DMFD287 Procurement of a depolluted vehicle contract

1.1.    Report LFC-26-025 to the London Fire Commissioner (LFC) provides a detailed overview of the proposal. This is a summary of that report.

1.2.    London Fire Brigade (LFB) uses depolluted vehicles to train its firefighters in how to extricate people safely and efficiently after road traffic collisions (RTCs). These are end-of-life vehicles from which all hazardous materials have been removed – meaning that health, safety and environmental risks are mitigated. Under UK waste regulations, depolluted vehicles are classified as controlled waste and must be supplied and transported by an accredited waste carrier. To provide a realistic training experience, the depolluted vehicles must also be representative of vehicles currently on the roads in London.
 

2.1.    LFB is seeking authorisation to commit expenditure to finalise and award a new five-year contract to provide depolluted vehicles. LFB reports that it has already run a successful competitive tendering process for the contract; and selected a preferred supplier. 

2.2.    LFB entered a three-month contract with its preferred supplier on 1 March 2026. This approval would allow LFB to finalise and award a five-year contract for depolluted vehicles, to its preferred supplier, from 1 June 2026.

2.3.    This authorisation is for a re-procurement, following the end of a five-year contract (between 2019 and 2024) with extensions until 28 February 2026. LFB’s spending on depolluted vehicles, under its previous five-year contract (approved by DMFD33), is set out in Part 2. 

2.4.    LFB expects that, once awarded, the new five-year contract will: 

•    allow crews to carry out realistic training scenarios, to ensure they are operationally ready to attend RTC-type incidents

•    help LFB to address emerging and current risks on London’s road network; this includes risks associated with electric vehicles and other alternative-fueled vehicles. 
 

3.1.    The LFC, and the Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and the Fire Service, are required to have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010) when taking decisions. The Public Sector Equality Duty requires the identification and evaluation of the likely potential impacts, both positive and negative, of the decision on those with protected characteristics (see paragraph 3.3). 

3.2.    It is important to note that consideration of the Public Sector Equality Duty is not a one-off task. The duty must be fulfilled before taking a decision; at the time of taking a decision; and after the decision has been taken.

3.3.    The protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership (but only in respect of the requirements to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination), race (ethnic or national origins, colour or nationality), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, and sexual orientation.

3.4.    The Public Sector Equality Duty requires decision-takers in the exercise of all their functions, to have due regard to the need to:

•    eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other prohibited conduct
•    advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it
•    foster good relations between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.

3.5.    Having due regard to the need to advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it involves having due regard, in particular, to the need to:

•    remove or minimise disadvantages suffered by persons who share a relevant protected characteristic where those disadvantages are connected to that characteristic
•    take steps to meet the needs of persons who share a relevant protected characteristic that are different from the needs of persons who do not share it
•    encourage persons who share a relevant protected characteristic to participate in public life or in any other activity in which participation by such persons is disproportionately low.

3.6.    The steps involved in meeting the needs of disabled persons that are different from the needs of persons who are not disabled include, in particular, steps to take account of disabled persons’ disabilities.

3.7.    Having due regard to the need to foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it involves having due regard, in particular, to the need to:

•    tackle prejudice 
•    promote understanding.

3.8.    LFB Central Operations team completed and submitted an Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) screening form, which was reviewed by LFB’s EIA team. A copy of the screening form, which concluded that a full EIA is not required, is included as Appendix 2. 
 

4.1.    LFB reports that it has conducted a competitive tender process in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations; and has identified a preferred supplier. LFB told us that its previous supplier (which provided LFB with depolluted vehicles between 1 August 2019 and 28 February 2026) did not bid. 

4.2.    LFB expects the services available under the proposed five-year contract to be the same as its previous provision for depolluted vehicles. It has not identified any communications considerations beyond informing the fire stations of the new supplier, and new vehicles available for them to order on LFB’s procurement system.

4.3.    LFB reports that, as per the current contract, the preferred supplier will be required to meet the Mayor’s ULEZ compliance requirements for their delivery of vehicles. 

4.4.    LFB has not identified any workforce considerations arising from this decision. 

Conflicts of interest

4.5.    There are no conflicts of interest to declare from those involved in the drafting or clearance of this decision.
 

5.1.    LFB reports that:

•    the expected spend related to this procurement (set out in DMFD287 part 2) is factored into current and future Fire Stations Central Operations budgets, within operational equipment 
•    there are no incremental budgetary implications. 
 

6.1.    The LFC’s General Counsel’s Department have confirmed the following.

6.2.    This report seeks authority to commit expenditure, set out in part 2, before formalising the contract to supply depolluted vehicles, following a competitive tender process and the selection of a preferred supplier. 

6.3.    Under section 9 of the Policing and Crime Act 2017, the LFC is established as a corporation sole, with the Mayor appointing the occupant of that office. Section 1 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 (the 2004 Act) states that the LFC is the fire and rescue authority for Greater London. Section 7 of the 2004 Act empowers the LFC to secure the provision of personnel, services and equipment necessary to efficiently meet all normal requirements for firefighting.

6.4.    Under section 327D of the Greater London Authority Act 1999, the Mayor may issue to the LFC specific or general directions as to the manner in which the holder of that office is to exercise his or her functions.

6.5.    By direction dated 1 April 2018, the Mayor set out those matters for which the LFC would require the prior approval of either the Mayor or the Deputy Mayor. In particular, paragraph (b) of Part 2 of said direction requires the LFC to seek the prior approval of the Deputy Mayor before “[a] commitment to expenditure (capital or revenue) of £150,000 or above as identified in accordance with normal accounting practices”. The value of proposed contract award, as set out in part 2, exceeds this threshold; therefore the prior approval of the Deputy Mayor is required in accordance with the direction.

6.6.    The statutory basis for the actions proposed in this report is provided by section 5A of the 2004 Act. Under this section, the LFC must procure services they consider appropriate for purposes incidental to their functional purposes.

6.7.    Furthermore, under section 7(2)(a) of the aforementioned legislation, the LFC has the power to secure the provision of personnel, services and equipment necessary to efficiently meet all normal requirements for firefighting.

6.8.    The General Counsel also notes that the proposed procurement of the goods and services provider complies with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

6.9.    The LFC may delegate authority to the Assistant Director of Procurement and Commercial to re-procure the provision of the depolluted vehicles. up to the value set out in part 2 of the report, for up to five years.