SMALL businesses are being urged to make use of a new Government web portal to help them bid for public sector contracts. The Federation of Small Businesses believes Huntingdonshire companies could use it to get a share of the 2012 Olympics action. The FS

SMALL businesses are being urged to make use of a new Government web portal to help them bid for public sector contracts.

The Federation of Small Businesses believes Huntingdonshire companies could use it to get a share of the 2012 Olympics action.

The FSB welcomed the move and called for a "sustained effort" by Government to make sure that local authorities and government departments take part.

It says small and local businesses are often frozen out of the public sector by complex application requirements.

FSB Huntingdonshire chairman Malcolm Lyons said: "With preparations for the Olympics gathering pace in our area, we hope that there will be opportunities for small businesses to contribute. We will be encouraging our members to take note of the new service."

The new website on www.supply2.gov.uk/ allows small businesses to bid for public sector contracts in a local area of their choice free of charge. There is a fee to get access to opportunities on a national basis.

INFORMATION: The FSB, Britain's biggest business organisation with 195,000 members, is on www.fsb.org.uk