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First Firebuy procurement |
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The first Firebuy-arranged procurement has been completed, with six UK companies winning the contracts to supply pumping appliances to the Fire and Rescue Service. These are - Angloco (Batley, West Yorkshire), Asset SVO Ltd (Papworth, Cambridgeshire), Brown’s Coachworks Ltd (Lisburn, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland), Emergency One UK Ltd (Cumnock, Ayrshire), John Dennis Coach Builders Ltd, (Guildford, Surrey), and The Vehicle Application Centre (Leyland, Lancashire). Between them, these companies will supply the three types of pumping appliance, ranging from Light (up to seven and a half tonnes), to Medium (up to 14 tonnes) and finally Super (over 14 tonnes).
It is intended that these companies will offer the latest technology in pumping appliance build, including bodywork pump fittings, foam systems and innovative body structure. It is hoped meanwhile that the flexible nature of the contracts will allow individual fire and rescue services to order different specifications on build and equipment carried, dependent on whether use is for urban or rural environments.
The Firebuy contracts give the FRS the opportunity to meet national Integrated Risk Management Processes (IRMP*), with the intention of providing efficiency and environmental gains. Firebuy Chair Liz Barron said: “These contracts represent a huge leap forward for procurement in the FRS. They mean that individual brigades can buy off contracts knowing that the most stringent procurement and research and development processes have already been completed, and that the combined purchasing power of the FRS has yielded excellent products for the safety of firefighters and the public. This also demonstrates the success of Firebuy’s collaboration with the Chief Fire Officers Association’s Transport Officers Group and National Procurement Board which acted as ‘intelligent client’ for the Fire Service to ensure the contracts met the highest technical and safety standards.” Each company is set to sign a contract with Fire buy for national supply before April 2007, with the first pumping appliance build to be subjected to obligatory testing by the Vehicle Certification Agency by September or October. They are expected to be seen on the road by autumn.
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