S. companies access valuable market information, promote their products and services in target foreign markets, meet qualified international buyers and distributors, and overcome challenges and barriers when they do business overseas. Moreover, the Secretary of Commerce, as chair of the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee, will lead the national export strategy, set priorities, and drive federal efforts to increase exports.
Statement:
Increase high-impact inward foreign direct investment into the United States (ITA, ESA, EDA)
Description:
The United States has been the world’s largest recipient of foreign direct investment since 2006. Every day, foreign companies establish new operations in the United States or provide additional capital to existing businesses. With the world’s largest consumer market, skilled and productive workers, highly innovative culture, strong and effective legal system, predictable regulatory environment, and low cost energy resources, the United States has an attractive investment climate. In addition, the nation’s strong commitment to environmental protection adds sustainability to U.S. assets. To remain a premier investment destination, the United States must continue to nurture and build upon these strengths that make firms want to invest here.
Foreign direct investment in the United States contributes significantly to U.S. economic growth and prosperity. In 2011, value added by majority-owned U.S. affiliates of foreign companies accounted for 4.7 percent of total U.S. private output. These firms employed 5.6 million people in the United States, or 4.1 percent of private-sector employment. The United States competes with countries that have aggressive national programs to encourage businesses to move to or expand within their own borders. In response to this competition, President Obama announced a federal SelectUSA initiative in 2011. Led by the Department, SelectUSA, involves multiple Department bureaus, includes other federal agencies, and works alongside U.S. states and localities to advocate aggressively for the United States as a premier destination. This coordinated federal effort assures the global investment community that America is open for business. Furthermore, Department advocacy is backed up by capacity building grants to help communities create an economic ecosystem in which the private sector can leverage regional and community assets to promote foreign investment.
Statement:
Strengthen fair competition in international trade for U.S. firms and workers by addressing and resolving foreign unfair trade practices and enforcing international trade agreements (ITA)
Description:
Efforts to enhance U.S. commercial competitiveness and maximize potential U.S. exports can be thwarted by unfair and injurious practices of foreign firms and their governments. Only with a level playing field can U.S. companies strengthen and develop the capacity to expand into new markets or maintain market share at home and abroad.
As the federal agency charged with administering the U.S. antidumping and countervailing duty laws, the Department’s International Trade Administration (ITA) helps domestic manufacturers compete against unfairly traded imports into the United States. ITA’s petition counseling unit helps U.S. workers and firms who assert damage from violations. Focus is on assuring that small and medium-sized enterprises understand their rights and the requirements for filing a petition to initiate an investigation of possible foreign dumping and subsidization. Once petitions seeking relief under the trade remedy laws are filed, ITA investigates the allegations. When imports are found to be dumped or subsidized and a cause of injury to U.S. industry, ITA instructs U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect duties to offset the impact.
The Department also offers assistance to U.S. exporters and investors, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, by coordinating government resources to overcome trade barriers. This assistance educates U.S. industry on international trade agreements that maintain open markets . ITA’s trade experts monitor foreign government compliance with the more than 250 trade agreements so companies, investors, and workers realize the benefits of the agreements. Through its full range of legal, analytical, investigatory, trade policy, and commercial expertise, the Department provides robust and comprehensive services to help U.S. exporters confront, forestall, and resolve foreign unfair trade practices.
Agency Priority Goals
Statement:
By September 30, 2015, the Department of Commerce will increase the percentage of companies assisted by Global Markets that achieve their export objectives to 71 percent.
Description:
Exports are important to U.S. economic prosperity. The International Trade Administration (ITA) is committed to providing high-quality assistance that helps U.S. companies achieve their export objectives. This priority goal focuses on improving the quality of assistance ITA’s trade and commercial specialists provide to companies. ITA’s delivery of substantive, high value-added assistance is affirmed when companies receiving this assistance respond that they have achieved their export objectives. The Global Markets business unit within ITA is the organizational lead on this priority goal. It is imperative that Global Markets staff worldwide – all of whom interact with U.S. companies – are unified behind a common goal that focuses on unique needs of our customers. The FY12 – FY13 baseline average percentage of companies assisted that achieved their export objectives is 67 percent for ITA’s fee-for-service clients. To achieve this priority goal, Global Markets has sought to understand individual U.S. company needs to be successful internationally and, subsequently, offered a customized approach that draws on the full resources available across ITA and the Federal Government to meet those needs. This strategic shift towards offering a more consultative approach steers ITA professionals toward identifying the problems and challenges with exporting, and designing holistic solutions. It focuses ITA on engaging with clients to offer substantive, high value-added assistance, such as helping companies select the best markets to enter, overcoming export trade barriers, or finding suitable international business partners.
Strategic Objectives
Strategic Objective:
Increase opportunities for U.S. companies by opening markets globally (ITA, USPTO, NTIA, NOAA)
Statement:
Increase opportunities for U.S. companies by opening markets globally (ITA, USPTO, NTIA, NOAA)
Description:
The strength of the U.S. economy continues to depend on competitive manufacturing and services sectors and a vibrant open global marketplace. Growth in key foreign markets will help drive global economic recovery. More than one billion new consumers worldwide will enter the middle class during the next 15 years, and their buying power will increase the consumption of goods and services worldwide.
As economies around the world grow, some foreign governments develop policies that create barriers to U.S. companies in those markets. Such trade barriers and other unfair trade practices cost U.S. companies billions of dollars in lost revenue. Trade barriers result not only in financial loss, but also limit the ability of U.S. companies to expand production, hire additional workers, or pursue investment opportunities. Studies indicate that trade openness has added between $800 billion to $1.4 trillion to the U.S. economy since World War II, amounting to $7 thousand to $13 thousand per U.S. household.Removing the remaining trade barriers could result in an additional $400 billion to $1.3 trillion annually, or about an additional $4 thousand to $12 thousand per U.S. household.
The Department will deploy its policy and promotional tools to help U.S. firms compete for new opportunities globally. A renewed focus on global competitiveness will help strengthen the long-term health of U.S. industries and stimulate domestic job creation. The Department will also use its strong expertise on export promotion and industry-economic-country issues to conduct holistic analyses of U.S. trade issues and needs, make recommendations, and take actions.
Agency Priority Goals
Statement: By September 30, 2015, the Department of Commerce will increase the percentage of companies assisted by Global Markets that achieve their export objectives to 71 percent.
Description: Exports are important to U.S. economic prosperity. The International Trade Administration (ITA) is committed to providing high-quality assistance that helps U.S. companies achieve their export objectives. This priority goal focuses on improving the quality of assistance ITA’s trade and commercial specialists provide to companies. ITA’s delivery of substantive, high value-added assistance is affirmed when companies receiving this assistance respond that they have achieved their export objectives. The Global Markets business unit within ITA is the organizational lead on this priority goal. It is imperative that Global Markets staff worldwide – all of whom interact with U.S. companies – are unified behind a common goal that focuses on unique needs of our customers. The FY12 – FY13 baseline average percentage of companies assisted that achieved their export objectives is 67 percent for ITA’s fee-for-service clients. To achieve this priority goal, Global Markets has sought to understand individual U.S. company needs to be successful internationally and, subsequently, offered a customized approach that draws on the full resources available across ITA and the Federal Government to meet those needs. This strategic shift towards offering a more consultative approach steers ITA professionals toward identifying the problems and challenges with exporting, and designing holistic solutions. It focuses ITA on engaging with clients to offer substantive, high value-added assistance, such as helping companies select the best markets to enter, overcoming export trade barriers, or finding suitable international business partners.
Strategic Objective:
Increase U.S. exports by broadening and deepening the U.S. exporter base (ITA, BIS, ESA, MBDA, EDA)
Statement:
Increase U.S. exports by broadening and deepening the U.S. exporter base (ITA, BIS, ESA, MBDA, EDA)
Description:
Recognizing the important role of exports to the U.S. economy, President Obama announced the National Export Initiative in 2010. U.S. exports have increased steadily since the launch of this initiative, reaching a record $2.2 trillion in 2012. However, the nation still remains below its full export potential. U.S. firms under-export compared to competitor industrialized nations. Of the U.S. companies that do export merchandise, 58 percent export to only one market. The International Monetary Fund forecasts that approximately 80 percent of world economic growth over the next five years (2014 – 2018) will take place outside of the United States. Yet many small and medium-sized companies in the US, the engines of economic growth and innovation, rarely export.
The Department, through its programs, expertise, and global presence, is uniquely positioned to help U.S. companies understand the importance of exporting. Department research and analyses can identify the best export opportunities for U.S. goods and services. With offices located in more than 70 countries, 48 U.S. states, Puerto Rico and Washington D.C., Department experts help U.S. companies access valuable market information, promote their products and services in target foreign markets, meet qualified international buyers and distributors, and overcome challenges and barriers when they do business overseas. Moreover, the Secretary of Commerce, as chair of the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee, will lead the national export strategy, set priorities, and drive federal efforts to increase exports.
Agency Priority Goals
Statement: By September 30, 2015, the Department of Commerce will increase the percentage of companies assisted by Global Markets that achieve their export objectives to 71 percent.
Description: Exports are important to U.S. economic prosperity. The International Trade Administration (ITA) is committed to providing high-quality assistance that helps U.S. companies achieve their export objectives. This priority goal focuses on improving the quality of assistance ITA’s trade and commercial specialists provide to companies. ITA’s delivery of substantive, high value-added assistance is affirmed when companies receiving this assistance respond that they have achieved their export objectives. The Global Markets business unit within ITA is the organizational lead on this priority goal. It is imperative that Global Markets staff worldwide – all of whom interact with U.S. companies – are unified behind a common goal that focuses on unique needs of our customers. The FY12 – FY13 baseline average percentage of companies assisted that achieved their export objectives is 67 percent for ITA’s fee-for-service clients. To achieve this priority goal, Global Markets has sought to understand individual U.S. company needs to be successful internationally and, subsequently, offered a customized approach that draws on the full resources available across ITA and the Federal Government to meet those needs. This strategic shift towards offering a more consultative approach steers ITA professionals toward identifying the problems and challenges with exporting, and designing holistic solutions. It focuses ITA on engaging with clients to offer substantive, high value-added assistance, such as helping companies select the best markets to enter, overcoming export trade barriers, or finding suitable international business partners.
Strategic Objective:
Increase high-impact inward foreign direct investment in the United States (ITA, ESA, EDA)
Statement:
Increase high-impact inward foreign direct investment into the United States (ITA, ESA, EDA)
Description:
The United States has been the world’s largest recipient of foreign direct investment since 2006. Every day, foreign companies establish new operations in the United States or provide additional capital to existing businesses. With the world’s largest consumer market, skilled and productive workers, highly innovative culture, strong and effective legal system, predictable regulatory environment, and low cost energy resources, the United States has an attractive investment climate. In addition, the nation’s strong commitment to environmental protection adds sustainability to U.S. assets. To remain a premier investment destination, the United States must continue to nurture and build upon these strengths that make firms want to invest here.
Foreign direct investment in the United States contributes significantly to U.S. economic growth and prosperity. In 2011, value added by majority-owned U.S. affiliates of foreign companies accounted for 4.7 percent of total U.S. private output. These firms employed 5.6 million people in the United States, or 4.1 percent of private-sector employment. The United States competes with countries that have aggressive national programs to encourage businesses to move to or expand within their own borders. In response to this competition, President Obama announced a federal SelectUSA initiative in 2011. Led by the Department, SelectUSA, involves multiple Department bureaus, includes other federal agencies, and works alongside U.S. states and localities to advocate aggressively for the United States as a premier destination. This coordinated federal effort assures the global investment community that America is open for business. Furthermore, Department advocacy is backed up by capacity building grants to help communities create an economic ecosystem in which the private sector can leverage regional and community assets to promote foreign investment.
Agency Priority Goals
Statement: By September 30, 2015, the Department of Commerce will increase the percentage of companies assisted by Global Markets that achieve their export objectives to 71 percent.
Description: Exports are important to U.S. economic prosperity. The International Trade Administration (ITA) is committed to providing high-quality assistance that helps U.S. companies achieve their export objectives. This priority goal focuses on improving the quality of assistance ITA’s trade and commercial specialists provide to companies. ITA’s delivery of substantive, high value-added assistance is affirmed when companies receiving this assistance respond that they have achieved their export objectives. The Global Markets business unit within ITA is the organizational lead on this priority goal. It is imperative that Global Markets staff worldwide – all of whom interact with U.S. companies – are unified behind a common goal that focuses on unique needs of our customers. The FY12 – FY13 baseline average percentage of companies assisted that achieved their export objectives is 67 percent for ITA’s fee-for-service clients. To achieve this priority goal, Global Markets has sought to understand individual U.S. company needs to be successful internationally and, subsequently, offered a customized approach that draws on the full resources available across ITA and the Federal Government to meet those needs. This strategic shift towards offering a more consultative approach steers ITA professionals toward identifying the problems and challenges with exporting, and designing holistic solutions. It focuses ITA on engaging with clients to offer substantive, high value-added assistance, such as helping companies select the best markets to enter, overcoming export trade barriers, or finding suitable international business partners.
Strategic Objective:
Statement:
Strengthen fair competition in international trade for U.S. firms and workers by addressing and resolving foreign unfair trade practices and enforcing international trade agreements (ITA)
Description:
Efforts to enhance U.S. commercial competitiveness and maximize potential U.S. exports can be thwarted by unfair and injurious practices of foreign firms and their governments. Only with a level playing field can U.S. companies strengthen and develop the capacity to expand into new markets or maintain market share at home and abroad.
As the federal agency charged with administering the U.S. antidumping and countervailing duty laws, the Department’s International Trade Administration (ITA) helps domestic manufacturers compete against unfairly traded imports into the United States. ITA’s petition counseling unit helps U.S. workers and firms who assert damage from violations. Focus is on assuring that small and medium-sized enterprises understand their rights and the requirements for filing a petition to initiate an investigation of possible foreign dumping and subsidization. Once petitions seeking relief under the trade remedy laws are filed, ITA investigates the allegations. When imports are found to be dumped or subsidized and a cause of injury to U.S. industry, ITA instructs U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect duties to offset the impact.
The Department also offers assistance to U.S. exporters and investors, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, by coordinating government resources to overcome trade barriers. This assistance educates U.S. industry on international trade agreements that maintain open markets . ITA’s trade experts monitor foreign government compliance with the more than 250 trade agreements so companies, investors, and workers realize the benefits of the agreements. Through its full range of legal, analytical, investigatory, trade policy, and commercial expertise, the Department provides robust and comprehensive services to help U.S. exporters confront, forestall, and resolve foreign unfair trade practices.
Agency Priority Goals
Statement: By September 30, 2015, the Department of Commerce will increase the percentage of companies assisted by Global Markets that achieve their export objectives to 71 percent.
Description: Exports are important to U.S. economic prosperity. The International Trade Administration (ITA) is committed to providing high-quality assistance that helps U.S. companies achieve their export objectives. This priority goal focuses on improving the quality of assistance ITA’s trade and commercial specialists provide to companies. ITA’s delivery of substantive, high value-added assistance is affirmed when companies receiving this assistance respond that they have achieved their export objectives. The Global Markets business unit within ITA is the organizational lead on this priority goal. It is imperative that Global Markets staff worldwide – all of whom interact with U.S. companies – are unified behind a common goal that focuses on unique needs of our customers. The FY12 – FY13 baseline average percentage of companies assisted that achieved their export objectives is 67 percent for ITA’s fee-for-service clients. To achieve this priority goal, Global Markets has sought to understand individual U.S. company needs to be successful internationally and, subsequently, offered a customized approach that draws on the full resources available across ITA and the Federal Government to meet those needs. This strategic shift towards offering a more consultative approach steers ITA professionals toward identifying the problems and challenges with exporting, and designing holistic solutions. It focuses ITA on engaging with clients to offer substantive, high value-added assistance, such as helping companies select the best markets to enter, overcoming export trade barriers, or finding suitable international business partners.
