Scottish Businesses Under Starter’s Orders for London 2012

The Olympic Delivery Authority and London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) expect to allocate over £6bn of work as part of an estimated 75,000 future business opportunities covering direct contracts and their subsequent supply chains over the coming years.

The world record triple jump holder and board member of LOCOG will be speaking at the Scottish launch of the London 2012 Business Network, a one-stop online shop for businesses looking to get involved with London 2012.

The Network has three component parts; essential information on upcoming opportunities and how to supply London 2012; listings of forthcoming business events; and the new ‘CompeteFor’ service, a business ‘dating agency’ that will match companies to thousands of opportunities supplying London 2012 and its contractors. Up to a fifth of London 2012 supply chain opportunities are expected to go through the CompeteFor system.

Jonathan will be joined at the event at Hampden Stadium by a number of speakers including Rob Knight the Head of Procurement of the Olympic Delivery Authority delivery partner and Jack Perry, Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise. Enterprise Minister Jim Mather will send a video message to the audience of 250 senior business representatives from across Scotland through a video link-up.

Speaking ahead of the event Jonathan Edwards said: “London 2012 is already providing a unique opportunity for businesses in Scotland to raise their profile on a global stage. The double opportunity for Scottish businesses of London 2012 Games and the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games could make this a ‘golden decade’ for Scottish businesses.

“The London 2012 Business Network will help companies make the most of the opportunities ahead. It will enable companies of all sizes and all sectors to compete for the thousands of London 2012 related contracts. Indeed, to date of the 650 companies that have already won over £2 billion worth of work supplying the ODA to date over 70% are small and medium (SMEs) size businesses.”

Twelve Scottish companies have already secured contracts for London 2012, including Glasgow-based Nord Architecture which won the contract for the design of the electrical substation, and a Mason Land Surveys from Dunfermline which has been working directly with the Olympic Delivery Authority to survey the Olympic Park.

Giving his support to the initiative, Enterprise Minister, Jim Mather said: “It is vital that Scottish businesses are able to compete for and secure contracts arising from the 2012 Olympic Games. I would urge Scottish businesses to grasp this opportunity, and those presented by the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. By doing so they can stimulate job creation and help increase sustainable economic growth – this Government’s core purpose.”

Scottish Enterprise Chief Executive Jack Perry added that the experience of tendering for Olympic contracts would also be invaluable for those companies looking to take full advantage of the opportunities of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.

He said: “With all eyes now focused on the Games in London in 2012, we have a real chance for Scottish companies of all sizes and with relevant skills and expertise, to demonstrate what they can do for large scale projects on an international stage.

“The opportunities from London 2012 are also a tremendous launch platform for companies hoping to go on and be involved in the Commonwealth Games in 2014.  The experience will mean that companies will be fitter and more able to tender successfully for contracts. Just as athletes have their eyes focused on the goal of winning gold, Scottish companies should aim high too.”