Written question asked by Lord Brookman (Labour), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Baroness Andrews (Labour) on Monday, 1 October 2007.

Fire and Rescue Service: Firebuy

Question: asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in supporting the decision of Firebuy Limited to award the 15-year contract to a single preferred bidder supplying personal protective equipment for the Fire and Rescue Service, sufficient account has been taken of its possible effect on further competitive bidding in the United Kingdom.

Answer: The potential impact on the market of the integrated clothing project (ICP) was considered by London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, the contracting authority that initiated the ICP procurement process and the conclusion reached was that any potential impact was negligible. Throughout the ICP process, the contracting authority (now Firebuy Limited) has in any event sought to ensure there are mechanisms in place to minimise any potential impact, as well as to achieve best value for fire and rescue authorities. These include: a technological refresh at the contract mid-point; benchmarking; market testing; and promotion of effective supply chain management.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 5302; 694 c248-9WA
Session: 2006-07
Notes: Answer received between Monday 17 September and Friday 21 September 2007.
Subjects: Contracts Competition Fire and rescue services Protective clothing Procurement FiReBuy
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk