Business

Business - Doing Business With the Federal Government

Contract Opportunities on the website SAM.gov, opens a new window is the single government point-of-entry for Federal government procurement opportunities (it replaces the older FBO.gov, FedBizOpps, and Commerce Business Daily). 

If new to government contracting, the U.S. Small Business Administration's Contracting Guide, opens a new window explains the government contracting process. Not ready for a government contract yet? Learn about subcontracting opportunities, opens a new window.

Wage Determinations, opens a new window page of the SAM.gov (SCAs and DBAs).

The Government Auctions and Sales, opens a new window page of USA.gov lists federal assets for sales. Also search Surplus Personal Property Sales, opens a new window nationwide, Treasury auctions, opens a new window, and locate sales and authorized sellers of forfeited assets, opens a new window.

Federal Acquisition Regulation, opens a new window (FAR) page, with both current and archived regulations

Business - International 

Foreign currency exchange rates (current and historical) from the Treasury Department, opens a new window and the Federal Reserve, opens a new window.

U.S. Commercial Service in Atlanta helps teach how to export and make connections. Learn rules for exporting and , opens a new windowimporting (U.S. Customs and Border Protection). The Export-Import Bank, opens a new window helps with financing for companies big and small.

CROSS, opens a new window (Customs Rulings Online Search System), a searchable database of U.S. Customs and Border Protection rulings 1989-present. Harmonized Tariff schedule, opens a new window. Search the Intellectual Property Rights, opens a new window database.

The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, opens a new window (formerly Overseas Private Investment Corporation) assists U.S. private businesses with overseas enterprises, especially in new and emerging markets.

The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, opens a new window contains information about country sanctions, the Specially Designated Nationals List, and other information to know when doing business overseas.

Zoomable world time zone map, opens a new window from CIA via Library of Congress.

Country Information: State Department U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets, opens a new window  (formerly Background Notes) and CIA World Factbook, opens a new window cover land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and foreign relations of independent states, some dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty. The Country Commercial Guides, opens a new window contain information on commercial environments. Pronounce foreign names and places correctly with Voice of America's Pronunciation Guide, opens a new windowState Department telephone directory, opens a new window.

Business - Manage Your Business 

List your open positions in Georgia on Employ Georgia, opens a new window

U.S. Small Business Administration home page, opens a new window

The Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council, opens a new window offers certification and assistance to Minority Business Enterprises in Georgia. 

ZIP Code online directory, opens a new window.

Buy surplus merchandise and property from the U.S. Government, opens a new window or the Georgia Dept. of Administrative Services Surplus Property, opens a new window.

The Monthly Labor Review, opens a new window, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, has articles on the labor force, the economy, employment, inflation, productivity, occupational injuries and illnesses, wages, prices, and much more.

National Compensation Survey, opens a new window site, providing data on occupational earnings, compensation cost trends, benefit incidence, and detailed plan provisions. Detailed occupational earnings are available for broad geographic regions and public/private sectors. The index component of the NCS (ECI) measures changes in labor costs. Average hourly employer cost for employee compensation is presented in the ECEC.

OSHA's Small Business page, opens a new window offers compliance assistance resources, with information specifically geared to help small businesses establish safety and health programs and find and fix hazards to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses. Includes information about its free and confidential onsite consultation service, opens a new window.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Resources for Small Businesses, opens a new window can help businesses learn about environmental regulations that may affect them and find funding to implement good environmental practices. Links to Compliance Assistance Centers, opens a new window, to State-Specific Resources, opens a new window, and to enforcement information, opens a new window specific to small business and small communities.

Business - Starting a New Business 

USA.gov portal, opens a new window to resources for those who want their next career to be their new business.

Are you ready to start a business?, opens a new window, an interactive assessment tool designed to help you better understand your readiness for starting a small business. 

Learn how to write a business plan, opens a new window. See templates and free samples, opens a new window

SBA financing resources, opens a new window. The SBA offers loans, opens a new window through third-party lenders. Find government funding sources, opens a new window for which you might be eligible. Learn about government grants, opens a new window.

Free online training, opens a new window offered by SBA. Small Business Development Center training, opens a new window at Georgia State (free through 2020).The Small Business Development Center at Georgia State provides free business and economic development consulting for Fulton County (75 Piedmont Ave., NE. Suite 700; 404-413-7830).Young entrepreneurs can get SBA training, opens a new window.

The U.S. Minority Business Development Agency, opens a new window offers help for new minority-owned businesses. The Atlanta office of the MBDA is operated by the Enterprise Innovation Institute, opens a new window at Georgia Tech and its regional offices, opens a new window, including Fulton north and south.

Atlanta hosts SCORE Atlanta, opens a new window, a non-profit resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration that offers training and remote mentoring.

Veterans should begin at the VA's Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization, opens a new window website. This office helps veteran-owned and other small business concerns that are procurement-ready gain access to economic opportunities.

SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership, opens a new window provides business training and counseling, access to credit and capital, and marketing opportunities, including federal contracts

Some kinds of businesses work well as worker cooperatives, benefitting members and  communities. Find out more in Co-ops 101, opens a new window and Research on the Economic Impact of Cooperatives, opens a new window.

Permits

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service's Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center, opens a new window for tax-related information and how to get a Federal Tax Identification Number.
Georgia: Register a New Business, opens a new window.
City of Atlanta: Applying for a General Business License, opens a new window.

Unincorporated Fulton County plus other Fulton County cities, opens a new window (open "Who Issues Licenses For My Business Address?")

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