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Contact: Alan Fogg, FCEDA, afogg@fceda.org,
703-790-0600 (office) or 571-213-5065 (mobile)
Fairfax County EDA president addresses British House of Commons committee
Dr. Gordon is first American to discuss doing business in the United States with Export Committee
Fairfax County, Virginia USA, March 20, 2006 – Dr. Gerald Gordon, president and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA), addressed the British House of Commons All Party Export Committee today on the topic of doing business with the United States government. Dr. Gordon, who visits the United Kingdom regularly as part of the FCEDA’s global market outreach, is believed to be the first American to address the committee on this topic, and he will submit a position paper on it. Fairfax is the only American county to have a London-based representative office.
Addressing members of Parliament and others, Dr. Gordon touted the opportunities that exist for U.K. companies with innovative products and services to expand into the American market by gaining government contracts with U.S. federal agencies. The federal budget stands at $1.3 trillion, making it the largest buyer of services and goods in the world.
About 325 foreign-owned businesses – including nearly 50 from Britain – are in Fairfax County in part because of its proximity to Washington, D.C. Eighteen of the top 25 federal prime contractors call Fairfax County home for their Washington-area operations. That proximity permits local businesses direct access to federal agencies and procurements, most notably those that are driving significant economic growth throughout the region: defense and homeland security.
“The Washington, D.C. region, and especially Fairfax County, is home to companies that are becoming increasingly involved in federal contracting. The Defense Department will spend $30 billion in fiscal year 2007 on information technology purchases alone, while the Department of Homeland Security will spend $6 billion for IT services,” Dr. Gordon said. “And, all federal procurements in fiscal 2007 will exceed $350 billion.”
Dr Gordon noted that British firms are well-received in the U.S. because of longstanding alliances between the two countries. Speaking alongside Dr Gordon was Alex King, Deputy Head of Kent County (U.K.) Council and U.K. Trade Minister Ian Pearson.
Dr. Gordon will attend a dinner tonight honoring the 400 th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, Virginia, by the Virginia Company of London.
Business growth helps Fairfax County, minutes from Washington, D.C., fund public services such as a top-ranked public school system and library, public safety, social services and park systems that improve the quality of life. Fairfax County offers diverse real estate options, access to domestic and international markets through Washington Dulles International Airport, a business community based on technology and professional services, and a well-educated workforce.
The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (www.FairfaxCountyEDA.org) promotes Fairfax County as a business and technology center. The FCEDA assists businesses by identifying possible sites and facilities, and is a source for up-to-date demographic and economic information. The FCEDA maintains overseas marketing offices in Bangalore, Frankfurt, London, Seoul and Tel Aviv.
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