2010 Olympic officials are looking for new partners to design, manufacture and distribute Games related apparel.
"The Licensee for Apparel request presents an unprecedented opportunity for businesses to expand and share their products with Canadians and visitors from around the world," said Dennis Kim, Director, License and Merchandising with the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Games.
This is the first of several upcoming requests for expressions of interest relating to the design, manufacture and sale of merchandise bearing the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games official marks.
From jackets to T-shirts to infant wear, the VANOC licensing program will feature a broad range of clothing items that promote and enhance the Olympic brand.
Interested parties are encouraged to respond to the EOI to signify their interest and outline their qualifications. VANOC will pre-qualify applicants based on their EOI responses and invite pre-qualified businesses to submit apparel licensing proposals in the subsequent Request for Proposals (RFP) process. VANOC will select one or more licensees to produce a variety of clothing for all ages that will be available across Canada at approved retail outlets, including souvenir and sporting goods stores.
Full details about the Official Apparel EOI process, deadline and notification process are available at www.bcbid.gov.bc.ca/open.dll/welcome.
VANOC will issue additional requests for expressions of interest in the coming year to identify licensees for product categories including headwear, hard goods (souvenir items such as key chains) and confectionery goods. To date, the Official Licensee designation has been awarded to Hudson's Bay Company (Hbc) and Artiss Aminco (souvenir pins).
"Drawing on the success of our partnership with Hbc for the production and sale of Canadian Olympic Team and Vancouver 2010 merchandise, we are expanding the licensee opportunity to other businesses to wholesale products bearing VANOC's official marks to retailers," said Kim.
Revenues from the Official Licensing program contribute directly to the financing and staging of the Vancouver 2010 Games.
Business owners interested in opportunities with the 2010 Games are encouraged to visit VANOC's website at vancouver2010.com to register to receive procurement updates.
Meanwhile Whistler will host a flag raising ceremony at noon on March 24 at the 2010 Olympic Information Centre.
Both Vancouver’s Mayor Sam Sullivan and Whistler Mayor Ken Melamed will be on hand to raise the Paralympic and Olympic flags which designate Whistler as the mountain host of the 2010 Games. They will fly for the next four years.
Other Olympic partner dignitaries and athletes will also be on hand for the celebration.
