USTDA Calls for Aviation Project Proposals for Southeast Asia
November 8, 2019
Press Release
View from within the cockpit of an aircraft flying low over a city skyline

Arlington, VA – The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) today announced a call for initial civil aviation proposals from project sponsors in Southeast Asia, including U.S. companies working with Southeast Asian project sponsors.

The proposal should include a brief description of the project’s size and status, including project location, economic fundamentals, equipment and technology requirements, legal and regulatory considerations, and the purpose and amount of USTDA funding requested. The proposal should also outline the sponsor’s experience, potential options for financing the project, risks that the project faces, and estimated potential for U.S. content in the project’s implementation.

These entities are invited to submit an initial concept paper (not to exceed five pages) on civil aviation-related projects to USTDA no later than Monday, January 13, 2020 at 12:00pm Eastern Time to be considered for funding. Grant funding from USTDA can be used for feasibilities studies or technical assistance to create bankable infrastructure projects.

In addition, entities may submit ideas for topics to be covered in future USTDA-hosted reverse trade missions (RTM). RTMs bring delegations from Southeast Asia to the United States to meet with U.S. government agencies and aviation companies, as well as participate in site visits to airports and aviation facilities. Proposals for RTM topics may not exceed two pages and should include why the topics chosen would be beneficial to both U.S. and Southeast Asian participants. Entities submitting ideas for RTMs should also include proposed site visits and a list of firms that could participate. Please note that if an entity submits an idea for an RTM, you will not receive a follow-up response from USTDA. USTDA will take your topic ideas into consideration when deciding on future RTM topics.

Eligibility Criteria

USTDA accepts proposals to support infrastructure project development in the following Southeast Asian countries: Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. Teams comprised of qualifying U.S. businesses and eligible Southeast Asian entities from the public or private sectors may submit proposals wherever the U.S. business meets USTDA’s nationality requirements. See USTDA’s Guidelines for Sole Source Project Proposals for more details. Eligible Southeast Asian entities who intend to engage a U.S. business but have not yet selected such a business may also submit proposals. If selected for funding, USTDA will assist these entities in identifying a U.S. business to conduct a mutually agreed-upon scope of work.

Evaluation Criteria for Grant Activities

USTDA will employ the following criteria among others to evaluate proposals and make programming decisions:

  1. Potential for U.S. exports. USTDA’s mission is to help companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority development projects in emerging economies. USTDA will evaluate proposals based in part on their U.S. export potential.
  2. Potential for financing and implementation. USTDA will evaluate proposals to determine their potential to obtain financing and, subsequently, project implementation. Offerors must demonstrate how USTDA’s funds will catalyze public and/or private investment, and lead to new infrastructure capacity.
  3. Size of the project. USTDA supports large infrastructure projects. While there is no formal minimum or maximum for project size, projects most often range from US$40 million to US$400 million in total capital requirements.
  4. Potential for development impact.  USTDA helps catalyze public and private investment in the region’s aviation sector. USTDA will evaluate proposals based on their potential to add passenger or cargo capacity, modernize airports, advance air traffic management, and/or build aviation capacity.
  5. Strength of the offeror. USTDA will consider the credentials of the host country project sponsor and, where applicable, the expertise of the U.S. firm.

To get further information and begin the proposal process, please contact seaacp@ustda.gov.