The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration (ITA), is organizing a Global Diversity Export Initiative (GDEI) Trade Mission to the Caribbean region on November 17-22, 2024, that will include the “Opportunities for Minority-Led Businesses in the Caribbean Region Conference” in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on November 17-18, 2024. 

The International Trade Administration (ITA) is seeking to improve outreach and representation of businesses with owners and/or leaders from underserved communities. This mission is focused on expanding export opportunities to U.S. small and medium-sized businesses that are founded, led, operated or owned by minorities from industries with growing potential in the Caribbean region. 

Participants will engage in one-one-one meetings with key service providers and U.S. diplomats and/or industry specialists from 9 countries.

Selected participants will either engage in business-to-business (B2B) meetings in Santo Domingo if approved for the Dominican Republic Trade Mission, or travel to other markets in the region to engage in B2B appointments in those markets. B2B meetings will be conducted with pre-screened potential buyers, agents, distributors or joint-venture partners, in the selected city/market in the Dominican Republic, and/or Barbados/Eastern Caribbean, and/or Guyana, and/or Jamaica, and/or Suriname, and/or The Bahamas and/or Trinidad and Tobago.

The mission is horizontal, with various sectors represented, based on best prospects for U.S. companies in the Caribbean region, such as automotive parts and services, consumer goods, construction equipment/road building machinery/building products/infrastructure projects, medical equipment and pharmaceuticals, ICT, energy equipment and services, safety and security equipment, hotel and restaurant equipment, franchising, manufacturing equipment, yachting/maritime services/sailing equipment, marine ports, aviation/airports, tourism and related construction, waste management, and water treatment and supply.

After a company or trade association is selected to participate in the Trade Mission, a payment to the U.S. Department of Commerce in the form of a participation fee is required. Up to two countries can be selected for business-to-business meetings. The fees are as follow:

• If selected for business-to-business meetings in one country, the fee is $2,500 for a small or medium-sized enterprises (SME) [1] and $4,000 for large firms.
• If selected for business-to-business meetings in two countries, the fee is $3,500 for a small or medium-sized enterprises (SME) [1] and $5,000 for large firms.
• Conference only: $500 per participant. 

 Registration includes:  

• Admission to all Conference sessions in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
• Pre-arranged consultations with U.S. Diplomats/Specialists from the Americas
• Customized business-to-business meetings with pre-screened potential business partners in the country you selected.
• Access to business networking events with leading industry and government officials, counseling, networking receptions, luncheons, and conference materials.

Participants selected for Trade Mission will be expected to pay for the cost of personal expenses, including, but not limited to, international travel, lodging, meals, transportation, communication, and incidentals, unless otherwise noted.

Participants will, however, be able to take advantage of U.S. Government rates for hotel rooms. In the event the Trade Mission is canceled, no personal expenses paid in anticipation of the Trade Mission will be reimbursed. However, participation fees for a canceled  Trade Mission will be reimbursed to the extent they have not already been expended in anticipation of the Trade Mission.

If a visa is required to travel on the Trade Mission, applying for and obtaining such a visa will be the responsibility of the Trade Mission participant. Government fees and processing expenses to obtain such a visa are not included in the participation fee. However, the U.S. Department of Commerce will provide instructions to each participant on the procedures required to obtain business visas.

Trade Mission members participate in Trade Mission and undertake trade mission-related travel at their own risk. The nature of the security situation in any given foreign market at a given time cannot be guaranteed. The U.S. Government does not make any representations or guarantees as to the safety or security of participants. The U.S. Department of State issues U.S. Government international travel alerts and warnings for U.S. citizens available at https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings.html.

Any question regarding insurance coverage must be resolved by the participant and their insurer of choice.

[1] For purposes of assessing participation fees, an applicant is a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) if it qualifies under the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) size standards (https://www.sba.gov/document/support--table-size-standards), which vary by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code.  The SBA Size Standards Tool [https://www.sba.gov/size-standards/] can help you determine the qualifications that apply to your company. 

If this is your first time registering for an event with the U.S. Commercial Service, using our new event platform, InEvent, please follow the steps in the Registration Help Guide to create a new account, and then register.  Need help? Contact Trade.Americas@trade.gov

For more information, please contact us at Trade.Americas@trade.gov 

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