Expo 2020 Dubai to target SMEs in major tender offering for retail products

Expo 2020 Dubai has announced plans to appoint 70 licensees for its official retail products in a major tender offering.

Tenders will be accepted for more than 5,000 products that will be sold at the 3,000 square-metre flagship retail outlet on the Expo site – ‘Superstore of the Future’, a statement said.

Additional Expo 2020 Dubai outlets will also be opened across the UAE in the run-up to the event’s opening in October 2020, along with an online store.

Around a third of the contracts are expected to be awarded to small or medium sized enterprises (SMEs), the statement said.

These contracts will cover a range of products from commemorative jewellery and watches to souvenirs and digital games, and is in line with Expo 2020’s commitment to allocate more than 20 per cent of its overall spend to SMEs, the statement added.

Expo 2020 Dubai will also seek partners for locally produced goods such as ceramics and clothing.

Gillian Hamburger, vice-president – Commercial at Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “Expo 2020 will welcome 25 million visitors. Each and every one of them want to take home a unique souvenir to remind them of their experience.

“We are looking for designers, craftsmen and artisans to work with us to create a unique range of licensed products for visitors to Dubai in the lead-up to and during Expo 2020. It is a significant opportunity.”

Tenders will be accepted across four product categories, including souvenirs and collectibles, traditional UAE products such as fragrances and handwoven carpets, premium and luxury collections such as jewellery and leather goods, and mascot-related goods including toys or digital games.

The tendering process will be phased across 2017 and 2018.

Companies of all sizes can register and complete the pre-qualification process on the Expo 2020 Dubai eSourcing portal, the statement said.

Expo 2020 Dubai is expected to partner with more than 40 companies from across industries including aviation, technology, finance, logistics, telecommunications, travel and tourism.

Running for six months from October 2020 to April 2021, the mega expo event is projected to add over Dhs65bn to the UAE economy and sustain over 250,000 jobs.

Also read: Five minutes with.. Expo 2020 Dubai VP of commercial Gillian Hamburger

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