Step Change Programme (SCP) Application Form 2018

Marketing Assistance Programme (MAP) and

Step Change Programme (SCP) Application Form 2018

1.Company Details

Provide as much information as possible by typing into the space provided.

Company/ Business Name

Trading as

Address

Contact Person

Phone

E-Mail
Website

Are there any associate or partner companies within the group?

Calendar Year / Turnover € / Total Exports € / UK Exports € / Staff*
Actual 2016
Actual 2017
(Actual or best estimate)
Projected 2018
Projected 2019

*Staff: FTE is the equivalent of one person working full time. For example: 1 person working full time = 1 FTE:

2 people each working 4 hours per day, 5 days per week = 1 FTE

What are the reasons for the growth/ decline in actual figures over the period 2015 to 2017?
Please be specific
Please provide some details to back up your projections for 2018 and 2019? How will you achieve the growth rates projected?
Please be specific

2.Business Overview

Provide as much information as possible by typing into the space provided.

Establishment Date

Brief business history and background:

ownership, key business milestones: product launches/ awards/ listings, etc.

What are your business’s strengths?

What are your business’s weaknesses?

What opportunities exist for your business?

Potential threats to your business?

Products

Provide as much information as possible by typing into the space provided

What are your products?

Brief description: pack sizes, positioning (premium/ budget, etc.)

-You may submit a separate product list

What is unique or innovative about your products, your marketing or your production process?

What quality standards are in place?

For example, HACCP, BRC

Do you produce any Private Label products (for example, Tesco Finest) or brands for third parties? If so, for whom and since when?

Private label % of total sales

Do you outsource your production? If so, to whom and since when?

Who is your target end-consumer
(age, status, lifestyle, etc.)?

Markets

Type into the space provided.

Domestic Market Channel: Where are your products currently available? Please listyour key customers.

What is the percentage breakdown between retail, foodservice, further manufacturing, on-line sales?
Retail / %
Foodservice / %
Direct to Market / %
For Further manufacturing / %
On-line / %
Total / 100%

Export Markets:

What is the % breakdown between retail, foodservice, further manufacturing, on-line sales?

Retail / %
Foodservice / %
Direct to Market / %
For Further manufacturing / %
On-Line / %
Total / 100%

Export Markets: What overseas markets do you export to? Please list the markets and the % of total exports that they account for.

/ Market / % of total exports
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Other
Total / 100%

UK Export Markets:Please list your key customers in the UK

What is the % breakdown between retail, foodservice, further manufacturing, on-line sales?

Retail / %
Foodservice / %
Further manufacturing / %
On-Line / %
Total / 100%

In light of the decision of the UK to leave the EU, describe the approach that you are taking in order to address current pressures. For example, managing currencies, renegotiating contracts, diversifying into other markets, growing share of domestic marketsetc. Please be specific

3.Planned marketing activity for 2018

See pages 7 and 8 for activities that are eligible for support

Product: What new product development, modifications to existing products/ packaging, or new quality measures will you be undertaking?

Please elaborate

Place: What are your target markets for 2018?

Geographic (domestic, export)

Market Channel (retail, foodservice, direct)?

What activities will you undertake to help you meet these new targets? Trade Fairs, Market Visits, etc.

Please elaborate

Promotions: What activities will you undertake to support both current and new listings (in-store promotions, samples, consumer events, etc)?

Please elaborate

Origin Green / SustainabilitySchemes

Are you participating in the Bord Bia Origin Green programme or a relevant Quality Assurance & Sustainability Scheme?

Please indicate which scheme and outline your current status.
Please describe how your business promotes sustainable practices, such as energy efficiency, waste disposal, packaging, etc.

Other grants

Have you received grant aid from any other State agency in 2016 or 2017? If so, please give details.
Do you intend to apply for grant aid from any other State agency in 2018? If so, please give details.

Marketing Assistance Programme (MAP) Application Form 2018

SECTION B:

To be completed by applicants for Marketing Assistance Programme

MAPProgramme Activities

Please include all eligible activities that you will undertake in 2018

1)Trade Fairs and Exhibitions

Activities eligible for grant aid are as follows:

Space rental, stand construction, installation of services, telephone connection
Transport of exhibits to and from the exhibition, samples
Design and display costs, origination of Point-of-Sale material (but not printing)
Photography, interpreting, stand valeting, catalogue entry, insurance expenses
Economy airfare, subsistence (set rate of €200 per person per night for duration of event)

Event / Location / Estimated Cost
(ex VAT) € / Date in 2018
Total Cost

2)Marketing, Design and New Product Development

Activities eligible for grant aid are as follows:

Market research visit: economy airfare and subsistence (set rate of €200 per person per night)
Marketing consultancy costs
Design of a website, including development of E-Sales/Marketing and On-Line activities
Design and origination of POS material, packaging, labels and brochures (but not printing)
In-store promotions and tastings, including the cost of samples
Purchase of published reports and market information
Marketing training, courses and seminars
Samples used in product development

Activity / Location / Estimated Cost
(ex VAT) € / Date in 2018
Total Cost

3)Quality Measures

Activities eligible for grant aid are as follows:

Quality Research – including airfare and subsistence (set rate of €200 per person per night)
Quality Consultancy Costs – costs linked to the feasibility, introduction and application of recognised quality schemes (HACCP, ISO, BRC, etc.)
Quality Training and Audit Costs
Nutritional Analysis
Origin Green – formal application fee and annual participation fee
Mentoring/ Consultancy costs with regard to sustainability plans

Activity / Location / Estimated Cost
(ex VAT) € / Date in 2018
Total Cost
Total proposed MAPexpenditure / €

Marketing Assistance Programme and

Step Change Programme(SCP) Application Form 2018

SECTION C

To be completed by applicants for the Step Change Programme (SCP)

The SCP is aimed specifically at companies demonstrating significant new activities or a major new project, which involves a substantial step change or departure for the company.

Strategies being undertaken to address the impact of Brexit will also be regarded as eligible for SCP.

SCP applications will undergo rigorous assessment and only a limited number will be approved in 2018.

Step Change Programme

Applications for the Step ChangeProgramme must demonstrate significant new activities or a major new project, which will involve a substantial step change or departure for the company.
For example: Product launch on a newexport market / establishing a new route to market / launch of a new brand or a newproduct range, etc.
Initiatives being undertaken to address the impact of Brexit (strengthening the position within the UK, market diversification, etc.) will also be regarded as eligible for SCP.
The SCPsupports activities (over a 2 year period) which are necessary to bring the project to fruition.

Project Overview:

Describe the project that you wish to undertake with support from the SCP, referring to

Project Goals
Project Capabilities, Potential Impacts and Business Opportunities
Project Challenges

Highlight any underlyingresearch*in the above regard, and outline the main steps required to bring the project to fruition. Please be specific and include milestone dates and relevant measures.

* Please provide a link/ electronic or hardcopy of the research cited
Project Timeline / Provide specific details and include dates and measures where necessary
Project Start Date
Key Milestones and dates
Project End Date
Targets and projected impacts of the new project
Impact / Total new sales € relating to project / Total new exports € relating to project / No. of new staff in place due to project
Projected impact of project by Dec 2018
Projected impact of project by July 2019
Projected impact of project by Dec 2020

SCP Project Costs

/ Please outline the key activities required to bring the project to fruition
Activity / Location / Date to be undertaken / Estimated Cost
(ex VAT) €
Total Cost

Eligible costs include those relating to trade fair participation, market research visits, marketing consultancy, design of packaging and POS material, design of a website, new product development, product samples and quality measures.

Costs that are not eligible include advertising, printing, personnel and capital expenditure.

Funding

Provide specific details below

How do youpropose to fund the project?

For example: bank loan, shareholder/ director loan, additional equity, etc.

Additional Information

Provide specific details below

Please provide any further information in support of your application

Appendix 1 – Declaration

Checklist: make sure that you have:

Check [x]

Completed all the relevant sections above

Submitted your latest available set of year end accounts

Submitted up-to-date management accounts

Submitted your De-Minimis declaration –see Appendix 2 below

It is a condition of every agreement of assistance that the amount approved will be cancelled or reduced if the beneficiary does not proceed with the proposed activity or reduces its scale.

Eligibility does not confer an automatic entitlement to aid. The selection process is a competitive one.

Applications received are subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 1997.

I declare that the information contained in this application is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and that no request for a similar marketing grant from State or Semi-State sources has been made in respect of the proposals herein.

Name
Position
Date

Applications to be sent by e-mail to: by Wed 31 Jan 2018

Appendix 2

DE MINIMIS AID

The support in respect of the Marketing Assistance Programme and the Step Change Programme is provided in accordance with European Commission Regulation No. Reg. 1407/2013 on de minimis aid. Under this regulation, small amounts of aid, up to €200,000 over any period of three years to any one enterprise, are regarded as too small to significantly affect trade or competition in the common market. Such amounts are regarded as falling outside the category of State aid that is banned by the EC Treaty and can be awarded without notification to, or clearance by, the European Commission.

A Member State is required to have a mechanism to track such aid (called de minimis aid) to ensure that the combined amount of de minimis payments from all State sources to one enterprise in any period of three fiscal years (calendar years) does not exceed the €200,000 ceiling (€30,000 in the case of Seafood producers).

Please provide details of any de minimis aid which has been granted to your company within the past two fiscal years (calendar years) and in the current fiscal year (calendar year) to date. Note that a false declaration by a company resulting in the threshold of €200,000 (or €30,000 in the case of Seafood producers) being exceeded could later give rise to the aid being recovered with interest from the company concerned.

Declaration of de minimis aid

I confirm that:

1. No de minimis aid has been granted to my company within the last two fiscal years (calendar years) of 2016 and 2017 or to date in 2018.

Signed for Company:

Date:

2. My company has been granted the following de minimis aid within the last two fiscal years (calendar years) and in the current year to date. (Details to be given of amounts granted in each of the years.)

2016

2017

2018 to date:

Signed for Company: Date: