Benefits provided by BaSE to the producers

a. BaSE arranges yearly seminars-workshops for all producers' groups it works with.
In 1997 we had 380 women together for one day and a half to analyze the positive aspects and the problems of all the groups (increase of self-consciousness).
In 1998 we invited only 130 women to focus on the relation with the buyers and the problems related with the orders.
We felt that orders can be manipulated and urged the buyers to be more transparent on this issue. (Resource persons came from Sasha).
In 1999 the particular subjects planned were:
1. Design development and product diversification;
2. Pricing and costing;
3. Experience of "group dynamic".
Twice a year meetings of representatives are called, to evaluate and plan, and to prepare a tentative schedule of the shipments according to the orders received (coordination).
BaSE teaches all groups to exercise a wise and impartial quality control, to prepare their packages in conformity with the buyers' desire, to prepare invoices and packing lists with a common pattern, to keep the accounts in a simple-precise way understandable by everybody.
To achieve so, BaSE provided five producers' groups with primary computer facilities, compelling a few of the members to become acquainted with the use of it.
b. BaSE takes care of the packing for the few groups not yet ready to handle this sector.
BaSE provides pre-shipment storing facilities for all producers' groups it works with.
BaSE takes responsibility for package labeling, preparing and handling all the export documentation and physically supervising the shipments.
BaSE arranges for the payments to all groups (in Taka, Bangladesh currency) as soon as the actual proceeds from the export transaction are cashed.
c. A few of our producers' groups are well organised and have their own revolving fund. Nevertheless BaSE provides advance payment and loans to buy rough material to all groups who need and apply for it.
BaSE does not have its own credit scheme, but all BaSE producers' groups have to run their particular one, utilising their savings capital. BaSE offers its support in counseling, giving training and auditing this sector.
d. BaSE takes care of the preparation of the Catalogue with the up to date Price List of all the items of the produces' groups.
Lately our Catalogue appeared in internet. BaSE also prepared and gave to its main buyers a CD with the same digital Catalogue, trying in this way to foster the relation between the producers and the buyers groups.
Calculation of Price

Every single producers' group has to prepare and evaluate the pricing of its items.
BaSE follows and checks this process, although the criteria vary from group to group.
a. Cost of the rough material used for the preparation of the item.
b. Cost of the labor.
The average number of hours needed to prepare the item multiplied into a rate decided by the group.
This rate varies from $ 0.04 to $ 0.10 per hour, depending on the skill required on the particular item, on the risk of spoiling the item during the preparation, on the cost of living of the village or town area.
c. Overhead for the group expenses on quality control, administration, packing and transportation up to the BaSE store.
This element varies too from the 5% to the 10% of a+b cost.
Groups working with leather or embroidery have the a. or b. cost high, so the group's overhead can be at a low percentage.
Groups preparing jute carpets have the a. and b. costs relatively low, while the group needs a higher overhead to cover the higher packing and transportation costs.
d. BaSE adds an average of 4% on the a+b+c price to cover its office and export expenses.
This final price a+b+c+d is the "Khulna fob price".
Decision making process in BaSE

The decisions about producers are taken mostly at producers' group level.
What we call a "producers' group" is generally formed by 10/15 units of producers.
Every unit has an elected representative who keeps account of the production and savings of the members of the unit.
The body formed by the unit representatives is the decision making body of the producers' group.
This body elects between the representatives a person as Chairman, one as Secretary, one as Accountant.
This same body chooses the persons in charge of Quality Control.
When a BaSE staff goes to visit a producers' group usually meets the members of this body.
In occasion of seminars-workshops BaSE have the chance to check the presence of any problem at unit level.
The representatives of the producers' groups are the members of BaSE.
With them BaSE evaluates the orders and plans the production, preparing a tentative schedule of the shipments.
Any producers' group can place in the twice-a-year-meeting agenda a point of discussion, as BaSE itself utilises the same meetings to clarify any problematic issue.
Advance payments or loans to buy rough material are decided by BaSE managing committee, according to the need of each producers' group.