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DUBAI / WAM
Expo 2020 Dubai has become the first World Expo and the second ever ‘mega-event’ to secure a Procurement Excellence award from the highly respected Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) organisation, a major vote of confidence for the next World Expo’s procurement practices.
The recognition makes Expo 2020 the first major global event outside the United Kingdom, after the London 2012 Summer Olympics, to receive the award from CIPS, a global body that works with organisations involved in procurement and supply chain management.
The stamp of approval was awarded as part of the CIPS Procurement Excellence Programme following a thorough review of Expo 2020 Dubai’s procurement practices. The programme assesses organisations in five key areas: leadership and organisation, strategy and policy, people, processes and systems, and performance management.
Designed and delivered by world’s leading procurement experts, the CIPS Procurement Excellence Programme is the only independent and comprehensive assessment of its kind. Expo 2020’s CIPS award recognises the high quality of its procurement operation, meaning that vendors and participating nations can be confident that they will benefit from a seamless process.
Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General, Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau, said, “We have designed our procurement processes around simplicity, transparency and inclusivity to allow anyone, anywhere, to tender as easily and competitively as possible.
“Expo 2020 will leave a lasting economic legacy and contribute to new business generation, GDP growth and job creation in the UAE and across the region. The CIPS award is a testament to all of our planning and hard work, which will help to ensure the delivery of an exceptional Expo.”
Gerry Walsh, Group CEO of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply, said, “Expo 2020 Dubai has embarked on a journey of continuous improvement and we have seen through the assessment process, their hard work, dedication and tenacity to make improvements and achieve results. The value the team has placed on excellence in procurement practice should be applauded and we congratulate everyone involved in their success.”
In 2017, Expo 2020 Dubai awarded more than AED 11 billion of contracts, and this year’s opportunities span the fields of design, logistics, health and safety, construction and materials. The total value and number of contracts expected to be awarded in 2018 will be announced in the coming months.
To date, Expo 2020 has awarded 3,093 contracts of which 1,717 have been awarded to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). These companies form an important part of the delivery and economic legacy of Expo 2020, with 20 percent of Expo’s contracts to be awarded to SMEs.
Expo 2020, which will run for six months from 20 October 2020 to 10 April 2021, expects to attract 25 million visits. About 70 percent of visitors are expected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion in the 167-year history of World Expos.
Companies and individuals interested in finding out more about procurement opportunities related to Expo 2020 should register on the e-Sourcing portal, which includes details of current and upcoming tender opportunities. More than 20,500 companies of all sizes from 140 countries have already registered.