United States Government Accountability Office

GAO Report to Congressional Requesters

SCIENCE AND 

TECHNOLOGY 

Information on 

Federal Programs and 

Interagency Efforts 

That Support Small 

Businesses Engaged in 

Manufacturing 

May 2007 

 

GAO-07-714 
What GAO Found

United States Government Accountability Office

Why GAO Did This Study

Highlights

Accountability Integrity Reliability

May 2007

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 

Information on Federal Programs and 

Interagency Efforts That Support Small 

Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing 

Highlights of GAO-07-714, a report to 

congressional requesters 

Small businesses engaged in

manufacturing, typically those with

500 or fewer employees, comprise

about 90 percent of all U.S. 

manufacturers and employ 6 

million workers. Recent studies 

have shown that small 

manufacturing businesses face a

number of challenges in their 

efforts to remain competitive, 

including the inability to obtain 

operating and investment capital, a

lack of familiarity with new 

business practices, and difficulty in 

finding independent advice and 

skilled employees. To help these 

businesses overcome such

challenges, many federal agencies 

provide financial and nonfinancial

technical services through targeted 

or general programs or create 

interagency work groups to better 

coordinate their efforts and more

effectively support these 

businesses. 

In this context, GAO identified (1) 

federal programs that provide

services to support small 

businesses engaged in

manufacturing and (2) federal

interagency efforts that focus on

issues of concern to small 

manufacturing businesses. To 

identify these programs and efforts,

GAO obtained documentation from 

19 federal agencies. 

In commenting on a draft of this 

report, 18 of the 19 agencies made

technical comments that we have

incorporated as appropriate. 

GAO is not making

recommendations in this report. 

GAO identified 254 federal programs that provide services to support the 

business sector, of which 5 provide services specifically to small businesses 

engaged in manufacturing and an additional 15 target manufacturers, 

regardless of their size. Seven of the 20 programs had data on the level of 

services provided to small manufacturing businesses, and between fiscal 

years 2004 through 2006 these programs provided over $35 million and 

served from about 8,000 small manufacturing businesses in 2004 to over 

9,000 in 2006. The 5 programs that target small businesses engaged in 

manufacturing provide primarily nonfinancial technical assistance to help 

firms improve the efficiency of their manufacturing operations and their 

quality control processes as well as to solve specific manufacturing

problems. These 5 programs also offer small manufacturing businesses 

general assistance with their strategic and business planning, accounting and 

financing, and sales and marketing. In addition, 1 of the 5 programs offers 

financial assistance. Of the 15 programs that provide services to 

manufacturers, regardless of their size, 9 offer only nonfinancial services 

similar to the 5 that target small manufacturing firms, and 6 also provide 

financial services. Small businesses engaged in manufacturing also can 

obtain services from 127 other federal programs that are available to all 

small businesses, regardless of their business type. Many of these programs 

provide general business and management services, and about 35 percent 

also offer financial services, such as loans or grants. Finally, small 

manufacturing businesses can obtain general business, export, and financial 

services from an additional 107 federal programs designed to help the 

business sector in general, regardless of the size or type of the business 

involved. Because not all of these programs gather data on the size of the 

businesses they serve, it is unclear how many small manufacturing firms 

received services from these general programs. 

GAO identified 20 federal interagency efforts that focus on supporting the 

business sector. Of these 20 efforts, 4 were created specifically to focus on 

the challenges that small businesses engaged in manufacturing face, and 2 

were created to focus on issues relevant to manufacturers in general, 

regardless of their size. The agencies involved in 3 of the 4 interagency 

efforts that focus on the concerns of small manufacturing businesses 

collaborate to expand and coordinate their services through national 

networks of technical assistance centers. The 4

th effort involves efforts to 

help small manufacturing businesses improve the efficiency of their 

operations. The 2 interagency efforts that focus on issues relevant to 

manufacturers in general focus on developing strategies to improve the 

competitiveness of manufacturers and resolving issues associated with 

manufacturing-related research and development policies, programs, and 

budgets. The remaining 14 interagency efforts that GAO identified focus on 

the concerns of small businesses or of all businesses in general, which may 

include some issues that also are of concern to small manufacturing 

businesses. 

www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-714.

To view the full product, including the scope 

and methodology, click on the link above. 

For more information, contact Anu K. Mittal at 

(202) 512-3841 or mittala@gao.gov. 
Contents 

Letter 1

Results in Brief 3 

Background 5

Few Federal Programs Target Small Businesses Engaged in

Manufacturing, but Services Are Available through over 200 

Federal Programs That Broadly Support the U.S. Business 

Sector 8

Six Interagency Efforts Support Manufacturing, and 14 Support All 

Businesses, Including Manufacturers 19 

Agency Comments 22 

Appendix I Objectives, Scope, and Methodology 24 

Appendix II Department of Agriculture – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of 

Services 27 

Appendix III Department of Commerce – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of 

Services 33 

Appendix IV Department of Defense - Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of 

Services 44 

Appendix V Department of Education – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of 

Services 54 

Page i GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix VI Department of Energy – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of 

Services 55 

Appendix VII Department of Health and Human Services – 

Programs that Offer Services to Small 

Manufacturers and Types of Services 58 

Appendix VIII Department of Homeland Security – Programs 

that Offer Services to Small Manufacturers and 

Types of Services 65 

Appendix IX Housing and Urban Development – Programs that 

Offer Services to Small Manufacturers and 

Types of Service 67 

Appendix X Department of the Interior - Programs that 

Offer Services to Small Manufacturers and Types 

of Services 70 

Appendix XI Department of Labor – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of 

Services 72 

Appendix XII Department of Transportation– Programs that 

Offer Services to Small Manufacturers and 

Types of Services 76 

Page ii GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XIII Department of Veterans Affairs – Programs that 

Offer Services to Small Manufacturers and Types 

of Services 80 

Appendix XIV Environmental Protection Agency – Programs that 

Offer Services to Small Manufacturers and Types 

of Services 83 

Appendix XV Export-Import Bank – Programs that Offer Services 

to Small Manufacturers and Types of Services 87 

Appendix XVI National Aeronautics and Space Administration – 

Programs that Offer Services to Small 

Manufacturers and Types of Services 88 

Appendix XVII National Science Foundation – Programs that 

Offer Services to Small Manufacturers and Types 

of Services 91 

Appendix XVIII Small Business Administration – Programs that 

Offer Services to Small Manufacturers and 

Types of Services 93 

Appendix XIX Appalachian Regional Commission – Programs that 

Offer Services to Small Manufacturers and Types 

of Services 101 

Appendix XX Robert C. Byrd National Technology Transfer Center – 

Page iii GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Programs that Offer Services to Small 

Manufacturers and Types of Services 103 

Appendix XXI Interagency Efforts that Address Concerns of 

Small Businesses and Businesses Regardless of 

Size and Type 104 

Appendix XXII Studies of Programs that Support Small 

Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing 110 

List of Studies 110 

Appendix XXIII GAO Contacts and Staff Acknowledgments 116

Tables 

Table 1: Funding and Participation for 3 Programs That Serve

Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing, Fiscal Years 

2004-2006 11

Table 2: Funding or Participation or Both for 7 Federal Programs 

That Provided Services to Manufacturers, Regardless of 

Size, Fiscal Years 2004-2006 14 

Table 3: Funding and Participation by Small Businesses in Federal 

Programs That Serve Small Businesses, Regardless of 

Type, Fiscal Years 2004-2006 17 

Table 4: Services Provided by 107 Federal Programs to Businesses, 

Regardless of Size and Type 19 

Table 5: Four Interagency Efforts Address Concerns of Small 

Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing 20 

Table 6: Two Interagency Efforts Address the Concerns of 

Manufacturers, Regardless of Size 21 

Table 7: Department of Agriculture Programs That Offer Services 

to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturers by Agency, 

Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose 27 

Table 8: Services Provided by Department of Agriculture Programs 

by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of Services 31 

Page iv GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Table 9: Department of Commerce Programs That Offer Services to 

Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturers by Agency, 

Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose 33 

Table 10: Services Provided by Department of Commerce 

Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of 

Services 40

Table 11: Department of Defense Programs That Offer Services to 

Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by Agency, 

Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose 44 

Table 12: Services Provided by Department of Defense Programs 

by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of Services 51 

Table 13: Department of Education Programs That Offer Services 

to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by Agency, 

Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose 54 

Table14: Services Provided by Department of Education Programs 

by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of Services 54 

Table 15: Department of Energy Programs That Offer Services to 

Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by Agency, 

Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose 55 

Table 16: Services Provided by Department of Energy Programs by 

Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of Services 57 

Table 17: Department of Health and Human Services Programs 

That Offer Services to Small Businesses Engaged in 

Manufacturing by Agency, Target Businesses, and Agency

Description of Purpose 58 

Table 18: Services Provided by Department of Health and Human 

Services Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and 

Type of Services 62 

Table 19: Department of Homeland Security Programs That Offer 

Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by

Agency, Target Businesses, and Agency Description of 

Purpose 65

Table 20: Services Provided by Department of Homeland Security 

Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of 

Services 66

Table 21: Department of Housing and Urban Development 

Programs That Offer Services to Small Businesses 

Engaged in Manufacturing by Agency, Target Businesses 

and Agency Description of Purpose 67 

Table 22: Services Provided by Department of Housing and Urban 

Development Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and 

Type of Services 69 

Page v GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Table 23: Department of the Interior Programs That Offer Services 

to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by Agency, 

Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose 70 

Table 24: Services Provided by Department of the Interior 

Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of 

Services 71

Table 25: Department of Labor Programs That Offer Services to 

Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by Agency, 

Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose 72 

Table 26: Services Provided by Department of Labor Programs by 

Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of Services 74 

Table 27: Department of Transportation Programs That Offer 

Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by

Agency, Target Businesses, and Agency Description of 

Purpose 76

Table 28: Services Provided by Department of Transportation 

Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of 

Services 78

Table 29: Department of Veterans Affairs Programs That Offer 

Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by

Agency, Target Businesses, and Agency Description of 

Purpose 80

Table 30: Services Provided by Department of Veterans Affairs 

Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of 

Services 81

Table 31: Environmental Protection Agency Programs That Offer 

Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by

Agency, Target Businesses, and Agency Description of 

Purpose 83

Table 32: Services Provided by Environmental Protection Agency 

Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of 

Services 85

Table 33: Export-Import Bank Programs That Offer Services to

Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by Agency, 

Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose 87 

Table 34: Services Provided by Export-Import Bank Programs by 

Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of Services 87 

Table 35: National Aeronautics and Space Administration Programs 

That Offer Services to Small Businesses Engaged in 

Manufacturing by Agency, Target Businesses, and Agency

Description of Purpose 88 

Page vi GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Table 36: Services Provided by National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, 

and Type of Services 89 

Table 37: National Science Foundation Programs That Offer 

Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by

Agency, Target Businesses, and Agency Description of 

Purpose 91

Table 38: Services Provided by National Science Foundation 

Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of 

Services 92

Table 39: Small Business Administration Programs That Offer 

Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by

Agency, Target Businesses, and Purpose 93 

Table 40: Services Provided by Small Business Administration

Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of 

Services 98

Table 41: Appalachian Regional Commission Programs That Offer 

Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by

Agency, Target Businesses, and Agency Description of 

Purpose 101

Table 42: Services Provided by Appalachian Regional Commission 

Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of 

Services 102

Table 43: Robert C. Byrd National Technology Transfer Center 

Programs That Offer Services to Small Businesses 

Engaged in Manufacturing by Agency, Target Businesses, 

and Agency Description of Purpose 103 

Table 44: Services Provided by the Robert C. Byrd National 

Technology Transfer Center Programs by Agency, Target 

Businesses, and Type of Services 103 

Table 45: Five Interagency Efforts Address the Concerns of Small 

Businesses, Regardless of Type 104 

Table 46: Nine Interagency Efforts Address the Concerns of All 

Businesses, Regardless of Size or Type 106 

Page vii GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Abbreviations 

DSTARR Defense Small Business Technology and Readiness Resources 

Program 

EPA Environmental Protection Agency

FSIS Food Safety and Inspection Service 

ITA International Trade Administration 

MEP Manufacturing Extension Partnership 

MTAPP Manufacturing Technical Assistance Production Program 

NAICS North American Industry Classification System 

NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology 

R&D Research and development 

SBA Small Business Administration 

SBIR Small Business Innovation Research Program 

TAA Trade Adjustment Assistance 

TIDE Technology Insertion, Demonstration, and Evaluation 

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Page viii GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
United States Government Accountability Office

Washington, DC 20548 

May 18, 2007

The Honorable Steve Chabot 

Ranking Member 

Committee on Small Business 

House of Representatives 

The Honorable Donald A. Manzullo 

House of Representatives 

The ability of U.S. manufacturers to successfully compete in the global

economy is essential to the nation’s continued economic growth and 

standard of living. Small businesses engaged in manufacturing (referred to 

as “small manufacturers” in this report), typically those with 500 or fewer

employees, comprise over 90 percent of all U.S. manufacturers and employ 

6 million workers.1

 Recent studies have shown that these small 

manufacturers were particularly hard hit during the recession that began 

in 2001 and the subsequent slow economic recovery, and that these 

manufacturers continue to face serious challenges to their efforts to 

remain competitive. These challenges include difficulties in obtaining 

operating capital and investment funds to modernize their operations; 

their relative lack of familiarity with changing technology, production 

techniques, and business management practices; difficulties in finding 

high-quality, independent advice and assistance; and difficulties in 

obtaining skilled employees. While the federal government has devoted 

considerable resources to programs that can help small businesses, 

including manufacturers, to more effectively address these types of 

challenges and compete in today’s global market, industry analysts believe 

that many small manufacturers may be unaware of this assistance. 

Federal programs that support manufacturing and other businesses offer 

services designed to help businesses improve their operations in a range of

areas. For example, programs may offer financial services in the form of 

loans or loan guarantees to help businesses obtain funds for daily or 

export operations or to acquire needed buildings or equipment. Federal

programs also may offer nonfinancial services, such as consulting or 

 1

Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, Statistics of U.S. Businesses – 2004. 

Page 1 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
assessments, to help businesses improve their efficiency, adopt modern 

technologies, export their products, or train their workers. 

In addition to programs that help individual businesses, federal support for 

small businesses engaged in manufacturing may take the form of 

interagency efforts that bring together officials from several federal 

agencies to focus on specific challenges that businesses face. For example, 

interagency efforts may focus on ensuring consistency in how a program is 

implemented by more than one agency or in how a program might better 

meet the needs of the businesses it serves. In other cases, interagency

efforts may address a specific task, such as coordinating research 

programs across several agencies. These types of interagency efforts may 

disband once their task is complete. 

In this context we identified (1) those programs that provide services to 

support manufacturing by U.S. small businesses and, for fiscal years 2004 

through 2006, the services and funds these programs provided and their 

levels of participation and (2) current federal interagency efforts that 

support manufacturing by U.S. small businesses. In addition, we compiled 

a list of studies that focused on federal programs that support small 

businesses engaged in manufacturing. See appendix XXII. 

To identify agencies and programs that provide services to support 

manufacturing by small businesses, we obtained documentation and 

interviewed officials at 17 executive departments, independent agencies, 

and a government corporation, including the Departments of Agriculture,

Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, 

Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, the Interior, Labor,

Transportation, and Veterans Affairs; Environmental Protection Agency; 

Export-Import Bank; National Aeronautics and Space Administration; 

National Science Foundation; and Small Business Administration. 

Throughout this report we refer collectively to these executive 

departments, independent agencies, and the government corporation as 

“agencies”. We also searched the agencies’ Web sites and the Catalog of 

Federal Domestic Assistance and interviewed officials representing state 

governments and trade associations. Through these efforts, we also 

identified relevant federal efforts at the National Technology Transfer 

Center and the Appalachian Regional Commission, bringing the total to 19 

federal entities that administer programs offering services to businesses, 

including small manufacturers. We included assistance provided by federal 

entities and through contracts or other agreements with state governments 

as well as private and nonprofit entities that operate on the federal 

government’s behalf. We focused our work on federal programs that 

Page 2 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
support businesses by addressing challenges in the following five areas: 

obtaining capital; developing or deploying new technologies; applying 

improved technology, business, and management practices; exporting 

goods; and training workers. Because agencies may not track funding and 

participation in a consistent manner, the information they reported to us is 

an estimate of the minimum funding provided and businesses served. We 

excluded federal research programs that focus on advancing 

manufacturing-related knowledge and tools, but that do not offer 

operational services or financing to manufacturers. Because no 

comprehensive list of federal programs that provide services to 

manufacturers or other businesses exists, we cannot guarantee that we 

identified all such programs. However, we attempted to verify the 

accuracy and completeness of the information we gathered with relevant 

agency officials. Officials reviewed and verified information on over 70

percent of the programs that we identified. The information we included 

that was not reviewed by agency officials was obtained from agency

documents and information contained in agency Web sites. The program 

descriptions included in this report, including the appendix descriptions, 

were derived from agency materials and do not reflect independent GAO 

legal analysis of any relevant program statutes, regulations, or

administrative guidance.

To identify interagency efforts to support small businesses, we searched

the agencies’ Web sites; obtained documentation; and interviewed officials 

at federal agencies and at organizations that represent state government 

officials and trade associations. We included both ongoing interagency

efforts that coordinate the activities of programs that operate in multiple 

agencies and task-specific interagency efforts that may disband upon 

completion of an assigned task. We attempted to verify the information we 

gathered on these interagency efforts with relevant agency officials and 

reviewed available documentation on the mission, goals, and

accomplishments of each effort. We consulted GAO technical experts and 

determined that the information and data were sufficiently reliable for this

report. See appendix I for more details on the objectives, scope, and 

methodology. We conducted our work from May 2006 to April 2007 in 

accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. 

Of the 254 federal programs we identified that provide services that small 

businesses engaged in manufacturing can avail themselves of, only 5 

programs specifically target this class of businesses and 15 programs 

target all manufacturers regardless of their size. Over $35 million was 

provided from fiscal years 2004 to 2006, by 7 of the 20 programs that had 

Results in Brief 

Page 3 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
funding data on the services they provided to small businesses engaged in 

manufacturing. The number of small manufacturing firms that received 

services from these 7 programs ranged from about 8,000 in 2004 to over 

9,000 in 2006. Regarding the types of services provided, we found that all 5 

programs that specifically serve small businesses engaged in 

manufacturing provide nonfinancial technical assistance to help 

participants solve specific manufacturing problems or improve the 

efficiency of their manufacturing operations and quality control processes, 

and 1 program offers financial services. The 15 programs that provide 

services to manufacturers, regardless of their size, offer similar kinds of 

nonfinancial services, and 6 programs also offer financial services. Small 

businesses engaged in manufacturing also can obtain support from 127 

other federal programs that assist small businesses regardless of the type 

of business. About 60 percent of these 127 programs provide only 

nonfinancial services, such as general business, management, and export 

assistance; about 5 percent offer only financial services, such as loans, 

grants, and access to contracting opportunities or export assistance; and 

the remainder offer both financial and nonfinancial services. Together, 

these 127 programs devoted an average of $90 billion each year from 2004 

to 2006 to provide services to about 1.6 million small businesses, including 

manufacturers. Small businesses engaged in manufacturing also may 

obtain general business, export, and financial services from an additional 

107 federal programs designed to support all businesses, regardless of 

their size or type. However, it is unclear how many small manufacturing 

firms received services from these general assistance programs because 

not all of the participating agencies track this information. 

We identified 20 federal interagency efforts that were created to support 

the U.S. business sector, 4 of these efforts focused on the challenges faced 

by small businesses engaged in manufacturing, and 2 efforts focused on 

the challenges faced by manufacturers, regardless of their size. For 

example, in 3 of the 4 interagency efforts that focus on addressing the 

challenges faced by small businesses engaged in manufacturing federal

agencies collaborate to expand and coordinate the services they offer to 

these kinds of firms through nationwide networks of service centers. 

Through the 4th interagency effort, federal agencies help small businesses 

engaged in manufacturing use energy more efficiently and reduce the

amount of left over materials (waste) that result from their manufacturing 

processes. Of the 2 interagency efforts that assist manufacturers, 

regardless of their size, the 1st focuses on developing strategies to improve 

the competitiveness of manufacturers and the 2nd focuses on resolving 

issues associated with manufacturing-related research and development 

policies, programs, and budgets. The remaining 14 interagency efforts that 

Page 4 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
we identified focus on the concerns of small businesses or of all 

businesses in general and may address some issues that also are relevant 

to small businesses engaged in manufacturing. In commenting on a draft of 

this report, 18 of the 19 agencies provided technical comments that we 

have incorporated, as appropriate. 

Manufacturing generally involves the mechanical, physical, or chemical 

transformation of materials, substances, or components into new 

products, including the production of food, automobiles, and clothing, 

among many other things. The materials that manufacturers transform into 

new products include raw materials from agricultural, forestry, fishing, 

mining, or quarrying businesses as well as component items produced by 

other manufacturers. Manufacturing also includes the assembly of 

components into manufactured products. Businesses engaged in 

manufacturing often are referred to as plants, factories, or mills, and most 

use power-driven machines and materials-handling equipment. However, 

products that are made by hand, or in a worker’s home, and businesses 

that both make and sell products at the same location, such as bakeries, 

also qualify as manufacturers. 

Background 

In its narrowest sense, manufacturing consists of “factory floor” activities 

that contribute directly to the production of goods, such as cutting, 

grinding, and assembly. More broadly, manufacturing can include a range 

of activities that both precede and follow factory floor activities. Some 

activities, such as product design, process improvements, and quality

management, are more specific to the manufacturing enterprise. Other 

activities are common to many types of businesses, such as the effective 

use of information technology, strategic planning, and administrative 

operations. 

Although no standard definition for small manufacturing businesses exists, 

two systems that are widely used to classify businesses by type and size 

can be used to define small businesses engaged in manufacturing (referred 

to in this report as “small manufacturers”). Specifically, the North 

American Industry Classification System (NAICS), which categorizes 

businesses according to the principal activity in which they engage, has 

three general classifications for businesses engaged in manufacturing. In

addition, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has size standards that 

Page 5 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
define small businesses on the basis of average annual revenue or number 

of employees (typically, 500 or fewer).

2

 For this report, we define small 

manufacturers as those businesses that have a NAICS manufacturing 

classification and meet SBA’s criteria for small businesses. 

Small manufacturers are an important component of the manufacturing 

sector. These businesses numbered over 300,000 in 2004 and accounted for 

almost 45 percent of all U.S. manufacturing jobs. Many small 

manufacturers also export their goods directly or indirectly as suppliers or 

contractors for larger companies. In addition, small manufacturers are a 

significant source of innovation in the U.S. economy. On average, small 

manufacturers produce patents that are more frequently cited as 

important contributors to new patents than do large manufacturers. 

Over the past 14 years, studies have reported that small manufacturers 

possess many strengths due to their size, such as the ability to respond 

quickly to market changes. On the other hand, small manufacturers, like 

small businesses in general, lack the staff, resources, and expertise of their 

larger competitors and consequently face numerous challenges, including 

(1) finding sources of operating capital and investment funds (financial 

assistance); (2) bringing new products to market or finding new uses for 

existing technology (technology development and deployment assistance); 

(3) becoming familiar with new technologies, production techniques, and 

business management practices (technology, business, and management 

assistance); (4) competing in overseas markets (export assistance); and 

(5) obtaining skilled employees (worker training assistance).3

 2

Specific size standards are published by SBA for each NAICS industry classification at 13 

C.F.R. § 121.201. For manufacturing classifications (sectors 31-33), these standards range

from 500 to 1,500 employees. 

3

The Manufacturing Institute, The Future Success of Small and Medium Manufacturers: 

Challenges and Policy Issues, 2006; U.S. Department of Commerce, Manufacturing in

America: A Comprehensive Strategy to Address the Challenges to U.S. Manufacturers, 

January 2004; National Academy of Public Administration, The National Institute of 

Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Report I, September 

2003; Northeast-Midwest Institute, Advancing U.S. Manufacturing: Challenges Facing 

Small Manufacturers, 2004; Manufacturing Studies Board, Commission on Engineering and 

Technical Systems, National Research Council, Learning to Change: Opportunities to 

Improve the Performance of Smaller Manufacturers, National Academy Press, 1993; and 

Northeast-Midwest Institute, Advancing Manufacturing Competitiveness: A 

Practitioners’ Guide to Federal Assistance, 1995.

Page 6 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Federal programs offer a wide range of services to help businesses of all 

sizes and types address these challenges. For example, federal programs 

may offer financial services, such as grants, loans, loan guarantees, or 

insurance. These financial services may be for general business purposes, 

such as providing working capital or acquiring new equipment, or targeted

to a specific need, such as covering the expenses necessary to export 

goods. Programs that offer nonfinancial services may include those that 

help businesses acquire the various types of specialized knowledge and 

skills they need to begin, operate, and expand their businesses; 

commercialize the results of their research projects; export their goods; or 

appropriately train their workforce. Federal programs also may provide 

financial and nonfinancial services using federal employees or through 

agreements with state governments, private entities, and nonprofit 

organizations that act on behalf of the federal government. 

Some federal programs are targeted to the needs of businesses of a 

specific size, regardless of type, such as the assistance SBA offers to small 

businesses. In other cases, federal programs target services to any size 

business but of a specific type, such as the assistance that the Farm 

Service Agency offers to food processors regardless of their size. 

Assistance also may be targeted to businesses adversely affected by trade

policies or local disasters. Federal attention to the needs of manufacturers 

increased following the economic recession that began in 2001 when 

manufacturing job losses were substantial and recovery in the 

manufacturing sector lagged behind other sectors. 

The extent to which agencies track program funding, the number of 

businesses they assist, and the type of businesses they assist varies. 

Agencies tend to track the financial services they provide in the form of 

grants, loans, loan guarantees, letters of credit, or insurance, in terms of 

both the value and the number of financial services. In addition, agencies

may track financial data according to the source of their funds. For 

example, agencies may track the funds by their annual appropriations, the 

obligations to which they dedicate the appropriated funds, or the amount 

of dollars they expended in financial assistance. Agencies less often track

the funding for and participation in nonfinancial service programs. Such 

services may be offered in single- or multipurpose “service centers” that 

offer assistance on a range of issues, and may involve the specialized 

expertise of staff from multiple agencies. Service centers may track the 

number of individuals or firms they serve but not the specific type of

service provided to each business. Moreover, agencies may not gather 

NAICS codes or other information on the type of businesses they serve.

Page 7 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Because of these differences, agencies may not track funding and 

participation data in a consistent manner. 

Federal agencies also may form interagency groups to coordinate the 

operations of their programs and help ensure that resources are used 

efficiently. These interagency efforts may focus on a specific program; for 

example, multiple federal agencies share responsibility for administering 

the Small Business Innovation Research Program and have created an 

interagency group to help ensure that the program is being implemented 

consistently across all of the agencies. Similarly, agencies may form an 

interagency effort to address specific activities, such as ensuring that 

small businesses have access to federal procurement opportunities. In 

addition, multiple agencies may be tasked by the President to focus their 

efforts on a specific topic of relevance to the business community. These 

agencies may create interagency groups consisting of representatives from

multiple federal agencies to better coordinate their individual programs 

and crosscutting activities. For example, Commerce created an 

interagency group to implement its 2003 Manufacturing Initiative, which 

called for a comprehensive review of issues affecting manufacturers’ 

competitiveness and a strategy to foster competition. Interagency groups 

that are set up to coordinate task-specific efforts may disband upon 

completion of the assigned task. 

Of the 254 federal programs we identified that provide financial or 

nonfinancial services or both to support the U.S. business sector, 5 

programs provide services specifically to small businesses engaged in 

manufacturing, while an additional 15 programs target manufacturers, 

regardless of their size. In addition, we identified 127 programs that offer 

financial or nonfinancial assistance or both to small businesses, regardless 

of type, and 107 other federal programs designed to support all types of 

businesses, regardless of their size or type. Appendixes II through XX 

provide detailed information on all 254 programs, by agency.

Few Federal 

Programs Target 

Small Businesses 

Engaged in 

Manufacturing, but 

Services Are Available 

through over 200 

Federal Programs 

That Broadly Support 

the U.S. Business 

Sector 

Page 8 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
We identified 5 federal programs that specifically provide services to 

support small manufacturers. Each of the 5 programs offers various types 

of nonfinancial business, management, and technical assistance that are 

specifically related to manufacturing operations, processes, and problems. 

Only 1 of the 5 programs offered financial assistance in addition to its 

nonfinancial services. The types of services provided by the 5 programs 

were generally aligned with the mission of the administering agency and

included the following: 

Five Federal Programs 

Target Small 

Manufacturers 

• The Outreach to Small and Very Small Plants program is administered by 

Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), which regulates 

manufacturers of meat, poultry, and egg products of all sizes, and helps 

small meat and poultry processors comply with food safety regulations. 

FSIS delivers information through partnerships with colleges, universities, 

and other Agriculture agencies. Its services to small manufacturers include 

informational materials about regulatory compliance; referrals to other 

sources of information; funding for university workshops; and training 

materials such as videos. FSIS also offers education sessions to small and 

very small plant owners and operators on how to improve their food safety 

and food defense systems, and provides guidance regarding federal 

inspection of their products to small and very small plant owners who 

want to start operations.

• MilTech, administered in the Office of the Secretary, is a partnership 

between Defense’s TechLink Program and the Montana Manufacturing 

Extension Partnership Center. MilTech provides companies with 

engineering, manufacturing, and business development assistance to help

accelerate the transition of new technology to the U.S. warfighter, lower 

the cost and cycle time of technology acquisition, and help Defense more 

fully benefit from its small business research and development investment. 

• The Defense Small Business Technology and Readiness Resources 

Program (DSTARR), is administered by the Navy. DSTARR provides 

assessments of participating small manufacturers’ operational processes 

at their places of business, and develops detailed continuous improvement 

plans to help participants implement industry best practices, gain 

knowledge, and improve operations. In addition, DSTARR offers online 

access to information and training, and access to technical experts who 

provide both on-site and remote technical assistance and training in 

manufacturing and business processes. The goal of DSTARR is to develop 

a national network of small manufacturers and specialized information 

technology companies to meet Defense’s needs. Prior to December 2006,

DSTARR was known as the Manufacturing Technical Assistance 

Partnership Program, The Next Generation. 

Page 9 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
• The Manufacturing Technical Assistance Production Program (MTAPP) 

is administered by the Air Force. MTAPP provides technical and 

managerial assistance to enhance the capabilities of small manufacturers 

and increase their ability to deliver high-quality products to the Air Force, 

as well as to Defense, and its major contractors. Each participant receives 

an in-depth assessment of its operations and a continuous improvement 

plan. In addition, MTAPP provides hands on assistance with quality 

assurance, improving the efficiency of manufacturing operations, sales and 

marketing, information technology, and business planning. 

• The Technology Insertion, Demonstration, and Evaluation (TIDE) 

Program is also administered by the Air Force and is a federally funded 

research and development center that operates through Carnegie Mellon 

University with funding from Defense. TIDE encourages and assists small 

manufacturers––specifically, those that supply goods and services 

important to national defense––to adopt commercially available software 

and information technology. The program demonstrates to these firms the 

advantages of using advanced software and information technology in 

their operations and adapts existing commercial software and information 

technology for small manufacturers’ use. TIDE also offers workshops, 

conferences, and courses that provide some of the training small 

manufacturers need to successfully adopt new technology. Specifically, 

TIDE has addressed product data management, electronic data 

distribution, data security, flexible scheduling of manufacturing 

operations, and computer simulation of manufacturing processes. 

Only the Defense agencies that administer 3 of the 5 programs that target 

small manufacturers tracked detailed information on annual funding and 

participation levels for their programs. As shown in table 1, these 3 

programs provided $3.8 million and served 95 small manufacturers on 

average each year from fiscal years 2004 through 2006. For more 

information on these programs, see appendixes II and IV. 

Page 10 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Table 1: Funding and Participation for 3 Programs That Serve Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing, Fiscal Years 

2004-2006 

Dollars in millions 

Funding and participation, by fiscal year 

2004 2005 2006 

Department, agency, and

program Funding Participation Funding Participation Funding Participation

Department of Defense, Navy, 

Defense Small Business 

Technology and Readiness 

Resources Programab

$2.1 69 services $2.2 862 services Not available Not available 

Department of Defense, Air 

Force, Manufacturing Technical 

Assistance Production

Programc

Not available 54 firms 1.5 79 firms 1.2 92 firms 

Department of Defense, Office 

of the Secretary, MilTechd

 1.5 10 firms 0.5 21 firms 2.3 30 firms 

Total $3.6 64 firms

69 services 

$4.2 100 firms

862 services

$3.5 122 firms

Source: GAO data. 

Notes: Because a single business may receive more than one type of financial or nonfinancial 

assistance, such as more than one loan or assessment, participation data may overstate the number 

of unique businesses that were helped. 

All funding and participation data in the table above were reviewed and verified by agency officials. 

a

These figures reflect funding and participation prior to December 2006 when the program name was 

changed and the scope of services expanded to include specialized information technology 

companies. 

b

These figures are appropriations.

c

These figures are obligations. 

d

These figures are technology transfer funding for small manufacturers. 

Small Manufacturers May 

Obtain Services from 15 

Federal Programs That 

Target Manufacturers, 

Regardless of Size 

Agencies within Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Energy, Health and 

Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Labor

administered 15 programs that provided services specifically to 

manufacturers, regardless of their size. As with federal programs designed 

to support small manufacturers, the programs that target the needs of 

manufacturers in general offer services aligned with the mission of the 

administering agency. We identified 9 programs that offer only 

nonfinancial assistance and 6 programs that offer both financial and

nonfinancial assistance. These programs include the following: 

Page 11 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
• The Domestic Food Distribution Procurements and the International 

Food Aid Procurements, administered by Agriculture’s Farm Service 

Agency, provide financial services, in the form of direct purchases, to 

processors of foods used for domestic food assistance, export, and foreign 

aid programs. Specifically, dairy, vegetable oil, and other processed 

commodities are purchased for various domestic and international food 

aid programs from food manufacturers, regardless of their size. 

• The Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) administered 

by Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology, supports a 

nationwide network of not-for-profit centers in nearly 350 locations. The

centers, funded by federal, state, local, and private resources, provide 

manufacturers with access to the expertise of knowledgeable 

manufacturing and business specialists all over the country. Each center 

works directly with area manufacturers to provide expertise and services 

tailored to their most critical needs, ranging from process improvements 

and worker training to business practices and applications of information 

technology. Solutions are offered through a combination of direct 

assistance from center staff and outside consultants. According to an 

agency official, 92 percent of the manufacturing businesses that the 

program serves are small manufacturing businesses. 

• The Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for Firms Program, 

administered by Commerce’s Economic Development Administration, 

offers only nonfinancial services to manufacturers that have experienced

declines in sales or employment due to competition from imports in the 

preceding 2 years. TAA for Firms is a cost-sharing program that provides

funds to pay one-half the cost of consultants or industry-specific experts 

for projects that improve a manufacturer’s competitiveness. 

• The Textiles and Apparel Program, administered by Commerce’s 

International Trade Administration, offers nonfinancial export assistance 

to textile manufacturers, such as oversight of strategies and programs to 

improve the domestic and international competitiveness of the U.S. fiber, 

textile, and apparel industries as well as industries that manufacture a 

wide range of consumer products. Among other things, the program 

performs research and analysis, compiles industry data, and promotes U.S.

trade events for a whole spectrum of textiles and apparel. 

• The Manufacturing Technology (ManTech), the Next Generation 

Manufacturing Technology Initiative, and the Best Manufacturing 

Practices Programs, administered by the Office of the Secretary of 

Defense and the Navy, provide nonfinancial technical and business 

assistance to help large and small manufacturers, including ones that 

Page 12 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
supply parts and equipment to Defense. These 3 programs help firms 

modernize their operations, apply information technology, or network 

with other businesses. In addition, ManTech provides financial assistance 

to manufacturers. 

• The Industrial Technologies Program, administered by Energy, works 

with manufacturers to improve industrial energy efficiency and 

environmental performance. The program, which offers both financial and 

nonfinancial assistance, invests in high-risk, high-value research and 

development to reduce industrial energy use while stimulating 

productivity and growth. 

• The Manufacturers’ Assistance, Investigational New Drug Application,

and Prescription Drug User Fee Act and Reductions for Small Business

Programs, administered by Health and Human Services’ Food and Drug 

Administration, offer nonfinancial services, such as training, and 

information to industry and trade associations on the policies and 

procedures relevant to those products that are regulated by the agency, 

such as vaccines. 

• The Research Program for the Manufacturing Sector, administered by 

Health and Human Services’ National Institute for Occupational Safety and 

Health, offers nonfinancial services by partnering with manufacturers to 

develop practices and products for the workplace that can help prevent

occupational diseases and injuries. 

• The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing Initiative, 

administered by Housing and Urban Development, is a public/private 

partnership that brings together key federal agencies with leaders of the 

home building, product manufacturing, insurance, and financial industries 

to develop and deploy innovative building technologies for the next 

generation of housing. The goal of this initiative is to identify techniques 

for building more affordable, durable, disaster-resistant, safe, and energyefficient housing. 

• Dream It. Do It, a campaign launched by the Manufacturing Institute of 

the National Association of Manufacturers that is partially funded by 

Labor, provides nonfinancial assistance to develop tools and partnerships 

to help inform young people, their parents, and educators of career 

opportunities in advanced manufacturing. The initiative develops tools and 

partnerships among employers, training providers, and local Workforce 

Investment Boards in Kansas City and Washington State as well as in parts 

of Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, and the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. 

Page 13 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Only 7 of the 15 programs that we identified that target manufacturers, 

regardless of their size, had funding or participation data or both for fiscal 

years 2004 through 2006. This information is provided in table 2. Because 

not all of these programs gather data on the size of the manufacturing 

businesses they serve, we could not determine the extent to which small 

manufacturers avail themselves of the services that each of these 

programs offer. For more information on these programs, see appendixes 

II, III, IV, VI, VII, IX and XI. 

Table 2: Funding or Participation or Both for 7 Federal Programs That Provided Services to Manufacturers, Regardless of

Size, Fiscal Years 2004-2006

Dollars in millions 

Funding and Participation, by fiscal year 

2004 2005 2006 

Department, agency, 

and program Funding Participation Funding Participation Funding Participation

Data for Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing

Commerce, International Trade Administration

Textiles and Apparel Not available 60 firms Not available 72 firms Not available 103 firms 

Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology

Hollings 

Manufacturing 

Extension Partnership

Not available 7,910 firms Not available 8,247 firms Not available 9,154 firms 

Defense, Office of the Secretary 

Next Generation

Manufacturing 

Technology Initiativea

$1.9 3 firms Not available Not available $2.6 9 firms 

Housing and Urban Development

Partnership for

Advancing 

Technology in

Housing Initiativeb

 7.5 Not available 7.5 Not available 5.0 Not available 

Subtotal for small 

businesses engaged

in manufacturing 

$ 9.4 7,973 firms $7.5 8,319 firms $7.6 9,266 firms 

Data for Manufacturers, Regardless of Size 

Commerce, Economic Development Administration 

Trade Adjustment 

Assistance for Firmsa

$11.9 177 firms $12.0 133 firms $14.3 137 firms 

Page 14 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Dollars in millions 

Funding and Participation, by fiscal year 

2004 2005 2006 

Department, agency, 

and program Funding Participation Funding Participation Funding Participation

Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology

Hollings 

Manufacturing 

Extension 

Partnershipb

 38.6 736 firms 107.5 748 firms 104.6 803 firms 

Defense, Office of the Secretary 

Manufacturing 

Technology 

(ManTech)c

 255.6 Not available 175.7 Not available 185.6 Not available 

Defense, Navy

Best Manufacturing 

Practicesd

 2.0 10,800 services 2.0 4,187 services 2.0 5,673 services

Subtotal for

manufacturers 

regardless of size 

$308.1 913 firms $297.3 881 firms $306.5 940 firms 

Total $317.5 8,886 firms

10,800 services

$304.8 9,200 firms

4,187 services

$314.1 10,206 firms

5,673 services

Source: GAO data. 

Notes: Because a single business may receive more than one type of financial or nonfinancial 

service, such as more than one grant or consultation, participation data may overstate the number of 

unique businesses that were helped. In addition, not all agencies reported data for each year. 

All funding and participation data in the table above were reviewed and verified by agency officials. 

Funding data may not add because of rounding. 

a

These figures are obligations. 

b

These figures are appropriations.

c

These figures represent the funding provided by participating Defense components, not the Office of 

the Secretary. 

d

These figures are outlays. 

Small Manufacturers Can 

Also Access Services 

Offered by Many Programs 

That Target Small 

Businesses, Regardless of 

Type

We identified 127 federal programs administered by 18 agencies that target

small businesses regardless of type. Five agencies account for over onehalf of these small business programs: SBA has 35 programs, Veterans 

Affairs has 10, Defense has 9, and Health and Human Services and 

Transportation each have 8. Of the 127 programs, 7 offer only financial

services, such as loans or loan guarantees; 73 offer only nonfinancial 

services, such as technical, business, and management assistance; 46 offer

Page 15 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
both financial and nonfinancial services; and 1 did not specify the type of

services it offered. For example, of the 35 programs administered by SBA,

16 offer both financial and nonfinancial services, and 19 offer only 

nonfinancial services. In addition to administering these programs, SBA 

helps coordinate and manage two multiagency programs: the Small and 

Disadvantaged Business Utilization4

 program and the Small Business 

Innovation Research program. Fourteen agencies included in our review 

have an Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, these 

offices conduct outreach and provide consulting or other nonfinancial 

services to help small socially or economically disadvantaged businesses 

more effectively compete for federal contracting opportunities. Similarly, 

11 agencies included in our review administer Small Business Innovation 

Research (SBIR) programs. SBIR provides funding for innovative research 

projects. In 2004 and 2005, the most recent data available, almost 20 

percent of SBIR awards, valued at about $360 million, funded 

manufacturing-related research.5

 For more information on all 127 

programs, see appendixes II through XIX. 

Of the 18 administering agencies, only 14 collected data on the types of 

businesses that their small business programs served or the funding 

devoted to provide services through these programs. Table 3 shows the 

number of small business programs administered by each of the 18 

agencies and the funding and participation data for the 14 agencies that 

tracked these data. 

 4

The Small Business Act, as amended (Pub. L. No. 85-536, 72 Stat. 384 (July 18, 1958), 

amended by Pub. L. No. 95-507, 92 Stat. 1757 (Oct. 24, 1978)), established an Office of Small 

and Disadvantaged Business Utilization for each federal agency with procurement 

authority. See 15 U.S.C. § 644(k). 

5

Executive Order No. 13,329, 69 Fed. Reg. 9181 (Feb. 24, 2004) encourages innovation in 

manufacturing by directing SBIR programs to give high priority to manufacturing-related 

research and development projects, whenever feasible. 

Page 16 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Table 3: Funding and Participation by Small Businesses in Federal Programs That Serve Small Businesses, Regardless of

Type, Fiscal Years 2004-2006

Dollars in millions 

Funding and participation, by fiscal year 

2004 2005 2006 

Department or

agency 

Number of 

programs Funding Participation Funding Participation Funding Participation

Appalachian 

Regional 

Commissiona

4 $1.7 85 $0.5 106 $0.7 367

Agricultureb6 128.6 10,564 126.8 11,296 106.7 10,442

Commercec7 164.2 91 205.2 1,150 212.0 614

Defensed9 96,580.5 3,849 118,843.4 4,014 1,316.6 3,755

Educatione2 8.9 53 8.4 36 8.7 58

Energyf6 119.0 421 118.8 412 120.4 429

Health and Human 

Servicesg

8 633.8 33,502 645.8 32,783 648.1 36,968

Homeland Securitye6 19.6 131 23.0 90 30.6 N/A

Housing and Urban 

Development 1 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Interior 6 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Labor 7 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Transportationh8 13.8 27 11.3 17 4.6 6

Veterans Affairs 10 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Environmental

Protection Agencye

5 6.7 57 6.6 52 5.0 56

Export-Import Banki1 2,257.3 2,572 2,660.3 2,617 3,184.7 2,253

National Aeronautics 

and Space 

Administratione

4 131.5 533 136.8 497 126.9 497

National Science 

Foundatione

2 100.4 558 89.9 320 98.4 406

Small Business 

Administrationj

35 20,459.7 1,468,211 19,496.8 1,756,842 175.3 1,431,011

Total

l

127 $120,625.8 1,520,654 $142,373.6 1,810,232 $6,038.7 1,486,862

Source: GAO data. 

Note: Because a single business may receive more than one type of financial or nonfinancial service,

such as more than one grant or consultation, participation data may overstate the number of unique 

businesses that were helped. 

Agency officials reviewed and verified information on 92 of the 127 programs in the table above. 

Funding or participation data were available for 53 of the 127 programs in the table above. Agency 

officials reviewed and verified these data for 42 of these 53 programs. 

Page 17 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
N/A = Not available 

a

These figures are primarily obligations. Figures for 1 program were reported in outlays. Participation 

figures represent firms and individuals.

b

Funding figures are primarily in obligations, although figures for 1 program were reported in 

appropriations. Participation figures represent a combination of awards, loans, firms and small 

emerging firms. 

c

Funding figures are primarily obligations, although figures for 2 programs were reported as outlays. 

Participation figures represent awards and firms. 

d

These figures were largely reported without specifying the type of funds, although figures for 1 

program were reported as obligations. Participation data were reported in awards but were not 

reported for fiscal year 2006. 

e

These figures are in obligations. Participation figures represent awards. 

f

These figures are primarily in obligations, although figures for 1 program were reported in 

appropriations. Participation figures represent awards. 

g

These figures are in appropriations. Participation figures are largely awards although figures for 2 

programs were reported in firms.

h

These figures are in obligations. Participation figures represent loans. 

i

These figures are in authorizations. Participation figures represent transactions. 

j

These figures are largely obligations, although figures for 1 program were reported in guarantee 

authority, figures for 4 programs were reported in appropriations, and figures for another program did 

not specify the type of funding. Participation figures are largely reported as firms, although figures for 

1 program were reported as surety bonds, figures for 2 programs were reported as individuals, figures 

for 1 program were reported as certifications, and figures for 2 programs were reported as loans. 

l

Data for fiscal year 2006 are incomplete. 

Small Manufacturers May 

Also Benefit from Many 

Federal Programs That 

Target Businesses, 

Regardless of Size or Type 

We identified an additional 107 programs administered by 15 agencies 

included in our review that offer financial or nonfinancial services or both 

to businesses, regardless of the size or type of business. Over 60 percent of 

these programs are administered by agencies within Agriculture, 

Commerce, Defense, and Health and Human Services. As with the 

manufacturing-related and small business programs previously described,

the services these general business programs offer are aligned with the 

mission of the administering agency. Specifically, we found that 7 

programs in 3 agencies offer only financial services to businesses, 66 

programs in 13 agencies offer only nonfinancial services, and 32 programs 

provide both financial and nonfinancial services. Technical, business, or 

management assistance was the most commonly offered nonfinancial 

service, and worker training was the least commonly offered service. 

Information on the services offered by these 107 programs by each of the 

15 administering agencies is shown in table 4. For more details on these 

107 programs, see appendixes II through XX. 

Page 18 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Table 4: Services Provided by 107 Federal Programs to Businesses, Regardless of Size and Type 

Type of service

Department or agency 

Number of 

programs Financial

Technology

development or

deployment

Technical, 

business, or

management Export

Worker 

training

Agriculture 13 11 0 2 8 1

Commerce 27 3 3 18 13 1

Defense 14 6 5 9 1 1

Energy 2 0 2 1 0 0

Health and Human Services 14 4 5 9 0 1

Housing and Urban Development 6 5 1 5 1 2

Interior 1 0 0 0 0 1

Labor 6 2 3 5 0 6

Transportation 3 0 2 1 1 0

Appalachian Regional 

Commission 

1 1 0 1 0 1

Environmental Protection Agency 8 2 3 8 2 1

National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration

8 4 6 4 1 1

National Science Foundation 2 0 1 0 0 1

National Technology Transfer 

Center 

1 0 1 1 0 0

Small Business Administration 1 1 0 0 0 1

Total 107 39 32 64 27 18

Source: GAO data. 

Note: Totals for individual types of services may not sum to the total number of programs because 

individual programs may offer more than one type of service. 

Agency officials reviewed and verified information on 73 of the 107 programs in the table above. 

Of the 20 federal interagency efforts we identified that address the 

concerns of the business sector, 4 specifically focus on the challenges 

faced by small manufacturers, 2 focus on issues faced by manufacturers in 

general, and the remaining 14 focus on issues of concern to small 

businesses or businesses in general. Tables 5 and 6 provide detailed 

information on each of the interagency efforts that we identified on the 

basis of the primary focus of the effort. 

Six Interagency 

Efforts Support 

Manufacturing, and 14 

Support All 

Businesses, Including 

Manufacturers 

Page 19 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Table 5: Four Interagency Efforts Address Concerns of Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing 

Focus of 

interagency effort Participating agencies Description of interagency effort 

Help small 

manufacturers 

operate more 

efficiently 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the 

National Institute of Standards and Technology 

(NIST) within the Department of Commerce, and 

private sector firms. 

Since 2001, EPA and NIST’s Hollings Manufacturing 

Extension Partnership (MEP) have collaborated with 

state pollution agencies and various industries in the 

Green Suppliers Network. The network provides 

assessments of work processes on the premises of 

participating small manufacturers, and also provides 

information to help these firms improve their operations 

and minimize the amount of waste material generated 

by their operations. The network also works with large

manufacturers in the automotive, aerospace, and other 

industries to engage their small and medium-sized 

suppliers in the program. 

Expand scope of 

services offered to 

small manufacturers 

through Hollings

Manufacturing 

Extension Partnership

and International 

Trade Administration 

service centers

The National Institute of Standards and Technology 

(NIST) and the International Trade Administration 

(ITA) both within the Department of Commerce 

Beginning in early 2006, the Hollings Manufacturing

Extension Partnership (MEP), administered by 

Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and 

Technology and International Trade Administration 

(ITA), began collaborating to connect small 

manufacturers with trade promotion specialists in ITA. 

This partnership allows MEP staff and manufacturing 

clients to benefit from the expertise of staff at ITA export 

assistance centers in specific industry sectors, such as 

machinery and microelectronics. The collaboration 

helps improve the competitiveness of the small 

manufacturers that MEP serves. 

Expand scope of 

services offered to 

small manufacturers 

through Hollings

Manufacturing 

Extension Partnership

and Procurement 

Technical Assistance 

service centers

The Department of Commerce’s National Institute of 

Standards and Technology (NIST), the Department 

of Defense, and interested public or private sector 

entities. 

In 2006, the National Institute of Standards and 

Technology’s Hollings Manufacturing Extension 

Partnership signed a memorandum of understanding 

with the Association of Procurement Technical 

Assistance Centers. Under this agreement, the 

agencies take advantage of opportunities for

complementary training on Defense Radio Frequency 

Identification requirements and in-depth, industryrelated technical assistance. In addition, the service 

networks provide training and counseling to business 

and industries concerning how to do business with the 

federal government, and document and share 

complementary assistance best practices to facilitate 

dissemination of new manufacturing funding initiatives, 

opportunities, and implementation services available to 

manufacturers. 

Page 20 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Focus of 

interagency effort Participating agencies Description of interagency effort 

Expand scope of 

services offered to 

small manufacturers 

through Hollings

Manufacturing 

Extension Partnership

service centers

Department of Commerce’s National Institute of 

Standards and Technology (NIST) and the 

Department of Defense. 

In 2004, the Under Secretary of Commerce for 

Technology and Deputy Under-Secretary for Defense 

for Advanced Systems and Concepts signed a 

memorandum of understanding to help small 

manufacturers tap into Defense technologies. The two 

agencies facilitate the transfer of Defense-developed 

technology to the private sector while simultaneously 

enhancing and improving the productivity of the 

manufacturing base that provides parts and equipment 

to Defense. Under the agreement, Defense makes the 

expertise of its technology transfer partnership 

intermediaries available to collaborate with the 

Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) and its 

centers in collaboration with the Defense network of 

Procurement Technical Assistance Centers to educate 

small manufacturers about requirements Defense has 

established for its suppliers, such as the use of radio 

frequency identification for parts and equipment. The 

collaboration is modeled on the success of two Defense 

programs (TechLink and MilTech) in helping small 

manufacturers respond to Defense needs. 

Source: GAO data. 

Table 6: Two Interagency Efforts Address the Concerns of Manufacturers, Regardless of Size 

Focus of 

interagency effort Participating agencies Description of interagency effort 

Promote the 

competitiveness of 

U.S. manufacturers 

Seventeen participating federal agencies: the 

Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, 

Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, 

Homeland Security, Justice, Labor, State, 

Transportation, and the Treasury; and the 

Environmental Protection Agency, Export-Import 

Bank, Small Business Administration, Office of 

Management and Budget, and U.S. Trade 

Representative.

In 2006, Commerce convened the Interagency Working 

Group on Manufacturing Competitiveness to develop 

new ways to implement its 2003 Manufacturing 

Initiative, which is designed to help improve the 

competitiveness of all manufacturers. The interagency 

group established three project teams to focus on key 

manufacturing issues: improvements to the analysis of 

the economic impact of federal regulations, workforce 

development, and strengthening the transfer of federally 

developed technologies to the private sector.

Coordinate federal

manufacturing-related

research and 

development (R&D) 

efforts 

Fifteen participating federal agencies: the 

Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, 

Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, 

Homeland Security, Labor, and Transportation; and 

the Environmental Protection Agency, National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration, National 

Science Foundation, Office of Management and 

Budget, Office of Science and Technology Policy, 

and Small Business Administration. 

The Interagency Working Group on Manufacturing 

Research and Development (R&D) was established as 

part of the National Science and Technology Council in 

2004 to help develop consensus and resolve issues 

associated with manufacturing R&D policies, programs, 

and budgets. The group identifies and integrates 

requirements, conducts joint program planning, and 

develops joint strategies for the manufacturing R&D 

programs conducted by the federal government. 

Source: GAO data. 

Page 21 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Of the remaining 14 interagency efforts that we identified, 5 focus on the 

concerns of small businesses and 9 focus on the concerns of all businesses 

in general, both of which may address some issues that are also relevant to

small businesses engaged in manufacturing. For example, these efforts 

focus on such issues as ensuring access to federal contracting 

opportunities, expanding services available to small businesses through 

networks of service centers, streamlining electronic access to federal 

business opportunities, and expanding export opportunities. For more 

details on these 14 interagency efforts, see appendix XXI. 

We sent a draft of this report to the Departments of Agriculture, 

Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, 

Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, the Interior, Labor,

Transportation, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Environmental 

Protection Agency, Export-Import Bank, National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration, National Science Foundation, Small Business 

Administration, Appalachian Regional Commission, and National 

Technology Transfer Center. All of the agencies except for the 

Appalachian Regional Commission provided technical comments that we 

have incorporated as appropriate. 

Agency Comments 

As agreed with your offices, unless you publicly announce its contents 

earlier, we plan no further distribution of this report for 30 days after the 

date of this letter. At that time, copies of this report will be sent to 

interested congressional committees; the Secretaries of Agriculture, 

Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, 

Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, the Interior, Labor,

Transportation, and Veterans Affairs; the Administrators of the 

Environmental Protection Agency, Export-Import Bank, National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration, and Small Business 

Administration; the Director of the National Science Foundation; the 

Chairman and President of the Export-Import Bank; the Executive 

Director of the Appalachian Regional Commission; and the Vice-President

of the National Technology Transfer Center. We will also make copies 

available to others upon request. In addition, this report will be available 

at no charge on GAO’s Web site at http://www.gao.gov. 

Page 22 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
If you or your staffs have any questions about matters contained in this 

report, please contact me at (202) 512-3841 or mittala@gao.gov. Contact 

points for our Offices of Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may 

be found on the last page of this report. Key contributors to this report are 

listed in appendix XXIII. 

Anu K. Mittal 

Director, Natural Resources 

 and Environment 

Page 23 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology 

Methodology 

We identified (1) those programs that provide services to support 

manufacturing by U.S. small businesses and, for fiscal years 2004 through 

2006, the services and funds these programs provided and their levels of 

participation and (2) current federal interagency efforts that support 

manufacturing by U.S. small businesses. In addition, we compiled a list of

studies that focuses on federal programs that support small businesses 

engaged in manufacturing. 

To identify agencies and programs that provide services to support 

manufacturing by small businesses, we obtained documentation and 

interviewed officials at 17 executive departments, independent agencies, 

and a government corporation, including the Departments of Agriculture,

Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, 

Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, the Interior, Labor,

Transportation, and Veterans Affairs; the Environmental Protection 

Agency; Export-Import Bank; National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration; National Science Foundation; and Small Business 

Administration (SBA). Throughout this report we refer collectively to 

these executive departments, independent agencies, and the government 

corporation as “agencies”. 

We selected these 17 agencies because each had participated in efforts by 

Commerce to foster, serve, and promote the nation’s economic 

development and technological advancement and in the efforts of SBA to 

promote small business development and entrepreneurship. We also 

searched the agencies’ Web sites and the Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance and interviewed officials representing state governments and 

trade associations. Through these efforts, we also identified relevant 

federal efforts at the National Technology Transfer Center and the 

Appalachian Regional Commission, bringing the total to 19 federal entities

that administer programs offering services to support businesses, 

including small manufacturers. We included assistance provided by federal 

entities and through contracts or other agreements with state governments 

as well as private and nonprofit entities that operate on the federal 

government’s behalf. 

We focused our work on federal programs that support businesses by 

addressing challenges in the following five areas: obtaining capital; 

developing or deploying new technologies; applying improved technology, 

business, and management practices; exporting goods; and training 

workers. Because agencies may not track funding and participation in a 

consistent manner, the information they reported to us is an estimate of 

the minimum funding provided and businesses served. We excluded 

Page 24 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and 

Methodology 

federal research programs that focus on advancing manufacturing-related 

knowledge and tools but that do not offer operational services or financing 

to manufacturers. Because no comprehensive list of federal programs that 

provide direct services to manufacturers or other businesses exists, we 

cannot guarantee that we identified all such programs. However, we 

attempted to verify the accuracy and completeness of the information we 

gathered with relevant agency officials. Officials reviewed and verified 

information on over 70 percent of the programs that we identified. The

information we included that was not reviewed by agency officials was 

obtained from agency documents and information contained in agency 

Web sites. The program descriptions included in this report, including the 

appendix descriptions, were derived from agency materials and do not 

reflect independent GAO legal analysis of any relevant program statutes, 

regulation, or administrative guidance. 

To identify interagency efforts to support manufacturing by small 

businesses, we searched the agencies’ Web sites; obtained documentation;

and interviewed officials at federal agencies and organizations that 

represent state governments and trade associations. We included both 

ongoing interagency efforts that coordinate the activities of programs that 

operate in multiple agencies and task-specific interagency efforts that may 

disband upon completion of an assigned task. We attempted to verify 

information on these interagency efforts with relevant agency officials and 

reviewed available documentation on the mission, goals, and

accomplishments of each effort. We consulted GAO technical experts and 

determined that the information and data were sufficiently reliable for this

report. We conducted our work from May 2006 to April 2007 in accordance 

with generally accepted government auditing standards. 

To identify studies focused on federal programs that support domestic 

manufacturing by small businesses, and other relevant studies, we 

identified the following criteria for including a study in this report: (1) only 

those studies about federal programs—specifically, those that target small 

businesses engaged in manufacturing; any small businesses, regardless of 

type; or any businesses engaged in manufacturing, regardless of size; (2) 

only programs administered by the following agencies and departments: 

the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, 

Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban 

Development, Labor, and Transportation and the Appalachian Regional 

Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, Export-Import Bank, 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Science 

Foundation, and SBA; (3) only those studies that were published after 

October 1, 2000; and (4) only those studies that included original research. 

Page 25 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and 

Methodology 

We searched the following databases in addition to GAO’s reports 

database: ProQuest, Nexis.com, EconLit, Tax & Accounting, WorldCat, 

DIALOG, Sociological Abstracted, Cited References, Expanded Academic, 

the Congressional Budget Office, the Congressional Research Service, the 

Defense Technical Information Center, the Inspectors General’s offices at 

each of the 16 agencies, the National Association of Public Administration, 

the National Academies Press, PolicyFile, and the RAND Corporation. We

used such search terms as manufacture(s), manufacturing, 

manufacturer(s), industry, small business(es), federal, and each of the 

agency names. We found 66 studies that fit our criteria and completed a 

fatal flaw review for the 23 studies that were not completed by GAO to 

ensure that each was conducted with reasonable methodological 

soundness. Based on this review, we found that 4 of these 23 studies were 

outside of our scope or without a sound methodology. We combined the 

19 studies that met our criteria with 43 studies completed by GAO and 

then organized these 62 studies by the agency that administers them and 

placed them in a bibliographic format. 

Page 26 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix II: Department of Agriculture – 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Table 7: Department of Agriculture Programs That Offer Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturers by Agency, 

Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose 

Agency, office, 

and program Target businesses Agency description of program purpose 

Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service

Small Business 

Innovation Research 

Program 

Small businesses, 

regardless of type 

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program makes competitively 

awarded grants to qualified small businesses for the purpose of supporting high quality 

research proposals containing advanced concepts related to important scientific 

problems and opportunities in agriculture that could lead to significant public benefit if 

the research is successful. The objectives of the SBIR program are to stimulate 

technological innovations in the private sector, strengthen the role of small businesses 

in meeting federal research and development needs, increase private sector 

commercialization of innovations derived from Agriculture-supported research and 

development efforts, and foster and encourage participation by women-owned and 

socially and economically disadvantaged small business firms in technological

innovations. Eight Agriculture agencies participate in SBIR including the Cooperative 

State Research, Education and Extension Service, Agricultural Research Service, and 

the Forest Service. 

Farm Service Agency 

Domestic Food Aid 

Procurements 

Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of size 

The Domestic Food Aid Procurements are purchases of dairy and processed 

commodities for domestic food assistance programs, administered by Agriculture’s 

Food and Nutrition Service, such as the National School Lunch Program, the 

Commodity Supplemental Food Program, the Emergency Food Assistance Program, 

and the Food Distribution Programs on Indian Reservations. The Domestic

Procurement Division also purchases butter, cheese and nonfat dry milk at announced 

prices under the Milk Price Support Program administered by Commodity Operations. 

International Food Aid 

Procurements 

Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of size 

International Food Aid Procurements are purchases of processed vegetable oil and 

other commodities that are produced and manufactured within the United States. 

Commodities are shipped for overseas donation through various humanitarian feeding 

programs administered by the United States Agency for International Development 

and Agriculture’s, Foreign Agricultural Service. 

Food Safety and Inspection Service 

Small and Very

Small Plant 

Outreach 

Small businesses 

engaged in 

manufacturing

The Small and Very Small Plant Outreach program offers a central source for small 

and very small food processing plants to obtain information, technical assistance, and 

training to comply with food safety regulations and promote food safety. Since 

February 2006, an interagency council coordinates the outreach efforts across 

Agriculture agencies. Through the program Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection 

Service (FSIS) delivers information through partnerships with colleges, universities, 

and other Agriculture agencies. Its services to small manufacturers include 

informational materials about regulatory compliance, referrals to other sources of 

information, funding for university workshops, and training materials such as videos. 

FSIS also offers education sessions to small and very small plant owners and 

operators on how to improve their food safety and food defense systems, and provides 

guidance to small and very small plant owners who want to start operations regarding 

federal inspection of their product. 

Appendix II: Department of Agriculture – 

Programs that Offer Services to Small 

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Page 27 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix II: Department of Agriculture – 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, 

and program Target businesses Agency description of program purpose 

Foreign Agricultural Service 

Facility Guarantee 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type 

Agriculture’s Facility Guarantee Program is designed to expand sales of U.S. 

agricultural products to emerging markets where inadequate storage, processing or 

handling capacity limit trade potential. The program targets export sales of U.S. 

equipment or expertise to improve ports, loading/unloading capacity, refrigerated 

storage, warehouse and distribution systems, and other related facilities may qualify 

for facility guarantees, as long as these improvements are expected to increase 

opportunities for U.S. agricultural exports. The program provides payment guarantees 

to finance commercial exports of U.S. manufactured goods and services that will be 

used to improve agriculture-related facilities. Under the program, Agriculture’s 

Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) guarantees payments due from approved 

foreign banks to exporters or financial institutions in the United States. Typically, a 

guarantee covers 95 percent of principal and a portion of interest. The financing must 

be obtained through normal commercial sources. Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural

Service administers this program on behalf of the CCC. 

Market Access 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type 

The Market Access Program (MAP) uses funds from Agriculture’s Commodity Credit 

Corporation (CCC) to help create, expand, and maintain foreign markets for U.S. 

agricultural products. MAP targets its partnerships to non-profit U.S. agricultural trade 

associations, U.S. agricultural cooperatives, non-profit state-regional trade groups, and 

small U.S. businesses. The MAP partner and CCC share the costs of approved 

overseas marketing and promotional activities such as consumer promotions, market 

research, trade shows, and trade servicing. 

Foreign Market

Development 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type 

The Foreign Market Development program, also know as the “Cooperator Program,” 

uses funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to create, expand, and 

maintain long-term export markets for U.S. agricultural products. Through the 

Cooperator program, CCC enters into trade promotion partnerships with U.S. 

agricultural producers and processors, who are represented by nonprofit commodity or 

trade associations. Under this partnership, Agriculture and the Cooperators pool their 

technical and financial resources to conduct approved overseas market development 

activities. The Cooperator Program is administrated by Agriculture’s Foreign 

Agricultural Service. 

Emerging Markets 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type 

The Emerging Markets Program is a market access program that provides funding for 

technical assistance activities intended to promote exports of U.S. agricultural 

commodities and products to emerging markets in all geographic regions, consistent 

with U.S. foreign policy. The program specifically targets U.S. agricultural or

agribusiness organizations, universities, state departments of agriculture, Agriculture 

agencies, and for-profit entities. Many types of technical assistance activities that 

promote markets for U.S. agricultural products may be eligible for funding, including 

feasibility studies, market research, sectorial assessments, orientation visits, 

specialized training, and business workshops. 

Export Credit 

Guarantee Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type 

Export credit guarantee programs help provide commercial financing of U.S. 

agricultural exports. Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) administers 

these programs assist U.S. exporters of agricultural products with exports to countries 

where credit is necessary to maintain or increase U.S. sales, but where financing may 

not be available without CCC guarantees. 

Page 28 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix II: Department of Agriculture – 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, 

and program Target businesses Agency description of program purpose 

Dairy Export 

Incentive Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type 

The Dairy Export Incentive Program helps exporters of U.S. dairy products meet 

prevailing world prices for targeted dairy products and destinations. Under the 

program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture pays cash to exporters as bonuses, 

allowing them to sell certain U.S. dairy products at prices lower than the exporter’s 

costs of acquiring them. The major objective of the program is to develop export 

markets for dairy products where U.S. products are not competitive because of the 

presence of subsidized products from other countries. 

Export Enhancement 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type 

The Export Enhancement Program is designed to help U.S. farm products meet 

competition from subsidizing countries, especially the European Union. Under the 

program, Agriculture pays cash to exporters as bonuses, allowing them to sell U.S. 

agricultural products in targeted countries at prices below the exporter’s costs of 

acquiring them. The major objectives are to expand U.S. agricultural exports and to 

challenge unfair trade practices. 

U.S. Exporter 

Assistance 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type 

U.S. Exporter Assistance offers on-line access to Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) 

resources, products, and services that can help companies explore the potential for 

international sales. Agriculture-FAS’s Exporter Assistance benefits primarily small and 

medium-sized companies. 

Supplier Credit

Guarantee Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type 

The Supplier Credit Guarantee Program (SCGP) was designed to make it easier for 

exporters to sell U.S. food products overseas by insuring short-term, open account 

financing. SCGP was active until late 2005, but has not been active since. Under the 

security of the SCGP, U.S. exporters could become more competitive by extending 

longer credit terms or increasing the amount of credit available to foreign buyers 

without increasing financial risk. SCGP targeted U.S. exporters of agricultural 

products, with an emphasis on high-value products and market potential. 

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization 

Small Business 

Programs 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

The small business programs administered by Agriculture’s Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) are responsible for fostering the use of 

small and small disadvantaged businesses as federal contractors. OSDBU’s goal is to 

provide as much information, guidance and technical assistance as possible to assist 

the small business community in increasing its competitiveness through increased

participation in Agriculture’s procurement and program activities. 

Customer Outreach 

Services 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

The Customer Outreach Services administered by Agriculture’s Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged Business Utilization help foster participation by small businesses in 

Agriculture’ s procurement and program activities. Specifically, the program identifies 

and eliminates barriers that prevent or restrict access to Agriculture procurements, 

educates small businesses, and conducts monthly vendor outreach. 

Rural Development - Business and Cooperative Programs 

Renewable Energy 

Systems and Energy 

Efficiency 

Improvements 

Program - Section 

9006 program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

The Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program funds 

grants, direct loans, and loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural small 

businesses that can demonstration financial need to purchase renewable energy 

systems and make energy efficiency improvements. To be eligible for grants, 

applicants must demonstrate financial need. Projects must be for the purchase of a 

renewable energy system or to make energy efficiency improvements. Eligible 

renewable energy projects include systems that generate energy from wind, solar, 

biomass, or geothermal sources or that produce hydrogen derived from biomass or 

water using a renewable energy source. Renewable energy projects can include the 

generation of electricity, heat, fuels, or hydrogen. Energy efficiency projects typically 

involve installing or upgrading equipment that results in a significant reduction in 

energy use from current operations. 

Page 29 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix II: Department of Agriculture – 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, 

and program Target businesses Agency description of program purpose 

Rural Business

Opportunity Grants 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type 

The purpose of the Rural Business Opportunity Grant program is to promote 

sustainable economic development in rural communities with exceptional needs by 

making grants to pay the costs of providing economic planning for rural communities, 

technical assistance for rural businesses, or training for rural entrepreneurs or 

economic development officials. Eligible applicants include public bodies, nonprofit 

corporations, Indian tribes, or cooperatives with members who are primarily rural 

residents. Applicants must be able to show that the funding will result in economic 

development of a rural area. In addition, applicants must include a basis for

determining the success or failure of the project and assessing its impact. 

Rural Business

Enterprise Grants 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

The Rural Business Enterprise Grants program awards grants to public bodies, private 

nonprofit corporations, and federally-recognized Indian tribes to finance and facilitate 

development of small and emerging private businesses located in rural areas. Eligible 

small and emerging businesses must have fewer than 50 new employees and less 

than $1 million in gross annual revenues. Funds may be used to finance or develop 

small and emerging businesses. Eligible uses include technical assistance such as 

marketing and feasibility studies, business plans, and training; purchases or leases of 

machinery and equipment; the creation of revolving loan funds small emerging 

businesses may use to purchase equipment or real estate; or provide working capital 

or funds to construct business incubators for small and emerging businesses. 

Business and 

Industry Guaranteed 

Loan 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type 

The Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan program helps create jobs and 

stimulates rural economies by providing financial backing for rural businesses. This 

program provides guarantees up to 80 percent of loans made by commercial lenders. 

Loan proceeds may be used for working capital, machinery and equipment, buildings 

and real estate, and certain types of debt refinancing. The primary purpose is to create 

and maintain employment and improve the economic climate in rural communities. 

Authorized lenders include federal or state chartered banks, credit unions, insurance 

companies, savings and loan associations, Farm Credit Banks, the National Rural 

Utilities Finance Corporation, and other lenders approved by Business and

Cooperative Programs. A borrower may be a cooperative organization, corporation, 

partnership, or other legal entity organized and operated on a profit or nonprofit basis; 

an Indian tribe on a federal or state reservation or other federally recognized tribal 

group; a public body; or an individual. Individual borrowers must be U.S. citizens or 

legal residents. Corporations or other nonpublic borrowers must be at least 51 percent 

owned by persons who are either U.S. citizens or legal residents. Business and 

Industry loans are normally available in rural areas. 

Value Added 

Producer Grants 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type 

Value Added Producer Grants may be used for planning activities and for working 

capital for marketing value-added agricultural products and for farm-based renewable 

energy. Eligible applicants are independent producers, farmer and rancher 

cooperatives, agricultural producer groups, and majority-controlled producer-based

business ventures. 

Intermediary 

Relending Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

The purpose of the Intermediary Relending Program is designed to alleviate poverty 

and increase economic activity and employment in rural communities, especially 

disadvantaged and remote communities, through financing targeted primarily towards 

smaller and emerging businesses, in partnership with other public and private 

resources, and in accordance with state and regional strategy based on identified 

community needs. This purpose is achieved through loans made to intermediaries that 

establish programs for the purpose of providing loans to ultimate recipients for 

business facilities and community developments in a rural area. The program targets 

small businesses in rural areas. 

Page 30 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix II: Department of Agriculture – 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, 

and program Target businesses Agency description of program purpose 

Rural Economic

Development Loans 

and Grants 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type 

The Rural Economic Development Loans and Grants program must be used 

exclusively to promote rural economic development and/or job creation projects, 

including but not limited to, project feasibility studies, start-up costs, business 

incubator projects, and other reasonable expenses for the purpose of fostering rural 

economic development. 

Source: GAO data. 

Table 8: Services Provided by Department of Agriculture Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of Services 

Type of service

Agency and program Target businesses Financial 

Technology

development 

and/or

deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service

Small Business Innovation 

Research

Any small business, 

regardless of type X X X

Farm Service Agency 

Domestic Food Aid 

Procurements 

Any business engaged in

manufacturing, regardless 

of size X X X X

International Food Aid 

Procurements 

Any business engaged in

manufacturing, regardless 

of size X X X

Food Safety and Inspection Service 

Small and Very Small 

Plant Outreach

Small businesses 

engaged in manufacturing X X

Foreign Agricultural Service 

Facility Guarantee 

Program 

Any business, regardless 

of size or type X X

Market Access Program Any business, regardless 

of size or type X X

Foreign Market

Development Program 

Any business, regardless 

of size or type X X

Emerging Markets 

Program 

Any business, regardless 

of size or type X X

Export Credit Guarantee

Program 

Any business, regardless 

of size or type X X

Dairy Export Incentive 

Program 

Any business, regardless 

of size or type X

Export Enhancement 

Program 

Any business, regardless 

of size or type X

Page 31 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix II: Department of Agriculture – 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

U.S. Exporter Assistance Any business, regardless 

of size or type X

Supplier Credit Guarantee 

Program 

Any business, regardless 

of size or type X X

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization 

Small Business Programs Any small business, 

regardless of type X

Customer Outreach 

Services 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X

Rural Development, Business and Cooperative Programs 

Renewable Energy 

Systems and Energy 

Efficiency Improvements 

Program - Section 9006 

program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X

Rural Business

Opportunity Grants 

Any business, regardless 

of size or type X X X

Rural Business Enterprise 

Grants 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X X X

Business and Industry 

Guaranteed Loan 

Any business, regardless 

of size or type X

Value Added Producer 

Grants 

Any business, regardless 

of size or type X

Intermediary Relending 

Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X

Rural Economic

Development Loans and 

Grants 

Any business, regardless 

of size or type 

X X

Renewable Energy 

Systems and Energy 

Efficiency Improvements 

Program - Section 9006 

program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X

Source: GAO data. 

Page 32 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix III: Department of Commerce –

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Table 9: Department of Commerce Programs That Offer Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturers by Agency, 

Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Bureau of Industry and Security

Office of Exporter 

Services 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Office of Exporter Services is responsible for counseling exporters of all sizes, 

conducting export control seminars and drafting and publishing changes to the Export 

Administration Regulations. It is also responsible for compliance actions related to the 

Special Comprehensive Licenses and the development of export management 

systems. In addition, the office processes license applications and commodity 

classifications.

Export Control Seminar 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

A series of increasingly detailed seminars led by Bureau of Industry and Security’s 

professional counseling staff to provide an in-depth examination of the Export 

Administration Regulations and to inform exporters how to comply with U.S. export 

control requirements on commercial goods. 

Business and 

Technology 

Enhancement 

Opportunities and 

Partner Links 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

A web site to help make small and medium-sized businesses aware of the wide range 

of federal resources available to bolster their competitiveness in world markets. The 

Bureau of Industry and Security and partner agencies offer a variety of innovative 

programs to assist such firms. The web site provides a brief description and links to 

various programs, many of which are defense-related. 

Defense Trade

Advocacy Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Defense Advocacy Program helps companies succeed in today’s highly 

competitive global defense market. They assist U.S. companies of all sizes. Trade and 

industry analysts: 1) support U.S. defense companies’ products and services in 

international procurement competitions, 2) identify and disseminate information on

export market opportunities, 3) provide market intelligence and business counseling, 

and 4) generate high-level, government-to-government advocacy on behalf of U.S. 

firms competing for international defense projects. 

Defense Priorities and 

Allocations System 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The purpose of the Defense Priorities and Allocations System Program is to (1) assure 

the timely availability of industrial resources to meet current national defense and 

emergency preparedness program requirements; and (2) provide an operating system 

to support rapid industrial response in a national emergency. 

Defense Industrial 

Capability and 

Technology 

Assessments 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Bureau of Industry and Security conducts industry analyses to assess the 

capability of the U.S. industrial base to support national defense. The Office of 

Technology Evaluation, an office within the Bureau, uses industry-specific surveys to 

provide essential employment, financial, production, research and development, and 

other data - information unavailable from any other source. The final reports provide 

findings and recommendations for government policy-makers and industry leaders. 

These studies are conducted in cooperation with experts from the private sector and 

other U.S. government agencies. The goal is to enable the private sector and 

government agencies to monitor trends, benchmark industry performance, and raise 

awareness of diminishing manufacturing capabilities. Customers for these reports 

include the Armed Services, Congress, and industry associations. 

Appendix III: Department of Commerce – 

Programs that Offer Services to Small 

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Page 33 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix III: Department of Commerce –

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Office of National 

Security and 

Technology Transfer 

Controls and Office of 

Nonproliferation and 

Treaty Compliance 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Office of National Security and Technology Transfer Controls (NSTTC) and the 

Office of Nonproliferation and Treaty Compliance (NPTC) are responsible for issues 

related to export and reexport controls. They implement the Export Administration 

Regulations to control the spread of commodities, technologies, and software that 

have both civilian and defense uses. The offices are responsible for policy actions, 

export licenses, commodity classifications, license determinations, advisory opinions 

for affected commodities, and interagency commodity jurisdiction assessments. Part of 

their missions include interacting with businesses of all sizes to ensure compliance 

with U.S. export regulations, and supporting BIS outreach activities. Business and 

Industry Services (BIS) does not provide financial assistance to any business. 

Specifically, NSTTC implements multilateral dual-use export controls for national 

security reasons to comply with the Wassenaar Arrangement. NSTTC is also 

responsible for U.S. export control policy for high performance computers and 

encryption, and administers the export licensing responsibilities for foreign nationals 

under the “deemed export” technology rule It also administers the “short supply” 

provisions of the Export Administration Regulations. NPTC implements multilateral 

dual-use export controls for non-proliferation reasons to comply with the Australia 

Group, the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Missile Technology Control Regime, 

and the Nuclear Suppliers Group. In addition, NPTC is responsible for the InterAmerican Firearms Convention, crime control, and United Nations embargo

restrictions. Both offices implement export controls for anti-terrorism and regional 

stability reasons. In addition, NSTTC conducts outreach on export controls to various 

industry associations: in the areas of night vision, encryption and deemed exports. 

Economic Development Administration 

Trade Adjustment 

Assistance for Firms 

Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of size 

The Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for Firms program is a matching funds 

program designed for manufacturers battling import competition. A firm may be eligible 

if it experienced sales and employment declines at least partially due to imports over 

the last 2 years. One of the 11 regional non-profit groups that manage the program 

(known as Trade Adjustment Assistance Centers or (TAACs) makes an initial 

assessment of eligibility. TAA for Firms provides financial assistance to offset the cost 

of projects that strengthen operations and sharpen competitiveness for manufacturers 

in many industries. This customized business assistance is used for a variety of 

projects, including consultant services in the areas of marketing, information

technology, manufacturing, engineering, and quality. 

International Trade Administration

Petition Counseling and 

Analysis Unit 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Petition Counseling and Analysis Unit helps U.S. Businesses understand U.S. 

unfair trade laws dealing with dumping and unfair foreign government subsidies, and 

the process of filing a petition requesting the initiation of an investigation. It provides 

guidance to potential petitioners to assist them in determining what types of 

information will be required in order to pursue action against an industry suspected of 

unfair trade practices. The PCAU also assists potential petitioners in ensuring their 

petition is in compliance with statutory initiation standards and provides small 

businesses with publicly available tariff and trade data from the Departments of 

Commerce and Treasury, and the U.S. International Trade Commission. 

Page 34 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix III: Department of Commerce –

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Subsidies Enforcement Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The primary mission of the Subsidies Enforcement Office (SEO) is to assist the private 

sector by monitoring foreign subsidies and identifying subsidies that can be remedied 

under the Subsidies Agreement of the World Trade Organization of which the United 

States is a member. As part of its monitoring efforts, the SEO has created a Subsidies 

Library, which is available to the public via the internet. The goal is to create an easily 

accessible one-stop shop that provides user-friendly information on foreign 

government subsidy practices.

Trade Remedy

Compliance 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Trade Remedy Compliance Staff provides assistance to U.S. businesses which 

feel that their trade problems may stem from unfair trade practices or the improper 

application of foreign unfair trade laws. 

Textiles and Apparel Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of size 

The Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) for Textiles and Apparel oversees programs 

and strategies to improve the domestic and international competitiveness of the U.S. 

fiber, textile, and apparel industries, as well as industries which manufacture a wide

range of consumer products. The DAS also serves as Chairman of the Committee for 

the Implementation of Textile Agreements, which determines when market disrupting 

factors exist in the domestic fiber, textile, and apparel marketplace. The DAS also 

administers U.S. textile quota agreements, formulates trade policy, performs research 

and analysis, compiles industry data, and promotes U.S. trade events for a whole 

spectrum of textiles and apparel. 

Export Certificate of 

Review Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

Through the Export Trade Certificate of Review Program, Commerce helps promote 

the development of Joint Ventures and the use of Export Trade Intermediaries. With 

this Certificate, businesses limit their domestic legal liability when Joint Exporting or 

when they have Joint Sales with a Trading Partner in foreign markets. Currently the 

more than 3,000 firms participate in the program account for an average of $12.3 

billion in annual export sales. 

Safe Harbor 

Certification 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

In order to provide a streamlined means for U.S. organizations to comply with the 

European.Union’s (E.U.) data protection directive, Commerce and the European Union 

negotiated the U.S.-E.U. Safe Harbor Framework. The Safe Harbor Framework allows 

U.S. companies to avoid data flow interruptions from the European Union to the United

States. To be assured of “safe harbor,” a business must annually self certify to 

Commerce that it adheres to certain safe harbor requirements of the E.U. directive. 

Commerce maintains a list of all organizations that file self certification letters and 

makes both the list and the self certification letters publicly available. 

Export Yellow Pages Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Export Yellow Pages on-line or print directory helps businesses locate export or 

trading partners, export trading companies, export management companies and export 

intermediaries. More than 27,000 firms currently advertise in the Yellow Pages 

Market Development 

Cooperator Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) awards entail financial and 

technical assistance from the International Trade Administration (ITA) to support 

projects that enhance the global competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing and services 

industries. An MDCP award establishes a partnership between ITA and non-profit 

industry groups such as trade associations or chambers of commerce. Such groups 

are particularly effective in reaching small- and medium-size enterprises. The nonprofit groups compete for a limited number of MDCP award partnerships by proposing 

innovative projects that enhance the global competitive position of their industry with a 

special emphasis on small- and medium-sized enterprises. These industry groups 

pledge to pay a minimum of two-thirds of the project cost and to sustain the project 

after the MDCP award period ends. 

Page 35 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix III: Department of Commerce –

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Strategy Targeting 

Organized Piracy 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Market Access and Compliance’s Office of Intellectual Property Rights has 

undertaken numerous activities to assist particularly small and medium sized 

businesses in protecting intellectual property rights, both in the United States and 

abroad. These activities include hotlines to file complaints; limited legal counseling; 

country-specific information on protecting intellectual property rights; guidance in

securing supply chains against fakes; protecting intellectual property right at trade 

fairs; training; and information to raise consumer awareness. 

Commercial Services Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The U.S. Commercial Service promotes and protects U.S. commercial interests 

abroad and delivers customized solutions to ensure that U.S. businesses, especially 

small and medium sized enterprises, compete and win in the international marketplace 

through a global network of trade professionals. 

The Advocacy Center Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

Since its creation in 1993, the Advocacy Center has helped hundreds of U.S. 

companies—small, medium and large enterprises—in various industry sectors win 

government contracts across the globe. Advocacy assistance is wide and varied but 

often involves helping companies communicate with foreign governments or 

government-owned corporations. For example, on a case-by-case basis, following its 

due diligence process, the Advocacy Center and, if necessary, the Advocacy Network 

will make a national interest determination to identify whether the project qualifies for 

federal support. Typically, companies must demonstrate how supporting their bid will

positively benefit the U.S. economy, primarily in the form of exports of goods and 

services. Other factors may also be taken into consideration.

Foreign Trade Zones 

Board 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

Manufacturing in a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) may offer cost advantages to small and 

medium sized manufacturers. FTZ staff will provide information and assistance to 

companies considering whether to relocate to an FTZ, which are specific physical 

areas within the United States that, for customs purposes, are treated as if they are 

outside U.S. borders. When a company manufactures in an FTZ, the company is 

treated (for purposes of customs duties) as if it is located outside the United States. As 

a result, for export shipments of the finished product, U.S. import duties don’t have to 

be paid on imported components. If the finished product is ultimately shipped to the 

U.S. market, companies may have the option to pay the finished product duty rate 

rather than the component duty rate. 

Minority Business Development Agency

Minority Business 

Internet Portal 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Minority Business Development Agency’s new Minority Business Internet Portal 

(website) is an e-commerce solution designed for the Minority Business Enterprise 

(MBE) community. This Internet platform provides MBEs with access to customized

tools and business information to help them grow and thrive in an ever-changing digital 

economy. 

Minority Business 

Development Centers, 

Native American

Business Development 

Centers, Business 

Resource Centers 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

According to Commerce, the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is the 

only federal agency created specifically to foster the establishment and growth of 

minority-owned businesses in America. The Agency’s mission is to actively promote 

the growth and competitiveness of large, medium and small minority business 

enterprises. MBDA funds a network of Minority Business Development Centers, Native 

American Business Development Centers, and Business Resource Centers located

throughout the Nation. The Centers are staffed by business specialists who have the 

knowledge and practical experience needed to run successful and profitable

businesses. Business referral services are provided free of charge. However, the 

network generally charges nominal fees for specific management and technical 

assistance services. 

Page 36 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix III: Department of Commerce –

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Minority Business 

Opportunity Centers 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Minority Business Opportunity Centers (MBOC) are designed to coordinate 

federal, state and local business resources to benefit minority business development. 

They identify business and economic opportunities in the community and leverage 

those opportunities to meet the needs of minority business enterprises. The MBOC’s 

help broker contract opportunities and financial transactions for minority owned 

businesses 

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Advanced Technology 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

Although funding for new projects was discontinued in fiscal year 2005, the Advanced 

Technology Program (ATP) did receive funding to continue existing projects. ATP 

provides cost-shared multi-year funding to single companies and industry-led joint 

ventures to accelerate the development and broad dissemination of challenging, highrisk technologies with the potential for significant commercial payoffs and widespread 

benefits for the nation. This unique government-industry partnership aids companies in

accelerating the development of emerging or enabling technologies that lead to 

revolutionary new products and industrial processes and services that can compete in

rapidly changing world markets. ATP challenges the research and development 

community to take on higher technical risk projects with commensurately higher 

potential payoffs for the nation than they would otherwise pursue. ATP does not fund 

product development, manufacturing, marketing, or commercialization activities. 

Calibration services Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The calibration services of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

are designed to help the makers and users of precision instruments achieve the 

highest possible levels of measurement quality and productivity. NIST recovers the 

cost of providing calibration services by charging a fee for each calibration performed. 

Calibration services are offered to public and private organizations and individuals 

alike. 

Manufacturing 

Engineering Laboratory 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory works to satisfy the measurements and 

standards needs of the U.S. manufacturers in mechanical and dimensional metrology 

and in advanced manufacturing technology by conducting research and development, 

providing services, and participating in standards activities.

Hollings Manufacturing

Extension Partnership

Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of size 

The Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) is a nationwide network of 

not-for-profit centers in nearly 350 locations, whose purpose is to provide 

manufacturers with the services they need to succeed. The centers, serving all 50 

States and Puerto Rico, are linked together through Commerce’s National Institute of 

Standards and Technology. Centers are funded by federal, state, local and private 

resources to serve manufacturers that make it possible for even the smallest firms to 

tap into the expertise of knowledgeable manufacturing and business specialists all 

over the United States. These specialists are people who have had experience on 

manufacturing floors and in plant operations. Each center works directly with area 

manufacturers to provide expertise and services tailored to their most critical needs, 

which range from process improvements and worker training to business practices and 

applications of information technology. Solutions are offered through a combination of 

direct assistance from center staff and outside consultants. Centers often help small 

firms overcome barriers in locating and obtaining private-sector resources. 

Page 37 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix III: Department of Commerce –

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

National Institute of Standards and Technology - Information Technology Laboratory

Small Business 

Computer Security 

Workshops 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), it has the 

mandate to help improve the security of commercial information technology products 

and strengthen the security of users’ systems and infrastructures. To this end, NIST, in 

co-sponsorship with the Small Business Administration and the Federal Bureau of 

Investigation, conducts workshops on information security threats and solutions. The 

workshops resulting from this partnership deliver information security training and are 

especially designed for small businesses and not-for-profit organizations. Attendees 

will have the opportunity to explore practical tools and techniques that can help them 

to assess, enhance, and maintain the security of their systems and information. 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Fisheries Finance 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Fisheries Finance Program provides long-term financing for the cost of 

construction or reconstruction of fishing vessels, shoreline facilities, and aquacultural

facilities. Specifically, the program does not finance construction of new vessels, but 

refinances the previously paid cost of such construction. Additionally, the program 

provides long-term financing of individual fishing quotas in the Northwest Halibut and 

Sablefish fisheries. Vessel financing or refinancing that could contribute to

overcapitalization by increasing harvesting capacity is prohibited by regulation. 

National Telecommunications and Information Administration 

Technology Transfer Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) participates in technology transfer 

and commercialization efforts by fostering cooperative telecommunications research 

with industry where benefits can directly facilitate U.S. competitiveness and market 

opportunities. ITS has participated for a number of years in Cooperative Research and 

Development Agreements (CRADAs) with private sector organizations to design, 

develop, test and evaluate advanced telecommunication concepts. Cooperative 

research with private industry has helped ITS accomplish its mission to support 

industry’s productivity and competitiveness by providing insight into industry needs. 

This has led to adjustments in the focus and direction of other Institute programs to 

improve their effectiveness and value. While most CRADAs are with small businesses 

that gain access to the Institute’s facilities through the agreement, these businesses 

may not meet the Small Business Administration’s definition of small. These entities 

gain access to the Table Mountain Field Site and Radio Quiet Zone facilities to 

conduct radio research experiments that does not involve the transfer of technology 

from the government to small businesses. 

Office of the Secretary 

Small Business 

Innovation Research 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

The Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) is designed to ensure that 

small, high-technology firms have access to federal research and development funds 

to pursue advanced technologies and their commercial applications. SBIR is a 

competitive three-phase program that reserves a specific percentage of research and 

development funding at certain federal agencies for awards to small businesses. 

Currently eleven other federal agencies provide the grant funds and oversee the 

projects. The Small Business Administration monitors the SBIR program and provides 

guidance. Two Commerce agencies (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration and National Institute of Standards and Technology) administer SBIR 

programs. SBIR funds the critical startup and development stages and it encourages 

the commercialization of the resulting technology, product, or service. In accordance 

with Executive Order No. 13,329, SBIR programs will give a priority, where feasible, to 

proposals that are directed toward innovations that will aid the nation’s manufacturing 

sector. 

Page 38 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix III: Department of Commerce –

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Commerce’s 

Information Technology 

Solutions Next 

Generation 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

The Commerce’s Information Technology Solutions Next Generation (COMMITS

NexGen) levels the “playing field” as a small business Government-Wide Acquisition 

Contract (GWAC) that is convenient for ordering information technology (IT) services 

from high quality small businesses. In today’s streamlined acquisition environment, 

many IT requirements that once were publicly announced are now met through task 

and delivery order contracts. COMMITS NexGen gives small businesses the 

opportunity to compete and grow. 

Office of Business 

Liaison 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Office of Business Liaison serves as the primary point for contact between 

Commerce and the business community. Specifically, among other things, the Office 

helps guide individuals and businesses to the Commerce offices and policy experts 

best suited to respond to their needs; helps to develop a pro-active, responsive and 

effective outreach program and relationship with the business community; informs the 

Secretary, the Department and Administration officials of the critical issues facing the 

business community; and informs the business community of Commerce and 

Administration resources, policies and programs. 

Prime Contractor 

Directory 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

Commerce’s ‘Prime Contractor Directory’ is prepared to assist all small businesses, 

with their marketing efforts in obtaining suitable subcontracting opportunities and 

presenting their capabilities to Commerce prime contractors. The Prime Contractor 

Directory includes product, service, and construction related contractors that have 

contracts with Commerce which are valued at $500,000 or more. These companies 

have approved subcontracting plans and their progress toward achieving its 

subcontracting goals is monitored by the Office of Small and Disadvantaged

Utilization. 

Subcontracting Program Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

The subcontracting program creates many opportunities for small, small 

disadvantaged, HUBZone, veteran-owned, service disabled veteran-owned small 

firms, and women-owned small businesses. Commerce requires contractors to 

establish aggressive goals for subcontracting with small businesses. The Office of 

Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization monitors the progress of prime 

contractors in meeting the goals in their subcontracting plans. 

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged

Business Utilization 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization is an advocacy and advisory 

office responsible for promoting the use of small, small disadvantaged, Section 8(a), 

women-owned, veteran-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, and HUBZone small 

businesses within Commerce’s acquisition process. 

Technology Administration

National Technical 

Information Service 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The mission of the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) is to promote 

progress by serving as the federal government’s central means of making technical

information perpetually and widely available. In performing its mission, NTIS 

contributes directly and substantially to the larger mission of Commerce which, 

according to Commerce’s Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2004-2009, is to create the 

conditions for economic growth and opportunity by promoting innovation, 

entrepreneurship, competitiveness, and stewardship. Through NTIS, the nation’s 

research and scientific community receives the fruits of research that can be used to 

create new or improved products and services that enhance the nation’s 

competitiveness. 

Source: GAO data. 

Page 39 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix III: Department of Commerce –

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Table 10: Services Provided by Department of Commerce Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of Services 

Type of service

Agency and program Target businesses Financial 

Technology

development 

and/or deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Bureau of Industry and Security 

Office of Exporter 

Services 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X

Business and 

Technology 

Enhancement 

Opportunities and 

Partner Links 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type 

X

Export Control Seminar 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X

Defense Trade

Advocacy Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Defense Priorities and 

Allocations System 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Defense Industrial 

Capability and 

Technology 

Assessments 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type 

X

Office of National 

Security and 

Technology Transfer 

Controls and Office of 

Nonproliferation and 

Treaty Compliance 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type 

X X

Economic Development Administration 

Trade Adjustment 

Assistance for Firms 

Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of size X X

International Trade Administration

Petition Counseling and 

Analysis Unit 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Subsidies Enforcement Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Page 40 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix III: Department of Commerce –

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Type of service

Agency and program Target businesses Financial 

Technology

development 

and/or deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Trade Remedy

Compliance 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Textiles and Apparel Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of size X

Export Certificate of 

Review Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Safe Harbor 

Certification 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Export Yellow Pages Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Market Development 

Cooperator Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X X X X X

Trade Compliance 

Center 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Commercial Services Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X

The Advocacy Center Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X

Foreign Trade Zones 

Board 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Minority Business Development Agency

Minority Business 

Internet Portal 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Minority Business 

Development Centers, 

Native American

Business Development 

Centers, Business 

Resource Centers 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type 

X X

Minority Business 

Opportunity Centers 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Page 41 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix III: Department of Commerce –

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Type of service

Agency and program Target businesses Financial 

Technology

development 

and/or deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Advanced Technology 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X

Calibration services Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Manufacturing 

Engineering Laboratory 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X X

Hollings Manufacturing

Extension Partnership

Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of size X X X X

National Institute of Standards and Technology - Information Technology Laboratory

Small Business 

Computer Security 

Workshops 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X X

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Fisheries Finance 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

National Telecommunications and Information Administration 

Technology Transfer Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Office of the Secretary 

Small Business 

Innovation Research 

Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X X

Commerce’s 

Information Technology 

Solutions Next 

Generation 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X

Office of Business 

Liaison 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X

Prime Contractor 

Directory 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X

Subcontracting Program Any small business, 

regardless of type X

Page 42 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix III: Department of Commerce –

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Type of service

Agency and program Target businesses Financial 

Technology

development 

and/or deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged

Business Utilization 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X X

Technology Administration

National Technical 

Information Service 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X

Source: GAO data. 

Page 43 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix IV: Department of Defense - 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Table 11: Department of Defense Programs That Offer Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by Agency, 

Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Department of the Air Force 

Technology Insertion, 

Demonstration, and 

Evaluation Program 

Small businesses 

engaged in 

manufacturing

The Technology Insertion, Demonstration, and Evaluation (TIDE) program was 

founded to encourage and assist small manufacturers in the adoption of 

commercially available software and information technology. The TIDE program is 

specifically focused on small manufacturers that supply goods and services

important to the national defense; however, much of the work of the TIDE program is 

broadly applicable to all small businesses. The TIDE program consists of three 

primary elements: (1) technology demonstration projects; (2) workforce development 

course; and (3) technology development projects. This program is run through 

Carnegie Mellon University’s Software Engineering Institute.

Department of the Air Force - Air Force Outreach Program Office 

Manufacturing Technical 

Assistance Production

Program 

Small businesses 

engaged in 

manufacturing

The purpose of the Air Force Manufacturing Technical Assistance Production 

Program is to assist in increasing and enhancing the competitiveness of small 

manufacturing firms in support of the Air Force in Defense and their major prime 

contractors by providing technical and managerial assistance. The program focuses 

on: small business solutions to industrial policy issues; reducing critical shortages of 

spare parts; sustaining legacy weapons systems; maintaining surge production 

capability; reducing diminishing manufacturing sources and material shortages; 

increasing competition in commodity areas and providing a source of “Best in Class” 

suppliers for the government to increase competition, reduce manufacturing costs, 

reduce cycle times, and increase flexibility in the supply chain. 

Department of the Air Force - Manufacturing Technology Division

Industrial Base

Information Center 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Industrial Base Information Center (IBIC) provides timely information about the 

Defense Technology and Industrial Base to directly support the planning and 

execution activities of the Directorate and related government users. IBIC services 

are available to all federal government employees and contractors requiring 

information on valid federal government contracts. IBIC has access to an extensive 

range of commercial and government information sources. On-line services include 

DIALOG, Haystack, AFKS, and Jane’s. Databases available to IBIC include DD350

government contract data, Standard & Poor’s Research Insight, FEDLOG, Forecast 

International, and others. IBIC has used these and other sources to provide analyses 

suited to a variety of customers’ needs. 

Department of the Air Force - Technology Transfer Branch 

Technology Transfer 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Air Force Technology Transfer Program assures that Air Force Science and 

science and engineering activities promote the transfer and/or exchange of

technology in a timely manner to the private and public sectors. Partnering with the 

Air Force can be readily accomplished through a variety of Technology Transfer 

agreements, such as collaborative research or licensing Air Force technologies. 

Appendix IV: Department of Defense - 

Programs that Offer Services to Small 

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Page 44 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix IV: Department of Defense - 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Department of the Army - Joint Munitions Command 

Armament Retooling and 

Manufacturing Support 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Armament Retooling and Manufacturing Support (ARMS) program—a

cooperative arrangement between the Army and Agriculture—offers 

commercial/industrial businesses the opportunity to establish business centers at 

eligible Army production facilities. The ARMS “Asset Management” model offers 

mature infrastructure and services to businesses seeking manufacturing, office, 

warehouse, and other industrial park resources. The facility contractor (property 

manager) at the participating Army site negotiates terms and conditions with these 

clients reaching the “fair market value” for needed asset requirements. The ARMS 

program offers leasehold improvements to prospective clients to upgrade the 

property, meet code requirements, or adapt existing infrastructure to business client 

needs. As with state and local economic development agencies, the aim of the 

ARMS Loan Guarantee Program is to assist commercial clients/tenants in

capitalizing their business opportunities. This loan program provides tenants with 

working capital, equipment acquisition, building modification, and other business 

resources to locate at eligible Army industrial facilities. 

Department of the Navy - Best Manufacturing Practices Center of Excellence 

Best Manufacturing 

Practices Program 

Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of size 

The Best Manufacturing Practices (BMP) program operates out of the Best 

Manufacturing Practices Center of Excellence (BMPCOE), a partnership of the Office 

of Naval Research’s BMP, Commerce, and the University of Maryland. The program 

helps businesses identify, research, and promote exceptional manufacturing 

practices, methods, and procedures to allow them to operate at a higher level of 

efficiency and effectiveness. BMP has three core competencies: (1) Best Practices 

Surveys - to identify, validate, and document best practices, and encourage

government, industry, and academia to share information and implement the 

practices; (2) Systems Engineering - facilitated by the Program Manager’s 

WorkStation, a suite of electronic tools that provide risk management, engineering 

support, and failure analysis through integrated problem solving; and (3) Web 

Technologies - offered through the Collaborative Work Environment to provide users 

with an integrated digital environment to access and process a common set of 

documents in a geographically dispersed environment. The mission of the BMPCOE

is to provide a national resource to foster the identification and sharing of best 

practices used in industry, government, and academia, and to coordinate efforts to 

strengthen the U.S. industrial base for global competition. The BMPCOE staff assist 

projects with systems engineering best practices throughout a product’s life cycle 

using process-based solutions to reduce risk and eliminate surprises. 

Department of the Navy - Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Charleston

Defense Small Business 

Technology and

Readiness Resources 

Small businesses 

engaged in 

manufacturing

The Defense Small Business Technology and Readiness Resources (DSTARR) 

program supports Defense needs by developing a national network of technically 

competent small businesses. DSTARR provides technical assistance and expertise 

to small businesses in support of their efforts to achieve process improvements, be 

competitive in the global marketplace, advance information technology capabilities, 

development leadership skills, and achieve manufacturing excellence. The program 

supports small manufacturing and specialized information technology companies so 

they can become viable suppliers, have the appropriate infrastructure and 

processes, and integrate into supply chains that support Defense. Prior to December 

2006 this program was known as the Manufacturing Technical Assistance 

Production Program. 

Page 45 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix IV: Department of Defense - 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Office of the Secretary of Defense 

Next Generation

Manufacturing Technology 

Initiative 

Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of size 

The purpose of the Next Generation Manufacturing Technology Initiative (NGMTI) is 

to accelerate the development and implementation of breakthrough manufacturing 

technologies in support of the transformation of the defense industrial base and the 

global economic competitiveness of U.S.-based manufacturing. With strong

Congressional, federal/Defense, and industry support, NGMTI’s goal is not only to 

create strategic investment plans for innovative manufacturing technologies, but also 

to drive the implementation of those technologies through focused experiments and 

partnerships. 

TechMatch Any business,

regardless of size 

or type 

TechMatch web-based portal designed to provide industry and academia a Defensesponsored solution to find research and development opportunities, licensable 

patents, and information on nearly 120 Defense labs located across the United 

States. Registered users will receive a daily e-mail taking them to their matching 

research and development opportunities from FedBizOpps, Grants.gov, SBIR/STTR

solicitations; calendar events; and licensable patents relevant to their business. 

Technology Transition 

Initiative 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

Congress established the Technology Transition Initiative (TTI) in the Bob Stump 

National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2003, Pub. L. No. 107-314, 

Section 242, 116 Stat. 2458, 2494-2495 (Dec. 2, 2002) to: (1) accelerate the 

introduction of new technologies into operational capabilities for the armed forces, 

and (2) successfully demonstrate new technologies in relevant environments. The 

Science and Technology and Acquisition executives of each military department and 

each Defense Agency and the commanders of the unified and specified combatant 

commands nominate projects to be funded. The TTI Program Manager identifies the 

projects that meet Defense technology goals and requirements in consultation with 

the Technology Transition Council. The transition costs can be shared by the TTI

Program Manager and the appropriate acquisition executive. Service/Agency 

contribution can be up to 50 percent of the total project cost. 

Manufacturing Technology 

Program 

Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of size 

The Defense Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) Program focuses on the needs 

of weapon system programs for affordable, low-risk development, and production

capabilities. It provides a link between technology invention and development, and 

industrial applications. It matures and validates emerging manufacturing 

technologies to support low-risk implementation in industry and Defense facilities 

(e.g., depots and shipyards). The program addresses production issues from system 

development through transition to production and sustainment. The primary 

customers of the Program are acquisition and logistics program managers who are 

responsible for transitioning acquisition programs from development into production 

and for the repair, maintenance, and overhaul of systems currently in use. It 

operates in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Defense Logistics Agency, and Defense 

Advanced Research Projects Agency. 

Page 46 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix IV: Department of Defense - 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Defense Industry 

Adjustment 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The purpose of the Defense Industry Adjustment program is to help communities 

respond effectively to adverse Defense impacts, such as termination of a major 

defense contract. This usually means helping communities diversify defensedependent economies by developing community strategies and initiatives to assist 

firms and their employees. Usually, the adjustment process revolves around

identifying an organization to assume responsibility for carrying out the program, 

planning the adjustment, and implementing the strategy. Community responses may 

include any or all of the following: assistance for small and medium-sized 

businesses; business financing programs; procurement assistance centers; industry 

clusters; manufacturing extension partnerships; export assistance; workforce

assistance programs; business incubators; and/or a comprehensive strategy with 

multiple initiatives. 

TechLink Any business,

regardless of size 

or type 

The TechLink Center was established in 1996 at Montana State University in 

Bozeman, Montana. TechLink is funded by Defense to link companies with federal

laboratories for technology licensing, research, technology transfer, and technology 

transition. TechLink’s expertise extends to many industry areas including advanced 

materials and nano technology, aerospace, agricultural technologies, biomedicine 

and biotechnology, electronics, environmental technologies, information technologies 

and software, photonics and sensors. By understanding the technology needs and 

strengths of both industry and federal labs, TechLink develops productive 

partnerships for the licensing, transfer, development, and commercialization of 

technology. 

MilTech Small businesses

engaged in 

manufacturing

MilTech leverages TechLink’s technology transfer activities and helps companies 

primarily in the northwestern U.S. to transition innovative technology to Defense 

operational use. This program is a partnership between TechLink and the Montana 

Manufacturing Extension Partnership Center. MilTech provides engineering, 

manufacturing, and business development assistance to these companies to help 

accelerate the transition of new technology to the U.S. warfighter, lower the cost and 

cycle time of technology acquisition, and help Defense more fully benefit from its 

small business research and development funding. Although MilTech is primarily a 

regional program, it operates outside of the northwestern United States in two 

different circumstances: (1) to help TechLink licensees of Defense technologies to 

transition these technologies to the U.S. warfighter, and (2) when requested by 

Defense program managers to help other companies deliver critically needed 

technology to Defense. 

Defense Technical 

Information Center 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) is an online source of information 

for the acquisition, storage, retrieval, and dissemination of information about 

Defense’s research and scientific and technical information. Its technical information 

services are available to anyone at no cost and can help applicants for research 

funds, such as Small Business Innovation Research program participants, to prepare 

proposals, develop products, market, and network. DTIC provides access to citations 

of unclassified documents, as well as the electronic full-text of many documents. 

Page 47 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix IV: Department of Defense - 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Value Engineering Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The objective of the Defense Value Engineering program is to identify improvements 

in defense systems that can reduce costs and increase performance. Defense seeks 

to promote contractor participation in the program by (1) providing 

informational/educational material and assistance to contractors and (2) providing 

program advocates who can advise and assist Defense prime contractors and their 

subcontractors in developing proposals to change Value Engineering contracts as 

well as expediting the processing of these change proposals. Contractors receive a 

number of benefits for their participation in Value Engineering, including a share of 

the savings that results from Value Engineering contract changes. Also, contractors 

may benefit from reduced costs, increased efficiencies, and reduced overhead, 

among other things. 

Office of the Secretary of Defense - Defense Logistics Agency

Procurement Gateway Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Procurement Gateway is an integrated online collection of automated systems 

providing oversight for the management of procurement data. The Procurement 

Gateway allows prospective government contractors to perform comprehensive and 

detailed searches against Request for Quotation and Award documents. 

Business Counseling 

Center 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The goal of the Business Counseling Center (BCC) is to assist vendors in their 

search for business opportunities and to supply military customers with on-time 

quality goods. BCC has six state-of-the-art workstations that can provide easy 

access to view and quote on open solicitations via the Defense Supply Center 

Columbus Internet Bid Board System. BCC also offers contractors a free resource to 

access comprehensive research and logistics systems that include data on millions 

of parts purchased by the Department of Defense. BCC provides training sessions 

on the many facets of the acquisition process, in addition to a conference area for 

contractors and Defense Supply Center Columbus personnel to discuss acquisition 

issues. 

Aging Systems 

Sustainment and Enabling 

Technologies 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Aging Systems Sustainment and Enabling Technologies (ASSET) program is a 

National Reinvention Laboratory initiated in 1994 by Oklahoma State University to 

address Defense procurement problems. ASSET is a government-academicbusiness partnership. Technology development, insertion activities and virtual 

manufacturing capabilities developed by ASSET partners have resulted in grouped 

parts databases, parts-demand forecasting models, parts-on-demand manufacturing, 

new materials technologies for ceramic bearings, new processes to reduce corrosion

of aging systems, and new training materials. The technologies and processes 

developed in the ASSET program increase the Defense supply base, reduce the 

time and cost associated with parts procurement, and enhance military readiness. 

Page 48 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix IV: Department of Defense - 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Procurement Technical 

Assistance Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

The Procurement Technical Assistance Program provides Procurement Technical 

Assistance Centers (PTACs) with Defense support so that they may provide 

specialized and professional assistance to individuals and businesses seeking to 

learn about contracting and subcontracting opportunities, actively seeking 

contracting and subcontracting opportunities, and/or performing under contracts and 

subcontracts with Defense, other federal agencies, or state and local governments. 

This specialized and professional assistance may consist of but is not limited to 

outreach and counseling type services to promote understanding of federal, state, 

and local government requirements applicable to contracting for services, 

manufacturing, or other markets, and assistance in pursuing and securing 

subcontracting opportunities. PTACs are to make a concerted effort to seek out and 

assist Small Businesses, Small Disadvantaged Businesses, Women-Owned Small 

Businesses, Historically Underutilized Business Zone Small Business Concerns, 

Service-disabled Veteran-owned Small Businesses, and Historically Black Colleges 

and Minority Institutions. 

Office of the Secretary of Defense – Office of Small Business Programs 

Small Business Innovation 

Research Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

The Defense Small Business Innovation Research program is made up of 12 

participating components: Army, Navy, Air Force, Missile Defense Agency, Defense 

Advanced Research Projects Agency, Chemical Biological Defense, Special 

Operations Command, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, National GeospatialIntelligence Agency, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Beginning in fiscal 

year 2007, the Defense Logistics Agency and the Defense Micro-Electronics Activity 

became participating components. The program funds early-stage research and 

development at small technology companies and is designed to stimulate 

technological innovation, increase private sector commercialization of federal 

research and development, increase small business participation in federally funded 

research and development, and foster participation by minority and disadvantaged 

firms in technological innovation. 

Small Business 

Technology Transfer 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

The Defense Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program is made up of 6 

participating components: Army, Navy, Air Force, Missile Defense Agency, Defense 

Advanced Research Projects Agency, and Defense Research and Engineering. 

STTR competitively funds cooperative research and development projects involving 

a small business and a research institution, such as a university, federally-funded 

research and development center, or nonprofit research institution. The purpose of 

STTR is to create an effective vehicle for moving ideas from the nation’s research 

institutions to the market, where they can benefit both private sector and military 

customers. 

Mentor-Protégé Program Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

The Mentor-Protégé program assists certain small businesses (Protégés) to

successfully compete for prime contract and subcontract awards by partnering with 

large companies (Mentors) under individual, project-based agreements. Mentors and 

Protégés are solely responsible for finding their counterpart. Many mentors have 

made the program an integral part of their sourcing plans; while the protégés have 

used their involvement to develop much needed business and technical capabilities 

to diversify their customer base. This program is operated through the Air Force, 

Army, Navy, Defense Information Systems Agency, Defense Contracts Management 

Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, Defense Logistics Agency, National 

Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Special Operations Command, National Security 

Agency, Joint Robotics Program, and Missile Defense Agency. 

Page 49 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix IV: Department of Defense - 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Women-Owned Small 

Business Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

The Defense Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) program highlights the 

agency’s efforts to achieve the 5 percent goal for prime and subcontract awards to 

small business concerns owned and controlled by women. The program objectives 

are to facilitate, preserve, and strengthen full participation for WOSB concerns in the 

Defense acquisition programs for goods and services and, through programs and 

activities. It supports the growth of WOSB concerns through outreach, training, and 

technical assistance. All Defense subcontracting plans are required to have a 

separate goal for awards to WOSBs. 

Regional Councils for 

Small Business Education 

and Advocacy

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

The Defense Regional Councils for Small Business Education and Advocacy are a 

nationwide network of small business specialists organized to promote the national 

small business programs of the United States. There are eight Regional Councils 

sponsored by the Defense Office of Small Business Programs governed by

individual by-laws: Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, District of Columbia, Southeastern, North 

Central, South Central, Pacific Northwest, and Western. The Council’s primary 

objective is to promote the national small business programs to include small, 

historically underutilized business zone (HUBZone) small, small disadvantaged, 

women-owned small, and veteran-owned small business concerns; historically black 

colleges and universities; minority institutions; and tribal colleges. Additional 

objectives include promoting the exchange of ideas and experiences, and general 

information among small business specialists and the contracting community; and 

developing closer relationships and better communication among government 

entities and the small business community. Some Councils invite Small Business 

Liaison Officers representing prime contractors in an effort to promote small 

business subcontracting. 

Service Disabled VeteranOwned Small Business 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

Defense conducts outreach to identify small business concerns that are owned and 

controlled by service-disabled veterans. The purpose of this outreach is to improve 

prime and subcontracting opportunities for service disabled veteran-owned small 

businesses throughout Defense including the military services and other Defense 

agencies. 

Indian Incentive Program Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Indian Incentive Program is a congressionally authorized program that provides 

a rebate to the Prime Contractor of 5-percent of the total amount subcontracted to an 

Indian-Owned Economic Enterprise or Indian Organization. The program motivates 

Prime contractors to utilize Indian organization and Indian-owned economic 

enterprises. Defense prime contractors, regardless of size of contract are eligible for 

incentive payments. This is more of a monetary incentive for primes that will contract 

with Indian organizations, thus benefit those organizations by giving increased 

opportunities. 

HUBZone Empowerment 

Contracting Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

The purpose of the Historically Underutilized Business Zone Empowerment

Contracting Program is to stimulate economic development and create jobs in urban 

and rural communities by providing federal contracting preferences to small 

businesses. The program provides federal contracting opportunities for qualified 

small businesses located in distressed areas.

Page 50 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix IV: Department of Defense - 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Office of Small Business 

Programs 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

The mission of the Office of Small Business Programs is to (1) advise the Secretary 

of Defense on all matters related to small business; (2) represent the Secretary of 

Defense on major matters addressed at the Office of the Secretary of Defense level; 

(3) develop Defense-wide small business policy and provide oversight to ensure 

compliance by all military departments and defense agencies; and (4) provide 

military departments, Defense agencies, and Procurement Technical Assistance 

Centers with training and tools to foster an environment that encourages small 

business participation in defense acquisition. The Office of Small Business Programs 

has the full range of authority over Defense small business programs. 

Office of the Secretary of Defense – Office of Technology Transition

Defense Production Act 

Title III Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

Title III of the Defense Production Act of 1950, ch. 932, 64 Stat. 798 (Sept. 8, 1950), 

authorizes the federal government to provide appropriate incentives to develop, 

maintain, modernize, and expand the productive capacities of domestic sources for 

critical components, critical technology items, and industrial resources essential for 

the execution of the national security strategy of the United States. The purposes of 

a Title III project is to create a commercially viable domestic industrial capability for 

affordable, high quality, high performance products that are essential to national 

defense. Additionally, sources incentivized under Title III are intended to be 

competitive in the global market and remain a reliable supplier for Defense and its 

industry partners. 

Source: GAO data. 

Table 12: Services Provided by Department of Defense Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of Services 

Type of service

Agency and program Target businesses Financial 

Technology

development 

and/or deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Department of the Air Force 

Technology Insertion, 

Demonstration, and 

Evaluation Program 

Small businesses 

engaged in 

manufacturing X X

Department of the Air Force - Air Force Outreach Program Office 

Manufacturing Technical 

Assistance Production

Program 

Small businesses 

engaged in 

manufacturing X X X

Department of the Air Force - Manufacturing Technology Division

Industrial Base

Information Center 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Department of the Air Force - Technology Transfer Branch 

Technology Transfer 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X

Page 51 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix IV: Department of Defense - 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Type of service

Agency and program Target businesses Financial 

Technology

development 

and/or deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Department of the Army - Joint Munitions Command 

Armament Retooling and 

Manufacturing Support 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X 

Department of the Navy - Best Manufacturing Practices Center of Excellence 

Best Manufacturing 

Practices Program 

Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of size X

Department of the Navy - Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Charleston

Defense Small Business 

Technology and

Readiness Resources 

Small businesses 

engaged in 

manufacturing X X

Office of the Secretary of Defense 

Next Generation

Manufacturing 

Technology Initiative 

Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of size X X X

TechMatch Any business,

regardless of size or 

type X

Technology Transition 

Initiative 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Manufacturing 

Technology Program 

Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of size X X X X X

Defense Industry 

Adjustment 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X X X

TechLink Any business,

regardless of size or 

type X X X

MilTech Small businesses

engaged in 

manufacturing X X X X

Defense Technical 

Information Center 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Value Engineering Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Page 52 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix IV: Department of Defense - 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Type of service

Agency and program Target businesses Financial 

Technology

development 

and/or deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Office of the Secretary of Defense - Defense Logistics Agency

Procurement Gateway Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Business Counseling 

Center 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Aging Systems 

Sustainment and 

Enabling Technologies 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Procurement Technical 

Assistance Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X X

Office of the Secretary of Defense - Office of Small Business Programs 

Small Business 

Innovation Research 

Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X X

Small Business 

Technology Transfer 

Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X X

Mentor-Protégé Program Any small business, 

regardless of type X X X

Women-Owned Small 

Business Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X X

Regional Councils for 

Small Business 

Education and Advocacy 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X

Service Disabled 

Veteran-Owned Small 

Business Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X X

Indian Incentive Program Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

HUBZone Empowerment 

Contracting Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X

Office of Small Business 

Programs 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X

Office of the Secretary of Defense - Office of Technology Transition

Defense Production Act 

Title III Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X X

Source: GAO data. 

Page 53 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix V: Department of Education – 

Programs that Offer Services to Small Appendix V Manufacturers and Types of Services : Department of Education – 

Programs that Offer Services to Small 

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Table 13: Department of Education Programs That Offer Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by Agency, 

Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose

Agency, office, and

program Target businesses Agency description of program purpose 

Institute of Education Sciences 

Small Business 

Innovation Research 

Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program helps stimulate

technological innovation, utilize small business to meet federal research and 

development needs, and increase private sector commercialization. SBIR is a highly 

competitive program that encourages small business to explore their technological 

potential and provides the incentive to profit from its commercialization. By including 

qualified small businesses in the nation’s research and development arena, high-tech

innovation is stimulated and the United States gains entrepreneurial spirit as it meets 

its specific research and development needs. Offices within Education that have 

SBIR programs are as follows: the Institute of Education Sciences and the Office of 

Special Education and Rehabilitative Services/National Institute on Disability and 

Rehabilitation Research. 

Office of the Deputy Secretary 

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged

Business Utilization 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization promotes and fosters 

opportunities for small and socioeconomically disadvantaged business concerns 

seeking to obtain prime contracts, subcontracts, and grants that support the

programmatic and operational functions of the Department of Education. 

Source: GAO data. 

Table14: Services Provided by Department of Education Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of Services 

Type of service

Agency and program 

Target 

businesses Financial 

Technology

development and/or

deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Institute of Education Sciences 

Small Business Innovation 

Research Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X X X

Office of the Deputy Secretary

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged Business 

Utilization 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X X X

Source: GAO data. 

Page 54 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix VI: Department of Energy – 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Table 15: Department of Energy Programs That Offer Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by Agency, 

Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research

Small Business Technology 

Transfer Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program expands funding 

opportunities in the federal innovation research and development (R&D) arena 

through public/private sector partnerships to include joint venture opportunities for 

small business and nonprofit research institutions. STTR is a competitive three-phase 

program that reserves a specific percentage of federal R&D funding for award to small 

business and nonprofit research institution partners. Five federal departments and 

agencies (the Departments of Defense, Energy, and Health and Human Services, as 

well as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and National Science 

Foundation) are required by STTR to reserve a portion of their R&D funds for awards 

to small business/nonprofit research institution partnerships. 

Small Business Innovation 

Research Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is designed to stimulate 

technological innovation, utilize small business to meet federal research and 

development needs, and increase private sector commercialization. SBIR is a highly 

competitive program that encourages small business to explore their technological 

potential and provides the incentive to profit from its commercialization. By including 

qualified small businesses in the nation’s research and development arena, high-tech

innovation is stimulated and the United States gains entrepreneurial spirit as it meets 

its specific research and development needs. Twelve Energy components participate 

in the agency’s SBIR program. 

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy 

Inventions and Innovation Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

Inventions and Innovation (I&I) provides grants to independent inventors and small 

companies with sound ideas for energy efficiency technologies. I&I provides grantees 

not only with funding, but also with additional resources such as training, market 

assessments, technical assistance, access to promotional events and materials, and 

special contacts to aid in commercialization endeavors. In addition to the financial 

assistance grant, I&I provides awardees with business planning assistance and 

networking resources. For grantees who demonstrate a commitment to 

commercializing their technology, I&I also funds a market assessment and offers 

business strategy assistance. I&I recently launched a Web site that offers information

tools and valuable network resources for the entrepreneur. Finally, awardees have the 

option of working with a private organization of past successful grantees that will 

mentor or otherwise aid new entrepreneurs graduating from I&I. Since I&I’s inception, 

over 34,000 proposals have been submitted, resulting in over 900 projects selected 

for financial and commercialization assistance. Awardees are monitored annually until

their technologies are retired from the market or they abandon their efforts. Licensees 

are monitored as long as the technology remains on the market. 

Industrial Technologies 

Program 

Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of 

size 

The Industrial Technologies Program (ITP) works with U.S. industry to improve 

industrial energy efficiency and environmental performance. The program invests in 

high-risk, high-value research and development to reduce industrial energy use while 

stimulating productivity and growth. Results of this investment are seen in the many 

ITP-funded technologies in the marketplace today. 

Energy TechNet Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type 

Energy TechNet is a core collection of information and resources for anyone engaged 

in developing and commercializing advanced energy technologies. From idea 

development to market assessment, intellectual property protection to financing, the 

Web site addresses each stage of technology development and commercialization. 

Appendix VI: Department of Energy – 

Programs that Offer Services to Small 

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Page 55 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix VI: Department of Energy – 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

FreedomCAR and Vehicle

Technologies Program 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type 

FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Program professionals work with industry 

leaders to develop and deploy advanced transportation technologies that could 

achieve significant improvements in vehicle fuel efficiency and displace oil with 

competitive manner. Program activities include research, development, 

demonstration, testing, technology validation, technology transfer, and education. 

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization 

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged Business 

Utilization 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization is responsible for 

increasing the contracting opportunities awarded to small and disadvantaged 

businesses. Energy purchases billions of dollars worth of goods and services annually 

including remediation, research and development, management and scientific 

consulting, plate work manufacturing, engineering, and waste treatment and disposal. 

Section 8(a) Pilot Program Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Small Business Act Section 8(a) (Section 8(a)) Pilot Program was established in 

fiscal year 1991 to: 1) target Section 8(a) businesses for Energy procurement 

opportunities at the subcontract level. The Section 8(a) Pilot Program offers financial 

assistance in the form of subcontracts. 

Mentor-Protégé Program Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Mentor-Protégé program is designed to encourage Energy prime contractors to 

assist small disadvantaged firms certified by the Small Business Administration (SBA) 

under Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act, other small disadvantaged businesses, 

women-owned and service disabled veteran owned small businesses, Historically 

Black Colleges and Universities, and other minority institutions of higher learning, in 

business and technical areas. The program seeks to foster long-term business 

relationships between these small business entities and Energy prime contractors, 

and to increase the overall number of small businesses that receive Energy contract 

and subcontract awards. 

Source: GAO data. 

Page 56 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix VI: Department of Energy – 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Table 16: Services Provided by Department of Energy Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of Services 

Type of service

Agency and program Target businesses Financial 

Technology

development and/or

deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research

Small Business 

Technology Transfer 

Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X

Small Business 

Innovation Research 

Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X X X

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy 

Inventions and 

Innovation 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X X X X

Industrial Technologies 

Program 

Any business engaged 

in manufacturing, 

regardless of size X X X X

Energy TechNet Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X

FreedomCAR and 

Vehicle Technologies 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization 

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged Business 

Utilization 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X X

Section 8(a) Pilot 

Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X

Mentor-Protégé 

Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X

Source: GAO data. 

Page 57 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix VII: Department of Health and 

Human Services – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of

Services 

Table 17: Department of Health and Human Services Programs That Offer Services to Small Businesses Engaged in

Manufacturing by Agency, Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose

Agency, office, 

and program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Occupational 

Health Training

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health supports 16 university-based

Education and Research Centers that offer short-term continuing education for 

occupational safety and health professionals and others with worker safety and health 

responsibilities. 

Research Program 

for the 

Manufacturing 

Sector 

Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of size 

The mission of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 

Research Program for the Manufacturing sector is to eliminate occupational diseases, 

injuries, and fatalities among workers in manufacturing industries through a focused 

program of research and prevention. NIOSH believes that their research only realizes its 

true value when put into practice. Every research project within the NIOSH program for the 

Manufacturing sector formulates a strategy to promote the transfer and translation of 

research findings into prevention practices and products that will be adopted in the 

workplace. NIOSH partners with labor, industry, government, and other stakeholders to 

accomplish the program goals. There is also a research to practice component to the 

program. 

Summary Fact 

Sheets 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) makes available brief 

documents, from1 to 4 pages that describe occupational hazards or NIOSH research 

activities. 

Alerts Any business,

regardless of size 

or type 

Alerts briefly present new information about occupational illnesses, injuries, and deaths. 

Alerts urgently request assistance in preventing, solving, and controlling newly identified 

occupational hazards. Workers, employers, and safety and health professionals are asked 

to take immediate action to reduce risks and implement controls. National Institute for 

Occupational Safety and Health has published more than 40 Alerts on a variety of topics. 

NIOSH Pocket 

Guide to Chemical 

Hazards 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

This Guide is a source of general industrial hygiene information for workers, employers, 

and occupational health professionals. It presents key information and data in abbreviated 

tabular form for 677 chemicals or substance groups that are found in many work 

environments. 

Chemical Safety

Cards 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

Chemical Safety Cards summarize essential safety and health information about 

chemicals for their use at the “shop floor” level by workers and employers. They are 

simpler than material safety data sheets and designed specifically for workers’ reference.

Health Hazard

Evaluations 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

Health Hazard Evaluations (HHEs) are investigations conducted by the National Institute 

for Occupational Safety and Health in response to concerns expressed by employees, 

employee representatives, or employers, to find out whether there is a health hazard to 

employees caused by hazardous exposures and conditions in the workplace. HHEs are 

provided at no cost and may be confidential. 

Appendix VII: Department of Health and 

Human Services – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of 

Services 

Page 58 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix VII: Department of Health and 

Human Services – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of

Services 

Agency, office, 

and program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Food and Drug Administration - Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research

Manufacturers’

Assistance 

Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of size 

The Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) has established a 

manufacturers’ assistance program to provide assistance and training to industry, 

including large and small manufacturers and trade associations, and to respond to 

requests for information regarding CBER policies and procedures. Manufacturers’ 

assistance is available in numerous areas including: clinical investigator information, 

adverse event reporting procedures, electronic submissions guidance and requirements, 

and information on how to submit an investigational new drug application to administer an

investigational product to humans. This assistance extends to facilitating effective 

development of all products regulated by CBER including products to diagnose, treat or 

prevent outbreaks from exposure to the pathogens that have been identified as bioterrorist

agents. The Manufacturers Assistance and Technical Training Branch (MATTB) informs 

industry and trade associations of the status of CBER policies and initiatives through 

regular information dissemination and training. MATTB also serves as the CBER focal 

point for industry and trade associations to provide meeting support, and coordinates 

external meetings with other Food and Drug Administration Centers. 

Investigational New 

Drug Application 

Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing

Current federal law requires that a drug be the subject of an approved marketing 

application before it is transported or distributed across state lines. Because a sponsor 

(usually the manufacturer or potential marketer) will probably want to ship the 

investigational drug to clinical investigators in many states, it must seek an exemption from

that legal requirement. The Investigational New Drug Application is the means through 

which the sponsor technically obtains this exemption from the Food and Drug 

Administration.

Prescription Drug 

User Fee Act and 

Reductions for 

Small Business 

Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing

21 U.S.C. § 379h authorizes the Food and Drug Administration to collect and use fees 

from companies that produce certain human drug and biological products. There are three 

types of user fees - application fees, establishment fees, and product fees. Since the 

passage of PDUFA, user fees have played an important role in expediting the drug 

approval process. The agency will waive the application fee for the first human drug

application that a small business or its affiliate submits for review. 

Food and Drug Administration - Center for Devices and Radiological Health 

Division of Small 

Manufacturers, 

International and 

Consumer 

Assistance 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Center for Devices and Radiological Health has a small manufacturers, international 

and consumer advice division which offers many forms of services to small manufacturers

including technical and regulatory assistance. The division participates in many workshops

which may be of educational value to the general medical device community. 

Food and Drug Administration - Center for Drug Evaluation and Research 

Investigational New 

Drug Application 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

Current federal law requires that a drug be the subject of an approved marketing 

application before it is transported or distributed across state lines. Because a sponsor 

(usually the manufacturer or potential marketer) will probably want to ship the 

investigational drug to clinical investigators in many states, it must seek an exemption from

that legal requirement. The Investigational New Drug Application is the means through 

which the sponsor technically obtains this exemption from the Food and Drug 

Administration.

Prescription Drug 

User Fee Act and 

Reductions for 

Small Business 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

21 U.S.C. § 379h authorizes the Food and Drug Administration to collect and use fees 

from companies that produce certain human drug and biological products. There are three 

types of user fees - application fees, establishment fees, and product fees. Since the 

passage of PDUFA, user fees have played an important role in expediting the drug 

approval process. The agency will waive the application fee for the first human drug

application that a small business or its affiliate submits for review. 

Page 59 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix VII: Department of Health and 

Human Services – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of

Services 

Agency, office, 

and program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Small Business 

Assistance 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

In the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), the Office of Training and 

Communication (OTCOM) provides ongoing assistance to pharmaceutical businesses with

fewer than 500 employees. The assistance includes a comprehensive website, a ListServ 

of 2,500 subscribers, a point of contact office for specific questions, and a free annual 

workshop on basic Food and Drug Administration/CDER organization and processes. The 

OTCOM ListServ conveys important emerging information to small regulated industry, 

including Federal Register notices, guidance, etc., on a bi-weekly basis. 

Food and Drug Administration - Office of Orphan Product Development 

Orphan Product 

Grants 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

Orphan Product Grants encourage clinical development of products for use in rare 

diseases or conditions, usually defined as affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the 

United States. The products studied can be drugs, biologics, medical devices, or medical

foods. At this time, only clinical studies qualify for consideration. Each application should 

propose one discrete clinical study to facilitate Food and Drug Administration approval of 

the product for a rare disease or condition. The study may address an unapproved new 

product or an unapproved new use for a product already on the market. Small businesses 

are encouraged to apply. 

National Institutes of Health - National Cancer Institute 

Innovative 

Molecular Analysis 

Technologies 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

The Innovative Molecular Analysis Technologies (IMAT) Program is aimed at the 

inception, development, integration, and application of novel and emerging technologies in

the support of cancer research, treatment, diagnosis, and prevention. The IMAT Program 

is part of a broader technology development initiative within the National Cancer Institute 

(NCI) to harness specific technologies in the fight against cancer. This initiative 

underscores the desire of NCI to develop and integrate novel and emerging technologies 

in support of cancer research, diagnosis, and treatment. In the research continuum of 

discovery, development, and delivery, the IMAT Program accelerates development and 

delivery. This specific program will therefore serve as the discovery tool of a larger NCI 

technology initiative by soliciting and funding highly innovative, high-risk and cancerrelevant technology development projects associated with the molecular analysis of 

cancer. 

Unconventional 

Innovations 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

To spur development of daring technologic improvements in cancer treatment and 

detection in the 21st century, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) created the 

Unconventional Innovations Program. This program seeks to stimulate development of 

radically new technologies in cancer care that can transform what is now impossible into

the realm of the possible for detecting, diagnosing, and intervening in cancer at its earliest

stages of development. The program began in 1999 and is targeted to invest $50 million 

over a ten year period. 

Technology 

Transfer Branch 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Technology Transfer Branch (TTB) provides a complete array of services to support 

the National Cancer Institute’s technology development activities. TTB negotiates the 

following collaborative agreements for laboratories: Cooperative Research and 

Development Agreements, Material Transfer Agreements, Confidential Disclosure 

Agreements, and Clinical Trials Agreements. In addition, TTB markets technologies to 

outside organizations in order to foster research collaboration, gives advice on intellectual

property issues, and keeps laboratories posted on the latest developments in technology 

development and transfer. 

Page 60 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix VII: Department of Health and 

Human Services – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of

Services 

Agency, office, 

and program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

National Institutes of Health - Office of Technology Transfer

Office of 

Technology 

Transfer 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) retains title to inventions developed in National 

Institutes of Health’s (NIH) intramural laboratories and licensing of these inventions to 

private entities to ensure use, commercialization, and public availability. In a similar way, 

extramural recipients of NIH funds, such as universities, are allowed to seek patent 

protection for inventions arising from their NIH-funded basic research and license the 

rights to private entities to promote commercialization. Over the last 15 years, NIH has 

executed thousands of license agreements. These licenses transfer NIH and FDA 

inventions to the private sector for further research and development and potential 

commercialization that can lead to significant public health benefits. 

National Institutes of Health - Office of the Director

Office of Acquisition 

Management and 

Policy 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Office of Acquisition Management and Policy (OAMP) is committed to acquisition 

excellence by providing leadership, advice and oversight for all National Institute of Health 

(NIH) acquisition and financial advising services. Through strategic partnership with 

industry, the NIH strives to acquire the best OAMP acquisition value in products and 

services to support the agency’s mission activities. Strategies and efforts to promote 

business interests and opportunities at NIH include: strategic activities for contracting and 

financial program policies, procedures and practices; organizational guidance in advising 

on acquisition and financial program activities; oversight activities to review compliance 

with federal, HHS and NIH acquisition regulations; outreach activities for NIH personnel 

and the business community; and maintaining vendor resource information.

e-Portals in 

Commerce 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

e-PIC is an e-business system designed to smartly capture the global marketplace and

profile information about organizations providing products and services. The system is 

designed to function on a Web platform and links users of the system conducting market

research or seeking sources of supplies and services to this virtual market place. It is a 

consolidated database for storing and maintaining vendor contact information and contract 

services that each can offer. Vendors can easily add and update their contact information

to provide a variety of search criteria for providing sources for an organization’s 

acquisitions, and to make such a system user friendly and available to the organization 

administrators. 

Small Business 

Innovation 

Research Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program was established to stimulate 

technological innovation, utilize small business to meet federal research and development 

needs, and increase private sector commercialization. SBIR is a highly competitive 

program that encourages small business to explore their technological potential and 

provides the incentive to profit from its commercialization. By including qualified small 

businesses in the nation’s research and development arena, high-tech innovation is 

stimulated and the United States gains entrepreneurial spirit as it meets its specific 

research and development needs. 

Small Business 

Technology 

Transfer Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

The Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program was established to stimulate 

technological innovation, utilize small business to meet federal research and development 

needs, and increase private sector commercialization. STTR is a highly competitive 

program that encourages small business to explore their technological potential and 

provides the incentive to profit from its commercialization. By including qualified small 

businesses in the nation’s research and development arena, high-tech innovation is 

stimulated and the United States gains entrepreneurial spirit as it meets its specific 

research and development needs. STTR requires research partners at universities and 

other non-profit institutions to have a formal collaborative relationship with the small 

business concern. 

Page 61 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix VII: Department of Health and 

Human Services – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of

Services 

Agency, office, 

and program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Office of the Secretary - Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization 

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged

Business Utilization 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

The Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization has organized its 

responsibilities, programs, and activities under three lines of business: Advocacy, outreach 

and unification of the business process. The results achieved under all three lines of 

business support the accomplishment of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) strategic 

goal - to encourage and assist the participation of all small businesses in HHS’ contracts 

and grants. All of the activities carried out by the HHS Office of Small & Disadvantaged 

Business Utilization are done in support of its mission to give small businesses equal 

consideration in contracting opportunities and to increase the number of awards that are 

made to small businesses. 

Small Business 

Program Manual 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

Health and Human Services’ Small Business Program Manual (SBPM) supplements the 

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the Health and Human Services Acquisition 

Regulation (HHSAR). It is non-regulatory in nature and provides uniform procedures to 

support and encourage small business participation in the Department’s efforts to acquire 

goods and services. The SBPM is not a stand-alone document and must be read with the 

FAR and HHSAR. 

Vendor Outreach 

Sessions 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization hosts monthly Vendor 

Outreach Session to educate vendors on the preferential procurement programs and to 

provide information on how to effectively market their products and services to Health and

Human Services. These sessions are free and are held on the second Tuesday of each 

month, January – November, from 8:30 a.m. – 12 noon. 

Source: GAO data. 

Table 18: Services Provided by Department of Health and Human Services Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and

Type of Services 

Type of service

Agency and program 

Target 

businesses Financial 

Technology

development 

and/or deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Occupational Health Training Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type X

Research Program for the 

Manufacturing Sector 

Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of size X

Summary Fact Sheets Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type X

Alerts Any business,

regardless of size 

or type X

Page 62 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix VII: Department of Health and 

Human Services – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of

Services 

Type of service

Agency and program 

Target 

businesses Financial 

Technology

development 

and/or deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

NIOSH Pocket Guide to 

Chemical Hazards 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type X

Chemical Safety Cards Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type X

Health Hazard Evaluations Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type X

Food and Drug Administration - Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research

Manufacturers’ Assistance Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of size X

Investigational New Drug

Application 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type X

Prescription Drug User Fee Act 

and Reductions for Small 

Business 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type X

Food and Drug Administration - Center for Devices and Radiological Health 

Division of Small Manufacturers, 

International and Consumer 

Assistance 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type X

Food and Drug Administration - Center for Drug Evaluation and Research 

Investigational New Drug

Application 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type X

Prescription Drug User Fee Act 

and Reductions for Small 

Businesses 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type X X

Small Business Assistance Any small 

business, 

regardless of type X X X

Food and Drug Administration - Office of Orphan Product Development 

Orphan Product Grants Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type X X

National Institutes of Health - National Cancer Institute 

Innovative Molecular Analysis

Technologies Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type X X

Page 63 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix VII: Department of Health and 

Human Services – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of

Services 

Type of service

Agency and program 

Target 

businesses Financial 

Technology

development 

and/or deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Unconventional Innovations 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type X X X

Technology Transfer Branch Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type X X

National Institutes of Health - Office of Technology Transfer

Office of Technology Transfer Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type X X

National Institutes of Health - Office of the Director

Office of Acquisition 

Management and Policy 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type X

e-Portals in Commerce Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type X

Small Business Innovation 

Research Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type X X X

Small Business Technology 

Transfer Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type X X

Office of the Secretary - Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization 

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged Business 

Utilization 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type X

Small Business Program Manual Any small 

business, 

regardless of type X

Vendor Outreach Sessions Any small 

business, 

regardless of type X

Source: GAO data. 

Page 64 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix VIII: Department of Homeland 

Security – Programs that Offer Services to 

Small Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Table 19: Department of Homeland Security Programs That Offer Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by 

Agency, Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization 

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged

Business Utilization 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) ensures Homeland

Security complies with federal laws, regulations, and policies to provide opportunities in its 

acquisitions to small business, including socially and economically disadvantaged small 

businesses. OSDBU is also responsible for Homeland Security’s subcontracting program. 

OSDBU has small business specialists at the Center for Domestic Preparedness, U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services, Customs and Border Protection, Federal Law 

Enforcement Training Center, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Transportation 

Security Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Secret Service, 

and U.S. Coast Guard. 

Mentor-Protégé 

program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Mentor-Protégé program is designed to motivate and encourage large prime 

contractors to provide developmental assistance to small businesses, including socially 

and economically disadvantaged small businesses. The program is also designed to (1) 

improve the performance of contracts and subcontracts, (2) foster the establishment of 

long-term business relationships between large prime contractors and small business 

subcontractors, and (3) strengthen subcontracting opportunities and accomplishments 

through incentives. For certain acquisitions, mentors may receive credit in the source 

selection/evaluation criteria process and a post-award incentive for the costs incurred by a

mentor firm in providing assistance to a protégé firm. In addition to the benefits available to 

mentors, protégés may receive technical, managerial, financial, or any other mutually 

agreed upon benefit from mentors. 

Small Business Vendor 

Outreach Sessions 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

Small Business Vendor Outreach Sessions are a series of pre-arranged 15-minute 

appointments with Small Business Specialists from various components of the Homeland 

Security procurement offices. These sessions provide small businesses the opportunity to 

discuss their capabilities and learn of potential procurement opportunities.

Office of the Secretary 

Office of the Federal 

Coordinator for Gulf 

Coast Rebuilding 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Office of the Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding was created to help devise a longterm plan for rebuilding the region devastated by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. One of its 

initiatives is to provide support for small business throughout the region through disaster 

loans and other relief. The overarching mission is to identify the priority of needs for longterm rebuilding; communicate those realities to decision makers in Washington; and advise

the President and senior leadership on effective, integrated, and fiscally responsible federal 

strategies to support a full recovery. 

Science and Technology Directorate

Small Business 

Innovation Research 

program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program’s principal objectives are to (1) 

stimulate technological innovation by small business; (2) increase small business 

participation in meeting federal research and development needs; (3) foster and encourage

participation by socially and economically disadvantaged small business; (4) increase the 

commercialization of technology development through federal research and development; 

and (5) enhance outreach efforts to ensure that all qualified small businesses are aware of

the SBIR program and the many benefits it provides. 

Appendix VIII: Department of Homeland 

Security – Programs that Offer Services to 

Small Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Page 65 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix VIII: Department of Homeland 

Security – Programs that Offer Services to 

Small Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Small Business 

Technology Transfer 

program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Homeland Security Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program began in 

early 2006 to help build partnerships among small businesses, universities and research

institutions for research and development efforts. The program encourages the transfer of 

intellectual concepts and ideas from research institutions through the entrepreneurship of 

small business concerns, as part of a larger goal to develop innovative solutions to 

challenging Homeland Security scientific and engineering problems. Due to a decline in its

extramural research budget for fiscal year 2007, Homeland Security does not meet the 

statutory requirement to have an STTR program. 

Source: GAO data. 

Table 20: Services Provided by Department of Homeland Security Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of

Services 

Type of service

Agency and program Target businesses Financial 

Technology

development 

and/or deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization 

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged

Business Utilization 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X

Mentor-Protégé 

program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X

Small Business Vendor 

Outreach Sessions 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X

Office of the Secretary 

Office of the Federal 

Coordinator for Gulf 

Coast Rebuilding 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X

Science and Technology Directorate

Small Business 

Innovation Research 

program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X X X

Small Business 

Technology Transfer 

program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X X

Source: GAO data. 

Page 66 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix IX: Housing and Urban 

Development – Programs that Offer Services 

to Small Manufacturers and Types of Service 

Table 21: Department of Housing and Urban Development Programs That Offer Services to Small Businesses Engaged in

Manufacturing by Agency, Target Businesses and Agency Description of Purpose

Agency, office, and program Target businesses Agency description of program purpose 

Office of Community Planning and Development 

Community Development Block 

Grants 

Any business, regardless of size 

or type 

Community Development Block Grants support communities’ 

public facilities, infrastructure, housing, and economic 

development activities. Many jurisdictions have used funds to 

make loans or establish revolving loan funds that may help 

manufacturers that need small amounts of capital for 

improvement projects. 

Section 108 Loan Guarantee 

Program 

Any business, regardless of size 

or type 

The Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program assists 

communities with financing for housing rehabilitation, 

economic development, and large-scale physical 

development projects using Housing and Urban Development 

funds. These funds enable local governments to finance 

physical and economic development projects too large for 

front-end financing with single-year Community Development 

Block Grant allocations. 

Brownfields Economic 

Development Initiative 

Any business, regardless of size 

or type 

The Brownfields Economic Development Initiative (BEDI) is a 

key competitive grant program that Housing and Urban 

Development administers to stimulate and promote economic 

and community development. BEDI is designed to assist 

cities with the redevelopment of abandoned, idled and 

underused industrial and commercial facilities where 

expansion and redevelopment is burdened by real or 

potential environmental contamination. BEDI grant funds are 

primarily targeted for use with a particular emphasis upon the 

redevelopment of brownfields sites in economic development 

projects and the increase of economic opportunities for lowand moderate-income persons as part of the creation or 

retention of businesses, jobs and increases in the local tax 

base. BEDI funds are used as the stimulus for local 

governments and private sector parties to commence 

redevelopment or continue phased redevelopment efforts on 

brownfields sites where either potential or actual 

environmental conditions are known and redevelopment 

plans exist. 

Disaster Recovery Assistance Any business, regardless of size 

or type 

Disaster Assistance Recovery Grants are additional 

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to 

rebuild the areas affected by disaster and bring crucial seed

money to stimulate the recovery process. Depending upon 

the size of the disaster and the amount of CDBG

supplemental disaster funds appropriated, eligible activities 

may cover a broad range of community development, 

housing and economic development activities. If Congress 

appropriates funds for this purpose, Housing and Urban 

Development provides flexible grants to help cities, counties,

and states recover from presidentially declared disasters, 

especially in low- and moderate-income areas. 

Appendix IX: Housing and Urban 

Development – Programs that Offer Services 

to Small Manufacturers and Types of Service 

Page 67 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix IX: Housing and Urban 

Development – Programs that Offer Services 

to Small Manufacturers and Types of Service 

Agency, office, and program Target businesses Agency description of program purpose 

Rural Housing and Economic 

Development 

Any business, regardless of size 

or type 

The Rural Housing and Economic Development Program 

provides for capacity building at the State and local level for 

rural housing and economic development and to support 

innovative housing and economic development activities in 

rural areas. 

Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity

Section 3 Program Any business, regardless of size 

or type 

Section 3 is a provision of the Housing and Urban 

Development (HUD) Act of 1968, Pub. L. No. 90-448, 82 Stat. 

476 (Aug. 1, 1968), codified at 12 U.S.C. § 1701u, that helps 

foster local economic development, neighborhood economic

improvement, and individual self-sufficiency. The program is

restricted to businesses that are 51 percent or more owned 

by low- or very low-income persons or businesses that 

substantially employ (30 percent or more) low- or very lowincome persons, regardless of size or type. The Section 3 

program requires that recipients of certain HUD financial 

assistance, to the greatest extent feasible, provide job 

training, employment, and contracting opportunities for lowor very-low income residents in connection with projects and

activities in their neighborhoods. 

Office of Policy Development and Research

Partnership for Advancing 

Technology in Housing Initiative 

Any business engaged in

manufacturing, regardless of size 

The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing 

Initiative is a public/private partnership that brings together 

key federal agencies with leaders of the home building, 

product manufacturing, insurance, and financial industries to 

develop and deploy innovative building technologies for the 

next generation of housing. The goal of this initiative is to 

identify techniques for building more affordable durable, 

disaster resistant, safe, and energy efficient housing. 

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization 

Office of Small and Disadvantaged 

Business Utilization 

Any small business, regardless of 

type 

The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization

is responsible for ensuring that small businesses are treated

fairly and that they have an opportunity to compete and be

selected for a fair amount of Housing and Urban 

Development’s prime and subcontracting opportunities. 

Source: GAO data. 

Page 68 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix IX: Housing and Urban 

Development – Programs that Offer Services 

to Small Manufacturers and Types of Service 

Table 22: Services Provided by Department of Housing and Urban Development Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, 

and Type of Services 

Type of service

Agency and program Target businesses Financial 

Technology

development and/or

deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Office of Community Planning and Development 

Community 

Development Block 

Grants 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X

Section 108 Loan 

Guarantee Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X

Brownfields Economic 

Development Initiative 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X

Disaster Recovery 

Assistance 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X X X X

Rural Housing and 

Economic 

Development 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X

Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity

Section 3 Program Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Office of Policy Development and Research

Partnerships for 

Advancing 

Technologies in

Housing Initiative 

Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of size X X

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization 

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged

Business Utilization 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X

Source: GAO data. 

Page 69 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix X: Department of the Interior - 

Programs that Offer Services to Small Appendix X: Department of the Interior - Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Programs that Offer Services to Small 

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Table 23: Department of the Interior Programs That Offer Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by Agency, 

Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Bureau of Indian Affairs 

Loan Guaranty Program Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Loan Guarantee program was established to stimulate and increase Indian 

entrepreneurship and employment through establishment, acquisition or expansion of 

Indian-owned economic enterprises. 

Bureau of Reclamation

Job Corps Civilian 

Conservation Centers 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type 

The Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers provides individuals, in addition to other 

training and assistance, programs to gain work experience designed to conserve, 

develop, or manage public natural resources, or public recreational areas, or to develop 

community projects in the public interest. The Centers are located primarily in rural 

areas. 

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization 

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged Business 

Utilization 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization program strives to improve 

and increase Interior’s performance in utilizing small, small disadvantaged, HUBZone, 

women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses as contractors and subcontractors. 

Bureaus in Interior Bureaus in Interior collectively spend over $2 billion in contracts with 

the private sector, annually. 

Small Disadvantaged 

Business Program and 

Section 8(a) Business 

Development Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) Program is designed to treat small companies 

equitably and help them to pursue business in both the private and public sector contract

arena. Once a business is certified as SDB, it is eligible for specific procurement 

benefits. The Small Business Act Section 8(a) Business Development Program allows 

the government to contract, on a noncompetitive basis, with socially and economically 

disadvantaged small businesses. 

HUBZone Empowerment 

Contracting Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The HUBZone Empowerment Contracting program provides federal contracting 

opportunities for qualified small businesses located in distressed areas. The program 

encourages economic development in historically underutilized zones (HUBZones) and 

through the establishment of contract preferences for businesses in historically 

underutilized business zones.

Veteran and Service 

Disabled Veteran 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Veteran and Service Disabled Veteran is designed to assist businesses that are at 

least 51 percent owned by one or more service-disabled veterans or, in the case of 

publicly owned businesses, not less than 51 percent of the stock of which is owned by 

one or more service-disabled veterans, and the management and daily business 

operations of which are controlled by one or more service-disabled veterans. In the case 

of a veteran with a permanent and severe disability, a spouse or permanent caregiver of 

such veteran may control the management and daily business operations

Woman-Owned Small 

Business 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Woman-Owned Small Business program is designed to assist women-owned small 

businesses pursue business in both the public and private contract arena. 

Source: GAO data. 

Page 70 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix X: Department of the Interior - 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Table 24: Services Provided by Department of the Interior Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of Services 

Type of service

Agency and program 

Target 

businesses Financial 

Technology

development and/or

deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Bureau of Indian Affairs

Loan Guaranty

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X

Bureau of Reclamation

Job Corps Civilian 

Conservation Centers 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type X

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged

Business Utilization 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X

Small Disadvantaged 

Business Program and 

Section 8(a) Business 

Development Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X

HUBZone 

Empowerment 

Contracting Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X

Veteran and Service 

Disabled Veteran 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X

Woman-Owned Small 

Business 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X

Source: GAO data. 

Page 71 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XI: Department of Labor – Programs 

that Offer Services to Small Manufacturers 

and Types of Services 

Table 25: Department of Labor Programs That Offer Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by Agency, 

Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Employment and Training Administration 

Dream It. Do It. Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of size 

Dream It. Do It is a campaign launched by the Manufacturing Institute of the National 

Association of Manufacturers, to help inform young people, their parents, and 

educators of career opportunities in advanced manufacturing. A grant from Labor 

supports the development of tools and partnerships between employers, training 

providers, and local Workforce Investment Boards in Kansas City, southwestern 

Virginia, northeastern Ohio, the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, southeastern Indiana, 

and Washington State. 

High Growth Job Training 

Initiative 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The High Growth Job Training initiative is a strategic effort to prepare workers to take 

advantage of new and increasing job opportunities in 14 high growth, high demand and 

economically vital sectors of the American economy. Grants are available to develop 

and implement numerous industry specific solutions. 

Workforce Investment 

Act 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998, Pub. L. No. 105-220, 112 Stat. 936 

(Aug. 7, 1998) offers a comprehensive range of workforce development activities 

through statewide and local organizations. These activities can benefit job seekers, laid 

off workers, youth, incumbent workers, new entrants to the workforce, veterans, 

persons with disabilities, and employers. The purpose of these activities is to improve 

the employment, job retention, earnings, and occupational skills of participants. This, in 

turn, improves the quality of the workforce, reduces welfare dependency, and improves 

the productivity and competitiveness of the nation. Businesses play an active role in

ensuring that the system prepares people for current and future jobs. 

Project GATE - Growing 

America Through 

Entrepreneurship 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

Project GATE promotes individual entrepreneurship, seeks to energize local small 

business creation and help diverse urban and rural populations create, and support 

and expand small businesses. Labor teams with the Small Business Administration 

through a microloan program that is offered to small start-up companies. Labor 

provides microenterprise training and assistance in One-Stop Centers. 

Apprenticeship Program Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Apprenticeship Program is a voluntary, industry-driven initiative sponsored by 

employer and labor groups. The federal government encourages and promotes the 

establishment of apprenticeship programs and to provide technical assistance to 

program sponsors. 

Occupational Safety & Health Administration 

Compliance Assistance 

Quick Start 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

Small and new businesses may find the Compliance Assistance Quick Start Web site 

useful as an introduction to compliance assistance available on Occupational Safety & 

Health Administration’s (OSHA) Web site. It offers a step-by-step guide to identify 

many of the major OSHA requirements and guidance. 

Consultation Program Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration’s On-site Consultation Program 

provides services to help employers, particularly small businesses, identify and correct 

hazards at their worksites, and establish, maintain, or enhance their safety and health 

management system. 

Small Business 

Handbook 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration’s Small Business Handbook helps 

small business employers meet the legal requirements imposed by the Occupational 

Safety and Health Act of 1970, Pub. L. No. 91-596, 84 Stat. 1590 (Dec. 29, 1970), and 

create and maintain effective safety and health management systems. 

Appendix XI: Department of Labor – 

Programs that Offer Services to Small 

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Page 72 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XI: Department of Labor – Programs 

that Offer Services to Small Manufacturers 

and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Training Institute and 

Training Education 

Centers 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration’s Training Institute and Training 

Education Centers provide basic and advanced courses in safety and health at 

locations throughout the country. 

Office of Small Business Programs 

Small Business 

Resource Center 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

The Small Business Resource Center is a Web site designed to assist small business 

owners understand the rules and regulations that Labor administers. 

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged Business 

Utilization 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization seeks to increase 

opportunities for small businesses to participate in the agency’s contract and grant 

activities; conduct outreach to increase awareness and availability of qualified 

providers; develop and issue information on Labor’s procurement needs and 

procedures; train agency staff on program requirements and capabilities; and monitor, 

evaluate, and report results of the agency’s efforts. 

Small Business Vendor 

Outreach Sessions 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

Small Business Vendor Outreach Sessions offer small businesses the opportunity to 

market their capabilities directly to Office of Small Business Programs and agency 

program officials and learn about potential Labor procurement opportunities. 

Conversely, Labor procurement officials can learn more about the diverse small 

business resources available to meet their procurement needs. 

Small Business 

Procurement Power 

Page 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type 

The Small Business Procurement Power Web site is designed to assist small 

businesses interested in procurement opportunities with Labor. 

Office of the Secretary 

Job Corps Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

Job Corps is a no-cost education and vocational training program that helps young 

people ages 16 through 24 get a better job, make more money, and take control of 

their lives. Students enroll to learn a trade, earn a high school diploma or General

Education Development certificate, and get help finding a good job. Students are paid a 

monthly allowance that increases the longer they stay with the program. Job Corps 

provides career counseling and transition support to its students for up to 12 months 

after they graduate from the program. 

Source: GAO data. 

Page 73 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XI: Department of Labor – Programs 

that Offer Services to Small Manufacturers 

and Types of Services 

Table 26: Services Provided by Department of Labor Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of Services 

Type of service

Agency and program Target businesses Financial 

Technology

development 

and/or deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Employee Benefits Security Administration

Compliance Assistance Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Employment and Training Administration 

Dream It. Do It. Any business 

engaged in 

manufacturing,

regardless of size 

X X

High Growth Job 

Training Initiative 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X X X

Workforce Investment 

Act 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X X X

Project Gate- Growing 

America Through 

Entrepreneurship 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X X

Apprenticeship

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X X

Occupational Safety & Health Administration 

Compliance Assistance 

Quick Start 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X X

Consultation Program Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X

Small Business 

Handbook 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X X

Training Institute and 

Training Education 

Centers 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Office of Small Business Programs 

Small Business 

Resource Center 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged

Business Utilization 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X X

Small Business Vendor 

Outreach Sessions 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X

Page 74 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XI: Department of Labor – Programs 

that Offer Services to Small Manufacturers 

and Types of Services 

Type of service

Agency and program Target businesses Financial 

Technology

development 

and/or deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Small Business 

Procurement Power 

Page 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X

Office of the Secretary 

Job Corps Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X

Source: GAO data. 

Page 75 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XII: Department of Transportation– 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Table 27: Department of Transportation Programs That Offer Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by

Agency, Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Federal Aviation Administration

Small Business 

Development Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Small Business Development Office develops and implements programs that 

help small businesses, including small businesses owned and controlled by socially 

and economically disadvantaged individuals, obtain procurement opportunities with 

the Federal Aviation Administration. 

Federal Highway Administration

International Program Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Office of International Programs in cooperation with the Affiliate Programs 

Team coordinates and arranges for international training and professional

development activities. These activities inform the U.S. transportation community of 

technological and innovative programs abroad, promote U.S. transportation

expertise internationally, and increase technology sharing between the U.S. and the 

international community. 

Maritime Administration

National Maritime Resource 

and Education Center 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) established the National Maritime Resource

and Education Center (NMREC) in April 1994 to help improve the international 

competitiveness of the U.S. shipbuilders, ship repairers, ship owner/operators and 

marine suppliers. NMREC’s services include: 1) conferences and workshops; 2) 

energy technologies information; 3) MARAD guideline specifications for merchant 

ship construction; 4) marine industry standards library; 5) standards organizations 

and information; and 6) Title XI information.

Office of the Secretary, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization 

Subcontracting Program Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

Transportation’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), 

works closely with the Small Business Administration (SBA) and its Procurement 

Center Representative (PCR) to coordinate policy direction and develop new 

initiatives on subcontracting issues. A substantial amount of Transportation 

subcontracting opportunities are awarded to small businesses. To maintain a strong 

subcontracting program, OSDBU, in conjunction with the SBA/PCR evaluate, 

review, and make recommendations on subcontracting plans. OSDBU also helps 

large prime contractors in identifying potential small businesses (including veteranowned, service-disabled veteran-owned, HUBZone, disadvantaged, and womenowned businesses) to help attain subcontracting goals. Prime contractors report 

their achievements annually and semi-annually using an electronic subcontracting 

reporting system at Esrs.gov. 

Appendix XII: Department of Transportation– 

Programs that Offer Services to Small 

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Page 76 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XII: Department of Transportation– 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Small Business 

Transportation Resource

Centers 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

Small Business Transportation Resource Centers: 1) disseminate information to 

small and disadvantaged businesses on business opportunities in Transportationdirect and Transportation-funded activities; 2) carry out market research, and 

business analyses, to identify the training and technical assistance needs of small 

businesses to help them become better prepared to compete for and receive 

transportation-related contracts; 3) design and carry out training and technical 

assistance programs to encourage, promote, and help minority entrepreneurs and 

businesses in obtain contracts, subcontracts, and projects related to business 

opportunities in Transportation-direct and Transportation-funded activities; 4) 

develop support mechanisms to help minority entrepreneurs and businesses take 

advantage of those business opportunities; 5) assist minority entrepreneurs and 

businesses by identifying opportunities for obtaining investment capital and debt 

financing, including Transportation’s Short Term Lending Program; 6) participate in

and cooperate with federal and other programs designed to provide financial 

management and other forms of support and assistance to minority entrepreneurs 

and businesses; and 7) conduct outreach and disseminate information to small and 

disadvantaged business across the nation at local, regional and national 

transportation and business related conferences, seminars and workshops. 

Disadvantaged Business 

Enterprise Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program is designed to encourage, 

promote and assist minority and women entrepreneurs and businesses to obtain 

training and technical assistance services. State Departments of Highways and 

Transportation receive supportive services funds from Transportation to provide inhouse supportive services or hire consultants to provide supportive services for 

disadvantages business enterprises. These supportive services help disadvantages 

business enterprises compete in winning contracts. 

Short Term Lending 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Short Term Lending Program provides loan guarantees to enhance the lending 

opportunities for disadvantaged business enterprises and other small and 

disadvantaged businesses to increase the number of such businesses that engage 

in transportation-related contracts and to strengthen the competitive and productive

capabilities of such businesses that currently do business with Transportation, and 

its grantees, recipients, contractors and subcontractors. 

Women Procurement 

Assistance Committee 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Women’s Procurement Assistance Committee (WPAC), managed by 

Transportation’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), 

consists of at least one representative from each Transportation Operating 

Administration. The purpose of the OSDBU WPAC is to promote, coordinate, and 

monitor the plans and programs towards achievement of the five percent

procurement goals in its direct contracting activities. The Committee works to 

provide forums, workshops and best practices in order to contribute to the growth 

and economic development of women. In addition, the Committee seeks to enhance 

awareness of women-owned businesses and ensure full participation in the 

Transportation procurement process. 

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged Business 

Utilization 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) ensures that 

small and disadvantaged business policies and goals are developed and 

implemented in a fair, efficient, and effective manner to serve small and 

disadvantaged businesses. To achieve this goal OSDBU provides services through 

the Procurement Assistance Division, the Short Term Lending Program, and 

Regional Small Business Transportation Resource Centers. In addition, OSDBU 

organizes, co-sponsors, and participates in local, regional, and national outreach 

events. 

Page 77 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XII: Department of Transportation– 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

National Information 

Clearinghouse

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The National Information Clearinghouse (NIC) serves as a central point of contact 

for the dissemination of program and procurement information, procurement 

forecasts, forms, data, public laws, orders, and other similar information of interest 

to the small business community. NIC customer service representatives respond to 

inquiries and questions received through a dedicated toll-free number, by written 

correspondence, or by e-mail in the feedback section of the Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged Business Utilization Web site.

Research and Innovative Technology Administration 

Small Business Innovation 

Research Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) is designed to stimulate 

technological innovation, utilize small business to meet federal research and 

development needs, and increase private sector commercialization. SBIR is a highly 

competitive program that encourages small business to explore their technological 

potential and provides the incentive to profit from its commercialization. By including 

qualified small businesses in the nation’s research and development arena, hightech innovation is stimulated and the United States gains entrepreneurial spirit as it 

meets its specific research and development needs. 

Source: GAO data. 

Table 28: Services Provided by Department of Transportation Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of Services 

Type of service

Agency and program Target businesses Financial 

Technology

development and/or

deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Federal Aviation Administration

Small Business 

Development Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X

Federal Highway Administration

International Program Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X

Maritime Administration

National Maritime 

Resource and 

Education Center 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X X

Office of the Secretary, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization 

Subcontracting

Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X

Small Business 

Transportation 

Resource Centers 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X X

Disadvantaged

Business Enterprise 

Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X

Page 78 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XII: Department of Transportation– 

Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Short Term Lending 

Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X X X

Women Procurement 

Assistance Committee 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type 

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged

Business Utilization 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X

National Information 

Clearinghouse

Any small business, 

regardless of type X X X

Research and Innovative Technology Administration

Small Business 

Innovation Research 

Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X X X

Source: GAO data. 

 

Page 79 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XIII: Department of Veterans 

Affairs – Programs that Offer Services to 

Small Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Page 80 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology

Table 29: Department of Veterans Affairs Programs That Offer Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by

Agency, Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose 

Agency, office, and program 

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization 

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged Business 

Utilization 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization at Veterans Affairs 

advocates to maximize participation of small, small disadvantaged, veteranowned, women-owned, and empowerment zone businesses in contracts 

awarded by Veterans Affairs and in subcontracts which are awarded by 

Veterans Affairs’ prime contractors. 

Historically Underutilized

Business Zones Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Historically Underutilized Business Zones Program provides federal

contracting assistance for qualified small businesses in historically 

underutilized business zones to: increase employment opportunities, stimulate 

capital investment in those areas, and help communities leverage and reinvest 

their wages and taxes within the community. 

Women-Owned Small Business 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Women-Owned Small Business Program directs acquisition officials to 

facilitate, preserve, and strengthen women’s business enterprises and to 

ensure full participation by women in the free enterprise system by awarding 

prime contracts and subcontracts to women-owned businesses and by 

providing counseling to such businesses. The Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged Business Utilization is responsible for negotiating annual goals 

with Veteran Affairs acquisition officials to increase federal prime contracts 

with women-owned small businesses. 

Small Business Program Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Small Business Program implements the requirements to aid, counsel, 

assist, and protect the interests of small businesses to ensure that they 

account for a fair proportion of Veterans Affairs’ total purchases, contracts, and 

subcontracts for property and services. 

Section 8(a) Business 

Development Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Small Business Act Section 8(a) Business Development Program was 

created to help small disadvantaged businesses compete in the American 

economy through business development and access to the federal 

procurement market. 

Small Disadvantaged Business 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Small Disadvantaged Business Program is responsible for the award of 

contracts to small business concerns owned and controlled by socially and

economically disadvantaged individuals and encouraging greater economic

opportunity for minority entrepreneurs. 

Veteran-Owned and Operated

Small Business Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Veteran-Owned and Operated Small Business program identifies small 

businesses for inclusion Veterans Affairs’ existing acquisition programs; 

although it is not authorized to set aside contracts for veterans. Veterans 

Affairs is the only agency which sets a goal and tracks participation of veteranowned small businesses. Beginning in 2007, it will place a greater emphasis

on such businesses. 

Service Disabled Veteran Owned 

and Operated Small Business 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

Under the authority granted in section 308 of the Veterans Benefits Act of 

2003, Pub. L. 108-183, Stat. 2651, 2662 (Dec. 16, 2003) Veterans Affairs is

authorized to set aside contracts and/or award sole source contracts for 

service-disabled veterans. Veterans Affairs’ goal for participation in

procurement by service-disabled veterans is 3 percent. Beginning in 2007, it 

will place a greater emphasis on such businesses. 

Appendix XIII: Department of Veterans 

Affairs – Programs that Offer Services to 

Small Manufacturers and Types of Services 
Appendix XIII: Department of Veterans 

Affairs – Programs that Offer Services to 

Small Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and program 

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Subcontracting Program Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

Veterans Affairs’ subcontracting program promotes the involvement of small 

businesses at the subcontract level. Recognizing that small firms often do not 

have the capability to perform as a prime contractor on certain large contracts, 

Veterans Affairs requires that any contractor receiving a contract for more than 

$10,000 to agree that small business concerns have the maximum practicable 

opportunity to participate in contracts that Veterans Affairs has awarded. 

Furthermore, all prime contracts for construction that exceed $1,000,000 and

all other types of contracts that exceed $500,000 that are not awarded to small 

businesses and that offer subcontracting opportunities, must contain a 

subcontracting plan that includes percentage goals for participation by small

businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, and women owned small 

businesses. 

Center for Veterans Enterprise Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Center for Veterans Enterprise is a Web site that assists veterans in 

starting and building businesses. The Web site serves as the federal

government’s portal for veteran-owned businesses known as VETBIZ.gov. 

Source: GAO data. 

Table 30: Services Provided by Department of Veterans Affairs Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of

Services 

Type of service

Technology

development and/or

deployment 

Target 

Agency and program businesses Financial 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged Business 

Utilization 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X X

Historically Underutilized

Business Zones Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X

Women-Owned Small 

Business Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X

Small Business Program Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X

Section 8(a) Business 

Development Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X

Page 81 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XIII: Department of Veterans 

Affairs – Programs that Offer Services to 

Small Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Type of service

Technology

development and/or

deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Target 

Agency and program businesses Financial 

Small Disadvantaged 

Business Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X X

Veteran-Owned and 

Operated Small Business 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X

Service Disabled Veteran 

Owned and Operated 

Small Business Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X

Subcontracting Program Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X

Center for Veterans 

Enterprise

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X X X

Source: GAO data. 

Page 82 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XIV: Environmental Protection

Agency – Programs that Offer Services to 

Small Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Page 83 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology

Table 31: Environmental Protection Agency Programs That Offer Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by 

Agency, Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Office of Acquisition Management 

Mentor-Protégé Program Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The purpose of the Mentor-Protégé Program is meant to stimulate and impact 

the number of small disadvantaged businesses and women-owned businesses 

engaged in Environmental Protection Agency contracts. 

Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance

Compliance Assistance 

Centers 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type 

The Environmental Protection Agency, working with industry, academic 

institutions, environmental groups, and other agencies, sponsors Compliance 

Assistance Centers that address the requirements of specific sectors. Each 

Web-based Center provides businesses, local governments, and federal

facilities with information and guidance on environmental requirements and 

ways to save money through pollution prevention techniques. 

Office of Policy, Economics, and Innovation 

National Environmental

Performance Track 

The National Environmental Performance Track is a voluntary partnership

program that recognizes and rewards facilities that consistently exceed 

regulatory requirements, work closely with their communities, and excel in 

protecting the environment and public health. The Environmental Protection 

Agency provides exclusive regulatory and administrative benefits to 

Performance Track members, places them at low priority for routine 

inspections, and offers public recognition, networking opportunities, and other 

benefits. 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type 

Sector Strategies Program Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type 

The Sector Strategies Program seeks to improve performance and reduce 

burdens in 13 important business sectors by addressing their unique issues

and challenges in a collaborative setting. Through informal dialogue, 

stakeholder teams design tailored strategies to improve environmental 

performance and reduce regulatory burden. Sector strategies may include

targeted regulatory changes, sector-based environmental management 

system programs, and easier links to assistance services. Currently, the 

program services the following manufacturing sectors: Agribusiness; Cement 

Manufacturing; Iron and Steel; Metal Casting; Metal Finishing; Oil and Gas 

Exploration and Refining; Paint and Coatings; Ports; Shipbuilding and Ship

Repair; and Specialty-Batch Chemicals. 

Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 

Design for the 

Environment program 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type 

The purpose of the Design for Environment (DfE) program is to work in 

partnership with a broad range of stakeholders to reduce risk to people and 

the environment by preventing pollution. DfE focuses on industries that 

combine the potential for chemical risk reduction with a strong motivation to 

make lasting, positive changes. DfE convenes partners, including industry 

representatives and environmental groups to develop goals and guide the 

work of the partnership. Partnerships evaluate the human health and 

environmental considerations, performance, and cost of traditional and 

alternative technologies, materials and processes. As incentives ford 

participation and change DfE offers unique technical tools, methodologies, and 

expertise. 

Appendix XIV: Environmental Protection 

Agency – Programs that Offer Services to 

Small Manufacturers and Types of Services 
Appendix XIV: Environmental Protection

Agency – Programs that Offer Services to 

Small Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Office of Research and Development 

Federal Technology 

Transfer Act program 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type 

Through the Federal Technology Transfer Act program, federal agencies 

conduct joint research with non-federal partners and protect intellectual 

property that may be developed. Program partners benefit from cooperative 

research and development agreements by tapping into EPA’s resources and 

knowledge base to conduct joint research and technology commercialization. 

The program is conducted in accordance with the Federal Technology 

Transfer Act of 1986 and preceding legislation. 

Environmental Technology 

Verification program 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type 

The goal of the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) program, a 

public-private partnership, is to provide credible performance data for 

commercial-ready environmental technologies to speed their implementation 

for the benefit of vendors, purchasers, permitters, and the public. The ETV

program develops testing protocols and verifies the performance of innovative 

technologies with the potential to improve protection of human health and the 

environment. 

Superfund Innovative 

Technology Evaluation 

program 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type 

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) program was 

established to address the need for an alternative or innovative hazardous 

waste treatment technology research and demonstration program. The SITE

Demonstration Program encourages the development and implementation of 

innovative treatment technologies for hazardous waste site remediation and 

monitoring and measurement. 

Small Business Innovation 

Research Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is one of 11 federal agencies that 

participate in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program 

established by the Small Business Innovation Development Act of 1982, Pub. 

L. No. 97-219, 96 Stat. 217 (July 22, 1982). The purpose of this Act was to 

strengthen the role of small businesses in federally funded research and 

development and help develop a stronger national base for technical 

innovation. EPA issues annual solicitations for Phase I and Phase II research 

proposals from science and technology-based firms. Through a phased 

approach to SBIR funding, EPA can determine whether the research idea, 

often on high-risk advanced concepts, is technically feasible, whether the firm 

can do high-quality research, and whether sufficient progress has been made 

to justify a larger Phase II effort. Phase II contracts are limited to small 

businesses that have successfully completed their Phase I contracts. The 

objective of Phase II is to commercialize the Phase I technology. 

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization 

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged Business 

Utilization 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The purpose of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization

(OSDBU) is to stimulate and improve the involvement of small businesses and 

socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses in the overall EPA 

procurement process. OSDBU monitors and evaluates EPA’s performance in 

achieving the Agency’s contracting and subcontracting goals, and 

recommends the assignment of the Small Business Representatives from the 

Small Business Administration (SBA), who carries out SBA’s procurement 

oversight duties pursuant to applicable laws and mandates.

Page 84 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XIV: Environmental Protection

Agency – Programs that Offer Services to 

Small Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Small Business 

Ombudsman 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The purpose of the Small Business Ombudsman is to serve as a conduit for 

small business to access Environmental Protection Agency and facilitates 

communications between the small business community and the agency. The 

office reviews and resolves disputes between small businesses and the 

Environmental Protection Agency and works with Environmental Protection

Agency personnel to increase their understanding of small businesses in the 

development and enforcement of environmental regulations. 

Small Business 

Environmental Assistance 

Programs 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, Pub. L. No. 101-549, 104 Stat. 2399 

(Nov. 15, 1990), required that all states develop a program to assist small 

businesses in meeting the requirements of the Act. Such assistance includes, 

but is not necessarily limited to, adequate mechanisms to assist small 

businesses with compliance assistance, pollution prevention and accidental 

release detection and prevention, permit assistance and obligations. Section 

507 of the Clean Air Act discusses specifics of the Small Business Assistance 

Program (SBAP). The SBAP is non-regulatory in nature and all services are 

confidential and free of charge. The SBAP is divided in to three major 

components: the Compliance Advisory Panel, the Ombudsman, and the 

Assistance Program. Due to geography, demographics and the unique 

environmental issues in each state, the structure of each program may vary. 

Office of Solid Waste 

Waste Wise program Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type 

WasteWise is a free, voluntary partnership program through which 

organizations eliminate costly municipal solid waste and select industrial 

wastes, benefiting their bottom line and the environment. WasteWise is a 

flexible program that allows partners to design their own waste reduction 

programs tailored to their needs. Large and small businesses from any 

industry sector may participate. Institutions, such as hospitals and universities, 

non-profits, and other organizations, as well as state, local and tribal 

governments, may also participate. 

Source: GAO data. 

Table 32: Services Provided by Environmental Protection Agency Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of

Services 

Type of service

Agency and program 

Target 

businesses Financial 

Technology

development and/or

deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export Worker training

Office of Acquisition Management 

Mentor-Protégé 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X

Office of Policy, Economics, and Innovation 

National Environmental

Performance Track 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type X

Page 85 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XIV: Environmental Protection

Agency – Programs that Offer Services to 

Small Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Sector Strategies 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type X

Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 

Design for the 

Environment program 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type X

Office of Research and Development 

Federal Technology 

Transfer Act program 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type X X X

Environmental

Technology Verification 

program 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type X X X

Superfund Innovative 

Technology Evaluation 

program 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type X X X

Small Business 

Innovation Research 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X X X

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged

Business Utilization 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X

Small Business 

Ombudsman 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X

Small Business 

Environmental

Assistance Programs 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X

Office of Solid Waste 

Waste Wise program Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type X

Source: GAO data. 

Page 86 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XV: Export-Import Bank – Programs

that Offer Services to Small Manufacturers 

and Types of Services 

Table 33: Export-Import Bank Programs That Offer Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by Agency, 

Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose

Agency, office, and

program Target businesses Agency description of program purpose 

Export Finance

Small Business Initiative Any small business, regardless of 

type 

The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) is the 

official export credit agency of the United States. Ex-Im Bank’s 

mission is to assist in financing the export of U.S. goods and 

services to international markets. Ex-Im Bank estimates that

about 85 percent of its transactions support small businesses. 

Small businesses can access all Ex-Im Bank products, including 

specialized small business financing tools such as working capital 

guarantees and export credit insurance. 

Source: GAO data. 

Table 34: Services Provided by Export-Import Bank Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of Services 

Type of service

Technology

development and/or

deployment 

Agency and

program Target businesses Financial 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Export Finance

Small Business 

Initiative 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X X

Source: GAO data. 

Appendix XV: Export-Import Bank – 

Programs that Offer Services to Small 

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Page 87 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XVI: National Aeronautics and

Space Administration – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of

Services 

Table 35: National Aeronautics and Space Administration Programs That Offer Services to Small Businesses Engaged in

Manufacturing by Agency, Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose 

Goddard Space Flight Center

Manufacturing 

Technology Transfer 

Centers 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type 

The Goddard Space Flight Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, both within the 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, are the training centers for technical

training courses in the fabrication, assembly and inspection of flight and ground support 

equipment. 

Innovative Partnerships Program Office 

Regional Technology 

Transfer Centers 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type 

Regional Technology Transfer Centers expedite technology transfer and spur economic 

development. The program divides the nation into six regions and relies on a network 

within each region to provide direct and timely services to companies and other 

institutions nationwide. The cooperative agreements covering these Centers expired at 

the end of 2006. Services will be offered through an outside contractor beginning in

March 2007. 

Innovative Partnerships 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type 

The Innovative Partnerships Program fosters technology partnerships, 

commercialization and innovation in support of the agency’s overall mission and national 

priorities. 

Office of Technology 

Transfer 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type 

The Innovative Partnerships Program includes the Office of Technology Transfer, which 

has a mission to (1) facilitate the transfer of technology developed by the National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration and for which the agency has title to the private 

sector for commercial application and other benefits to the nation; (2) facilitate 

partnerships with the private sector and other external entities to jointly develop 

technology with both defense and civilian uses and infuse such technology into the 

agency’s missions; and (3) protect the government’s rights in its inventions. 

Tech Briefs Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type 

Tech Briefs provides on a monthly basis any technologies releasable for dissemination 

to the public resulting from research funded by the National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration (NASA). It is not restricted to commercially significant technologies. Tech 

Briefs are typically cutting edge reports on research and emerging technologies. Until 

fiscal year 2007 NASA funded the publication under a cooperative agreement. 

Enterprise Engine Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type 

The Enterprise Engine program created a venture capital fund to provide the National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration with earlier and broader exposure to emerging 

technologies and to leverage external venture capital to develop products likely to 

support the agency’s mission. Effective fiscal year 2007 the program was terminated. 

Small Business 

Innovation Research 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program funds research by small 

businesses to meet many of the agency’s research and development requirements. The 

SBIR program was established in 1982 to provide small businesses with increased 

federal research and development opportunities. 

Small Business 

Technology Transfer 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

Modeled after the Small Business Innovation Research program, the Small Business 

Technology Transfer program is aimed specifically at technology transfer. The goal is to 

translate basic research into economic advantage by advancing productivity growth and 

international economic competitiveness. 

Appendix XVI: National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of 

Services 

Page 88 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XVI: National Aeronautics and

Space Administration – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of

Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Office of Procurement 

NASA Acquisition 

Internet Service

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type 

The NASA Acquisition Internet Service (NAIS) is a Web site, from which industry has 

immediate access to current acquisition information over the Internet. Users may 

subscribe to receive email notifications on acquisitions of interest. NAIS is a feeder 

system for Federal E-Gov Systems like the Federal Business Opportunities. NAIS 

provides industry links to reference such information as regulations, provisions, 

handbooks and guidance. NAIS also provides industry with a center location to find each

NASA field Center’s procurement home page. 

Office of Small Business Programs 

Mentor Protégé 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Mentor Protégé Program is designed to provide incentive to the agency’s major 

prime contractors to assist small disadvantaged business concerns, Historically Black 

Colleges and Universities), minority institutions, and women-owned small businesses in

expanding their technical capabilities into high technology areas where such firms are 

currently under-represented. 

Small Business 

Programs 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Office of Small Business Programs is responsible for integrating all categories of 

small businesses (small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, woman-owned 

small businesses, veteran- and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, 

Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUB Zone) small businesses, and minorityserving institutions) into the competitive base of contractors from which the National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration and its various centers regularly purchase goods 

and services. 

Office of the Administrator

TechFinder Any business,

regardless of 

size or type 

TechFinder is a resource that enables commercial and private users to perform simple 

or advanced searches or request more detailed information for technology opportunities, 

licensing opportunities, past success stories, and featured technologies leads. 

Source: GAO data. 

Table 36: Services Provided by National Aeronautics and Space Administration Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and

Type of Services 

Type of service

Agency and

program

Target 

businesses Financial 

Technology

development and/or

deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Goddard Space Flight Center 

Manufacturing 

Technology Transfer 

Centers 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type X X X X

Innovative Partnerships Program Office 

Regional Technology 

Transfer Centers 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type X X X

Innovative 

Partnerships 

Program 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type X X X

Page 89 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XVI: National Aeronautics and

Space Administration – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of

Services 

Type of service

Agency and

program

Target 

businesses Financial 

Technology

development and/or

deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Office of Technology 

Transfer 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type X X

Tech Briefs Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type X

Enterprise Engine Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type X

Small Business 

Innovation Research 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X X X

Small Business 

Technology Transfer 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X X X X

Office of Procurement 

NASA Acquisition 

Internet Service

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type X 

Office of Small Business Programs 

Mentor Protégé 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

Office of Small and 

Disadvantaged

Business Utilization 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type X X

Office of the Administrator

TechFinder Any business,

regardless of 

size or type X 

Source: GAO data. 

Page 90 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XVII: National Science Foundation 

– Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Table 37: National Science Foundation Programs That Offer Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by 

Agency, Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose 

Agency, office, and

program Target businesses Agency description of program purpose 

Division of Engineering Education and Centers 

Engineering Research

Centers 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

Engineering Research Centers (ERC) focus on the definition, fundamental

understanding, development, and validation of the technologies needed to realize 

a well-defined class of engineered systems with the potential to spawn whole 

new industries or radically transform the product lines, processing technologies, 

or service delivery methodologies of current industries. ERC faculty, students 

and industry partners integrate discovery and learning in an interdisciplinary 

environment that reflects the complexities and realities of real-world technology. 

ERC innovations in research and education are expected to impact curricula at 

all levels from pre-college to life-long learning and to be disseminated to and 

beyond academic and industry partners. This partnership speeds the transfer of 

knowledge and technology to industry. 

Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships 

Small Business Technology 

Transfer Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

The primary objective of the National Science Foundation’s Small Business 

Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR) 

increases the incentives and opportunities for small firms to undertake cuttingedge, high risk, high quality scientific engineering, or science and engineering 

education research with the potential for a high economic payoff. The STTR 

program further expands the public/private partnership to include joint venture 

opportunities for small businesses and non-profit research institutions. 

Small Business Innovation 

Research Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program was established to 

stimulate technological innovation, utilize small business to meet federal

research and development needs, and increase private sector commercialization. 

SBIR is a highly competitive program that encourages small business to explore 

their technological potential and provides the incentive to profit from its 

commercialization. By including qualified small businesses in the nation’s 

research and development arena, high-tech innovation is stimulated and the 

United States gains entrepreneurial spirit as it meets its specific research and 

development needs. In response to Executive Order 13,329 encouraging 

innovation in Manufacturing, the SBIR program has incorporated manufacturing 

as a key part of its Advanced Materials, Chemical Technology and Manufacturing 

Innovation topic. 

Appendix XVII: National Science Foundation 

– Programs that Offer Services to Small 

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Page 91 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XVII: National Science Foundation 

– Programs that Offer Services to Small

Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Agency, office, and

program Target businesses Agency description of program purpose 

Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships 

Industry-University 

Cooperative Research

Centers Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/URC) Program 

develops long-term partnerships among industry, academic institutions, and 

government for technology development, but not deployment. The centers are 

catalyzed by a small investment from National Science Foundation (NSF) and 

are primarily supported by industry center members, with NSF taking a 

supporting role in their development and evolution. Each center is established to 

conduct research that is of interest to both the industry and the center. The

partnerships feature high-quality, industrially relevant fundamental research, 

strong industrial support of and collaboration in research, and direct transfer of 

university developed ideas, research results, and technology to U.S. industry to 

improve its competitive posture in world markets. All the companies will be

eligible to become a member of the Centers starting in the fall of 2007. NSF can 

partially subsidize membership for Small Business Innovation Research awardee 

firms. 

Source: GAO data. 

Table 38: Services Provided by National Science Foundation Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of Services 

Type of service

Agency and program Financial 

Technology

development and/or

deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

Target businesses training 

Division of Engineering Education and Centers 

Engineering Research

Centers 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type X X

Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships 

Small Business 

Technology Transfer 

Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X X

Small Business 

Innovation Research 

Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X X

Industrial Innovation and Partnerships 

Industry-University 

Cooperative Research

Centers Program 

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type 

Source: GAO data. 

Page 92 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XVIII: Small Business

Administration – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of

Services 

Page 93 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology

Table 39: Small Business Administration Programs That Offer Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing by

Agency, Target Businesses, and Purpose 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose 

Office of Capital Access 

Pollution Control Loan 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Pollution Control Loans program is designed to provide financing to eligible small 

businesses for the planning, design, or installation of a pollution control facility. This facility 

must prevent, reduce, abate or control any form of pollution, including recycling. The loans 

are Small Business Act Section 7(a) loans with a special purpose of pollution control. 

Qualified Employee 

Trusts Loan Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Qualified Employee Trusts Loan Program is designed to provide financial assistance to 

employee stock ownership plans. The employee trust must be part of a plan sponsored by 

the employer company and qualified under regulations set by either the Internal Revenue

Service Code (as an Employee Stock Ownership Plan or ESOP) or the Department of Labor 

(the Employee Retirement Income Security Act or ERISA). 

Section 7(a) Loan 

Guarantees 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

Section 7(a) Loan Guarantees help creditworthy small businesses, including manufacturers, 

meet financing needs when dealing with commercial bankers. These firms are often denied

conventional financing because the loans they seek are too small for private banks to pursue 

or because they need loans for a longer period of time than a lender is willing to accept. This 

is the Small Business Administration’s most flexible business loan, and can be used for a 

variety of general business purposes including working capital machinery and equipment, 

furniture and fixtures, land and building, leasehold improvements, and debt refinancing 

(under special conditions). 

U.S. Community 

Adjustment and 

Investment Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The U.S. Community Adjustment and Investment Program was established to assist U.S. 

companies that are doing business in areas of the country that have been negatively affected 

by North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) based on job losses and the 

unemployment rate. Funds administered by Treasury allow for the payment of fees on 

eligible loans. These fees include the Section 7(a) program guarantee fee (and subsidy) and 

the Section 504 Certified Development Company (CDC) Program guarantee, CDC and 

lender fees. This reduces borrower costs and increases the availability of these business 

assistance programs. Eligibility is limited to businesses that reside in one of the more than

230 counties in 29 states that are currently designated as negatively affected by NATA. 

Export Legal 

Assistance Network 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Export Legal Assistance Network offers free initial consultations with international trade 

attorneys from the Federal Bar Association to small businesses interested in exporting. 

Attorneys help businesses navigate international legal issues, such as patents, copyrights, 

and trademarks; help clients understand basic contractual, tax and regulatory requirements; 

provide an indication of priorities among them; and give businesses basic information on 

programs at other institutions that may be able to help, such as international departments of 

near-by banks, freight forwarders, insurance companies with international experience, and 

other government programs. 

Export Working

Capital Loan Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Export Working Capital Program is a line of credit for financing foreign accounts 

receivable and export inventory. It is a transaction-based program and can be revolving or

non-revolving. The Small Business Administration provides a 90 percent guarantee to the

lender. Recipients are usually businesses that have been operating for at least 12 months 

prior to the application. Proceeds can be used to finance materials and labor needed to 

manufacture or to purchase goods and services for sale in foreign markets. Funds cannot be 

used to purchase long term fixed assets. Loans are generally for 12 or fewer months, but can 

be reissued for additional 12-month periods.

Appendix XVIII: Small Business 

Administration – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of 

Services 
Appendix XVIII: Small Business

Administration – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of

Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

International Trade 

Loan 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

International Trade Loans help small businesses engaged in exporting, preparing to engage 

in exporting, or adversely affected by competition from imports. Small Business 

Administration guarantees as much as $1.25 million in combined working-capital and 

facilities and equipment loans. Proceeds can be used for fixed assets or working capital. 

SBA Export Express Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Export Express provides loans to assist small businesses in developing or expanding

export markets. Eligible use of proceeds include: 1) financing export-development activities 

such as participation in a foreign trade show or translation of product literature, 2) 

transaction-specific financing for overseas orders, 3) revolving lines of credit for export 

purposes, 4) acquiring, constructing, renovating, improving or expanding facilities or 

equipment used in the U.S. to produce goods or services for export. 

U.S. Export 

Assistance Centers 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

U.S. Export Assistance Centers are multi-federal agency offices that provide marketing, 

product assistance and financial assistance to small- and medium-size U.S. businesses that 

would like to export. Twenty centers are nationwide. 

Surety Guarantee 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

Through the Surety Guarantee program, the Small Business Administration (SBA) can 

guarantee bonds for contracts up to $2 million, covering bid, performance and payment 

bonds for small and emerging contractors who cannot obtain surety bonds through regular

commercial channels. SBA’s guarantee gives sureties an incentive to provide bonding for 

eligible contractors, and thereby strengthens a contractor’s ability to obtain bonding and 

greater access to contracting opportunities. A surety guarantee, an agreement between a 

surety and the SBA, provides that SBA will assume a predetermined percentage of loss in

the event the contractor should breach the terms of the contract. 

Small Business 

Investment 

Companies 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

Small Business Investment Companies (SBIC) are privately owned and managed investment 

firms that provide venture capital and startup financing to new and already established small 

businesses to ensure they have access to long-term financing and venture capital they need 

to maintain and expand their operations. Small Business Administration (SBA) licenses and 

regulates the SBICs, and supports them with government backed funds that are invested in 

small enterprises. SBICs are profit-motivated; they use their own capital and with funds 

borrowed at favorable rates through the federal government to invest in small businesses in 

exchange for a share in the success of the small business if it grows and prospers. 

CAPlines Loan

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

CAPlines is a loan umbrella program that provides short-term and cyclical working-capital

needs. There are five short-term working capital loan programs for small businesses under

this program: Seasonal Line; Contract Line; Builders Line; Standard Asset-based Line, and; 

Small Asset-Based Line. This is a Section 7(a) program. 

Certified 

Development 

Company Guaranteed 

Loans (Section 504) 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Certified Development Company Guaranteed Loans (Section 504) loans are long-term

financing tools for economic development within a community. The Section 504 program 

provides growing businesses with long-term, fixed-rate financing for major fixed assets, such 

as land and buildings. A Certified Development Company (CDC) is a nonprofit corporation

set up to contribute to the economic development of its community. CDCs work with the 

Small Business Administration (SBA) and private-sector lenders to provide financing to small 

businesses. The maximum SBA debenture is $1,500,000 when meeting the job creation 

criteria or a community development goal. Generally, a business must create or retain one 

job for every $50,000 provided by the SBA except for “Small Manufacturers” which have a 

$100,000 job creation or retention goal (see below).The maximum SBA debenture is $2.0

million when meeting a public policy goal. Proceeds from 504 loans must be used for fixed 

asset projects such as: purchasing land and improvements, including existing buildings, 

grading, street improvements, utilities, parking lots and landscaping; construction of new 

facilities, or modernizing, renovating or converting existing facilities; or purchasing long-term

machinery and equipment. The Section 504 Program cannot be used for working capital or 

inventory, consolidating or repaying debt, or refinancing. 

Page 94 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XVIII: Small Business

Administration – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of

Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Defense Loan and 

Technical Assistance 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Defense Loan and Technical Assistance Program (DELTA) program is designed to help 

eligible small business contractors shift from defense to civilian markets. Small businesses 

are eligible for financial and technical assistance if they are prime contractors, 

subcontractors, or suppliers detrimentally impacted by the closure, or substantial reduction, 

of a Defense installation or program, or if the community they are in has been detrimentally

impacted by such actions. Financial assistance is provided through the Small Business 

Administration’s existing Section 7(a) and Section 504 programs. Technical assistance is 

provided through small business development centers, SCORE, and other federal agencies 

and other providers. It is a joint program with Defense. To be eligible for this program, small 

businesses must have derived at least 25 percent of its revenues from Defense or Defenserelated Energy contracts or subcontracts in support of defense prime contracts in any one of 

five prior operating years. 

Loan Prequalification Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Prequalification Loan is a pilot program that helps low income borrowers, disabled 

business owners, new and emerging businesses, veterans, exporters, rural and specialized 

industries develop viable loan application packages and secure loans up to $250,000. The

program is administered by the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of Field 

Operations and SBA district offices. Intermediary organizations work with applicants to make 

sure their business plans are complete and that their applications are eligible and have credit 

merit. If the intermediary organization is satisfied that the application has a chance for 

approval, it will send it to SBA for processing. Small Business Development Centers serving 

as intermediaries do not charge fees for loan packaging, while for-profit organizations charge 

fees. 

Microloan Program Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Microloan Program provides very small loans to start-up, newly established, or growing 

small businesses. Under this program, the Small Business Administration makes funds 

available to nonprofit community based lenders (intermediaries) which, in turn, make loans to 

eligible borrowers in amounts up to a maximum of $35,000. The average loan size is about 

$13,000. Applications are submitted to the local lender and all credit decisions are made at 

the local level. Individuals and small businesses applying for microloans may be required to 

fulfill training and/or planning requirements before a loan application is considered, and 

lenders are required to provide business training and technical assistance.

Office of Disaster Assistance 

Disaster Assistance Any 

business, 

regardless of 

size or type 

The Disaster Loan Program offers low-interest, long-term financial loans to homeowners,

renters, and businesses of all sizes that are trying to rebuild their homes and businesses in 

the aftermath of a disaster. Two types of loans––Physical Disaster and Economic Injury––

are available. Physical Disaster Loans are available to businesses of all sizes and nonprofit 

organizations for permanent rebuilding and replacement of uninsured or underinsured 

disaster- damaged privately-owned real and/or personal property. This is the only SBA 

assistance that is not limited to small businesses. Economic Injury Disaster Loans are 

available only to small businesses to provide necessary working capital until normal 

operations resume after a disaster. 

Office of Entrepreneurial Development 

SCORE Any small

business, 

regardless of 

type 

SCORE uses the management experience and business acumen of retired and active

corporate professionals and small business owners who volunteer their time and expertise to 

assist small businesses and prospective businesses. Counseling services are free and 

business workshops and seminars are at low cost. SCORE pioneered online counseling with 

the launch of its Cyber Chapter in 1996. 

Page 95 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XVIII: Small Business

Administration – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of

Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Small Business 

Development Centers 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) serve as central sources for disseminating

information and guidance to small businesses, company owners, and entrepreneurs, many

of whom cannot afford private consulting services. There is at least one SBDC in each state, 

each with a network of service locations, to ensure that they are easily accessible. At least 

50 percent of clients are small businesses. The program is a cooperative effort of the private 

sector, the educational community and federal, state and local governments. Most SBDCs

can help with marketing, financing, feasibility studies, technical problems, and financing 

issues. Special SBDC programs and economic development activities include international 

trade assistance, technology and manufacturing technical assistance, procurement 

assistance, venture capital formation and rural development. SBDCs focus on providing 

extended-term counseling to small businesses rather than short-term assistance. 

Women’s Business 

Centers 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

There are currently 99 Women's Business Centers (WBC) in 44 states and 3 territories. The 

mission of the WBC program is to target the economically and socially disadvantaged 

population. WBCs promote the growth of women-owned businesses through training, 

counseling, mentoring and technical assistance programs. Each WBC provides assistance 

or training in finance, management, marketing and procurement. In addition, each WBC 

tailors its program to the needs of its constituency and many offer programs and counseling

in two or more languages. 

Small Business 

Training Network 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Small Business Training Network provides online training to meet the informational

needs of prospective and existing small businesses. 

Office of Government Contracting and Business Development 

Prime Contracts 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Prime Contracts Program helps increase small businesses’ share of government 

contracts. Small Business Administration (SBA) procurement center representatives (PCR), 

located at SBA procurement area offices and federal buying centers across the country, help 

small businesses obtain federal contracts. There are two types of PCRs: traditional and 

breakout. Traditional PCRs work to increase the number of procurements set aside for small 

businesses. Breakout PCRs work to remove components or spare parts from sole source 

procurements to procurements through open competition, which generates savings for the

federal government. 

Subcontracting

Assistance Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Subcontracting Assistance Program promotes the prime contractors’ use of small 

businesses. Small Business Administration’s commercial marketing representatives review 

the subcontracting plans of prime contractors that have one or more contracts that exceed

$500,000 to identify opportunities for small businesses to serve as subcontractors. 

Business or 

Procurement 

Matchmaking 

Initiative 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Business or Procurement Matchmaking Initiative helps increase small businesses’

access to federal contracting opportunities. Federal, county and state agencies, as well as

private sector contractors, are matched with small business sellers either in person or 

through facilitated phone conferences. 

Natural Resources 

Assistance Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Natural Resources Assistance Program is intended to ensure that small businesses 

obtain a fair share of government property sales and leases through small business setasides. The Small Business Administration also provides counseling and other assistance to 

small businesses on government sales and leasing. The program covers five categories of 

federal resources: 1) timber and related forest products, 2) strategic materials from the 

national stockpile, 3) royalty oil, 4) leases involving rights to minerals, coal, oil, and gas, 5)

surplus real and personal property. 

Page 96 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XVIII: Small Business

Administration – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of

Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Historically 

Underutilized 

Business Zones 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) Empowerment Contracting 

Program stimulates economic development and creates jobs in urban and rural communities 

by providing federal contracting preferences to small businesses. These preferences go to 

small businesses that obtain HUBZone certification by, among other things, employing staff 

and maintaining a principal office in a designated HUBZone. 

Section 8(a) Business 

Development 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Small Business Act Section 8(a) Program focuses on business development and is 

designed to foster the growth and competitive viability of Section 8(a) firms through technical 

assistance delivered over a 9-year period. One of the benefits of the program is that Section 

8(a) firms, through their own self-marketing efforts, can obtain sole source contracts of up to 

$5.5 million for manufacturing and $3.5 million for all other purposes that federal agencies 

make available for the Section 8(a) program. Qualified firms can also participate in restricted 

competitions for federal contracts. 

Mentor-Protégé 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Mentor Protégé program enhances the capability of Section 8(a) participants to compete 

more successfully for federal contracts. The program encourages private sector relationships 

and expands the Small Business Administration’s efforts to identify and respond to the 

developmental needs of Section 8(a) clients. Mentors provide technical and management 

assistance, financial assistance in the form of equity investments and/or loans, subcontract 

support, and assistance in performing prime contracts through joint venture arrangements 

with Section 8(a) firms. 

Small Disadvantaged 

Business Certification 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDB) Certification Program makes qualified small 

businesses eligible for special bidding benefits in federal procurement. Under new federal

procurement regulations, the Small Business Administration certifies SDBs for participation 

in federal procurements to help overcome the effects of discrimination. Evaluation credits

available to prime contractors increase subcontracting opportunities for SDBs. While the

Section 8(a) Program offers a broad scope of assistance to socially and economically 

disadvantaged firms, SDB certification strictly pertains to benefits in federal procurement. 

Section 8(a) firms automatically qualify for SDB certification.

Certificate of 

Competency Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Certificate of Competency Program allows a small business to appeal a contracting 

officer’s determination that it is unable to fulfill the requirements of a specific government 

contract on which it is the apparent low bidder. When the small business applies for a 

Certificate of Competency, the Small Business Administration industrial and financial 

specialists conduct a detailed review of the firm’s capabilities to perform on the contract. 

Small Business 

Innovation Research 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is designed to ensure that small, 

high-technology firms have access to federal research and development (R&D) funds to 

pursue advanced technologies and their commercial applications. SBIR is a competitive

three-phase program that reserves a specific percentage of R&D funding at certain federal 

agencies for awards to small businesses. Currently 11 other federal agencies provide the 

grant funds and oversee the projects. The Small Business Administration monitors the SBIR 

program and provides guidance. SBIR funds the critical startup and development stages and 

it encourages the commercialization of the resulting technology, product, or service. 

Small Business 

Technology Transfer 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR) expands funding opportunities in 

the federal innovation research and development (R&D) arena through public/private sector 

partnerships to include the joint venture opportunities for small business and nonprofit 

research institutions. STTR is a competitive three-phase program that reserves a specific 

percentage of federal R&D funding for award to small business and nonprofit research 

institution partners. Five federal departments and agencies (the Departments of Defense,

Energy, and Health and Human Services as well as the National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration and the National Science Foundation) are required by STTR to reserve a 

portion of their R&D funds for awards to small business/nonprofit research institution

partnerships. 

Page 97 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XVIII: Small Business

Administration – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of

Services 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose

Sub-Net Any small

business, 

regardless of 

type 

Sub-Net is a Web site where prime contractors post subcontracting opportunities. These may 

or may not be reserved for small businesses, and they may include either solicitations or 

other notices. Small businesses can review this Web site to identify opportunities in their 

areas of expertise. While the Web site is designed primarily as a place for large businesses

to post solicitations and notices, it is also used by federal agencies, state and local 

governments, non-profit organizations, colleges and universities, and even foreign 

governments for the same purpose. 

TECH-Net Any small

business, 

regardless of 

type 

Tech-Net is an electronic gateway of technology information and resources for and about

small high tech businesses. It includes a search engine for researchers, scientists, state, 

federal and local government officials; a marketing tool for small firms; and links to potential 

investment opportunities for investors and other sources of capital. The system is also linked 

to technology sources of information, assistance, and training. 

Section 7(j) program Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

Section 7(j) of the Small Business Act authorized the Small Business Administration to enter 

into grants, cooperative agreements or contracts, with public or private organizations to 

deliver management or technical assistance to individuals and enterprises eligible for 

assistance under the Act. This assistance is delivered through the Section 7(j) Management 

and Technical Assistance Program to Section 8(a) certified firms, small disadvantaged 

businesses, businesses operating in areas of high unemployment or low-income or firms 

owned by low-income individuals. The Section7 (j) program grants, cooperative agreements 

or contracts are awarded to qualified service providers who have the capability to provide

business development assistance to the eligible clients. The Section 7(j) program funding is 

not available to finance a business; purchase a business; or use as expansion capital for an

existing business. Financial assistance under the program may be given for projects that

respond to needs outlined in a Section 7(j) program solicitation announcement, or for an 

unsolicited proposal that could provide valuable business development assistance for 

Section 8(a) and other socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses. Technical 

and management assistance includes an executive education program for owners and senior 

officers. 

Office of Veterans Business Development 

Service-Disabled 

Veteran Owned Small 

Business Concern 

Program 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business Concern (SDVOSBC) Program 

establishes the criteria to be used in federal contracting to determine service-disabled 

veteran status; business ownership and control requirements; guidelines for establishing sole 

source and set-aside procurement opportunities; and procurement protest and appeal 

procedures for service-disabled veteran owned small business. 

Source: GAO data. 

Table 40: Services Provided by Small Business Administration Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of

Services 

Type of service

Agency and program Target businesses Financial 

Technology

development and/or

deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Office of Capital Access 

Pollution Control Loan 

Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X X

Page 98 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XVIII: Small Business

Administration – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of

Services 

Type of service

Agency and program Target businesses Financial 

Technology

development and/or

deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Qualified Employee Trusts 

Loan Program

Any small business, 

regardless of type X X

Section 7(a) Loan 

Guarantees 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X X

U.S. Community 

Adjustment and 

Investment Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X X

Export Legal Assistance 

Network 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X

Export Working Capital 

Loan Program

Any small business, 

regardless of type X X

International Trade Loan Any small business, 

regardless of type X X

SBA Export Express Any small business, 

regardless of type X X X

U.S. Export Assistance 

Centers 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X X X

Surety Guarantee 

Program 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X X

Small Business 

Investment Companies 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X X

CAPlines Loan Program Any small business, 

regardless of type X X

Certified Development 

Company Guaranteed 

Loans (Section 504) 

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

X X

Defense Loan and 

Technical Assistance 

Program X X

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

Loan Prequalification 

X

Any small business, 

regardless of type 

Microloan Program Any small business, 

regardless of type X X

Office of Disaster Assistance 

Disaster Assistance 

X X

Any business, 

regardless of size or 

type 

Office of Entrepreneurial Development 

SCORE Any small business, 

regardless of type X X X

Page 99 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XVIII: Small Business

Administration – Programs that Offer 

Services to Small Manufacturers and Types of

Services 

Science and Technology

Type of service

Agency and program Target businesses Financial 

Technology

development and/or

deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Small Business 

Development Centers 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X X X X

Women’s Business 

Centers 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X

Small Business Training 

Network 

Any small business, 

regardless of type X

Office of Government Contracting and Business Development 

Prime Contracts Program Any small business 

regardless of type X

Subcontracting Assistance 

Program 

Any small business 

regardless of type X 

Business or Procurement 

Matchmaking Initiative 

Any small business 

regardless of type X 

Natural Resources 

Assistance Program 

Any small business 

regardless of type X

Historically Underutilized

Business Zones 

Any small business 

regardless of type X X X X

Section 8(a) Business 

Development Program 

Any small business 

regardless of type X X X X X

Mentor-Protégé Program Any small business 

regardless of type X

Small Disadvantaged 

Business Certification 

Program 

Any small business 

regardless of type 

X

Certificate of Competency 

program 

Any small business 

regardless of type X

Small Business Innovation 

Research

Any small business 

regardless of type X

Small Business 

Technology Transfer 

Program 

Any small business 

regardless of type 

X

Sub-Net Any small business 

regardless of type X

TECH-Net Any small business 

regardless of type X

Section 7(j) program Any small business 

regardless of type X

Office of Veterans Business Development 

Service-Disabled Veteran 

Owned Small Business 

Concern Program 

Any small business 

regardless of type 

X 

Source: GAO data. 

Page 100 GAO-07-714
Appendix XIX: Appalachian Regional 

Commission – Programs that Offer Services to

Small Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Table 41: Appalachian Regional Commission Programs That Offer Services to Small Businesses Engaged in Manufacturing

by Agency, Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose 

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose 

Appalachian Regional Commission 

Telecommunications 

Initiative 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

Appalachian Regional Commission’s Information Age Appalachia telecommunications 

and information technology program was created to promote the development of 

telecommunications in Appalachia, with a special focus on helping the Region’s 

distressed counties. The focus of Information Age Appalachia is not only on access to 

infrastructure, but also, and more importantly, on applications that use that access. 

Instead of simply promoting technology by itself, the program seeks to stimulate 

economic growth and improve the standard of living in the Region through technologyrelated avenues. Two key areas of the program are e-commerce and technologysector job creation. The focus of the program is to ensure rural areas of Appalachia 

have access to broadband services. Training and education are included in activities. 

The program has provided broadband awareness training and general e-commerce 

training throughout the Appalachian Region. It has also worked with broadband 

service providers in helping rural communities obtain broadband access in unserved 

and underserved areas. 

Entrepreneurship 

Initiative 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

Small, homegrown businesses play an important role in creating self-sustaining local 

economies and improving the quality of life in Appalachia. The Entrepreneurship 

Initiative is a multi-year, $31 million effort that seeks to provide communities with tools 

to assist entrepreneurs in starting and expanding local businesses. Two key activities 

of the Initiative include giving entrepreneurs greater access to capital and educating 

and training entrepreneurs. 

Business Development 

Revolving Loan Fund 

Grants 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

The Business Development Revolving Loan Fund is a pool of money used by an 

eligible grantee for the purpose of making loans to create and/or retain jobs. As loans 

are repaid by the borrowers, the money is returned to the revolving loan fund to make 

other loans that becomes an ongoing or “revolving” financial tool to retain and create 

private-sector jobs. 

Export Trade Promotion Any small 

business, 

regardless of 

type 

Expanding trade opportunities for Appalachian businesses is an important strategy for 

increasing job opportunities and per capita income in the Region. The Export Trade 

Advisory Council (ETAC) advises the Commission on trade policy issues, promotes 

advocacy in national and regional venues, and recommends specific programs for 

promoting rural export trade in Appalachia. The ETAC has initiated a number of 

projects designed to help small and medium-sized Appalachian businesses increase 

their export sales. Its activities include education and training, market entry for small 

and medium-sized firms, advocacy, and research. 

Asset-Based 

Development Initiative 

Any business, 

regardless of 

size or type 

Appalachian Regional Commission’s Area Development Program seeks to augment 

the Highway Program and bring more of Appalachia’s people into America’s economic 

mainstream. The Asset-Based Development Initiative seeks to help communities 

identify and leverage local assets to create jobs and build prosperity while preserving 

the character of their community. Development strategies include, among other things, 

capitalizing on traditional arts, culture, and heritage; adding value to farming through 

specialized agricultural development, including processing specialty food items, fish 

farming, and organic farming; and converting overlooked and underused facilities into 

industrial parks, business incubators, or educational facilities. 

Appendix XIX: Appalachian Regional 

Commission – Programs that Offer Services 

to Small Manufacturers and Types of Services

Page 101 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XIX: Appalachian Regional 

Commission – Programs that Offer Services to

Small Manufacturers and Types of Services 

Table 42: Services Provided by Appalachian Regional Commission Programs by Agency, Target Businesses, and Type of

Services 

Type of service

Agency and program 

Target 

businesses Financial 

Technology

development and/or

deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Appalachian Regional Commission 

Telecommunications 

Initiative 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type X X X X

Entrepreneurship 

Initiative 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type X X

Business Development 

Revolving Loan Fund 

Grants 

Any small 

business, 

regardless of type X X

Export Trade Promotion Any small 

business, 

regardless of type X X X X

Asset-Based 

Development Initiative 

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type X X X

Source: GAO data. 

Page 102 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XX: Robert C. Byrd National 

Technology Transfer Center – Programs that 

Offer Services to Small Manufacturers and 

Types of Services 

Appendix XX: Robert C. Byrd National 

Technology Transfer Center – Programs that 

Offer Services to Small Manufacturers and 

Types of Services 

Table 43: Robert C. Byrd National Technology Transfer Center Programs That Offer Services to Small Businesses Engaged in 

Manufacturing by Agency, Target Businesses, and Agency Description of Purpose

Agency, office, and

program

Target 

businesses Agency description of program purpose 

Robert C. Byrd National Technology Transfer Center

National Technology 

Transfer Center

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type 

The Robert C. Byrd National Technology Transfer Center (NTTC), a 501 (c)(3) 

organization, was established in 1989 to link U.S. industry with federal laboratories 

and universities that have the technologies facilities and researchers that industry 

needs to maximize product development opportunities. The NTTC provides technology 

assessment services and serves its clients with an experienced professional staff that 

includes intellectual-property management experts, scientists and engineers, computer 

information specialists and programmers, market analysts, Web designers, security 

experts, outreach specialists and technology transfer negotiators. In addition, the 

NTTC houses a demonstration and training laboratory in which software and other 

technologies are tested and demonstrated. 

Source: GAO data. 

Table 44: Services Provided by the Robert C. Byrd National Technology Transfer Center Programs by Agency, Target 

Businesses, and Type of Services 

Type of service

Agency and program 

Target 

businesses Financial 

Technology

development 

and/or deployment 

Technical, 

business, or

management Export 

Worker 

training 

Robert C. Byrd National Technology Transfer Center

National Technology 

Transfer Center

Any business, 

regardless of size 

or type X X

Source: GAO data. 

Page 103 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XXI: Interagency Efforts that 

Address Concerns of Small Businesses and

Businesses Regardless of Size and Type 

Table 45: Five Interagency Efforts Address the Concerns of Small Businesses, Regardless of Type

Focus of 

interagency effort Participating agencies Description of interagency effort 

Coordinate program 

operations across 

multiple agencies 

Twelve participating agencies including the 

Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, 

Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, 

Homeland Security, and Transportation as well as the 

Environmental Protection Agency, the National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National 

Science Foundation, and the Small Business 

Administration.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) 

Program Managers Meetings is an interagency effort 

in which program managers from the Small Business 

Administration and the 11 participating SBIR 

agencies meet periodically to discuss programrelated topics such as operations, approaches to new 

initiatives, and policy changes. 

Encourage program 

participation by small 

businesses in

selected geographic 

areas 

Twelve participating agencies including the 

Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, 

Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, 

Homeland Security, and Transportation as well as the 

Environmental Protection Agency, the National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National 

Science Foundation, and the Small Business 

Administration.

The SBIR/STTR-Where Innovation Focuses 

Technology (SWIFT) is an interagency effort which 

outreaches to raise awareness of the SBIR and Small 

Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs in 

areas of the country with low participation in these 

programs. SWIFT brings officials from participating 

agencies to state-sponsored conferences to discuss 

their research topic areas and raise awareness of the 

funding opportunities available to entrepreneurs, 

scientists, business owners, and others. Federal 

officials may also conduct individual meetings at 

these conferences to discuss how small businesses 

compete for SBIR funding. 

Enhance participation 

in federal contracting 

by small businesses 

Twelve participating agencies including the 

Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, 

Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, 

Homeland Security, and Transportation, as well as the 

Environmental Protection Agency, National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration, National 

Science Foundation, and Small Business 

Administration.

The Small Business Working Group is a subset of the 

Chief Acquisitions Officers Council (CAOC). The 

CAOC consists of a diverse group of acquisition 

professionals in the Executive Branch established to 

provide a senior level forum for monitoring and 

improving the federal acquisition system. The CAOC

promotes effective business practices that ensure the 

timely delivery of best value products and services to 

the agencies, achieve public policy objectives, and 

further integrity, fairness, competition, and openness 

in the federal acquisition system. The CAOC works 

closely with the Administrator, Office of Federal 

Procurement Policy, and the Federal Acquisition 

Regulatory Council to promote these business 

practices in the acquisition system. The CAOC is 

focused on promoting the President’s Management 

Agenda in all aspects of the acquisition system. The 

CAOC also promotes the President’s specific 

acquisition-related initiatives and policies. 

Appendix XXI: Interagency Efforts that 

Address Concerns of Small Businesses and 

Businesses Regardless of Size and Type 

Page 104 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XXI: Interagency Efforts that 

Address Concerns of Small Businesses and

Businesses Regardless of Size and Type 

Focus of 

interagency effort Participating agencies Description of interagency effort 

Enhance participation 

in federal contracting 

by small socially and 

economically 

disadvantaged

businesses 

Twenty-five participating agencies including the 

Departments of: Agriculture, Commerce, Defense (Air 

Force, Army, and Navy), Education, Energy, Health 

and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing 

and Urban Development, Interior, Justice, Labor, 

State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs; 

as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, 

Executive Office of the President, Federal Deposit 

Insurance Corporation, General Services 

Administration, National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration, National Science Foundation, Nuclear 

Regulatory Commission, Office of Personnel

Management, Smithsonian Institution, and Social 

Security Administration. 

The Federal Office of Small and Disadvantaged 

Business Utilization (OSDBU) Directors Interagency 

Council exchanges information on methods, 

initiatives, and processes that will permit respective 

agencies to more effectively utilize small businesses 

in prime contracts and subcontracts to the maximum 

extent practicable. In addition, the Council shall 

collectively act in the interest of small businesses on 

federal and national small business initiatives. More 

specifically, the Council disseminates information to 

all OSDBU Directors and their staffs, advocates 

training for the federal procurement workforce, and 

provides a forum where officials share ideas and 

experiences and work with interested groups to 

develop solutions to procurement issues that affect 

small businesses. The OSDBU Directors Council was 

established in the late 1980s 

Expand scope of 

services offered to 

small businesses 

through service

centers the agencies 

operate 

Twelve participating agencies including 5 agencies in 

the Department of Commerce (International Trade 

Administration’s Export Assistance Centers, Economic 

Development Agency, National Institute of Standards 

and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension 

Partnership, Minority Business Development Agency, 

and Office of Intellectual Property Rights), the Small 

Business Administration’s Small Business 

Development Centers as well as the Export-Import 

Bank, Environmental Protection Agency, and the 

Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Energy, and 

Labor. 

Interagency Network of Enterprise Assistance

Providers brings together federal agencies to explore 

the concept, feasibility, and framework to develop a 

coordinated network of assistance programs that 

meets the needs of small businesses and 

manufacturers. Group members meet monthly to 

learn about each other’s programs and discuss 

mutually beneficial opportunities for pilot 

collaborations. To date, the group has discussed 

such topics as successful export strategies for small 

manufacturers, the development of a Web site for the 

coordinated network and available small business 

innovation information. 

Source: GAO data. 

Page 105 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XXI: Interagency Efforts that 

Address Concerns of Small Businesses and

Businesses Regardless of Size and Type 

Table 46: Nine Interagency Efforts Address the Concerns of All Businesses, Regardless of Size or Type

Focus of 

interagency effort Participating agencies Description of interagency effort 

Forum to raise 

bioengineering

issues 

Twenty-six participating agencies including NIH 

Institutes Centers and Offices (National Institutes for 

Cancer; Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering; 

Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Eye; Heart, Lung, and 

Blood; Aging; Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; Arthritis 

and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases; Child Health 

and Human Development; Drug Abuse; Deafness and 

Other Communication Disorders; Dental and

Craniofacial Research; Diabetes and Digestive and 

Kidney Diseases; Environmental Health Sciences, 

General Medical Sciences; Mental Health; 

Neurological Disorders and Stroke; NIH Centers for 

Scientific Review; Information Technology; Research

Resources; NIH Offices for Intramural Research; 

Research Services; as well as the Human Genome 

Research Institute, Clinical Center, and National 

Library of Medicine), the Department of Energy, 

National Institute of Standards and Technology in the 

Department of Commerce, and the National Science 

Foundation. 

Recognizing the potential benefits to human health to 

be realized from applying the field of bioengineering, the 

NIH Director formally established the Bioengineering 

Consortium (BECON) was an interagency group 

convened by the NIH Director in February 1997. 

BECON is the focus of bioengineering issues at the NIH 

and is composed of senior-level representatives from 

each of the NIH centers, institutes, and divisions. The 

Consortium also includes representatives of other 

federal agencies concerned with biomedical research 

and development. The BECON is administered by the 

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and

Bioengineering at the NIH. 

Develop a single 

electronic point of 

contact for federal 

information to help 

businesses 

Twenty-two participating agencies including the 

Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, 

Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, 

Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, 

Interior, Justice, Labor, State, Transportation,

Treasury, and Veteran Affairs and the Environmental

Protection Agency, General Services Administration, 

Office of Personnel Management, National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration, National 

Science Foundation, Small Business Administration 

and Social Security Administration. 

Business Gateway is a partnership of federal agencies 

that provide a single online access point for government 

services and information that can help businesses, 

called Business.gov. Launched in 2004, Business.gov 

initially focused on starting, growing and financing small 

businesses. In October 2006, its focus shifted to helping 

businesses comply with federal regulations. 

Coordinate efforts 

to transfer federally 

developed 

technology to the 

private sector 

Thirteen participating agencies including the 

Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, 

Energy, Health and Human Services, the Interior, 

Justice, Transportation, Treasury, Veterans Affairs, as 

well as the Environmental Protection Agency, National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration, and National 

Science Foundation. 

Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer 

(FLC), formed in 1974, is a nationwide network of 

federal laboratories. FLC provides a forum to develop 

strategies and identify opportunities to link the 

laboratories’ mission technologies and expertise with 

the marketplace. It serves as an interagency forum to 

develop and strengthen nationwide efforts to transfer 

federally developed technology to the private sector. 

Page 106 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XXI: Interagency Efforts that 

Address Concerns of Small Businesses and

Businesses Regardless of Size and Type 

Focus of 

interagency effort Participating agencies Description of interagency effort 

Coordinate efforts 

to transfer federally 

developed 

technology to the 

private sector 

Eleven participating agencies including the 

Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, 

Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland 

Security, Interior, Transportation, Veterans Affairs, as 

well as the Environmental Protection Agency and 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 

The Interagency Working Group on Technology 

Transfer is a longstanding interagency effort that 

includes senior policy officials from most of the federal

science and technology agencies. The group’s activities 

are coordinated through the Office of Technology Policy 

in the Department of Commerce. The group meets 

monthly to discuss policy issues and related topics of 

significant interest to the federal laboratory technology 

transfer community. One of the continuing discussion 

interests over the last several years has been the extent 

to which existing federal technology transfer 

mechanisms and programs work effectively to facilitate 

interaction with the private sector in such areas as the 

transfer of intellectual property rights, cooperative 

research and development relationships, and new 

technology development activities. 

Share information 

on the development 

of information

technology systems 

Thirteen participating organizations including the Army, 

Navy, Air Force, and Defense Logistics Agency in the 

Department of Defense, National Aeronautical and 

Space Administration, Department of Energy, 

Department of Labor, National Institute of Standards 

and Technology in the Department of and Commerce, 

Federal Aviation Administration, General Services 

Administration, National Security Agency, U.S. Postal 

Service, as well as, the Canadian Department of 

Defense. 

GIDEP is a cooperative activity between government 

and industry participants that seek to share technical 

information during research, design, development, 

production and operational phases of the life cycle of 

systems, facilities and equipment for the development, 

thereby reducing or eliminating expenditures of 

resources, lowering total ownership cost, and increasing 

reliability, readiness and safety. 

Coordinate efforts 

on tissue 

engineering 

Seven participating agencies including the National 

Institute of Standards and Technology in the

Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, 

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in the 

Department of Defense, two agencies in the 

Department of Health and Human Services (Food and 

Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health), 

the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 

and the National Science Foundation. 

The Multi-Agency Tissue Engineering Science (MATES) 

Interagency Working Group helps keep federal 

agencies involved in tissue engineering informed of 

each other’s activities and helps the agencies better 

coordinate their efforts in this rapidly growing field. The 

MATES Interagency Working Group was organized 

under the auspices of the Subcommittee on 

Biotechnology of the National Science and Technology 

Council. 

Page 107 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XXI: Interagency Efforts that 

Address Concerns of Small Businesses and

Businesses Regardless of Size and Type 

Focus of 

interagency effort Participating agencies Description of interagency effort 

Coordinate federal

nano-technology 

and nano-science 

related research

and development 

(R&D) efforts 

Twenty-eight federal agencies participate in the NNI 

including the Office of Science Technology Policy, 

Office of Management and Budget, Consumer Product 

Safety Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, 

Intelligence Technology Innovation Center, 

International Trade Commission, National Aeronautics 

and Space Administration, National Science

Foundation, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, two 

agencies within the Department of Agriculture 

(Cooperative State Research Extension and Education 

Service and Forest Service), the Department of 

Defense, four agencies within the Department of 

Commerce (Bureau of Industry and Security, National 

Institute of Standards and Technology, Technology 

Administration, and U.S. Patent and Trademark 

Office), the Departments of Education and Energy, 

three agencies within the Department of Health and 

Human Services (Food and Drug Administration, 

National Institutes of Health, and National Institute for 

Occupational Safety and Health), one agency within 

Department of the Interior (U.S. Geological Survey), 

and the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, 

Labor, State, Transportation, and Treasury. 

The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) is a 

federal research and development (R&D) program 

established to coordinate multi-agency efforts in 

nanoscale science, engineering, and technology. 

Thirteen participating agencies have an R&D budget for 

nanotechnology. Other Federal organizations contribute 

with studies, applications for the results from agencies 

that perform R&D, and other collaborations. The NNI is 

managed within the framework of the National Science 

and Technology Council, the Cabinet-level council that 

coordinates science, space, and technology policies 

across the federal government. In addition to funding 

research, federal support through the NNI provides 

crucial funds for the creation of university and

government nanoscale R&D laboratories, and helps 

educate the workforce necessary for the future of 

nanotechnology. The NNI also plays a key role in 

fostering cross-disciplinary networks and partnerships, 

and disseminating information. Finally, it enables small 

businesses to pursue opportunities offered by

nanotechnology, and encourages all levels of business 

to exploit those opportunities.

Develop and build 

acceptance of 

standards for a new 

technology 

Six participating agencies within the Department of 

Commerce including the Technology Administration, 

the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 

the National Telecommunications and Information 

Administration, the International Trade Administration, 

the Economics and Statistics Administration and the 

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. 

Commerce has a leading role within the federal 

government to ensure that RFID is understood, that 

both industry and consumer concerns and views are 

heard, and that accurate information about the features 

and abilities of RFID are disseminated. 

Page 108 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XXI: Interagency Efforts that 

Address Concerns of Small Businesses and

Businesses Regardless of Size and Type 

Focus of 

interagency effort Participating agencies Description of interagency effort 

Streamline federal 

export services

Twenty participating agencies including the 

Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, 

Energy, Homeland Security, Interior, Labor, 

Transportation, and Treasury, and the Council of 

Economic Advisors, Environmental Protection Agency, 

Export-Import Bank of the United States, National 

Economic Council, National Security Council, Office of 

Management and Budget, Overseas Private 

Investment Corporation, Small Business 

Administration, U.S. Agency for International

Development, U.S. Trade and Development Agency, 

and United States Trade Representative. 

The Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC) 

is composed of all the federal government’s agencies 

involved in export promotion. The present TPCC was 

formed in 1993 by Executive Order No. 12870, 58 Fed. 

Reg. 51753 (Sept. 30, 1993), pursuant to the Export 

Enhancement Act of 1992, Pub. L. No. 102-429 § 201, 

106 Stat. 2186 (Oct. 21, 1992); 15 U.S.C. § 4727. The 

Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC) is 

composed of all the federal government’s agencies 

involved in export promotion. The Secretary of 

Commerce is the designated chairperson. The TPCC is 

mandated to streamline export programs, leverage 

resources across agencies, develop a national export 

strategy, and report annually to Congress. Recent 

initiatives include joint marketing such as Export.gov; 

joint training such as the TPCC Interagency Trade 

Officer Training Program; program integration such as 

through the Small Business Administration and ExportImport Bank Co-Guarantee Program; strategic 

partnerships to broaden business outreach, such as 

with states, associations, and corporate partners; and 

coordination in priority markets, such as in key 

emerging markets. 

Source: GAO data. 

Page 109 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
A

Support Sma

M

ppendix XXII: Studies of Programs that 

ll Businesses Engaged in 

anufacturing

Page 110 GAO-07-714

Appendix XXII: Studies of Programs that 

Support Small Businesses Engaged in 

Manufacturing 

Davila, Natalie A. “Evaluating Manufacturing Extension: A 

Multidimensional Approach.” Economic Development Quarterly. Vol. 18,

no. 3 (2004): 286-302. 

Ehlen, Mark A. “The Economic Impact of Manufacturing Extension 

Centers.” Economic Development Quarterly. Vol. 15, no. 1 (2001): 36-44.

Feldman, Maryann P., and Maryellen R. Kelley. “Leveraging Research and 

Development: Assessing the Impact of the U.S. Advanced Technology 

Program.” Small Business Economics. Vol. 20, no. 2 (2003): 153-165. 

Commerce Information Technology Solutions Next Generation 

Governmentwide Acquisition Contract. GAO-06-791R. Washington, D.C.: 

June 14, 2006. 

Trade Adjustment Assistance: Experiences of Six Trade-Impacted 

Communities. GAO-01-838. Washington, D.C.: August 24, 2001. 

Trade Adjustment Assistance: Impact of Federal Assistance to Firms Is 

Unclear. GAO-01-12. Washington, D.C.: December 15, 2000. 

Reeder et al. The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s 

Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program – Report 1: Re-examining 

the Core Premise of the MEP Program. Washington, D.C.: National 

Academy of Public Administration, 2003. 

Shapira, Philip. “US Manufacturing Extension Partnerships: Technology 

Policy Reinvented?” Research Policy. Vol. 30 (2001): 977-992. 

Voytek, Kenneth P., Karen L. Lellock, and Mark A. Schmit. “Developing 

Performance Metrics for Science and Technology Programs: The Case of 

the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program.” Economic 

Development Quarterly. Vol. 18, no. 2 (2004): 174-185. 

List of Studies 

Studies on Programs at the 

Department of Commerce 

Studies on Programs at the 

Department of Defense 

Ahmad, Mohamad, Radostin Krastev, and Arkadiusz Puciato. Military 

Business Success. MBA Professional Report. Monterey, CA: Naval 

Postgraduate School, 2004. 

Contract Management: Benefits of the DoD Mentor-Protégé Program Are 

Not Conclusive. GAO-01-767. Washington, D.C.: July 19, 2001.

Science and Technology
Appendix XXII: Studies of Programs that 

Support Small Businesses Engaged in 

Manufacturing

Defense Commissaries: Additional Small Business Opportunities Should 

Be Explored. GAO-03-160. Washington, D.C.: December 12, 2002. 

Defense Manufacturing Technology Program: More Joint Projects and 

Tracking of Results Could Benefit Program. GAO-01-943. Washington, 

D.C.: September 28, 2001. 

Green, Gregory Sean. Army Small Business Innovation Research: A 

Survey of Phase II Awardees. Thesis. Monterey, CA: Naval Postgraduate 

School, 2001. 

Peete, Danny A., and Paul J. Componation. “Predicting USMC SBIR Phase 

I to II Transition Success by Evaluating Use of Systems Engineering 

Capabilities.” Engineering Management Journal. Vol. 15, no. 3 (2003): 21-

27. 

Department of Energy: Achieving Small Business Prime Contracting 

Goals Involves Both Potential Benefits and Risks. GAO-04-738T. 

Washington, D.C.: May 18, 2004. 

DOE Contracting: Improved Program Management Could Help Achieve 

Small Business Goal. GAO-06-501. Washington, D.C.: April 7, 2006. 

Small Business Participation in the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline 

Project. GAO-05-860R. Washington, D.C.: August 4, 2005. 

Technology Transfer: Several Factors Have Led to a Decline in 

Partnerships at DOE’s Laboratories. GAO-02-465. Washington, D.C.: April 

19, 2002. 

Toole, Andrew A., and Dirk Czarnitzki. Biomedical Academic 

Entrepreneurship Through the SBIR Program. Cambridge, MA: National 

Bureau of Economic Research, 2005. 

Disadvantaged Business Enterprises: Critical Information Is Needed to

Understand Program Impact. GAO-01-586. Washington, D.C.: June 1, 

2001. 

Studies on Programs at the 

Department of Energy 

Study on Programs at the 

Department of Health and 

Human Services 

Study on Programs at the 

Department of 

Transportation 

Studies on Programs at the 

Appalachian Regional 

Commission 

Greenwood Consulting Group, Inc. A Survey of Business Incubators in 

Appalachia. A report prepared at the request of the Appalachian Regional 

Commission. July 2005.

Page 111 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XXII: Studies of Programs that 

Support Small Businesses Engaged in 

Manufacturing

Plishker, Laurie, Gary Silverstein, and Joy Frechtling. Evaluation of the 

Appalachian Regional Commission’s Vocational Education and 

Workforce Training Projects. A report prepared by Westat at the request

of the Appalachian Regional Commission. January 2002. 

Export-Import Bank: Changes Would Improve the Reliability of 

Reporting on Small Business Financing. GAO-06-351. Washington, D.C.: 

March 3, 2006. 

Archibald, Robert B., and David H. Finifter. “Evaluating the NASA small 

business innovation research program: preliminary evidence of a trade-off 

between commercialization and basic research.” Research Policy. Vol. 32, 

no. 4 (2003): 605-619. 

U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Commercial 

Technology Division. Office of Aerospace Technology. NASA SBIR 

Program: Commercial Metrics. Washington, D.C.: 2002. 

Study on Programs at the 

Export-Import Bank 

Studies on Programs at the 

National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration 

Studies on Programs at the 

Small Business 

Administration 

Major Management Challenges and Program Risks: Small Business 

Administration. GAO-03-116. Washington, D.C.: January 1, 2003. 

SBA Disaster Loan Program: Accounting Anomalies Resolved but 

Additional Steps Would Improve Long-Term Reliability of Cost 

Estimates. GAO-05-409. Washington, D.C.: April 14, 2005. 

Small Business: HUBZone Program Suffers From Reporting and 

Implementation Difficulties. GAO-02-57. Washington, D.C.: October 26,

2001. 

Small Business: More Transparency Needed in Prime Contract Goal 

Program. GAO-01-551. Washington, D.C.: August 1, 2001. 

Small Business: Status of Small Disadvantaged Business Certifications.

GAO-01-273. Washington, D.C.: January 19, 2001. 

Small Business Administration: Actions Needed to Provide More Timely

Disaster Assistance. GAO-06-860. Washington, D.C.: July 28, 2006. 

Small Business Administration: Disaster Loan Program. GAO-02-210R. 

Washington, D.C.: November 16, 2001. 

Page 112 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XXII: Studies of Programs that 

Support Small Businesses Engaged in 

Manufacturing

Small Business Administration: Improvements Made, but Loan 

Programs Face Ongoing Management Challenges. GAO-06-605T. 

Washington, D.C.: April 6, 2006. 

Small Business Administration: Management Practices Have Improved 

for the Women’s Business Center Program. GAO-01-791R. Washington, 

D.C.: June 13, 2001. 

Small Business Administration: Model for 7(a) Program Subsidy Had 

Reasonable Equations, but Inadequate Documentation Hampered 

External Reviews. GAO-04-9. Washington, D.C.: March 31, 2004. 

Small Business Administration: New Service for Lender Oversight 

Reflects Some Best Practices, but Strategy for Use Lags Behind. GAO-04-

610. Washington, D.C.: June 8, 2004.

Small Business Administration: Observations on the Disaster Loan 

Program. GAO-03-721T. Washington, D.C.: May 1, 2003. 

Small Business Administration: Response to September 11 Victims and 

Performance Measures for Disaster Lending. GAO-03-385. Washington,

D.C.: January 29, 2003. 

Small Business Administration: Section 7(a) General Business Loans 

Credit Subsidy Estimates. GAO-01-1095R. Washington, D.C.: August 21, 

2001. 

Small Business Administration: SBA Followed Appropriate Policies and 

Procedures for September 11 Disaster Loan Applications. GAO-04-885. 

Washington, D.C.: August 31, 2004. 

Small Business Administration: Small Business Government

Contracting Programs; Subcontracting. GAO-05-268R. Washington, D.C.:

January 24, 2005. 

Small Business Administration: The Commercial Marketing 

Representative Role Needs to Be Strategically Planned and Assessed.

GAO-03-54. Washington, D.C.: November 1, 2002.

Waivers of the Small Business Administration’s Nonmanufacturer Rule 

Have Limited Effect. GAO-03-311R. Washington, D.C.: December 19, 2002. 

Page 113 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XXII: Studies of Programs that 

Support Small Businesses Engaged in 

Manufacturing

Ong, Paul M. “Set-aside contracting in SBA’s 8(a) program.” The Review of

Black Political Economy. Vol. 28, no. 3 (2001): 59-71. 

Studies on Programs at 

Multiple Agencies

Anonymous. “Analyzing SBIR.” Regulation Magazine. Vol. 23, no. 4 (2000): 

14-15. 

Audretsch, David B., Juergen Weigand, and Claudia Weigand. “The Impact 

of the SBIR on Creating Entrepreneurial Behavior.” Economic 

Development Quarterly. Vol. 16, no. 1 (2002): 32-38. 

Contract Management: Impact of Strategy to Mitigate Effects of Contract 

Bundling on Small Business Is Uncertain. GAO-04-454. Washington, D.C.: 

May 27, 2004. 

Export Promotion: Government Agencies Should Combine Small 

Business Export Training Programs. GAO-01-1023. Washington, D.C.: 

September 21, 2001. 

Export Promotion: Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee’s Role 

Remains Limited. GAO-06-660T. Washington, D.C.: April 26, 2006. 

Federal Procurement: Trends and Challenges in Contracting With 

Women-Owned Small Businesses. GAO-01-346. Washington, D.C.: 

February 16, 2001. 

Federal Research: Observations on the Small Business Innovation 

Research Program. GAO-05-861T. Washington, D.C.: June 28, 2005. 

Federal Research and Development: Contributions to and Results of the 

Small Business Technology Transfer Program. GAO-01-867T. 

Washington, D.C.: June 21, 2001. 

Federal Research and Development: Contributions to and Results of the 

Small Business Technology Transfer Program. GAO-01-766R. 

Washington, D.C.: June 4, 2001. 

Information on the Number of Small Business Set-Asides Issued and 

Successfully Challenged. GAO-03-242R. Washington, D.C.: November 1, 

2002. 

International Trade: Experts’ Advice for Small Businesses Seeking 

Foreign Patents. GAO-03-910. Washington, D.C.: June 26, 2003. 

Page 114 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XXII: Studies of Programs that 

Support Small Businesses Engaged in 

Manufacturing

Small and Disadvantaged Businesses: Most Agency Advocates View

Their Roles Similarly. GAO-04-451. Washington, D.C.: March 22, 2004. 

Small Business Contracting: Concerns About the Administration’s Plan 

to Address Contract Bundling Issues. GAO-03-559T. Washington, D.C.: 

March 18, 2003. 

Small Business Innovation Research: Agencies Need to Strengthen 

Efforts to Improve the Completeness, Consistency, and Accuracy of 

Awards Data. GAO-07-38. Washington, D.C.: October 19, 2006. 

Small Business Subcontracting Report Validation Can Be Improved.

GAO-02-166R. Washington, D.C.: December 13, 2001. 

Pretorius, Jacob V.R., and Christopher L. Magee. “Observations on 

collaborative practices and relative success of small technology-innovating 

firms supported by the US SBIR initiative.” Entrepreneurship and 

Innovation Management. Vol. 5, nos. 1/2 (2005): 4-19. 

van der Vlist, Arno, Shelby Gerking, and Henk Folmer. “What Determines 

the Success of States in Attracting SBIR Awards?” Economic Development 

Quarterly. Vol. 18, no. 1 (2004): 81-90.

Page 115 GAO-07-714 Science and Technology
Appendix XXIII

A

: GAO Contacts and Staff 

cknowledgments 

Page 116 GAO-07-714

Appendix XXIII: GAO Contacts and Staff 

Acknowledgments 

Anu Mittal, 202-512-3841 or mittala@gao.gov

In addition to the contact named above, Cheryl Williams, (Assistant 

Director); Stephen Cleary; Bernice Dawson; Holly Gerhart; Cindy Gilbert;

Nicole Harris; Matt Michaels; Rosario Montemayor; Alison O’Neill; and 

Jerome Sandau made key contributions to this report. 

GAO Contact 

Staff 

Acknowledgments 

(360715) Science and Technology
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