International Trade Administration: Commerce Can Further Assist U.S. Exporters by Enhancing Its Trade Coordination Efforts. Final Inspection Report No. IPE-18322

摘要

In August 2006, three members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including the Chairman of the House Small Business Committee, asked the Commerce Inspector General to review certain aspects of the Departments efforts to promote export opportunities for small businesses and how it coordinates its trade promotion efforts with other federal government offices and the private sector. The requestors also asked the inspectors general of the Departments of State, Agriculture, and the Treasury; the Small Business Administration; the U.S. Agency for International Development; and the Millennium Challenge Corporation to conduct similar reviews in their agencies. The Commerce Office of Inspector General (OIG) coordinated its review efforts with the other six OIGs, as appropriate. Commerces International Trade Administration (ITA) leads the federal governments export promotion efforts. The U.S. Commercial Service (CS) is ITAs chief export promotion organization.1 CS has a network of trade specialists located in 107 U.S. cities and more than 80 countries worldwide to assist U.S. exporters and represent U.S. commercial interests abroad. Other Commerce organizations also play a role in assisting exporters, including ITAs Manufacturing and Services and its Market Access and Compliance offices, the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS).