Fit 4 Offshore Renewables (F4OR) is a unique service to help the UK supply chain get ready to bid for work in the offshore renewable energy sector. The objective of the programme is to support the development of an increasingly competent, capable and competitive UK offshore renewable energy supply chain – maximising opportunity for the UK supply chain, both domestically and globally.
ORE Catapult’s Fit 4 Offshore Renewables (F4OR) programme has been developed with input from the offshore renewable energy industry.
F4OR is a unique service to help the UK supply chain get ready to bid for work in the offshore renewable energy sector.
F4OR is a journey of business improvement and sector specific capability building. It uses a proven process which typically takes 12 to 18 months. The F4OR Team will support you through each step, but F4OR will demand commitment and drive from your senior management team.
F4OR is designed for established businesses with 10 or more employees or with a turnover of £1 million and upwards, as the principles of the programme are more difficult to apply to new or very small enterprises. Microenterprises and / or newly established organisations who have identified the offshore renewables sector as a strategic opportunity should still get in touch to discuss how we might be able to help.
Participating companies can range from those with no offshore renewables experience aiming to take a first step into the sector, to established, tier 1 suppliers wanting to benchmark their position and drive business excellence.
Due to the level of interest we receive from companies wishing to participate in the F4OR programme, all interested parties are asked to complete an Expression of Interest (EOI) form. Following submission of this, and confirmation the applicant meets the criteria outlined above, they will be invited to complete a Capability Questionnaire and phone discussion with the F4OR team. At that stage, acceptance onto the programme will be confirmed or otherwise. For companies which are unsuccessful in their application, the F4OR team will provide guidance on what other business support or improvement schemes might be appropriate for the company to consider.
The F4OR programme is being rolled out on a regional basis. In most cases, the regional programmes are only available to organisations based in those regions. If you are not based within one of these regions, but are still interested in taking part in the F4OR programme, please complete the general F4OR Expression of Interest form.
Please note, the Expressions of Interest forms (EOIs) are completed as online forms. It is not possible to save the form midway through. Therefore, we recommend that you review the EOI form initially, but prepare any more substantial written responses offline. You can then populate the EOI online by pasting in relevant sections of text.
The TIGGOR F4OR Programme is based in the North Tyne Combined Authority region in North East England. The F4OR programme is being delivered as part of a larger programme of business support, and under the broader TIGGOR programme. The programme is being delivered in partnership with the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership (OWGP).
For more information on the business growth support available and to apply, visit the OWGP website >
The New Anglia programme for 2020 has now started and EOIs are closed for this year. However, if you are interested in being considered for a 2021 programme in this region, please complete the F4OR – Expression of Interest – New Anglia form. Please note, this programme is focused on organisations based in the Norfolk and Suffolk regions only.
Jointly funded by the Scottish Government and ORE Catapult, the pilot phase of the Fit 4 Offshore Renewables (F4OR) programme was aimed at Scottish companies with products and services relevant to the offshore renewable energy industry, supporting them to improve their business operations to become more competitive and win work in the sector. Below are some of the 20 companies selected to participate in the pilot programme. They were all accepted onto the programme due to their desire to further increase their capability, competence and competitiveness, and accelerate their growth in the offshore renewable energy industry.
Find out more:
Andrew Stormonth-Darling
Programme Manager
Email Andrew Stormonth-Darling
07741 165 050
Andrew is a Chartered Engineer and qualified Project Manager with close to 12 years’ experience in the offshore wind industry. Before joining ORE Catapult, Andrew delivered a range of projects for one of the major turbine OEMs in the field of O&M. His experience extends to prototype testing, delivering complex logistical solutions, and major equipment tendering. Within ORE Catapult Andrew manages various collaborative, cross-industry projects focusing on fostering innovation and delivering valuable research in offshore wind.