ATEC News

The Australian Consulting Services Mission is a regular event organised by Austrade to assist consulting firms access business opportunities in multilateral financial institutions in Asia, particularly the Asian Develoment Bank headquarters in Manila. 

Last year a delegation of Queensland’s Tropical Expertise firms attended this mission successfully raising awareness of a new, unique service offering in the fields of tropical infrastructure, environment, climate change, agriculture and health.

When:  April 2010 (exact dates to be advised)

Where: Manila, Philippines

www.austrade.gov.au

The nine ATEC members who attended a two-day Trade Mission to Brisbane in April 2009 share their experiences from the mission via an online survey.

Find out how they rated the investment in terms of time and money to attend the mission, their suggestions to improve future missions, and how networking during the mission was beneficial to their business.

Read this snapshot of the results of the survey: Brisbane Trade Mission Survey – A Snapshot

Identifying international aid/development opportunities will be the focus of a trade mission to Brisbane for a tropical expertise delegation from North Queensland, this week.

A diverse group of nine members of the Australian Tropical Expertise Consortium from Cairns to Yeppoon, with unique tropical expertise in the areas of health, education, training, research and the environment will spend two days in Brisbane to attend the Trade Queensland International Development Business Forum, and meet with Australian Managing Contractors. Representatives from Advance Cairns and the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) will accompany the delegation.

The forum (on Tuesday, April 21) will explore the topic of “A Future for Queensland and the developing world” and will feature keynote speaker, the Honourable Bob McMullan MP, Secretary for International Development Assistance who will provide a comprehensive overview of Australia’s current development assistance strategy for East Timor.

Delegation leader Graham Poon, of G.K Consulting, said the members of the Tropical Expertise delegation will gain invaluable contacts through the networking opportunities at the forum, with a view to expanding their capabilities and sharing their unique tropical knowledge with developing nations in the tropical sphere.

The delegation will spend the second day of the trade mission meeting with Australian Managing Contractors including Uniquest, GRM, JTA International and the Queensland University of Technology’s International Projects Unit to explore their opportunities to partner on international aid and development projects.

As part of the Tropical Expertise Business Matching for Global Opportunities project a trade mission to Manila, Philippines in April 2009 is currently under consideration.

The Manila trade mission will seek specifically to tap into major opportunities for Australian businesses with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and World Bank, a strategic market opportunity for Tropical Expertise. 

The mission provides an opportunity for participating organisations to attend networking functions and meet key stakeholders and project officers within both ADB and World Bank.  Participants will have time to learn more about particular projects of interest (for tender) and sector specific topics.  Face to face interactions with Bank staff are particularly helpful in pursing projects.  Expected outcomes of the mission include:

·          Increased business opportunities to capture bank-funded projects

·          Increased knowledge and understanding of ADB and World Bank objectives, processes and lending activities

·          To meet contacts from ADB and World Bank to support future dealings amongst regional businesses

·          To establish networks and contacts in the Philippines with a view to future collaboration on tenders

·          To gain information regarding bank-funded opportunities currently pursued by Tropical Expertise businesses and R&D institutions

Estimated costs for a 3-4 day mission are approximately $6,000-$8,000 per person (Mission Participation Fee $2,000, Airfare $1,500-$2,000, Accommodation @ $200 per night, Meals & Incidentals $2,000).

Expressions of Interest are required regarding participation in a Tropical Expertise delegation on a Trade Mission to Manila.  Please confirm your organisation’s interest via return email to kathy.rankin@dtrdi.qld.gov.au  indicating the likely number of participants and company name no later than Friday, 14 November 2008. 

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Kathy Rankin at 4048 1126 or Graham Poon at 4040 7100.

With Graham Poon

Newsletter No. 3, September 08

Hello Everyone,

Tropical Expertise Website

At the last seminar on Sept 11, Advance Cairns announced the launch of the vastly upgraded and interactive Tropical Expertise website at http://www.australiantropicalexpertise.com.au

This will be a major support to this DTRDI-funded project to help you source and win opportunities in the four major areas of Tropical Health, Environment, Agribusiness and Tropical Living. Through this website, you will be able to:

• Source business opportunities relevant to your organisation in “Opportunities and Tenders”
• Allow project proponents or potential project partners to find you
• Update your database listing
• Contribute relevant information to the “Media Centre” to publicise your activities
• Communicate with other participants in the Australian Tropical Expertise Consortium

 Please promote this website to your colleagues. The creation of networks and the building of critical mass to bid for projects will be facilitated through active participation via the website with benefits for all!

 Don’t Miss This Event:

Tropical Expertise – Business Matching for Global Opportunities Expo, Nov 7th, 08

 Many overseas projects or whole programmes are handled by the large firms called “Australian Managing Contractors” (AMC’s) or other organisations who look for sub-contractors. Advance Cairns, with support from the Dept. of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry, will be holding an event on Nov 7th to introduce you to firms who may be interested in utilising YOUR services in projects. These firms will talk about the types of capabilities they are looking for and give you practical hints about getting involved in projects. Then you will be able to meet one-on-one with them to discuss your CV or your business’s capabilities for future projects with them.

 Just remember, they are always looking for project partners or sub-contractors so they will be keen to talk to you. This event will save you a lot time in searching for the “right person to talk to” and may give you a great short-cut to potential project opportunities.

To register your interest for this event, contact Dianne Vogel at Advance Cairns on (07) 4031 3999 or e-mail info@australiantropicalexpertise.com

Mentors Program (Win-Win!) 

Very often, individuals would like to be engaged with aid/development projects. However a CV with past project experience is usually necessary. We are developing a formal database of people who would like to offer their services to bidding firms to be engaged with projects on a “work experience” mentoring basis. This will allow the development of your CV with high-level international work. If you would like to be involved by either offering your services or would be interested in using these services, please contact Graham Poon at graham@kleinhardt.com.au or phone (07) 4040-7100.

 Upcoming Seminars and Events: 

• Business Matching Event: Cairns, November 7th 2008, organised by Advance Cairns. The larger contractors will be invited to Cairns to meet with those who are interested in working on projects with them. Set appointment times will be arranged beforehand. The perfect opportunity for you or your organisation to highlight your capabilities face to face!
• Trade Mission to Asian Development Bank, Manila, proposed April 2009. Seminars by ADB officers and appointments with project officers will be made. Arrangements will be made in conjunction with Austrade Manila. The cost of this event may be a qualifying expenditure under Austrade’s Export Market Development Grant scheme.
• Planned Trade Mission to AusAID, ACIAR, Australian Managing Contractors in Brisbane/Canberra, projected timing Feb-March 2009 (further details available soon)

 The One-minute Class:

Can I still get involved in a project even if I was not chosen for the shortlist after submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI)?

The short answer is a possible “Yes!” How do I do that?

Contact the short-listed firms for possible inclusion in their project. Often the firms chosen are selected for their project management ability and not necessarily because they put forward their final team yet. After being short-listed, they will then be asked for team members for their final tender. You can make an approach at this stage! Short-listings are often made public e.g for ADB, have a look at:

http://www.adb.org/Documents/ADBBO/ta-current.asp

Speak to the project officer. Sometimes they may suggest firms that may be looking for your abilities.