The California State Contracts Register (CSCR) is a one-stop information source for state contracting opportunities. The CSCR connects business to government, providing an easy-to-use, on-line publication which lists services and construction contracts over $5,000, commodity contracts over $25,000, and IT goods contracts over $100,000.


  
The County of Los Angeles is an entity comprised of 38 separate departments that provide a wide range of services and/or facilities to the citizens and employees of the County including law enforcement, public health, hospitals, public libraries, paramedic services, voter registration and elections, tax bills and more. The County does business with large firms, as well as small firms and individual entrepreneurs.  The Director of the Internal Services Department (ISD) is the Purchasing Agent for the County. Each department has its own procurement unit that interfaces with ISD to purchase these commodities and services. Some individual departments have delegated authority to establish non-agreement purchases of up to $5,000 or $15,000 for commodities and services on their own without involving ISD. The County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors must award service contracts over $100,000.

Is USATRADE an Overseas Agent or Distributor?
For formal definition purposes our relationship with the exporter is categorized as a Distributor, although we may initially act as a commissioned Agent, and assume the role of a Distributor (i.e. take possession of goods) when circumstances demand. Our contract covers both cases.

Does USATRADE distribute ICT-related products only?
The majority of our experience is in selling ICT products to US dealers, large commercial accounts and government, but we have also successfully distributed consumer related, and retail orientated products. Please feel free to contact us regarding any Australian product/service that is in search of US channels.

Will AUSTRADE reimburse our company for USATRADE fees?
The AUSTRADE EDMG (Export Market Development Grants) program pays up to $250K AUD per year towards 50% of expenses related to retaining Overseas Representation, such as USATRADE. This does not cover sales commissions paid, or the first $15K AUD. We shall provide your company all required documentation, and cooperate with AUSTRADE auditors, for you to successfully recover your eligible annual grant. Understandably, AUSTRADE has the final word on this subject.

Can't our company just pay USATRADE in sales commissions?
There are significant marketing and business development expenses related to launching a new and unknown product in the US (and any market) – It is unreasonable to expect an experienced overseas Distributor to solely finance these activities on behalf of the new exporter. All fees and commission rates are negotiable.

Will USATRADE run a full-page ad for our product in Information Week magazine, and take out a booth for us at the Networld Tradeshow?
A 1X full-page ad in Information Week magazine runs US$50,740. At these prices, we have learnt to use more precise, and cost-efficient lead generation marketing tactics. Participation at AUSTRADE-sponsored tradeshow booths, or show participation with a complementary business partner may be a more feasible option.

Can USATRADE guarantee sales results?
We would like to, but USATRADE cannot guarantee sales results in the competitive US. Our initial fee includes pre-agreed upon tangible deliverables (US sales plan, US sales leads), and our ongoing services include a coordinated sales cycle that clearly itemises our goals, and corresponding sales and marketing activities.

Does USATRADE require an exclusive contract for the entire USA?
No. A single organisation cannot take on the whole USA. We welcome you to pursue multiple strategies, although signing up similar, parallel distributors may result in redundant overlap and/or subsequent price erosion.

What if we eventually open up our own US sales office?
USATRADE can serve as an interim step prior to your establishment of a US office. We have had partners that were served well and felt no need to open an office, and we have also had partners that opened up a US sales offices, yet we continued to work well with one another, in a complementary and harmonious fashion.

Can USATRADE put us on a GSA contract?
Yes, through an additional service arrangement. Your company and product will need to meet strict US federal government criteria. This is a technical bureaucratic process, and being simply on a GSA contract will not guarantee you any business for your product. You will appear alongside nine-thousand other companies. It is recommended to begin with a City (local council), or State government, or as a sub-contractor.

What is the next step to begin evaluating a relationship with USATRADE?
Please fill in our online enquiry form. We will follow up with an email, that will include talking points for a scheduled phone conversation. After speaking, USATRADE will typically spend 1-2 weeks researching the opportunity, after which we will schedule a date to meet you, either in Australia or Los Angeles.

What is USATRADE's connection to Australia?
Garry Simon, General Manager of USATRADE is from Melbourne (Computer Science, RMIT). In 1989, he founded Transparent Technology, in the USA, as a developer and distributor of Transparent Networking (Internet) products.

The State of California Procurement Division maintains offices in Sacramento and Fullerton, California. The Procurement Division's buyers can advise you as to which agencies and individuals to contact to discuss your firm's product or service. Your firm must be competitive. The Procurement Division reviews agency-prepared specifications carefully to eliminate requirements that unnecessarily restrict competition. The procurement will generally be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder that meets these objective specifications. This does not always mean "lowest bid." If your firm helps determine the procuring agency's needs, it cannot be considered a factor in final supplier selection. If your firm provides such assistance, you should ask the requesting agency to list your firm as a "Reference Supplier" on the applicable procurement requisition. This assures that the Procurement Division sends your firm a solicitation for the requirement.