Trade and Development Agency in the United States

The Trade and Development Agency advances economic development and U.S.
commercial interest in developing and middle-income countries.

The Trade and Development Program was established on July 1, 1980, as
a component organization of the International Development Cooperation
Agency. Section 2204 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988
(22 U.S.C. 2421) made it a separate component agency. The organization was
renamed the Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and made an
independent agency within the executive branch of the Federal Government on
October 28, 1992, by the Jobs Through Exports Act of 1992 (22 U.S.C. 2421).

USTDA is a foreign assistance agency that delivers its program commitments
through overseas grants, contracts with U.S. ?rms, and the use of trust funds
at several multilateral development bank groups. The projects supported by
USTDA activities represent strong and measurable development priorities in
host countries and offer opportunities for commercial participation by U.S. ?rms.
Public and private sector project sponsors in developing and middle-income
countries request USTDA support to assist them in implementing their development
priorities.

USTDA helps countries establish a favorable trading environment and a
modern infrastructure that promotes sustainable economic development.

To this end, USTDA funds overseas projects and sponsors access to U.S.
private sector expertise in project de?nition and investment analysis and
in trade capacity building and sector development. Project de?nition and
investment analysis involves activities that support large capital investments
that contribute to overseas infrastructure development. Trade capacity building
and sector development supports the establishment of industry standards, rules
and regulations, trade agreements, market liberalization, and other policy reform.
USTDA works with other U.S.

Government agencies to bring their particular expertise and resources to a
development objective. These agencies include the Departments of State, the Treasury, Commerce, Transportation, Energy, Agriculture, and Homeland
Security; the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative; the Export-Import Bank
of the United States; and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.

Activities

USTDA funds various forms of technical assistance, training, early investment analysis, orientation visits, and business workshops that support the development of a modern
infrastructure and a fair and open trading environment. Working closely with a
foreign project sponsor, USTDA makes its funds available on the condition that
the foreign entity contract with a U.S. ?rm to perform the activity funded.

This affords American ?rms market entry, exposure, and information, thus
helping them to establish a position in markets that are otherwise dif?cult to
penetrate. USTDA is involved in many sectors, including transportation, energy,
telecommunications, environment, health care, mining and minerals development,
biotechnology, and agriculture.

USTDA-funded studies evaluate the technical, economic, and financial
aspects of a development project. They also advise the host nation about the
availability of U.S. goods and services and can be used by financial institutions
in assessing the creditworthiness of an undertaking. Grants are based on an
of?cial request for assistance made by the sponsoring government or private sector
organization of a developing or middleincome nation. Study costs typically
are shared by USTDA and the U.S. ?rm developing the project.

The Agency makes decisions on funding requests based on the
recommendations contained in de?nitional mission or desk study reports,
the advice of the U.S. Embassy, and its own internal analysis.

For further information, contact the Trade and Development Agency, Suite 1600, 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209–3901. Phone, 703–875–4357. Fax, 703–875–4009. Email, info@ustda.gov. Internet, http://www.ustda.gov.