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PENNTAP provides $11.4 million in benefits to Pennsylvania businesses By Dana Bauer
	Penn State’s Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program (PENNTAP) provided 640 cases of technical assistance to 500 businesses in all 67 counties in 2000.   Nearly half of the businesses were in counties designated as economically distressed, Jack Gido, director of PENNTAP, said.   According to a year-end report, PENNTAP clients reported $11.4 million in economic benefits, including cost savings, sales increases and capital investments. More than 100 jobs were created or saved as a result of PENNTAP assistance. PENNTAP reported a 99 percent client satisfaction rate.   Last year, PENNTAP also initiated an e-business Assistance Service and helped 80 companies in 30 counties with on-line business, Web sites, Internet service providers, domain registration, search engine registration and positioning.   PENNTAP, a statewide network of technical specialists, helps Pennsylvania businesses improve their competitiveness by providing free technical assistance and information to help resolve specific technical questions or needs that can be addressed within a limited amount of time.   The program focuses on helping smaller businesses that normally do not have the in-house expertise or time to resolve specific technical questions or needs. Last year, 70 percent of PENNTAP’s clients were businesses with fewer than 50 employees.   Serving Pennsylvania business and industry since 1965, PENNTAP is a federal-state-university partnership for economic development and one of the nation’s first technical assistance programs.   Information about PENNTAP is available by e-mail at penntap@psu.edu or on the Web at www.penntap.psu.edu.