BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND REGENERATION - archive June 2006
To create and build the London Olympics and Paralympics for 2012, the Olympic Delivery Authority is appointing a Delivery Partner to be responsible for managing the project. There is currently a shortlist of firms and consortia to fulfil this role, with the successful partnership being announced late this summer. The Delivery Partner will not be expected to undertake any of the construction contracts itself.
The ODA and its Delivery Partner will be responsible for a ll Olympic Park infrastructure and site preparation, delivery of permanent competition venues, the building of the Olympic Village and the International Broadcast Centre and Main Press Centre, the building of relocatable arenas, Olympic transport projects, permanent works to existing sports venues, and Olympic Park venue legacy conversion.
Related construction contracts are not expected to come forward until 2007, with the demand for specialists such as electricians, maintenance operatives, painters and decorators expected around three years later, in 2010.
The vast majority of other Olympic and Paralympic related contracts are not expected to emerge until the summer of 2008 onwards.
WHAT SHOULD YOU BE DOING NOW?
In the meantime, businesses should use their local chambers of commerce, business federations/local networks or Business Link to explore the possibilities, and opportunities, on becoming “fit for the Games”. Activities might include:
- Ensuring you are e-enabled, and able to e-procure. Training to support local businesses in this is being looked at, but in the meantime, your own business support network may be providing such training
- For companies inexperienced at tendering for contracts, and inexperienced with processes such as Pre Qualification Questionnaires, again speak with your own business support networks, or look at Tendering for Government Contracts: A Guide for Small Businesses - click on this link
- Ensure that your safety & environmental policies and practices are the best in your field, likewise quality & customer care policies, and your equal opportunities policies. The draft Olympic Procurement Principles (to be confirmed later this year) emphasise all of the above, and encourage companies to consider their corporate social responsibilities. Most tenders require your last 3 years accounts to also be submitted. This is easy to arrange - but not at the last minute.
- Become a regular visitor to this website and indeed to London 2012’s own website www.london2012.org for business details as they emerge.
- A regional Business Opportunities Network is being developed that will support Kent businesses in ways such as providing information, networking, training (on e.g. e procurement, marketing), advice on contracts as they emerge, meet the supplier events. Details on this network will again be available through this website.