Public procurement notice: Contract Award Notice
Published: 2019-03-22
Buyer: Fire and Rescue Indemnity Company Limited
Country: UK
Contract type: Services
Procedure: Open procedure
CPV classification: 66510000 | 66514100 | 66514110 | 66516500 | 66517300
Estimated value: 10000000 GBP
Award criteria: The most economic tender

Technical requirements: The procurement was conducted by Hampshire County Council on behalf of the Fire and Rescue Indemnity Company Limited (FRIC). The open procurement procedure was used to identify a suitable Provider who could offer Discretionary Mutual Management Services. The mutual will be run on a day to day basis by professional managers appointed by the mutual. They will be required to meet all the necessary professional requirements of the Financial Conduct Authority and would also bring experience and specialist market knowledge as well as providing actuarial services to financial modelling and claims management.
Provision of Discretionary Mutual Management Services to the Fire and Rescue Indemnity Company Limited.
The FRIC is a Discretionary Mutual established by 9 Fire Authority members in 2015. The company provides risk protection on a shared liability basis for member fire and rescue authorities and manages claims. All of the company’s activities are provided through this outsourced arrangement with the exception of the Directors who comprises staff of member fire and rescue authorities with one independent director who is also the current Chair. From April 2019 there will be eleven member authorities with a further authority joining in April 2020. Other fire and rescue authorities are expected to join FRIC over the period of the contract.
The Contract is due to commence on 1.4.2019. The contract will be for an initial term of 3 years 7 months with the option to extend 2 further 3-year periods. i.e.: 1.4.19—31.10.2022 is the initial term. The first 7 months of the contract are a transition period to allow the contractor to mobilise so that they are able to perform the full range of services required from 1.11.2019. If the first extension period is granted, this will be for 3 years 1.11.2022—31.10.2025. If the second extension period is granted, this will be for a further 3 years 1.11.2025—31.10.2028. The contract duration is for a maximum of 9 years 7 months ending 31.10.2028.
At present the Authorities incorporated into the FRIC Organisation are as follows: Hampshire, Cambridgeshire, Royal Berkshire, Essex,Kent, Cheshire, Devon and Somerset, Bedfordshire, Leicestershire. The number of Authorities incorporated into the FRIC Organisation may increase or decrease throughout the duration of the contract. At the time of Contract Award, it is anticipated that FRIC’s members will include the following; Avon Fire Authority (from April 2020), Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Authority, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire Authority, Cheshire Fire Authority, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority, East Sussex Fire Authority, Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Fire and Rescue Authority, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority, Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority, Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Combined Fire Authority, Royal Berkshire Fire Authority.
It is expected that the number of member authorities will continue to grow beyond 2020. Claims volumes will increase and the volume of risk management activity will also increase as projects will become more complex as they apply across a greater number of member authorities. There will also be an impact on the protection programme as this will need to expand to provide cover for increases in the membership.
The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/102) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). Any such action must be started within thirty (30) days beginning with the date when the aggrieved party first knew or ought to have known that grounds for starting such proceedings had arisen. The Court may extend the time-limit for starting proceedings where the Court considers that there is good reason for doing so, but not so as to permit proceedings to be started more than three (3) months after that date. Where the Contract has not been concluded, the Court may set aside the decision to award the Contract or order the Contracting Authority to amend any document and may award damages. If the Contract has been concluded, the Court may only award damages, or where the award procedures have not been followed correctly, declare the Contract to be ineffective.


Winner: Regis Mutual Management Limited
Award value: 10000000
Number of bids: 1