Healthcare Trade Mission to Saudi Arabia 2023

*Note: The final schedule and potential site visits will depend on the availability of host government and business officials, specific goals of mission participants, and ground transportation. 

The participation fee for this trade mission will be $3,100 for small or medium-sized enterprises (SME); and $4,100 for large firms or trade associations. The fee for each additional firm representative (large firm or SME/trade organization) is $1,000 for all three stops. Expenses for travel, lodging, meals, and incidentals will be the responsibility of each mission participant. Interpreter and driver services can be arranged for additional cost. 

MISSION DESCRIPTION

The International Trade Administration (ITA), the trade promotion arm of the United States Department of Commerce, is organizing a Healthcare Trade Mission to Saudi Arabia September 9 – 14, 2023. The purpose of the mission is to assist U.S. companies in pursuing healthcare opportunities in this rapidly expanding market. The mission will target approximately twenty U.S. companies (minimum 15) that provide products and services related to a broad range of best prospect healthcare subsectors in Saudi Arabia.

Through this mission, participating U.S. firms will gain market insights, make industry and government contacts, solidify business strategies and advance specific projects with the goal of increasing U.S. healthcare product and service exports. This Saudi Arabia-focused trade mission will start in Riyadh, with stops in Dhahran and Jeddah. Participants will receive market briefings from U.S. Commercial Service and industry experts, have one-on-one business meetings with Saudi public and private sector representatives, have access to targeted site visits, and participate in networking events. 

COMMERCIAL SETTING  

Opportunities - Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia accounts for sixty percent of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries’ healthcare expenditure, and the sector remains a top priority for the Saudi Arabian Government. In 2022, it will spend $36.8 billion on Healthcare and Social Development – 14.4 percent of its 2022 budget and the third-largest line item after Education and Military. The Saudi Arabian Government is targeting the healthcare sector for privatization and expanded use of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).  

Under Vision 2030, the Saudi Arabian Government plans to invest over $65 billion to develop the country’s healthcare infrastructure. In addition, it aims to increase private sector contribution from forty percent to sixty-five percent by 2030, targeting the privatization of 290 hospitals and 2,300 primary health centers.  

To promote preventive and integrated care, and to improve access to the health service, the Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH) plans to launch “health clusters” across Saudi Arabia. Each cluster will be an integrated network of health care providers serving approximately one million people. Other MOH priorities include increasing the number of internationally accredited hospitals, doubling the number of primary healthcare visits per capita from two to four, decreasing the rates of smoking and obesity, improving the quality of preventive and therapeutic healthcare services, and expanding digital healthcare innovation. 

Saudi Arabia also has elaborate plans to expand the usage of digital health. These include a $1.5 billion investment for Health Information Technology and digital transformation and increasing telemedicine use through telephone applications and the recently created Saudi Telehealth Network to service patients without nearby access to healthcare and/or to better monitor chronic health conditions. In addition, Saudi Arabia’s National Strategy for Digital Transformation includes Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, 5G, Internet of Things, and Blockchain, all of which have critical intersection points with the health sector and initiatives where Saudi Arabia can benefit from U.S. knowledge and expertise.  

Non-communicable diseases account for sixty-eight percent of all deaths in Saudi Arabia.  Almost eighteen percent of the adult population has diabetes, and more than forty percent are obese. Saudi Arabia will continue to increase its spending to prevent and treat diabetes and lifestyle disorders. During 2020, Saudi Arabia spent twenty-five to thirty-five percent of the total healthcare budget on diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. With the push for preventive care screening for managing chronic diseases, the number of primary healthcare center visits per capita will double.  

Target sectors potential for U.S companies include:

•    Digital Health
•    Medical Devices
•    Hospital Operation and Management

COUNTRY/CITY

•    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Riyadh mission stop will feature a mix of government and private sector meetings.  The Riyadh team will ensure the most relevant government entities participate, including the Ministry of Health, Saudi Food and Drug Authority, National Unified Procurement Company, and the National Center for Privatization.  This stop will offer site visits to the top hospitals in the city.

•    Dhahran, Saudi Arabia: Dhahran will feature B2B meetings, including with the Eastern Province Healthcare cluster, Alsharqia Chamber Healthcare Committee, and a site visit to John Hopkins Aramco Healthcare Hospital or Imam Abdulrahman University Hospital.

•    Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Jeddah will include B2B meetings, including with the Jeddah Healthcare Cluster, and the Jeddah Chamber Health Committee. A site visit to the International Medical Center Hospital will be featured.

Mission participants will benefit from the guidance and insights of ITA’s commercial teams working in these markets, opportunities to network with U.S. companies already doing business in the region, and customized, one-on-one business appointments with pre-screened prospective buyers, agents, distributors, and joint venture partners, as well as with local government officials and industry leaders, where applicable. Site visits will also be made available depending upon the interests and objectives of the delegation.

Other Products and Services    

The preceding analysis of the healthcare opportunities in Saudi Arabia is not intended to be exhaustive, but illustrative of the many opportunities available to U.S. businesses. Applications from companies selling products or services within the scope of this mission, but not specifically identified, will be considered, and evaluated by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Companies whose products or services do not fit the scope of the mission may contact their local U.S. Export Assistance Center (USEAC) to learn about other business development missions and services that may provide more targeted export opportunities.  Companies may go to https://www.trade.gov/export-solutions to obtain such information.

MISSION GOALS

The objective of this mission is export promotion – to help U.S. firms in the healthcare industry find business partners and sell their products and services in Saudi Arabia. Through the mission participating companies will gain market insights, make industry contacts, solidify business strategies, promote their respective U.S. healthcare technology, products and services, and advance specific projects, with the goal of increasing U.S. product and services exports to Saudi Arabia. 

MISSION SCENARIO

The healthcare trade mission will include one-on-one business appointments with pre-screened potential buyers, distributors, and joint venture partners. In addition, delegates will participate in meetings with government officials, including the Ministry of Health, Saudi Food and Drug Authority, National Unified Procurement Company, National Center for Privatization, chamber of commerce, and other business groups. Meetings will be offered with relevant government authorities who will address several topics like procurement, tenders, policies, and regulations. Trade mission participants will connect with U.S. Commercial Service officers, healthcare sector specialists and other USG officials to discuss industry developments and opportunities.

PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS

All parties interested in participating in the trade mission must submit an application package for consideration by the DOC. All applicants will be evaluated on their ability to meet certain conditions and best satisfy the selection criteria as outlined below. A minimum of fifteen and maximum of twenty firms will be selected to participate in the mission from the applicant pool.

FEES AND EXPENSES

After a firm or trade association has been selected to participate on the mission, a payment to the Department of Commerce in the form of a participation fee is required. The participation fee for the Saudi Arabia stop of the trade mission will be $3,100 for small or medium-sized enterprises (SME); and $4,100 for large firms or trade associations. The fee for each additional firm representative (large firm or SME/trade organization) is $1,000 for each mission stop. Expenses for travel, lodging, meals, and incidentals will be the responsibility of each mission participant.  Interpreter and driver services can be arranged for additional cost. Delegation members will be able to take advantage of U.S. Embassy rates for hotel rooms.

If and when an applicant is selected to participate on a particular mission, a payment to the Department of Commerce in the amount of the designated participation fee below is required.  Upon notification of acceptance to participate, those selected have 5 business days to submit payment or the acceptance may be revoked.  

Participants selected for a trade mission will be expected to pay for the cost of personal expenses, including, but not limited to, international travel, lodging, meals, transportation, communication, and incidentals, unless otherwise noted. Participants will, however, be able to take advantage of U.S. Government rates for hotel rooms. In the event that a mission is cancelled, no personal expenses paid in anticipation of a mission will be reimbursed. However, participation fees for a cancelled mission will be reimbursed to the extent they have not already been expended in anticipation of the mission.

If a visa is required to travel on a particular mission, applying for and obtaining such a visa will be the responsibility of the mission participant. Government fees and processing expenses to obtain such a visa are not included in the participation fee. However, the Department of Commerce will provide instructions to each participant on the procedures required to obtain business visas. 

Trade Mission members participate in trade missions and undertake mission-related travel at their own risk.  The nature of the security situation in a given foreign market at a given time cannot be guaranteed.  The U.S. Government does not make any representations or guarantees as to the safety or security of participants.  The U.S. Department of State issues U.S. Government international travel alerts and warnings for U.S. citizens available at https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings.html.  Any question regarding insurance coverage must be resolved by the participant and its insurer of choice.

CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATION

Applicants must submit a completed and signed mission application and supplemental application materials, including adequate information on their products and/or services, primary market objectives, and goals for participation that is adequate to allow the Department of Commerce to evaluate their application. If the Department of Commerce receives an incomplete application, it may reject the application, request additional information/clarification, or take the lack of information into account when evaluating the application. If the requisite minimum number of participants is not selected for a particular mission by the recruitment deadline, the mission may be cancelled.  

Each applicant must also certify that the products and services it seeks to export through the mission are either produced in the United States, or, if not, are marketed under the name of a U.S. firm and have at least fifty-one percent U.S. content by value. In the case of a trade association or organization, the applicant must certify that, for each firm or service provider to be represented by the association/organization, the products and/or services the represented firm or service provider seeks to export are either produced in the United States or, if not, marketed under the name of a U.S. firm and have at least fifty-one percent U.S. content.

A trade association/organization applicant must certify to the above for all of the companies it seeks to represent on the mission.

In addition, each applicant must:
•    Certify that the products and services that it wishes to market through the mission would be in compliance with U.S. export controls and regulations; 
•    Certify that it has identified any matter pending before any bureau or office in the Department of Commerce; 
•    Certify that it has identified any pending litigation (including any administrative proceedings) to which it is a party that involves the Department of Commerce; and 
•    Sign and submit an agreement that it and its affiliates (1) have not and will not engage in the bribery of foreign officials in connection with a company’s/participant’s involvement in this mission, and (2) maintain and enforce a policy that prohibits the bribery of foreign officials.

In the case of a trade association/organization, the applicant must certify that each firm or service provider to be represented by the association/organization can make the above certifications.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Targeted mission participants are U.S. firms, services providers and trade associations/organizations providing or promoting U.S. products and services that have an interest in entering or expanding their business in the mission’s destination country. The following criteria will be evaluated in selecting participants:
•    Suitability of the applicant’s (or in the case of a trade association/organization, represented firm’s or service provider’s) products or services to these markets; 
•    The applicant’s (or in the case of a trade association/organization, represented firm’s or service provider’s) potential for business in the markets, including likelihood of exports resulting from the mission; and
•    Consistency of the applicant’s (or in the case of a trade association/organization, represented firm’s or service provider’s) goals and objectives with the stated scope of the mission.

Balance of company size and location may also be considered during the review process.

Referrals from a political party or partisan political group or any information, including on the application, containing references to political contributions or other partisan political activities will be excluded from the application and will not be considered during the selection process. The sender will be notified of these exclusions.

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Travel and in-person activities are contingent upon the safety and health conditions in the United States and the mission countries. Should safety or health conditions not be appropriate for travel and/or in-person activities, the Department will consider postponing the event or offering a virtual program in lieu of an in-person agenda. In the event of a postponement, the Department will notify the public and applicants previously selected to participate in this mission will need to confirm their availability but need not reapply. Should the decision be made to organize a virtual program, the Department will adjust fees, accordingly, prepare an agenda for virtual activities, and notify the previous selected applicants with the option to opt-in to the new virtual program.

TIMELINE FOR RECRUITMENT AND APPLICATIONS

Mission recruitment will be conducted in an open and public manner, including publication in the Federal Register, posting on the Commerce Department trade mission calendar (http://export.gov/trademissions) and other Internet web sites, press releases to general and trade media, direct mail, notices by industry trade associations and other multiplier groups, and publicity at industry meetings, symposia, conferences, and trade shows.   Recruitment for the mission will begin immediately and conclude no later than June 20th, 2023. The U.S. Department of Commerce will review applications and inform applicants of selection decisions on a rolling basis. Applications received after June 20th, 2023, will be considered only if space and scheduling constraints permit.

Please email Monica.Toporkiewicz@trade.gov and Lisa.Huot@trade.gov.