UNIDO's hands-on experience with the various facets of investment promotion and the application and transfer of new and existing technologies has led to the development of methodological and normative instruments and tools. Some of those instruments have high visibility and have become landmarks of UNIDO, being used by governments, banks, companies, etc. Others are in the final stages of preparation or are being tested in the field. For downloads of publicly available UNIDO publications, please click here.

UNIDO Exchange
BEST (Business Environment Strategic Toolkit)
COMFAR III Expert (Computer Model for Feasibility Analysis and Reporting)
FIT (Financial Improvement Toolkit)
Guidelines for Infrastructure Development through Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Project
IITPP (Industrial Investment and Technology Project Profile)
UNIDO Negotiations Training Package
Manual for the Preparation of Industrial Feasibility Studies
Manual on Technology Transfer Negotiations UNIDO Exchange

UNIDO Exchange

UNIDO Exchange is a user-friendly network specializing in investment, technology and knowledge generation. It serves as a hub to initiate and institutionalize linkages and networking activities between different public and private sector institutions, organizations and companies. This unique electronic platform fosters interactions between all UNIDO stakeholders and partners, thus facilitating communication and the exchange of qualified business, technology and environmental opportunities. It enables Exchange members to share knowledge and experience in subjects related to industrial development, and puts specialized information, profound knowledge and proven technology at the stakeholder’s disposal. Members can use different platforms to receive and publish information on projects, events, expertise, publications and access related tools and methodologies.

BEST (Business Environment Strategic Toolkit)

The Business Environment Strategic Toolkit (BEST) is a tool developed for small and medium-sized companies. It helps them to integrate financial and non-financial criteria, and translate company objectives into a coherent set of performance measures. Using these operational indicators and approaches to operation control, BEST concentrates on overall quality in production and market responsiveness. It improves business performance and provides rapid business feedback.

COMFAR III Expert (Computer Model for Feasibility Analysis and Reporting)

COMFAR III Expert is a new generation of software developed by UNIDO to facilitate the financial and economic appraisal of investment projects. The software guides the user through the various stages of data input for calculations and simulations at the opportunity or feasibility study levels. It permits the user to simulate a short-term and long-term financial projection of industrial and non-industrial investment projects, including new investment, rejuvenation, expansion, joint venture or privatization projects. All UNIDO software is Windows-based, multilingual (i.e. English, French, Spanish, German, Russian, Polish, Portuguese, and Slovak) and designed for an array of industrial ventures including agriculture, tourism, mining and infrastructure projects. COMFAR complements UNIDO's ‘Manual for the Preparation of Industrial Feasibility Studies’ that has become a bestseller translated into 20 languages. Today, over 1,500 licensees in over 130 countries are using COMFAR for project analysis and appraisal.

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FIT (Financial Improvement Toolkit)

FIT is one of two tools developed by UNIDO (see also Business Environment Strategic Toolkt, BEST) to help enterprises adapt to the emerging liberalized trade order. Both focus on applying operational indicators within decision-making processes of small and medium sized firms. FIT enables the annual analysis of strategic business units required for financial decisions. Using standard accounting data, it processes marketing, and research and development (R&D) costs to provide 18 economic indicators for further analysis, including value added, working capital and sales per employee.

Guidelines for Infrastructure Development through Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Projects

The ‘UNIDO BOT Guidelines’ handbook, the first publication of this kind, is designed for the development of successful BOT projects. It is an important aid for initiating and carrying out partnerships between governments and private enterprises, and provides essential practical information on the structure and procedures of BOT arrangements. The manual aims to mobilize the often-complex negotiation process preceding BOT agreements. It covers the entire spectrum of financial and legal issues faced by government authorities and project managers in the development of BOT projects and also provides developing nations with a basic orientation needed to design effective BOT strategies. Furthermore, it can help businesses to strike a balance between projects of public interest and the need for sponsors to make a reasonable return on their investment.
The BOT methodology enables faster development of projects by reducing the time needed to implement them as well as the cost of bidding, bid evaluation and contracting of selected projects proposals. It thus helps to reduce the time and costs involved the development and contraction of BOT projects. A multi-disciplinary taskforce also provides advisory services in practically every aspect of a BOT strategy.

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IITPP (Industrial Investment and Technology Project Profile)

The instrument or tool used by the UNIDO Investment Services (ITPD/IS) to compile basic information about the national investor and identify and formulate an investment project in preparation for its screening and subsequent promotion.

UNIDO Negotiations Training Package

This package provides instruction material on technology transfer and contract negotiation. Access is supported by UNIDO, either in conducting the training programme itself or by implementing a capacity-building programme. The latter targets the establishment of a dedicated group of trainers in the respective country. This group could eventually impart its own training, on a self-sufficient basis, using UNIDO materials and methods. The UNIDO Negotiations Training Package is available to institutions, organizations and professional trainers, either under franchise or a Memorandum of Agreement.

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Manual for the Preparation of Industrial Feasibility Studies

The Manual is divided into three parts as follows: (1) Pre-investment Studies and Investment Project Cycle, which deals with basic elements of pre-investment studies; (2) The Feasibility Study, which addresses investment variables. These include market research, raw materials, engineering and technology, organization and overhead costs, human resources, implementation planning, financial analysis and investment appraisal; (3) Annexes, which provide additional supporting material, including a case study and description of techniques for assessment and data projection. All of the manual's working forms and schedules are fully compatible with the third generation of UNIDO's COMFAR III Expert software.

Manual on Technology Transfer Negotiations

The ‘Manual on Technology Transfer Negotiations’ comprises 19 modules, which cover a broad range of topics, is of universal importance to technology users, administrators and managers. It provides assistance in the choice of technology strategies, and aids the identification, selection and evaluation of respective technologies. The manual also addresses issues of technology negotiation, including opportunities for technological absorption, learning and innovation. Furthermore, this publication provides a number of pragmatic methodological tools for the analysis of legal, technical and economic dimensions of technology transfer and acquisition. The Manual serves as a valuable tool for users in the developing and developed world, and acknowledges the interests of both the technology users and owners. This balance was assured through the participation of the licensing Executives Society in the validation of the Manual.

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