05 January 2006 | Rebecca Ellinor

The head of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is looking for procurement experts to advise him on the 2012 games.

Jack Lemley, the US engineering expert appointed to chair the ODA from this month, said he is looking for the "brightest and the best people" to join him.

The ODA is responsible for creating the venues and infrastructure for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. Lemley needs specialists from a number of fields, including construction, finance, procurement, regeneration, transport, communications and local government.

He said in a statement: "I want to get the very best mix of public and private sectors. I want to see an organisation framed by three critical factors - ethics, quality and safety. I also want to establish a transparent organisation that is driven by good governance."

The search for up to 10 board members is the latest stage in creating the ODA, which will formally come into existence when the Olympic Bill becomes law in the first half of this year.

As reported in SM, draft procurement principles, published in September, emphasise the importance of sustainability.

The document outlines four main areas procurement will be involved in as part of the project: people, the Olympic park, other venues and legacy, particularly the infrastructure put in place for the games.

SMjan2006