Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) is a U.S. Department of Commerce program designed for manufacturers adversely affected by imports. This program offers 50/50 cost sharing of projects aimed at improving a firm's competitive position, up to a total of $150,000 in projects with a maximum TAA cost share of $75,000. The amount the program can costshare is dependent upon the demand on program, funding level and company size and sales. Funds are applied toward the cost of consultants, engineers, or other outside professional service providers a firm chooses to implement projects such as:
MANUFACTURING
- ISO/QS 9000 Preparation & Registration
- Quality Assurance
- Product Development, Design & Testing
- Product Certification (CE Mark, UL etc)
- Operations Analysis
- Manufacturing Technology Review
- Productivity Improvement
- Process Engineering
- CAD/CAM Selection & Implementation
MARKETING
- Market Research
- Marketing & Sales Strategy
- Advertising/Sales Promotion/Brochure Design
- Web Site Design
- Distribution Analysis & Development
- Distributor & Sales Representative Search
- Export Development
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
- Hardware/Software
- System Conversion & Enhancements
- Custom Programming
- Integrated Manufacturing Systems
- E-Commerce
FINANCIAL AND GENERAL MANAGEMENT
- Profit Planning/Cash Management/Budgeting
- Debt Restructuring
- Cost Management
- Quality Management
- Strategic Planning
- Expansion, Diversification & Executive Search
- Succession Planning
What are the eligibility requirements for Trade Adjustment Assistance?
To qualify, a manufacturing firm must have lost some domestic business to imports, and experienced sales and employment declines over the last two years.
How does a firm apply?
Interested firms should contact their local Trade Adjustment Center (TAAC) to get started. A TAAC professional will initially assess the eligibility and prepare an application on a firm's behalf. To find the nearest TAAC and more information, visit www.taacenters.og
