1. Trade Missions and Certified Trade Missions — Do you know the difference? U.S. Department of Commerce Trade Missions Certified Trade Missions Who initiates them? Commerce colleagues at all levels: Teams Posts U.S. Export Assistance fffCenters (USEACs) Global Trade Programs Assistant Secretaries Deputy Assistant Secretaries Under Secretary Secretary Non-Commerce Groups: State economic development offices Governors Members of Congress Mayors/city governments County governments Industry trade associations Universities Business consortia Private event organizers

2. Trade Missions and Certified Trade Missions — Do you know the difference? Commerce Trade Missions Certified Trade Missions How do we/ they initiate them? Project Officer works with posts to: Draft mission statement with itinerary, dates, market overviews, and proposed activities Develop budget and set cost-recovery participation fees and recruitment goals Request Trade Events Board review. Mission Organizer sends proposal directly to posts. CTM proposals are based on answers to questions in the Application for Certified Trade Mission Status, which prompt organizers to define their mission’s purpose, scope, dates, and specific services requested, e.g., appointments, receptions, and site visits. The Mission Organizer works with CS posts in host countries to fine-tune the plan as needed.

3. Trade Missions and Certified Trade Missions — Do you know the difference? Who certifies non-Commerce missions? CS posts do. While CS professionals at USEACs, posts, and HQ are encouraged to provide guidance, as needed, the decision whether or not to certify a proposed trade mission rests with posts. This is a post-driven program.

4. Trade Missions and Certified Trade Missions — Do you know the difference? Commerce Trade Missions Certified Trade Missions Who sets the participation fees? The Project Officer works with posts hosting the mission to develop a feasible, affordable event supported by cost-recovery operation. The Mission Organizer. Posts develop a budget for the proposed mission. Organizers wishing to lower costs for their participants may subsidize some of the expenses or modify their original requests. Who recruits the mission? The Project Officer. Team- mates and multipliers may be called upon to help, but the Project Officer bears ultimate responsibility. The Mission Organizer. CS employees do not recruit non-USDOC missions.

5. Certified Trade Missions What is our role in supporting Certified Trade Missions? To help non-USDOC Mission Organizers we can: Ensure their intended missions are in line with Commercial Service objectives Share best practices for successful missions, e.g., planning for lead time and recruitment tips Point Mission Organizers to market research and other trade-related resources Put Mission Organizers in touch with posts Post CTM announcements on our websites Refer interested clients to the Mission Organizer Counsel participants before and after the mission

6. Certified Trade Missions Do Certified Trade Missions require Trade Events Board approval? No. Only USDOC missions, the ones we initiate and recruit, require TEB approval. Can we claim export successes resulting from a Certified Trade Mission? Sure can… …provided we’ve counseled participants or delivered other value-added service according to export success guidelines.