Let Uncle Sam Outfit Your Office

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Surplus government equipment may be a good bet if you're outfitting a business on a shoestring. Excess items are auctioned off to the public through two federal agencies, the Department of Defense and the General Services Administration.

"We handle everything from buttons to boxcars," says Joyce Laughlin, assistant public affairs officer for the Defense Property Disposal Service. "Everything" includes computers, office furnishings, duplicating machines, photographic equipment, and typewriters.

Some of the goods are worn, and machinery may have been cannibalized for parts, so it's a good idea to make full use of the inspection period allotted for bidders before sale.

Despite these caveats, there are bargains and items that are well suited to small businesses. For information on auction procedures, write Department of Defense Surplus Sales, P.O. Box 1370, Federal Center, Battle Creek, MI 49016, or General Services Administration, Washington Navy Yard, Building 197, Washington, DC 20468.