The Role of the Office of Insular Affairs U'S' Department of the Interior

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The Role of the Office of Insular Affairs U.S.
Department of the Interior

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The U.S. Territories and Freely Associated States
Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas
Republic of the Marshall Islands
Guam
Palau
Federated States of Micronesia
American Samoa
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Opportunities in the Islands Include

• Travel and tourism
• Construction
• Real estate/infrastructure development
• Telecommunications
• Environmental technology
• Education
• Aquaculture
• Film/TV/video production

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Advantages of Doing Business in U.S. Territories
and Freely Associated States

• U.S. legal system, currency and institutions
• English language
• Proximity to foreign markets
• Political and social stability
• Duty- free access to U.S. for locally made goods
• No federal taxes
• Other tax benefits
• Excellent communications systems

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• The U.S. Territories

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AMERICAN SAMOA

• Economic Base
• Tuna Canneries
• Population 65,500
• GDP (est.) 500 million
• Only U.S. territory in the South Pacific
• Best deep water harbor in the South Pacific
• Local control of immigration and minimum wage

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GUAM

• Economic Base
• Tourism spending
• Military spending
• Population (est.) 175,900
• GDP (est.) 2.5 billion
• Best deepwater port in the Western Pacific
• First class telecommunications network

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GUAM
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CNMI

• Economic Base
• Asian-based tourism
• Major garment manufacturing hub Population
  84,500
• GDP 967 Million
• Site of famous World War II battles
• Controls its own immigration and minimum wage

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CNMI
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U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

• Economic base
• Tourism
• Rum distilling
• Petroleum refining
• Services
• Light Industry
• Population (est.) 119,500
• GDP (est.) 4.08 Billion
• Home to one of the largest, untapped broadband
  pipes in the world (St. Croix).

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FreelyAssociated States
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Republic of the Marshall Islands

• Two island archipelagic chains with 30 atolls
  1,152 islands
• Total land area 70 sq. miles
• Population 52,700
• GDP 135 million
• Home of Kwajalein Missile Range
• 40 million in annual U.S. grant assistance

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Republic of the Marshall Islands
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Federated States of Micronesia

• 4 States, 607 islands
• Pohnpei
• Kosrae
• Chuuk
• Yap
• Total land area 271 sq. mi.
• Population 108,000
• GDP 216 million
• 80 million in annual U.S. grant assistance

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Republic of Palau

• Archipelago, six island groups with 200 islands
• Total land area 177 sq. miles
• Population 20,600
• GDP 119.7 million
• Strong tourism industry

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Island Business Link

• A New Web Tool for
• Business Development
• Angela Williams
• U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of
  Insular Affairs
• 2009 Conference on Business Opportunities in the
  Islands
• July 9, 2009

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What is Island Business Link?

• A web based tool to facilitate new and ongoing
  business development
• A membership based site that will require users
  to register
• A 24-hour dedicated website for business and
  government interested in growth opportunities the
  U.S. territories and freely associated states

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Why was Island Business Link Developed?

• Overwhelming feedback from the 2007 Conference in
  Guam
• An understanding that business happens all the
  timenot just at dedicated conferences
• To take advantage of the increasing importance
  and acceptance of web-based technology in
  developing business and social networks

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The Island Business Link Advantage

• Allows for on-going business development dialogue
  between business owners and potential
  partnersnot just once a year at a conference
• Dedicated SOLELY to business development and
  opportunities in the U.S. territories and freely
  associated states
• It is absolutely free to useno member will ever
  be asked to pay

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How Island Business Link Works

• Island business owners can post business
  opportunities for potential partners
• Government offices (local and federal) can post
  procurement opportunities (RFPs, RFQs, other
  solicitations) for work, services, or supplies
  based in the islands
• Partner members (potential partners and/or
  investors) can view and shop from the posted
  opportunities provided by both island business
  owners and island governments
• Allows interested parties to make connections
  simply by clicking a button

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Three Types of Membership

• Island Member
• A business person located in the U.S. insular
  areas
• A person with a business or investment
  opportunity in one of the insular areas
• Partner Member
• A business person outside of the insular areas
  interested in learning about opportunities on the
  islands, with the potential to partner or invest
• May NOT search other Partner profilesthe goal of
  the site is to include the islands in every
  business connection or link
• Government/Resource Member
• A representative of a local, state, national, or
  Federal government agency (i.e. Procurement or
  Economic Development Office)
• A business support organization, a non-profit
  business, or any non-governmental organization
  (NGO)

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Taking a Closer Look
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Registering is Fast and Easy
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A Menu of Contacts and Opportunities
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Business Opportunity Postings
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Procurement Postings
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Contacting Through the Directory
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Communicating with Other Members

• As soon as a communication is sent, the recipient
  will receive a notification email
• Recipient can respond either directly though
  email or through the Island Business Link Website
  via a link sent in the email
• Records of all communications are logged and
  tracked in My Communications tabs located on
  your Island Business Link homepage

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Island Business Link By the Numbers

• Over 1700 registered users as of July 2009
• Nearly 300 business and/or procurement
  opportunities posted
• Partner members currently hail from the U.S. and
  20 other countries from around the world
• New members registering daily

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Expand Your Reach, Explore Your Opportunities

• Registration takes only a few minutesyou will
  immediately be able to view opportunities and
  contact other members
• In no way does simply posting an opportunity or
  business description jeopardize a Members
  privacy or business
• Once contacts are made on the site, further
  methods of interaction and dialogue are at the
  Members discretion
• Individual assistance is available
• Support button/feature on Island Business Link
• Angela_Williams_at_ios.doi.gov