SURINAME'S PROPOSAL FOR FY2008 BUSINESS FACILITATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 PARAMARIBO 000020 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR WHA/CAR JROSHOLT DEPT FOR EEB/CBA DENNIS WINSTEAD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: BEXP ABUD AMGT BTIO ECON EINV ETRD NS SUBJECT: SURINAME'S PROPOSAL FOR FY2008 BUSINESS FACILITATION INCENTIVE FUND REF: 07 SECSTATE 159597 PARAMARIBO 00000020 001.2 OF 004 ¶1. (U) Summary. Embassy Paramaribo thanks EEB/CBA for continued financial support of Post's commercial diplomacy initiatives and appreciates the opportunity to submit a proposal for financial assistance through the Business Facilitation Incentive Fund (BFIF). Posts proposes funding of USD 17,750 for the following four projects, which are listed in rank order. Paragraphs for each project below are keyed to proposal criteria in reftel. End Summary. ¶2. (U) The following are Post's four proposals listed in rank order: - Organize a "USA Tradeshow" in conjunction with the American Chamber of Commerce of Suriname to promote U.S. products in the Surinamese market, with a special focus given to marketing new U.S. products and services. - Conduct seminars in Paramaribo and Nieuw Nickerie with an Export-Import Bank speaker on how to apply for credit. - Host a digital video conference with a Department of Commerce speaker on doing business with the USA. - Prepare information kits on trade with Suriname (in hard copy and electronically) for potential U.S. investors and businesspeople interested in trade with Suriname. This will serve to advance the National Guard's State Partnership Program between South Dakota and Suriname. Project I -- USA TRADE SHOW 2008: USD 5,000 -------------- ¶3. (U) Post plans to organize our ninth annual BFIF-sponsored USA Trade Show, to be co-coordinated with the American Chamber of Commerce of Suriname (AmCham) for the fourth time. ¶A. JUSTIFICATION: The USA Trade Show is the only professional trade show featuring U.S. products and services held in Suriname. This will be the ninth year of this BFIF-sponsored trade show, and the fourth time the show has been organized in conjunction with the AmCham. The AmCham is a fairly young organization, having been in existence only five years, and Post's objective is to gradually give increased responsibility to the AmCham for the USA Trade Show in order to (in the long-term) make this show a self-sustaining project. The AmCham has already agreed to take on greater organizational responsibility for the 2008 USA Trade Show. To attract more participation and visitors to the 2008 event, Post will plan fun events to draw larger crowds to the USA Trade Show and engage in increased advertising. ¶B. PLANNING MILESTONES: In January, the Embassy will draft a timeline to guide the planning process. In February, the final breakdown of responsibilities between the Embassy and the AmCham will be decided. Invitations to participate will be extended to the U.S. Chambers of Commerce in Florida, South Dakota (which has links to Suriname through the National Guard's State Partnership Program), and Suriname, and registration for vendors will begin to take place. In April, registered vendors will be briefed on logistics. Post will engage in promotion of the USA Trade Fair, including advertisements and press releases. The USA Trade Show will be held in late May or early June 2008. (Note: Final date to be determined in conjunction with the AmCham.) ¶C. ESTIMATED BUDGET: Costs estimates this year are based on expanded advertising of the show. Printing Brochures $1,200 Marketing promotion $1,200 Venue rental $1,500 Personnel $ 600 Miscellaneous cost $ 500 -------------- Total $5,000 ¶D. COST LEVERAGING: This year, over half of the costs will once again be paid for by BFIF-funds. In past years, the AmCham also provided funds to support the Trade Show, which were used for advertising for vendors to participate in the show, hiring a contractor to decorate the venue, and hiring entertainment for the attendees of the show. This year, the AmCham will provide their cost-sharing budget once their new board convenes in February 2008. We will also discuss with the AmCham proposals to generate revenues from other activities to increase their organization's income in 2008 so that they can take on increased financial responsibilities for the USA Trade Shows in future years. PARAMARIBO 00000020 002.2 OF 004 ¶E. PERFORMANCE METRIC: Post will measure success by the feedback received from participating companies and attendees. This year, Post also will solicit feedback from "customers" who attend the USA Tradeshow. Post will also conduct its own assessment of the AmCham's performance in organizing the USA Trade Show and make an assessment on what greater responsibilities should be taken on the following year. F: POINTS OF CONTACT: Please refer to Paragraph 6 below. Project II -- EXPORT-IMPORT BANK SEMINAR: USD 5,750 -------------- ¶4. (U) Post proposes to hold an Export-Import Bank Seminar for the Suriname business community in Paramaribo and in the Nieuw Nickerie. JUSTIFICATION: Business entrepreneurs in Suriname have expressed interest to us in the services Export-Import Bank offers. Suriname has been eligible for assistance from the Export-Import Bank only since 2006, so the business community is not yet familiar with the procedures of applying for credit. Credit from the bank would increase resources to fuel U.S.-Suriname trade. An effective speaker would explain the procedures for Surinamese businesses to implement so that they can take advantage of credit the Export-Import Bank provides. PLANNING MILESTONES: In February, Post will work with EEB and the Export-Import Bank to identify a qualified speaker for the seminar. In April, Post would advertise the seminar with the target audience, namely, the business community, the Suriname-American Chamber of Commerce, officials of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, commercial banks and the news media. The seminars would be held in late April or early May in Paramaribo and Nieuw Nickerie. ¶C. Estimated Budget for Paramaribo: Lodging (3 days @ 120) $ 360 M&IE (3 days @ 67) $ 268 Travel $2,400 Conference room $ 500 Advertisement $ 300 Fee $ 500 Miscellaneous (supplies) $ 172 -------------- $4,500 Estimated budget for Nieuw Nickerie Lodging (1 day @ 120) $120 M&IE (1day @67) $ 67 Travel $500 Conference room $500 Miscellaneous (supplies) $ 63 -------------- $1,250 -------------- Grand Total $5,750 ¶D. COST LEVERAGING: Post will see if Export-Import Bank can provide for some of the lodging and MI&E costs. ¶E. PERFORMANCE METRIC: Post will survey participants in the seminar on whether or not this answered their questions, and if they are likely to apply to the Export-Import Bank for credit in the future. Post will also ask them to suggest seminar topics for future years. Post will follow up with participants after the seminar to determine how many applied for credit, or started the process, and how many of those were successful. ¶F. Points of Contact: Paragraph 6 below. Project III -- Department of Commerce Digital Video Conference on Doing Business with the USA: USD 1,000 -------------- ¶4. (U) Embassy proposes organizing a seminar "Doing Business with the USA" to expand U.S trade and investment with Suriname. ¶A. JUSTIFICATION: The seminar will serve as a unique opportunity to reach out businessmen interested in the U.S. market. Embassy will request assistance from Department of Commerce in providing a speaker to this event. ¶B. PLANNING MILESTONES: Planning to identify a qualified speaker(s) will take place as soon as BFIF Funds are approved. A list of companies to be invited will be drafted in June. In August, the seminar will be held. PARAMARIBO 00000020 003.2 OF 004 ¶C. ESTIMATED BUDGET: Printing brochures $ 500 Communication charges $ 500 -------------- Total $1,000 ¶D. COST LEVERAGING: No cost leveraging has been agreed upon at this time. Post could propose to the new AmCham Board that we co-host this event as one of their breakfast series events. If that is the case, non-AmCham members would be charged a fee for the breakfast. ¶E. PERFORMANCE METRICS: The Embassy expects an increase in inquiries by local businesses about U.S. products and services, which we can track through our Political-Economic Section. ¶F. POINTS OF CONTACT: Please see Paragraph 6 below. Project IV -- Information Kits on Trade with Suriname for U.S. Businesses: USD 6,000 -------------- ¶5. (U) Post plans to prepare information kits on trade with Suriname use by interested U.S. businesses. The kit would include a listing of Surinamese companies that import/export with the United States (no such list exists). ¶A. JUSTIFICATION: As part of the National Guard's State Partnership Program, South Dakota and Suriname are expanding their ties in a number of areas. The South Dakota National Guard has already brought several delegations, including business people, to Suriname. The preparation of information and market assessment kits about Suriname (hard copies and electronic) for distribution by the Embassy and the South Dakota National Guard to interested U.S. business people would assist in promoting business ties. ¶B. PLANNING MILESTONES: Post would collect data from USG sources and from Government of Suriname sources in order to put together a handbook on doing business with Suriname after BFIF funding approved. Post would advertise for Surinamese businesses to pay a small fee ($5) to be included in the kit in May. The kit (250 printed hard copies, 250 electronic CD ROM copies) would be complete and ready for distribution in July. ¶C. ESTIMATED BUDGET: CD Roms (250 @ $0.90) $ 225 Burn CD ROMs(250 @ $1.50) $ 375 Hard copies(250 @ $ 18) $4,500 Professional Layout $1,000 -------------- $6,100 Minus fee 20 companies(@ $5.00) $ 100 -------------- Total $6,000 ¶D. COST LEVERAGING: South Dakota National Guard has been sponsoring delegations from South Dakota to Suriname, and from Suriname to South Dakota, several times a year. These kits would augment their existing program as they could be provided to interested South Dakota businesses. We would request that companies interested in being listed in the kit pay a small fee for their inclusion in the list, or a larger fee to include an advertisement. We would note that the USG does not recommend any specific businesses and that those included have paid a fee for their inclusion. For conservative budget estimate purposes only, we have assumed in the budget that twenty companies will pay the $5 fee for inclusion. Naturally, we expect a much larger number of companies to be interested in being included in this listing. E: PERFORMANCE METRICS: Post economic officer and commercial assistant are assisting South Dakota businesses and the South Dakota National Guard in making links to Surinamese businesses. This kit will result in faster response times by the Embassy commercial assistant to U.S. commercial inquiries. F: POINTS OF CONTACT: See Paragraph 6 below. ¶6. (U) POINTS OF CONTACT: Geneve Menscher, Political/Economic Section Chief Tel: 011-597-478-049 Fax: 011-597-420-800 Email: menscherge@state.gov Judith Dijks, Commercial Assistant Tel: 011-597-425-690 Email: dijksjb@state.gov PARAMARIBO 00000020 004.2 OF 004 SCHREIBER HUGHES