IRELAND

The Irish Government has formally launched the $7.2 billion Phase One project of the Dublin Metro Transit System. The Rail Procurement Agency (RPA) is responsible for procurement of the metro, which it is envisaged will be through Public Private Partnership (PPP). Expressions of interest from suitably qualified contractors, suppliers, and service providers should be submitted to the RPA by May 2002. The target timeframe for bringing the Phase One system into operation is 2007. There is strong international, including U.S., interest in this $7.2 billion project. U.S. companies interested in participating in this project opportunity should register their interest directly with the RPA by May 2002.

The RPA is publishing a notice in the Official Journal of the European Communities (OJEC) “S” Series (http://ted.eur-op.eu.int) seeking expressions of interest from suitably qualified contractors, suppliers and service providers regarding the provision of works, supplies and services for the Dublin Metro transit system phase one project. According to the OJEC notice, it is intended that the design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance of the Dublin Metro Transit System Phase One project (or part of the project) will be procured through a single concession contract, for which a call for competition may be issued, inviting qualified contractors, suppliers, and service providers to form consortia to participate in such competition. However, the RPA reserves the right to procure any such works, supplies or services separately. The RPA also reserves the right to include in such concession, other phases of the Dublin metro project. Railway Procurement Agency, Tel: +353-1-702-2152 Fax: +353-1-702-2726 Website: www.luas.ie Contact: Mr. Rory O’Connor, Procurement Manager E-mail: rpa@luas.ie

GREECE

U.S. manufacturers of luxury tourist buses, as well as rental companies who provide rentals of luxury tourist buses, have the opportunity to participate as suppliers for the acquisition and or replacement of 2,100 buses to upgrade the Athens luxury tourist buses fleet and to cover the needs Athens 2004 Olympic games.

The Athens 2004 Olympic Games Organizing Committee (ATHOC) requires around 1,800, 50 seat luxury tourist and 300, 9 seat mini-buses to cover the transport needs for the approximately 80,000 members of the Olympic Family during the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. The Olympic Family includes an estimated 44,100 athletes and around 35,000 sponsors, officials and guests who are expected to attend the games.

ATHOC, in cooperation with the Ministry of Transport and Communi-cations (MTT), is preparing specifications required to cover the needs of the Olympic games. The required specifications will be incorporated in the new law prepared by MTT regarding the legal framework for the transport issues in Greece. The new law will also provide major incentives to the present owners of luxury tourist buses to replace their vehicles before the summer of 2004.

U.S. firms interested in participating in the upgrading and replacement and/or rental of the luxury tourist buses for the 2004 Summer Olympics are advised to partner with Greek firms in a collaboration or joint venture endeavor in order to be able to supply or rent the required number of buses.

For more information regarding the ATHOC request to cover transport needs of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games and/or other prospective transportation opportunities for U.S. firms in Greece, or for information and assistance in identifying qualified local potential partners with which to collaborate in competing for business opportunities in the Greek transportation market, please contact:

Mr. Emilios Margaritis, Senior Advisor
Mr. George Bonanos, Commercial Advisor
The U.S. Commercial Service
American Embassy – Athens
Tel: [30] (10) 720-2302
Fax: [30] (10) 721-8660
E-mail: Emilios.Margaritis@mail.doc.gov
George.Bonanos@mail.doc.gov

RUSSIA

The decades of environmental degradation in the Russian Far East (RFE) require the introduction of new environmental technologies. Although the financing of environmental projects is still problematic, there are still some prospects for U.S. companies interested in exporting pollution control equipment, environmental technologies and consulting services to the region. There is also growing interest among local businesses in recycling technologies and cleaner manufacturing processes.

Opportunities for U.S. technologies are apparent in solid waste treatment, wastewater management, drinking water and renewable energy sources, to name a few. Financing is a major problem for exports and application of new environmental technologies in the RFE. While low-scale waste recycling and utilization projects can be funded by local enterprises, larger projects need capital investment. The USAID program Ecolinks provides grants to local companies interested in implementing environmental technologies, and assists them in locating a U.S. partner that is best suited for their needs.

UZBEKISTAN

The act of registering or re-registering of products for medical use in Uzbekistan is performed by the Head Department of the Drug and Medical Equipment Quality Control (HDDMEQC), Public Health Ministry of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The procedures for registering medical equipment and related products were issued by the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan on May 25, 1995 and then were approved by the Ministry of Health.

Registration is a requirement for the importation of medical products into Uzbekistan. Once registered, a product is included in the State register of medical equipment and medical related products. Registration is valid for five years.

Medical equipment, which has been in use, may not be registered in the Republic of Uzbekistan. However, there is a need to point out that medical equipment imported to the territory of Uzbekistan should pass the governmental certification, except equipment that was produced before 1995. Use of the former exploited medical technology in the hospitals and testing institutions is possible only after passing the strict quality, suitability and security conditions in a technical evaluation with the technological experts from a special commission, created under HDDMEQC.

During the exploration period equipment is regularly checked by the departmental supervision. Medical equipment, which is supplied through humanitarian aid can be distributed the final place of destination, only after certification testing.

CHINA

U.S. manufactures of solar photovoltaic cells, charging control devices for solar photovoltaic/wind motor, DC-to-AC converters and storage battery have the opportunity to participate in an urgent bidding opportunity for the construction of solar photovoltaic power stations for the remote villages of seven provinces in China, which have no access to power grid.

The bidding information for this project is released by China’s State Development and Planning Commission (SDPC) and it’s part of China’s state rural electrification project called “Bright Project”.

This tender invites eligible Chinese integrated solar photovoltaic power station builders to participate in the bidding; however, foreign companies could provide equipment and products to the winner of project bidding. The bid will be opened on April 16th, 2002. At that time equipment and product manufacturers/suppliers will also be selected.

To be considered for inclusion on a list of manufactures of the above-mentioned products for the reference of the tender offering company, interested manufactures should provide the following information by fax or e-mail to the tender offering company as soon as possible:

• Name of the manufacture (enterprise)
• Model of the product
• Technical parameters (capacity factor, voltage, electric current )
• Annul output and sales volume
• Price of products
• Name of China's inspection center, date and result of inspection
• The contact people's name, telephone number, fax number, post code, and detailed address

For more information please contact directly with the tender offering company:

Guoxin Tendering Corporation Ltd
Mr. Li Qiang / Ms. Shi Jieying
10th Floor, Guoxin Mansion, No. 22 ShouTi South Road,
Haidian District, Beijing 100044 P.R. China
Tel: 86-10-88354433 ext 335/329
Fax: 86-10-88356015
E-mail: liqiang@chinabidding.com.cn; shijieying963@sohu.com

ARGENTINA

The Government of Argentina places restrictions on imports of used capital goods, including medical equipment. This situation, however, implies a significant liberalization of imports of these products since 1994, after years of a virtual total ban on the importation of used medical equipment.

The principal concern of Argentine authorities regarding imports of used medical equipment is that of easing the way for well-established and qualified suppliers to enter the market, while protecting the industry from unreliable suppliers which have at different times sold badly refurbished machines or equipment without appropriate after-sale support.

Restrictions and bans on the imports of used medical equipment are established by Resolution 909/94 (issued by the Ministry of Economy in 1994) and amended by Annex II and III of the Resolution MEOSP 748/95, determining a classification of imports as follows:

1. Used products that can be imported if the conditions stated below for the manufacturer, purchaser and sales representative are met (equipment certified by manufacturer, availability of after-sales servicing and availability of spare parts, purchaser must prove it is unable to purchase new equipment, etc.).

2. Used products that cannot be imported

3. Used and refurbished products that may be freely imported.

In general, used goods are subject to an average import fee of about 25 percent and must fulfill all health control, safety, environmental, and consumer rights regulations governing importation of those same goods.

Need more detail?
Ask a Foreign Commercial Officer at one of the Department of Commerce’s posts located around the globe. Contact information, including phone, fax and email, is available by calling the Trade Information Center at (800) USA-TRAD(E).