2032 Olympics: Queensland small businesses urged to bid for billions of government contracts

Businesses have been invited to go for gold at the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with the Queensland government calling for local businesses to bid for billions up for grabs in Olympic and government contracts.

The Q2032 website is already up and running, inviting eligible local businesses to get on Team Queensland. Tenders include everything from stadium stands to seating and even the Brisbane 2032 flags.

However, the vast array of opportunities will extend far beyond the Games, to include multiple supply chains spanning infrastructure, new housing, security, transport, catering, bed linen, essential goods and services, and technology solutions, all with the opportunity to be branded “made in Queensland”.

Queensland Minister for Employment and Small Business Di Farmer confirmed in a joint statement with the Queensland Premier last week that Queensland-based businesses will be in the box seat to share in $180 billion in government procurement between now and 2032.

With nine years to go until the Queensland Olympic and Paralympic Games, the government also released its Q2032 Procurement Strategy last week with targets and policies to maximise the involvement of small businesses, First Nations business, regional and local business, and businesses with clean plans for lower emissions.

The strategy aims to help businesses get ‘match-fit’ to win state government supply contracts before, during, and after the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The ‘Buy Queensland’ approach, which has already seen 70,000 Queensland businesses share in $57.81 billion in government procurement, has been written into the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Arrangements, ensuring Queensland businesses benefit from Queensland hosting the Games, with Minister Farmer confirming in a Linkedin post “wherever possible we are prioritising Queensland businesses for government contracts”.

Minister Farmer said the government is encouraging Queensland businesses to take advantage of its three-step Games supplier game plan: “Ready, Set, Go!”.

“There are already more than 6700 supplier representatives on the Team Queensland register, so it’s best not to leave it too late to get into the race,” she said.  

“Almost nothing that the government doesn’t supply”

Brisbane-based Thomas Pollock helps SMEs secure government contracts through his business Gov Ready. He says there’s never been a better time to put your business forward and win government work. 

“There’s almost nothing that the government doesn’t buy at some stage, even hairdressers and recently there was a $1.2 million contract for shark bait,” he tells SmartCompany.

“The government needs the product or service at some particular stage and most small businesses don’t actually realise that. The government purchases a huge diverse range of goods and services more than anyone else. 

“It’s a case of businesses, small businesses in particular, realising that they can service a government contract. A lot of small businesses think they’re too small to service government contracts. 

“The average contract for the Queensland government is $60,000 and there are small businesses whose services it has contracted, so there is a huge opportunity there,” he added. 

Businesses can register to supply to Team Queensland and receive regular business updates here.