Intervention (Hidden)
The intervention consists of three distinct stages. The first, given to all firms, is a diagnostic stage. All firms receive a visit from a consultant who provides a diagnostic analysis of the business, and recommendations for improvements in five areas: quality (getting products to the standard needed for international markets), productivity (methods to reduce production costs), labor productivity (a focus on managing workers to make them more productive), commercial strategy (with a focus on sales strategy and accessing export markets), and energy efficiency (to reduce energy costs of production). The second stage, given only to the treatment group, is the intervention stage. Here firms receive up to 190 hours of technical assistance: 30 hours directed towards general commercial strategy, and 160 hours towards the two of the other four areas in which they have the more room to improve. The diagnostic and intervention will be performed by consultants from a consortium of five Colombian consulting firms who specialize in the different areas. The final phase is a trade fair (macrorrueda de negocios) organized by ProColombia designed as a business matchmaking forum to enable firms to obtain meetings with international buyers, primarily from countries with which Colombia has free trade agreements. This will take place in the first half of 2019,
The treatment is estimated to have a market value of 40 million Colombian Pesos (approximately US$13,800). Small firms selected for the program have to pay 3 million COP ($1,035) and medium and large firms 6 million COP ($2,070), which can be paid in multiple installments.
To be eligible for the program, firms had to have existed for at least 2 years, be formally registered, belong to one of fourteen selected sectors (transport manufacturing, construction, textiles, fruits and fruit products, speciality coffees and coffee products, beef, aquaculture, cocoa products, processed food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, plastics and paint products, basic chemicals, and business process outsourcing/software), provide financial statements for the 2015-16 year and other documentation, and complete an online application process.