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Waking up to the Olympic dream!
18 August 2008
While the nation is gripped with Olympic fever emanating from the
Beijing games, companies in the West Midlands are not making the
most of the opportunities created by the 2012 Games in the UK.
Declan Cushley, partner at Birmingham law firm Browne Jacobson,
provides some advice to companies looking for growth from the
Olympics.
Although it’s difficult to obtain specific figures on the number
of Olympic contracts that have been won by West Midlands firms, the
news this month that just 22 of the 600-plus construction contracts
had gone to local businesses confirmed a hunch I had had for a
while: despite the efforts of the regional development authority,
Advantage West Midlands (AWM), and other agencies to promote the
commercial opportunities created by the 2012 Games, the region’s
businesses have not really woken up to the significant growth
potential the event has created.
For while many totally capable and eligible manufacturers,
caterers, service providers, printers, security businesses and
transport companies in the region are still thinking about the 2012
Olympics, many of their competitors are already out of the blocks.
And while the games are still four years away, what’s not realised
is that many contracts – in addition to those relating to the
construction of facilities – have already been awarded. Think about
the huge amount of other products and services that need to be
ready for 2012 and you get some idea of the scope of opportunity.
The games will need not just world class stadia, accommodation and
medals, but also meals, printed material, cutlery, cups, signage,
storage equipment, carpets, IT, media services, transport, mobile
telecoms, clothing and of course flowers for those all important
award ceremonies!
Too many smaller businesses think that the process to register
an interest in the 2012 games is too much bother and only for the
bigger companies. This is not the case and all companies need to do
is produce a ‘profile’ for their organisation, including basic
information on such topics as employment policies, equal
opportunities, health and safety and a statement on diversity
within their organisation. While this may sound onerous to many
smaller businesses, it is no more demanding than the basic
requirements when tendering for any public sector work. Once this
profile is complete, your company details are there on the
CompeteFor system, which automatically informs you of all relevant
forthcoming contracts.
The 2012 Business Network – the portal used by companies to
compete for contracts - has three component parts: essential
information on upcoming opportunities and how to supply London
2012; business events; and the new ‘CompeteFor’ service, a business
‘dating agency’ that will match companies to thousands of
opportunities supplying London 2012 contractors. Up to a fifth of
London 2012 supply chain opportunities are expected to go through
the CompeteFor system.
The common misconception that is stopping smaller businesses
taking up these opportunities is that Olympic contracts are just
for the larger companies. Our recent experience proves that this is
not the case. We have just advised on the formation of a joint
venture where two companies in the construction sector have agreed
to work together to provide a solution, winning them both valuable
work from the 2012 games.
Midlands companies also need to understand that while we often
read about the large contracts signed on the construction side of
the games, there are numerous smaller contracts that are much more
suited to specialist businesses that may have never really
considered the Olympics as a source of new work.
The Olympic games in 2012 presents the West Midlands business
community with a great opportunity. When the Olympic Delivery
Authority (ODA) and London Organising Committee (LOCOG) launched
the London 2012 Business Network, it announced over £6bn of work as
part of an estimated 75,000 future business opportunities.
Clearly, the opportunities are there for the region’s
entrepreneurs, tradesmen, artists, service providers and craftsmen.
All that’s needed is the confidence, self-belief and drive to
realise the scope of opportunity.
To encourage local businesses to register their interest in the
latest batch of contracts that will be announced over the winter
months, Browne Jacobson is organising an event on November 17 in
Birmingham to provide advice and support to businesses looking to
pitch for Olympic contracts. The event will include a speaker from
AWM, the organsiation responsible for co-ordinating business’s
engagement with the 2012 games.
I urge local businesses to get involved and make the most of
this once in a lifetime opportunity. Already, many of our
competitors are out of the starting block, but it’s certainly not
too late to catch them up.
On track for 2012 : Partners Richard Nicholas and
Declan Cushley
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