Is it too late to tender for Olympic projects

Thankfully, that is not the case and there are still plenty of tender writing opportunities out there, whether or not they relate directly to the Olympics or part of the support infrastructure. Despite having been relentlessly advertised since around 2008, the planning and organisation of the event has been an on-going process, meaning new opportunities are being advertised all the time.

Most of the current, direct tender opportunities for the 2012 Olympics are advertised on CompeteFor (http://www.competefor.com), which is the tender portal of choice for London 2012 Olympics organisers. This site is not specific to Olympics 2012 so it is worthwhile perusing other public sector opportunities once you have registered, although the Olympics is its main focus. The site is free to join and is funded by a partnership between The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and other public sector organisations that are involved.

Once you are registered with CompeteFor, it is worth setting up a comprehensive business profile. Not only will this allow you to apply for any tenders you find whilst searching the site, it will also be used to match your business with current tenders. The site also allows you to track your tenders and store tender related information for future use.

Whilst nearly all of the infrastructure contracts are in place, there are still plenty of opportunities for those in other sectors. The Aug – Dec 11 tender opportunities brochure indicates that they are at the stage now of seeking tenders for:

– Artists/Performers and other visual entertainment opportunities

– Goods and services for opening and closing ceremonies (London 2012 Ceremonies Ltd)

– Crowd Control barriers

– Ticket resellers/parking permits etc.

– Sport equipment (e.g. tennis equipment)

– Flowers

– Bus/Coach services, Taxi’s and private hire, parking management

– Lighting rigging, landscaping, signage etc.

As with all major events, from weddings to Olympic Games, often the finishing touches are the most complex, varied and, unexpectedly expensive. This just means there are tender opportunities for all kinds of businesses, whether supply or service orientated. And the above are just available now, there will be more each month.

In essence, then, there are still many, varied opportunities for those companies wishing to tender for the Olympics 2012. It is essential that you get involved now to be in with a chance of securing contracts as competition will be fierce. There are considerably more decorative flower suppliers in Europe than there are construction companies so it is vital that you ensure your tenders are of the highest quality. It is worth also, when tendering at this level, to invest in professional tender writing services, in particular those with previous experience of tendering to the public sector or Olympics.