Region makes late bid to scoop Olympic gold

Mar 19 2008 Evening Gazette

MORE THAN 150 North-east firms have entered the race for Olympic contracts.

The news follows a report by Lloyds TSB yesterday, which claimed more than 80% of Tees Valley businesses didn’t rank themselves as contenders for more than £4bn of business generated by the event.

One NorthEast, which launched a web-based tendering system, CompeteFor, in January, said it had been encouraged by the takeup so far, although Business Link, which holds four workshops next month encouraging small and medium sized companies to get on the blocks, acknowledged it was fighting an ‘it’s not for me’ mindset among smaller businesses.

Mike Lakinski, business development manager for Tees Valley, said: “Small man bands with 20 people feel they can’t compete with larger blue chip companies - they can, but they have to work together for mutual benefit.”

Business Link procurement master classes in Middlesbrough, Guisborough, Wynyard and Darlington, will brief companies on the disciplines and information needed to line up for the big prize.

“People need to switch on to the fact that these are winnable, but procurement now is very stringent,” said Mr Lakinski.