A website which could help small IT companies bid for contracts for London's Olympic Games has gone live.
The London 2012 Business Network was launched at Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium to an audience of more than 600 business people.
"It will contain all kinds of contracts, including IT," a spokesperson for the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) told GC News on Friday.
"The idea is that, if our contractors have some kind of IT requirement, then they will advertise it through the website. So it could be small-scale IT maintenance, software or hardware, or any aspect of IT supply," said the spokesperson.
The network is divided into three sections: firstly, there is a section for information on upcoming opportunities; secondly, a section for business events; and, thirdly, a "CompeteFor" service, which the ODA describes as a "business dating agency" that will match companies to thousands of opportunities for supplying London 2012 contractors.
The ODA and the London Organising Committee are expecting allocations of more than £6bn of work as part of an estimated 75,000 future business opportunities. Up to a fifth of these opportunities are expected to go through the CompeteFor system.
ODA chair John Armitt said: "The ODA has already let contracts worth over £1bn. Most of these opportunities have been won by small and medium-sized companies and around half are based outside of London."
Read this
Feature: Ten things holding back tech
Ever get the feeling that we aren't quite yet where we want to be? Here are 10 factors that may be holding back the world's technological development...
"The vast majority of business opportunities remain to be let and this year represents a huge opportunity for UK businesses," Armitt added.
Business minister Stephen Timms commented: "CompeteFor will give firms access to our business-support services through Business Link, which will help them grow and develop their business, not only for the Games, but as a lasting legacy for the future."
