CTO Newsletter

Main headlines from this issue

South Africa’s NIPP and CSDP to be merged – NIPP to become a pre-tender process

The S. African government has launched a wide-ranging policy action plan to develop the relationship between its National Industrial Participation Programme (NIPP) and the Department of Public Enterprises’ Competitive Supplier Development Programme (CSDP). The move would transfer a range of key purchases for infrastructure programmes to......

India sends mixed signals about ‘Fuzzy Offsets’

Speaking at the DRDO Technology Day Awards Ceremony, India’s Defence Minister, A.K. Antony, stressed the need for self-reliance. He urged the public and private sectors to work together to create modern facilities with a large manufacturing base. It was time for the DRDO to shed its reticence about working with private industry, he said.

Blenheim applies for UKFSA and MIFID Authorisation

In a tactic designed to outpace competitor offset service providers Blenheim has submitted an application to the UK Financial Services Authority to be regulated by the FSA. It is also seeking authorisation for a Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) passport.

Indonesia: “We need more offsets”

Indonesia’s Defence Minister has called for the regeneration of strategic industries ..... Although Indonesia has no formal offset procedure, it is now government policy to extract benefits from foreign suppliers of military equipment to support indigenisation and acquire technology transfer......

EDA says code is already making a difference

An European Defence Agency bulletin comments that offset remains one of the most controversial practices in defence procurement, frequently inefficient, unnecessarily duplicative, and market distorting. Yet, it says,......

Main headlines from this issue

EU’s pillars of wisdom produce piles of legal confusion

The EU’s Defence Procurement Directive makes no mention of offsets, says Dr Aris Georgopoulos, Head of the Research Unit on Defence at the Law School of England’s University of Nottingham…… because they fit the EU definition of an “obstacle to trade” and are therefore incompatible in principle with EU law.

Bulgaria legislating for major policy changes – no more multipliers

Bulgaria’s Council of Ministers plans to approve legislative amendments within two months to remove offset coefficients, cap the quota to 100 percent of purchase contract value (100 percent is currently the minimum level), and allow pre-offset activities and the banking and transfer of offset credits.

Colombia: Obligors will feel the pressure as agency begins to bite

Colombia’s offset policy is youthful, originating in 2007 and modified a year later. Already, though, it is showing signs of stress…. Obligors don’t have to pay the penalty until the fourth year, so after two years they get a timely kick in the pants.

Israel looks to the North and to the South

Israel’s Industrial Cooperation Authority (ICA) is focused on generating investment in the country’s northern and southern regions. Gabriel Golomb, the ICA’s Deputy Director General, spoke of the importance of improving employment opportunities for SMEs in those peripheral locations.

*Joel Johnson predicts “Revolt of the Defence Ministries”

His theme this year broadened to claim, humorously, that nine of the fastest growing defence companies are in Europe and more than half of them are buying U.S. companies.
\Finmeccanica has bought DRS [Technologies] Fincantieri bought shipyards BAE [Systems] buys everything that’s not nailed down EADS is very slow for some reason that we can’t figure out.\"

Main headlines from this issue

Tempers and conciliation as Greek defence minister promises Offset reforms and renegotiated contracts

 A two-day conference in Athens was the site of stormy scenes at the end of January. The event featured an unbilled slanging match and a walk-out starring an irate protagonist and an outraged government minister. The conference focused on the Greek MoD’s threats against foreign defence contractors who are experiencing difficulties with their offset commitments. The outcome was positive however, even if the process was ugly.

Rosoboronexport pulls back the curtain to reveal Russia’s Offset process

As the day unfolded it was impossible to avoid a political irony. The Deputy Director General of Rosoboronexport, Viktor M. Komardin, was telling us candidly how Russia’s commercial state-owned arms exporting agency responds to the offset demands of its global consumers. He was far more open, it must be said, than many government agencies are prepared to be in Western Europe.

EDA to address abatements

Peter Scaruppe, Assistant Director, Industry & Market, at the European Defence Agency (EDA), informed conference delegates that the next step to be addressed by the Steering Board will be the abatement issue.

Pakistan and Philippines negotiate rice for sugar barters

Pakistan is negotiating a bilateral government-to-government barter agreement with the Philippines.  Pakistan would supply rice; the Philippines would ship sugar.

Indonesia and the U.S. in second debt-for-nature swap

As part of worldwide efforts to reduce climate change, the United States is negotiating a debt-for-nature scheme with Indonesia that will help conserve the country’s forests.

Main headlines from this issue

Fourteenth Annual Offset Report to congress reveals falling values, rise of directs

The fourteenth Annual Report to Congress on the Impact of Offsets in Defence Trade has revealed a large drop in the value of new offset agreements. In 2008, fourteen U.S. defence contractors reported making 52 new offset agreements with seventeen countries. The deals were valued at $3.48bn, an amount equal to 57.1 percent of the total $6.10bn in reported foreign defence sales.

Portugal lightens up on Ferrostaal: Ferrostaal not impressed

As offset punch-ups go, this was shaping up to be a good one. Now Portugal?s Permanent Commission on Offsets (CPC) wants to settle its differences with Ferrostaal and has told CTO that it is hopeful a negotiated solution can be found. 

Czechs buy without Slovakians, Offsets not shared – YET

The Czech Republic and Slovakia announced last October they had reached agreement for the joint purchase of 130 Iveco light armoured vehicles, with the offset benefits to be shared proportionally between them. The Czech MoD has now concluded a contract for 90 Iveco light armoured vehicles, but they have gone ahead alone.

South Africa: Supplier Development Programme to be tightened

A key priority of South Africa?s industrial policy action plan will be to ensure the local procurement of goods and services required for the country?s infrastructure development. The building programme is being undertaken by, among others, parastatals Eskom and Transnet.

India: No Offset funny business, says Singapore Technologies

Reports of a Singapore arms firm being 'blacklisted' in India on corruption charges are far from being so, said Brig. Gen. Patrick Choy, Chief Marketing Officer of Singapore Technologies Kinetics (ST Kinetics).

Main headlines from this issue

Switzerland: Armasuisse forced into private sector partnership – multipliers swept away

Armasuisse, the body responsible for managing Switzerland’s offset programmes, has been formally relieved of some of its functions. It will now share responsibility with two trade associations. The guidelines have been revised and multipliers will no longer be awarded.

“France does not Offset!” But French boast is toast as BAE wins order

It’s enough to make a Frenchman choke on his morning croissant. The French government has bought its first piece of military equipment from Britain in decades. The procurement would not have happened without a highly significant amount of industrial participation for French industry.

America’s BIS overrules objection and imposes new reporting requirements for annual offset report to congress

While Santa was climbing down the country’s chimneys on Christmas Eve, America’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) dropped its own gift on the defence industry...

Portugal signals new focus for 2011, stops giving “cabbages”

Portuguese Defence Minister Augusto Santos Silva, who was appointed in October, has announced that from 2011 “the automobile industry - included in the offset package for the purchase of the German submarines, with controversial results - will cease to be included in these processes.”

Chinese / Venezuelan development fund has regional outreach potential for China

China and Venezuela have established a $12bn development fund, with China contributing $8bn in exchange for Venezuelan oil. The fund will also help finance infrastructure projects in Venezuela.

Main headlines from this issue

Embraer’s agreement with China’s CDB masks a fight between orders, deliveries and offsets

Embraer has agreed terms for CDB Leasing Co. to finance the leasing and purchase of aircraft for up to $2bn over three years. Without the agreement Embraer would not have been able to sell more aircraft to China...

Switzerland: Armasuisse forced into private sector partnership – Multipliers swept away

Armasuisse, the body responsible for managing Switzerland’s offset programmes, has been formally relieved of some of its functions. It will now share responsibility with two trade associations. The guidelines have been revised and multipliers will no longer be awarded.

Local content discrimination in South Africa rattles Areva

Deconstructing the title might have caused a few headaches, but the meaning of a presentation on ‘Local Content: An Abstract Combinatorial Game of Strategy’ soon became painfully clear.

South Africa: “Controversy on the SDP has compromised fruitful debate” – “Shipbuilding was a missed opportunity”

Professor Richard Haines said that controversy surrounding the SDP has compromised fruitful debate and an exchange of ideas about the conception and implementation of NIPP and DIP. The relevant government agencies often feel under unfair fire.

“Industrial partnership programmes for Sub-Saharan Africa are long overdue”

Dov Hyman, CEO of Dolin International, decried the fact that very few countries in sub-Saharan Africa have developed industrial participation programmes...

Venezuela invites Uruguay to exchange goods for oil

\It would have been unimaginable only a couple of years ago to think that Venezuela would turn to Uruguay for support but times have changed.\"

Main headlines from this issue

Special Report on South Africa: Armscor raises the BEE barrier – COTS might escape DIP

Armscor, which manages Defence Industrial Participation (DIP) programmes on the defence side, is presently rolling out new policy initiatives. The new approach will require further support by foreign prime contractors for the Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) programme and close some loopholes in the offset guidelines.

DTI introduces ‘Direct NIP’

National Industrial Participation (NIP) projects, which used to be unrelated to the tender, must now match the policy of S. Africa’s Competitive Supplier Development Programme (CSDP).

BEE, NIPP and DIP – It really is a complex mix as the CSDP takes root

South Africa’s Competitive Supplier Development Programme (CSDP), a Department of Public Enterprises initiative (DPE), was introduced only a year ago and is now starting to take effect…

GEN. SCHÜR says SDP offsets “Brought incredible benefits to South African industry” – and Denel has reached break even

Maj. Gen. (ret’d.) Otto Schür, formerly Chief Director of Acquisitions at the Department of Defence, presently Denel’s Chief Technical Officer and very much an insider as events unfolded, told conference delegates …

A400M offsets were on ‘Best endeavours’ basis

Maj. Gen. Schür said the contract received for Denel Saab Aerostructures and Aerosud as well as for Saab Grintek Communications for certain components on the aircraft are one-on-one contracts under a “best endeavour” industrial participation clause.

Main headlines from this issue

SPECIAL REPORT: Portugal at war

First it was the Greek honey trap, now Portugal is at war. Weapons are involved but so far the battles have been restricted to legal offices—as well as police raids, wire taps, and public allegations of fraud. The source of the conflict is the German Submarine Consortium’s (GSC) alleged failure to discharge offset commitments. Germany’s MAN Ferrostaal is the prime contractor.

Russia to pay for Thai rice with crude oil or ammunition

Thailand’s Commerce Minister, Pornthiva Nakasai, has disclosed that Russia....

Brazil asks Israel to establish local defence production facilities

Israeli President Shimon Peres and Brazilian Defence Minister Nelson Jobim have discussed expanding the two countries’ economic cooperation.

Danish confederation of industries is upset with lockheed

The Danish Confederation of Industries (DCI) has written to the defence and industry ministers demanding guarantees that the Danish government insists on both industrial participation and buy-back when it buys its next generation of fighter aircraft. 

Main headlines from this issue

India’s DPP 2009 shifts technology burden to beneficiaries

India’s MoD has added a new provision to its procurement procedure, allowing the Request for Proposal (RfP) to be issued to Indian companies. The companies must have the financial and technical ability to absorb technology and undertake indigenous manufacture.

Blenheim: “We are raising the bar on offset service providers”

The Blenheim group of companies, which established its reputation through offset-structured financial solutions in the Middle East, has expanded further with the creation of two new wholly-owned subsidiaries.....

South Africa faces arms purchase scandal, risking $1bn of industrial participation

If South Africa cancels the A400M contract, the country risks losing the 2.9bn rand it has already invested in the project and a further 8bn rand ($1bn) pledged in industrial participation packages.
 

Nedbank to provide commodities trade financing in Southern Africa

More than one global bank has withdrawn from the commodity finance market in Sub-Saharan Africa in the last few months, preferring to refocus their efforts on domestic markets. Nedbank Capital is looking to fill the void......

South Korea responds to loss of UAE contract – with a trade centre

The centre will provide assistance to the defence industry regarding government-to-government contracts, offset programmes and industrial cooperation plans in weapon sales overseas.

Main headlines from this issue

EDA releases hostile study on offset and juste retour practices

The European Defence Agency has finally released its study on offset and juste retour. The report is solid, predictable, unlikely to threaten the agency’s hostile reputation in respect to offset practices, and reads like a Communist manifesto.

Tunisia: “We are not really mastering offsets”

The Tunisian government stepped tentatively into offsets in 2007 with an agreement with Airbus……. Another target is the auto industry, but the policy has not moved beyond those two sectors……

Is Russia to be the next major defence equipment importer to require offsets – and will deals be clean?

The idea that Russia could import foreign-made weapons seemed absurd until recently. The country that invented the Kalashnikov saw itself as an exporter, not an importer. Those purchases however are now being seriously discussed.

South Africa: Armscor’s annual report reveals setbacks, delays and successes with DIP commitments

Agusta Westland is shown to be in serious arrears with its industrial participation programme for the Maritime Patrol Helicopters.  The Airbus A400M programme is also in difficulty.  The report registers the over-achievement of …

Thailand to revive countertrade policy?

Thailand’s reputation for inconsistency is back on track as a government countertrade initiative shows signs of rising from the ashes.

Main headlines from this issue

SPECIAL REPORT: The Greek honey trap – Crisis as MOD cashes in offset performance bonds

The Greek MoD has cashed in a number of performance bonds for non-fulfilment of offset commitments after turning down requests for extensions. The ministry has issued more than 70 letters warning defence contractors that once contracts have expired, offset commitments that have failed to meet milestones cannot be renegotiated and will face liquidated damages.

The Director of the MoD’s Offset Benefits Department said....

SPECIAL REPORT – Canada introduces phased approach to sweeping IRB policy changes – Cadsi sees “Real Opportunities”

Canada has revised its Industrial and Regional Benefits (IRB) Policy. The new policy introduces seven steps which will be implemented in two distinct phases between now and the winter of 2010.

Main headlines from this issue

Taiwan: IC regulations under review, organisational structure to be squashed

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence is reviewing the regulations governing the country’s Industrial Cooperation Programme. Jesse Ho, Deputy Director for the ICP Project, informed CTO that the MND is working on the update now. Changes may include...

It’s no joke – Luxembourg wants what the big boys get

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg seems to believe in fairies and has established offset guidelines. It signed one offset contract last year for €100m and is currently negotiating the final stages of another for about the same amount.

Jordan: Kaddb wins license build from BAE as IP policy takes hold of APV industry

BAE Systems has agreed a licence for Jordan’s King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB) to manufacture parts for the CV90 Armoured Combat Vehicle for domestic use. The requirement, we were told, launches a new policy...

Indonesia seeks technology transfer to upgrade outdated hardware

Indonesia is looking to upgrade its military hardware through a technology transfer programme that would benefit local industries and reduce the country’s dependence on external suppliers.

UK: Conservative government will withdraw from EDA and re-install DESO

Britain’s Defence Export Service Organisation (DESO), which was responsible for IP until it was controversially disbanded by the current Labour administration, will be revived if, as expected, the Conservative Party wins the general election.