Survey Invitation

Dear <name>,

Ex-Im Bank is conducting its annual Competitiveness Report survey, and you are being invited to participate because your organization, <company name>, used Ex-Im Bank financing during calendar year (CY) 2012. This year’s survey is entirely revised, with new questions presented on an improved, user-friendly web-based platform.

The purpose of the Competitiveness Report survey remains the same—it is your best opportunity to share your views on how Ex-Im Bank meets your needs in comparison to other export credit agencies (ECAs) and to let us know whether we compare favorably or fall short. A new feature of this survey also allows you to report on transactions that were either deterred or denied because of Ex-Im requirements.

The results will be incorporated into Ex-Im’s annual Competitiveness Report. The report is written for members of Congress, making your responses critical to ensuring that Congress hears from a representative sample of Ex-Im Bank users.

Ex-Im Bank and its officers and employees are subject to the Trade Secrets Act, 18 USC Sec 1905, which requires Ex-Im Bank to protect confidential business and commercial information from disclosure, as well as, 12 CFR 404.1, which provides that, except as required by law, Ex-Im Bank will not disclose information provided in confidence without the submitter’s consent. In accordance with 18 USC Sec 1905 and 12 CFR 404.1, your answers will be kept confidential and used only for statistical summaries.

The link to complete the survey will remain open through <closing date>.

If you feel someone else in your company is the appropriate point of contact for this survey, please notify us immediately by responding to this message.

If you have any questions about the survey or experience any technical difficulties, please contact Nicole Hutsell at the Ex-Im Bank Policy Group at Nicole.Hutsell@exim.gov or 202-565-3765. We look forward to receiving your feedback.

Sincerely,

James C. Cruse

Senior Vice President

Policy, Planning & International Relations

SURVEY INSTRUCTIONS

How should the survey be completed?

The survey is available at the following link. The following screen will provide instructions. The survey may be completed all at once or saved and completed later.

<company’s personalized link to survey>

What information will I need to complete the survey?

The survey asks your opinions on the competitiveness of U.S. Ex-Im Bank’s programs and policies relative to the ECAs of the rest of the world. The programs and policies include foreign and local content, cover policy and risk taking, exposure fees, interest rates, MARAD/PR-17, among others. The survey is arranged in sections based on your program experience with Ex-Im Bank, and the survey is tailored for lenders, exporters, and brokers.

We suggest that you briefly review your CY 2012 Ex-Im Bank portfolio before starting the survey. A few numbers you may want to collect ahead of time include the following:

Brokers (short term only; all figures for CY 2012)

• Total sales ($), U.S. export sales ($), U.S. export sales on terms of 1 year or less ($)

• Brokered short-term export credit insurance: % Ex-Im Bank and % private sector insurers

• Ex-Im Bank brokered short-term export credit insurance: Multibuyer, Single Buyer Exporter, Single Buyer Lender, Other (as % of total brokered Ex-Im export credit insurance)

Exporters (all figures for CY 2012)

• Total sales ($), U.S. export sales ($)

• Percentage of your company’s total medium- and long-term export sales volume that was supported by Ex-Im Bank in CY 2012

• Number of sub-suppliers used for performance of export contracts in CY 2012 (Choose from list: none, 1-25, 26-50, 51-75, 76-100, 100 or more)

• If sub-suppliers used, how many had 500 or fewer employees in CY 2012? (Choose from list: none, 1-25, 26-50, 51-75, 76-100, 100 or more)

• Outcome of any transactions where the application was denied by Ex-Im Bank or deterred by Ex-Im Bank policies or programs (e.g., won without Ex-Im support, lost without Ex-Im support, lost against a foreign competitor with ECA financing, etc.)

Lenders (all figures for CY 2012)

• Total export credit extended in CY 2012 ($ amount requested)

  • Export credit extended with term ≤ 1 year (short-term credit)

  • Export credit extended with term > 1 year

• Percentage of your company’s total medium- and long-term export credit extended with a term greater than 1 year that was supported by Ex-Im Bank in CY 2012