As part of efforts to support SME involvement with HS2, a new series of weekly webinars has been unveiled by HS2 Ltd to offer advice and guidance on potential contract opportunities.
Through their ‘Work with us Wednesdays’ series, which were first by HS2’s business engagement team in June 2020, the organisation behind the UK’s new high speed railway have been able to work with delegates and local communities to understand the scale of the opportunities to work on HS2 and how to bid for upcoming contracts.
Since those initial webinars last year, HS2 has received government approval to extend the railway to Crewe, beginning HS2’s route north, as well as achieving key construction milestones such as the launching of the first of ten giant tunnel boring machines which will operate on the Birmingham-London section of the route.
Ahead of the next crucial stages of the HS2 project, HS2 Ltd is preparing its latest set of webinars to educate and support the supply chain around their involvement.
It’s one-hour webinars will begin on June 9, 2021 and run for six consecutive weeks.
Each session is intended to cover a different theme, from championing the importance of social value through to driving innovation in the project. All of the themes are intended to help businesses - particularly SMEs - understand how they can stand during the procurement process and boost their chances of winning a contract.
HS2 Ltd has already awarded around £18m worth of contracts, with a significant proportion of this value expected to extend out to the wider supply chain.
By the end of 2022, this figure is estimated to reach around £25m.
HS2’s Procurement and Supply Chain Director, Andrew Cubitt, said: “Investing just an hour or two of your time over the next six weeks really could be the start of something big; the chance to secure the future growth of your business and your workforce.
“We want British businesses to take the lead in building Britain’s new railway, and this is a great first step to ensuring that your company is among those creating a cleaner, greener future for us all.”
Matt Hadlington, HS2’s Business Engagement Manager added: “These events will show just how simple it is to register an interest in joining HS2’s supply chain.
“So, if you’re wondering whether there’s an opening for you, this really is a quick and simple way to find out.”
More than 2,000 businesses have already won work on HS2, with UK-based businesses making up 98% of the contracts awarded to date.
Join us on June 16th for a virtual event around ED&I, including our panel on ED&I in Procurement, which features HS2 Ltd's Mark Lomas. Register to attend here.
