FIRMS in Scotland have been urged to consider bidding for upcoming contracts for the delivery of HS2.
It comes after those leading the multi-billion project revealed that the number of businesses in Scotland to have so far registered an interest in becoming a HS2 supplier is ‘significantly’ lower than in other parts of the UK.
Around £18 billion worth of contracts have already been awarded for the project, with over 2,000 firms having won work – 98% of which being British businesses. HS2 Ltd said that it estimates the figure will reach £25 billion by the end of 2022.
Robin Lapish, HS2 Ltd’s supply chain manager said, “Scotland has a huge talent pool and leads the way in sectors including technology and engineering, creative industries, renewables and low carbon.
“There are countless opportunities for local businesses to be winning work into the next decade and beyond. A contract with HS2 could turbocharge growth and help sustain and create new jobs as businesses strive to bounce back from the pandemic.”
David Leven, head of economic opportunities at Scottish Enterprise, added, “Scotland has a real wealth of expertise in engineering, technology and renewables, as well as a rich history in the rail industry.
“HS2 is a huge infrastructure project and, as we move into post-Covid economic recovery, there is a huge opportunity for businesses in Scotland to be involved in a venture which could provide work for decades and will have a legacy for generations.
“Being involved in HS2 has the potential to expose contractors to new global markets emerging through the move to more sustainable railways. At Scottish Enterprise, we are helping to support Scottish SMEs get ready for this with our development of an international rail cluster, and we look forward to seeing businesses here play their part in one of the biggest rail and environmental projects of our time.”
HS2 Ltd and its construction partners use the CompeteFor model to help match demand with supply. All subcontract opportunities are advertised on the portal, and businesses who set up a company profile can receive tailored alerts to opportunities that match their trade.
Robin added, “It takes minutes to set up a company profile on the CompeteFor platform and that simple step could be vital to a business securing its future. Just 29 companies in Scotland have won work on HS2 so far and we really want to see that figure grow.”
