Types Of Overseas Missions
There are several types of missions, and they can be broadly categorised as:
Trade Or Business Missions * Usually organised with a specific itinerary and purpose. * Itinerary is usually packed with market briefings, networking events, visits to specific businesses and Government agencies. * Trade or business missions give you a more in-depth perspective on a specific market or specific industry in that market. You will also have opportunities to meet Government officials and businessmen.
Trade Fairs And Exhibitions * Singapore companies, sometimes with the Government, attend trade fairs and exhibitions overseas together. * If organised by the Government, you will attend the fair as part of the "Singapore Pavilion". For instance, International Enterprise (IE) Singapore brings together local food manufacturers and distributors to SIAL in France - one of the largest food and beverage exhibitions in the world. * Trade fairs and exhibitions provide good opportunities to find distributors, agents and consumers. They are more sales and marketing-driven. back to top
Government-Led Missions * Various Government agencies take the lead in organising overseas missions for their industries. * For some of these missions, you may qualify for Government incentives, e.g. grants or double tax deduction, that help defray costs. * Government-led missions are ideal for SMEs who may not have the resources to venture abroad on their own. They also appeal to larger companies that need to make one-on-one contact with Government officials. * You can approach any of the following agencies: * International Enterprise (IE) Singapore * Media Development Authority (MDA) * Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) back to top
Association-Led Missions * Overseas missions led by business associations and chambers can help you get a hands-on feel of the business environment. They can also help link you up with potential business partners. * As the missions are driven mainly by business interest, they also cover emerging and less well-known markets, e.g. Russia, Bahrain and Oman. * Members are usually invited by fax or email to join. Non-members may also be allowed to register for the mission. * You can approach any of these organisations: * Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) * Singapore Business Federation (SBF) * Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) * Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) * Singapore International Chamber of Commerce (SICC) * Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) * Singapore Infocomm Technology Federation (SiTF)

Five local companies are joining the Commerce Department’s mission to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, an effort to help U.S. businesses mingle with government and private entities in those countries.
The mission is particularly focused on cybersecurity and critical infrastructure protection, an area in which many local government contractors are hoping to expand into commercial and overseas work.
The trip is to include receptions at the ambassador’s residences in Riyadh and Kuwait City, as well as one-on-one meetings with individuals at trade associations, companies and government organizations.
Of the 13 attending organizations, nearly half have local headquarters. Set to participate are Columbia-based Air Patrol; Fairfax-based Emagine IT; Bethesda-based Lockheed Martin ; Columbia-based Sourcefire ; and Hanover-based Tecore Networks — along with the District-based National U.S.-Arab Chamber of Commerce.
Raytheon, which is based in Waltham, Mass., but has a local office, was also selected to attend.
Selected companies pay for the privilege; the fee is $3,911 for one representative of a small or medium-size company, and $4,288 for a large company — as well as the cost of most travel and lodging.
Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco J. Sánchez is set to lead the mission. He said the agency selected companies it thought would be successful.
“It’s probably cheaper to go on a trade mission than to go on a trip on your own, but it’s still an expense,” Sanchez said last week. “We want to make sure that companies are going to get a bang for their buck.”
AgustaWestland relocates
AgustaWestland North America said last week it has relocated its corporate headquarters from Reston to Crystal City to be closer to the Pentagon and other government customers.
The company, previously based in Reston’s Plaza America complex, has moved to 2345 Crystal Drive.
A company spokesman said the move relocated 21 employees.
Industry fighting reductions to NextGen program
Companies and trade groups are lining up to fight proposed cuts to the Federal Aviation Administration’s Next Generation Air Transportation System — or NextGen — program, set to implement satellite-based and digital technologies for air-traffic control.
The Aerospace Industries Association has teamed with McLean-based Exelis to hold what they’ve dubbed a “NextGen rally.”
The AIA will discuss a new report, which it says highlights the importance of the program’s technology. Among the scheduled speakers are Marion C. Blakey, president of AIA; Pamela Drew, president of Exelis’s information systems business; and Michael W. McCormick, executive director of the Global Business Travel Association.
The event will be held Monday morning at the J.W. Marriott at 1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.
GAO backs Basic Overnight Quarters
The Government Accountability Office has upheld a protest filed by Wormleysburg, Pa.-based Basic Overnight Quarters, which had protested a State Department award to Falls Church-based Worldwide Corporate Housing and Herndon-based National Corporate Housing for long- and short-term temporary housing.
The GAO backed the company, finding that the agency was unreasonable and inconsistent in some of its evaluations.