Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Secretary of State for the Home Department
Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP), 5 Endeavour Square, Stratford, London
London
E20 1JN
Contact
ESMCP Commercial
esmcpsupplier@homeoffice.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office
Buyer's address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
Public order and safety
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Provision of a TETRA/ MCX Interworking Gateway Solution for the Emergency Services Network (ESN)
Reference number
C24990
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 72212211 - Platform interconnectivity software development services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This Award Notice relates to the Award of a contract for a TETRA/ MCX Interworking Gateway (IWG) solution to be provided to the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP).
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £14,246,433.64
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 72211000 - Programming services of systems and user software
- 72212100 - Industry specific software development services
- 72212200 - Networking, Internet and intranet software development services
- 72212210 - Networking software development services
- 72212215 - Networking developers software development services
- 72212500 - Communication and multimedia software development services
- 72212510 - Communication software development services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This Award Notice relates to the Award of a contract for a TETRA/ MCX Interworking Gateway (IWG) solution to be provided to the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP).
The supplier will provide this IWG to support the transition from Airwave to ESN for approximately 300,000 users across 107 User Organisations. The IWG will link together Airwave talk groups to their equivalent new ESN talk groups, allowing migrated ESN users to make Group and Emergency Calls to, and receive Group and Emergency Calls from, unmigrated Airwave users.
The Authority is seeking to procure a Network Interworking Service to support the transition from Airwave to ESN for approximately 300,000 users across 107 User Organisations. The Network Interworking Service will use an Interworking Gateway (the subject of this procurement) to link together the 6000 busiest Airwave talk groups to their equivalent new ESN talk groups, allowing migrated ESN users to make Group and Emergency Calls to, and receive Group and Emergency Calls from, unmigrated Airwave users.
The Interworking Gateway is assumed to be a software product that can be deployed onto physical or virtual servers provided and hosted by the ESN User Services Supplier, who will also be responsible for service integration, first line and second line maintenance, with the Interworking Gateway supplier responsible for third line support.
The type of interface to be used between Airwave and the Interworking Gateway will be DCS, (Motorola DIMETRA™ Dispatch Communications Server), because this is the only interface available on the Airwave radio service. This is the same interface as used for standard control room system connections that provide service to over 4000 control room ICCS (Integrated Communications Control System) desks. A quantity of 600 active DCS ports (plus an extra 300 ports for resilience) will be assigned to the Interworking Gateway, serviced by three Airwave DCS data centres.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Technical / Weighting: 70
Quality criterion - Name: Social Value / Weighting: 10
Quality criterion - Name: Price / Weighting: 20
Price - Weighting: Total - 100%
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Competitive procedure with negotiation
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2024/S 000-015914
Section five. Award of contract
Contract No
contract_16515
Title
Provision of a TETRA/ MCX Interworking Gateway Solution for the Emergency Services Network (ESN)
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
16 October 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 3
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Etherstack Wireless Limited
30-31 3rd Floor South, Friar Street
Reading
RG1 1DX
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £14,246,433.64
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
High Court of Justice
Royal Courts of Justice, Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom