Call for Financial Consultant - TESSA | Energy Transition, Sustainable Inclusive Economic Growth In Lebanon

Context & Background

Berytech is a leading organization in the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem 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.  

About TESSA Project

The TESSA Project focuses on enhancing economic performance while championing sustainability. With participating SMEs in sectors such as food processing, healthcare, hospitality, media, and manufacturing, TESSA empowers organizations to embrace green transformation and circular economy practices, creating ripples of positive change across sectors.

https://berytech.org/programs/tessa/Background

In the second phase of the TESSA project, 10 corporate institutions are developing sustainable initiatives aimed at transitioning to renewable energy or reducing their current waste output. In this context, the financial component is critical to the success of these projects, as it ensures their long-term financial viability and drives improvements by optimizing cost efficiency and resource allocation.

Those 10 institutions have identified significant challenges related to circularity within their industries, particularly concerning waste and energy management or resource efficiency. In response to these issues, they have collaborated to develop an innovative project aimed at addressing these problems through circular solutions. This initiative focuses on minimizing waste generation by reusing materials, enhancing product lifecycles, and promoting sustainable practices throughout the supply chain, and improving energy efficiency. By implementing strategies, these SMEs are not only working to reduce their environmental impact but also creating economic opportunities and fostering a more sustainable business ecosystem

Scope of Work

The consultant is expected to perform the following tasks for up to 8 companies:

• Financial Assessment of up to 8 Companies and their Project:

The consultant will go over and review the current financial status of the companies by reviewing the balance sheet, cash flow statements, and income statement. Moreover, the consultant will be identifying the capital needed, revenue model, break-even analysis, and the ROI for the project that the institutions are currently working on.

• Set a Detailed Cost Structure of their Projects:

The consultant will provide an in-depth cost structure of each project which will give a clear cost visibility and initial investment needed. The cost structure should include: direct cost (such as raw material, equipment, labor, etc..) and indirect cost (such as depreciation of machines, value chain operations, and equipment maintenance, etc..)

• Set Realistic Projections (Revenue, Profit, and Cash Flow)

The consultant will set a sales volume estimation (after setting the best pricing strategy), leading to better profit projections and analysis, and cash flow projections. This component will help the companies to get an idea regarding the ROI of the project. The consultant will also develop a set of recommendations on where to invest the projected profit.

• Identify Financial Risks and Mitigation Strategy:

The consultant will point out potential financial risks that each company might encounter before implementation or even after. The consultant will go over the market risk, regulatory risk, supply chain risk, etc.. The consultant will also set mitigation strategies to overcome the risks that might take place.  

• Develop a Detailed Report Regarding the Initial Investment Needed:

The consultant will submit at the end of the project a detailed report which includes the financial analysis, cost structure, realistic projections, investment needed, financial risks and mitigation strategies of the project.

• Develop a Financial Investment Pitch Deck

The consultant will work closely with each company to be able to develop a realistic financial roadmap to attract investors or funding institutions. This pitch deck aims to showcase the financial health and growth opportunities, builds credibility and trust, and clarify funding needs and usage.

Deliverables

Deliverable 1: Initial Assessment and Data Gathering

• Conduct introductory meetings with the management team of each institution to understand their objectives, challenges, and expectations.
• Perform a comprehensive assessment of their existing financial systems, procedures, and operational practices.
• Gather data on income, expenses, cash flow, budget allocations, customer relationships, sales management, and data insights.

Deliverable 2: Gap Analysis and Needs Identification

• Analyze the data collected during the initial assessment to identify key gaps, challenges, and areas of improvement.
• Conduct a gap analysis comparing the institutions current practices against industry standards regulatory requirements, and best practices in financial management.
• Identify specific needs, priorities, and strategic recommendations for enhancing financial management practices, operational efficiency, and data-driven decision-making.

Deliverable 3: Strategic Recommendations Development

• Develop detailed strategic recommendations based on the findings from the gap analysis and needs identification phase.
• Prioritize recommendations according to their impact, feasibility, and alignment with each company’s long-term goals and objectives.
• Present the strategic recommendations to their management team for review, feedback, and approval.

Deliverable 4: Training and Capacity Building

• Conduct specialized training sessions covering core accounting principles, budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, regulatory compliance, financial reporting, auditing guidelines, and risk management.
• Empower the companies’ teams with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively use the techniques and skills for financial monitoring, reporting, analysis, and decision-making purposes.
• Share tools that can help the companies in budgeting, forecasting, cash flow monitoring, etc…

Qualifications

• Financial Expertise: A strong background in finance, accounting, and financial management.
• The service provider should have at least 5 years of experience in supporting corporate institutions in their financial component such as financial studies
• The service provider should be able to handle up to 8 companies simultaneously and deliver within a period of 3 months, which might require field visits within a period of 3 months
• Professionalism and Ethics: Adherence to professional standards, confidentiality, and ethical conduct
• Company profile highlighting relevant qualifications and experience
• A portfolio or samples of previous financial consultancy work
• Use of tools and methods to finalize the consultancy mission with the support of the beneficiary
• Applications to this proposal can be from independent trainers/consultants, Corporate or Agency

Timeline and Application

The selected Consultant is expected to start his/her activities at the soonest after selection, and the contract’s duration is 3 months, covering a minimum of 360 hours, with a budget of up to 32,000 Euro TTC.  

Candidates should submit the following documents:

• Technical (maximum two pages) describing the methodology to conduct the work based on the content suggested in the section: “Scope of Work, and Deliverables” elaborating it further.
• Profile and project references (maximum two pages): A brief explanation of the consultant(s) background should be submitted (CVs shall be included as an annex) along with project references on the topic.
• Financial Proposal describing the expected remuneration and the proposed period of the intervention.