Call for Expression of Interest

The Export Navigator Technical Specialist Pilot Program will provide Export Navigator clients with free access to a network of professional service providers that bring deep and relevant sector specific or discipline specific expertise to provide insight, strategic and technical advice to overcome barriers and complement the services provided by Export Advisors (EAs).

Areas of expertise will include those commonly needed by new exporters to plan and prepare to enter new international markets such as but not limited to:

International legal services
International accounting and financial services
Logistics, freight and shipping advisory services
Marketing and branding consulting
Market Research
E-commerce and operations management consulting
Regulatory and compliance advisory services

Activities such as:

Cross border taxation and accounting
International financial advising
Immigration and visa consulting
IP, trademark and patent advisory services
Incorporation and legal advice
Customs, freight forwarding and logistics consulting
Product classification and rulings consulting
International marketing, labeling and packaging advice
Language and translation advisory services
Preliminary market research to enter new markets
Competitor analysis or outreach to potential buyers
E-commerce and operations management consulting
Standards reviews, product audits and testing consulting
Privacy and data consulting
Inspections, approvals, certificates and licensing advice
Regulatory and compliance consulting (environmental, fish and wildlife, livestock)

Technical specialists will complement the service provided by Export Advisors by consulting in specialized areas that solve issues otherwise posing a barrier to entering new markets. The scope of services will include consulting, or strategic advice concluding with a set of strategic recommendations to advance the company’s export journey. This work may be provided in collaboration with Export Advisors, or independently, as determined by Export Advisors.

Yes, self-employed individuals, sole proprietorships and incorporated businesses are eligible to participate.

Yes. We recognize that skills and experience needed to support our network of small businesses may be in-market by the nature of the service provided. However, we reserve the right to match B.C.-based businesses with our clients first.

We request that you gather all information required to complete the application form before submitting. We recognize that persons may not be directly applying for themselves, and have designed our EOI application to accommodate. Multiple applications can be made by submitting a separate application for each Technical Specialist applying.

Yes. Each of our approved technical specialists will be compensated for their time and expertise based on an approved and agreed upon hourly rate. You will invoice Export Navigator for your hours and will be paid according to invoices submitted to the program.

Once matched, Technical Specialists will spend an average of one to five hours working with their paired small business client to advance their export journey, depending on the nature of their engagement.

Excluded from the program is payment for services such as filing incorporation fees, trademark or patent registrations, immigration and visa applications, certificate, licenses, or audit fees, marketing or advertising spend, grant writing or grant application services, employee wages and salaries. The scope of services will be limited to include consulting, or strategic advice concluding with a set of strategic recommendations to advance the company’s export journey.

Export Navigator will match technical specialists and businesses based on area of expertise and regional availability where applicable. An introduction will be made by email and will include the business' Export Advisor as an additional point of contact.

No. The technical specialists that are matched with businesses under this program were selected through an Expression of Interest application process and are approved to provide professional services to Export Navigator clients.

The Expression of Interest is now open. The EOI will be a competitive process and will close once all relevant experts have been secured.

All approved technical specialist applicants will be contacted directly by the Export Navigator team and asked to attend an informational interview or webinar to verify participation in the program.

If you have additional questions on program details or eligibility, please contact our team at [email protected].