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Task Forces
Structure, Duties, and
Responsibilities
A
task force is a grouping
of Chamber members from
a particular sector or
industry.
Goals
-
Form
linkages
between U.S.
and Mexican
business
people
within a
certain
sector or
industry (networking);
-
Identify
impediments
to cross
border
commerce and
recommend
solutions (issue
development).
-
Promote
processes to
facilitate
cross border
commerce (bottom
line
profitability).
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Responsibilities of
Co-Chairs
Each task force will be
directed by a few of its
members who will co-chair
the task force
activities. At least one
of the co-chairs for
each task force will be
from Mexico and one of
the co-chairs will take
the leadership role as
chairperson. Co-chairs
will be responsible for:
-
Obtaining
sponsorships
for the
annual NAFTA
conference
and other
task force
activities;
-
Taking a
lead role in
the
organization
of the
sectoral
session for
the NAFTA
conference
in
Washington
in May of
each year,
providing a
focal point
for that
year's
activities;
-
Organizing
trade
missions or
sectoral
workshops;
-
Developing
white papers
to explain
existing
impediments
or issues
related to
cross border
commerce and
recommend
solutions;
-
Organizing
special
binational
projects.
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Benefits
-
Promote
corporate
identity and
good
business
practices in
order to
make cross
border trade
and
investment
more
profitable
for
participating
companies;
-
Increase the
base of
Chapter
membership
and
financial
support for
Chapter
activities;
-
Broaden the
base of
financial
support for
binational
Chamber
activities;
-
Facilitate
the
implementation
of the NAFTA
agreement
leading to
increased
cross border
commerce
thereby
improving
the
opportunities
of the
citizens of
the United
States and
Mexico.
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Organization
Each task force will be
assigned either to a
chapter or the
binational headquarters
office in Washington for
administrative purposes.
The Chamber will
identify a task force
coordinator (usually a
chapter staff member)
for each task force to
assist the co-chairs in
carrying out the task
force functions.
Task forces are
binational in nature.
Staff from the
binational office in
Washington will manage
task force activities.
Reporting
Task force coordinator
is responsible for
reporting on-going
activities to the
binational office.
Management and
Distribution of Funds
Each task force is
charged with raising
funds for the annual
NAFTA Conference in
Washington and to
support task force
activities. Each task
force has the goal of
raising a minimum of
$15,000 each year for
the NAFTA Conference.
This money will go
directly to the
binational office to
offset the costs of
hosting the conference
and will pay for one
table at the Good
Neighbor Awards dinner
for the use of task
force members. Funds
raised over and above
the $15,000 will be
shared as follows: 50
percent to the task
force, 25 percent to the
chapter hosting the task
force, and 25 percent to
the binational office.
Funds raised by a task
force for specific task
force activities (eg.,
trade missions) will be
deposited into the
chapter's task force sub-account
at the chapter or
binational office where
it is administratively
housed. Expenses for
that activity will be
paid out of the task
force sub-account. Any
surplus from these
activities will be
retained to support
future task force
activities. Use of these
funds will be at the
discretion of the task
force co-chairs but the
task force coordinator
must provide the
binational office a
quarterly report on the
use of these funds.
Funding for task force
activities from the task
force funds held by the
binational office may
only be for approved
expenses. These would
include airfare and
hotel accommodations for
task force coordinator
for a specific task
force event; pre-approved
airfare and hotel
accommodations for a
guest speaker from the
government, academic, or
non-profit sectors; pre-approved
marketing costs; or
other pre-approved
expenses.
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