Live Fire Training Building

The East Sussex Fire Authority is seeking to replace its existing Live Fire Training Building at the Maresfield training centre with a new facility that mirrors the current layout while incorporating design modifications aimed at improving operational flexibility and reducing environmental impact. The new building will serve as a fully equipped training environment for the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, and the procurement is structured to allow for a single‑supplier end‑to‑end solution or, if necessary, separate bids for the construction of a container‑based training unit and for the training systems with accompanying smoke‑scrubber plant, including a period of post‑completion maintenance. The preferred approach is a container‑based solution, reflecting the experience and cost constraints of the force, though alternative steel‑framed structures may be considered.

Prospective suppliers are expected to collaborate closely with the authority to finalize design specifications before construction, ensuring seamless integration of the training systems and smoke‑scrubber plant within the new building. The tender is managed electronically via the In‑Tend portal, and successful bidders will be registered as contractors against the contracting entity. Attention is given to avoiding system integration issues by favouring single‑supplier responsibility for all aspects, yet the tender remains open to specialised bids that supply only subsystems or the structural units, with integration managed separately.

All submissions must satisfy the specified functional and environmental criteria, and the final solution will be required to comply with UK building regulations and environmental sustainability standards.

East 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.
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.
The response to the Preliminary Market Engagement exercise seemed to indicate that we may not be able to achieve our aim of having a single supplier who will work with us to finalise the design then build it from start to finish. This would be our preference to avoid system integration issues and to be working with a single supplier responsible for everything.
As a result this tender will allow for tenders from suppliers who can provide the end to end product but if we are correct in this niche market that may not be achievable, we will allow bids from suppliers who can only supply the training systems along with the smoke scrubber plant (with ongoing maintenance for a period to be agreed after completion) and separately will allow bids from suppliers who can only supply the building units in and onto which the plant and systems will be integrated.
Whilst we may consider alternative approaches, like a steel framed metal structure, we believe a 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 and against which our current design is based.
This Tender will be managed electronically via the In-Tend Portal. It can be reached via: https://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: https://sell2.in-tend.co.uk/blpd/register. If you are unsure about your companies registration status, please contact the In-Tend Portals support at: https://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 then email procurement@esfrs.org.

Contract location: UKJ
Communication: https://sell2.in-tend.co.uk/blpd/home
Enquiry deadline: 2026-10-09T12:00:00+01:00
Submission address and any special instructions: https://sell2.in-tend.co.uk/blpd/home
Tenders may be submitted electronically: allowed
Award decision date (estimated): 2026-11-27T23:59:59+00:00

Lot: 1
Lot value (estimated)
2.500.000,00 AED excluding VAT
3.000.000,00 AED including VAT

Award criteria:

Name	Type	Weighting
Quality and Social Value	quality	50%
Price	price	50%

Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: En