Local business leaders from East London, the Civil Engineering Contractors Association and the Construction Products Association have met with representatives from the Crossrail regarding how they could win work for the £14.8bn contract.
Delegates at Crossrail's second annual Meet the Contractor event heard from the project's chief executive, Andrew Wolstenholme, about the project, and the types of contracts that will arise over the years ahead and what they need to do to maximise their chances of winning work on Crossrail.
Throughout the day over 200 targeted ‘one to one’ appointments between Crossrail’s principal contractors and suppliers of all sizes, took place.
The appointments were pre-scheduled to match contractors with relevant suppliers offering the products and services that will be in demand over the coming year.
The event is part of broader efforts being made by Crossrail to ensure that businesses from right around the UK make the most of the opportunities that the project presents.
Crossrail intends to hold a series of regional events to raise awareness off the project among businesses outside of London and the South East, starting with a visit to Northern Ireland at the end of May.
Crossrail has already awarded direct, tier 1 contracts with a value of £6.5bn. More than three in five businesses currently winning work throughout Crossrail’s supply chain are based outside London and over half are small and medium sized businesses.
Throughout the project it is estimated the equivalent of 55,000 full time jobs across the UK will be offered.
Martin Rowark, director of procurement at Crossrail, said: 'These events are a bit like match making for businesses. On the one hand you have our principal contractors who will be letting billions of pounds worth of contracts, on the other you have firms looking to get work on the project.
'Crossrail would like to thank Canary Wharf Group plc for donating the venue and the East London Business Place, through its Fit for Legacy programme, for its help and support in sourcing and matching SME suppliers and organising and putting on the event.'
Gay Harrington, Fit for Legacy director at the East London Business Place, said: 'The tangible commercial benefits for companies winning contracts provide a more robust financial platform upon which to build sustainable SME growth and associated local employment opportunities.'
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