Business & Finance

DOC Announces FY 2010 MDCP Grant Award Competition Details

WASHINGTON, DC - March 11, 2010 - On March 5, 2010, the U.S. Department of Commerce published in the Federal Register the announcement for this year's Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) grant award competition. This year, the applications will be due on April 19, 2010. For further information on the schedule, how to apply, helpful links, or for an application, please visit the MDCP website at: http://www.ita.doc.gov/mdcp/.

Public Meeting March 16
A meeting to discuss the 2010 MDCP competition will begin at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on March 16 at the Herbert C. Hoover Building at 1401 Constitution Ave., N.W. in Washington, D.C. Interested parties can participate via teleconference by dialing 1-800-369-1883. The access code is BHESS.

Applications from travel and tourism organizations will be in competition with all other sectors of the U.S. economy for MDCP grant monies. On the MDCP web site pages, past award winners are announced and there are numerous links that provide detailed information to assist you in the development of your proposal. Previous grants have been awarded to: Travel South USA, Los Angeles Convention & Visitors Bureau, Western States Tourism Policy Council, Mountain South, USA, National Tour Association, and Capital Region USA.

The Office of Travel and Tourism Industries and the U.S. Commercial Service are available for limited background-related assistance with market background and plan suggestions for this grant, as long as it is within the official MDCP guidelines. You are encouraged to use these resources to show the public/private partnership links. When developing your proposals, please visit the ITA web sites as well. OTTI suggests that you review the Commerce resources available to assist you in the market when applying for a Commerce grant. You can visit:

http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/
http://trade.gov/cs/
http://www.buyusa.gov/eme/tra.html
http://www.trade.gov/mas/
http://www.ita.doc.gov

For further information on the MDCP, please contact:

Brad Hess, Manager, Market Development Cooperator Program
U.S. Department of Commerce
14th & Constitution Ave. N.W., Room 3209
Washington, DC 20230
Telephone: (202) 482-2969 Fax: (202) 482-4462
http://www.ita.doc.gov/td/mdcp/

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