Peoples Daily, thursday, September 18, 2014
STATE UNIVERSAL BASIC EDUCATION BOARD,KANO P.M.B. 3469, BUK ROAD, KANO
INVITATION FOR PRE-QUALIFICATION TO TENDER FOR THE EXECUTION OF YEAR 2014 UBE INTERVENTION PROJECTS The State Universal Basic Education Board, Kano is undertaking a year 2014 UBE Intervention projects as part of UBE programmes across the country. In view of this, the Board hereby invites interested, experienced and reputable companiesand suppliers to submit pre-qualification documents to tenderfor projects of their choice to be executed with the UBE Intervention fund. PROJECTS TO BE EXECUTED: A. Construction of 1No. 14-Classrooms Storey Block with offices, Labs etc. (Pad foundation). B. Construction of 2No. 12-Classrooms Storey Block with offices (Raft foundation. C. Construction of 1No. 14-Classrooms Storey Block, with offices, Labs, etc. (MOE type) D. Construction of 60No. 4-Classroom Storey Blocks, with offices only. E. Construction of 1No. Revised Mosque. F. Construction of 12No. 6 compartment VIP toilet blocks. G. Construction of 9No. Boundary wall. H. Construction of 62No. 2 compartment VIP toilet blocks. I. Construction of 2No. Ablution ground. J. Construction of 2No. Hand-pump boreholes K. Construction of 1No. Drainage. L. Construction of 10No. Solar Boreholes. M. Rehabilitation of 10No. existing classroom blocks. N. Laterite filling compacted to 100% proctor in 1No. school. O. Landscaping to 3No. schools. P. Provision of 3 sets of Science Labs equipment to 3No. schools Q. Provision of 101 sets of Computers with accessories. R. Provision of 9 sets of Admin Block Furniture. S. Provision of 1 set of Home Economics equipment. T. Provision of 1 set of Home Economics Furniture. U. Provision of 2 sets of Computer Room Furniture. V. Provision of 4 sets ofScience Lab furniture to 4No. schools W. Provision of 6270 sets of Pupils 3-seater Desks. X. Provision of 996 sets of Teachers furniture. Y. Provision of 400 sets of single seater student Desk. Z. Provision of sets of library furniture to 2No. schools. AA. Provision of Mosque furniture. BB. Supply of 8 sets of ECCDE Kits to 8No. schools SUBMISSION OF PRE-QUALIFICATION DOCUMENTS: Interested companies/suppliers should submit the following pre-qualification documents to the Office of the AD/Tender, SUBEB Headquarters, BUK Road, Kano,on or before 8th October, 2014 not later than12:30 pm. i. Comprehensive company profile. ii. Evidence of registration with Corporate Affairs Commission. iii. Evidence of registration with SUBEB or any other similar organisation in the State or Country. iv. Evidence of previous projects with SUBEB or any other similar organisation in the State or Country. v. Evidence of Technical/ Managerial Capability. vi. Equipment, Plant and Technology Capabilities. vii. Annual Turnover of company for at least 3 years. viii. Payee. ix. VAT. x. Tax Clearance. xi. Local Resources Utilization Communities responsibilities. NOTE: i. That late submission of pre-qualification documents will not be entertained, please. ii. Only successful contractors will be contacted to tender after screening, please. SIGNED: MANAGEMENT SUBEB, KANO.
Money Sense
Page 11
How to start a cashew nut export business By Jean Pierre Honla
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f you have been looking to start an export business related to agriculture, then starting a cashew nut export business might be your best option. If this idea sounds good to you,and you would like to take a plunge, then I advice you follow these guidelines for starting a successful cashew nut export business. 1. Conduct market research When you are just plunging into a business that you know nothing about, you need to research extensively to understand how things work. This is always the first step I recommend for export beginners. A good way to start your research is to contact a seasoned cashew nut exporter to make inquiries about the business. 2. Determine your target market A crucial part of starting any export business is figuring out where the export commodities are going,and the cashew nut export business is no exception. It is important you decide which countries you will be exporting cashew nuts to. When you are just starting out, it is recommended that you stick with just one country
that has a good market for the commodity. As your business grows with time, you can consider targeting more countries. It goes without saying that your ideal export destinations are those countries where there is little or no production of cashew nuts, but the demand is high. 3. Find local sellers You need to find local cashew nut sellers from whom you will buy the commodity. That is, these local sellers will be your suppliers. Be sure to have more than one supplier, so you can turn to others should one of them run out of the commodity. You must also bear in mind that the success of your business hinges largely on the quality of cashew nuts you sell to exporters, so ensure that you choose suppliers who have a reputation for high quality cashew nuts. High quality cashew nuts may cost a bit higher than the low quality ones. However, paying the extra costs for high quality cashew nuts will help your business build a good reputation and win more buyers easily in the long term. 4. Find a shipping company or agent Since you will ship your cashew nuts to the desired export destination, you
will need the services of a shipping company. Find out the best shipping companies in your country from other cashew nut exporters. A good shipping company will deliver your goods to the buyer in a timely and effective manner. So, the quality of service delivered by your shipping company can also affect the reputation of your business, which means you should choose your shipping company carefully. You may find it more convenient corresponding with a shipping agent or freight broker. Also in this case, it is important that you choose an individual with years of experience and a reputation of credibility. 5. Find and pitch potential buyers To get your business going, you need to find potential buyers in your chose n e xport destinations. Search the web for information about businesses in that country that buy cashew nuts. You can also search online business directories listing businesses in that country. Another way to find potential buyers in your country of choice is to visit the embassy office of that country to make inquiries about businesses who might be interested in buying cashew nuts.
...and How to raise capital from family and friends
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aising startup seed capital from family and friends happens to be one of the easiest avenues for raising capital that entrepreneurs can exploit. But if wrongly done, you can get your fingers burnt and even end up destroying the existing good relationship you have with your family and friends. Raising seed capital from family and friends is quite easy if you do things the right way. After all, most successful entrepreneurs and drop out billionaires started business with capital sourced from family and friends. Example of successful entrepreneurs that raised startup capital from family and friends include Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Berry Gordy, John Johnson, Ingvar Kamprad, Orji Uzor Kalu, Aliko Dangote, Li Ka Shing, Howard Hughes, etc. Now if these famous entrepreneurs can successfully start a business from scratch with seed capital raised from family and friends; I don’t see any reason why you can’t do it. So without wasting your time, here’s how to raise
seed capital from family and friends. 1. Be in the right mindset If you are not in the right mindset, forget about trying to raise seed capital from your family and friends. Now why do I emphasize you be in the right mindset before trying to raise capital from your family and friends? Well, the fact that you are trying to source capital from family and friends doesn’t eliminate the odds of disappointment. 2. Build up your credibility What are you known for in your family? What’s your level of relationship with family and friends? Can you be trusted? How well did your past dealings with family and friends go? Have you handled any project on behalf of the family? How do you live your life? Are you an asset to the family or a liability? Are there any habits that could be a hindrance to your aspirations? These are the questions you must answer before trying to raise capital from family and friends. Nobody wants to give money to a scumbag or an incompetent friend or relative.
If you haven’t got control over your life and the way you spend money; then it’s high time you change and reconsider your life’s pattern because a single bad habit can reduce your chances of raising money from family and friends. Remember that these two groups know you to the core; they know your strengths and weaknesses. In fact, they know personal things about you that even venture capitalists and angel investors may never find out. 3. Have a good business plan Don’t walk up to your members of your family or friends and try to raise money without a good business plan. No matter how much they love you, they will still want to know what you need the money for. Even if you are not going to share the intricacies of your business plan with them; at least they deserve to get an overview. You need to understand your plans like the back of your hands especially when you are coming from a family of intellects or trying to raise capital from learned friends. www.africanplan.com