Fire Command and Control - CFRS

Introduction

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) is seeking information from suppliers capable of providing a modern Fire Control Command and Control solution to support emergency call handling, mobilisation, incident support, resilience, interoperability, and assurance.

This Request for Information (RFI) is intended to inform requirements definition, procurement approach, business case development, and market understanding. It is not a formal tender and does not constitute a commitment by CFRS or Cornwall Council to commence any procurement process or to award any contract.

Suppliers are invited to provide information on product capability, implementation approach, operating model, support arrangements, indicative timescales, and indicative costs.

Background and Strategic Context

CFRS has a statutory duty to provide effective arrangements for receiving calls for assistance and mobilising resources to fires, road traffic collisions, rescues, flooding, and other emergencies.

The current Command and Control environment is increasingly constrained, less resilient, and not technically fit for future needs. The Service is therefore preparing to procure and implement a replacement Fire Control Command and Control solution.

The replacement programme supports delivery of the Community Risk Management Plan, Fire Control Functional Delivery Plan, Service Delivery Strategy, and wider assurance, performance, and resilience requirements.

The principal drivers for change include legacy and end-of-life technology, performance and resilience concerns, the need for improved usability and reporting, the need for stronger cyber resilience, and the requirement to align with national standards and modern interoperability expectations.

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service operate from 31 stations with a high proportion (2/3) being solely Retained crewed. Cornwall Fire and Rescues’ control room also manages this function for the Isles of Scilly Fire and Rescue Service (5 remote island stations) and any solution will include provision of the Command and Control requirements for the Isles of Scilly as well.

Cornwall is surrounded by water with only one other adjoining Fire and Rescue boundary with the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service. Service Headquarters is located at Tolvaddon, Cornwall. The current system is installed in a server room on site but the server benefits from the wider support, resource and technical capacity of Cornwall Council as its umbrella organisation.

Cornwall’s unique location and geography can present challenges for on site support so there is an expectation that the new solution will have a cloud element to it. Suppliers should therefore explain how their proposed solution aligns with Cornwall Council’s wider cloud direction, including how the design reduces dependency on local infrastructure, supports remote maintenance and management, and maintains operational resilience for a mission-critical control environment.

Current Environment

The current environment includes a legacy computer-aided dispatch / command and control platform, associated communications and interoperability components, linked telephony and mobilising arrangements, and a number of dependent interfaces and support arrangements.

The current environment contains technical and operational complexity resulting from legacy infrastructure, multiple support boundaries, and a mixture of supplier, local service, and council IT dependencies.

On site there are 8 control room operator positions, plus a technical service position, all running a Windows Operating System. There is also a server room on site with 2 physical Multitone CCP’s. Command and Control server applications currently sit on virtual servers, hosted on a Nutanix virtualized environment on site. Network infrastructure is provided by Cornwall Council.

MAIT (Multi Agency Incident Transfer) is currently provisioned via a web link to MAITweb, but an indication of embedded functionality would be helpful.

Short-term maintenance and technical refresh activity is being undertaken to preserve service continuity while full re-procurement is progressed.

Scope of Information Requested

CFRS is seeking information relating to the provision of a resilient, modern, scalable Fire Control Command and Control solution.

This may include software, platform, managed service, hosted service, implementation services, support, maintenance, resilience arrangements, disaster recovery and associated integration capability.

CFRS is interested in understanding both direct system provision and broader managed or hosted service models where relevant.

Desired Outcomes

• Improved operational resilience and continuity of the statutory Fire Control function. This should include the ability to establish a working capability off (the headquarters) site but not necessarily a second control room.
• Improved call handling and mobilisation performance
• Improved usability for operators, supervisors, and support staff
• Improved reporting, assurance, management information, and auditability
• Improved cyber resilience, security, and supportability with accreditation
• Improved interoperability with partner organisations and other emergency services
• Improved resilience for communications to third party systems including our call recording systems, availability management system, Mobile Data Terminals, vehicle navigation devices and Fire Service national incident recording systems.
• A sustainable, scalable solution that offers value for money over the contract lifecycle
• A delivery model that supports future requirements, standards, and change
• A smooth and timely transition from the existing on-premise solution to a cloud hosted service
• Minimal, if any, downtime for maintenance and technical outages.
• Management of incidents via modules or functionality such as Immediate Building Evacuation/Fire Survival Guidance/Marauding Terror Attacks/cordons. (Please specify standard and optional modules if applicable).