Which search engines get the most hits? According to comScore, Inc., a leader in measuring the digital use, in June 2010, Americans conducted 16.4 billion core searches, up 3% from May, with Goggle sites taking the lead with 62.6% of searches conducted.

Yahoo! sites (up 0.6 percentage points to 18.9%) came in second, and Microsoft sites (up 0.6 percentage points to 12.7%). Both Yahoo! sites and Microsoft sites have experienced gains due in part to the continued utilization of contextual search approaches that tie content and related search results together. Ask Network captured 3.6 % of the search market, followed by AOL LLC with 2.2%.

Small businesses won a record $96.8 billion in federal prime contracts in Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 (Oct. 1, 2008-Sept. 30, 2009), an increase of more than $3 billion from FY 2008, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s fourth annual small business procurement scorecard.  This dollar amount represents 21.89% of all federal spending— an improvement over FY2008.  Additionally, performance in each of the government’s socioeconomic subcategories increased for FY2009.

The scorecard, as well as a detailed explanation of the new scorecard methodology, is available online: http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/goals/index.html.

The U.S. Small Business Administration, the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, and Bank of America will work together to advance inner-city small business growth by supporting the Inner City Capital Connections program.

ICIC, which educates investment-ready inner city companies about equity and other sources of growth capital and matches them with potential investors, will hold its sixth annual ICCC investment capital matchmaking program in Los Angeles Nov. 15-16. The event will feature a full-day matchmaking session with potential investors, along with workshops and assessments of investment potentials. Preparation sessions for inner city businesses from around the country that plan to take part in the event will take place Oct. 11 in New York and Oct. 27 in Los Angeles.

To be eligible for the program, companies must be headquartered in or have 51% or more of a physical operations presence in an economically distressed urban area and be a for-profit corporation, partnership, or proprietorship with revenues of more than $2 million in 2009.  More than 75 companies, in various industries ranging from technology, business services and manufacturing, participated in the program last year.

“Access to capital is critical to small business growth and job creation in America’s inner cities,” said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. “Supporting these entrepreneurs is at the core of SBA’s mission and an essential component of keeping our economy moving in the right direction. SBA is proud to play a role in facilitating connections between investors and emerging inner city entrepreneurs and to accelerate opportunities for small businesses in these markets.”

Established in 2005 by the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City and Bank of America, ICCC is a free program designed to stimulate capital flow to inner city businesses.

The Internal Revenue Service has announced that a new online application system for compensated tax return preparers is expected to go live in mid-September. The IRS has proposed to require all individuals who receive compensation for preparing all or substantially all of a federal tax return or claim for refund after Dec. 31, 2010, to have a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN).

Under the proposed regulations, compensated tax return preparers will need to obtain, or reapply for, a PTIN and pay a user fee using this new comprehensive system, which is part of a series of steps planned to increase oversight of federal tax return preparation. Tax return preparers will be creating PTIN accounts with the IRS when they use the new system.

Compensated tax return preparers would pay a $64.25 user fee the first year for a PTIN based on two underlying costs. The IRS proposes to collect $50 per user to pay for outreach, technology, and compliance efforts associated with the new program. And the third-party vendor will receive $14.25 per user to operate the online system and provide customer support.

Under the proposed regulations, compensated tax return preparers will be required to renew their PTINs annually and pay the associated user fee. The amount of the fee may change in future years as the actual program costs are periodically reevaluated.

Under the proposed regulations, the requirement to sign up on the new system will apply to all compensated tax return preparers of federal tax returns regardless of whether they currently possess a PTIN. Tax return preparers who already have a PTIN generally will be reassigned the same number.  Any individual who plans to prepare all or substantially all of a tax return for compensation must obtain a PTIN even if the individual is not subject to the testing and continuing education requirements that will be required under Circular 230, according to the IRS’ proposed regulation.  Access to the online application system will be through the Tax Professionals page of IRS.gov.

The IRS previously announced its portion of the total annual fee in proposed regulations (REG-139343-08) and interested parties have until Aug. 23, 2010, to submit comments on the regulations.  A hearing on the proposed regulations is scheduled for Aug. 24, 2010.  The launch of the new online application system and proposed user fees are dependent on the publication of final regulations on user fees and final regulations of the requirement to obtain a PTIN.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued proposed regulations that would eventually discontinue paper coupons some businesses use to pay taxes.

The proposed regulations (REG 153340-09) would eliminate the rules for making federal tax deposits by paper coupon because the paper coupon system will no longer be maintained by the Treasury Department after Dec. 31, 2010. The proposed regulations generally maintain existing rules for depositing federal taxes through the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS).

Using EFTPS to make federal tax deposits provides substantial benefits to both taxpayers and the government. EFTPS users can make tax payments 24 hours a day, seven days a week from home or the office.

Deposits can be made online with a computer or by telephone. EFTPS also significantly reduces payment-related errors that could result in a penalty. The system helps taxpayers schedule dates to make payments even when they are out of town or on vacation when a payment is due. EFTPS business users can schedule payments up to 120 days in advance of the desired payment date.

Information on EFTPS, including how to enroll, can be found at www.eftps.gov or by calling EFTPS Customer Service at 1-800-555-4477.

Some businesses paying a minimal amount of tax may make their payments with the related tax return, instead of using EFTPS. More details regarding taxes required to be deposited using EFTPS, dollar thresholds and other specific requirements are in the proposed regulations.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) will offer a free webinar to small business owners to applying for SBA disaster loans.

“Understanding Disaster Assistance Funding with the SBA” will be hosted by Agility Recovery Solutions on Tuesday, August 24 at 2 p.m., EDT.  During the live, interactive webinar James Rivera, SBA’s associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Assistance will explain how the loan program works, how a disaster declaration is made, and the steps to take to apply for a loan.  

SBA has partnered with Agility Recovery Solutions to offer business continuity strategies for small business owners via their “PrepareMyBusiness” website (www.preparemybusiness.org).  Visit the website to access previous webinars, and to learn more about disaster preparedness.

Register in advance for “Understanding Disaster Assistance Funding with the SBA”  by visiting Agility’s “Prepare My Business” website at www.preparemybusiness.org/education.

The U.S. Small Business Administration will host a mentor-protégé small business matchmaking session Aug. 23 just prior to the 28^th Annual National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week conference, which runs Aug. 25-27, 2010 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.

During the mentor-protégé conference, small business owners can connect with mentors — virtually and face-to-face — and learn about government contracting, financial, technical and management assistance, as well as joint-venture opportunities.

The day-long conference will also include workshops on “Succeeding in a Tough Construction Market” and “SBA Surety Bond.”  Small businesses interested in participating in the matchmaking events can register at sba.mybusinessmatches.com.  For more information on other MED Week workshops, or to register for the conference, visit www.medweek.gov.

MED Week is a collaboration with the Minority Business Development Agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the SBA.  The theme for this year’s MED Week event is “Strategies for Growth and Competitiveness in the Global Economy.”  The conference will focus on helping minority small businesses expand their operations and establish a presence in the global marketplace through exporting.

Another event highlight will be the recognition of the National Minority Small Business Person of the Year.  The national winner will be chosen from 10 regional winners representing Massachusetts, New York, Virginia, North Carolina, Michigan, Texas, Nebraska, Utah, California, and Washington.  Regional award winners have businesses that offer services ranging from environmental technology solutions to recruiting medical professionals who work for the military and other public institutions. 

“This year’s MED Week event offers an opportunity to celebrate the positive impact minority small business owners have on their communities across the country as well as an opportunity for small businesses to learn critical tips for taking their business global,” said SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills. 

In addition to announcing the national minority small business award winner, SBA will present the SBA Administrator’s Leadership award to Jeanette Brown of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, D.C.  The 8(a) Graduate Firm of the Year award will be presented to Edward O. Watts, president of Watts Architecture & Engineering, P.C., of Buffalo, N.Y. 

The 10 Regional Minority Small Business Persons of the Year are:

• Region I: Janet Ceddia, president, Security Construction Services, Inc., Boston;

• Region II: Shandra Roberson, S & W Contracting of Western New York, Inc., Buffalo, N.Y.;

• Region III: Michael E. Melo, ITA International, LLC, Yorktown, Va.;

• Region IV: Melissa A. Leifheit, Military & Federal Construction Company, Inc., Jacksonville, N.C.;

• Region V: Perry Mehta, president, FutureNet Group, Inc., Detroit;

• Region VI: Veronica Edwards, InGenesis, Inc., San Antonio, Texas;

• Region VII: Lance G. Morgan, All Native Services Company, Winnebago, Neb.;

• Region VIII: Denise Mitchell, managing member, Advanced Solutions Group, LLC, Kaysville, Utah;

• Region IX: Marty Rapozo, president, Abide International, Sonoma, Calif.;

• Region X: Patrick L. Hughes, owner/managing member, Hughes Group LLC, Lakewood, Wash.

For more details on this year’s MED Week conference, please visit www.sba.gov/medweek2010, or www.medweek.gov.

A monthly survey commissioned by Office Depot has found that the need to save money is a high need among small business owners.

According to the Office Depot survey of more than 1,000 small business customers, 38% indicated that they have been impacted by the economic slowdown and are compensating by “limiting business travel;” 29% are “cutting advertising/marketing expenditures;” and 22% are “outsourcing fewer jobs.”

At the same time, the results conveyed little consensus in terms of the “state of the economy” as small businesses are evenly or less divided regarding the recovery, with 45% indicating that they are seeing signs of growth and 55% reporting no increase.

Moreover, given the current mindset of the market, 36% of companies with 1 to 99 employees are unsure when the economic conditions will improve. However, 22% of small business owners will continue to “weather” the economic conditions and believe a full recovery will take place within five years.

“Small business owners are still feeling their way through the current economic conditions, particularly in their business and personal lives,” said Steve Odland, chairperson and CEO of Office Depot.

Advantec, a provider of HR, payroll and benefits services to small and mid-sized businesses, is providing a prerecorded webinar series on healthcare reform. The series is available at www.salesavatar.com/advantec-hr/2010-07-webinars.html and via Advantec’s website www.advantec-hr.com.

The webinars aim to provide small and mid-sized business owners with information on how health reform impacts them as employers. The series is presented in three parts:

1. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Implementation Timeline for

Employers;

2. Reporting Requirements Under Health Reform – Avoid Penalties and

Claiming Credits; and

3. Designing Qualified Wellness Programs.

The U.S. Small Business Administration and the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation have agreed to work together to strengthen bilateral relations in the area of small business development in both countries. 

The parameters for cooperation are spelled out in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by representatives of both governments under the U.S.–Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission established by Presidents Obama and Medvedev in July 2009 to “reset” the relations between the two countries.

The MOU sets the stage for the exchange of experiences in several areas, among them:

• Methods and mechanisms of support for small and medium enterprises;
• Mechanisms of support for export-oriented enterprises;
• Government (federal, state, local) support of small and medium enterprises;
• Sources of small business finance; and
• Job creation, human capital development and fighting unemployment.

The document, signed March 23, 2010, in Moscow, will be in force through December 31, 2012 and may be extended for two additional years by mutual consent.

As part of the follow-up activities, a Russian delegation of government and non-government representatives will visit the United States in August.  The trip will include participation at a science and technology policy conference in New Hampshire, visits to innovative small businesses in New England and a meeting at SBA headquarters in Washington, D.C., to discuss policy environment for innovative small businesses and the implementation of the MOU.