With the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C., a little more than two years away, bids on contracts and projects are shifting into high gear, and Canadian officials are looking beyond the border for help.

On Wednesday, several local agencies hosted a presentation about business opportunities in preparation not only for the Olympics but also for the Paralympic Winter Games in February 2010.

What made this presentation interesting for Whatcom County businesses is that there seems to be a genuine interest in using U.S. companies. In the past, the perception seemed to be that Canada would have all the work done by Canadian firms, but the Olympics has turned into such a massive event that they are looking for all the qualified help they can get.

“At first there was a big push for having just Canadian companies, but there has been a change in philosophy by the government,” said Mark Jiles, a partner for The Progressive Group.

Now, he said, there is more of a focus on whether a company can handle the project, get it done on time and offer sustainable solutions.

The change means that Whatcom County companies can get involved, especially if they are able to form partnerships with Canadian firms, said Yvonne Curry, director of accommodation for the Vancouver Organizing Committee. As an example, she talked about the need for buses.

“There is an estimate that 3,000 buses will be needed with all of the events going on, and Canada doesn’t have that many buses they can take out of circulation,” Curry said. “For the most part, we’re going to consume most of our inventory, but there will be opportunities for U.S. firms.”

How does a U.S. company get involved?

The first step is research, which includes checking out the Web sites (listed below) to learn what can be bid on. Go deeper than that, warns Robert Boyd, president of Orca Creative Group, a Woodinville-based firm that has a B.C. office. He said his firm found several opportunities created by the Olympic Games but not related to the event.

“We found a welcoming audience in British Columbia,” Boyd said. He said there is an advantage in being much closer than Alberta, and he found it an open and fair bidding process.

According to the presenters, the challenges are cultural. For one, Canadians work with people that they see and talk to. It can’t be done over the phone. A lack of planning, followup and commitment will dash any chances, Boyd said.