Nicola RogersMarket Development Manager

Think Business

with

Business Link West Midlands

Agenda

• Business Link Delivery Model • Supplier Register

• Supplier Matching

• Advantages

• Future Developments• Support Available

• Diversification

• European Funding (ERDF)

• Creative & Knowledge Industries

• Access to Finance

• High Growth Start-ups

• Skills & Train to Gain

The Business Link Delivery Model

Business Link West Midlands operates an

Information, Diagnostic and Brokerage model.

• Two levels of client support - information via our website or contact centre and an independent diagnostic (Business Review) undertaken by a Business Link advisor.

• The report / plan produced will summarise the businesses strategy, plan and SWOT and actions.

• Areas of support identified may result in brokerage

to appropriate sources of expertise and support.

The Business Link Delivery Model

• For identified projects, a minimum of 3 suppliers will be sourced from the West Midlands Suppliers Register and offered to the client.

• If Business Link discretionary grant funding is appropriate and available additional audit trail and information requirements will be agreed with the client. (www.blwmforms.co.uk).

• The client will take forward the actions in their plan and contact their chosen supplier(s).

The Business Link Delivery Model

• The choice of which supplier to proceed with is made by the client.

• Resulting delivery contract / terms of reference is agreed between the Supplier and the Client.

• Client referrals: The WMSR team are your contact point into Business Link and will ensure that your existing working relationship with the client will be highlighted and documented to the Business Link Relationship Manager overseeing the Client Journey.

Matching System

Themes }Sub Themes }Industry sector ProximityCost (Day Rate)Client Group FocusQualifications or AccreditationsProfileSupplier RatingKeywords

* Weighted mechanism

Areas of Expertise

Advantages to Suppliers

• Credibility when making new pitches.

• Opportunity to be matched with new clients.

• Opportunity to add value to their clients by introducing them to Business Link Services.

• Opportunity to network with other suppliers; partners and ourselves.

• Gain feedback.

Supplier Register – Future Developments

• Public Search Facility - clients able to view a list of suppliers on chosen subject (e.g. Marketing). HELP buttons to encourage clients to seek support – driving clients to you.

• Supplier portal

• Allow you to update your profile (changes are verified by the WMSR team).

• Allow you to communicate to us key achievements / PR opportunities.

• Allow us to communicate to you on News and Events / Key Supplier Matching statistics.

Supplier Register – Future Developments

Supplier portal

• A list of Contact details for other approved suppliers /

bulletin board.

• Allow you to upload / update your supporting

documents (insurance certificates, CVs, brochures etc).

Enhanced supplier matching features

• Proximity matching on multiple premise location.

• Full text search across supplier profile AND uploaded

documents.

QUOTATION REQUIREMENTS:In order to qualify for BL grant funding the following criteria have to be met.

Project value less than £2,500 inc. VAT ( £2,127 excl. VAT )A written quotation from the suppliers selected to do the work, plus 2 oral quotations or

supplier credentials printed from the supplier register.

Project value £2,501 up to £15,000 inc. VAT (to £12,766 excl. VAT )3 written quotations,

OR

3 sets of supplier credentials, including expertise and day rate printed from the supplier

register, presented to the client, these will be considered to be “preliminary quotations“.

The selected supplier will produce a full and detailed written quotation. If this option is

adopted, the information on suppliers considered but not selected will be retained for

audit purposes.

Project Value £15,001 up to £50,000 inc.VAT (£42,553 excl.VAT)3 competitive tenders invited, with the addition that the opportunity details will

Be advertised on the website www.Businesslinkwm.co.uk - latest news/tender

Opportunities section - for a period of either 5 or 10 working days at the

discretion of the client. Tender submissions will be presented to the client for

consideration alongside the original supplier register profiles supplied.

Project Value over £50,001 inc.VAT (£42,553 excl. VAT)As 3. but minimum of 4 competitive tenders invited.

QUOTATION REQUIREMENTS:In order to qualify for BL grant funding the following criteria have to be met.

Diversification

Aimed at (SMEs) who intend to diversify into new

products, new mfg. processes; new markets or new

market sectors.

Eligibility• Manufacturing or B2B companies with < 250 employees in the West

Midlands.• Outputs (jobs or sales created/saved, increased turnover, learning

ops) required & assessed (Action Plan) before approval of the project.

What's on offer• Funding for approved consultancy and/or training projects at 50%,

normally an average grant of £9k.

European Regional Development FundProject objectives are:• Product and Process development• Prepare for new markets• Growing and Embryonic clusters• Traditional Bedrock industries

Eligible companies in both core and transitional

objective 2 areas.• Sectors excluded Retail, Transport, Charities, Agriculture

What's on offer?• Funding for approved consultancy at 50%, normally an average

grant of £5k.

• Dedicated Creative and Knowledge Industries adviser

support

• Creative City/Region: (Objective Two Birmingham,

Objective region)

• 1 to 1 mentoring with a specialist business adviser-

marketing strategies, financial planning, company

structure, cash flow management.

• Specialist consultancy support- graphic and web

design, PR, marketing, branding, financial planning,

new business development using the WMSR.

Creative and Knowledge Industries

Creative and Knowledge Industries

Definition• Advertising Film and video

• Architecture Music

• Art and antiques markets Performing arts

• Computer and video games

• Publishing Crafts

• Software Design

• Television and radio Designer fashion

• Knowledge industries: games and serious games, digital content, interactive media, and their application in the development of digital distribution of content as access to new markets.

Access to Finance

Aims of Programme• To assist West Midlands businesses, start-ups and

existing, to successfully raise finance in order to grow, develop and expand their businesses.

Eligibility• All West Midlands based SMEs, Micros and Start ups

Target Customers• Businesses with growth potential / owners with desire &

aspiration to improve business performance. Have the ability to demonstrate growth in sales, profits and GVA. Most likely to contribute most towards wealth creation

Access to Finance

Awareness and Education• To increase the understanding of core finance issues and

requirements of Funders.

Consultancy• To help with raising finance, applications for Grant

funding such as SFI or Research and Development, and introductions to funders inc. Angels and Venture Capitalists.

• Can support work on Business Plan where clear path to funding.

• Wider support where funding recently obtained – application of the finance in the business.

Access to Finance

Support based on accessing any form of Finance:• Commercial Mortgage• Asset Finance• Overdraft, Loan, CDFI Loan• Angel / VC• Factoring and Invoice Discounting etc.• Can not assist against principles own funds only

Looking for projects with a value up to £5,000

With grant of 50% i.e. £2,500 paid to client on

completion of consultancy.

High Growth Programme Offer

Business Support• An eligible high growth prestart / young business can

receive multiple levels of support via Business Link West Midlands.

• Up to 4 days of High Growth Business Advisor Support.

• A comprehensive review of progress of business or idea.

• Grant incentive to work with external specialists. • We can support joint projects with Access to Finance.• Access support from the wider network i.e. MAS,

Universities and Invored.

High Growth Programme Offer

Client eligibility criteria:• Pre-start businesses, they need to demonstrate the potential to

achieve turnover of £200,000 pa by year 2 of trading, following support.

• Young businesses – they need to demonstrate turnover

improvement by £200,000 pa, by year 2 following support.

Grant support• Grant subsidised consultancy support for high growth; pre-start

and young businesses who have been trading for up to 3 years.• For Pre-start – up to 12 month; offer is Consultancy project up

to £5,000 @ 80% grant funded (£4,000).• For Young businesses 12mths – 36 mths the offer is

consultancy project up to £8,000 @ 50% grant funded (£4,000)

Skills & Train to Gain

Offer - Free visit by Skills Broker to deliver & implement an Organisational Needs Analysis

Aim – Identify the most cost effective, quality assured training providers whilst remaining completely impartial.

Eligibility

• Any Sector. Any Age. 2 or more employees.

• Free training to gain employees 1st NVQ 2 qualification. (If not already qualified at this level).

• Support of low-skilled employees through Essential Skills (when combined with NVQ 2).

• Possibility of contribution to Wage Costs for companies with less than 50 employees.

Skills Development

• Dedicated skills advisers/brokers• Apprenticeships• NVQ’s – Level 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, +• Wage compensation• Essential Skills• Life Long Learning• Leadership and Management• Bespoke • Complementary• Technical

Any Questions?

Nicola Rogers

Market Development Manager

0121 452 4217

www.maps-wm.org/gowmmaps/

www.blwmforms.co.uk