SURINAME'S PROPOSAL FOR FY2010 BUSINESS FACILITATION

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000050

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: BEXP ECON EINV ETRD BTIO NS
SUBJECT: SURINAME'S PROPOSAL FOR FY2010 BUSINESS FACILITATION
INCENTIVE FUND

REF: 09 STATE 00126674


1. (U) Embassy Paramaribo presents its FY2010 proposal under the
Business Facilitation Incentive Fund (BFIF)(reftel).



The following are Post's proposals listed in rank order:



- Organize a "USA Expo" to promote U.S. products in the Surinamese
market, with a special focus given to marketing new U.S. products
and services.



- Organize a "Marketing your Business in 2010" DVC/seminar for the
Surinamese business community.




2. (U) USA Expo



JUSTIFICATION: This year the Embassy proposes co-hosting a "USA
Expo" tradeshow with the American Chamber of Commerce of Suriname
(AMCHAM). The trade show would be the eleventh annual sponsored
BFIF show, and remains the only professional U.S. trade fair held
in Suriname. AMCHAM will assume responsibility for organizing the
event and will cost-share, as was done the past two years.



PLANNING MILESTONES: In January, the Embassy will draft a timeline
to inform relevant stakeholders about the planning process. In
February, invitations to participate will be extended to U.S.
Chambers of Commerce in Florida, South Dakota (Post's State Partner
under the National Guard State Partnership Program),and Suriname.
In April, registered companies will be briefed on logistics. In
May, advertising and press notifications will be disseminated. The
trade show will be held in July 2010 as in past years.



PERFORMANCE METRIC: Post measures success by surveying and
assessing the feedback received from participating companies,
including companies that participated in previous years but did not
participate in 2009. Post and the AMCHAM also will solicit survey
feedback from attendees and count the number of attendees by basic
demographic groupings.



Proposed Budget:

Printing Brochures $2,400

Marketing promotion $1,900

Personnel $600

Miscellaneous cost $100

-------------- --

Total $5,000




3. (U) Effectively Marketing your Business in 2010 DVC/seminar



JUSTIFICATION: The Embassy proposes a marketing Digital Video
Conference (DVC) for the Surinamese business community. According
to AMCHAM, Surinamese businesses are interested in using
increasingly sophisticated marketing techniques - most of which are
still nascent in Suriname - to better differentiate themselves and
more effectively compete in this developing market. For example, a
limited number of Surinamese businesses have started using mobile
marketing campaigns, such as SMS blasts and targeted SMSing. Post
and AMCHAM agree that there is interest among many additional
private sector players in utilizing this marketing approach.
Consequently, Post, together with AMCHAM, proposes to organize a
DVC/marketing seminar to educate Surinamese businesses about
marketing techniques, such as mobile marketing, commonly employed
in lower middle income economies.

PLANNING MILESTONES: In February, the Embassy will identify a
qualified speaker for the DVC, and AMCHAM would identify local
speakers for the seminar. Target audience members would be private
sector players and AMCHAM members. The seminar would be held in
April.



PERFORMANCE METRIC: Post intends to survey participants both
immediately after the seminar as well as 6 months later in order to
gauge the efficacy of the training.



Proposed budget:

Communication charges and space rental $1,500

Advertisement $500

Handouts
$200

-------------- --------------

Total
$2,200




4. (U) Embassy points of contacts are:



Erik Anderson, Economic Officer

Tel: 011-597-478-049

Fax: 011-597-420-800

Email: andersonem@state.gov



Judith Dijks, Commercial Assistant

Tel: 011-597-425-690

Email: dijksjb@state.gov
BELL