Published date: 16 September 2020

Closed opportunity - This means that the contract is currently closed. The buying department may be considering suppliers that have already applied, or no suitable offers were made.


Closing: 16 October 2020, 11:59pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Video-conferencing equipment - 32232000

Location of contract

North West

Value of contract

£250,000

Procurement reference

GMCA001-DN498656-80170852

Published date

16 September 2020

Closing date

16 October 2020

Closing time

11:59pm

Contract start date

23 November 2020

Contract end date

22 November 2023

Contract type

Supply contract

Procedure type

Open procedure

Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

Description

• This proposal is to replace all the ageing station end AV equipment with a new technology that will enable the organisation to work in a more agile and connected way, the equipment needs to deliver in the medium to long term basis. It will support various key projects moving forward to ensure a clear return on investment.

• During this challenging period, as we respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been looking at how we can improve service delivery through ICT solutions. Our focus has been looking at improving ways to communicate with our fire stations and the wider organisation and what technologies can be utilised to facilitate this. Implementing new technologies across the fire estate will provide improved communications across the workforce, reduce our carbon footprint in line with government legislation, lower utility bills within key buildings, increased resilience and allow better technology to support on-line training.

• Over the last 12 months, the Digital Services Team have upgraded the technical infrastructure to ensure that new technologies and innovative solutions can be effectively implemented and deployed across the organisation. As Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) is considered a 'Microsoft house' we have access to a wider portfolio of products and services including technical support and end-user training, enabling us to work more efficiently and effectively. The Digital Strategy was in the process of being implemented, and this included moving to O365 and the eventual delivery of Microsoft Teams, but the successful implementation of the new infrastructure meant that the Teams app could be mobilised quickly in response to the pandemic.

• In rolling out Microsoft Teams, whilst this worked well across a number of areas, issues with the current equipment located on fire stations were identified, due to its age and limited functionality.

• In rolling out Microsoft Teams, it was identified that there were limitations with the ageing AV equipment on stations, resulting in inability to connect to meetings via Teams, therefore impacting on the new agile working arrangements.
• Ageing equipment on stations
• Digital engagement with crews to better inform
• A greater need to communicate to the wider organisation through "Teams"
• Improve training through an interactive wallboards
• Engagement with third party organisations to support operations support
• Link in with NWFC and other multiagency incidents
• Improved functionally to help support programme for change

About the buyer

Contact name

Anthony Warhurst

Address

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)
146 Bolton Road, Swinton
Salford
M27 8US
United Kingdom

Telephone

+447817382546

Email

anthony.warhurst@manchesterfire.gov.uk

Website

http://www.manchesterfire.gov.uk/