Phase 1: Application and screening of Business Concepts
Applicants MUST send Application Forms (with passport photos, signed Letter of Agreement and Grant Utilization Forms attached) and their business ideas/ concepts to BDG Offices/ partner organizations, namely, SIDO regional offices for Tanzania Mainland and ZNCCIA in the case of Zanzibar and Pemba. Online application as a backup to the application submitted through BDG partner is possible BUT not an option. This can be done by visiting and clicking ‘online BPC application’ at BDG website at www.bdgtpsf.com/ www.tpsftz.org. Applications submitted by e-mail shall be sent to the SIDO/ZNCCIA email contacts list shown on information pack.All applications shall be received at the SIDO/ZNCCIA offices by close of business on Friday 4th November, 2011. This is the deadline date for receiving applications from participants. Thereafter, partners will forward shall all applications to BDG PMU in Dar es Salaam so as to be received by Friday 11 th November, 2011. See contacts list of regional offices where NBPC application forms shall be sent. Business ideas shall be assessed and screened based on clear eligibility criteria.
Phase 2: One day Entrepreneurship and Business Plan training seminar.
Eligible selected applicants shall be invited to attend a one day Business Plan training seminar to be held at regional centers. This seminar shall be held on Wednesday 16th January 2012.
The seminar provides participants the opportunity to refine their business concepts. A total of 750 participants shall further develop their business concepts/idea to a 5-7 page Business Plan Summary before submitting to a panel of judges for evaluation.
The business summaries shall be evaluated and participants businesses shall be verified by BDG PMU before winners are officially announced and financial grants awarded to 400 selected participants. The selected 400 winners are expected to use the grants to start or expand existing business as indicated in the Grant Utilization Forms.
Phase 3: Business Plan development through a three day Business Plan Training seminar.
The top 400 participants’ country wide shall be invited to a three (3) days business development training to bed held at the regional training centres from 19 th March – 21 st March 2012. Training at this phase will include in-depth business plan training with emphasis placed on financial analysis, developing revenue and cost assumptions that will lead to the generation of key financial statements, as well as assessing the financial needs for long term investment to support business expansion needs and identifying sources of funds to finance expansion/growth of the business venture.
The training sessions will also address market and marketing, staffing, production as well as business management components so as to enable participants further develop their business summaries into 15-20 pages Draft Business Plans. The draft Business Plans shall be submitted to BDG by Monday 2nd April 2012 for evaluation.
The 400 draft Business Plans will be evaluated and judged by a panel of independent and qualified judges and the best 100 will be selected, to proceed to Phase 4 of the competition. Financial grants shall be awarded to the 100 participants to enable them invest to support their business ideas or expand existing business.
Phase 4: Strengthening the business plan through further training and mentorship.
The selected, 100 entrepreneurs shall be invited to a four (4) day intensive business planning, management training and mentorship seminar to be held in Dar es Salaam between 7 th May-10 th May 2012. After the training, participants shall update their draft Business Plans into 20-30 page detailed and final Business Plans that shall be presented to judges for final evaluation. The 100 participants shall be expected to submit their final business plans by 16 th May 2012.
The 100 entrepreneurs shall be assigned time to make an Oral Presentation of their final Business Plans to a panel of high value Judges. This shall take place between 14 th May-16 th May 2012. The panel of judges shall listen to all presentations, review the business plans, score and select 25 probable winners. Theprobable winners will further be interviewed and their business assessed by BDG PMU staff or BDG partners to establish their grant absorptive capacity in accordance with the investment plan presented in the final Business Plan.
Thereafter, winners shall be determined and formally announced. The final winners will be awarded large grants ranging from Tsh 11.2m to Tsh 22.4m. The winners at this stage and previous stages shall be invited to attend the final ceremony.
Judging Process
At each phase, the judging process shall be centralised and shall be carried out by carefully selected independent Judges.
Judging will be fair, objective and transparent. Judges will include established and experienced business consultants, bankers, established entrepreneurs, university lecturers, business development professionals who are well versed with business management and business planning.
All Judges shall be required to attend an orientation session, and shall sign confidentiality agreements. At each stage, each business plan/ concept shall be evaluated by at least 2 judges, to avoid bias. All decisions related to evaluations shall be final; the scoring shall however be available for review by an independent panel. There are no opportunities for participants to appeal.
Aftercare
All entrepreneurs that reach the Finals of BPC can expect continued support from mentors who will give access to relevant information, create links with financial institutions and relevant business service providers and business associations.
All 400 winners of Phase 2 will be invited to a alumni event of BPC which will give them the opportunity to meet like-minded entrepreneurs, exchange experiences and create an extensive network in the Tanzanian business community.
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