CREATION OF A NATURAL GAS MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM The Department of Energy announces the creation of a Natural Gas Minority Business Development Program to assist women and minority owned businessess compete in the natural gas marketplace. The Program will identify opportunities for minority firms to market their capabilities to natural gas industry purchases; educate these purchasers about the benefits of diversifying their supplier base; and where possible, remove obstacles to increased minority business participation in the natural gas industry. As part of this program, the Department of Energy will: work with commercial banks, financial institutions, and others to structure a federal celaringhouse for minority business entreppreneurs (MBE's) seeking to participate in the natural gas industry; help MBE's to develop project financing opportunities associated with purchasing gas gathering and storage facilities, and other energy assets; work with minority business organizations, natural gas trade associations and natural gas industry purchasers and suppliers to increase the number of world class minority business development programs in the natural gas industry; and coordinate minority business participation in natural gas industry conferences, seminars, and workshops. Anyone interested in participating in the Department of Energy's Natural Gas Minority Business Development Program should write to: The U.S. Department of Energy, Attn: Peter Lagiovane, Room 3E-028, 1000 Independence Avenue, Sw, Washington, DC 20585, fax number 202-586-6221. Please include your company name, address, phone and fax number, e-mail address, company point of contact and a brief description of your company's products/services.

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