Provide Impartial Funding and Investment Advice to SMEs

Business West are seeking an on-demand funding and investment advisory service which will be focused exclusively on SME’s who have been selected by Business West, they having successfully applied for support within the Export for Growth project. The service provider will deliver impartial funding and investment advice to some selected SME’s in the South West of England. This service forms part of a wider range of support products which Business West in collaboration with the Department of International Trade have designed to help SME’s begin exporting for the first time or help novice exporters to become more effective and successful at exporting. We are seeking an on-demand funding and investment advisory service which will be focused exclusively on SME’s who have been selected by Business West, they having successfully applied for support within the Export for Growth project. The service will provide: • Impartial expert advice to beneficiary companies and to internal international trade team members on aspects of funding, financing and sources of investment available to fund growth plans to boost export for South West based SMEs • Signpost and/or facilitate access to funding and investment to assist beneficiary companies to be able to financially resource overseas market development and growth plans • Assist beneficiary companies with advice on preparation of proposals/applications to help secure appropriate funding and investment for export growth plans. • Each beneficiary company to receive a minimum of 12 hours assistance with funding and investment advice and support • Support a minimum of 100 SME’s across the South West area within the 2 year contract • 12 hour support to each individual selected SME to be completed within a reasonable timescale, agreed between Business West and the SME (Typically within 6 weeks of support being formally requested by Business West) The funding and investment advice and support will mainly be on a one-to-one, face to face basis to business owners/leaders. We welcome applicants to submit a tender, details of which can be found on our website; http://www.businesswest.co.uk/about/tenders