TETRA  |  2014-04-24

UK Home Office places Emergency Services Network (ESN) tender

Source: www.bapcojournal.com

The ESN will deliver integrated critical voice and broadband data services to all three emergency services (3ES) and other users throughout GB (England, Wales and Scotland).

These services require a mobile communications network capable of providing the full coverage, resilience, security and public safety functionality required by the 3ES.

The ESN will replace those services delivered under current service contract(s). A number of these service contracts operate across the 3ES and other users. The new service contracts are expected to be awarded during 2015 to facilitate commencement of service delivery from late 2016 as existing service contracts begin to expire.

Coverage

The 3ES service will be required to cover (currently):

— Approximately 250,000 operational staff across the three emergency services (3ES);

— 44 Police and Crime Commissioners/services;

— 50 Fire and Rescue Authorities/services;

— 13 Ambulance Trusts;

— National Crime Agency;

— 3 non-Home Office Police Services (British Transport Police, Ministry of Defence Police, Civil Nuclear Constabulary);

— National Police Air Service.

ESN will also provide a service for more than just the 3ES however as 400+ Government and local public safety and other bodies use the current system and will potentially require the ability to use ESN. These other bodies may add up to approximately 50,000 additional connected devices, and may include the Central Government Departments, Non-Departmental Public Bodies and Agencies, Local Authorities in Great Britain and a number of charitable bodies and other organisations that interact with public safety bodies.

The combined value of the 4 Lots is estimated to be between £555 m and £1.22bn depending on the extent of take up of services by other Government and local public safety bodies in addition to the 3ES and any extension options (exclusive of VAT).

 

More information can be found on the website of www.bapcojournal.com