Member Article

Tech start-up secures over £50m of contracts for small businesses

Teesside-based tech start-up, OPPORTUNI, announces contract wins for its clients exceeding £50m over the last quarter, boosting commerce across the UK at a crucial business recovery turning point.

New data published on 7th May shows that government spending with small and medium sized businesses continues to rise with more than £15bn paid to SMEs to help deliver vital public services in 2019/20.

The number of public sector contract opportunities being released has increased significantly month-on-month as the Government continues to invest heavily in products and services with an aim to invigorate local economies.

Tim Ward, CEO at OPPORTUNI, said: “The amount of government spending with SMEs is at its highest rate in almost a decade. This is very exciting news for businesses considering expanding their horizons by exploring public sector contracts – now a really viable option to boost business growth.”

In the last quarter, OPPORTUNI has seen a real shift in interest, as companies look to gain stability through long-term, high value contracts.

Tim continued: “We have seen a huge increase in interest from companies looking to work with local councils and NHS trusts in the last business quarter, resulting in a surge in contract wins to the value of over £50m, all awarded to small and medium sized businesses across the UK.”

Some of the fruitful OPPORTUNI-derived wins have included a software contract for a Leeds-based company with the Scottish Government, agreements for a concrete contractor building bridges and Tunnels for HS2, award of Covid-19 test kit distribution deals, and numerous waste management and recycling contracts.

Based in the North East, HLA Services Ltd., provide essential compliance and operational services specialising in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and renewables.

HLA Services started working with OPPORTUNI in 2020 to support their plans to source suitable public sector contracts as part of their business growth strategy.

Neil Henry, director at HLA Services, said: “We’ve seen huge changes in the way we work with growing compliance and Health & Safety requirements alongside vast changes in legislation. I knew that to continue to thrive, we would need to evolve our business model to ensure future sustainability.

“We signed up with OPPORTUNI as the prospects available were much more in-depth and relevant than other search engines that are out there.

“We’ve successfully bid for and won numerous contracts through OPPORTUNI, including Durham University, Newcastle University, Northumbria Police and Tyne & Wear Fire and Rescue Service.”

Neil added: “As the opportunities listed tend to be Government or Local Authority led, they often represent longer term contracts, which offers our business more stability and contributes to long-term planning and sustainability.”

Coupled with the promise of evolved and more accessible procurement systems in the Procurement Bill, expected later this year, bidding for and contracting with government departments is becoming increasingly achievable for small businesses and start-ups.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tori Lynn .