The President of the United States

The White House

Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

Generations of risk-takers, inventors, and visionaries have made America the world's most prosperous and innovative nation. Like our forefathers, contemporary large, and small and medium -sized enterprises (SMEs) play an important role in helping to advance and implement innovative technologies.  

We applaud your competitiveness and manufacturing initiatives in which you encourage Americans to grow and be the best competitors in the world. U.S. driven technological innovation is key to staying competitive and critical to a strong manufacturing sector.

In your January 31, 2006 State of the Union address, you reminded all of us that America’s continued economic leadership will depend on new ideas and new ways of doing business. Technological advancement can also revolutionize how products are shipped and identified globally, creating a new level of visibility and accountability in the supply chain never before possible. The opportunities are enormous, for both business and consumers. Specifically, the opportunities include, but are not limited to, the following areas:

· Promotes freer, more robust global trade;

· Lowers supply chain costs, consumer costs and ultimately the U.S. trade deficit;

· Reduces product theft and counterfeiting thus protecting intellectual property;

· Provides for a safer more secure supply chain;

· Reduces product shortages on shelf, thus, decreasing out of stocks;

· Provides real time product tracking systems;

· Real-time communication and detailed information of product (content, location and handlers) in the supply chain;

· More efficient product recalls;

· Enhances our national security by improving defense logistics, strengthening our borders and enhancing port security.

As technology evolves, it will continue to spur innovation and competitiveness. Additionally, mainstream use of these new and future technologies can stimulate unparalleled economic growth. The PEC agrees the global marketplace should determine the technology and the standards used to enhance the supply chain. We also believe that all related agencies and standards bodies must collaborate towards common standards goals. The U.S. must take the lead in ensuring that governments worldwide are employing good regulatory practices that encourage the development of market driven global standards. Promoting the necessary collaboration between regulatory and standards bodies such as EPC global, ISO, IEEE and GS1 and others will also further this objective.

We ask that your Administration continue to support our nation’s competitiveness by:

· Supporting greater research in Radio Frequency Identification

· Increasing RFID pilot programs throughout the Federal Government

· Encouraging greater participation by foreign governments to dialogue on the issue of standards and good regulatory practices

· Encouraging greater cooperation between public and private sectors on the issue of RFID and the global supply chain

Mr. President, we also need to establish an environment that provides incentives and other opportunities for small, medium and women owned enterprises to develop and use technology to maintain their competitiveness, Therefore, we suggest creating incentives for SME’s directly investing in leading technology and establishing policy related benefits for large companies that provide SME’s access to their technology.

Incorporating the use of leading technologies like those mentioned above, into your competitiveness and manufacturing initiatives is a sound strategy that will ensure our government is fostering an environment that promotes a dynamic and competitive manufacturing industry through more efficient and effective supply chain management.

Sincerely,

J.W. Marriott, Jr.

Chairman