Market Development Cooperator Program

"[The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)] strongly urges… [the development of] programs… to promote government-to-government and public-private interaction involving foreign officials responsible for developing and implementing standards, conformity assessment, and technical regulations. Example programs include: …the DOC Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) and Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP), USTDA programs, USAID’s Standards Alliance, and other technical assistance programs."

• December 18, 2017, letter from Linda Dempsey, NAM Vice President for International Economic Affairs, to Chris Rosettie, Director, Office of Standards and Investment Policy, ITA.

"[MDCP] is one small program that has been particularly successful."

• January 19, 2009, Shipping Digest, "Investing in Exports: National Association of Manufacturers Calls for Increased Funding of U.S. Export Programs", quoting NAM Vice President for International Economic Affairs.

"The MDCP program has been a real success, even though it is starved for funds. [F]or every federal dollar invested, $100 in exports has been generated. Since 1997, this program has generated $2.65 billion in U.S. exports, with an outlay of $20 million or less over that time period. [E]xports generated additional tax revenue to the U.S. government amounting [of] almost $100 million – not a bad return on the taxpayer’s investment – especially since this is seed money for what become self-sustaining promotion centers."

• April 24, 2008, Testimony of Franklin J. Vargo, NAM Vice President for International Economic Affairs, before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade (See what NAM's analysis would look like in 2018, as well as addtional context for this testimony.)

"MDCP provides seed money to U.S. organizations that have significant potential for export growth."

• May 24, 2006, letter from John Engler, NAM President, to Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Science, State, Justice and Commerce and Related Agencies. Engler identified MDCP as one of "three trade matters of concern to NAM."

"[T]he [plumbing] industry has come to rely on two important programs as tools to help address market access challenges: the Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) … and the Standards Alliance at USAID. We hope that Commerce will continue to recognize the valuable tools these programs and the Foreign Commercial Service offer in helping to ensure the competitiveness of U.S. products overseas."

• December 18, 2017, Comments of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) Regarding Docket ITA-2017-0007 Notice of Meeting: Summit on Trade-Related Standards Issues from Dain Hansen, IAPMO Senior Vice President of Government Relations.
• See also May 9, 2018, IAPMO press release.

"The MDCP is a highly effective public/private collaboration that leads to exports and creates jobs. Projects range in scope from helping companies to secure export financing to addressing non­tariff barriers to U.S. exports such as discriminatory regulations, technical standards, local content requirements, and onerous conformity assessment requirements."

"The MDCP program enables private sector collaboration and partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce. [T]he program provides a unique opportunity for industry to collaborate with the U.S. Department of Commerce resources in the United States and abroad by leveraging sector and analytical expertise in the development and execution of trade policy, global market regulatory compliance, export expansion, and investment promotion strategies. This effective public/private collaboration improves market access for U.S. industry globally while advancing the international competitiveness of U.S. business, including small- to medium-size enterprises."

• March 27, 2018, letter from Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee Chair Ron Swinko to Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross.

"In 2004, four U.S.-domiciled SDOs established the Consortium for Standards and Conformity Assessment (CSCA) through a partnership with ITA’s [MDCP]. The consortium’s members included the American Petroleum Institute, ASME International, ASTM International, and CSA America. [MDCP support] enabled each organization to engage in China on standards and conformity assessment issues and to establish and maintain relationships with peer agencies and individuals in China. Once the [MDCP] funds were exhausted, ASTM International and several other organizations decided to maintain a presence in Beijing. To date, about 1,000 ASTM standards have been nationally adopted in China or referenced in their regulations covering petroleum, construction and the environment. Sustained strategic engagement by ITA in China is critical at this time as the government attempts to implement sweeping reforms of its standards system. We are at risk of China creating a European-like approach to international standardization."

• December 14, 2017, Comments of ASTM International Regarding Docket ITA-2017-0007 Notice of Meeting: Summit on Trade-Related Standards Issues from Jeff Grove, ASTM Senior Vice President of Global Policy & Industry Affairs.

• December 13, 2017, Comments of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Regarding Docket ITA-2017-0007 Notice of Meeting: Summit on Trade-Related Standards Issues from S. Joe Bhatia, ANSI President.

"As a recipient of an MDCP grant, AEM opened its first office in Beijing, China to help members effectively do business in the promising but complex China marketplace. Through its office in Beijing, AEM offers a variety of services and expertise that can help both established exporters and new-to-market companies locate partners for manufacturing and distribution, and uncover new sales opportunities. This has been especially helpful to our SME members who are often reluctant to undertake new export marketing ventures without the support of the federal government."

• June 7, 2006, letter from Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) President Dennis Slater, to Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Science, State, Justice and Commerce and Related Agencies. Slater identified MDCP as one of three trade concerns.

"Governors strongly support federal trade development programs providing technical and global market entry assistance to small- and medium-sized U.S. firms seeking to start or expand exports activity. To that end, Governors encourage the U.S. Department of Commerce to continue funding for the Market Development Cooperator Program..."

• November 16, 2004, "Governors' Principles on International Trade Policy , EDC-11, http://www.nga.org/.

"[MDCP has] been a great help to...companies engaging in export promotion."

• December 9, 2009, Testimony of Tamara Harney CEO of Hamilton Manufacturing Inc. on behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, before the Senate Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness (see page 4).

"As a tool for export promotion, Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) Grants are efficient and effective, but in recent years they have all but dried up. TradeRoots was actually founded based on an MDCP Grant to help small businesses learn about exporting in select states around the country. As a result of this grant, TradeRoots reached more than 3,800 small and medium-sized businesses and helped generate more than $9.2 million in U.S. exports. We support continuing and expanding MDCP Grant Funding.”

• October 6, 2009, Testimony of Liz J. Reilly, Director, Trade Roots, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Competitiveness, Innovation, and Export Promotion (see page 6).

The Chamber also "support[s] full funding for" ITA for fiscal 2019. [Note: Fully funding the Industry & Analysis unit of ITA would likely have the effect of enabling ITA to hold a 2019 competition for new MDCP awards.]

• May 9, 2018, Letter from Neil L. Bradley, Senior Vice President & Chief Policy Officer, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, to Representatives John Culberson and Jose Serrano, Chairman and Ranking Member respectively of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. House of Representatives (see page 2).