Established by Congress in 1974, Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms (TAA) is a program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Commerce put in place to help American firms who have been hurt by foreign competition. A group of eleven non-profit TAA centers throughout the U.S. work with eligible firms in management, marketing, manufacturing, engineering, finance, and many other areas.

No. But, for more information on that program, see the U.S. Department of Labor web site at: www.doleta.gov/tradeact or call 202-693-3560.

Firms receiving Trade Adjustment Assistance have experienced the following benefits: improved business performance, monetary assistance for certain projects, objective analysis of their firm as well as the competition, and ongoing support to improve business and profits.

U.S. firms who have experienced a decline in sales and a decline, or impending decline, in employment or worker hours may be eligible for Trade Adjustment Assistance. For the most accurate and up to date information on whether or not your firm qualifies for TAA program funding, please contact us or call 607-771-0875 or (844)279-0705.

Contact us; or call us today at 607-771-0875 or (844)279-0705.

No! The Certification Application is completed by the TAAC free of charge.

The actual amount of funding to be requested is established by the firm and the TAAC as part of developing an Adjustment Proposal for the firm. The requested amount may be less than the maximum amount of funding available. There are two options for funding, a 50/50 percent cost share option and a 25/75 percent cost share option.

50/50 Percent Cost Share Option - There is a maximum of $150,000 of total project funding under this option on a 50/50 percent (client/government) cost share basis. This means a maximum of $150,000 of projects could be funded with the firm paying 50 percent of the costs and the government paying 50 percent of the costs.

25/75 Percent Cost Share Option - There is a maximum of $30,000 of total project funding under this option on a 25/75 percent (client/government) cost share basis. This means that a maximum of $30,000 of projects could be funded with the firm paying 25 percent of the costs and the government paying 75 percent of the costs.

There is a small fee for development of the Adjustment Proposal.  This fee is paid on a 25/75 percent cost share basis with the firm paying 25 percent and the Federal government paying 75 percent of the cost. The actual cost for development of the Adjustment Proposal varies and is dependent on the scope of the project.

Typically, eligibility certification takes from two to three months to complete. Once certification is received, an Adjustment Proposal can take two to four months from preparation to approval depending on the complexity of the firm and the availability of needed information.

No. Specific projects are outlined in the Adjustment Proposal written by a project manager who works directly with the principal contact at the firm (designated by the firm). Funds can only be used to pay for outside industry experts to consult on a wide variety of projects. Funds cannot be used to purchase capital equipment or to subsidize employee salaries.

Yes. Projects are specified in the Adjustment Proposal and are implemented based on agreement of both the firm and the TAAC.

No. Designated projects should be completed at any time within two years from the start of the implementation phase. However, projects are only started and completed based on the cash flow of the firm and the firm’s comfort in moving forward.

Yes. Funds can be used for on-site or off-site employee training. However, funds cannot be used to subsidize any salaries.

Yes. Funds can be used for ISO certification on a cost share basis. We will pay for training, document preparation, and the pre-assessment audit.

No. Capital equipment cannot be bought with TAA program funding.

Yes. New molds and tools can be developed and used in the design stage. However, funds cannot be used for the actual end products.

Funds cannot be used to buy new software systems in full. However, funds can be used to test programs and adapt existing software to fit the needs of your firm.

Funds can be used to develop new trade show displays but not to attend a trade show.

Funds are not paid directly to the firm. Once an outside consultant is hired, the consultant is paid by both the firm and by the TAAC.

An RFP (Request for Proposal) is prepared for each project by the TAAC and sent to qualified consultants. The list of consultants can come from the firm and from the TAAC. The TAAC and the firm’s principal representative review the applications and choose a consultant. A contract is signed and any party may terminate with written notice throughout the duration of the relationship.

For 50/50 percent cost share projects, consultants bill 50% to the firm and 50% to the TAAC. For 25/75 percent cost share projects, consultants bill 25% to the firm and 75% to the TAAC. The consultant is paid by the TAAC only once the TAAC has received notification that the consultant has been paid by the firm and all or part of the project has been completed.

No. The TAAC and the central TAA office are prohibited from releasing any information to outside sources.

None of the information you provide is disclosed to any other federal, state, or local agency. All proprietary and financial information is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act. When a firm is accepted6, the law requires that the firm’s name be published in the Federal Register. It is the only information that is released to the public without your consent.

The Cost Share Agreement you sign requires your firm to provide follow up information to the TAAC for three years. A form will be provided to you to complete and sign. Only three items will need to be reported: (1) the current revenues, (2) the current employment level, and (3) the total profits for the current year. This information helps to track the success of the program and will again not be shared with any outside party.