London Gatwick Airport has introduced a new procurement initiative in partnership with Crawley-based firm mnAi to enhance local and regional business opportunities.
This development has been warmly welcomed by the Gatwick Diamond Initiative (GDI), a business-led partnership committed to fostering the growth of new and established companies in the region.
Brett North, Chairman of Gatwick Diamond Initiative, said: “This collaborative step between London Gatwick and mnAi is welcome news. It’s an exciting step in improving understanding of opportunities within local and regional supply chains. It aligns well with the Gatwick Diamond Initiative’s overarching aim of growing the region’s jobs base and attracting investments from companies that resonate with our industry strengths. We can only see it making a positive difference.”
The procurement initiative aims to improve understanding of the local and regional supply chains by leveraging a new AI tool provided by mnAi. This tool will highlight the local companies and the range of services they can extend to the airport.
The program is designed to boost local businesses by allowing London Gatwick to identify locally-based firms for requesting proposals and quotes for various key projects, alongside supplying goods and services.
The partnership with mnAi is a reflection of Gatwick’s procurement policy, which mandates the inclusion of at least one local or regional supplier in all procurement-led Requests for Proposals and Quotes (RFPs), given suitable businesses are available.
The definition of local/regional pertains to one of the 12 postcodes delineated in the airport’s second Decade of Change – a sustainability policy envisioning Gatwick’s goals towards transitioning to Net Zero and fostering a thriving and resilient economy until 2030.
This new procurement approach also aligns with Gatwick Diamond Initiative’s focus on key strategic issues. By collaborating with business leaders, membership organisations, educational institutions, local authorities, and government agencies, GDI strives to address the area’s necessities, ensuring it becomes a world-class destination for living, working, and conducting business.
The ongoing partnership between London Gatwick and mnAi symbolises a significant stride towards realising the shared vision of both entities in not just fostering local progress but setting a precedent for what can be achieved on a national scale.
The Gatwick Diamond Initiative continues to provide free, confidential advice to investors eyeing the Gatwick Diamond area for potential investment, connecting them to an extensive network of contacts. Moreover, it tirelessly promotes the Gatwick Diamond area’s strengths and underscores strategies for the predominant sectors propelling the local economy.
This initiative by London Gatwick is part of a broader scheme which includes a recent submission for detailed examination by the Planning Inspectorate of its planning application to bring the airport’s Northern Runway into regular use. This plan is anticipated to augment resilience, curtail delays, and give a significant uplift to the national and regional economy by backing trade, tourism, and new employment opportunities.
As London Gatwick invests in its long-term future, its procurement initiative is a testament to its commitment towards a resilient local economy, aligning well with the Gatwick Diamond Initiative’s objectives of regional growth and economic development.
Read more about the new procurement initiative here: https://investgatwickdiamond.co.uk/the-new-gatwick-ai-procurement-platform