Still time to be included on 2010 World Cup database of suppliers

THE 2010 Soccer World Cup brings with it countless business opportunities. However, with three years to go before the big event, business owners feel that the Fifa World Cup South Africa Local Organising Committee (LOC) have not done enough to make them aware of these opportunities.

But now it seems the LOC have become aware of this and are trying to make amends by giving business owners who missed out on the August deadline for inclusion in their procurement database a second chance to access some of the opportunities from the World Cup.

The LOC’s procurement database gives registered businesses the first opportunity to supply the LOC with services and goods such as accommodation, catering, recruitment and World Cup uniforms.

Advertisements were published in four Sunday newspapers earlier this year and business owners had until 31 August to submit registration forms.

To register on the database businesses had to submit tax clearance and VAT registration certificates, as well as proof of their empowerment status.

Tumi Makgabo (pictured above), media liaison for the LOC, says so far they have received over 5 000 submissions from businesses from all sectors and from all nine provinces.

She says they will not turn away late submissions but will capture these on an “informal” database which they would also use when sourcing suppliers.

But business owners who missed the advertisements in the newspapers when they were published in August, will get another chance to come into consideration for these opportunities.

Makgabo explains: “If we cannot find the appropriate supplier (on the database) for the particular service we need we will advertise the tenders and contracts in the media.”

Makgabo says the LOC will advertise in the media every year for business owners to register to their database. Lamla Mapukata, who owns Khayelitsha business AL Tours and Catering, says he was not aware of the LOC’s procurement database.

He says he is disappointed that he missed the deadline for submissions, especially as he has identified the 2010 Soccer World Cup as an opportunity to grow his business.

He feels that the LOC could have made more of an effort to market the database, especially to businesses in the disadvantaged communities.

Makgaba says the advertisements in the Sunday newspapers was the most effective way for them to reach all business owners.

Other than sending every business owner an email, which is logistically impossible, I don’t see what else we could have done, says Makgabo.

She advises business owners to join a chamber as chambers tend to be on the look out for such opportunities and would inform their members about it.