The North Carolina Department of Commerce is the state's lead agency for economic, community and workforce development. Taking a comprehensive approach to economic development, the Department’s work reaches many areas. The Department helps people find jobs and employers find and retain a qualified workforce. The Department administers the state’s employment security system, supporting workers during career transitions. The Department provides local communities with grants and planning services to spur infrastructure development and economic growth, and administers the state’s economic incentive programs. The Department is also responsible for recruiting companies to the state, helping existing North Carolina companies expand, encouraging business start-ups, enabling companies to export, and marketing North Carolina as a business and visitor destination. In October 2014, the Department entered a contract with a new public-private organization, the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) to take the lead in these recruiting and marketing functions. The Department also publishes data, statistics, information and reports for citizens and policymakers interested in the state’s economy. The Department of Commerce, an executive branch agency of the State of North Carolina, is headquartered in Raleigh. Representatives of North Carolina state government communicate via this website. Consequently any communication via this site (whether by state employee or the general public) may be subject to monitoring and disclosure to third parties.