The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games

What are the opportunities for business?

To see how the 2012 Games could provide major opportunities for your business then watch this short film - Opens in a new window or visit the national 2012 Games business website - Opens in a new window 

How are the London 2012 Games being organised?
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Ltd (LOCOG) are coordinating activities. Delivering the London 2012 Games will require the procurement of goods, works and services from an enormous range of firms.

London 2012 expects to have around 7,000 direct contracts which, together with its 2nd and 3rd tier suppliers, will form supply chains of around 75,000 opportunities. The opportunities will be in sectors ranging from construction, engineering and manufacturing to creative, merchandising and retail.

London 2012 will directly buy and manage a comparatively small number of agreements with tier one suppliers or contractors. Most of the opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are likely to come from further down the supply chains.

How do businesses win these contracts?
There is a three-stage process to successfully bidding for contracts:

Stage 1: register your business profile and ensure you meet the minimum requirements - your profile will then be 'published'
Stage 2: identify the contract or sub-contract opportunities and get the tender information
Stage 3: submit a successful tender

The ODA and LOCOG have set up the London 2012 Business Network - Opens in a new window specifically to help businesses in this process. Your starting point should be to visit the website, where you will find information on:

• Information - supplier guides, notification of future opportunities and project requirements
• Events - local events to help people understand the processes involved with working with the London 2012 Games
• CompeteFor - and online 'dating agency' to help match supplier companies with contract or tender opportunities

To bid for contracts or to be considered for sub-contracts, businesses MUST be registered and published on CompeteFor - Opens in a new window. Once registered with CompeteFor, businesses will automatically receive news of future tender opportunities from tier two suppliers or below. You also need to register on CompeteFor to view current London 2012 tender opportunities

What information and help is available from Business Link?
In the South West the Business Link service is the primary source of free information and advice. This will include:

• Free information pack - Opens in a new window and on-line support via this website. 
• Local enquiry specialists who will be able to provide guidance on registration and getting published
• Dedicated business advisers who will work with individual businesses, or groups of businesses, to help secure 'publication'
• Expert advice and help with bidding and then delivering contracts
• Links to local experts and specialist service providers to support this process

Business Link's objective is to ensure local businesses are able to bid, win and deliver Olympic contracts. This is likely to involve significant development and change within many businesses. Our advisers will conduct a review of your business to help in this process and link you to ongoing support. The Business Link service is free. Call 0845 600 9966 or take a look at the information available on this website.

The CompeteFor website - Opens in a new window provides extensive help to businesses registering on-line. In addition, there is a dedicated helpline available on 0845 2177804.

How do I start this process?
You must register your business profile on CompeteFor - Opens in a new window. From this point you need to achieve 'publication', which effectively acknowledges that you have met all the basic selection and quality criteria specified by the ODA.

The registration process is straightforward. It is essential that you have all the necessary information. There are also a number of policy and process issues that are key to achieving publication of your profile.

It is essential for all businesses that you have a Quality Management Statement.

Businesses with 5 or more employees must also have an Equal Opportunities Policy and a Health and Safety Policy.

It may also help the publication of your profile and your selection for tender opportunities if you have an Environmental Policy and a Sustainable Development Policy. These will not block your publication, but you may well be asked for them if you bid for work. At this stage, a mere 'yes' or 'no' answer will suffice, but if you bid, you may well be asked to provide documentary evidence, so it's important that you have these in place.

If you do not have relevant policies or statements then Business Link can help. Call 0845 600 9966 or see the sections referred to in the links above.

What help is available when I get 'published'?
The Business Link service is designed to help you just as much after you are 'published'.

Our information and advisory teams will:

• Help you identify new Olympic or public sector contract opportunities
• Provide information and guidance on preparing your bid
• Help you develop your business to deliver any bids you win
• Help you continue to grow and secure additional public and private sector contract opportunities

The 2012 Olympic games in the South West
This is where you can find all the latest information about what's happening locally. The London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will transform people's lives and revitalise communities throughout the South West. The Games represent the single most significant opportunity in our lifetime to build on the strengths of the region; to develop our business base, involve our communities, drive up sports participation and to inspire our young people to believe in the power of the Olympic ethos, to be the best that they can be. For more information, go to the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) 2012 Olympic Games webpages - Opens in a new window

Support for other organisations and business networks
Business Link are very keen to work with all organisations to help promote the business opportunities linked to the 2012 Games. We can supply a DVD and presentations that can be shown at events. Alternatively Business Link will attend events and run presentations that explain the 2012 Games opportunity and the support available through the Business Link service.  For more information call 0845 600 9966.

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