SBM Offshore Guyana recently engaged scores of businesses during a Vendor Forum, held on the sidelines of the International Energy Conference which was facilitated at the Guyana Marriott Hotel from February 14-17, 2023.
Through this engagement, the SBM Offshore team engaged participants on the company’s procurement process, key vendor requirements, compliance guidelines and local content efforts. The company’s Supply Chain Support Manager, Ms. Flavia Werneck; Procurement Lead, Mr. Recardo Bovell; and Category Buyer, Pierre Pompilio led this engagement.
The event provided an opportunity for participating businesses and local vendors to learn more about the company’s vendor qualification process and timeline, ethical requirements to ensure good business practices, vendor qualification renewal, key Purchase Order requirements, and the company’s local content commitment.
Participants were apprised of the company’s invoicing process and requirements for payments too. The forum was in keeping with SBM Offshore’s objective of building the capacity of businesses to provide services to the oil and gas sector, and follows a number of similar routine activities including the Centre for Local Business Development’s Community Business Talks, Supplier Forum 2022, the company’s Vendor and Compliance Days.
Additionally, attendees got acquainted with the company’s requirements when responding to calls for Requests for Information (RFIs), and were provided with an overview of efforts made thus far to integrate local vendors and suppliers into the company’s operations.
Procurement Lead, Recardo Bovell shared the company’s compliance with the Local Content Act of 2021, expressing that SBM Offshore remains committed to increasing the utilisation of local companies, and developing their capacities to effective service the oil and gas industry. He noted that even if a company is unsuccessful in a bid, SBM Offshore engages them on areas in which they did not meet the necessary requirements and steps that can be taken to rectify this. The company also shared its expectations of compliance from its vendors, with Category Buyer, Pierre Pompilio sharing the guidelines for vendors with whom they are engaged.
SBM Offshore Guyana’s General Manager, Mr. Martin Cheong, in his opening remarks said, “We believe that this engagement provides a unique platform for productive conversations and opportunities for the businesses present. We are keen on building the capacity of Guyanese businesses to meet the growing needs of the oil and gas industry, and more so, our operations as we expand our footprint in Guyana.
“More than 60 percent of the company’s onshore staff are Guyanese. With offshore staff factored in, the local content penetration is about 40 to 45 percent.”
In 2022, SBM Offshore received approval for its Local Content Master Plan, the first of the Prime Contractors to achieve this milestone in Guyana. The company holds this responsibility in high regard and remains steadfast in pursuing local content development in Guyana through the utilisation of Guyanese in its operations.
