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Presidential Initiatives

International Trade Process Streamlining

Program Managers

Rand Ruggieri

Managing Partner

Department of Commerce (DOC)

Description

Export.gov makes it easy for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to obtain the information and documents needed to conduct business abroad.

Progress to Date
  • Defined solution architecture for simplifying export processes
  • Launched One Stop, One Form
  • Integrated One Stop, One Form with USDA/FAS U.S. Supplier List
  • Launched automated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) certification of origin
  • Conducted usability study and redesigned Export.gov, integrating content from BuyUSA (Market Research and PTA) and enhanced functionality
  • Consolidated/merged content of USATrade.gov (DOC) into the Export.gov portal
  • Consolidated/merged content of Tradenet.gov (SBA) into the Export.gov portal
  • Integrated One Stop, One Form with BuyUSA.com (DOC)
  • Integrated One Stop, One Form with Market Research Library (DOC)
  • Integrated One Stop, One Form with Electronic Claims system and the Letter of Interest Form(Ex-Im Bank)
  • Integrated One Stop, One Form with NAFTA Certificate of Origin
  • Implemented USDA Export Credit Guarantee (Loan) program online
  • Launched China Business Information Center on Export.gov/China, with consolidated/merged content from the DOC’s China Gateway website
  • Implement cross-agency content management system
  • Implemented the Middle East Business Informatin Center on Export.gov/Middle East
  • Launched Free Trade Agreement Center on Export.gov/FTA, with consolidated/merged content from DOC’s Trade Information Center FTA website
  • Incorporated trade leads from the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) into Export.gov
  • Incorporated trade leads from the World Bank and Multilateral Development Banks into Export.gov

Next Steps
  • The initiative is managed by the International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. Initiative and website functionality are addressed based on user feedback and ongoing usability testing.

Web Site

www.export.gov

Performance

ITPS Metrics

Exhibit 300

Managing Partner Agency Exhibit 300

 

U.S. companies with fewer than 20 employees accounted for nearly $32 billion in export sales over the last decade. Despite this encouraging statistic, only 2 percent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) export, and of those that do, 63 percent export to only one foreign market. These non- or under-exporting SMEs represent an immense, untapped source of future U.S. employment and prosperity.

Numerous surveys have revealed that a critical barrier for small exporters is a lack of information about the export process and limited resources for obtaining the information and documents necessary to conduct business abroad. Although the federal government provides a wealth of market research, programs, and counseling to assist SMEs in all aspects of the export process, this assistance is spread across 19 separate agencies and dozens of web sites.

The International Trade Process Streamlining initiative was created to make it easier for SMEs to obtain the information and documents needed to conduct business abroad. Export.gov, the government’s existing online portal for small business export assistance information has been enhanced to fill this gap.

Specifically, the initiative has:

  • Consolidated and integrated the export process online under Export.gov, which includes foreign partner matching/verification, export financing and insurance, and consolidated market research
  • Developed online applications for export financing, insurance, and loan guarantees offered through the Export-Import Bank and the Foreign Agriculture Service’s Credit Guarantee System
  • Introduced ”One-Stop, One Form,“ which has reduced the time required for SMEs to fill out export-related forms and paperwork by providing a single on-line form for many export transactions

International Trade Process Streamlining has created a seamless environment for SMEs to research markets, gather trade leads, and conduct a majority of their export transactions on-line. Moreover, it now provides more timely and accurate export information and results in cost savings for U.S. businesses by reducing the amount of time they spend trying to get information and filling out applications and forms.

As a result of building and marketing Export.gov, over 500 companies a month are consistently registering with Export.gov. Our domestic network of trade specialists are contacting these companies from across the country and helping them enter the export business. Export.gov continues to receive a customer satisfaction rating of over 80 percent. For comparison purposes, monthly visits to Export.gov have risen from 119,000 in November 2003 to a high of 567,000 in July 2007. Additionally, Export.gov's trade leads were viewed 87,000 times in FY05 versus over 286,000 in FY07.