A COMPANY that helps firms bid for lucrative public sector contracts has seen its business soar as companies scramble to secure work during the recession.

Newcastle company Buyers Guide has been working alongside businesses across the country for 13 years to help them secure council projects and visits to its website have grown from 350,000 a week in 2007 to 900,000 a week this year as bosses turn to the public sector for work.

The economic crisis has seen private sector contracts dry up, particularly in construction, which has led to more intense competition among contractors to secure any public work they can.

Buyers Guide, which operates from www.buyersguide.co.uk , believes it can increase its turnover from £700,000 to more than £1m by the end of the year as its site grows in popularity. It expects to add 10 people to its workforce of 15 in the same period as part of plans to open a third office, in London. It has just opened its second office, in Leeds, where it has eight staff, as part of its efforts to create closer relationships with local contractors.

The firm works by advertising competitive tenders worth more than £130,000 on its site, with contracts under that value available through the site with the agreement of the council involved.

Managing director Gerard O’Rourke said: "We have seen a rush of people to the website over recent months as the Government begins to bring its public spending forward.

"This has particularly been the case in construction, with a number of education and health service projects going to the market.

"Now that we are well established, we want to open up offices around the country so that we are closer to our clients and can better serve their needs."