Specialized Consulting Services

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.

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.