Official UK procurement notice
Live Fire Training Unit · UK public procurement notice
Authority: East Sussex Fire Authority (Police & fire)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionEast Sussex Fire Authority (ESFA) on behalf of East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service require to replace their Live Fire Training Building situated on our Training Centre site in Maresfield East Sussex.
This exercise is being created to replace the previous exercise called Live Fire Training Building (but with the same reference number) as we ran into portal constraints that blocked this being an open tender open to all new interested parties. To do so we had to cease the previous exercise and commence a new one.
Our intention is to replace essentially what we have now on a like for like basis but taking into account some design changes identified that will improve both flexibility in use and reduce the impact we have on the environment. We have a fairly clear idea of what we want, and that we can afford it, and believe we have a basic understanding of who might be able to supply what we require in a fairly small niche market. However, the aim of this document is to allow the market to confirm, or otherwise, our assumptions and for us to gather some information that will allow us to prepare an equitable tender that any capable supplier could bid for. As well as establishing capable suppliers we are very keen to establish whether this can be achieved as a single supplier integrated project, or not.
Whilst we may consider alternative innovative approaches, we believe that a steel framed metal structure or container-based solution is likely to be all that we can afford and of which, we have a lot of experience being the basis of the current unit.
This Tender will be managed electronically via the In-Tend Portal. It can be reached via: sell2.in-tend.co.uk/blpd/home ↗
Contractors need to be registered to use the portal and registered against us as a Contracting Entity, but registration is free and further information on how this is achieved, can be found at:
sell2.in-tend.co.uk/blpd/register ↗
If you are unsure about your company's registration status, or have problems accessing the tender on the portal, please contact In-Tend Portals support at: in-tend.co.uk/contact-us/ ↗
If you have any difficulties with the In-Tend Portal that you are unable to resolve through the Sell2UK helpdesk, please email [email protected].
UK2 PME was previously completed via a separate exercise - www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/072670-2025 ↗
CPV: Safety training services · Specialist training services · Technical training services · Training facilities building
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedWhat it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Published sub-criteria (2)
- Live Fire Training Unit: 50%
- Live Fire Training Unit: 50%
Published award criteria (2)
- Live Fire Training Unit: Total cost of the training system, the smoke treatment plant and the units in which the training is conducted and to which the plant is connected , along with maintenance for a period after commission - assuming we find a supplier who will provide an end to end solution
- Live Fire Training Unit: Questions relating to both technical and project aspects of the build and construction and will include Social Value aspects
- Price carries 50 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 5 points. This one is won on the number: sharpen the price before polishing the prose.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Closed
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 11 Sept 2026, 09:12 BST
- Last source update
- 11 Sept 2026, 09:12 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 27 Nov 2026
- Authority reference
ESFA2516- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-086198- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f790Find a Tender- Contract terms summary
Stage payments following completion of contracted milestones agreed
- Risks
Time is important in this exercise and we will closely monitoring agreed milestones for achievement
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 23 Oct 2026, 12:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 9 Oct 2026, 12:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
11 Sept 2026 → 15 Dec 2026 · 5 dates- Tender notice published45 days ago11 Sept 2026, 09:12 BST
- Clarification questions by17 days ago9 Oct 2026, 12:00 BST
- Submission deadline3 days ago23 Oct 2026, 12:00 BST
- Today27 Oct 2026
- Award decision expected byin 31 days27 Nov 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract startsin 48 days15 Dec 2026
Notice history
1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender- Tender notice published11 Sept 2026, 09:12 BSTUK4
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (6)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Bidding documents and specifications Invitation to tender including full instruction and guidance for bidding. Does not need to be completed and should not be submitted.
- Bidding documents and specifications To be completed by all suppliers no matter what part of the tender they are bidding for. Must be returned as part of your submission.
- Bidding documents and specifications Quality and Social Value questions - to be completed by any supplier who wishes to supply the training system and smoke capture plant (with Maintenance) but without supplying the units.
- Bidding documents and specifications Quality and Social Value section - to be completed by any supplier choosing to bid for the unit supply only.
- Bidding documents and specifications Quality and Social Value questions - to be completed by any supplier who can provide an end to end solution. Our preferred option.
Notices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender