Maintenance of Life Critical, Statutory Fire Alarm Systems and Accessories

Award outcome

Description

Contract award for the provision of Life Critical, Statutory Fire Alarm Systems and Accessories Maintenance, under the following procurement act direct award grounds: Due to the nature of the services and the wish to retain the organisation, who is also providing major services to various health board premises, the Health Board seeks to make a Direct Award under the Procurement Act 2023 for both Schedule 5, section 7 – Additional or repeat Goods/services. (b)the difference or incompatibility would result in disproportionate technical difficulties in operation or maintenance. And under schedule 5 paragraph 6: (a)due to an absence of competition for technical reasons, only a particular supplier can supply the goods, services or works required, and (b)there are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services or works. Additional grounds apply. As follows: • Where follow up work is required, where the provider has already undertaken initial work in the same area. • There would be a technical compatibility issue which needs to be met such as specific equipment being required. • There is a need to retain a particular contractor for genuine business continuity issues (not just preference). Section 42 also applies, where the award of a public contract via a direct award to protect life and public safety is permitted: 42 Direct award to protect life (1) If a Minister of the Crown considers it necessary, the Minister may by regulations provide that specified public contracts may be awarded if a direct award justification applies. (2) In subsection (1), “necessary” means necessary to— (a)protect human, animal or plant life or health, or (b)protect public order or safety. CTMUHB wishes to appoint Morris Churchfield (MC) to continue delivering the maintenance of life-critical, statutory fire alarm systems and accessories across CTMUHB. These systems are essential for protecting the safety of patients, staff, and visitors, providing early warning in the event of fire and enabling safe evacuation. Any disruption or failure in maintenance could directly compromise system performance, increasing the risk to life. Retaining a single, experienced contractor ensures continuity, preserves warranties, and allows for rapid fault detection and resolution, safeguarding both operational resilience and patient safety. MC have developed in-depth knowledge of CTMUHB’s fire alarm systems and maintain a strong working relationship with the Health Board. Their direct involvement in recent installation and upgrade projects provides them with a unique position to manage and maintain the systems efficiently. Installed Equipment and Warranties • Significant investment has been made in new equipment and assets at Princess of Wales Hospital (PoW) as part of major fire alarm upgrade works, as well as the Ground and First Floor refurbishment project at Prince Charles Hospital (PCH). • Both projects include high-value warranties. • MC also secured the next phase of work at PCH under the G&FF scheme; re-tendering could place considerable strain on this budget. • Additional installations by MC have taken place at Royal Glamorgan Hospital (RGH), Prince Charles Hospital (outside the G&FF scheme), and Glan Rhyd Hospital, funded via EFAB during 2022/23. • Work has also been delivered at Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda (YCR), Ysbyty George Thomas (YGT), Cefn Yr Afon, and Pinewood House. All these assets remain under warranty. MC are currently undertaking substantial works at PoW (roof replacement, additional work streams, and theatre fire enforcement works). Operational Risks of Multiple Contractors Attempting to manage crossover between contractors would present significant risks due to the complexity and criticality of life safety systems. Key risks include: • Loss of installer warranty cover (manufacturer warranty would remain, but installer responsibility would be voided). • Operational and contractual disputes regarding liability and rectification. • Slower fault resolution, increasing risk to life and safety. • Reduced efficiency in diagnosis and system adaptation. By retaining one contractor, CTMUHB maintains consistency, reduces ambiguity, and safeguards the integrity of its fire safety systems. Benefits of Standardisation The ongoing works enable CTMUHB to embed standardisation of systems and products across sites. Benefits include: • Improved quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. • Reduced onboarding time and risk for Estates teams. • Faster fault diagnosis and rectification. • Increased system compatibility and resilience. MC have also been named as an incumbent contractor on the Llantrisant Health Park development, with MTX (main contractor) being advised to use them. This ensures continuity and standardisation of the Honeywell Gent fire alarm systems, already deployed across many of CTMUHB’s high-risk inpatient sites. Re-tendering this work could place considerable strain on the Ground & First Floor scheme’s budget. A Transparency notice was submitted via Sell2Wales on 1st September 2025 to inform the market of the intention to award the contract via a direct award. No responses have been received from the wider market base to challenge the decision.

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