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The Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers also offer services
to small business owners through a number of specialized
programs. These programs provide
assistance in areas requiring greater depth of knowledge and
experience beyond standard business management expertise.
Environmental Management Assistance Program (EMAP)
Are you concerned about the 20-30% electricity price increases expected by 2010 due to deregulation? Do you want help in preparing environmental permit applications, forms and plans? Do you need advice on environmental, energy efficiency, or health & safety regulatory issues? Would you like a free, confidential on-site assessment of your building with suggestions to improve energy efficiency, finding possible grant opportunities, and input to the permitting process for commercial space? The Environmental Management Assistance Program (EMAP) provides small business owners and entrepreneurs with no-cost, strictly confidential, on-site consultations by qualified environmental specialists.
To access EMAP services, please complete the Wharton SBDC request for consulting form and indicate your interest in this area by visting this link.
EMAP’s free and confidential assistance includes:
- One-on-one consulting help with environmental management strategies, regulatory compliance, energy efficiency and waste minimization, and help with finding sources of financing for environmental upgrades.
- Confidential assistance for understanding and preparing environmental permit applications, forms and plans.
- Incorporating environmental considerations within strategic business management and planning activities.
- Environmental training seminars.
- Liaison to regulatory enforcement agencies.
- Help with development and commercialization of new environmental & energy technologies by helping prepare and review proposals, finding new markets and opportunities, and identifying potential funding sources and partners.
For additional information about EMAP services, please visit the EMAP website at www.askemap.org or call their toll-free, confidential environmental hotline at (877) ASK-EMAP.
Government Marketing Assistance
Program — To help companies
sell to federal, state, local and quasi-government agencies,
the SBDC's
Government Marketing Assistance Program provides assistance in marketing products and services to government and help with proposal preparation and contract compliance. The computerized Bid Match system provides targeted contract leads for foreign, federal, state,and local government opportunities. The
program saves businesses time and money by matching a firm's
goods and services with bids and leads published in the
Commerce
Business
Daily and The Pennsylvania Bulletin, as well as requests
for small bids from the Defense Logistics Agency and various
other
government
agencies.
* Small firms in Southeast Pennsylvania looking
to enter the government marketplace can take advantage of the
Southeastern
Pennsylvania
Procurement Technical Assistance Program by calling 215-898-1219.
Technology
Commercialization Assistance Program — The Technology Commercialization
Assistance Program assists
high growth
and technology firms with sophisticated business management
issues
including alternative
financing, human resources, patents and trademarking,
intellectual property, and product commercialization.
Cooperating with
their host institutions, the Technology Commercialization
Assistance
Program also helps U.S. Department of Defense
contractors who are struggling locate markets outside of the Department
of Defense.
International
Business Assistance Program —
To help companies export Pennsylvania products and services,
the SBDC's
International Business
Assistance Program helps companies to:
- Assess their
international trade readiness
- Evaluate
their products
or services for export potential
- Identify the
best foreign market opportunities
- Develop strategic and marketing plans
- Identify
foreign sales agents and distributors
- Plan market
entry strategies
- Understand
international trade procedures and regulations
- Find
information
on technical standards and export/import documentation
- Determine sources of trade financing and risk management
- Identify
trade mission and trade show opportunities
- Determine
import restrictions,
duties and tariffs.
Product
Development Center —
The Product Development Center helps inventors bring
products to market by
offering engineering
services
early in the development cycle, before major investment
is attracted. With the help of engineering students,
faculty and outside resources
they perform patent searches, assist with technical
appraisals, conduct brainstorming sessions, evaluate
and review design
options, source component suppliers and provide computer-aided design (CAD)
drawings.
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