East End company wins £300,000 steel contract for National Indoor Sports Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome through Commonwealth Games Business Portal
Parkhead Welding Company has won the £305,000 contract to deliver the miscellaneous metalwork for the National Indoor Sports Arena (NISA) and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.
The firm, located just a few hundred metres from the NISA and Velodrome site, won the contract through the Commonwealth Games Business Portal. Parkhead Welding Company, established in 1971, has a core workforce of 25 people.
The Commonwealth Games Business Portal provides the essential opportunity for businesses to find out all the information necessary to compete for contracts related to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. All the relevant goods, works and services relating to the Games will be sourced through the portal.
Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd was awarded the main contract for the National Indoor Sports Arena and the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, which will be used for badminton and track cycling at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Around £70million worth of sub-contracts related to this site from have been advertised and are available to companies who are registered and ‘Business Ready’ on the portal.
To illustrate the success of the portal in achieving this, it should be noted that Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd was only made aware of Parkhead Welding through the portal. Parkhead Welding had previously tendered for another opportunity at the NISA site, but faced on the feedback received from Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd they were able to significantly improve their submission for this opportunity.
The portal is an online business networking and matching service that publishes both public and private sector Games-related contract opportunities. Hundreds of millions of pounds of contracts will be available through the portal - with around £140million already advertised - and more than 11,000 companies have already registered.
The successful delivery of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games will require a huge number of goods, work and services from firms of all sizes. To help make this part of the delivery as smooth as possible, the Commonwealth Games Business Portal was created.
Examples of these goods, works and services include everything from service contracts like catering and security to massive construction projects. Companies of all sizes can compete for Games-related contracts.
Firms that wish to be considered for Games-related contracts must pre-register their details and complete the ‘Business Readiness’ questionnaire successfully. This is done through a straightforward, free, online process that should take no longer than 10 minutes. To be registered as ‘Business Ready’ an organisation must provide details on Health and Safety Policy, Quality Policy and other key elements.
It is expected that the portal will benefit businesses by helping firms to develop their business networks, providing buyers with the widest possible network to engage with a diverse supply chain, giving access to business support networks and identifying potential partners for the formation of an onward supply chain. In addition, by bidding for contracts and receiving feedback, companies will be in a better position to bid for future opportunities.
Councillor Archie Graham, Executive Member for the Commonwealth Games at Glasgow City Council, said: “I am delighted to see that the Commonwealth Games Business Portal has given another local firm the opportunity to tender for and win a contract to help deliver the National Indoor Sports Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome. This highlights the quality of our workforce in Glasgow, and I am sure will continue to see businesses in the city benefiting from registering on the portal by gaining such contracts.”
John Scott, Chief Executive of Glasgow 2014 Ltd, said: “A small East End company winning a contract of this size demonstrates the way that the Commonwealth Games Business Portal has provided a level playing field for businesses of all sizes to get their hands on some of the economic gold that is generated by hosting a major sporting event. On 23rd July we will be celebrating Four Years to Go, and with that comes four more years of opportunities for companies to win contracts with Glasgow 2014.”
Neil MacIndeor, Contracts Director at Parkhead Welding, said: “We are delighted to have won this contract - through the Commonwealth Games Business Portal - with Sir Robert McAlpine. We are particularly pleased as the work is right on our doorstep and will help us not only maintain a viable future and ongoing employment for our workforce but also develop the company.”
Jane Gotts, Programme Director at BusinessClub Scotland said: “This is great news for Parkhead Welding Company and an excellent example of the real opportunities that exist for Scottish companies to capitalise on the economic opportunities that the 2014 Commonwealth Games present. By being business ready and taking on board advice and support from partner organisations Scottish businesses can achieve success.”
The Commonwealth Games Business Portal was developed by Glasgow City Council, in partnership with Glasgow 2014 Ltd, the Organising Committee for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
It should also be noted that businesses can use the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Business Portal to access all Glasgow City Council contracts. Businesses interested in contracts relating to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games should register at www.glasgow2014.com/businessportal