News release

Business Matchmaking Rolls into the Motor City

U.S. Small Business Administration and HP Bring Dynamic Event to Detroit; Helps Small Businesses Earn Their Share of the $200 Billion Procurement Market

Detroit is the latest stop for Business Matchmaking, a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and HP (NYSE, Nasdaq: HPQ) initiative designed to provide small companies the skills and opportunity to effectively conduct business with government agencies and large corporations.

The Business Matchmaking Workshop Plus+++ takes place in Detroit on Tuesday, June 29, 2004 from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. at The Westin Southfield Detroit. The half-day event will attract hundreds of small businesses from across the region looking for the knowledge, skills and tools they need to take part in the procurement process. Space is limited, but interested small businesses can register and review the workshop agenda at http://www.businessmatchmaking.com.

"One of our primary goals of Business Matchmaking is to take contract opportunities to Main Street America," said SBA Administrator Hector V. Barreto. "We are excited to host our first event in Detroit and believe the enthusiasm and entrepreneurship of the local small business community will make it a resounding success."

Over the past year, previous Business Matchmaking events from Anaheim, Calif. to Orlando, Fla. have resulted in more than 15,000 meetings between small business owners and procurement officials, resulting in millions of dollars in contracts awarded to date.

Following the half-day Detroit workshop, attendees will be invited to schedule telephone appointments with appropriately matched procurement buyers.

"Business Matchmaking helps small businesses master the procurement process, giving them both a competitive edge and the opportunity to bid on contracts with government agencies and large corporations," said Robyn West, vice president of small and medium business, HP. "HP is both an organizer of Business Matchmaking and an active buyer. In 2003, HP awarded more than $2 billion, or 53 percent of total procurement purchases, to U.S. small businesses."

Business Matchmaking Workshop

Experts from the U.S. Small Business Administration, SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business," Small Business Development Centers, government buying agencies and large corporations will present an intensive training session covering curriculum in the following areas:

• Identifying the right government and large corporation procurement buyers



• Effective marketing and sales approaches to government and large corporations



• The benefits of government certification and how it can present the opportunity for growth and income



• A comprehensive introduction to free small business resources accessible via the SBA, SCORE, Small Business Development Centers and other local resources



• An introduction to the Small Business Networking Center (SBNC) and online procurement opportunities

The largest small business initiative in SBA history, Business Matchmaking is a public/private partnership between the SBA and HP that provides a major economic stimulus to small businesses by decentralizing the procurement process and taking contract opportunities to the streets of America.

About the SBA

The U.S. Small Business Administration, established in 1953, provides financial, technical and management assistance to help Americans start, run, and grow their businesses. With a portfolio of direct and guaranteed business loans and disaster loans worth more than $45 billion, SBA is the nation's largest single financial backer of small businesses. Last year, SBA offered management and technical assistance to more than 1.5 million small business owners. SBA also plays a major role in the government's disaster relief efforts by making low-interest recovery loans to both homeowners and businesses. America's 23 million small businesses employ more than 50 percent of the private workforce, generate more than half the nation's gross domestic product, and are the principal source of new jobs in the U.S. economy.

About HP

HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company's offerings span IT infrastructure, personal computing and access devices, global services and imaging and printing. For the four fiscal quarters ended April 30, 2004, HP revenue totaled $76.8 billion. More information about HP (NYSE, Nasdaq: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.