If you're looking for government business, then you must read this official bulletin of notices for proposed government procurement actions, contract awards and sales of government property. However, the clock doesn't start ticking on these listings until they appear in the printed version of CBD, which carries a yearly subscription price of $316 or higher, depending on the delivery method.

The U.S. Dept. of Defense put together this spartan but handy page of links so you can get the rundown on doing business with the military. Download a handbook on "Selling to the Military,' then search contract announcements and more.

Besides providing a free database of information about supplier diversity programs at large companies and government agencies, Div2000 also ranks the Top 50 Fortune 1000 companies that best promote multicultural opportunities, according to online polling.

The Dept. of Commerce created the MBDA to foster the creation, growth and expansion of U.S. minority-owned businesses. Visit this site to register with the Phoenix online database of minority-owned enterprises or search the Opportunity Database for available contracts. MBDA says it uses both databases to match businesses with deals via E-mail.

This for-profit venture certifies and matches minority-owned suppliers of goods and services with about 3,500 corporate members, including most of America's largest publicly-owned, privately-owned, and foreign-owned companies, as well as universities, hospitals, and other buying institutions. About 15,000 minority-owned firms are certified with the NMSDC, through its regional affiliates. Go to the Website to find the affiliate nearest you.

PRO-Net is a free service for government contracting officers that allows them to search a database of profiles of more than 195,000 qualified small, disadvantaged, 8(a), HUBZone, and women-owned businesses. Why not register online and add your business to the mix?

Need help putting together that bid proposal? ProposalWorks is a resource center for proposal writers and evaluators. It includes searchable database of best practices, evaluator guidelines, and actual winning proposals.

This alphabet soup is actually the U.S. Small Business Administration's online hub for information about contracting opportunities for small-, minority- and women-owned businesses. It's a good jumping-off point.

Large companies that compete for government contracts often need to buddy up with small, disadvantaged or women-owned businesses in order to win their bids. The U.S. government set up SUB-Net to allow them to post these subcontracting opportunities, and to allow small firms to find them. Government entities, nonprofits, universities, and even foreign governments are also allowed to post opportunities on SUB-Net.

If you have a product you believe has a market overseas, then this U.S. government portal of information about trade leads, financing, and practices should be your first stop on the Web.

Many large companies have programs to encourage small-, minority- and women-owned businesses to become suppliers. WelcomeInfo offers free access to a database of reports and fact sheets about hundreds of supplier diversity programs at Fortune 1000 companies. For a fee it will throw in access to contact information for thousands of purchasing and procurement officers