Frequently Asked Questions

What is the aim of the Enterprise Connect initiative?
Enterprise Connect aims to provide comprehensive support to Australian small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), which are a vital part of Australia’s economic future.

With the services offered by the Manufacturing and Innovation Centres, firms are able to undertake a free Business Review with skilled and experienced Business Advisers and obtain matching funding through the Tailored Advisory Service to implement changes identified by the Business review. Other services and support will be introduced in 2008.

Where are the Manufacturing Centres located?

Manufacturing Centre offices are located in Sydney (NSW), Melbourne, (VIC), Mawson Lakes (SA), Perth (WA), Burnie (TAS) and at QMI Solutions in Brisbane. The Northern Territory area is serviced through the Perth office and the Australian Capital Territory is serviced through the Sydney office.

For contact details of each centre, please click here.

Where are the Innovation Centres located?

There will be five Innovation Centres located across the country:

Remote Enterprise Innovation Centre - located in Alice Springs
Innovative Regions Innovation Centre - located in Geelong
Mining Technology Innovation Centre - located in Mackay
Creative Industries Innovation Centre - location is yet to be determined
Clean Energy Enterprise Connect Centre - location is yet to be determined

How do I know if my firm is eligible?

In order to be considered for a Business Review from the Manufacturing Network, applicant firms must:

possess an Australian Company Number (ACN);
have turned over more than $2 million and under $100 million in the previous financial year;
be solvent;
have been trading for the last three years (ie. have filed Business Activity Statements for the last three consecutive years);
be trade exposed:

all firms which are classified as manufacturers under the ANZSIC classification system are considered to be trade exposed;
service firms are eligible if they can show they face import competition, are exporting or have the potential to export or internationalise their business operations in other ways;

have main business activity in industries other than primary production;
not have received similar assistance from other Government (Australian, State or Territory) programs within the last three years; and
have the application form completed by an authorised representative, including: Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Managing Director, Chairman of the Board, President, or similar position holder.

How do I know if my group of firms are eligible?

Enterprise Connect services are also available to groups of firms. For group applications, firms with a turnover of at least $1 million may be included, but the minimum turnover for the group as a whole must be at least $4 million. For more information see the client guidelines.

How will selection of the eligible firms occur?

All applicants that meet the eligibility requirements will be accepted for a Business Review, except where there is insufficient capacity to undertake the Business Review within the following three months. In this case the firm will be contacted by the applicable Manufacturing or Innovation Centre to discuss options.

How will the free Business Review work?

Enterprise Connect will allocate eligible applicants a Business Adviser who will contact the firm to agree on a commencement date. If you wish to work with a specific Business Adviser you can nominate them in your application form.

Our Business Review is a comprehensive analysis of the firm, carried out on-site, by skilled and experienced Business Advisers. A Business Review will generally take three to four working days to complete, which may be spread over several months.

Business Advisers work with people throughout various operational levels of the firm to develop a thorough view of, for example:

the strengths and weaknesses of the firm,
strategic business issues,
potential areas for business improvement,
potential areas for growth.

The Business Review is a collaborative process, with the Business Adviser and key people in the firm working together to identify changes that could be made to increase the firm's productivity and competitiveness.

Each firm receives a Business Review Report outlining these findings.

What are the firm's obligations under a Business Review?

Firms undertaking a Business Review are expected to provide management commitment to the process. This may include:

providing data (including financial records when the firm and Business Adviser agree that it is relevant)
providing reasonable access to key personnel
a willingness to consider implementing agreed Business Review recommendations, potentially through the Tailored Advisory Service

Following your involvement in the program, your firm will be asked for feedback on your satisfaction with the service and people involved. You may also be asked to participate in surveys to assess the medium term impact of the initiative on your firm and its operations.

What is the role of the Business Adviser?

Business Advisers play a central role in delivery of the program. Their functions include:

identifying eligible firms that would potentially benefit from the Business Review service
providing Business Reviews
working with the firm to interpret the findings of the Business Review, including the final report
assisting firms to locate and engage providers of Tailored Advisory Services
provide ongoing support and advice for the firm

For more information see the Business Advisers page.

What is the role of the Partner Organisations?

Partner Organisations have been selected due to their ability to help achieve the aims of Enterprise Connect. The Partner Organisations each have extensive networks, and an internal capacity to support the delivery of Enterprise Connect services.

Partner Organisations work with Enterprise Connect in a number of ways including:

Employing specialist Business Advisers to deliver the Business Reviews across Australia,
Organising promotional activities to explain the benefits of Enterprise Connect services to their members and non-members.

For more information see the Partner Organisations page.

Which Partner Organisations are involved in the initiative?

Following a public invitation the following organisations were selected as Partner Organisations:

Australian Chamber Alliance (National) including:
o Commerce Queensland;
o New South Wales Business Chamber;
o Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce and Industry;
o Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry;
o Business SA;
o Chamber of Commerce and Industry Western Australia; and
o Northern Territory Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Australian Industry Group (National) including:
o The Queensland Manufacturing Institute provider, QMI Solutions Limited; and
o The Engineering Employers Association of South Australia (EEASA).
The Improve Group (Queensland)
Coastal Business Centre (WA)
SA Centre for Innovation (SA)
Industry Capability Network (Victoria)
North Link/NIETL (Victoria)
Geelong Manufacturing Council (Victoria)
University of Western Sydney (NSW)
University of South Australia (SA)

For more information see the Partner Organisations page.

Which Business Adviser will I work with?

Business Advisers will be allocated by Enterprise Connect according to the firm’s location, and the Business Adviser's area of expertise. Applicants may request a specific Business Adviser and requests will be met where practicable.

Does this program have regional coverage?

Yes, the 45 selected Business Advisers are located across metropolitan and regional Australia, to ensure that services can be delivered to eligible firms nation-wide.

To view locations of our Business Advisers click here.

What is the background of the Business Advisers?

The team of Business Advisers employed through the Partner Organisations have management experience in a manufacturing or services environment, qualifications in management or a professional technical area such as engineering, and the ability to facilitate change in SMEs through sound business analysis and systems analysis skills.

Do I have to be a member of a Partner Organisation to participate?

No, the only condition on participation is that your firm meets the eligibility criteria outlined in the client guidelines.

Will the firm be obliged to undertake any change following the Business Review?

No, the Business Review is a collaborative process, with the Business Adviser and key people in the firm working together to identify changes that could be made to increase the firm's productivity and competitiveness. Each firm receives a Business Review Report outlining these findings.

As a follow up to this, Enterprise Connect Manufacturing Centres are able to offer access to the Tailored Advisory Service which provides financial and other assistance to help firms choosing to implement the changes identified through the Business Review. However firms are not under any obligation to undertake these activities.

For more information see the Tailored Advisory Services page.

What is the Tailored Advisory Service?

The Tailored Advisory Service is available to firms that have completed an Enterprise Connect or equivalent Business Review. The focus of the service is to assist firms, or groups of firms, to implement changes that were identified as a result of the Business Review process. The scope of Tailored Advisory Services is as broad as the issues identified through the Business Review, and may include issues such as:

Business Process Improvements, including:

supply chain management
business management systems
lean manufacturing/office
o quality improvement
o six sigma
o process re-engineering
benchmarking best practice

Business strategy, including:

strategic and business planning
financial control
resource management
people/change management

Business growth, including:

new product and service development
diversification/economies of scope/value add services for manufacturing
sales and market development
export strategy

How will a consultant for the Tailored Advisory Service be selected?

Firms will be able to choose which consultant carries out a Tailored Advisory Service project. An Enterprise Connect Business Adviser or Centre may be able to provide assistance in identifying consultants with the desired skills your firm needs.

Is there a contribution from Enterprise Connect to the Tailored Advisory Service?

Yes, Enterprise Connect will reimburse half of the cost of an approved Tailored Advisory Service project, to a maximum of $20,000.

For example, for a $50,000 project, Enterprise Connect will reimburse $20,000, reducing the total cost for the firm to $30,000.

For example, for a $15,000 project, Enterprise Connect will reimburse $7,500 (half of the cost of the project).

Will my participation and my firm’s information be confidential?

Information provided to Enterprise Connect will be treated as ‘commercial-in-confidence’. This means access to applications will be on a limited, need to know basis unless the Department is required by law to provide such access. Business Advisers will provide a confidentiality agreement to each firm they work with.

There will be regular public announcements of successful applicants. The public announcement will include details, on an individual basis, of the recipient, the value of the assistance and/or grant and the purpose of the assistance and/or grant.

What is the Researchers in Business service?

Researchers in Business is a $10 million commitment to support the placement of researchers from universities or public research agencies into businesses to help develop and implement new ideas. This initiative will be available later in 2008.

For further information, call the Enterprise Connect Hotline between the hours of 9.00am and 5.00pm (AEST) on 131 791 (Australian callers only) or email enterpriseconnect@innovation.gov.au

Department of Innovation Industry Science and Research