CompetE-News November 2011

December 2011

When I was in Birmingham recently, the International Acrobatics and Tumbling Olympic qualification event at the National Indoor Arena coincided with my visit. The city centre was full of young people and trainers from across the world enjoying the build up to the festive season and, of course, competing. This provided a taste for what to expect in the North East next July.

We at Compete North East are working hard to help North East businesses capitalise on the opportunities presented by the Olympics such as the passing of the Torch Relay through the region and its overnight stop celebrations in Alnwick, Newcastle, Durham and Middlesbrough. Every event will require support to ensure it goes exactly as planned. We have met with a number of the organisers to make sure that opportunities for local businesses to meet these requirements are promoted.

There will also be a number of events and conferences taking place in the region before the Games which are designed to keep you informed of forthcoming opportunities. We are working with one of the world’s largest caterers to promote the best of the region’s food and drink at the Olympic Park during the Games.

Businesses who have accessed Compete North East's services have had another successful year, with over £41million in contracts, many of them related to the Olympics, awarded to businesses in the region. As we enter 2012, the excitement and celebration surrounding the Olympics is sure to build as we look forward to what is guaranteed to be a spectacular event. There are still many opportunities for businesses of all sizes and sectors across the North East to get involved in the delivery and celebration of London 2012 and we look forward to continuing to work with the region’s business community, ensuring North East firms are able to take full advantage of the unique opportunities presented by the Games and beyond.

May I and the rest of the Compete North East team take this opportunity to wish you a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous 2012.

Best Wishes,

Paul Taylor
Head of Business Engagement, Compete North East

NEPO announce Transportation and Civil Engineering Consultancy Framework

The North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO) undertakes high-value procurement in major strategic areas of spend on behalf of the twelve North East local authorities and a range of associate members. Construction is one of the largest areas of expenditure within the region, providing an opportunity for the public sector to work together in order to produce lower cost, better quality, better managed contracts. NEPO is therefore developing a framework agreement of consultants who are able to provide Transportation and Civil Engineering Consultancy Services to public organisations within the region.

The framework is divided into seven lots:

· Transport Planning Advice

· Public Transport Support

· Flood and Coastal

· Bridges and Structures

· Traffic and Highways

· Geotechnical Services

· Multi-Disciplinary Consultancy Services

Interested parties have until noon on Monday 5 December 2011 to submit a Pre Qualifying Questionnaire (PQQ). Those successful at PQQ stage will be invited to submit a tender by February 2012. The contract will be awarded in April 2012.

Click here to visit the NEPO portal to read more about this opportunity.

The NEPO portal (www.nepoportal.org) is the place for suppliers to learn about contract opportunities. Registering on the portal is a free and simple process and ensures that organisations are emailed alerts on the latest contract opportunities relevant to their area of work. Suppliers must register on the NEPO portal in order to tender for opportunities.

For further information on the Transportation and Civil Engineering Consultancy framework contact Pamela Holmes at NEPO (T:0191 433 5952, E:Pamela.holmes@nepo.org)

Big wins for region’s businesses in 2011

MORE than £123m of business has been won by North East businesses thanks to support from Compete North East.

Compete North East has been helping the region’s businesses win public and private sector contracts, including those associated with London 2012 and the Commonwealth Games since 2009 and will continue to help businesses access contracts still to be awarded for the Olympic Games.

Paul Taylor, head of business engagement at Compete North East, said: “So far in 2011 we’ve helped North East businesses secure around £41m worth of contracts. Many of these have been associated with London 2012.

“There are still plenty of opportunities to be an Olympic winner and secure a significant contract. Aside from the Olympics there is a steady pipeline of other contracts available to businesses in our region, both in the public and private sector.”

The region has been a real Olympic success story. North East companies working in construction, retail, transport, communications, professional services, law, clothing supply and many other sectors have all successfully bid for and won Olympic contracts.

One such successful business is Newcastle-based Hart Door Systems who has won several London 2012 contracts. In April 2011, the company was awarded a contract to supply and fit all the fire and security shutters at the Olympic Stadium. The company has now been awarded an 18 month contract to service and maintain the shutter doors for the Olympic Stadium.

Alan Richardson, contracts manager at Hart Door Systems said: “We are delighted to have been successful in being awarded this 18-month contract. We see service and maintenance playing an increasing part in future activities and as a result we are actively recruiting to expand the team across the UK."

Hart Door Systems approached Compete North East after winning their initial Olympic contract. Alan Richardson and other members of the Hart Doors team attended a number of workshops and received advice on completing the tender process.

Alan said; “The advice and support we received from Compete North East has been invaluable. This new contract win demonstrates the continued benefit of their support"

CompeteFor posts 10,000^th opportunity

CompeteFor, online portal set up to ‘open up’ contracts from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, has published its 10,000th opportunity since its launch in January 2008.

CompeteFor was designed by the London Development Agency, with the London Business Network and London 2012, to give small and medium-sized businesses the chance to compete for contract opportunities arising from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Other major buying organisations, such as Transport for London, Crossrail and the Metropolitan Police Service, now also use CompeteFor, resulting in around 950 ‘buying organisations’ making business opportunities available via the service.

Contracts so far awarded through CompeteFor are estimated to be worth a total of £1.9 billion. Around 73% of contracts awarded have been placed with SME businesses and 23% have gone to businesses with 10 or less staff.

To register on CompeteFor visit www.competefor.com

Dont miss out on opportunities- update your Compete North East profile

You will have recently received an email asking you to update your details on the Compete North East Database. Please respond to this- it is important- we will use this to directly inform you of new business opportunities over the coming months.

The more Compete North East know about your business, the easier it is for our team to match you to the most relevant opportunities as soon as they are published.

To update your profile, please click the link HERE

If you have any questions about the survey, or would like to discuss how Compete North East could help your business win more contracts, please contact us on 0191 426 6488.

Case Study- Wow Solutions

A Web design company has won a major contract after changing its strategy to target large-scale projects, following advice from Compete North East.

Wow Solutions, based in Durham, secured a deal with London agency Clever Box to deliver online services, beating national competitors to the lucrative contract.

The design company decided to refocus its new business strategy after approaching Compete North East for advice. Wow Solutions director Stuart Meyers attended one of the procurement service’s ‘meet the buyer’ events at Durham County Cricket Club and developed a number of significant business leads.

Stuart said: “The opportunities companies can access through services like Compete North East are hugely significant in the current economic climate where many businesses need to maximise their potential and develop in a competitive market place.”

“The ‘meet the buyer’ event we attended was a great success.

“It made us more aware of the major tender opportunities that are out there, ranging from London 2012 Olympics to large-scale construction projects. It also enabled us to network and build contacts with key decision-makers which has since resulted in Wow Solutions winning new business.

“The company is now going from strength to strength. I would recommend other businesses wishing to benefit from major procurement opportunities use the Compete North East service to find out more.”

Events

Newcastle Science City- Market Insight Workshop

Newcastle Science City’s business support team has been developed with a single-minded objective – to accelerate business ideas with high growth potential.

Business and entrepreneurs who access support benefit from the following:

- An initial sounding board
- Bespoke help to bring ideas to market using our unique insight innovation model
- Funding for specialist services for example prototyping, market research and intellectual property
- An investor readiness programme delivered in partnership with North East access to Finance

For support in relation to a specific project please call 0191 211 3015 or email simon.green@newcastlesciencecity.com to find out more.

Find out how to spot innovation opportunities within your business with a forth-coming market insight workshop.

Market Insight is about understanding how a specific change will affect the relationships and behaviours to create business opportunities. Sometimes the smallest changes can create the biggest opportunities.

Hosted by Matt Hindhaugh of Newcastle Science City and Nick Devitt of Innovation Scout, this interactive workshop will show attendees how the smallest changes within organisations can create the biggest opportunities.

Matt and Nick will use the unique approach of Newcastle Science City’s recently launched Business Opportunities Programme to demonstrate how SME business leaders from the North East can nurture entrepreneurship within their companies.

Attendees will leave the workshop with a new approach to understanding how change is creating opportunities for their own businesses, which will include:
• Finding the right business problems.
• Understanding unmet needs.
• Framing opportunities.

For further information please visit http://www.bipcnewcastle.co.uk/2011/12/market-insight-workshop/

We value your feedback! Is there anything else you would like to see in this newsletter? Does our website contain enough information? Are you happy with the Compete North East service? Let us know at enquiries@competenortheast.co.uk

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