Chapter 4: Export Advice

IN THIS CHAPTER U.S. Commercial Service assistance Other government agency assistance Assistance from chambers of commerce

SUMMARY

As Chapter 3 noted, there are a lot of sources of market research information for exporters. This can be a big help in deciding what, when, and where to sell overseas. There are also plenty of sources that provide practical information about how to export, and offer concrete assistance as well. These range from government agencies to commercial entities to trade groups and beyond. The help they offer includes everything from financial support to commercial and political advice to advocacy and more.

Unsurprisingly, the U.S. Commercial Service is a major source of such assistance. It has local offices throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, as well as overseas offices with country specialists. It also has an Advocacy Center, which supports in various ways companies trying to bid on foreign government contracts.

Each U.S. Commercial Service office can offer information about:

Other Agencies
Other agencies also offer a range of useful services. The Commerce Department’s Office of Trade Agreements Negotiations and Compliance (TANC), for example, is one of many organizations aimed at helping reduce or eliminate overseas trade barriers. The Agriculture Department’s Office of Outreach and Exporter Assistance (OOEA) supports exporters of food, farm, and forest products. The National Center for Standards and Certification Information (NCSCI) provides information about, and even the opportunity to review and comment on, foreign countries’ existing and proposed standards, regulations, and certifications.

Other Sources of Help
There is a variety of yet other sources of help. A major one is the United States Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank, which among other things provides pre- and post-import financing, credit, and other assistance. Particularly beneficial are the insurance and loan guarantees it offers to reduce the commercial and political risks of exporting. State and local governments also offer help in various ways.

Other sources include:

In short, any U.S. company that is willing to look for help in exporting will have no trouble finding it.

This chapter’s Success Story is Advanced Superabrasives, which sells to buyers in 16 countries including Brazil and China, used Commercial Service business matchmaking to find buyers, and has taken well-advised commercial and technical measures to prevent reverse engineering.