WNMU
School of Business
Business Assistance Program (BAP)
Thanks for participating in our Business Assistance Program. Completing this information sheet
is the first step to entering this program that provides the students with real-life learning
experiences while helping businesses. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis, but the
projects will take place at the beginning of the semester (Fall and Spring).
A student, or a group, of students will evaluate your information and decide if they will take your
company as their capstone course project for one (1) semester. We can only accept a limited
number of businesses into our program; however, the projects will be archived and they will be
available to students in an ongoing basis. Therefore the students can continuously chose projects
as well as improve old plans completed by fellow graduates.
Please fill out the form below as completely as possible.
Once completed, please send this form back to the following e-mail address:
vicensm@wnmu.edu
You will receive a confirmation email once your application has been received.
Or by regular mail to:
Dr. Miguel A. Vicéns
Business Assistance Program
School of Business, WNMU
PO Box 680
Silver City NM, 88062
All applications are confidential.
Personal Information
First Name: _________________________ Last Name: ______________________________
Business Name: ___________________________
Address Line 1: _____________________________________
City: ___________________State: ___________________ Zip: ______________________
Phone: ________________________
Email: _____________________
Fax: ________________________
Business Web Site:
Point of Contact
Are you the official point of contact for the purposes of this project?
o Yes
o No (If no, please complete the next question)
Point of Contact
First Name:
Phone:
Last Name:
Email:
Business Structure
Is the business New Mexico based?
o Yes
o No
o Other (please specify) __________________________
If yes, what is the existing legal structure of the business?
o Sole Proprietorship
o Partnership
o C-Corp
o S-Corp
o LLP
o LLC
Business Information
Is the business a registered non-profit?
o Yes
o No
Does the business have a social mission?
o Yes
o No
If yes, please Explain:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________
What is the industry sector? (Please select all that apply)
o Agriculture
o Biotechnology
o Chemicals and materials
o Computer technology
o Construction
o Consumer/retail
o Electronics
o Energy
o Financial services
o Industrial
o Information Technology
o Manufacturing
o Medical
o Telecommunications
o Communications
o Transportation
o Other
What is the business description?
(Please provide a brief overview of your company; one paragraph or less)
What is the business mission or vision statement?
(Mission is the purpose of your company and the vision statement is where you want your company to be in the future)
Please describe key events and activities in your business:
(Please describe key events and activities that have brought you to your current position)
Market Information
Define the market:
(Briefly describe the markets; who are you selling to or providing services for?)
Have you determined the size of the market?
o Yes
o No
If yes, please explain:
Does the business operate in a niche market?
(A niche market is highly focused and specialized)
o Yes
o No
Define the ease of entry into the market.
(Is it easy to enter the market, or are there barriers such as high competition, licenses and approvals, or government regulations?)
How is the industry sector structured?
(Are there few players, many players, is it highly specialized?)
Define the marketing and advertising strategy.
(What are the primary methods of marketing?)
Competition
Who are your direct competitors?
How is the industry structured?
(Is the industry highly competitive, have many players?)
Describe your competitive advantage.
(What makes your products or services preferable to your competition?)
Product or Service Information
Describe the product(s) or service(s) offered.
Is it an improvement on an existing product or service?
o Yes
o No
Product or service features:
(What are the major features of the product or service?)
Define the customer problem:
(What particular customer need does the product or service address?)
Describe the solution you sell:
(How does the product or service satisfy the existing customer problem?)
Business Assistance Information
Specifically, what type of business assistance are you seeking?
What are the deliverables expected from this project?
(What information do you want to take away to move forward?)
What type of resources will you provide to support the completion of this project?
Is there a particular timeframe to complete this project?
(Is there a specific end date or is the project schedule more flexible?)
Please explain:
What is the most important business research report needed to move forward?
o Feasibility Study
o Business Plan (new or review of current business plan)
o Strategic Plan
o Market Analysis
o Technical Assistance
o Financial Plan
o Funding Contacts
Other:
Have you worked with any other business assistance organizations for this project?
Please provide any additional information or comments that may assist in the decision process:
Additional Information
Add Documents
As an attachment to the email when sending this application, please provide any informational
documents that will help us make a more informed decision. Documents may include and
executive summary, business plan, strategic plan, PowerPoint presentation, or brochure, among
others.
Add Web Links
Please include any additional websites (besides your business site) that you think may be
informative.
Data Protection
If your business is not selected in by the students, we may disclose the details of your application
to similar service providers such as the Small Business Development Center, who may contact
you to offer their assistance. If you do not wish for your information to be disclosed, check the
box below.
□ Please do not disclose my information
Disclaimer
Completion and submission of this form does not guarantee your business will be selected for
our program. The students and class teams take a variety of factors into consideration to
determine accepted applicants.