Fact Sheet: Interagency Task Force on Commercial Advocacy
Executive Order 13630: The president established the Interagency Task Force on Commercial Advocacy on December 6, 2012, to maximize the Federal Government's ability to coordinate U.S. Government resources that can be employed on behalf of U.S. exporters when they are competing for international contracts.
Why an Executive Order? The president has instructed his administration to do everything in its power to better support U.S. exporters including streamlining services that will help U.S. businesses compete abroad. Through this Executive Order, the president is ensuring this commitment extends across 15 federal agencies, by making it easier for our exporters to access the wide array of federal services to make them more competitive through the one-stop shop of the Advocacy Center at the Commerce Department.
Enhances Services for U.S. Exporters. Advocacy assistance is wide and varied but often involves companies that must communicate a message to foreign governments or government-owned corporations. The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Advocacy Center will organize a customized, interagency advocacy campaign on behalf of our U.S. exporters when they are competing for public international contracts against foreign firms. The task force will allow the administration to provide increased support for U.S. exporters beyond traditional commercial advocacy, by creating packages of government support for our exporters from 15 federal agencies including promotion, financing, lead generation, market intelligence, technical assistance and other services.
Comes at a Time of Increased Opportunity for U.S. Businesses Competing Globally. There is an unprecedented demand for American-made products of every type: infrastructure, aviation, medical devices, security, energy and more. Much of this demand is expressed through government-let tenders. Other countries clearly recognize this opportunity and have been focused on aggressively promoting their own companies. President Obama believes we should help our companies put their best foot forward. It is time that federal assets are coordinated and streamlined to more effectively and efficiently help American companies compete for these lucrative international contracts and, as a result, support the president’s National Export Initiative to expand U.S. exports and create American jobs.
No New Costs. This Executive Order builds upon and coordinates existing programs to create a whole-of-government efficiency that can best compete against state-supported international competitors.
