Project Information Requirements

 1. Overview:

• Business name:
• Nature of business: Services and products and key markets and estimated market share
• Date of incorporation:
• Share capital and shareholders and % shareholding:
• Contacts: Physical location of the business (LR # and town) Telephone contact, Postal address, fax. E-mail. Website
• Amount of funding required and reason for funding request.
• Brief profiles of promoter/shareholders.
• Summary table of financial performance from the audited accounts and management accounts- 3-5 years Profit and Loss Accounts, Balance sheets

 2. Project Concept

• Project objectives- local production, export
• Clearly articulate the value proposition to the customers.
• Summarized history of major events since inception- e.g. started as sole proprietorship, incorporation, merger/acquisition, change in ownership to the current status, etc.
• Mission, vision and objectives of the business, philosophy.

 3.  Project Sponsors/Promoters and Management

• Sponsor details- Names, Ages and nationality, current/proposed shareholding in the company
• Senior management involved in the day-to-day management of the business.
• Present occupation, relevant experience and proposed roles and suitability.
• Technical and professional qualifications
• Organization structure, key positions/ Roles and Responsibilities, breakdown in the number of employees.
• Support functions-accounting and controls, audit, IT, Corporate Governance, Training and employee welfare, Quality Assurance

 4.  Market

• Description of the market for the product or service,
• Benefits that the products/services meet.
• Market segment targeted by the product/services. 
• Key customers and demand levels.
• Market statistics on existing and potential demand.
• Projected volumes, unit prices, sales objectives and estimated market share of the business.
• Marketing strategies, potential users and distribution channels.
• Present sources of supply for product.
• Competitive advantage of project, market competition including the possibility of substitutes.
• Competitive Strategies
• Product Strategy-
• Promotion Strategy
• Pricing Strategy
• Distribution/Place Strategy
• Critical success factors for the business

 5.  Description of the operation of the business

• Location: owned/rented/leased.
• Source, cost, quality and availability of raw material supply and relations with support industries/linkages
• Source/suppliers of equipment, other technical support
• Description of production/manufacturing process
• Plant size/layout in comparison with other known plants.
• Reason for choice of technology: labour intensive/capital intensive.
• Project location in relation to suppliers, markets, infrastructure and manpower
• Infrastructure/utilities availability (roads, power, telephone, water, security, etc)
• Comments on special technical complexities and need for know how and special skills
• Implementation plan

 6.  Historical Financial Review

• Historical financial performance: Summary of key issues- profitability, key ratios-gross margins, net profit margin, break-even analysis.
• Summary balance sheet review: Debtors review and ageing analysis, Creditors, key fixed assets, stocks and stock valuation, obsolescence, etc.
• Summary P&L, Cash flows. 
• Comments on existing loans (source, security, remaining terms, repayment history, etc). 
• Comment on any off-balance sheet items- e.g. guarantee given to third parties, pending litigations, purchase contracts, operating leases.

 7.  Financial Projections and Funding Request

• Key assumptions: Projected demand levels and market share,
• Estimated total project cost- land, construction, installed equipment and working capital
• Projected 5 year Profit and Loss accounts: (First year month-by month projections)
• Proposed Financial structure indicating expected source and terms of equity and debt financing
• Type of financing required, amount and terms
• Key operating and financial assumptions.
• 5 year projected financial performance with underlying assumptions (Profit & Loss Account, Balance sheet, Cash flows, return on investment)
• Critical factors determining profitability.

 8. Security to be Provided

• Description/nature, location of assets
• Current valuation of the security and any existing charge?

 9.  Environmental Consideration and Social Responsibility

• Any environmental issues such as waste disposal
• How issues will be managed/mitigated.
• Project’s social responsibility- e.g employment creation, capacity building etc