Olympic Games-2024: public procurement has largely benefited small French businesses, according to organizers

Of the 2,7 billion euros of purchases by the Paris-2024 organizing committee, nearly "90% of our suppliers are French", assured Olivier Debargue, director, during a press conference in Saint-Denis. committee purchasing delegate.

Of the 2.400 first-tier suppliers of Paris-2024, 2.075 are located in France. The organizing committee also used around 600 subcontractors, whose nationality was not specified.

Among French suppliers, Paris-2024 lists “79% of VSE-SMEs and more than 300 social and solidarity economy (ESS) structures”. 14% of the companies awarded contracts won by French suppliers are mid-sized companies, it is further detailed.

As for the Olympic works delivery company (Solideo), “25% of the markets were to be reserved for VSEs, SMEs and ESS structures,” recalled its director of strategy and innovation Antoine du Souich on Tuesday. .

“801 million euros of public contracts”, or 36% of the total, were finally awarded to these companies, well above the objective of 25% (536 million euros), reached from January 2023, he added.

While the overwhelming majority of Solideo contracts were won by French firms, according to Mr. du Souich, the more than 2.600 winning VSEs/SMEs are located in no less than 85 different departments, he stressed.

However, almost three quarters of them are based in Ile-de-France. Two thirds of the VSEs/SMEs awarded public contracts launched by Paris-2024 are located in the capital region.

For the president of the organizing committee Tony Estanguet, “the real reason for (the Games) of Paris-2024 is first and foremost to honor sport and Olympic and Paralympic values. "It's also about using the Games to succeed in creating an impact in our country from an economic point of view," he continued.