The State Department is seeking comments on an information collection related to disclosures of the Arms Export Control Act, according to an Oct. 28 notice. In a summary of the information collection, the State Department said it has developed a “discrete form” for submitting voluntary disclosures “as part of an IT modernization project designed to streamline the collection and use of information by” the Directorate of Defense Trade controls. The form will allow DDTC and submitters “to more easily track submissions,” the notice said. Comments are due Nov. 27.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released a report Oct. 25 on prospects for U.S. exporters in West Africa, saying certain countries in the region are unable to meet agricultural demand and present “plenty of opportunities” for U.S. exporters. The countries include Côte d’Ivoire, the Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal. The report contains detailed trade analysis and key agricultural trade prospects for each nation, including which exports have the most potential. While the USDA said some “challenges and trade barriers do exist in the region” -- including bans on certain poultry products -- the U.S. should be aiming to build better relationships with West Africa, which will lead to more market access in other African regions.

The State Department approved a potential military sale to Bahrain worth about $150 million, to refurbish an “Oliver Hazard Perry Class ship,” the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in an Oct. 23 press release. The principal contractor for the sale has not yet been chosen.

The State Department approved a potential sale to South Korea of $253 million worth of defense goods, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in an Oct. 17 press release. The sale includes 120 medium range air-to-air missiles, the DSCA said, along with containers, weapon support equipment and spare parts. The principal contractor is Massachusetts-based Raytheon.

The Treasury Department recently posted a summary of public briefings in September by officials on proposed regulations under the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018 (see 1909180018).

The Export-Import Bank is extending the public comment period as it reviews the bank’s “Economic Impact Procedures and Methodology,” according to an Oct. 15 notice. Comments are now due Oct. 23.

The Export-Import Bank of the United States is extending the deadline for public comments on its guidelines for “determining Additionality on requests the Bank receives to support export transactions with repayment amortizing over the medium or long term,” according to an Oct. 15 notice. Comments are now due Oct. 23.

The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs completed a review of a Commerce Department rule that would restrict additional exports and re-exports to Cuba, the OIRA said.

A top U.S. Department of Agriculture official is traveling with about 80 industry representatives and state government officials to Vietnam Oct. 15-18 to try to expand markets for U.S. exporters, USDA said in an Oct. 11 press release. Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney will lead the group to Ho Chi Minh City and also meet buyer delegations from Thailand and Burma, USDA said.

The State Department approved potential sales to Kuwait and Tunisia of about $281 million and $234 million worth of defense items, respectively, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in notices released Oct. 11. The sale to Kuwait involves 19 “M88A2 Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lifting Extraction System (HERCULES) recovery vehicles,” the DSCA said, and the sale to Tunisia involves 12 “T-6C Texan trainer aircraft and related equipment and support.” The principal contractors in the Kuwait sale are Pennsylvania-based BAE Systems, Nevada-based US Ordnance, Texas-based Raytheon and Virginia-based DRS Technologies, Harris Corp. and Northrop Grumman. The prime contractor for the Tunisia sale will be Kansas-based Textron Aviation Defense