Public procurement notice: Prior Information Notice Without Call For Competition
Published: 2020-03-09
Buyer: Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
Country: UK
Contract type: Supplies
CPV classification: 34114100: Emergency vehicles

Technical requirements: Procurement of 14-15 tonne appliances configured initially for Rescue Pump capacity but capable of adaption to other roles such as the Water Tender role.
Over the next 3 years the service wishes to replace as many of its older medium sized appliances as possible with a standard platform adaptable to a number of roles based on the maximum capacity and performance requirements foreseeable. Up to 80 vehicles may be needed, however no commitment is made to this number as a result of this notice or any ensuing competition. The service now wishes to gain a clear understanding of the capabilities of established market operators, maximising its opportunities for securing future-proofed solutions and new developments in Fire Appliance design and construction.
It will invite suitably qualified companies to present their ideas to the service at individual pre-market presentations. The first six potential providers expressing an interest who can demonstrate successful experience in this field will be invited to make individual presentations at the service's headquarters. The questions which potential tenderers will be asked are:
1) Please set out your thinking in terms of the latest leading edge best practice in terms appliance design focussing particularly on adaptability to different roles (e.g. as mobile command post) crew operating models, crew safety, ergonomics, reliability, resilience, and performance and most importantly what is feasible based on the following parameters:
(b) dimensions must be no greater than 3.5 m high whilst carrying a 1.35 m ladder, no greater than 3.3 m wide with including foldable mirrors folded back, and no longer than 8.3 m,
(c) water carrying capacity must be no less than 1 800 litres, and foam drums will also be required, with a pumping capacity of 3 200 litres per minute,
(e) the equipment list will be the agreed standard Scottish Fire and Rescue Service 18 tonne Rescue Pump list: this will be provided to companies responding to this PIN,
(f) the appliance must be designed and configured ergonomically around a 1.65 m tall firefighter but capable of comfortable operation by persons of all sizes larger than this. Weight assumption is 90 Kg per person;
2) These vehicles represent at least a 15-year investment by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service which will cover much of the span of the next generation of fire fighters’ operational careers. In this context, please advise of any technological or other innovations which it should take into account in terms of future-proofing its specifications for the subject vehicles. Please also advise of any concepts you know of which are in development and which are due to become available for appliance improvement over the next four years, which may bear on vehicle specification and design or operation.
3) Please advise of your views of optimising the environmental impacts of the subject vehicles whilst maximising efficiency and minimising operational life-cycle costs, including but not being limited to propulsion/fuels types and materials used in construction.
4) Please advise specifically of any current or emerging on-board systems, technology, or configurations which could assist the firefighter in an increasingly varied role, and which would help the firefighter to be as effective and as safe as possible.
5) The Service’s fundamental principles are safety, respect, teamwork, and innovation. Please provide your views as to how these principles can best be implemented in the specification of the subject vehicles. Companies should note that the Service does not commit to a specific route to market by engagement in this phase and reserves its right entirely to use any relevant framework for the procurement of these vehicles or to establish its own separate arrangements via open competition
Note: to register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=611008.

Eligibility requirements: Interested parties must be recognised and established producers of fire appliances.