Command, control, communication systems

Description

The Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme is a national Government Tri Service Home Office project which will provide the long-term, next generation, replacement for Airwave as a secure communications platform for the 3 emergency services (Police, Fire and Ambulance), including inter-operability, plus other public safety users, in England, Scotland and Wales. The national Airwave contract is due to expire at the end of December 2019. The national programme have determined the upgrade requirements and technical solutions to enable these organisations to access the Emergency Services Network (ESN) and are providing funding for these upgrades via a Grant 31 arrangement. This requirement was unforeseen when then the current Integrated Communication Control System contract was awarded. It is considered that this contract can be placed using the Negotiated Procedure without Prior Publication of a Contract Notice pursuant to Regulation 32(2)(b)(ii) of The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 on the basis that the contract may be awarded only to the Company for technical reasons. 1) This direct award is due to the ESN upgrade specification requirements (an extension of existing supplies or installations), as determined by the Programme, to the original system developer because only this Company has access to the specific technical knowhow and technical design required, which are intended either as a partial replacement of installation, where a change of supplier would oblige the contracting authority to acquire supplies having different technical characteristics which would result in incompatibility or disproportionate technical difficulties in operation and maintenance. 2) This system will be integrated into a command and control system which is provided, including maintenance, by the same supplier as the ICCS. This technical expertise means that it is impossible for any company other than the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to carry out the activities required in the time-frame specified. 3) To place with another supplier would mean disproportionate and significant additional costs to the contracting authority, which would not be supported by the Programme. It would also mean unacceptable delay to both the contracting authority and thus the national programme in key areas of public safety, including emergency incidents potentially endangering the public. 4) This VEAT Notice is not a request for Expression of Interest (EoI). This notice advises that West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority has decided to negotiate a contract with the named supplier on a single source basis and is published for reasons of transparency. 5) The contract would be awarded for the upgrade of the system and 3 years support with an option to extend for a further 2 years.