VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTL #0024/01 0160605
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 160605Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY TALLINN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9418
INFO RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI 5144
RUEHRA/AMEMBASSY RIGA 2837
RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS 6598
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS TALLINN 000024 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EB/CBA AND EUR/NB 
HELSINKI FOR SCO MCCLEARY 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ETRD BEXP AMGT ABUD BTIO EINV EN
SUBJECT:  TALLINN'S BFIF FY07 PROPOSAL 
 
REF: 2006 STATE 189849 
 
¶1. Summary:  Embassy Tallinn proposes four FY07 projects 
for the Business Facilitation Incentive Fund.  All four 
projects are integral parts of Embassy Tallinn's 
relationship with its FCS partnership post in Helsinki, 
Finland. The first is a summer 2007 FSI Commercial 
Tradecraft training program for Embassy Tallinn's 
Economic/Commercial/EU FSN or Economic Officer.  The 
second is sending Tallinn's Economic/Commercial/EU FSN 
to the FCS Office in Helsinki for two days to shadow 
staff there.  The third project is organizing an 
automotive catalogue show at the end of April. The 
fourth is a Commercial Best Practices meeting together 
with Embassy Riga and Embassy Vilnius.  Post requests a 
total of USD 9,600 in BFIF funds. End Summary. 
 
¶2.  Proposed project - FSI Commercial Tradecraft 
training for our Economic/Commercial/EU FSN or Economic 
Officer coupled with consultations with key partners in 
Washington, DC. 
 
A) Justification:  FSI's Commercial Tradecraft training 
(PE125) will enhance Pol/Econ section staff's ability to 
be responsive and effective in providing assistance to 
U.S. businesses seeking advice, information and support 
in the pursuit of trade and investment opportunities in 
Estonia. Through discussions and case studies led by 
successful private-sector exporters and experienced USG 
commercial specialists, participants learn how to set up 
and manage effective trade promotion programs and assist 
U.S. firms in seeking market access, developing markets 
and participating in major projects. The course 
emphasizes how posts such as Tallinn face the challenges 
of trade promotion without having a Department of 
Commerce presence in-country. Because the training is in 
Washington, the trainee will also have an opportunity to 
expand contacts in DOC, TDA and the Estonian Embassy. 
 
B) Planning Milestones: 
 
February 2007:  Nominate Tallinn FSN or Economic Officer 
for the FSI course. 
February 2007:  BFIF money is awarded. 
July 23-27 2007:  Tallinn FSN or Economic Officer 
attends training and holds consultations in Washington. 
August 2007: Post sends narrative of project and 
confirms funding expenditures. 
 
C) Performance Metrics:  The FSN or Economic Officer 
will be better able to counsel and assist U.S. 
businesses in Estonia on commercial matters. Post's 
Political/Economic Officer will present useful 
information from the training to the American Chamber of 
Commerce board of directors, who will then transmit 
relevant information to over 100 business and individual 
members of the chamber. 
 
D) Estimated Costs:  FSI and Embassy Tallinn will share 
the costs. 
BFIF funds:  USD 3,800 for airfare and M&IE. 
FSI funds:  FSI will fund all training costs, 
hotel/NFATC bus transportation. 
Embassy Tallinn will pay local transportation costs for 
consultations. 
 
E) Point of Contact:  Political/Economic Officer Robert 
Hollister, ph: 372-668-8107, fax: 372-668-8259, email: 
hollisterrm@state.gov. 
 
F) Leveraging of Funding: Yes, Post is leveraging 
funding from FSI. 
 
G) Outcome/Success Criteria:  The training will be 
successful if the Economic/Commercial/EU Assistant or 
Economic Officer provides useful information from the 
training to U.S. businesses, the embassy community, the 
FCS Regional Office in Helsinki and the American Chamber 
of Commerce in Estonia. 
 
H) Follow-up Strategy:  The Economic/Commercial/EU FSN 
or Economic Officer will build on the skills learned in 
the training through frequent, regular contact with the 
regional FCS office in Helsinki. 
 
¶3.  Proposed project - Economic/Commercial/EU FSN 
shadows counterparts in the FCS Regional Office in 
Helsinki for three days. 
 
A) Justification: 
 
In the three years since FCS closed its offices in the 
Baltic countries, Tallinn and FCS in Helsinki have built 
a successful partnership to provide fee-based commercial 
services and continue supporting U.S. businesses. While 
the Economic/Commercial/EU FSN has contact with the FCS 
in Helsinki, she has not had any training in new FCS 
services, standards and other FCS tools, which could 
generate revenue for Post. Three days of shadowing the FCS 
staff in Finland would be excellent practical training 
for her in the changes at FCS since 2004. 
 
B) Planning Milestones: 
 
February 2007:  BFIF money is awarded. 
March 2007:  Post coordinates hotel and other logistic 
details. 
May 2007:  Economic/Commercial/EU FSN goes to Helsinki. 
August 2007: Post sends final BFIF report on performance 
metrics. 
 
C) Performance Metrics: Implementation at post of and 
revenue generated from new FCS tools and programs to 
provide better service to U.S. businesses. 
 
D) Estimated Costs:  Transportation: USD 500, Hotel, 
Meals and Incidental Expenses: USD 900, Ground 
Transportation USD 100.  Total Requested: USD 1,500. 
 
E) Point of Contact:  Political/Economic Officer Robert 
Hollister, ph: 372-668-8107, fax: 372-668-8259, email: 
hollisterrm@state.gov. 
 
F) Leveraging of Funding?  Yes, Post will leverage BFIF 
funding with FCS Trust Funds 
 
G) Outcome/Success Criteria?  Yes, see paragraph C 
above. 
 
H) Follow-up Strategy:  Economic/Commercial/EU FSN will 
maintain regular contact with the FCS Helsinki trade 
specialists, improved by the on-site experience gained 
from this training and consultations. 
 
¶4.  Proposed project - U.S. Automotive Industry 
catalogue show at the Estonian Hot Rod Association and 
Ford Mustang Club's two-day American Day event at the 
end of April 2007. 
 
A) Justification: The Estonian Hot Rod Association and 
the Ford Mustang Club in Tallinn have organized an 
"American Day" event for the past two years.  The number 
of companies who would like to be involved, as well the 
number of visitors attending the event, has increased 
considerably. The show is free for visitors. Event 
organizers came to us last year asking that the Embassy 
be more visible, and post's PAO opened the show. This 
year post would like to use the show to promote U.S. 
automotive products, as well as also post's commercial 
services for local companies interested in partnering 
with U.S. firms. The BFIF funding would help us to rent 
a space at the event to set up a catalogue show and an 
FCS information table. 
 
B) Planning Milestones: 
 
February 2007:  BFIF money is awarded. 
February 2007:  Post contacts DOC Automotive Team to 
order catalogues. 
End of April 2007:  Catalogue show during "American Day" 
event. 
August 2007: Post sends final BFIF report on performance 
metrics. 
 
C) Performance Metrics: The number of companies who send 
their catalogues to Estonia and the number of local 
companies that contact the U.S. companies following the 
event. 
 
D) Estimated Costs:  Total Requested: USD 1,000.  Booth 
space rental:  1,500 USD for 15 square meters at the 
event.  Should there be any change in the event, post 
would use the funding to rent show space in Motorex 
2007, which is the Estonian automotive trade show, 
taking place on May 10-13, 2007 in Tallinn. The average 
price of booth rental space at trade shows in Tallinn is 
approximately 100 USD per square meter, including taxes. 
 
E) Point of Contact:  Political/Economic Officer Robert 
Hollister, ph: 372-668-8107, fax: 372-668-8259, email: 
hollisterrm@state.gov. 
 
F) Leveraging of Funding?  Yes, Post will leverage BFIF 
funding with FCS Catalogue Show fees. 
 
G) Outcome/Success Criteria?  Yes, see paragraph C 
above. 
 
H) Follow-up Strategy:  Yes, Economic/Commercial/EU FSN 
will follow up with trade leads and possible Gold Key 
services and Single Company Promotions developed at this 
event. 
 
¶5.  Proposed project - Funding for a Commercial Best 
Practices meeting with the other Baltic posts. 
 
A) Justification: 
 
Since the closing of the FCS office in the Baltics, all 
three posts have introduced different ways to serve U.S. 
commercial interests. For many U.S. companies, looking 
for FCS services in all three countries, those 
differences have been somewhat confusing. Post proposes 
a Baltic commercial workshop to coordinate offered 
services and standards.  Participants would include 
commercial FSNs and FCS commercial officers, responsible 
for partnership posts, and Economic Officers at 
posts. The last such meeting was in Finland in June 2005 
and was very productive.  Post proposes to build on its 
success and refresh contacts between posts, each of 
which have had staff turnover. While the workshop could 
take place in any of the three capitals, post is 
requesting funding in case Lithuania is successful in 
organizing an AmCham best practices conference in early 
fall in Vilnius. Holding the Baltic workshop in 
conjunction with this conference would be an excellent 
opportunity to give the workshop broader scope, 
because of the presence of AmCham representatives (note 
that in Latvia FCS services are currently outsourced to 
the AmCham in Riga). 
 
B) Planning Milestones: 
 
February 2007:  BFIF money is awarded. 
June 2007:  Post coordinates travel and other logistic 
details with other Baltic posts. 
September 2007:  Economic/Commercial/EU FSN and Economic 
Officer go to Vilnius. 
August 2007: Post sends final BFIF report on performance 
metrics. 
 
C) Performance Metrics: To offer U.S. businesses a more 
simplified approach to the Baltic market through FCS 
services. Updating and harmonizing the information on 
the BuyUSA Baltics website. 
 
D) Estimated Costs:  Per person: Transportation: 
USD 650, Hotel, Meals and Incidental Expenses: USD 650, 
Ground Transportation USD 100.  Total Requested for two 
persons: USD 2,800. 
 
E) Point of Contact:  Political/Economic Officer Robert 
Hollister, ph: 372-668-8107, fax: 372-668-8259, email: 
hollisterrm@state.gov. 
 
F) Leveraging of Funding?  Yes, Post will leverage BFIF 
funding with Post funds and FCS Trust Funds. 
 
G) Outcome/Success Criteria?  Yes, see paragraph C 
above. 
 
H) Follow-up Strategy:  The most effective follow-up 
strategy and specific actions will be determined at the 
Commercial Best Practices meeting.