At a glance: Costa Rica
- FAR designated country: Yes — Free Trade Agreement country.
- Time difference: 1 to 2 hours behind US Eastern time, depending on the season.
- National trade promotion agency: PROCOMER.
- Known internationally for: medical devices and business services.
- Federal registration: SAM.gov, with an NCAGE code for companies outside the US.
General information, not legal advice. Confirm requirements for your products and contracts with qualified advisers.
US trade agreement status for Costa Rica
Costa Rica is listed in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) as a Free Trade Agreement country, under its free trade agreement with the United States. In federal procurements covered by those agreements, the Trade Agreements Act lets qualifying products from Costa Rica be treated like US products instead of being disadvantaged under the Buy American Act. Coverage depends on the agency, the type of purchase and the contract value, and products generally qualify when they are made, or substantially transformed, in Costa Rica.
Separate rules apply to infrastructure projects that state and local governments and utilities fund with federal money: Build America, Buy America (BABA) covers iron, steel, manufactured products and construction materials used in those projects, with waivers in limited cases. Our guide to how international companies sell to US government explains both rules.
The US public sector opportunity
Companies from Costa Rica are known internationally for medical devices and business services, categories that US agencies and utilities buy. The US public sector is a market of many separate buyers: the U.S. Census Bureau counted 91,438 local governments in 2025, alongside 50 states, federal agencies and thousands of electric, water and gas utilities. Each buys on its own budget calendar, which means a focused outbound approach can reach the right buyers without a national launch.
See selling to US utilities from abroad for how utilities buy.
What to prepare before entering the US
- A first segment. One or two buyer types where your product is strongest, such as water utilities, public safety agencies or school districts.
- A domestic-content position. Confirm which of your products qualify as made in Costa Rica for covered federal procurements, and how you will meet BABA where federally funded projects require it.
- Registrations. SAM.gov with an NCAGE code for federal work, plus state and local vendor registrations; see our list of state procurement portals.
- US-ready product and support. US standards and certifications for your category, pricing in US dollars and service in US time zones.
- A buying path. Direct sales, a US reseller or distributor, a cooperative contract held by a partner, or a US prime contractor.
PROCOMER, Costa Rica's national trade promotion agency, can also help with export support and introductions.
Working across time zones
Costa Rica is 1 to 2 hours behind US Eastern time, depending on the season. Working hours overlap with the US for most of the day, which makes live calls and meetings easy to schedule.
How KSG helps companies from Costa Rica
Kensington Sales Group helps international companies enter the US public sector in three stages: a Landing Pad to validate demand, a Beachhead with an embedded SDR team that books qualified meetings, and an Expansion stage that hands a working sales motion to your own US team. See our US market entry service.
Our work with international companies includes market research with more than 1,000 water agencies for Kamstrup and utility outreach that produced 70 qualified meetings for Siemens.
Sources: FAR 25.003 definitions, including designated countries; SAM.gov Quick Start Guide for International Registrations; U.S. Census Bureau, Government Organization Summary Report.