Small and diverse suppliers engagement event

Are you a London-based small or diverse-led business?

Do you want to learn more about winning contracts with some of London’s biggest organisations?

Join our market engagement event on Monday 19 May from 9.30am - 1pm at the Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability, E16.

Through LAIN (the London Anchor Institutions’ Network) some of London’s biggest organisations have come together, supported by the Mayor of London, to buy more of their goods and services from small and diverse-led businesses in London.

Over the last three years, members of LAIN such as Transport for London, the Greater London Authority, London Fire Brigade, the Metropolitan Police, NHS London, University of London, Capital City College Group, OPDC and LLDC have awarded 2,800 contracts and £2.72bn to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

This event, run by LAIN in partnership with MSDUK, will be an opportunity for you to:

• hear directly from organisations like Transport for London, the NHS and the University of East London about how they are opening up opportunities for small and diverse businesses in their supply chains
• learn about how the Procurement Act and National Procurement Policy Statement is changing practice in anchor institutions and creating new opportunities for small businesses
• hear success stories from small businesses who have won contracts with anchor institutions
• connect with business support organisations like Grow London Local, MSDUK and London Chamber of Commerce
• network with other small and diverse-led businesses, anchor institutions and support organisations.

This event is suitable for:

• London-based Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) delivering services in the categories of professional services, facilities management, HR and recruitment, fleet supply and construction
• London-based diverse-led enterprises. By 'diverse led' we mean organisations where 51% or more of the board and senior management team identify as: Black, Asian and Ethnically diverse, Disabled, Female, LGBT+

who want to find out more about entering anchor institution supply chains.

Please note:

• this event is focused on providing business development support and an introduction to contracting with anchor institutions
• there will be networking opportunities, but this is not a ‘meet the buyer’ event
• as space is limited, we can only accommodate one attendee per organisation.