Two key factors determine whether equipment is being used efficiently. The first is time, the second is money. Unless your office equipment's layout helps you to save both time and money, it is not efficient. As you strive for efficiency, however, be sure that you don't compromise your equipment's productivity.

This section of the marketing plan outlines major company goals, marketing, and financial objectives. All objectives should be carefully quantified, where possible, especially in terms of an achievable time or date. Objectives should be reasonable and attainable. Major company goals could include both short- and long-term goals. For example:

The Departments of the Army, Navy and Air Force, as well as various other Department of Defense (DoD) organizations and agencies, use electronic bulletin boards (EBBs) to inform the public about contracting opportunities, provide details of government solicitations, and respond to questions about solicitations. EBBs also permit electronic submission of bids and proposals.

Before you start planning for the cash needs of your new business, you must determine how much cash you will need to survive. You have to plan cash needs during the startup and first few months of your new business. It would be nice to think that your business will be profitable from the day you open the doors, but that's not realistic.

It seems lately that natural disasters are occurring with more frequency and intensity. In the past few years, in particular, floods, earthquakes, fires, mudslides, tornadoes, and hurricanes have caused millions of dollars in damages to the homes and businesses they strike. While you can't prevent a natural disaster from occurring, you can help minimize its impact on your business by being prepared if disaster strikes.

The attached file contains a checklist for all the steps you should take before you start a new business. It's a "to do" list for starting a new business in much the same way that a grocery list is a "to do" for grocery shopping.

Regardless of the size of your business, if you have any employees you must display posters that inform employees of their job safety rights. Spanish and English copies of these posters (OSHA 3165 and 3167) are available at the OSHA web site.

The Departments of the Army, Navy and Air Force, as well as various other Department of Defense (DoD) organizations and agencies, use electronic bulletin boards (EBBs) to inform the public about contracting opportunities, provide details of government solicitations, and respond to questions about solicitations. EBBs also permit electronic submission of bids and proposals.

Congratulations, you have arrived at the last step: submitting your bid. You can do this via the U.S. mail, UPS, RIP, or another carrier. However, it is important to keep in mind that if your bid is late, the U.S. mail is the only carrier that the government will recognize for consideration of a late bid. But before you seal up that envelope and send it in, take a few minutes to go through our final checklist to help make sure that you have done everything you need to do.

This section of the marketing plan outlines major company goals, marketing, and financial objectives. All objectives should be carefully quantified, where possible, especially in terms of an achievable time or date. Objectives should be reasonable and attainable. Major company goals could include both short- and long-term goals. For example:

One recommended asset protection strategy involves using an operating/holding company business structure. Then, liens are used to secure any extension of credit from the owner or holding company to the operating company.

You can deduct the cost of any bonuses you pay to your employees, as long as the bonus represents pay for services rather than a gift, and it's reasonable in view of the employee's services and performance.

Plan some "toes-up" time for yourself every week. The time demands of owning your own business will always be greater than you ever dreamed possible. If you fall into the trap of working seven days a week and 20 hours a day, both you and your business will meet an early grave. Plan your time well and include time for rest and recreation.

Here are a series of suggestions for working smarter:

Until 1996, punitive damages represented more of a risk factor inherent in litigation, rather than an opportunity to control risk factors, for small business owners. Specifically, during the 20-year period leading up to 1996, business owners suffered extremely large punitive damages awards. These awards, in many cases involving larger businesses, amounted to tens of millions of dollars, and some awards exceeded $100 million dollars. In 1996, however, the U.S. Supreme Court established guidelines for punitive damages awards that have significantly reduced the size of awards since that time.

When contacting a personal reference supplied by a potential employee, it is important to ask the right questions. Presumably, no one is going to give you the name of a person who will provide a negative reference. In light of that fact, it pays to focus the questions asked on the suitability of the individual for the specific position to be filled. It is all too easy for a reference to discuss what a great person the applicant is.

In South Carolina, an employer may establish a drug prevention program in the workplace pursuant to the provision establishing merit rating for workers' compensation insurance that provides a credit of at least five percent for an insured that has substance abuse prevention program, that will include:

Plan some "toes-up" time for yourself every week. The time demands of owning your own business will always be greater than you ever dreamed possible. If you fall into the trap of working seven days a week and 20 hours a day, both you and your business will meet an early grave. Plan your time well and include time for rest and recreation.

The total federal income tax that you withhold from an employee's wages during the year is supposed to approximate the employee's year-end tax liability.

Employers do not have a legal duty to request an employee or applicant to undergo drug testing under the provisions of Georgia's drug-free workplace program law. However, if an employer requires or requests an employee or applicant to undergo testing, compliance with all of the applicable rules adopted by the State Board of Workers' Compensation is required.

Coverage: Same as under federal law.