Specialized Management Topics

 International Business

• GlobalEdge/MSU-CIBER is a guide with links to international business sources on the Internet.
  globaledge.msu.edu/ibrd/ibrd.asp


• VIBES: Virtual International Business & Economics is a good meta site of 1,600+ links.
  libweb.uncc.edu/ref-bus/vibehome.htm


• Export.gov is the US Government's export portal.
  www.export.gov


• International Trade Administration has statistics, regulations, news and links.
  www.trade.gov


• STAT-USA has the National Trade Data Bank and GLOBUS – Global Business Opportunities. $
  www.stat-usa.gov


• CITRA is an SBDC program that offers U.S. companies assistance on how to comply with European trade regulations.
  www.citra.duq.edu


• TradePort has trade information and some Stat-USA reports for free.
  www.tradeport.org


• International Trade Data Network includes trade leads, statistics, reports. $
  www.itdn.net


• Thomas Global Register is a directory of industrial suppliers worldwide.
  www.tgrnet.com


• International Company Directories and Yellow Pages links to worldwide directories.
  www.globaledge.msu.edu/ibrd/busresmain.asp?ResourceCategoryID=14


• Kompass is a directory of 1.7 million companies worldwide.
  www.kompass.com


• Foreign Agricultural Service has information on agricultural issues worldwide.
  www.fas.usda.gov


• Trade Embargo List lists trade restrictions by country.
  www.pmdtc.org/country.htm


• Cross Border Tax & Transactions has information on legal and tax developments.
  www.crossborder.com


• World Factbook is the CIA's publication with country information.
  www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html


• International Market Research sites including Country Commercial Guides, statistics,etc.
  www.export.gov/mrktresearch/index.asp


• Strategis offers a broad array of information and resources on Canadian business.
  strategis.ic.gc.ca


• StatCan is the official Web site of Canada's statistical agency.
  www.statcan.ca

 Government Procurement

• FedBizOpps is the single point of electronic public access for procurement opportunities over $25,000. It replaces the Commerce Business Daily on the Internet.
  www.fedbizopps.gov


• Dept. of Defense Business Opportunities is a single entry point for all DoD procurement opportunities.
  dodbusopps.com


• FedMarket a commercial site that has some resources for selling to the government including the FAR.
  www.fedmarket.com


• Federal Acquisition Jumpstation links to key sites related to federal procurement.
  nais.nasa.gov/fedproc/home.html


• HUB Zone provides Federal contracting opportunities for qualified small businesses located in distressed areas.
  www.sbaonline.sba.gov/hubzone


• Fedgrants is a good site to use when searching for Federal grants funding.
  www.fedgrants.gov


• Central Contractor Registration is the web site for businesses interested in registering to sell to the government.
  www.ccr.gov

 Energy Efficiency and Environmental Compliance

• Environmental News Network provides daily environmental news updates.
  www.enn.com


• Environmental Protection Agency has news, publications and information for small business.
  www.epa.gov/smallbusiness


• Energy Information Administration has great statistics on energy topics.
  www.eia.doe.gov


• Energy Star Small Business Program describes this successful energy efficiency program.
  www.epa.gov/epahome/hi-energystar.htm


• Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Network is the DoE's site on energy efficiency.
  www.eere.energy.gov


• PA Department of Environmental Protection has good environmental information.
  www.depweb.state.pa.us


• Enviro$en$e has pollution prevention information and links.
  es.epa.gov/index.html


• EPA Compliance Assistance Centers
  www.epa.gov/compliance/assistance/index.html


• EPA Region III Business Assistance Center helps small businesses comply with EPA regulations.
  www.epa.gov/region03

Main Street Business Districts

• National Main Street Center has information on services and resources for revitalizing downtowns.
  www.mainstreet.org


• PA Downtown Center provides services to promote and support the vitality of PA downtowns.
  www.padowntown.org


• PA Retailers' Association has news and general information for PA retailers.
  www.paretailers.org


• PA Historical & Museum Commission has information on PA's historic building rehabilitation programs and tax incentives.
  www.phmc.state.pa.us/bhp/buildingrehab/overview.asp?secid=25


• ARCH lists the PA properties on the National Register of Historic Places.
  www.arch.state.pa.us


• National Park Service gives guideance on restoring and preserving historic buildings.
  www2.cr.nps.gov/tps/care

Disaster Preparedness
Check out Emergency Response Planning section of the Tool Box

• Federal Emergency Management Agency has volumes of information on emergency preparedness planning.
  www.fema.gov


• Emergency Management Guide for Business and Industry provides a step-by-step approach to emergency planning, response and recovery.
  www.fema.gov/library/bizindex.shtm


• SBA Disaster Assistance Website offers materials and resources to help small businesses make plans to recover from financial losses and business interruption associated with disasters.


• Ready.gov has a guide to preparing your business for a disaster.
  www.ready.gov


• Red Cross has “Preparing Your Business for the Unthinkable” and a lot of more general infomation.
  www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_606_,00.html


• Institute for Business and Home Safety has information on reducing losses from natural disasters.
  www.ibhs.org


• National Response Center is for reporting chemical and oil spills
  www.nrc.uscg.mil/nrchp.html


• Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA)
  www.pema.state.pa.us


• Pennsylvania Local Emergency Planning Committees
  www.dli.state.pa.us/landi/lib/landi/pdf/pennsafe/pdfs/emerplancomm.pdf


• Pennsylvania DEP Emergency Response Program responds to environmental emergencies
  www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/emergency_response.htm


• Hazardous Materials Preparedness Links


• 2004 Emergency Response Guide
  www.tc.gc.ca/canutec/erggmu/ergMenu.aspx


• PEMA Guides – Includes a Disaster Preparedness Planning Guide, Day Care Planning Tool Kit, Hazardous Materials Guide, and others


• Emergency Action Plans – OSHA requires businesses to have an Emergency Action Plan
  www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/evacuation/index.html


• Material Safety Data Sheets(MSDSs) – OSHA requires that MSDSs be maintained on-site, and that they are accessible during work hours
  www.osha.gov/SLTC/hazardcommunications


• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “Emergencies” Website
  www.epa.gov/ebtpages/emergencies.html


• EPA Toxics Release Inventory – Determine if you are required to report chemicals stored at your business
  www.epa.gov/tri


• EPA’s “Superfund Reportable Quantities (RQs)” Website – To date, EPA has established or proposed adjustments to the RQs for all of the roughly 800 Superfund substances
  www.epa.gov/oerrpage/superfund/programs/er/triggers/haztrigs/rqover.htm


• EPA’s “List of Lists” – Consolidated List of Chemicals Subject to the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)
  www.epa.gov/ceppo/pubs/title3.pdf

Military Reservists Employment Issues

• SBA Military Reservists Page has information on Military Reservists Economic Injury Disaster Loans and on debt relief for SBA loans.
  www.sba.gov/reservists


• Military Reservists Economic Injury Disaster Loans are explained with answers to FAQs from the Arkansas SBDC.
  asbdc.ualr.edu/bizfacts/520.asp?print=Y


• Department of Labor has compliance assistance help on the Uniformed Services Employment & Reemployment Rights Act.
  www.dol.gov/dol/compliance/comp-userra.htm


• DoL Veterans has information on employment and training for veterans.
  www.dol.gov/vets


• Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve sponsors programs for and gives awards to employers.
  www.esgr.org/employers2/programs.asp


• Reserve officers Association provides reserve and guard call-up information.
  www.roa.org