CommerceConnect takes off

CommerceConnect takes off    The U.S. Commerce Department's CommerceConnect program has expanded to the Philadelphia region, the first of 16 regions where the service will be started this year.
   CommerceConnect is a 'one-stop-shop' initiative in which Commerce employees are cross-trained to connect firms to the full menu of Commerce programs and can link business owners with federal, state, local and nonprofit resources.
   'The effort is designed to cut through red tape and simplify access to services and resources that can help companies grow, create jobs and become more efficient,' the department said.
   'Newly cross-trained Commerce staff working in existing local department offices are beginning to assist Philadelphia area businesses — no matter where they are in their life cycle, whether just getting off the ground or looking to expand into overseas markets — in collaboration with state and local partners,' the department added.
   CommerceConnect specialists can assist companies on a range of needs, including access to capital, intellectual property protection, export promotion or guidance on how to make operations more efficient, and refer them to appropriate resources.
   In September 2010, Commerce opened a permanent CommerceConnect office in Pontiac, Mich., after a successful pilot program that served more than 90 companies and provided more than 300 referrals to nine department bureaus and 13 other federal, state, local and non-profit partners throughout the region.
   Since the launch of the pilot program, CommerceConnect has expanded to include not only a Michigan field office but also a growing contingent of cross-trained specialists in U.S. Commerce Department field offices across the country, as well as a national call center and Web portal.
   Philadelphia area businesses interested in working with CommerceConnect specialists can contact the CommerceConnect Call Center at (888) 728-4190 or visit the Web site.