Some useful government sites to obtain market information or assistance for manufacturers and industrial service providers include:

• Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) - The BEA is an agency of the U.S. DOC. Its mission is to produce and disseminate accurate, timely, relevant economic accounts statistics. Provides good macro statistical information about the U.S. economy.
• Census of Manufactures - Produced every five years, this census taken by the Department of Commerce is an unbiased source of information about U.S. industry by type of manufacturing or geographic area for companies defined by SIC codes 2000 through 3999.
• Economic Development Administration - The Economic Development Administration (EDA) was established to generate jobs, help retain existing jobs, and stimulate industrial and commercial growth in economically distressed areas of the United States. EDA assistance is available to rural and urban areas of the Nation experiencing high unemployment, low income, or other severe economic distress. The site lists various resource links and specific tools that can be accessed.
• Grants.gov - A place to find and apply for federal government grants. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is the managing partner for Grants.gov, an initiative serving the grant community.
• Library of Congress - Provides general and electronic research services for U.S. LOC materials and many reference materials.
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) - The NIST site contains information about NIST technology, measurements, and standards programs, products, and services. The site contains a wide variety of useful information.
• Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) - The Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) is a nationwide network of resources transforming manufacturers to compete globally, supporting greater supply chain integration, and providing access to technology for improved productivity.
• Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) - This organization partially funded by the Small Business Administration provides seasoned, practical, assistance to small businesses.
• Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) - This organization provides management assistance to current and prospective small business owners. SBDCs offer one-stop assistance to individuals and small businesses by providing a wide variety of information and guidance in central and easily accessible branch locations.
• Trade Adjustment Assistance For Firms - (TAA) This organization, sponsored and partially funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce, provides financial assistance to manufacturers affected by import competition. This cost sharing federal assistance program pays for up to half of the cost of consultants or industry-specific experts for projects that improve a manufacturer's competitiveness. This program operates from 11 regional offices.
• U.S. Bureau of Census - This site contains data on U.S. demographics. It contains information from the Census of Manufactures. Also has information on foreign trade, and the new NAICS codes.
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce - The USCC is "America's principle advocate for the American business community." With over 3 million members, it is the largest business federation in the world.
• U.S. Department of Commerce - They accumulate economic and statistical data. Excellent source of industry and geographic area data.
• U.S. Department of State Background Notes - The U.S. Department of State provides information concerning some 160 countries. Major topics include: history, people, demography, culture, economy, politics and foreign relations, travel and business. Information concerning approximately one half of the countries mentioned is revised and updated yearly.
• U.S. Department of State Bureau of Economic Affairs Country Commercial Guides - Prepared by U.S. Embassy Staff annually, these reports contain information on the business and economic situations of foreign countries and the politics as it affects U.S. business. Each guide contains the same chapters, which include topics such as political environment, economic trends, marketing, and statistics as well as trade regulations, investment opportunities, trade events and business travel.
• U.S. Federal Government Agencies - When you want to find the federal agency responsible for whatever, this site can point you in the right direction.
• U.S. International Trade Administration - This web site contains a wealth of information, including descriptions of programs, current trade news, and extensive trade statistics.
• U.S. Patents and Trademarks Office - Use this web site to find information on patents and trademarks.
• U.S. Small Business Administration - This web site is devoted to providing information useful to small businesses for start ups, financing, expanding, disaster assistance, regulatory fairness, and more. It also contains information about SBA programs and publications, as well as information of interest to small business owners.
• USA.gov - This site is a gateway to federal, state, and local government sites, plus links to other useful information for business.
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - The web site of the Environmental Protection Agency. A resource for information on manufacturers' environmental and other workplace compliance issues.
• National Safety Council (NSC) - A resource for information concerning home, community, job, public and environmental safety issues.
• Occupational Safety and Health Organization (OSHA) - This is the web site for the Occupational Safety and Health Organization. Source of information for compliance on OSHA issues.