With just over a year to go until the start of the London 2012 Games, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has announced it is coming to the end of its procurement after awarding more than 1,500 direct contracts worth over £6 billion, 98 per cent of which have gone to UK-based companies.

These direct contracts have resulted in tens of thousands of supply chain contracts spread across the UK. For example, the ODA’s contract for the construction of the Olympic Stadium resulted in work for 240 UK companies plus many more sub-contractors.

This included the turf which was grown in Scunthorpe, seats from Luton, steel from Bolton, and concrete terracing units from Taunton.

And over 40 UK companies, plus many more sub-contractors, won work on the Velodrome, including the timber for the track from Sheffield, seating structures from Barnsley and the internal cladding from Cambridge.

ODA chairman, John Armitt, said: “The Olympic Park project is on schedule and budget and we have successfully hit all of our milestones over the last five years.

“This is thanks to the skill and professionalism of thousands of British businesses who have won contracts and shown the rest of the world what UK plc can achieve.

“The Olympic Park is a great showcase for UK industry and many companies have used it to go on and win work on other projects across the world.

“When we welcome the world to London next summer, tens of thousands of people from right across the UK will know that they played a part in building the stage for the greatest show on earth.”

The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) is expected to award more than £700 million worth of contracts by 2012.

Opportunities are advertised via the CompeteFor portal and forthcoming opportunities include front of house lighting for venues, fire alarms and PA systems.

LOCOG chair, Sebastian, Coe said: “London 2012 has already been great news for British business - and there’s more to come. The new permanent venues are mostly constructed and the Olympic Park is progressing well in advance of next summer.

“The teams at LOCOG are now concentrating on finalising our plans to stage the Olympic and Paralympic Games – we are about half way through our own procurement programme and there are lots more opportunities for British business to be part of the greatest show on earth.”

City.Mobi

Also in the UK today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new guide to London.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

London.Mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.