SENEDIA hosted the Expand Global Sales: Winning Foreign Government Contracts with US Government Advocacy TechTalk on September 23, 2025. SENEDIA CEO Molly Donohue Magee was joined by Hiro Rodriguez, Executive Director of the Advocacy Center at the U.S. Department of Commerce, Keith Yatsuhashi, Director, U.S. Commercial Service – Providence, International Trade Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce, and Katherine Therieau, Regional Manager, Western Hemisphere of the Advocacy Center at the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Mr. Rodriguez started the presentation with an overview of the Advocacy Center, an entity within the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce that helps U.S. company generate trade exports and true to its name, advocates for U.S. commercial interests aboard. The Center’s mission is to marshal U.S. government resources to level the playing field for U.S. exporters competing against foreign firms for international public contracts. Mr. Rodriguez highlighted the 3 C’s of the Advocacy Center:
Compete Globally – Supporting U.S. commercial interests compete in foreign markets
Create Jobs – When U.S. businesses win, it creates jobs here in the U.S. For every $1B in U.S. exports, it is estimated to generate approximately 4,100 U.S. jobs.
Counter Foreign Competition – Competition for contracts, both domestically and internationally are high. The Advocacy Center supports U.S. business compete to counter this competition.
Mr. Yatsuhashi continued the discussion, providing an overview of the resources and services provided by the International Trade Administration U.S. Commercial Service. The U.S. Commercial Service provides support in four key areas: Export Counselling, Market Intelligence, Business Matchmaking, and Commercial Diplomacy/Advocacy. The U.S. Commercial Service has 106 U.S. and 127 foreign offices in 80 countries, with a global network of trade and investment professionals well-positioned to help U.S. companies succeed internationally and ensure that U.S. businesses and commercial interests have a robust advocate and first line of defense against unfair foreign trade practices and market access barriers. The Service provides export counselling through international business development support and an eCommerce Innovation Lab. The Service also provides robust Market Intelligence, including Country Commercial Guides, Customized Market Research, Initial Market Checks, and International Company Profiles. The Service also supports Business Matchmaking, through single company promotion, international partner search support, featured U.S. exporter listing, and business service provider listings. In addition to these Business Matchmaking services, the Service also provides the Gold Key Service, which provides U.S. firms travelling to a foreign market with up to five pre-screened face-to-face appointments to establish relationships with potential overseas agents, distributors, sales representatives, business partners, and other local, in-country entities. The Service also supports trade events, providing certified trade missions, trade show representation, international buyer program, and developing U.S. pavilions at international trade fairs. The Service supports the Advocacy Center by providing U.S. businesses with resources to report trade barriers and resolution support for trade disputes.
Ms. Therieau capped off the discussion, providing further details on the Advocacy Center. Ms. Therieau highlighted the advocacy process, with much of the early process taking less than 2 weeks, though defense cases typically take longer due to the interagency clearance approval process. Ms. Therieau ensured that all Advocacy Center efforts fall under the Trade Secrets Act and consider all business confidential, and will not be shared with any other person or organization outside of the U.S. Government unless the Advocacy Center is given permission to do so by your company. All business confidential information will be protected from disclosure to the extent permitted by law.
In conclusion, the Advocacy Center and the U.S. Commercial Service at the International Trade Administration in the U.S. Department of Commerce are here to support U.S. businesses compete in international markets. The throughline of the entire discussion was to reach out to the organizations at any time during your efforts to secure international business, particularly with foreign governments, with an emphasis to do reach out as early as possible. Presentations from Mr. Yatsuhashi and Ms. Therieau linked below.
