Member Article

Portal launch event for firms seeking Fiddlers Ferry work

Warrington and Halton local authorities, along with St Helens Chamber, working with energy supplier SSE, are promoting a web portal through which local businesses can express an interest in works connected with Fiddlers Ferry Power Station.

To launch the portal, the partners are holding a ‘meet the buyer’ event, where firms will be able to directly approach both SSE and their Tier 1 suppliers.

This will be held at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington on 13 November 2013 and is applicable for all business sectors (further information on the website www.o4b-pennine.com ).

Attendance is free, but by pre-registration only, arranged via http://sse-o4b.eventbrite.co.uk.

The launch event will explain how SSE’s new Open4Business web portal works and the benefits of registration, allowing companies to view and bid for contract opportunities and receive alerts if suitable contracts are posted.

The portal is applicable for all sectors and both SSE and their principal suppliers will be updating opportunities on a regular basis.

SSE currently spends £200 million in the region and this initiative is part of SSE’s commitment to promote local procurement and source goods, works and services from small to medium enterprise organisations in the areas in which it operates.

The launch will also provide opportunities to learn about SSE’s investments in the North of England and meet other companies involved in the portal, including Costain and Hertel.

Alistair Phillips-Davies, SSE Chief Executive, said: “SSE is investing around £4million a day in new energy infrastructure throughout the UK and we want to see real economic and social benefits flow to local businesses and communities across the country as a result.

“The Open4Business portal is a critical part of our approach in creating the strongest possible local supply chain. Quite simply, if local companies want a share of our investment in their area, Open4Business is the best route to get it.”

Sandy Biggar, Director of Procurement, SSE, said: “Local businesses often tell us that they don’t get a chance to benefit as much as they should from developments and work in their area, with awareness of available contracts a key issue. O4B will bridge this gap and make contract opportunities highly visible in an easy-to-use website.

“Working in conjunction with our public sector stakeholders, O4B will help local businesses to take advantage of opportunities that arise from the construction, maintenance and operation of assets in the region.”

Steve Park, managing director, Warrington & Co., said: “This is a great opportunity for local businesses in the sub-region to access and take advantage of the many contract opportunities that SSE have available in the area.

“I am sure that I speak for my colleagues in Halton and St Helens in commending SSE on this initiative and heralding it as an example of good practice”.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .