Aerospace Executive Service Program
Asian Aerospace, Singapore
February 23-24, 2004

MISSION STATEMENT

Mission Description:

The Commerce Department's International Trade Administration (ITA) Aerospace & Defense Technologies Team and the U.S. Commercial Service (USCS) post in Singapore will organize an Aerospace Executive Service matchmaking mission for Asian Aerospace 2004.

The Aerospace Executive Service (AES) matchmaking mission will include representatives from a variety of U.S. aerospace-industry manufacturers and service providers. These mission participants will be introduced to international agents, distributors and end-users whose capabilities are targeted to each U.S. participants' needs in that particular market.

Commercial Setting: Asian Aerospace is one of the world's premier aerospace and defense technology events. Encompassing all civil and military sectors of the international aerospace industry, Asian Aerospace is the foremost platform for companies to showcase their products and services in the Asia-Pacific. In 2002, the show attracted 747 exhibitors and 23,433 visitors from over 70 different countries.

Singapore is the Gateway to Asia - a market of over one billion people. With U.S. exports to the Pacific Rim countries totaling $178.6 billion, Asia is our largest overseas market outside of North America.

Mission Goals:

The goal of the Aerospace Executive Service at Asian Aerospace 2004 is to facilitate an effective presence for small and medium sized companies, without them incurring the major expenses associated with purchasing and staffing exhibition space.

The AES Program enables U.S. aerospace companies to familiarize themselves with this important trade fair, to conduct market research and to explore export opportunities through pre-arranged meetings with potential partners. The Aerospace Executive Service also allows U.S. companies to have a presence at the show in the form of an AES Information Booth, providing them with an enhanced image and level of engagement. They are supported by knowledgeable Commercial Service staff who are focused on furthering their company-specific objectives.

Mission Scenario:

ITA Trade Specialists will promote the Asian Aerospace Executive Service (AES) in collaboration with Trade Development / Office of Aerospace American Product Literature Center. This promotion will take place nation-wide and will largely be handled by the ITA Aerospace & Defense Technologies Team. Companies interested in the AES will apply to the program, and once accepted (see 'Criteria for Participant Selection') will work with the AES coordinator to develop their business goals at Asian Aerospace.

Company literature and promotional material will either be shipped to CS Singapore or brought by the participant for display in the U.S. Pavilion. No exhibition or larger demonstration items will be permitted.

An Aerospace & Defense Team member will arrive in Singapore prior to the show. Participants will arrive in Singapore on their own schedule and will report to the AES program on Monday, February 23, 2004 at a hotel TBD. At this time, they will be briefed by CS staff on program features, receive a country/regional briefing on market opportunities, and later begin their series of one-on-one meetings. On Tues., Feb. 24, the participating firms will split the day between one-on-one morning meetings at the hotel and afternoon meetings on-site at Asian Aerospace.
Effective communication between the AES coordinator and all U.S. participants will be essential to the success of the AES program. Email and periodic conference calls will be used to guarantee that this is accomplished. CS staff and the contractor will be available for information and assistance throughout the duration of the AES at Asian Aerospace.

Additional third country U.S. Embassies organizing buyer groups will be advised of the AES mission participants. CS information booths in the U.S. Pavilion will promote and refer interested parties to AES participants.

Prior to the end of the AES program, CS staff will advise and counsel participants on appropriate follow-up procedures.

In summary, participation in the AES Program includes:

• Pre-show briefing;
  
• Two days of pre-scheduled meetings with potential partners, distributors, and/or end-users
  
• One show entry pass per company representative;
  
• One invitation to the U.S. Ambassador's reception per company representative;
  
• Access to Official U.S. Pavilion amenities, including business center, lounge and shared office suite when not in use for one-on-one Asia Now appointments
  
• Shared 12sqm booth to use for meetings and to display company literature
  
• Copy of the official Asian Aerospace Exhibitor's Directory;
  
• Meetings with USCS Aerospace and Defense industry specialists from U.S. Embassies and Consulates across Asia;
  
• On-site AES program coordinator

Timetable:

Participants will arrive in Singapore on their own schedule and report to the AES coordinator in Singapore on February 23, 2004 for a briefing on their appointment schedules. This meeting will also serve to introduce the U.S. participants to one another, with the potential for synergies among them. One-on-one business appointments will take place on Mon., Feb. 23 The first day of meetings will be held at a hotel TBD and the location of the second day of meetings will be split between the hotel in the morning and show-site in the afternoon. The remainder of the show will be spent as each participant feels relevant.

Recruitment for the mission is to begin immediately and conclude, paid in full, no later than January 10, 2004. Applications received after that date will be considered only if space and scheduling constraints permit.

Criteria for Participant Selection:

Target recruitment for the AES Program is 9 companies. Each applicant to the program will be screened for the following:

• Relevance of the company's business line to the mission's goals.
  
• Acceptability of product area/sector for exhibition in Asian Aerospace according to the trade fair rules, which can be found at www.asianaerospace.com.
  
• Timeliness of company's signed application and participation agreement including fee of $2,900 + $700 for each additional company representative.
  
• Timely and adequate provision of company and product/service information and literature, in order to enable communication of company's objectives and scheduling of business appointments.
  
• Provision of adequate information on company's products and/or services, and company's primary market objectives, in order to facilitate appropriate matching with potential business partners.

U.S. Export Assistance Center trade specialists and particularly members of the Aerospace & Defense Technology Team will recruit and counsel prospective participants for the Asian Aerospace AES. Company information and literature will be forwarded by the companies to CS Singapore and distributed for familiarization to a contractor in advance, whereupon he/she will begin the partner search, management and logistical coordination of the program.

Mission recruitment will be conducted in an open and public manner, including posting on the Commerce Department trade missions calendar - www.ita.doc.gov/doctm/tmcal.html - and other Internet websites, publication in domestic trade publications and association newsletters, mailings from internal mailing lists, winfaxes to internal database aerospace clients, email to aerospace distribution lists, through posting in the Federal Register, and at industry meetings, symposia, conferences, trade shows, etc. The AES Program will also be promoted by USCS and by ITA Aerospace & Defense Technology Team members in U.S. Export Assistance Centers.

A company's products or services must be 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 of the value of the finished product/service.

Any partisan political activities (including political contributions) of an applicant are entirely irrelevant to the selection process.

Contact information:

ITA Aerospace & Defense Technology Team:
Amy Magat
Downtown Los Angeles USEAC
350 S. Figueroa St., Suite 509
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Tel: (213) 894-3966
Fax: (213) 894-8789
Email: Amy.Magat@mail.doc.gov

US Commercial Service in Singapore:
Hawcheng Ng
American Embassy
27 Napier Road
Singapore 258508
Tel. 011-(65) 6476-9037
Fax 011- (65) 6476-9080
Email: Hawcheng.Ng@mail.doc.gov