TALLINN'S BFIF FY07 PROPOSAL

UNCLAS TALLINN 000024 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EB/CBA AND EUR/NB HELSINKI FOR SCO MCCLEARY SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD BEXP AMGT ABUD BTIO EINV EN SUBJECT: TALLINN'S BFIF FY07 PROPOSAL REF: 2006 STATE 189849 ¶1. Summary: Embassy Tallinn proposes four FY07 projects for the Business Facilitation Incentive Fund. All four projects are integral parts of Embassy Tallinn's relationship with its FCS partnership post in Helsinki, Finland. The first is a summer 2007 FSI Commercial Tradecraft training program for Embassy Tallinn's Economic/Commercial/EU FSN or Economic Officer. The second is sending Tallinn's Economic/Commercial/EU FSN to the FCS Office in Helsinki for two days to shadow staff there. The third project is organizing an automotive catalogue show at the end of April. The fourth is a Commercial Best Practices meeting together with Embassy Riga and Embassy Vilnius. Post requests a total of USD 9,600 in BFIF funds. End Summary. ¶2. Proposed project - FSI Commercial Tradecraft training for our Economic/Commercial/EU FSN or Economic Officer coupled with consultations with key partners in Washington, DC. A) Justification: FSI's Commercial Tradecraft training (PE125) will enhance Pol/Econ section staff's ability to be responsive and effective in providing assistance to U.S. businesses seeking advice, information and support in the pursuit of trade and investment opportunities in Estonia. Through discussions and case studies led by successful private-sector exporters and experienced USG commercial specialists, participants learn how to set up and manage effective trade promotion programs and assist U.S. firms in seeking market access, developing markets and participating in major projects. The course emphasizes how posts such as Tallinn face the challenges of trade promotion without having a Department of Commerce presence in-country. Because the training is in Washington, the trainee will also have an opportunity to expand contacts in DOC, TDA and the Estonian Embassy. B) Planning Milestones: February 2007: Nominate Tallinn FSN or Economic Officer for the FSI course. February 2007: BFIF money is awarded. July 23-27 2007: Tallinn FSN or Economic Officer attends training and holds consultations in Washington. August 2007: Post sends narrative of project and confirms funding expenditures. C) Performance Metrics: The FSN or Economic Officer will be better able to counsel and assist U.S. businesses in Estonia on commercial matters. Post's Political/Economic Officer will present useful information from the training to the American Chamber of Commerce board of directors, who will then transmit relevant information to over 100 business and individual members of the chamber. D) Estimated Costs: FSI and Embassy Tallinn will share the costs. BFIF funds: USD 3,800 for airfare and M&IE. FSI funds: FSI will fund all training costs, hotel/NFATC bus transportation. Embassy Tallinn will pay local transportation costs for consultations. E) Point of Contact: Political/Economic Officer Robert Hollister, ph: 372-668-8107, fax: 372-668-8259, email: hollisterrm@state.gov. F) Leveraging of Funding: Yes, Post is leveraging funding from FSI. G) Outcome/Success Criteria: The training will be successful if the Economic/Commercial/EU Assistant or Economic Officer provides useful information from the training to U.S. businesses, the embassy community, the FCS Regional Office in Helsinki and the American Chamber of Commerce in Estonia. H) Follow-up Strategy: The Economic/Commercial/EU FSN or Economic Officer will build on the skills learned in the training through frequent, regular contact with the regional FCS office in Helsinki. ¶3. Proposed project - Economic/Commercial/EU FSN shadows counterparts in the FCS Regional Office in Helsinki for three days. A) Justification: In the three years since FCS closed its offices in the Baltic countries, Tallinn and FCS in Helsinki have built a successful partnership to provide fee-based commercial services and continue supporting U.S. businesses. While the Economic/Commercial/EU FSN has contact with the FCS in Helsinki, she has not had any training in new FCS services, standards and other FCS tools, which could generate revenue for Post. Three days of shadowing the FCS staff in Finland would be excellent practical training for her in the changes at FCS since 2004. B) Planning Milestones: February 2007: BFIF money is awarded. March 2007: Post coordinates hotel and other logistic details. May 2007: Economic/Commercial/EU FSN goes to Helsinki. August 2007: Post sends final BFIF report on performance metrics. C) Performance Metrics: Implementation at post of and revenue generated from new FCS tools and programs to provide better service to U.S. businesses. D) Estimated Costs: Transportation: USD 500, Hotel, Meals and Incidental Expenses: USD 900, Ground Transportation USD 100. Total Requested: USD 1,500. E) Point of Contact: Political/Economic Officer Robert Hollister, ph: 372-668-8107, fax: 372-668-8259, email: hollisterrm@state.gov. F) Leveraging of Funding? Yes, Post will leverage BFIF funding with FCS Trust Funds G) Outcome/Success Criteria? Yes, see paragraph C above. H) Follow-up Strategy: Economic/Commercial/EU FSN will maintain regular contact with the FCS Helsinki trade specialists, improved by the on-site experience gained from this training and consultations. ¶4. Proposed project - U.S. Automotive Industry catalogue show at the Estonian Hot Rod Association and Ford Mustang Club's two-day American Day event at the end of April 2007. A) Justification: The Estonian Hot Rod Association and the Ford Mustang Club in Tallinn have organized an "American Day" event for the past two years. The number of companies who would like to be involved, as well the number of visitors attending the event, has increased considerably. The show is free for visitors. Event organizers came to us last year asking that the Embassy be more visible, and post's PAO opened the show. This year post would like to use the show to promote U.S. automotive products, as well as also post's commercial services for local companies interested in partnering with U.S. firms. The BFIF funding would help us to rent a space at the event to set up a catalogue show and an FCS information table. B) Planning Milestones: February 2007: BFIF money is awarded. February 2007: Post contacts DOC Automotive Team to order catalogues. End of April 2007: Catalogue show during "American Day" event. August 2007: Post sends final BFIF report on performance metrics. C) Performance Metrics: The number of companies who send their catalogues to Estonia and the number of local companies that contact the U.S. companies following the event. D) Estimated Costs: Total Requested: USD 1,000. Booth space rental: 1,500 USD for 15 square meters at the event. Should there be any change in the event, post would use the funding to rent show space in Motorex 2007, which is the Estonian automotive trade show, taking place on May 10-13, 2007 in Tallinn. The average price of booth rental space at trade shows in Tallinn is approximately 100 USD per square meter, including taxes. E) Point of Contact: Political/Economic Officer Robert Hollister, ph: 372-668-8107, fax: 372-668-8259, email: hollisterrm@state.gov. F) Leveraging of Funding? Yes, Post will leverage BFIF funding with FCS Catalogue Show fees. G) Outcome/Success Criteria? Yes, see paragraph C above. H) Follow-up Strategy: Yes, Economic/Commercial/EU FSN will follow up with trade leads and possible Gold Key services and Single Company Promotions developed at this event. ¶5. Proposed project - Funding for a Commercial Best Practices meeting with the other Baltic posts. A) Justification: Since the closing of the FCS office in the Baltics, all three posts have introduced different ways to serve U.S. commercial interests. For many U.S. companies, looking for FCS services in all three countries, those differences have been somewhat confusing. Post proposes a Baltic commercial workshop to coordinate offered services and standards. Participants would include commercial FSNs and FCS commercial officers, responsible for partnership posts, and Economic Officers at posts. The last such meeting was in Finland in June 2005 and was very productive. Post proposes to build on its success and refresh contacts between posts, each of which have had staff turnover. While the workshop could take place in any of the three capitals, post is requesting funding in case Lithuania is successful in organizing an AmCham best practices conference in early fall in Vilnius. Holding the Baltic workshop in conjunction with this conference would be an excellent opportunity to give the workshop broader scope, because of the presence of AmCham representatives (note that in Latvia FCS services are currently outsourced to the AmCham in Riga). B) Planning Milestones: February 2007: BFIF money is awarded. June 2007: Post coordinates travel and other logistic details with other Baltic posts. September 2007: Economic/Commercial/EU FSN and Economic Officer go to Vilnius. August 2007: Post sends final BFIF report on performance metrics. C) Performance Metrics: To offer U.S. businesses a more simplified approach to the Baltic market through FCS services. Updating and harmonizing the information on the BuyUSA Baltics website. D) Estimated Costs: Per person: Transportation: USD 650, Hotel, Meals and Incidental Expenses: USD 650, Ground Transportation USD 100. Total Requested for two persons: USD 2,800. E) Point of Contact: Political/Economic Officer Robert Hollister, ph: 372-668-8107, fax: 372-668-8259, email: hollisterrm@state.gov. F) Leveraging of Funding? Yes, Post will leverage BFIF funding with Post funds and FCS Trust Funds. G) Outcome/Success Criteria? Yes, see paragraph C above. H) Follow-up Strategy: The most effective follow-up strategy and specific actions will be determined at the Commercial Best Practices meeting.