In recent years the UK has dealt with various disasters and urgent situations. Terrorist attacks, the Covid-19 pandemic, and more wildfires than ever have kept emergency services busy.

The government is committed to investing in police, fire, and other emergency services. Together these so-called blue light departments command budgets of billions of pounds to keep the UK safe.

This makes blue light tenders an excellent business opportunity for the private sector. This is especially true for small and medium-sized businesses. The government has vowed to give more contracts to SMEs from procurement.

The idea is to boost the economy by giving smaller companies access to the public sector. There is a fantastic opportunity for old and new public sector suppliers to deliver goods and services to these vital emergency sectors.

Keep reading to learn more about blue light contracts and the many procurement opportunities for your business.

What Is a Blue Light Tender?

The phrase “blue light” is a blanket term for the emergency services sector. It includes police services, fire departments, and emergency health services such as ambulances. It also includes various search and rescue services on land and at sea.

These are all the government services involved in keeping the British public safe and sound. They fight crime, respond to emergencies and natural disasters, and protect our communities.

Blue light contracts encompass everything that these services need to do their jobs. This can include:

• Vehicles
• Maintenance services
• Cleaning services
• IT services
• Telecommunications services
• Uniforms and body armour
• Equipment repair
• Consultancy
• Security systems
• Counselling services

These are only a few examples of the everyday products and services that blue light tenders may require. 

Blue Light Spending in a Grim Economy

The UK is heading towards an inflation rate of 11 per cent. This has sent the cost of living soaring and is also a concern for politicians watching their budgets diminish.

What does this mean for public spending on blue light contracts? Businesses may be concerned that funding will dry up for contracts in the emergency services sector.

However, the nature of this sector means that it will always be a priority for the government. Keeping society together with law and order, and responding to emergencies, is crucial to the UK’s wellbeing and national security.

This assures businesses a steady stream of blue light tenders, even when the economy is struggling. 

Opportunities for Public Sector Suppliers

There is a wide range of needs in the emergency services sector. As a result, many different companies can offer products and services. These can be everyday goods and not only specialist items.

These are some key areas for blue light contracts. 

Police Tenders

The government’s 2021 spending review highlighted its ongoing commitment to invest in the police force. The goal is to recruit 20,000 new officers by 2023.

Additional funding will go to the justice system for the additional arrests made by these extra officers and to deal with a backlog in the courts after COVID-19. 

Any extra investment is an opportunity for public sector suppliers. New police officers need uniforms, office space, and equipment. 

The country is also increasing spending on areas such as cyber security to combat an increase in crimes that could threaten national security. Counter-terrorism is another critical priority, and the government is building a counter-terrorism operations centre.

It has also allocated 125 million pounds towards modern communications infrastructure to replace the current radio system used by the emergency services.  

Fire Service Tenders

The UK’s fire service is critical for responding to wildfires, traffic accidents, or urban fires.

The need to invest in the fire service has been highlighted in recent years with the Grenfell Tower fire and the surge in wildfires due to heatwaves and drought. Scientists project that wildfires will only get worse due to climate change. 

There are a variety of fire service public sector tenders. For example, in recent months, the sector has advertised for a fire service water rescue vehicle.

There is also a tender out for the major refurbishment of the Bedminster fire station. This is an excellent opportunity for contractors in the area.

Emergency Services Tenders

In recent years, one of the main investments in this sector has been in vehicles, such as ambulances. These vehicles need maintenance, a critical opportunity for public sector suppliers.

However, there is a wide range of government investment in emergency services and protection against natural disasters. For example, the latest spending review announced that 5.2 billion pounds would be spent to protect hundreds of thousands of properties from flooding.

An additional 27 million pounds will support emergency response to flooding incidents. This will increase offers for vehicles, maintenance, and other support services from SMEs. 

Which Businesses Can Apply for Blue Light Tenders?

Many types of suppliers can play a role in the blue light sector. Do not be put off by assuming that only large businesses will win these lucrative contracts.

The government is committed to spending 33 per cent of its procurement budget with smaller companies. Between 2019 and 2020, the government allocated 1.6 billion pounds of its procurement spending to small and medium-sized businesses.

SMEs make up most of the country’s businesses, and investing in them is a key driver of economic growth. Some of the leading contracts SMEs have won are in IT, corporate services, and property and facilities management.

Many of these contracts are extremely lucrative, from two million pounds to 15 million pounds.

Find Defence Procurement Opportunities

The emergency services sector is vital to the safety of UK citizens. It covers a broad range of needs that public sector suppliers can fulfil.

If you are a small or medium-sized business owner looking to win government contracts, signing up with the Supply2Defence platform will direct you to blue light tenders.

Register for free and start receiving alerts about tender opportunities.