Sec. 9. Private sector consultation and coordination
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/bill/114/s/2201/is/section-9A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
In developing the trade capacity embassy mission plans on trade capacity, the trade capacity mission team shall convene local representatives of the United States private sector to consult on issues affecting trade capacity at the borders of participating countries and take into account the private sector’s operational expertise and experience confronting the trade barriers in each country as well as its recommendations for reform and best practices. Written comments from local United States private sector representatives shall be included in the trade capacity component of mission plans submitted by the chief of mission to the Secretary of State, with recommendations and comments from the capacity mission team for the purpose of informing the development of the joint strategic plan on trade capacity priorities and recommended funding.
The chief of mission shall designate an appropriate point of contact within the embassy who shall receive recommendations from appropriate private sector representatives regarding the implementation of the strategic plan required under section 6 and ongoing trade barriers negatively impacting priority trade capacity assistance programs. The chief of mission shall ensure that the designated point of contact shall be made reasonably available for consultations with and to receive complaints from appropriate private sector representatives and to receive recommendations with respect to country-specific issues that may arise that will foreseeably disrupt trade.
For the purposes of developing the joint strategic plan, the Secretary of State shall hold public meetings from time to time for the purpose of obtaining input from interested parties. The Secretary of State shall protect from disclosure any proprietary information submitted by the private sector representative and marked as business confidential information unless the party submitting the confidential business information had notice, at the time of submission, that such information would be released by the Secretary, or such party subsequently consents to the release of the information.
To the extent business confidential information is provided, a nonconfidential version of the information shall also be provided, in which the business confidential information is summarized or, if necessary, deleted. Proprietary information submitted by a private party in accordance with this Act shall be considered to be a matter falling within the meaning of trade secrets and commercial or financial information exemption under section 552(b)(4) of title 5, United States Code, and shall be exempt from disclosure without the express approval of the private party.