16 Jan 2019

Transport for Wales are offering opportunities for small and medium businesses in Wales to be part of the investment project that will transform the transport sector.

Starting in January, Business Wales will be running free workshops at different locations throughout the country, helping provide guidance for Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs).  Transport for Wales are developing a framework of suppliers to work with them to improve transport connectivity and provide wider benefits to the economies and communities of Wales.

The workshops will focus on Human Resources and Sustainability and SMEs will be given the opportunity to look at these requirements in greater detail and provided with advice; improving their chances of winning the tenders.

The ‘HR Essentials’ workshop will provide a background to the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act to help SMEs respond to tender Pre-Qualification Questions on the Code of Practice on Ethical Employment in Supply Chains.  The ‘Sustainability Essentials’ workshop will be centralised around sustainability issues including minimising waste, forest stewardship and decarbonisation.   

Howard Jacobson, Tendering Adviser at Business Wales, said:

“Business Wales have a plan in place to advise and help businesses all over Wales to become ‘Fit for Tender’ and be able to take advantage of this exciting opportunity over the next 15 years.

“Transport for Wales have an absolute commitment to ensuring that SMEs within Wales are able to take part in the supply of goods and services; and Business Wales will be delivering fully-funded workshops and advisory support to assist all levels of SMEs in the tendering process.”

James Price, Transport for Wales CEO added:

“Welsh Government, via Transport for Wales, is investing £5 billion in the Transport Sector in Wales over the next fifteen years.  We are at the start of a very exciting journey and we want SMEs within Wales to be part of that journey and benefit from the investment.

At Transport for Wales we are fully aligned to the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act and these workshops demonstrate our commitment to socio-economic development throughout Wales.  We encourage SMEs to attend.”     

Transport Minister Ken Skates commented:

“The Business Wales workshops will provide help and guidance for small and medium-sized businesses in relation to the tender process and will assist them with improving the quality of their application.

“This significant investment into our transport sector should benefit not just passengers in their journeys to work and for recreation, but should support the economy as widely as possible, and I hope as many of our SMEs take full advantage of these opportunities.”