The inclusive Commonwealth Legacy Programme (ICLP), a new initiative to support Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority (BAME) owned businesses in bidding for and securing contracts for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, has been launched.
The ICLP, an innovative partnership created through collaboration from the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP), Aston University, the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games team, Commonwealth Chamber of Commerce, and the Legacy Centre of Excellence Birmingham, will also support businesses to bid for wider global opportunities.
Over the course of 12 months, 50 BAME businesses split into two cohorts will undertake six modules delivered as half-day workshops, and six peer-to-peer mentoring sessions with topics including measuring social value, procurement and bid tendering, and disruptive digital marketing.
The businesses involved will also have fully-funded bilateral trade membership to the Commonwealth Chamber, which offers additional support through events, training and opportunities to export to Commonwealth countries.
The official launch was held at the Legacy Centre for Excellence in Birmingham, where alongside hearing from businesses already accepted to the programme, the call was put out for applications for the second cohort, which will run from September 2020 to March 2021.
The ICLP initiative has been funded by GBSLEP.
David Grady, Chief Financial Officer for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, who attended the launch, said "Businesses from across Birmingham and the West Midlands could benefit from around £300 million of contracts for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and this new initiative is a great way of ensuring that local businesses are ready to respond as soon as relevant opportunities go live.
“We’re already regularly speaking to businesses across the region, about the fantastic opportunities that the Games is bringing. We also have nearly 7,000 potential suppliers set up to receive notifications through our business portal but this initiative goes one step further and will provide valuable support and insight for all of the businesses involved.”
Applications for the second cohort of 25 businesses are open until 29 May. For further information on the ICLP and to register for the second cohort of 25 businesses, visit: www.gbslepgrowthhub.co.uk/commonwealthlegacyprogramme
Information povided by Birmingham 2022