Research question: What are the best ways to ensure local suppliers play a greater role in large infrastructure projects?
Anne-Sophie Tétreault, Senior Expert, Cognibox
Across Canada there is unprecedented alignment between governments on the need for major infrastructure investment. This investment aims to deliver a short-term stimulus that will provide employment and training opportunities, and in the long-term will leave behind a road, bridge, or hospital that can serve the community for generations. The challenge governments face is how to squeeze the most benefit out of these investments for local communities.
As obvious place to start is to look at ways to help smaller local suppliers be in a better position to win contracts. For local suppliers these major infrastructure projects represent a unique opportunity to win a major piece of work; and to use the experience as a catalyst to get exposure to new practices, make valuable business connections, and invest in staff. Given the complexity of some of these projects, and the bidding processes involved, it can be very difficult for smaller local companies to find a way in.
Enabling greater participation from local businesses in major infrastructure projects makes sense from a number of angles. For an economic perspective it provides local jobs and boosts skills, and provides more competition to help manage overall costs. But it also has benefits around risk management. As projects become more susceptible to local opposition which can cause delays, proactively engaging local companies is one obvious way to demonstrate a project’s local value to reduce that risk.
We are seeing some great examples of entire organizations and individual project teams using a variety of methods to reduce the barriers to participation for smaller local companies. We are excited to work with the Infrastructure Lab on their first project to identify what is best practice in driving up participation from local suppliers on major infrastructure projects.
Cognibox is a world leader in supplier qualification management and contractor management. From search and selection of potential suppliers/subcontractors, to pre-qualification, evaluation, verification, monitoring and follow-up, Cognibox enables managers to access, at any time and in an environment that meets the highest security standards, the most current data on suppliers and subcontractors. Cognibox helps you to reduce risks and improve your performance in health and safety, the environment and sustainable development.
Contact: Anne-Sophie Tétreault: astetreault@cognibox.com