Consultancy Contract for a Feasibility Study of the Operations of the Agri-Food Innovation Cluster to Secure Sustainability Through Developing Financial Program

TERMS OF REFERENCE

FEASIBILITY STUDY OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE AGRI-FOOD INNOVATION CLUSTER TO SECURE SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH DEVELOPING FINANCIAL PROGRAM

Project name:

Agrytech – Agri-Food Innovation Cluster

Organization:

Berytech

Position:

Consultant Team / Financial Expert

Starting Date:

November 08, 2018

Berytech is a leading organization in the Entrepreneurial eco-system in Lebanon, that aims to provide a conducive environment for the creation and development of startups, through incubation, business support, counseling, funding, networking and company hosting, hence taking part in the economic revival of the country, participating in wealth and job creation, and retaining graduates and high-level skills in Lebanon.

The SMART AGRI-FOOD INNOVATION is a new initiative launched by Berytech in November 2016, with funds from the Dutch Embassy.

The main objective of the project is to accelerate job creation and stimulate competitiveness from Lebanon. This will be achieved through:

• Leveraging and developing capacities of local SMEs and Startups in the knowledge economy;
• Provide support to innovate a smarter Agri-Food Sector in the MENA region;
• Support export within MENA and the EU using linkages from leading innovation organizations from the Netherlands.

As one of the main pillars of the project, a Smart Agri-Food Cluster is set-up and will be accredited based on the EU Cluster Excellence guidelines. The cluster’s main mission is accelerating innovation in the agri-food sector by bringing innovators, knowledge providers, investors and support institutions (innovation enablers) all under one umbrella, creating the right environment and offering the services required for Collaboration, Sustainable Growth and Internationalization of the Lebanese agri-food sector.

This will be done in pragmatic, demand driven approach, linking to and partnering with different institutions and entities that help to bridge the gaps within the Lebanese agri-food sector.

The founding members of the cluster include representatives of different companies operating in different agri-food sub-sectors, be it in dairy, wine, poultry, healthy snacks, beer, flour mixes, seeds production or agriculture inputs.

The Smart Agri-Food Cluster seeks an external consultant to conduct a feasibility study of the operations of the Agri-food Innovation Cluster to secure successful penetration and sustainability through developing financial program.

The consultant will work closely with Berytech representatives and the cluster’s members to illustrate the cluster model.

Specific Tasks:

1. Financial Feasibility

The support can address many areas, including:

• Strategic financial planning;
• Financial management and revenue structure;
• Setting up a financial and accounting system;
• Operational costs analysis of the cluster;
• Membership fees and minimum number of members that should be present at start;
• Financial and tax advice;
• Budget allocation for services and cluster’s visibility.

1.  Financial Sustainability

This part will include a review of the cluster model to ensure financial viability and sustainability e.g.:

• Alternative financing mechanisms;
• Financial inputs in answer to cluster model;
• Mitigate the cluster’s risks through preventive actions;
• Design financial and pricing strategies that answer to achieving the objectives;
• Procurement and financial management procedures;
• Annual review process for overall financial sustainability.

Key Deliverables:

• Detailed financial inputs and risks management strategy;
• Structured revenue / cost including a breakeven analysis;
• Membership plan (minimum number and fees);
• 3-year budget plan along with a pro-forma statement;
• Final report summarizing main findings, analysis and results.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management, Economics, Finance or a closely related field;
• 10 to 15 years’ experience in Private Sector Corporate Finance, Accounting, Economics or related field;
• Experience with Lebanese organizations and financial management modalities;
• Demonstrated skills in collecting, analyzing and processing data.