Helping small suppliers gain contracts

Small and medium-sized firms in east London are being helped to take advantage of opportunities arising from regeneration projects in the Thames Gateway area and London's 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.[QQ]The East London Business Place (www.elbp.co.uk) aims to match local suppliers with private sector clients to help small firms to win contracts. The programme is being funded by the London Development Agency. It operates across ten London boroughs. In each borough there is a supplier development officer to support local firms. The project was officially launched last month. Gay Harrington, director of the East London Business Place, answers our questions.