Operator of the National Emergency Call Answering Service

Description

The current contract for the operation of the Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS) expires on the 24th of November 2025. Although the current contract is due to expire in 2025, there are provisions in the current contract to allow for the Minister to extend the contract for a further two (2) years. The Department of the Environment, Communications and Climate (DECC) intends to undertake a Procurement process in Quarter 1, 2025 to appoint a service provider to operate the ECAS. The ECAS is responsible for answering all emergency communications, providing a vital link between the individual contacting the ECAS and the Emergency Services which include Garda, Fire, Ambulance and the Irish Coast Guard (IRCG) or, in emergencies involving aircraft, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA). Emergency communication is defined in the S.I. No. 444/2022 as communication by means of interpersonal communications services between an end user and the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) with the goal to request and receive emergency relief from emergency services. The role of ECAS is to establish which Emergency Service is being requested and the location of where the Emergency Services are required to attend for the purpose of routing the call to the most appropriate Emergency Services Control centre. It is anticipated that the Department, at its sole discretion, may enter into a Preliminary Market Consultation with a selection or all of the parties who respond to this Expression of Interest (EOI). Service providers who wish to submit an EOI should respond via eTenders before 17:00hrs on 08 November 2024. Full details can be found in the document dated 17 October 2024.