Trade Show Organizers

Benefits of participating in the International Buyer Program (IBP) include:

  • Worldwide promotion of your trade show executed through the U.S. Commercial Service’s global network of trade professionals in more than 75 countries and across the United States.
  • Recruitment of qualified international buyers, representatives, and distributors to your show.
  • Dedicated pre-show and at-show support from a U.S. Commercial Service project officer to optimize global show promotion, recruitment, logistics, and on-site IBP activities.

Participation Fees

IBP Track Record of Success

In 2011, the U.S. Commercial Service’s International Buyer Program (IBP) recruited nearly 13,500 prospective buyers from international markets to come to participating U.S. trade events to meet U.S. exporters.  As a result, the IBP generated over $900 million in exports in 2011 – a 10 percent increase over 2010. Over 49 percent of these successes were by U.S. firms that exported to a new market. 

The comparative advantage of the IBP versus other B2B matchmaking service offerings is it enables U.S. companies to meet a breadth of prospective buyers from around the world all in one domestic venue. Given this, there is significant demand from U.S. trade show organizers to participate in the IBP.  Between 2010 and 2012, the percentage of repeat IBP applicants exceeded 60 percent, indicating strong customer satisfaction among our trade show organizer clients.

Find out about the new IBP Select Program.

2014 International Buyer Program Annual Application Period is Now Closed.

The U.S. Commercial Service expects to issue the results of this process by May 2013. If you applied and are accepted into the CY 2014 program, a signed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) along with applicable program fee will be required within 45 days of the written notification of acceptance into the 2014 IBP. A sample MOA is provided through the link below for reference purposes only. The MOA outlines the terms of participation that accepted applicants must commit to if accepted into the program. The Federal Register Notice (available through the link below) sets forth objectives, procedures and application review criteria associated with support for domestic trade shows by the IBP.

2014 IBP Application
2014 Sample Memorandum of Agreement
Federal Register Notice: Call for Applications for the International Buyer Program Calendar Year 2014
Frequently Asked Questions

Please contact the International Buyer Program for further information.

2015 International Buyer Program

The next opportunity to apply to the International Buyer Program is expected to be in September 2013 for trade events taking place January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015. Information regarding the annual open application period for the CY 2015 program will be posted on this website.