NHS organisations are being given a helping hand to ensure compliance with building safety legislation following the launch of a new procurement framework from Fusion21.

The purchasing organisation has announced the suppliers successfully appointed to its national Building Safety & Compliance Framework – worth up to £880m over a four-year period. 

A total of 175 prequalified, accredited suppliers – both SMEs and multinational organisations – have been assessed for their skills, knowledge, experience, and behaviours and have secured a place on the framework, which has been designed and positioned to meet emerging requirements, particularly in relation to fire safety and the building safety agenda.

The framework is open to all public-sector organisations and covers surveys, planned and responsive maintenance, and installation and upgrades, and complements Fusion21’s existing Heating and Renewables and Lifts frameworks to cover the big six compliance areas. 

The latest framework covers a total of 14 lots, including three completely-new areas. 

The full list of lots is:

• Lot 1 – Asbestos Surveying & Consultancy
• Lot 2 – Asbestos Abatement & Removal
• Lot 3 – Legionella & Water Hygiene Consultancy
• Lot 4 – Legionella Monitoring & Control
• Lot 5 - Fire Safety Surveying, Engineering & Consultancy (Multi- Disciplinary)
• Lot 6 – Fire Risk Assessments
• Lot 7 – Fire Safety Inspections
• Lot 8 - Passive Fire Protection - Fire Doors
• Lot 9 - Passive Fire Protection - Fire Stopping
• Lot 10 – Active Fire Safety
• Lot 11 – Electrical Testing & Electrical Works
• Lot 12 – Electronic Security
• Lot 13 – Warden Call & Tele-health
• Lot 14 – Local Exhaust Ventilation

Benefits of the framework include:

• Flexible pricing options available allowing call-off of a comprehensive range of works and services to enable smooth running of any facility, small or large
• Flexible approaches to call-off without reopening competition – direct award (with or without negotiation), single-stage, and two-stage mini competitions
• Procured in line with Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and Public Contracts Regulations (Scotland) 2015
• Coverage of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Peter Francis, director of operations at Fusion21, said: “This framework has been developed to help our members meet the emerging fire safety requirements of the building safety agenda, offering fire safety, surveying, engineering, consultancy, and inspections.

“As with all of Fusion21’s frameworks, the Building Safety & Compliance Framework enables our members to deliver social value to their communities, and has been set up in a way that gives organisations the flexibility to align their use of the framework to their organisational priorities.”