About 70 businesses will get the opportunity to implement ISO quality management systems and get free consultancy to strengthen their market positions thanks to the World Bank-funded Competitiveness Enhancement Project's Grant Facility, administrated by the Moldovan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), reports Info-Prim Neo. In the period 2009-2011, 204 Moldovan enterprises received WB grants covering 50% of the costs of implementing ISO quality management systems or of consultancy services. The average size of a grant was 61,000 lei. According to Sergiu Harea, head of CCI’s Department for Economic Development, the most often requested services were related to the development of business plans, feasibility studies and marketing research. $550,000 which remain unused in this period allowed for the extension of the grant facility by another year, until the summer of 2013. “During a meeting with potential grant beneficiaries we presented the results obtained by enterprises that implemented quality systems and consultancy services. They managed to increase their sales and find new business partners”, said Sergiu Harea. In the period of 2009-2011, 32% of the enterprises that applied for grants were from the food industry, animal husbandry and fish farming sector, furniture industry, cosmetics industry, and textile industry. 15% of the companies were from the field of trade. Region-wise, 89% of enterprises were from the center of the country, 9% from the north, and 2% from the south.