Business Tools
Business Tools
Direct Line for American Business: The Direct Line for American Business program connects U.S. businesses and American Ambassadors and U.S. mission personnel overseas, making you part of our “country team.” You will get up to the minute information on markets vital to your business, and learn about new sectors and tenders to help you expand your business.
Business Information Database System (BIDS): The Business Information Database System (BIDS) gives U.S. businesses up to the minute information about significant foreign government and multilateral development bank procurements. Through an interactive map interface, businesses can find new export opportunities, validated by U.S. government economic and commercial experts overseas. Public and private partners can link to or download BIDS data for matchmaking, analysis, or other purposes.
BusinessUSA.gov: BusinessUSA is a White House initiative that serves as an electronic clearing house for U.S. Government information and assistance that relates to business.
Overseas Security Advisory Council: The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) was created in 1985 under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to promote security cooperation between American private-sector interests worldwide and the U.S. Department of State. OSAC has developed into an enormously successful joint venture, with U.S. companies and organizations receiving the tools they need to cope with security issues in a foreign environment. OSAC is a free service to U.S.-based or incorporated private sector organizations with overseas operations.
SelectUSA: SelectUSA, a program to attract and facilitate job creating investment in the United States. The highly successful SelectUSA Summit held in Washington on October 31 – November 1 underscored the attractiveness and openness of the United States for foreign investment.
U.S. Government Resources
- U.S. Government Approach on Business and Human Rights: This document illustrates how the U.S. government approaches business and human rights, by providing examples of laws, regulations and policies relevant to the intersection between these issues, and what U.S. companies should know when it comes to respecting human rights throughout their global operations.
- Department of Commerce: The Commerce Department’s mission is to help make American businesses more innovative at home and more competitive abroad. The department is comprised of 12 different agencies with a wide range of responsibilities in the areas of trade, economic development, technology, entrepreneurship and business development, environmental stewardship, and statistical research and analysis.
- Export.gov: Brings together resources from across the U.S. Government to assist American businesses in planning their international sales strategies and succeed in today’s global marketplace. Export.gov also hosts information on the National Export Initiative.
- Export Import (Ex-Im) Bank of the United States: Ex-Im Bank is the official export-credit agency of the United States. The independent federal government agency helps to create and maintain U.S. jobs by financing the sales of U.S. exports, primarily to emerging markets throughout the world, providing loan guarantees, export-credit insurance and direct loans.
- National IPR Center: The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) stands at the forefront of the U.S. government’s response to global intellectual property (IP) theft.
- Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR): The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is responsible for developing and coordinating U.S. international trade, commodity, and direct investment policy, and overseeing negotiations with other countries.
- Overseas Private Investment Corporation: OPIC is the U.S. Government’s development finance institution. It mobilizes private capital to help solve critical development challenges, and in doing so, advances U.S. foreign policy. Because OPIC works with the U.S. private sector, it helps U.S. businesses gain footholds in emerging markets catalyzing revenues, jobs and growth opportunities both at home and abroad. OPIC achieves its mission by providing investors with financing, guarantees, political risk insurance, and support for private equity investment funds.
- The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) provides support to U.S. small businesses and small – business owners across the nation through capital (loans), access to federal contracts, and counseling.
- U.S. Trade and Development Agency: The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority development projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project planning activities, pilot projects, and reverse trade missions while creating sustainable infrastructure and economic growth in partner countries.
Other Resources
- Better Business Bureau (BBB) – The BBB collects information on business reliability, alerts the public to frauds against consumers and businesses, provides information on ethical business practices, and acts as mutually trusted intermediaries between consumers and businesses to resolve disputes. The BBB, as a privately held corporation, has no governmental authority over businesses.
- American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore – The American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore is the leading international business association in Singapore, with over 5,000 members representing more than 750 companies. American companies’ direct investment in Singapore exceeds as estimated S$195 billion.
- U.S. – ASEAN Business Council in Singapore – The US – ASEAN Business Council is the premiere advocacy organization for U.S. corporations operating within the dynamic Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). ASEAN represents nearly 600 million people and a combined GDP of USD $1.5 trillion across Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
- The Singapore International Chamber of Commerce (SICC) – The SICC is the oldest Chamber of Commerce in Asia and the oldest commercial organization in Singapore. Over 40% of its membership is made up of Singaporean companies; American, Japanese, German and British companies form the largest group of foreign members.
- IE Singapore – the primary agency to help Singapore based enterprises grow and internationalize successfully. In doing so, it will attract SMEs from other countries to use Singapore as their base for venturing into the region.
- Singapore Economic Development Board – Singapore’s main investment and economic promotion agency
- SPRING Singapore – SPRING Singapore is an agency under the Ministry of Trade and Industry responsible for helping Singapore enterprises grow and building trust in Singapore products and services. As the enterprise development agency, SPRING works with partners to help enterprises in financing, capability and management development, technology and innovation, and access to markets. As the national standards and accreditation body, SPRING develops and promotes an internationally-recognized standards and quality assurance infrastructure. SPRING also oversees the safety of general consumer goods in Singapore.
- Singapore Business Federation – The Singapore Business Federation is the apex business chamber that champions the interests of the Singapore business community in trade, investment and industrial relations. It represents more than 18,000 companies as well as the local and foreign business chambers and key national and industry associations from business sectors that contribute significantly to the Singapore economy.
- Singapore Manufacturing Federation – The Singapore Manufacturing Federation’s (SMF) main aim is to champion the Singapore manufacturing sector. Its mission is to represent the interest of the Singapore manufacturing community and to drive its competitiveness and sustainable growth through serving industry-specific needs.
- Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) – The Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) is the national regulator of business entities and public accountants in Singapore. ACRA also plays the role of a facilitator for the development of business entities and the public accountancy profession.
- Singapore Government – This portal serves as a convenient gateway for you to locate information about the Singapore Government – such as news and speeches, information resources, e-services, events calendar and contact information of public service agencies.