In 1953 the Department of Health, Education and Welfare became a cabinet level department in the United States. In 1979 the Department of Education Organization Act split HEW into the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services. HHS is responsible for the health, safety and well-being of residents of the United States. This mandate also extends internationally for cross-border health and safety issues.

HHS administers over 300 programs with a budget of over $737 billion. HHS mission includes a wide range of human issues, including substance abuse, Medicare and Medicaid, childrens health, health disparities, disease prevention and health promotion. It is the largest grant-making department within the Federal Government.

In 1979 the Department of Health and Human Services established the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization to develop and implement outreach to the small business community. The Office performs its mission through small business fairs, procurement conferences, trade group seminars, conventions and forums.

The Office of Small Business Development, also called OSDBU, is host to Vendor Outreach Sessions that happen twice monthly. The purpose of these sessions is to introduce and educate vendors on the small business program and to provide them information so that they can effectively market their products and services to HHS.

The Department of Health and Human Services is the only executive agency where Small Business Specialists report to the OSDBU Director. These Small Business Specialists are located within the eleven agencies of HHS.

Every day, these Specialists work with Contracting and Program Office staff, so as to determine the best acquisition strategy; they also work to make their approach unified so that when vendors deal with Health And Human Services, this unity will benefit them.

Currently, HHS does not provide grants or loans to help small businesses get going, but it is in fact the largest organization to make grants within the federal government. It has over 300 grant programs today, and it handles mission-specific topics, which are in turn delegated among the various HHS operating agencies. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance profiles all Federal grant programs; these provide financial assistance and include HHS programs. In addition, specific points of contact for obtaining applications or additional information are also provided.

Vendors who are interested in doing business with Health And Human Services do not have to have any special certification, but instead, the Small Business Administration provides certification to firms under the Business Development Program, the Historically Underutilized Business Zone Program, and the Small Disadvantaged Business Program. Businesses that are Women-Owned, Veteran Owned, Service Disabled Veteran Owned, or Small Businesses are generally managed with self-certification. Self-certification is not challenged unless or until an interested party or competitor provides protest to it. In addition, an HHS Contracting Officer may request that the SBA provide a size determination.

Financial planning is often an intimidating process for most individuals and families. Thankfully, there are a variety of professionals that are able to sort out the confusion and outline a clear path to successfully managing your money. Different professionals have different sets of skills and it’s important to keep a few things in mind when considering which company or individual will work best with your personal and family needs.

Seek out recommendations: Perhaps one of the best ways to find an individual suited to your personal finance needs is to listen to what your friends and family have to say. Who do they work with? Who do they trust? Who have they had bad experiences with and would avoid in the future at all costs? A little work on initial research can go a long way to saving you time and money.

Figure out what you need: Whether you are a solo bachelor with a personal business or a growing family, requirements for financial planning vary greatly between individuals and situations. Do you want someone to manage your personal income or personal investments? Are there any special situations that affect you and would be better to have a specialized professional involved in? Do you just need something as simple as retirement advice or are you looking to finance several children through university?

Talk shop – Before trusting anyone with your hopes, goals and dreams, it is a good idea to interview them and get to know them. Do you share common interests? Is it easy for you to communicate with them? Do you feel free to ask questions and share concerns? This introductory meeting should be offered for free and without any strings attached. Other questions you will want to address include thing such as how they are paid. Do they charge flat fees, fees based on assets, or pay themselves via commission?

Finally, it is important to understand the differences between professional designations. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is an educated and experienced individual that is often the best choice for situations involving taxes. This level of certification meets strict licensing requirements. A Personal Financial Specialist (P.F.S) is a CPA that has undertaken additional education in financial planning. A Certified Financial Planner (C.F.P.) is an individual that has at least three years of experience, follows a strict code of ethics, and has passed a series of stringent exams. A Chartered Financial Consultant (Ch.F.C.) is a professional involved in insurance claims that also specializes in some aspects of financial planning. A Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (C.R.P.C.) is a special designation that allows professionals to focus on needs surrounding retirement planning.

For many individuals in a wide variety of situations, a little knowledge and information is all that is needed to develop a sound financial plan. While most people can manage their finances on their own, there are a few special situations in which a professional will be able to offer sound advice at a reasonable price. Complicated situations can be easily cleared up by a professional with the appropriate education and experience.