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How to supply goods and services

We spend about £20 million each year on the procurement of goods, services, and works from a diverse range of suppliers. It is our public duty to ensure this money is spent in the most effective way whilst delivering value for money and complying with our statutory duties.

As a public sector organisation, the way we procure is governed by both internal regulations and national and European legislation. These regulations include social value responsibilities and how we consider the impact that our procurement decisions have on our local economy and corporate objectives.

Get ready for The Procurement Act 2023

The biggest change to public procurement regulations in decades aims to bring benefits to both the public sector and suppliers. It goes live on 24 February 2025.

The Procurement Act 2023 is mandatory for all public contracting authorities.

It’s designed to: 

  • boost transparency
  • create more flexible procurement processes, aligned to the marketplace, product or service
  • increase supplier engagement
  • help level the playing field for small and medium sized enterprises (SME) and voluntary, community and social enterprises
  • strengthen provisions for prompt payments
  • create more flexible commercial frameworks, giving suppliers improved access
  • develop compliance and complaints processes and consideration of national security and debarment issues
  • simplify the bidding process with a new central digital platform, so suppliers can register their details once for multiple bids, find a tender and see all opportunities in one place.

These changes will drive innovation, deliver better outcomes and embed transparency right through the commercial lifecycle, so everyone can access procurement data and see how public money is spent.

Why these changes matter to suppliers

As a supplier, you will need to understand how to take full advantage of the new processes which will apply to all procurement opportunities published on or after 24 February 2025.

Read the government announcement about the commencement of the Procurement Act and related FAQs(link is external).

Familiarise yourself with the Act and the changes you will need to make using these resources:

Available now

Coming soon

  • Register as a current or potential supplier on the new central digital platform, available from Autumn 2024
  • Fire and rescue services, including ourselves, are working with BlueLight Commercial (BLC) across a range of commercial activities.  BLC offer supplier training or webinar events, including specific ones for micro and small businesses and VCSEs, dates and bookings details are available on their website(link is external).

Contract opportunities

We are keen to work with a diverse range of suppliers in terms of their size, location, and type such as minority owned companies (see our Customer Charter). Before starting a procurement process we work to identify and publicise opportunities for local, small or minority businesses.

To see business opportunities with us, you should visit the Sell2Bluelight(link is external) website. You can register free of charge against categories that align with your business. When a contract opportunity arises for your category, you will receive an alert. You can then register an expression of interest for that opportunity and enter into the procurement process.

Use of the portal is free of charge to suppliers and registration gives you access to opportunities with other emergency services too.

Existing contracts

The Service has existing contracts in place. You can find details of the contract, title, start, and end date on the In-tend electronic tendering site(link is external).

The database has a search facility for current contracts that we have awarded. The site also allows searches for other contracts let by participating emergency services.

Standard Terms and Conditions.odt

View our standard terms and conditions.

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Procurement Strategy

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Procurement and Commercial Strategy 2023 - 2028

The Service spends around £16-23 million per annum on goods, services and works with over 800 external providers. It is a duty to our communities to ensure that public money is utilised with the right organisations in an effective way, delivers value for money and complies with legislative duties and corporate responsibilities.

Our purpose

To ensure the communities of Devon and Somerset are confident in the way we commission for goods, services and works with suppliers and how we ensure they represent optimum value for money and deliver on environmental, social and governance responsibilities.

Our key aims

  • Efficiency and Value for Money (VFM)
  • Supplier Relationship Management (SRM)
  • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)

Aim one: Efficiency and Value for Money

Ensure procurement and non-pay contractual requirements deliver:

  • Compliance on our statutory and legislative duties
  • Collaboration with partnering organisations
  • Standardisation, reduction of costs and demand management
  • Efficiency of transactions and processes.

Aim two: Supplier Relationship Management

Demonstrate appropriate supplier and contractual arrangements:

  • Transparency of supplier and contract performance
  • Alignment of performance to changing needs
  • Scrutiny, benchmarking, and effective controls
  • Market innovation to staff and communities.

Aim three: Environmental and Social Governance

Securing the best suppliers to deliver for our communities:

  • Security of supply and safety of our communities and workforce
  • Local, national, and global environmental targets
  • Diversity of suppliers, business ethics and social value benefits
  • Sustainable procurement practices and products.

Measures of success

  • Targeted actions in Service non-pay expenditure
  • Targeted performance in category and supplier strategies
  • Transparency of non-pay spending arrangements
  • Scrutiny for commissioning, supplier, and contract performance
  • Professional function, systems, and governance.

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)

Contract Standing Orders provides governance from the Fire Authority on our non-pay expenditure. The Treasurer and Monitoring Officer support the governance arrangements through scrutiny and financial management and that the Service are accountable for the business decisions we make.

The procurement department ensure that our contract and procurement processes adhere to the principles of; transparency, integrity, and fairness and that through good business ethics we maintain and develop supplier relationships effectively to meet organisational needs.

The Service will deliver sustainable procurement; the process whereby we meet our needs for goods, services and works in a way that benefits not only the Service, but also society and the economy whilst minimising the damage to the environment. We will implement our environmental strategy and social governance commitments and criteria outcomes within our procurement and commercial approaches to meet Service and community needs.

Equality, the public sector equality duty (PSED) social and environmental considerations will be considered at the different stages of the procurement cycle from development of needs and approach, pre-procurement, and market research to the selection of our suppliers, services, products, and ongoing management. We will promote equality and diversity and fairness, strive to ensure equal opportunities, fair employment terms and conditions and procure in accordance with government buying standards.

Collaboration and Commercial activities

Devon and Somerset work pro-actively with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Commercial Function, the Network Fire Service Partnership (NFSP), Bluelight Commercial and Crown Commercial Services in the securing of value for money, effective and efficient supply arrangements. The Service contributes towards the national government and emergency service commercial strategies as a collaborative partner. In some circumstances the Service will recover costs and realise income from Services provided, disposal of assets and grant funding opportunities.

Procurement and Commercial Categories

Procurement in the Service is structured around a category management approach with a resource, strategy, and plan for each key category. Category Managers are responsible for working closely with the Service, partners and suppliers in securing optimal quality, value for money and supply improvements.

Fleet Category

This incorporates all vehicles owned, leased from Heavy Goods Vehicles to electric pool cars. Operational vehicles are maintained in-house and this category includes all the goods and services required to maintain, repair, modify and keep the vehicles fit for purpose and available for use. Fire appliances are unique to the sector and are critical to effective delivery of our public services.

The total annual spend for the fleet category is around £6.6m, with the top three suppliers (by spend) being: Emergency One UK Ltd (fire appliances), Allstar Business Solutions (fuel cards) and Certas Energy (Bulk Fuel). The Service is the fleet lead on behalf of the fire sector and NFCC (National Fire Chiefs Council) Procurement Hub.

Changes in the market for fleet and vehicles and the specialist nature of fire appliances means supplier and contractual management is key to effective and improved performance. The NFCC Emergency Response Vehicles Framework(link is external), implemented and managed by the Service's Procurement Team has an estimated spend of  around £200m and co- ordinates national issues and the pipeline on behalf of the fire sector.

Operational Equipment Category

All items of operational equipment in the delivery of public services aligned to ensuring fire-fighter and public safety. The total annual spend for the Operational Equipment category is approximately £3.3m, with the top three suppliers (by spend) being: MSA Safety (previously known as Bristol Uniforms Ltd (firefighting personal protective equipment), Weber Rescue, and Clan Tools and Plant (Rescue Tools).

The effective life of operational equipment and personal protective equipment is mainly around 10 years. Selection of the right product, service and supplier are key for delivery of quality, safety, and equality, diversity and environmental considerations. Due to the nature of the category collaboration with other fire and rescue services is required to secure economies of scale, risk management and improved performance. As lead nationally for Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA), we develop expertise to manage and support other fire services with the goods and services in this category.

Estates and Environmental Category

This includes all buildings owned and leased by the authority and all associated goods and services that are required to maintain, repair and adapt these facilities to ensure that they are fit for purpose. Requirements include hard facilities management (mechanical and electrical services) and soft facilities management (cleaning, waste disposal, furniture etc.). The sourcing of local building contractors working responsibility within our communities and effective management of utility providers to reduce demand and costs are key aims.

The total annual spend for the Estates Category is around £4.9m, depending on the volume of capital financed programmes to be undertaken. The Service collaborate routinely with Devon and Cornwall Police for estates initiatives and expenditure. The Service is active at national level on estates and environmental groups and has an ambitious target of becoming net zero by 2030. We will seek grant funding opportunities to support environmental and estate aims.

ICT and Digital Category

ICT and digital reaches into most areas within the service in providing hardware, software, communications and mobile technology, data, and cyber security. The total spend for the category is approximately £4.2m per year. The Service work with regional partners the Networked Fire Service Partnership (NFSP) in delivery of critical systems such as control room mobilisation to ensure resilience and security of supply. We are implementing cloud-based solutions and actively exploring other collaborative opportunities with partners in addition to participating and contributing to ICT projects nationally through the NFCC Procurement Hub. Mobile technology and cyber security improvements are a key focus for the Service.

Corporate and Business Services Category

This category includes service wide and people or business contracts such as, occupational health, payroll, financial and legal and insurance services as well as travel and accommodation, training, stationery, printing and fire ground feeding.

As a people orientated category, diversity of workforce and suppliers in terms of size and capability require consideration. The total spend for the category is approximately
£4.4m per year varying as demand for services change. Working with regional partners to secure improvements and value for money the Service is the lead on numerous service contracts including firefighter pensions, payroll, recruitment and occupational health services.

Contact our procurement team

If you require further information please email us at procurement@dsfire.gov.uk.

You can also request a copy of the following documents.

  • Equalities in Procurement.
  • Social Value Framework.

Purchase orders and payment queries

Suppliers must have a valid purchase order (PO) before providing goods or services. To avoid delay in payment the invoice must be legally compliant and include the relevant PO number. For queries regarding invoices or payments please contact the finance department by emailing financedepartment@dsfire.gov.uk.