Regional Selective AssistanceApplication form

SummaryName of applicant:

Level of grant requested:

New jobs:

Safeguarded jobs:

Capital expenditure:

Introduction

Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) is a grant towards projects aimed at increasing or safeguarding employment in Scotland. RSA is a discretionary scheme targeted at projects which serve wider than simply a local market.

General guidance

1) Work on your application will not start until it is considered fully documented.

2) This form has been designed to capture most of the information required to appraise the application. However, we may ask for additional information during the appraisal process.

3) The appraisal generally runs smoother (and faster) the more detail you provide in the form. In our experience the customers and markets section of the form tends to be poorly completed, and applicants often omit details of the assumptions supporting the projections, together with commentary on trading activity. This leads to additional questions being asked (to supplement limited information in the application), which leads to delay.

4) During the appraisal we may ask for clarification on some aspects of your application and there may be some benefit in a further meeting or visit to local premises.

5) This form is straightforward to complete and, as you know your own business best, there is no requirement to employ the services of an external consultant, although you can of course use one if you wish.

6) If a Business Plan has been prepared you may cross-reference the application to this. Please quote specific references and only do so if the Business Plan explicitly provides the information required. If any questions are not applicable, write N/A rather than leaving a blank space.

7) RSA can only be offered where it will make a difference between the project going ahead or not. We cannot offer RSA when the applicant has made a prior commitment to the project, i.e. where we believe the project will proceed regardless of grant support. You should not commit to the project (e.g. by ordering capital items or by offering contracts to new employees) before you receive an offer of grant.

8) The form must be signed in pen and either posted to us at the address at the back of the form or scanned and sent by e-mail to rsa@scotent.co.uk.

Section 1 – Applicant details

Any personal data collected here will be used and stored in accordance with SE’s privacy notice.

1.1 Applicant’s business name and addressName Company registration number (if UK registered)Website Registered address

Trading address including postcode (if different from the above)

1.2 History and principal activities of the ApplicantFounded/incorporatedKey activities: Describe what it is the

business does

Project activity: Provide details if this is

different from the main business activity noted above

1.3 Major shareholdersName % Shareholding

1.4 DirectorsName Position % Shareholding

1.5 European establishmentDoes your business have a factory/ office/ staff in Europe? Yes/ NoIf yes, Have any of these facilities closed during the last two years? Do you have plans to close any of these facilities during this project? Provide details of the activity carried out in these other facilities and the

number of staff.

Yes/ noYes/ no

1.6 Company contactName Position Telephone Email In the event you are offered a grant, this will need to be addressed to someone who is registered as a director of the company at Companies House. If this is a different individual from the contact above, please provide details below:Director nameDirector email

1.7 Financial advisor/consultant (if an external advisor assisted in the completion of this form)Name Position/ organisation Telephone Email

Section 2 – The Project

RSA can only be offered where it will make a difference between the project going ahead or not, and so you should not commit to the project before you receive an offer of grant.

2.1 Project description and rationalePlease provide a full description of the project. Mention for example

What is involved: additional production

facilities extension of premises new products

Why the project is being undertaken/ what it is hoped to achieve: productivity improvements access to new markets increased profit

Expected start date

2.2 Proposed capital expenditure Confirm that the table at Annex 1 or 2 (Capex Table) has been submitted

Yes No

Explain why these items are being purchased: What new capability will it

give the business? How will they improve

efficiency/productivity? How and to what extent

will they enable you to increase capacity?

2.3 Project location, including postcode

2.4 Project premises Existing New

Owned/LeasedLandlordSizeAnnual rent (if applicable)Lease term/expiry date

Section 3 – Employment at Project Location

3.1 Employment impact of the project

Please complete this section in terms of Full-time Equivalents (FTE)

Full-time job (FT) = 30 hours or more per week

Part-time job (PT) = 15 hours or more per week

Two part-time jobs of 15 hours or more per week = one FTE

Include only permanent personnel directly employed by the applicant at the project location. Do not include self-employed, sub-contracted or temporary personnel.

Forecast total employment at project locationWith Project Without Project

At date of application n/aFinancial year end: DD/MM/YYFinancial year end: DD/MM/YYFinancial year end: DD/MM/YYFinancial year end: DD/MM/YYTotal employment created Total employment safeguarded Why will the project protect these positions?

We can support jobs that are not wholly based at the project location as long as the role meets our standard conditions and the employee is resident in Scotland. Examples of such jobs would include sales staff, staff working from home occasionally or full time, staff working at customer premises.

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3.2 Analysis of all existing jobs at the Project Location, together with the employment impact of the project 

      A    B  C    A+B+C 

 

Away from

premises*1

Basic average

annual salaryHourly rate of

pay*2Total jobs

before project

Existing positions

safe-guarded

New jobs created as a

result of project

New jobs created

regardless of project

Estimated start date for

new jobsTotal jobs

after projectJob title  £ £ Number (FTE) Number (FTE) Number (FTE) Number (FTE) MM/YY Number (FTE)

Other existing roles/job titles with no safeguarded or new positions during the project

xx xx

Overall totals xx xx xx xx xx

Explanatory notes:1. We can support jobs that are not wholly based at the project location as long as the role meets our standard conditions and the employee is resident in Scotland. Examples of such jobs would include sales staff, staff working from home occasionally or full time, staff working at customer premises. Please highlight any jobs that may fall into this category. Eligibility will be further explored during the appraisal.

2 We can only support project jobs with an hourly rate of pay at or above the Real Living Wage (https://www.livingwage.org.uk/what-real-living-wage) [Page break – do not delete this line]

Section 4 – Need for RSA

4.1 Level of assistance Amount of grant sought

Explain how you have calculated this amount of grant

4.2 Request for assistance Grant is needed to: Provide a full explanation below for each box ticked

Fill a gap in funding Yes e.g. refer to overdraft limits, funding gap(s) in cashflow forecasts.

Reduce gearing/risk Yes e.g. refer to impact on existing gearing of proposed new debt funding, risk of targeting new customers/markets, scale of new project, etc

Meet established investment criteria

Yes e.g. Payback, Internal Rate of Return

Influence the location of the project

Yes Include alternative location costs, risk assessment, sensitivity analysis etc

4.3 What would be the likely effect on the project of:Not obtaining a grant

Obtaining a lower grant than has been requested

4.4 Project funding Provide details of additional private sector financing for the project.

Amount Finance providerTerms(e.g. repayment period, interest rate)

Stage in discussions

Provide details of any public sector assistance for the project, e.g. from your council

4.5 Previous RSA applications (including those by other group or related companies) Date Company Amount

Section 5 – Customers & markets

5.1 Market conditions for proposed project

What are the growth prospects for the overall market and the Company? Please submit a copy of any market data to which you refer.

5.2 Competitors

Please provide an estimate of competition in the market targeted by the project:All the businesses we compete with are based in ScotlandThe majority of the businesses we compete with are based in ScotlandAround half of the businesses we compete with are based in ScotlandA minority of the businesses we compete with are based in ScotlandNone of the businesses we compete with are based in Scotland, or I have no direct competitors

Approximately what percent of your main competitors are based in Scotland?                

List the five largest competitors. These should relate to project activities.

Name Location

Describe what the impact of this project will be on the competitors listed above and why?

Explain what differentiates your product/service from the competitors listed above

5.3 Customers

List the five largest customers in the last two completed financial years, and the value of sales to them in that year. If any customers are expected to take more than 10% during the forecast years, provide their names and annual sales.

If you are completing our template workbook for forecasts (see section 6 below), you may wish to use that instead of the table below. You will still need to answer the questions below the table.

Actual ForecastYear End DD/MM/YY DD/MM/YY DD/MM/YY DD/MM/YY DD/MM/YY

Name Location (Town) £000 % £000 % £000 % £000 % £000 %

Total from key customersTotal from other customersTotal Sales 100 100 100 100 100

Total International Sales

If any new names appear in the forecast list, please explain how their (increased) custom will be gained.

If any existing customers do not appear in the forecast list, please explain why their custom is expected to reduce.

Please describe any anticipated changes in % of sales exported outwith Scotland as a result of the project

As a result of the project will you make sales in new geographic markets (different from current locations you sell to)?

What additional sales and marketing activity will be undertaken? What experience does the company have of this? What additional resource will be required in this regard?

5.4 Supply chainWhat is your current annual spend on Scottish-based supply chain?

What is your estimated annual spend on Scottish-based supply chain in three years time as a result of the project?

Do you pay your suppliers promptly?

Section 6 – Financial Information

Historic (actual) financial information

Please submit copies of:

Last year’s final full (i.e. not abbreviated) accounts? Attached

Latest management accounts Attached

Projections (forecast financial information)

1) All applications should be accompanied by financial projections for the current financial year (Year 1) and at least two further financial years. If the benefits of the project are not expected to feed through until Year 4, for example, the projections should be extended to include this period.

2) Projections should exclude any RSA applied for.

3) All projections should be prepared for the business as a whole, not just the project. We may request group information, if required.

4) Our template workbook may be used and provides an indication of the minimum level of detail required. The spreadsheet includes a tab for commentary on key trends and ratios (e.g. why have sales increased/ fallen? Why have there been changes in gross profit margins?)

5) You may provide your own projections provided that they are in an appropriate format and comprise profit and loss, cashflow and balance sheets. You should also submit a separate note on key assumptions, trends, etc.

6) If your case for assistance is based on the need to fill a funding gap (see Section 4) and the maximum gap does not occur at the financial year end, then please provide monthly projections to support your application.

7) If your request for grant is for more than £500,000, then you need to provide a profit and loss for a scenario where the project is not undertaken. (This allows our economist to review the incremental impact of the project i.e. the difference between the with and without project scenarios).

Projections Own format RSA format

Assumptions supporting the financial projections?Separate sheet submitted

Included in RSA format

Without project scenario profit and loss submitted?Yes

No – grant request below £500,000

Section 7 – Small or Medium Sized Enterprise (SME)

We have scope to provide greater assistance to SMEs, as defined by the EU

A small-sized enterprise is one which has less than 50 Full Time Equivalent employees and has either an annual turnover or total assets of less than €10m.

A medium-sized enterprise is one which has less than 250 Full Time Equivalent employees and has either an annual turnover of less than €50m or total assets of less than €43m.

A large-sized business is one which does not meet the above criteria. If you believe your business to be a large business, please contact us before submitting your application.

The following information helps establish whether the business is an SME. (No need to complete if the business is a start-up).

7.1 Please details of permanent employees at all business locations:

Two most recent year ends

Hours per weekDate of application Last year end Previous year end

Number of staff Number of staff Number of staff0-15 hoursOver 15 to 30 hoursOver 30 hours TotalAnnual turnover as shown in most recent year end accounts £

Total assets (Fixed assets + current assets) as shown in most recent year end accounts

£

In considering the size of an applicant, we also need to check related companies – these are called “partner enterprises” and “linked enterprises”.

7.2 Does the Applicant have any Partner Enterprises?

It holds 25% or more (but no more than 50%) of shareholding/voting capital of another enterprise; or

25% or more (but no more than 50%) of its shareholding/voting rights are held by another enterprise.

Yes No If YES, please provide details. If easier, provide a group structure in a separate attachment

7.3 Does the Applicant have any Linked Enterprises?

It holds more than 50% of shareholding/voting capital of another enterprise; or More than 50% of its shareholding/voting rights are held by another enterprise

Yes No If YES, please provide details. If easier, provide a group structure in a separate attachment

7.4 Is your Company a member of a Group?

Yes Go to Section 8

No Go to Section 9

Section 8 – Group details

8.1 Immediate parentNameCountry of registrationRegistration numberRegistration dateRegistered address

8.2 Ultimate parent (if different from above)NameCountry of registration Registration numberRegistration dateRegistered address

8.3 Employees Total number of Group employeesOf which are based in UK

8.4 Principal Group activities

8.5 Group trading results (for the most recent trading year)

Year End Total assets£000

Turnover£000

Pre-tax Profit£000

DD/MM/YYDetails of inter-company transactions of/with the applicant including products/services, level of trading, etc. Copy of recent accounts attached

Yes

Section 9 – Fair work practices and inclusive growth

Please highlight, if applicable, the potential for the project to have a positive impact on youth (16-25 years) employment.

Provide details of any existing jobs within your business which do not currently pay the Real Living Wage.

Will this change during the project?

Does your business use zero-hour contracts? Yes/ No

If yes, provide details of: - the circumstances in which they are used; and- any differences in terms and conditions in

comparison to other employees

If your business has more than 250 employees in the UK (including group companies), please confirm that you have reported your gender pay gap on www.gender-pay-gap-service.gov.uk.

Yes/ No/ N/a

All companies which are awarded RSA will have the opportunity to work with our specialist teams to review their approach to Fair Work. This will include:

ensuring transparency on the gender pay gap and developing an action plan to close the gender pay gap if appropriate;

only using fairly negotiated zero-hour contracts developing an Invest in Youth policy, which

includes setting a target for youth employment as a percentage of the workforce

Please confirm that you would be willing to work with our teams in these areas?

Do you engage with your local community?

For further details on these Fair Work terms see https://scottishbusinesspledge.scot/

Section 10 – Declaration and understanding

10.1 Have you, or any other partner or director of your business, ever been disqualified from being a company director under the Company Directors Disqualification Act (1986) or been the proprietor, partner or director of a business subject to an investigation (completed, current or pending) undertaken under the Companies, Financial Services or Banking Acts?

Yes No

If Yes, please give details on a separate sheet of paper. This does not necessarily affect your chances of obtaining RSA.

10.2 Have you, or any other partner or director of your business, ever been bankrupt or subject to an arrangement with creditors?

Yes No

If Yes, please give details on a separate sheet of paper. This does not necessarily affect your chances of obtaining RSA.

10.3 Have you, or any partner or director of your business, ever been a proprietor, partner or director of a business subject to any formal insolvency procedure such as Receivership, Liquidation, Administration or was subject to an arrangement with creditors?

Yes No

If Yes, please give details on a separate sheet of paper. This does not necessarily affect your chances of obtaining RSA.

10.4 Have you, or any partner or director of your business, ever been a proprietor, partner or director of a business requested to repay grant under any Government scheme? This includes any company requested to pay grant while subject to any insolvency procedure, where the director/company secretary knew or ought reasonably to have expected that any request to pay grant could be made?

Yes No

If Yes, please give details on a separate sheet of paper. This does not necessarily affect your chances of obtaining RSA.

Section 11 – Signatory – Please read this carefully before signing

By signing this application, you acknowledge that the information provided in this application may comprise company information and personal data (as defined in the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and the Data Protection Act 2018 (“Data Protection Law”)). Any personal data provided in the application will be processed by SE in accordance with Data Protection Laws and held in accordance with Scottish Enterprise’s privacy notice, which can be found at https://www.scottish-enterprise.com/help/privacy-notice/your-rights. Individuals can find information on their rights in respect of the personal data we hold by also visiting our privacy notice.

The information provided in this application may be shared and used by Scottish Enterprise, The Scottish Government, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and other associated bodies such as local delivery organisations, consultants and agents collectively referred to as ‘the Agencies’, to assess its suitability for support. If the application is successful, the Agencies will use the information provided in this application form for administration and management purposes, including carrying out appropriate checks and audits. Some information may also be passed to auditors, the European Commission or its agents for administrative purposes.

By signing this application, you are confirming that you are the data controller of personal data contained in this application and that this personal data can be processed by Scottish Enterprise for the purposes outlined above. If successful you will also be the data controller for the personal data provided as evidence.

I am content for information supplied here to be shared in confidence with other public-sector bodies, who may be involved in considering the case.

I understand that if I give information that is incorrect or incomplete, grant may be withheld or reclaimed and action taken against me. I declare that the information I have given on this form is correct and complete. I also declare that, except as otherwise stated on this form, I have not started the project which forms the basis of this application and no expenditure has been committed or defrayed on it.

I understand that any offer may be publicised by means of press release giving brief details of the project and the grant amount.

Applications must be signed by an Executive Director or Company Secretary (in the case of a company) or by the proprietor or a partner.

Signed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Position in Organisation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Where to Send Your Application

Send the completed application form, appendices and the other information detailed on the checklist to:

rsa@scotent.co.uk

or

Regional Selective AssistanceScottish Enterprise Enquiry Service Caspian House2 Mariner Court 8 South AvenueClydebank Business ParkGLASGOW G81 2NR

If you have any questions, call the RSA Enquiry Line on 0845 607 8787 or email rsa@scotent.co.uk