143 



That has been very successful. We deal with them on issues per- 

 taining to GATT, NAFTA, tariffication and ratification of quotas. 



I think the major shift we have seen with the advent of the MPP 

 program and probably the earlier program is to switch from mar- 

 keting and reporting to now much more of an administrative com- 

 pliance function of the organization. Tliat is basically what we ob- 

 serve. 



A lot of this is inspired by GAO reports, et cetera. I think, on 

 the other hand, the focus on long-range planning and what we are 

 trying to achieve has probably been missed because of this. 



Mr. Horn. You feel they are filling out paper more than to jus- 

 tify the mission than actually going out and doing the mission. 



Mr. Seng. In our proposal, the request letter for the loan was 

 about 250 pages last year which will probably never be read again, 

 and then our proposal for our plans was 650 pages which will prob- 

 ably never be read ag£iin except by possibly the competition. 



We feel a little less emphasis in that area, do more long-range 

 planning and be much more marketing driven and will produce 

 this tremendous, onerous process we have in getting these plans 

 through. 



Mr. Horn. Is there an annual process they use to ask industry, 

 both the national association that is represented plus the installer 

 firms or do they depend on the national associations in the indus- 

 try to come in with a consolidated position? 



Mr. Seng. Everybody is treated equally, so whether you are a na- 

 tional organization or a small organization or a small cooperator, 

 so to speak, they have the same rules and guidelines, and they are 

 just as onerous for the installer people as they are for the larger 

 people. 



Mr. Horn. I think with a smaller organization, we are trying to 

 keep low overhead, get the job done, that you would have a lot of 

 problems with not having sufficient staff to fill out a complicated 

 form. Whereas you might have a great idea, is there a possibility 

 you can pick up the telephone and get somebody on the other end 

 and say, have you thought about exploring this area as a new en- 

 deavor of the marketing and activity for American products? 



Mr. Seng. It is not that easy in dealing with FAS because there 

 are many different levels of steps and people you deal with in order 

 to get your plans approved. Again, I would add, going back to your 

 initial question. Just in MEF-Denver we have increased the staff 

 by three times, the Department that has to deal with FAS in deal- 

 ing with plans and approval in the last 3 years. 



Mr. Horn. Have you seen any pay-off in terms of products sold 

 as a result of all that planning. 



Mr. Seng. I think we see this onerous process as necessary in 

 order for us to achieve and realize the export gains we have inter- 

 nationally. We feel with our directors overseas and our staff domes- 

 tically, if we could devote more time to the marketing side as op- 

 posed to this processing side of the paper that we deal with, it 

 would be more productive. We could be more productive than we 

 are today. 



Mr. Horn. Based on the experience all of you have had with 

 overseas offices of FAS, do you feel they are selected for their mar- 

 keting skills or their coordination of paperwork skills? 



