---
kind: "range"
citation: "15 U.S.C. §§ 649a–649d"
title: "15"
from: "649a"
to: "649d"
count: 4
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/649a..649d"
---

# [§649a. Omitted — omitted]



# §649b. Grants, contracts and cooperative agreements for international marketing programs

- (a) **Limitations and restrictions—** The Secretary of Commerce (hereinafter referred to as the “Secretary”) is authorized to make grants (including contracts and cooperative [agreements](/usc/15/7a.md?p=2)) to a qualified [applicant](#g) to encourage the development and implementation of a [small business](/usc/15/1691c–2.md?p=h-2) international marketing [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6) (hereinafter referred to as “the [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6)”). Each qualified [applicant](#g) under [sections 649a to 649d](/usc/15/649a..649d.md) of this title may receive a Federal grant not to exceed $150,000 annually for each of three years: Provided, That not more than one-third of these Federal funds may be used for the purpose of hiring personnel. Nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing the Secretary to enter into contracts or incur obligations except to such extent and in such amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts.
- (b) **Eligibility—**
  - (1) To be eligible for a grant under this section, an [applicant](#g) proposing to carry out a [small business](/usc/15/1691c–2.md?p=h-2) international marketing [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6) must submit to the Secretary an [application](/usc/15/77ccc.md?p=8) demonstrating, at a minimum:
    - (A) the geographical area to be served;
    - (B) the number of firms to be assisted;
    - (C) the staff required to administer the [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6);
    - (D) the means to counsel [small businesses](/usc/15/1691c–2.md?p=h-2) interested in pursuing export sales, including providing information concerning available financing, [credit](/usc/15/1679a.md?p=4) insurance, tax treatment, potential markets and marketing assistance, export pricing, shipping, documentation, and foreign financing and business customs;
    - (E) the ability to provide market analysis of the export potential of [small business concerns](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-53-B-ii); and
    - (F) the capability for developing contacts with potential foreign [customers](/usc/15/78c–5.md?p=g) and [distributors](/usc/15/1278.md?p=c-1-D-i) for [small business](/usc/15/1691c–2.md?p=h-2) and their products, including arrangements and sponsorship of foreign trade missions for [small business concerns](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-53-B-ii) to meet with identified potential [customers](/usc/15/78c–5.md?p=g), [distributors](/usc/15/1278.md?p=c-1-D-i), sales representatives, and organizations interested in licensing or joint ventures: Provided, however, That no portion of any Federal funds may be used to directly underwrite any [small business](/usc/15/1691c–2.md?p=h-2) participation in foreign trade missions abroad.
  - (2) [Program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6) services shall be provided to [small business concerns](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-53-B-ii) through outreach services at the most local level practicable.
  - (3) Each [small business](/usc/15/1691c–2.md?p=h-2) international marketing [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6) shall have a full-time staff director to manage [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6) activities, and access to export specialists to counsel and to assist [small business](/usc/15/1691c–2.md?p=h-2) clients in international marketing.
- (c) **Advisory board establishment—**
  - (1) Each [small business](/usc/15/1691c–2.md?p=h-2) international marketing [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6) shall establish an advisory [board](/usc/15/205c.md?p=1) of nine members to be appointed by the staff director of the [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6), not less than five members of whom shall be [small business](/usc/15/1691c–2.md?p=h-2) [persons](/usc/15/78m.md?p=h-8-E) or representatives of [small business](/usc/15/1691c–2.md?p=h-2) [associations](/usc/15/657h.md?p=a-2).
  - (2) Each advisory [board](/usc/15/205c.md?p=1) shall elect a chairman and shall advise, counsel, and confer with the staff director of the [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6) on all policy matters pertaining to the operation of the [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6) (including who may be eligible to receive assistance, ways to promote the sale of [United States](/usc/15/633.md?p=a) products and services in foreign markets or to encourage tourism in the [United States](/usc/15/633.md?p=a), and how to maximize local and regional private consultant participation in the [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6)).
- (d) **Grant requirements—** The Secretary shall require, as a condition to any grant (or amendment or modification thereof) made to an [applicant](#g) under this section, that a sum equal to the amount of such grant be provided from sources other than the Federal Government: Provided, That the additional amount shall not include any amount of indirect costs or in-kind contributions paid for under any Federal [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6), nor shall indirect costs or in-kind contributions exceed 50 per centum of the non-Federal additional amount.
- (e) **Program evaluation; reports—** The Secretary shall develop a plan to evaluate [programs](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6) approved under this section which shall only—
  - (1) determine the impact of [small business](/usc/15/1691c–2.md?p=h-2) international marketing [programs](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6) on those [small businesses](/usc/15/1691c–2.md?p=h-2) assisted;
  - (2) determine the amount of export sales generated by [small businesses](/usc/15/1691c–2.md?p=h-2) assisted through such [programs](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6); and
  - (3) make recommendations concerning continuation and/or expansion of the [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6) and possible improvements in the [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6) structure. Such evaluation shall be submitted to the Congress by October 1, 1982.
- (f) **Recipients’ duty to furnish information—** For the purpose of the evaluation under [subsection (e)](#e), the Secretary is authorized to require any [small business](/usc/15/1691c–2.md?p=h-2) international marketing [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6), or party receiving assistance under this section, to furnish such information as is deemed appropriate to complete the required evaluation.
- (g) **“Applicant” defined—** As used in this section, the term “applicant” means any [State](/usc/15/636e.md?p=7) government or [agency](/usc/15/632.md?p=b) or instrumentality thereof, any [Small Business](/usc/15/1691c–2.md?p=h-2) [Administration](/usc/15/636e.md?p=1)—designated [small business development center](/usc/15/632.md?p=t), any for profit [small business](/usc/15/1691c–2.md?p=h-2), any nonprofit corporation, any regional [commission](/usc/15/78c.md?p=a-15), or any combination of such entities, which will carry out a [small business](/usc/15/1691c–2.md?p=h-2) international marketing [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6).
- (h) **Contract authority—** The [authority](/usc/15/3051.md?p=1) to enter into contracts shall be in effect for each fiscal year only to the extent or in the amounts as are provided in advance in appropriation Acts.

# §649c. Authorization of appropriations


At least one [small business](/usc/15/1691c–2.md?p=h-2) international [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6) shall be established within each region of the Department of Commerce. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $1,500,000 for each fiscal year 1981, 1982, and 1983, to carry out the [program](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6) established in [section 649b of this title](/usc/15/649b.md).


# §649d. Central information clearinghouse


The Secretary through the International Trade [Administration](/usc/15/636e.md?p=1), shall, only to such extent and in such amounts as are provided in appropriation Acts on and after October 1, 1980, maintain a central [clearinghouse](/usc/15/3703.md?p=11) to provide for the collection, dissemination, and [exchange](/usc/15/636.md?p=a-36-A-xvi) of information between [programs](/usc/15/2921.md?p=6) established pursuant to sections [649a](/usc/15/649a.md) and [649b](/usc/15/649b.md) of this title, the Office of International Trade of the [Small Business](/usc/15/1691c–2.md?p=h-2) [Administration](/usc/15/636e.md?p=1), and other interested concerns.