Northen Ireland companies win Olympic contracts

Finance Minister Nigel Dodds welcomed the award of contracts for the 2012 Olympic Games to Northern Ireland companies.

Lagan Construction Ltd Belfast, has won a contract to build a key footbridge from the Olympics Stadium to the Aquatics Centre. A contract to supply security fencing has been awarded to Rogers Fencing Systems Ltd, Draperstown and Telestack International Ltd, Omagh has been successful in their bid to install equipment for a concrete contractor.

Speaking during Oral Question Time in the Assembly, Mr Dodds said: “I visited the Olympic Park site last month to see at first hand the procurement opportunities available to Northern Ireland firms to bid for valuable contracts associated with the London 2012 Olympic Games.”

“I met with John Armitt, Chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority, who confirmed that there are thousands of opportunities available to work with Olympic Delivery Authority contractors and their supply chains.

“I strongly urge all local firms, and in particular small and medium sized enterprises, to bid for supply chain contracts by using the Invest NI CompeteFor web portal or the new eSourcing NI tendering system, launched by my department’s Central Procurement Directorate (CPD)."

The Minister continued: “Three Northern Ireland companies have already won work with the Olympic Delivery Authority which proves that local firms have the expertise and capability to challenge for, and win work, beyond Northern Ireland’s shores, bringing additional benefit to our economy.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The eSourcing NI tendering system, launched by CPD in May 2008, provides opportunities for local firms to access procurement opportunities outside Northern Ireland.
2. Users can access £80billion worth of contracts including London 2012. The CPD website has a link to the CompeteFor web portal.
3. The CompeteFor website was launched by Invest NI in April 2008 as part of the London 2012 Business Network. This portal is open to all NI businesses and is specifically designed to support SMEs to bid for valuable supply chain contracts for London 2012.
4. The portal matches companies to thousands of opportunities to supply London 2012 contractors. Local companies can register their profiles on the website for consideration by buyers in the supply chain.
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