208.3—Petitions.
(a) Who may file.
A petition under this part may be filed with the Commission by an interested party, including a producer of fabric or yarn in a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country, a producer of apparel in a lesser developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African country, or any other person who demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Commission a proper interest in filing a petition.
(b) Contents of petition.
The Commission will consider only petitions that address a single yarn or single fabric. The term “a single yarn or single fabric” means a single product, which may be classified in more than one heading of the HTS or may be only part of a heading. A petition shall include the following information in support of a request for a Commission investigation and determination under this part, to the extent that such information is available from governmental or other sources. To the extent information is not available from such sources, the petition may be based on best estimates, including an explanation of the basis therefor. If the petition does not include the required information and/or estimates and explanation, the petition will not be accepted, and it will instead be returned to the submitter. All quantities must be expressed in the unit of quantity used in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, showing any conversion factors used (for example, most woven fabrics are reported in square meters, and most apparel are reported in numbers of units).
(1) Product description.
The name and description of the fabric or yarn concerned, including fiber content, yarn size, fabric construction, and finishing processes, specifying the United States tariff provision under which such article is classified (to the 8-digit level if possible) and the beneficiary sub-Saharan African country or countries in which the fabric or yarn is produced.
(2) Statement of interest.
The names and addresses of the interested party or parties filing the petition or represented in the petition, the location and nature of their establishments, a description of the fabrics, yarns, and apparel that they produce, import, and/or sell, for each party filing or represented (including but not limited to the fabric or yarn that is a subject of the petition), and the basis for asserting that such person or entity is an interested party eligible to file a petition under this part.
(3) Basis for certain statements.
The basis for asserting that the subject fabric or yarn produced in a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country is available in “commercial quantities” and for “use” in a lesser developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African country or countries. In support of a claim that such fabric or yarn is available in “commercial quantities,” provide evidence for the 3 most recent full years for which information is available, and partial year data for the most recent year (if less than a full year), that such fabric or yarn is available for sale to third parties and the quantities offered, and any evidence of such sales to third parties. Include advertisements or other documentation in support of such claim. In support of a claim that such fabric or yarn is available for “use” in a lesser developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African country or countries, provide evidence for the 3 most recent full years for which information is available, and partial year data for the most recent year (if less than a full year), of any offers, orders, or contracts or other supporting documentation. For orders already delivered, indicate the quantity involved and the time and location of the deliveries to the apparel producer. For orders for which deliveries have not yet been made, indicate the time or likely time of the receipt by an apparel producer in all countries where the fabric or yarn has been sold or offered for sale, including lesser developed sub-Saharan African country or countries.
(i)
Data on production, sales, inventories, and capacity, that is supportable through documentation that can be made available to the Commission, for each firm known or believed to be producing the subject fabric or yarn in a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country, for each of the 3 most recent full years for which data are available, and partial year data for the most recent year (if less than a full year);
(ii)
The name, address (house number, street, city, country, postal mailing number), telephone number, e-mail address, and contact person for each producer known or believed to be producing such fabric or yarn in a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country.
(5) Orders from apparel producers and other users.
Data on orders from apparel producers and other users in all countries where the fabric or yarn has been sold or offered for sale, including lesser developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries, by country, for the most recent full year and partial year (if less than a full year), and projected orders for the 1-year period (October 1-September 30) beginning after the Commission's determination. The information furnished shall include the full fabric or yarn specification in the order, including, but not limited to, the fiber content, yarn size, fabric construction, finishing processes, quantities, projected delivery time for the fabric or yarn to the customer identified in the order, and any other information that the interested party submitting the petition believes is relevant. It shall also include the name, address (house number, street, city, country, postal mailing number), telephone number, e-mail address, and contact person (i) for each beneficiary sub-Saharan African fabric or yarn producer identified in each reported order, and (ii) for each lesser developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African apparel producer or other user identified in each reported order.
(6) Estimated quantity available in next 1-year period.
Estimated production of the subject fabric or yarn, by firm, for the 1-year period (October 1-September 30) beginning after the Commission's determination, and an estimate of the quantity of such production of fabric or yarn, by firm, that will be available in lesser developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries in that 1-year period, and basis for that estimate, including orders and other supporting documents.