Wide Area Network (WAN)

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) have a requirement for a Wide-Area Network (WAN). This will be procured via a Short Form Further Competition under Lot 1 of the RM1045 Framework.

The Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Authority are responsible for the provision of the Fire and Rescue Service within the area covered by the Unitary Authorities of Poole Council, Bournemouth Council, Dorset County Council, Swindon Borough Council and Wiltshire Council. Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service ("DWFRS") is an emergency public service, which has to be fully operational 24 hours each day on 365 days a year.

Alongside providing an emergency service to the communities of Dorset and Wiltshire, DWFRS is developing a mobile working culture that requires high-speed bandwidth access from many of these locations to support remote working, telephony and video conferencing. The Authority is a geographically dispersed organisation and its headquarters are situated in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

The WAN will connect together a total of 57 DWFRS sites across the two counties of Dorset and Wiltshire consisting of 49 Fire Stations, 2 Data Centres (1 of which is also a Fire Station), 1 Fleet workshop, 2 Training Centres and 3 office buildings (including Service Headquarters). To support DWFRS requirements this must be an MPLS based WAN. As a result of an on-going review of operational premises, it is possible that during the Contract Period the number and location of the Authority's premises may change.