Member Article

Vela Group offers SMEs new tender opportunities

The Vela Group is opening up significant opportunities to small and medium businesses via a new online tendering process in collaboration with Constructionline.

Vela, which comprises of Tristar Homes in Stockton and Housing Hartlepool, manages more than 17,000 affordable homes in the area. In a bid to provide work to a wider range of contractors, Vela have made the decision to revamp its tendering processes to make it easier to bid for work.

In the year 2011/2021, Vela put out to tender construction work worth nearly £2 million. Now, instead of having its own Approved Contractor Lists, Vela will use Constructionline, a Government database of assessed contractors and consultants.

The change will save time and money for contractors by reducing duplication when bidding to work with Vela. Once registered with Constructionline, organisations will no longer have to repeatedly fill in standard pre-qualification forms for every construction tender.

Cath Purdy, Vela Group Chief Executive, said: “Vela’s considerable investment portfolio not only improves homes and the surrounding environment, but also provides a substantial boost to the area’s economy.

“Both Housing Hartlepool and Tristar Homes spend tens of millions of pounds a year on goods and services and cascading opportunities down the supply chain has the potential to create and safeguard jobs within the region.

“By engaging Constructionline, Vela will be able to target smaller contracts at local SMEs, which are best placed to deliver lower value projects. This in turn will contribute to area’s economic well-being and the local regeneration agenda.”

To update existing and potential contractors about its new tendering procedures, Vela is holding an Open day for information and awareness purposes on Thursday May 17 at Wynyard Park, Wynyard.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .