Gladys Sanders

CommerceConnect at US Department of Commerce

CommerceConnect is a U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) initiative launched by Secretary Gary Locke in October 2009 to make businesses more competitive and create jobs by bringing all of the Department of Commerce's services together under one roof. At its pilot location outside Detroit, CommerceConnect is focused on integrating Commerce Department programs to help businesses at every point of their life cycle. To do so, the initiative is staffed by specialists trained in the broad range of programs the department offers. They act as case workers for the individual businesses that seek assistance and assess and meet a business's full spectrum of needs--whether it's access to capital, intellectual property protection, export promotion or guidance on how to make operations more efficient. Ultimately, the CommerceConnect initiative aims to create a virtual "one-stop shop" for information, counseling, and government services that can help U.S. businesses around the country transform themselves into globally competitive enterprises.