21 July 2022
Overview
Invest NI have recently announced the introduction of supply chain and development support in order to help businesses to improve their supply chain resilience and competitiveness.
The supply chain resilience and development solutions support will provide businesses with a graduated framework of support, primarily providing specialist advisory support to help businesses to identify the supply chain risks they may face and identify appropriate mitigations of these risks, including identifying supply chain opportunities and aid in the development of supply chain capability within a business. In addition to this, financial assistance towards the salary cost of a dedicated supply chain worker may also be available, although this is dependent on the individual circumstances of the business.
Supply chain resilience and development solutions support is open to manufacturers and internationally tradeable services businesses who manage a supply chain as party of their business, or who are involved in the extended supply chain. For more information on a business’s individual eligibility or to review the eligibility criteria visit the eligibility checker here.
What support is available?
The overall aim of SCRDS is to build a Northern Ireland supply chain ecosystem through aiding companies in enhancing their overall value, reduce the risks associated with supply chain resilience and development, and ultimately improve the overall competitiveness of a business.
This will therefore be achieved through the provision by Invest NI of a blend of specialist advice and financial support to businesses in order to help eligible businesses to implement sustainable improvements surrounding their supply chain, which will ultimately widen the opportunity for growth within businesses surrounding their supply chain resilience and development.
To see a more detailed outline of the support available to businesses that can participate in this scheme, click here.
What businesses are eligible to apply for this scheme?
Supplier Chain Resilience and Development Support is open to any business that can meet the following criteria;
- The business must be based and operating in Northern Ireland
- The business must manufacture products or provide internationally traded services
- The business must have a total supply chain spend of at least £100,000 in the 2019/2020 OR 2020/2021 financial year.
- The business must be able to demonstrate how their supply chain has been adversely impacted as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic, EU Exit, OR the current Global Environment.
- The business must also demonstrate that they have or will reach a turnover of £250,000 per annum in the next five years and at least 25% of these sales MUST be outside of Northern Ireland OR be an existing Invest NI customer.
- Finally, the business must also be able to complete a State Aid declaration in the event that financial support for a new key supply chain worker is determined.
What businesses are NOT eligible to apply for this scheme?
Supply Chain Resilience and Development Support is NOT available to businesses that display the criteria stated below;
- The business is already in receipt or intending to gain other government support for the project
- The business does not provide commercial products and/or services
- The business has less that £100,00 total supply chain spend in the 2019/2020 OR 2020/2021 financial year.
- The business cannot demonstrate that they are a viable business
- The business is involved in activities that Invest NI considers as ineligible or as involving an unacceptable reputational risk.
To see a more detailed outline of which businesses are NOT eligible to apply for this scheme, click here.
How can a business apply?
Prior to applying, a business must first check that they are eligible to apply for SCRDS.
Furthermore, if the business can meet the eligibility criteria, they will then be directed to complete an online enquiry form, and the SCRDS Team will then contact the business directly.
The online enquiry form will ask the business for the following details;
- The business name.
- A contact name and number for the business.
- The business address and postcode.
- The Number of people the business employs in Northern Ireland.
Once the application form has been released, you will also need to provide an electronic copy of;
- Signed company accounts to evidence that the business has had a minimum total supply chain spend of at least £100,000 in the 2019/2020 OR 2020/2021 financial year.
- Details outlining how the individual business’s supply chain has been adversely impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, EU Exit, OR current Global Environment.
Timescale of the SCRDS Scheme
SCRDS is now open for applications.
Projects will be approved on a first-come, first-served basis. The programme will close to applications at 3PM on WEDNESDAY 31ST AUGUST 2022, or earlier if the available advisory resource, or budget, is fully allocated.
Other Information
For full details on eligibility and how applications will be assessed, please refer to the Invest NI website.
