The Strategic Partnership Program

To be more competitive in the global economy, the United States must grow its exporter base. Even though exporting is a proven source of growth for both U.S. companies and the U.S. economy, the United States is just beginning to tap its export potential.

Approximately 58% of U.S. exporters sell to only one foreign market (source: US Census Bureau).

Exporting accounted for only 12 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) in 2007. As compared to other industrialized nations like Germany, the United Kingdom, and France, where exporting accounts for 30 – 49 percent of GDP, the U.S. must do better (source: National Export Strategy).

What is the Strategic Partnership Program?

To broaden and deepen the U.S. exporter base, the U.S. Commercial Service Strategic Partnership Program is leveraging partnerships with trade associations and private corporations. Through these innovative public-private partnerships, we are communicating to millions of U.S. businesses about global business opportunities through the U.S. Commercial Service.

In doing so, the U.S. Commercial Service Strategic Partnership Program creates triple win scenarios:

“We’ll create public-private partnerships to help firms break into new markets with the help of those who have been there – shipping and supply-chain companies, for example.”

President Obama
Export-Import Bank Annual Conference
March 11, 2010