STATE TRADE EXPANSION PROGRAM

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The Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (HR 644), signed into law on February 24, 2016, made the State Trade Expansion Program a permanent provision of the Small Business Act to make grants to States, and the equivalent thereof, to carry out projects that help develop exports by eligible small business concerns (ESBCs). The objective of STEP is to increase the number of US small businesses that export, to increase the dollar value of exports, and exploring significant new trade opportunities. The SBA is issuing Funding Opportunity Announcement No. OIT–STEP–2019–01 to invite the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (hereinafter ‘States’) to apply for a STEP grant to carry out export development projects that assist ‘eligible small business concerns’ to become exporters and to increase the value of small business exports. The STEP grants will be awarded on a competitive basis. A State may not submit more than one application for an award under the program. Awards will be made for a two year period of performance.

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