DMFD291 Maintenance and repair of appliance bay doors and gates

1.1.    Report LFC-26-039 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) has an existing contract for the repair and maintenance of its 534 appliance bay doors and 110 vehicle gates across its estate. Under this contract, the supplier attends an average of 900 jobs each year. LFB reports that the existing contract provides effective and reliable service that has improved over time; however, this contract will end in December 2026 and cannot be extended. 

1.3.    LFB is seeking approval to enter a new fixed-price contract for up to seven years (five years, plus two optional extensions of one year each). LFB’s current contract was let on a fixed-price basis in 2003, so LFB anticipates that the annual cost of the next procurement will be higher. The estimated value of the proposed contract is set out in part 2.
 

2.1.    LFB needs safe and functional appliance bay doors and gates, in order to operate effectively. LFB is seeking a specialist supplier, capable of delivering a reliable, compliant and cost-effective maintenance service for appliance bay doors and gates. This should cover:

•    planned maintenance and minor projects 
•    reactive repairs and an emergency response service
•    compliance with statutory and operational safety requirements.

2.2.    LFB reports that the new contract will provide effective, timely servicing and repairs, with direct benefits to its appliance deployment and operational readiness.
 

3.1.    The LFC, and the Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and the Fire Service (the Deputy Mayor), 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 reports that it has completed an initial Equality Impact Assessment for this procurement (appendix 2). This found a low risk of disproportionate impacts across the protected characteristics.
 

Workforce and communications considerations

4.1.    LFB has not identified any workforce considerations from this procurement, as the new service is expected to be the same as under the existing contract. LFB will share details of the new service with its staff when the contract is let. 

Procurement considerations 

4.2.    LFB reports that this is will be a stand-alone contract for specialist services, for which there are no suitable public-sector procurement frameworks. LFB’s proposed route to market is via a competitive flexible procedure, compliant with the provisions of the Procurement Act 2023. 

4.3.    LFB has completed a pre-market engagement to identify potential suppliers. This has identified 11 potential tenderers, including the incumbent, so LFB has assurance that the specialist requirement can be competitively tendered.

Sustainability considerations 

4.4.    LFB reports that LFC-26-039 does not introduce any significant sustainability impacts (see appendix 3). The supplier will be required to meet the requirements of the London Living Wage and the Ethical Trading Initiative’s base code.

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.    LFC-026-039 seeks authority to commit revenue expenditure to reprocure a new contract for the repair and maintenance of appliance bay doors and gates across the LFC estate. This represents a seven-year contract (five years, plus two optional extensions of one year each). This will be funded from LFB property department’s revenue budget. 

5.2.    LFB reports that the main financial risk is budgetary (dependent on the new contract price). If this risk materialises, LFB intends to mitigate it through a budget transfer from LFB property department’s small works budget. 
 

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

6.2.    LFC-026-039 seeks approval to commit expenditure, as set out in part 2 of the report, for a contract for the maintenance and repair of appliance bay doors. 

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. 

6.4.    Under section 327D of the Greater London Authority Act 1999, as amended, 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 the 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 is identified in accordance with normal accounting practices”. The proposed expenditure exceeds this financial threshold, accordingly, prior approval from the Deputy Mayor will be sought.

 
6.6.    The report confirms the new contract for maintenance and repair of appliance bay doors will be procured in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023. Appliance bay doors and gates are essential assets that enable LFB to operate both efficiently and effectively.