Emergency Response Equipment And Associated Services Framework
Framework Description
West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority is procuring a framework for the supply and delivery of emergency response equipment and associated services, available to UK fire and rescue services and other listed users. It is being run as an open tender under the Procurement Act 2023, with six equipment lots. The initial framework is planned from 7 September 2026 to 6 September 2029, within a scheme that can run to 2033.
Context & Use Case
Fire and rescue services across the UK need certified, compatible equipment for operational crews. The framework will let them buy from pre-qualified suppliers for each type of equipment instead of each service running its own tender. At the end of year three, the authority plans to reopen the scheme to existing and new suppliers, with a further opening possible before the end of the eight years.
Scope of Services
Rescue tools and stabilisation equipment Fluid transfer equipment and compressed air foam systems Positive pressure ventilation fans and smoke curtains Thermal imaging cameras Working at height equipment Gas detection monitors
Lots
Yes: Rescue Tools and Stabilisation Equipment; Fluid Transfer Equipment and Compressed Air Foam Systems; Positive Pressure Ventilation Fans and Smoke Curtains; Thermal Imaging Cameras; Working at Height Equipment; Gas Detection Monitors
Who Can Apply
Suits manufacturers and specialist distributors of fire and rescue equipment holding, or willing to obtain, at least £5m public liability, £1m products liability and £5m employers' liability insurance. The tender was published in May 2026 and has not yet been awarded; suppliers that missed it should prepare for the planned reopening at the end of year three.
Buyer Benefits
A UK-wide framework gives fire services a quick, compliant way to buy critical equipment with consistent standards. Separate lots for each equipment type let services go straight to specialists, and planned reopenings bring in new suppliers and products over the life of the scheme.
Next Steps
If you bid, watch for the award and prepare for call-offs from fire and rescue services. If not, read the notice on Defence Online, check the lot specifications and insurance minimums, and prepare certifications, fire service references and product evidence for the reopening planned at the end of year three, around September 2029.
How Athena Can Help
If you missed this tender, Athena can help you prepare for the planned reopening. Our blue light framework pipeline tracks that window and other fire and emergency services frameworks, and gets your certifications and insurance evidence ready early.
Our bid/no-bid support for suppliers helps you choose which of the six lots to bid for, and our technical bid writers present your product performance and support offer clearly, with pricing modelled for each lot to win.
