The Fire Safety Products and Associated Services framework has progressed to the tender stage, giving suppliers the opportunity to compete for places on a major public sector agreement covering fire protection equipment, installation, maintenance and consultancy.
Led by Kent County Council trading as Procurement Services, the framework has an estimated value of £120 million excluding VAT over four years. The tender was published on 6 October 2026, with submissions due by 5 November 2026 at 5pm.
For businesses supplying fire safety products or delivering specialist fire protection services, the competition offers access to a broad range of potential public sector customers. Suppliers should now be reviewing the tender documents, confirming their preferred lots and preparing their responses.
Fire Safety Products framework: key information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Framework | Fire Safety Products and Associated Services |
| Contracting authority | Kent County Council trading as Procurement Services |
| Reference | Y26024 |
| Find a Tender notice | 2026/S 000-094259 |
| Estimated value | £120 million excluding VAT (£144 million including VAT) |
| Framework period | 22 January 2027 to 21 January 2031 |
| Number of lots | Four |
| Enquiry deadline | 22 October 2026, 5pm |
| Tender deadline | 5 November 2026, 5pm |
| Procurement procedure | Open procedure |
The framework is intended for eligible public sector and other qualifying organisations across the UK, including local authorities, educational establishments, NHS organisations, emergency services and housing associations.
Suppliers can access the procurement through the Find a Tender notice and respond using the Delta eSourcing portal.
What does the framework cover?
The framework is divided into four lots, covering different areas of fire safety provision. This creates opportunities for both product suppliers and specialist service providers.
Lot 1: The Supply of Fire Safety Products
Estimated value: £30 million excluding VAT
Lot 1 covers the supply, installation, maintenance and testing of fire safety products and equipment.
Relevant products include fire extinguishers, fire blankets, evacuation chairs, fire doors and shutters, fire hoses, signage and specialist storage solutions for e-bikes and e-scooters.
Businesses bidding for this lot should demonstrate product compliance, reliable supply arrangements and the ability to support customers with installation, testing and ongoing maintenance where required.
Lot 2: Active Fire Protection
Estimated value: £48 million excluding VAT
Lot 2 covers active fire detection and suppression technologies and is divided into two sub-lots.
Sub-lot 2a: Active Fire Protection Systems and Suppression Solutions
This includes fire detection and alarm systems, emergency lighting, sprinklers, fixed suppression systems and associated inspection, servicing and repair.
The scope also covers temporary or portable suppression solutions that may be required during refurbishment, system outages or periods of increased fire risk.
Sub-lot 2b: Wildfire and Outdoor Fire Suppression
This covers specialist outdoor firefighting equipment, including backpack pumps, portable fire pumps, hoses, nozzles, wildfire tools and related accessories.
The distinction between the sub-lots is important. Suppliers should review the relevant specifications rather than assuming that all active fire protection requirements are identical.
Lot 3: Passive Fire Protection
Estimated value: £27 million excluding VAT
Lot 3 covers the inspection, installation, maintenance, certification and remediation of passive fire protection systems within buildings.
Services include fire stopping, compartmentation works, cavity barriers, fire door installation and replacement, structural fire protection and compliance inspections.
Suppliers will need to demonstrate their ability to work with appropriate tested systems, certified materials and relevant technical standards.
Evidence of completed projects, installation quality, inspection processes and accurate record keeping could be particularly important when preparing responses.
Lot 4: Fire Risk Assessment and Consultancy
Estimated value: £15 million excluding VAT
This lot is intended for independent fire safety consultancy, inspection, auditing and training services.
Its scope includes fire risk assessments, fire door inspections, compartmentation surveys, fire strategies, compliance advice, fire awareness training and related reporting.
The tender specifically refers to independent assurance and the separation of consultancy from installation or remedial activities to avoid conflicts of interest.
Consultancies should therefore consider how they will demonstrate impartiality, technical competence, reporting quality and the experience of the personnel delivering the services.
How will suppliers be evaluated?
The published tender notice sets out three headline evaluation categories:
| Evaluation criterion | Weighting |
|---|---|
| Quality | 60% |
| Price | 30% |
| Social value | 10% |
With quality accounting for 60% of the available marks, suppliers cannot rely on competitive pricing alone.
Responses will need to demonstrate the organisation's ability to meet the relevant technical and service requirements, supported by credible evidence.
For fire protection suppliers, this could include:
- Relevant delivery experience: Contracts demonstrating experience with similar products, buildings, customer types or service requirements.
- Technical competence and compliance: Appropriate certifications, competent personnel, inspection procedures and product assurance.
- Service delivery: Arrangements for installation, maintenance, responsive support and managing customer requirements.
- Quality management: Processes for monitoring delivery standards, correcting defects and maintaining accurate records.
- Social value: Proportionate commitments that are relevant to the contract and can be delivered and measured.
These are useful preparation areas rather than a substitute for the detailed evaluation questions. Suppliers should follow the requirements and scoring guidance within the published tender documentation.
Our bid writing services can help suppliers develop structured, evidence-based responses that address the buyer's evaluation criteria.
How will contracts be awarded through the framework?
The framework will allow eligible customers to award contracts using three methods.
Direct award may be available where the customer can identify the most advantageous tender using the information and scores established at framework award, without requesting additional pricing or qualitative responses.
Rapid Request for Quote (RFQ) provides a streamlined competitive process for simpler, clearly defined requirements.
Further competition allows customers to run a new competition between relevant framework suppliers for an individual requirement.
This makes the initial framework submission particularly important. Suppliers should consider how their pricing, service descriptions and quality commitments may affect their competitiveness both when joining the framework and when pursuing subsequent contracts.
The notice does not specify a maximum number of suppliers, although meeting the applicable participation and evaluation requirements will remain essential.
How to prepare your framework submission
With the submission deadline approaching, businesses should prioritise the activities most likely to influence the quality and completeness of their bid.
Confirm your lot selection
Review the specifications and determine which lots or sub-lots align with your products, technical capabilities and delivery arrangements.
Bidding across several lots may be attractive, but suppliers should avoid pursuing categories where they cannot demonstrate relevant competence or sufficient delivery capacity.
Check technical and compliance evidence
Identify the certifications, product documentation, professional qualifications and other supporting information requested in the tender documents.
For service-based lots, ensure your project examples demonstrate the capabilities being assessed. This might include fire door remediation, alarm-system maintenance, risk assessment or specialist installation.
Build strong quality responses
The 60% quality weighting makes the written submission especially significant.
Responses should explain how the proposed service will operate in practice, who will deliver it and how performance will be monitored.
Use specific examples and measurable outcomes rather than relying on general statements about experience or customer service.
Review pricing and social value commitments
Ensure pricing is sustainable and consistent with the commercial requirements of the relevant lot.
Social value commitments should be relevant, realistic and supported by a clear delivery approach. Avoid proposing activities that cannot be resourced or demonstrated if awarded.
Complete the submission through Delta
The procurement is being administered through Delta eSourcing using access code H778QWF582.
The notice identifies 22 October 2026 at 5pm as the enquiry deadline and 5 November 2026 at 5pm as the tender submission deadline.
Suppliers should access the portal promptly, review all tender attachments and allow time for internal approvals and submission checks.
Need support with the Fire Safety Products framework?
Thornton & Lowe works with businesses competing for public sector construction, facilities management, specialist maintenance and professional services contracts.
Our team can support fire safety suppliers with reviewing tender requirements, developing compliant responses, presenting technical evidence and strengthening their approach to quality and social value questions.
With quality carrying the greatest share of the available marks, a clear and well-supported submission could make a meaningful difference to your competitiveness.
If you're planning to bid for the Fire Safety Products and Associated Services framework, contact Thornton & Lowe to discuss how we can help you prepare your response.
