Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
Kent Fire and Rescue Service
The Godlands, Straw Mill Hill, Tovil
Maidstone
ME15 6XB
Contact
Miss Sarah Walsh
Telephone
+44 1622692121
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
NFCC National Fire Fighter PPE
Reference number
DN698081
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 18100000 - Occupational clothing, special workwear and accessories
two.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
two.1.4) Short description
NFCC National Fire Fighters PPE Project update
As advised at the Emergency Services Show on 18th September 2024, several Supplier
Engagement Sessions have been planned.
These are planned to take place on
• 12th November 2024 to be held virtually by MS Teams
• 12th December 2024 - West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service
• 21st January 2025 - West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service
• 25th February 2025 - West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service
• 20th March 2025 - West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service
• 30th April 2025 - West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service
From 12th December – 30th April the Supplier Engagement Sessions are due to be held at
the Hub at West Midlands Fire SHQ, 99 Vauxhall Road Birmingham B7 4HW.
All meetings are intended to be hybrid and the Authority, would kindly request that
attendance is limited per organisation to 1 attendee, and if another attendee from the same
organisation is required that they maybe able to join via MS Teams.
Please can you send your request to join the event to NationalPPE@kent.fire-uk.org with the
information set out below
Date of session(s) you wish to attend.
1 Preferred attendee name
2 Preferred attendee email address
Page 4 to 6
3 Virtual attendee name
4 Virtual attendee email address
Please ensure that your responses are provided 5 working days in advance of the session.
If we are able to offer additional spaces for physical attendance of the secondary contact
then we will offer out via the message service on the Kent Business Portal on a first come
first served basis.
Previous PIN Notices published in relation to this procurement are
2023/S 000-033154
2024/S 000-026679
Please see further description for more information
Section six. Complementary information
six.6) Original notice reference
Notice number: 2024/S 000-033450
Section seven. Changes
seven.1) Information to be changed or added
seven.1.2) Text to be corrected in the original notice
Section number
ii.2.4
Instead of
Text
NFCC National Fire Fighters PPE Project update
As advised at the Emergency Services Show on 18th September 2024, several Supplier
Engagement Sessions have been planned.
These are planned to take place on
• 12th November 2024 location to be confirmed
• 12th December 2024 - West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service
• 21st January 2025 - West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service
• 25th February 2025 - West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service
• 20th March 2025 - West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service
• 30th April 2025 - West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service
From 12th December – 30th April the Supplier Engagement Sessions are due to be held at
the Hub at West Midlands Fire SHQ, 99 Vauxhall Road Birmingham B7 4HW.
All meetings are intended to be hybrid and the Authority, would kindly request that
attendance is limited per organisation to 1 attendee, and if another attendee from the same
organisation is required that they maybe able to join via MS Teams.
Please can you send your request to join the event to NationalPPE@kent.fire-uk.org with the
information set out below
Date of session(s) you wish to attend.
1 Preferred attendee name
2 Preferred attendee email address
Page 4 to 6
3 Virtual attendee name
4 Virtual attendee email address
Please ensure that your responses are provided 5 working days in advance of the session.
If we are able to offer additional spaces for physical attendance of the secondary contact
then we will offer out via the message service on the Kent Business Portal on a first come
first served basis.
Previous PIN Notices published in relation to this procurement are
2023/S 000-033154
2024/S 000-026679
Read
Text
NFCC National Fire Fighters PPE Project update
As advised at the Emergency Services Show on 18th September 2024, several Supplier
Engagement Sessions have been planned.
These are planned to take place on
• 12th November 2024 to be held virtually via MS Teams
• 12th December 2024 - West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service
• 21st January 2025 - West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service
• 25th February 2025 - West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service
• 20th March 2025 - West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service
• 30th April 2025 - West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service
From 12th December – 30th April the Supplier Engagement Sessions are due to be held at
the Hub at West Midlands Fire SHQ, 99 Vauxhall Road Birmingham B7 4HW.
All meetings are intended to be hybrid and the Authority, would kindly request that
attendance is limited per organisation to 1 attendee, and if another attendee from the same
organisation is required that they maybe able to join via MS Teams.
Please can you send your request to join the event to NationalPPE@kent.fire-uk.org with the
information set out below
Date of session(s) you wish to attend.
1 Preferred attendee name
2 Preferred attendee email address
Page 4 to 6
3 Virtual attendee name
4 Virtual attendee email address
Please ensure that your responses are provided 5 working days in advance of the session.
If we are able to offer additional spaces for physical attendance of the secondary contact
then we will offer out via the message service on the Kent Business Portal on a first come
first served basis.
Previous PIN Notices published in relation to this procurement are
2023/S 000-033154
2024/S 000-026679
Market Engagement Strategy
Following a meeting of the National Firefighters PPE project (NFFPPE) team, a format for the
ongoing market engagement process has been developed.
We understand that many suppliers and manufacturers are keen to engage with the project to
not only discuss new products and innovations, but also proudly show and demonstrate their
production and supply facilities. In recent weeks we have been inundated with requests for
meetings and facility visits.
NFFPPE project team need to ensure that we are being open, fair and transparent to all existing
and new suppliers and that whilst we are not currently in a formal procurement process, we
need to be conscious of the Public Procurement Regulations.
The commencement of the formal procurement process will be communicated by the
publication of a ‘Planned Procurement Notice.’ It is envisaged that the procurement process will
be undertaken using the new procedures detailed in the ‘Procurement Act 2023’ which is due to
go live on 24th February 2025, more information and any updates can be found here.
The NFFPPE project team have therefore decided to adopt the following approach:
1. Formal Market Engagement Events
These events will be advertised seminars/webinars and intended to impart a consistent
message from the project team to all suppliers. These events will also be an opportunity for
suppliers and manufacturers to raise any questions or concerns. Any presentations and
materials used during these events will be published and available even if you did not attend the
event.
A list of placeholder dates was communicated during an update session given at this year’s
Emergency Services Show, these being:
• 12th November 2024
• 12th December 2024
• 21st January 2025
• 25th February 2025
• 20th March 2025
• 30th April 2025
As and when these events are fully developed and confirmed they will be notified using the
‘Prior Information Notice’ (PIN) via Kent Business Portal. As we move forward, and the new
Procurement Act comes into force these will be advertised via the central digital platform (CDP).
2. Research/Development and Innovation meetings
These meetings are for individual suppliers/manufactures to highlight their products and to
ensure that the project team technical group have all the available information for consideration
when defining the specification requirements for the new framework.
It is important to note that the new framework will be established as an output based
specification with no product or supplier being named. As such the technical group are most
interested in performance of product/service and how this meets the many challenges facing
firefighters PPE. In addition, any new developments in the market place that the project should
consider.
To ensure consistency of information these meetings will predominately be with the project
technical group lead and the Chair of NFCC PPE, other technical team representatives may be
involved but the numbers will be limited in case non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) need to be
signed in advance.
The technical group lead and chair of NFCC PPE will ensure all relevant information is
cascaded to the wider group, as is permitted by any signed NDAs.
Due to the high demand already received for these types of meetings it has been decided that
suppliers/manufacturers will need to attend prearranged meetings and there will not be a facility
for visits to suppliers/manufactures facilities, unless this is a non-related event that has been
arranged by that supplier/manufacturer and available to a broader sector attendance.
Suppliers/manufacturers who have already contacted the team will be given priority of available
attendance dates/times. Once these have been arranged the remaining available dates/times
will be circulated. The arrangement for these meetings will be coordinated via
MSO.CXCorp@lincolnshire.gov.uk.
Every effort will be made to accommodate all requests, however the meetings maybe limited by
the availability of suitable team members who have other duties to undertake in their day to day
roles. It is expected that these meetings will need to cease at least 6 weeks prior to the
commencement of the procurement process, which is scheduled for end May 2025.
3. Planned site/production facility visits
During the procurement phase of the project, it is planned that site/production visits will be a
required stage of the award process. It is envisaged that at this stage these visits will occur
towards the end of the process when the selection of participants has been through robust
earlier phases.
This approach is to ensure the efficient use of time and target suppliers/manufactures that are
engaged in the process, have met the proceeding process criteria and are more likely to be
successful in an award.
These visits will follow a pre-described format, are likely to be scored and will be conducted by a
variety of individuals/teams who represent both the commercial and technical groups of the project
seven.2) Other additional information
Market Engagement Strategy
Following a meeting of the National Firefighters PPE project (NFFPPE) team, a format for the
ongoing market engagement process has been developed.
We understand that many suppliers and manufacturers are keen to engage with the project to
not only discuss new products and innovations, but also proudly show and demonstrate their
production and supply facilities. In recent weeks we have been inundated with requests for
meetings and facility visits.
NFFPPE project team need to ensure that we are being open, fair and transparent to all existing
and new suppliers and that whilst we are not currently in a formal procurement process, we
need to be conscious of the Public Procurement Regulations.
The commencement of the formal procurement process will be communicated by the
publication of a ‘Planned Procurement Notice.’ It is envisaged that the procurement process will
be undertaken using the new procedures detailed in the ‘Procurement Act 2023’ which is due to
go live on 24th February 2025, more information and any updates can be found here.
The NFFPPE project team have therefore decided to adopt the following approach:
1. Formal Market Engagement Events
These events will be advertised seminars/webinars and intended to impart a consistent
message from the project team to all suppliers. These events will also be an opportunity for
suppliers and manufacturers to raise any questions or concerns. Any presentations and
materials used during these events will be published and available even if you did not attend the
event.
A list of placeholder dates was communicated during an update session given at this year’s
Emergency Services Show, these being:
• 12th November 2024
• 12th December 2024
• 21st January 2025
• 25th February 2025
• 20th March 2025
• 30th April 2025
As and when these events are fully developed and confirmed they will be notified using the
‘Prior Information Notice’ (PIN) via Kent Business Portal. As we move forward, and the new
Procurement Act comes into force these will be advertised via the central digital platform (CDP).
2. Research/Development and Innovation meetings
These meetings are for individual suppliers/manufactures to highlight their products and to
ensure that the project team technical group have all the available information for consideration
when defining the specification requirements for the new framework.
It is important to note that the new framework will be established as an output based
specification with no product or supplier being named. As such the technical group are most
interested in performance of product/service and how this meets the many challenges facing
firefighters PPE. In addition, any new developments in the market place that the project should
consider.
To ensure consistency of information these meetings will predominately be with the project
technical group lead and the Chair of NFCC PPE, other technical team representatives may be
involved but the numbers will be limited in case non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) need to be
signed in advance.
The technical group lead and chair of NFCC PPE will ensure all relevant information is
cascaded to the wider group, as is permitted by any signed NDAs.
Due to the high demand already received for these types of meetings it has been decided that
suppliers/manufacturers will need to attend prearranged meetings and there will not be a facility
for visits to suppliers/manufactures facilities, unless this is a non-related event that has been
arranged by that supplier/manufacturer and available to a broader sector attendance.
Suppliers/manufacturers who have already contacted the team will be given priority of available
attendance dates/times. Once these have been arranged the remaining available dates/times
will be circulated. The arrangement for these meetings will be coordinated via
MSO.CXCorp@lincolnshire.gov.uk.
Every effort will be made to accommodate all requests, however the meetings maybe limited by
the availability of suitable team members who have other duties to undertake in their day to day
roles. It is expected that these meetings will need to cease at least 6 weeks prior to the
commencement of the procurement process, which is scheduled for end May 2025.
3. Planned site/production facility visits
During the procurement phase of the project, it is planned that site/production visits will be a
required stage of the award process. It is envisaged that at this stage these visits will occur
towards the end of the process when the selection of participants has been through robust
earlier phases.
This approach is to ensure the efficient use of time and target suppliers/manufactures that are
engaged in the process, have met the proceeding process criteria and are more likely to be
successful in an award.
These visits will follow a pre-described format, are likely to be scored and will be conducted by a
variety of individuals/teams who represent both the commercial and technical groups of the project