The awards, which take place in May, set out to acknowledge the high calibre of BFA members and honour the outstanding performers among them.

The theme for this year's BFA awards is "Then and Now … Five Years On", with candidates required to demonstrate how they have successfully grown and adapted to changing markets, new technology and increased competition in recent years.

Welcoming the nomination, Sarah Robertson, Business Development Director of TaxAssist Accountants, said: "We are excited to be short-listed for this highly prestigious award. Our business concept has evolved extremely well over the last five years and we hope to win this award in recognition of this growth".

Sarah acknowledged the work done by the BFA to increase awareness of the benefits of franchising throughout the UK.

Commenting on the future of TaxAssist Accountants, she added: "We are now looking to expand into Ireland and much further afield with our brand".

TaxAssist Accountants is currently the UK's largest network of accountants specifically catering for small businesses, with each franchisee operating from an independent local office.

Short-listed franchisors will be judged by a panel made up of BFA President Sir Bernard Ingham, Director General of the association Brian Smart, Head of Franchising for HSBC Cathryn Hayes, Yvette Taylor the Business Advertising Manager from Express Newspapers, Farrah Rose from Howarth Franchising and John Chambers from Chambers and Co.

"The BFA Franchisor of the Year Award sets out to honour and highlight the achievements of franchisors in this significant market sector, rewarding the high level of dedication and constant hard work required to make a network successful both now and in the future," BFA director general Brian Smart explained. He goes on to say “This year the entries were of exceptional quality and all the finalists should be justly proud of reaching this stage”.

Snap-On-Tools, manufacturer of automotive diagnostic equipment, won last year's top award, with Dominos Pizza and Molly Maids also receiving recognition for their achievements.

Commenting on the award, Snap-On-Tools national franchise manager Aldo Rodi said that winning the award had generated a "feel-good" factor within the organisation.

"The benefits of winning the award cannot be over-estimated. We certainly intend to use the remaining six months of our tenure to its best effect in helping us to grow our business," he added.

The BFA is the voluntary governing body for franchising in the UK, providing advice and guidance for franchisors interested in achieving business success.

Other awards up for grabs at the BFA event include the Express Newspapers Brand Builder of the Year award and the HSBC Award for Enterprise.

We are very much looking forward to this years awards says "Matthew Anderson" they head of advertising for The Franchise Shop. The Franchise Shop is one of the UK's largest franchise advertising websites with full franchise information on all franchises listed for sale.