AMS Group works with its clients to create success in the highly competitive US marketplace. While the definition of success may vary among clients, since 1983 AMS has developed a clear understanding of the major issues facing any company that is looking to succeed in the USA in the long-term.  Despite the apparent “openness” of the USA market, there is a strong preference for domestic suppliers, especially among Federal customers, and AMS assists its clients in the development and implementation of appropriate strategies as they seek to create a lasting US presence and identity. 

AMS offers a full range of services, including sales representation, market surveys and assessments, equipment and service support, as well as the formation of bespoke US companies, providing our clients with comprehensive domestic sales, logistic support and manufacturing facilities. 

Sales and Marketing:

Product Sales and Marketing services provided to our clients include the active promotion and sale of products and services to our federal and commercial customers, the identification of sales opportunities, provision of market assessment studies, monitoring and identification of applicable government and industry procedures and regulations and status of key personnel.

Market Evaluation:

AMS offers our clients:

• Identification of market opportunities
• Competition assessment
• Evaluation of market characteristics
• Preparation and implementation of marketing plans
• Monitoring of US Government programs and commercial opportunities
• Identification of applicable Government procedures and regulations
• Contact and relationship with key decision makers

Tender Preparation:

AMS assists our clients with the preparation of tenders to meet demanding customer requirements. AMS is experienced in the acquisition process and in analyzing RFPs and RFQs to ensure responsiveness.  This work includes the development of pre-proposal strategies, strawman proposal development, storyboard development, and the review process.  We help our clients examine the customer requirements, comparing them to the client’s basic offering, and then develop a Gap Analysis allowing for new solutions or team members to be added where needed. Our personnel are experienced in all facets of proposal development and implementation including design, configuration, problem identification, prioritizing, tracking, and resolution.

Contract Management Services:

AMS provides our clients:

• Full contract management
• Design and application engineering assistance
• Preparation of full technical documentation and ILS requirements
• Shipping, customs clearance, exchange risk management
• Quality Control
• Environmental testing, e.g. MIL-S-901D

Through Life Support – Logistics Support:

Through Life Support is critical to the success of any company doing business in the USA. Simply put “you can’t sell it if you can’t support it.” AMS has invested heavily in its support capability, maintaining an extensive inventory of spare and replacement parts in support of installed equipment.  Factory authorized service engineers are available for on-site customer support and are fully supported by depot level repair capabilities for key equipments. 

AMS provides:

• Spares provisioning
• Trained service engineer support
• Installation and training assistance
• Maintenance contracts

The United States has a preference for buying from US based suppliers. This local presence can be achieved in a number of ways, including the appointment of independent distributors, the establishment of wholly owned subsidiary, or through the formation of a joint venture. Overseas companies are well advised to consider the establishment of a US based entity, thereby becoming a domestic supplier.

While working through an independent entity, i.e. a distributor or a representative, may be the simplest method for accessing the USA market, it also has three inherent disadvantages:

• The arrangement is temporary – either party can terminate the arrangement at will
• The control of the route to market is limited and inflexible - it is governed by the agreement between the parties
• The company does not participate in the US revenues – the US company keeps the US income.

The formation of a wholly owned subsidiary addresses each of these issues. However, it presents its own set of difficulties; it is expensive, it is difficult and it takes time.

Therefore, it is proposed that a third approach may be the most viable for many companies; namely the formation of a joint venture. The JV approach addresses all of the concerns identified above while providing additional benefits. Specifically, the overseas company is the majority stockholder and has control over the operation and direction of the JV Company and: 

• Enjoys the "Lion’s Share" of the US revenues
• Avoids the high cost and high risk of establishing the required infrastructure,
• The JV can be established in the minimum time and many of the required assets are already in place, and
• The US based JV is a permanent entity, which can continue ad infinitum, or be terminated at the will of the majority 

AMS Group offers a proven mechanism for the establishment of Joint Venture companies which work on the basis that the clients is the majority shareholder (AMS is the minority) while AMS provides a range of management and administrative services, including:

• Business formation
• Legal services 
• Company administration
• Sales/Marketing
• Accounting and finance
• Premises and premises management
• Personnel selection
• Logistics support