Functions:

PEF operates in four main areas, namely:

• Policy Research/Advocacy
• Contract Management Services
• Institutional Capacity Development and Training
• Promotion of Technology Based Industries

Policy Research / Advocacy Role

PEF’s advocacy role is aimed at influencing government policies and regulations and involves the performance of the following activities:

• Undertaking policy based research for making effective representation to government on behalf of member associations on issues of concern to the private sector, such as land reform the impact of the legal and regulatory framework, competitiveness, the tax regime, multilateral and bilateral trade agreements;
• Monitoring best management practices and identifying strategic factor accounting for enhanced enterprise competitiveness, and disseminating such best practice findings among member enterprises.
• Making proposals to government to mainstream such best practices in industry.

Contract Management Services:

• Provides consultancy services to clients in the area of socio-economic research and analysis, business advisory services, project development and management and related services;
• Provides fee-based project and technical assistance contract management service on behalf of international development clients, using expertise available within PEF, its member organizations and outside consultants.

Institutional Capacity Development and Training:

PEF focuses on programs to:

• Strengthen its members and other private sector advocacy bodies by designing and carrying out training to enhance their performance;
• Develop model training and technical support programs based on best management practices for adoption by PEF members and non-members especially SMEs transitioning from the informal sector to the formal sector economy.

Promotion of technology based enterprises:

• Identifies and initiates contracts with technology based enterprises for example, agribusiness, biotechnology, etc, and helps promote these for effective performance;
• In collaboration with member associations PEF collects, analyses and disseminates relevant information on opportunities and resources.