Navigating Your Way Though the African Development Bank Website

Navigating Your Way Through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Website

(A Primer for U.S. Companies)

Multilateral Development Bank Operations

USA Trade Center

Ronald Reagan Building

Mail Stop-MDBO

Washington, DC 20230

Telephone: 202-482-3399

Fax: 202-482-3914

E-mail: Mdbo.Banks@mail.doc.gov

July 1999

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) website is a valuable resource for U.S. companies interested in pursuing projects financed by the EBRD. This resource can be used to find timely and up-to-date information about EBRD programs, projects, and operations in specific borrowing member countries.

While the EBRD Internet site should be used as a tool for U.S. firms, it should not replace the assistance and guidance that the office of Multilateral Development Bank Operations (MDBO) and its Commercial Liaison Office at the EBRD can offer. Important contact information can be found at the conclusion of this primer.

It is also important to remember that posted information can rapidly become out of date or may be incomplete, its position on a website can change, and what seems clear-cut and factual may not be. This is more the reason to have questions clarified with MDBO staff.

The EBRD Website

(http://www.ebrd.com)

The EBRD's homepage is well laid out and easily navigable to those visiting the sites. The homepage briefly discusses the mission and goals of the EBRD. Additionally, one will find a frame including ten principle categories. These are:

* Operations

* Business Information

* Procurement

* Transition

* The Environment

* Finance

* Publications

* Annual Meeting

* Recruitment

* What's New

In addition at the bottom of the page, one will find a base bar that includes the following icons: home, search, contact, policies & strategies, annual report, site map, and download acrobat.

In the following section, one will find a brief synopsis of each page detailing those items that may be of interest to U.S. companies.

Operations

http://www.ebrd.com/english/opera/index.htm

This section outlines EBRD operations and on-going activities. Of interest to U.S. companies will be the pages that highlight EBRD projects and activities by country, sector, and date signed.

Project summary documents are also available here, as is information on co-financing, technical cooperation, and nuclear safety activities.

Business Information

http://www.ebrd.com/english/busin/index.htm

Here one will find detailed information on how companies may pursue financing with the EBRD. The webpage notes that the EBRD "is flexible in structuring its financial products and can use a broad range of financing instruments. In all of its operations the Bank applies sound banking and investment principles, and all transactions are carefully appraised and monitored to high standards."

The page contains valuable information and documents on topics including:

* Financing with the EBRD

* Alternative Sources of Finance

* Sound Business Standards and Corporate Practices

* EU/EBRD SME Finance Facility for Accession Countries

* Direct Investment Facility

* Trade Facilitation Program

* TurnAround Management Program

Procurement

http://www.ebrd.com/english/procure/index.htm

This sections highlights procurement activities at the EBRD. Within this section, one will find:

* The EBRD's Procurement Policies and Rules

* A list of standard documents

* A section on Procurement Opportunities

The Procurement Opportunities section includes the monthly EBRD Project Pipeline and its supplement published at mid-month; invitations for tenders, general procurement notices, and invitations for prequalification for the procurement of goods, public works and services; and the procurement of consultant services financed by technical cooperation funds and the EBRD.

Transition

http://www.ebrd.com/english/region/index.htm

This section contains numerous reports and other valuable information on the EBRD's goal to foster a transition toward a market-oriented economy in Central and Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States.

Environment

http://www.ebrd.com/english/enviro/index.htm

The EBRD has highlighted its environmental activities and procedures on this page. Included here is information on:

* Environmental Policies and Procedures

* The Environmental Appraisal Unit

* Environmental Publications

Finance

http://www.ebrd.com/english/treas/index.htm

On this webpage, one will find information on the finances of the EBRD and financial activities.

Publications

http://www.ebrd.com/english/Public/index.htm

This page is dedicated to EBRD publications. Included on this page is the EBRD's Guide to Publications as well as sections on:

* Policies & Strategies

* General Information

* Business Information

* Procurement

* Transition

* The Environment

* How to Order EBRD Publications

Annual Meeting

http://www.ebrd.com/english/meet/index.htm

Information on the EBRD's annual meeting can be found on this page. Included are statements from the previous meeting and details about upcoming meetings.

Recruitment

http://www.ebrd.com/english/recruit/index.htm

Position Opportunities at the Bank.

What's New

http://www.ebrd.com/english/new/index.htm

This page contains timely or recent information with respect to six areas:

* Publications

* Project Summary Documents

* Press releases

* Procurement

* Conferences

* Recruitment

Contact Information

For information on, and assistance with, EBRD-sponsored projects, U.S. companies are encouraged to contact the United States and Foreign Commercial Service Commercial Liaison Office to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London, or the office of Multilateral Development Bank Operations in Washington, DC.

U.S. Commercial Liaison Office to the EBRD

Mr. Gene Harris, Senior Commercial Officer

E-mail: Gene.Harris@mail.doc.gov

Commercial Liaison to the EBRD

Office of the U.S. Executive Director

No. 6 Broad Street Place

London EC2M

United Kingdom

Tel: (44) 171-588-4027/4028

Fax: (44) 171-588-4026

E-mail: london.ebrd.office.box@mail.doc.gov

Multilateral Development Bank Operations

U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service

International Trade Administration

U.S. Department of Commerce

USA Trade Center

Mail Stop-MDBO

Washington, DC 20230

Tel: (202) 482-3399

Fax: (202) 482-3914

E-mail: Mdbo.Banks@mail.doc.gov

Internet site: http://www.ita.doc.gov/mdbo

Operations

� EBRD Activities by Country

� EBRD Activities by Sector

� EBRD Activities by Signing Date

� Project Summary Documents

� Cofinancing

Business Information

� Financing with the EBRD

* Alternative Sources of Finance

* Sound Business Standards

Procurement

* Procurement Policies and Rules

* EBRD Standard Documents

* Procurement Opportunities

- Project Pipelines and Supplements

- Goods, Public Works, and Services

- Procurement of consultant services financed by technical cooperation funds

- Procurement of consultant services financed by the EBRD

Transition

* Transition Report

* Economics of Transition

* Working Paper Series

* Legal Transition

* Information Sources

- Directory of Information Sources

- EBRD Business Information Service

The Environment

* Environmental Policies and Procedures

* The Environmental Appraisal Unit

* Environmental Publications

Finance

* Financial Results

* Strategic Funding

* External Asset Management

* Client Risk Management

Publications

* General Information

* Business Information

* Procurement

* Transition

* The Environment

* How to Order EBRD Publications

Annual Meeting

Recruitment

What's New

* Publications

* Project Summaries

* Press Releases

* Procurement

* Conferences

* Recr*itment