Supply and Maintenance of Groundcare Equipment, Light Plant and Tools

The Environment Agency (EA) currently has two frameworks called 'Provision, Maintenance and Servicing of Ground Care Equipment' and 'Light Plant and Tools'. The EA is considering combining these into a single contract for the Supply and Maintenance of Groundcare Equipment, Light Plant and Tools, and would welcome feedback from the market on this approach. The EA is also considering including a requirement for Hand Arm Vibration (HAV) Monitoring Equipment contract, depending on the information gathered from this market engagement exercise.

1) Ground Care Equipment The current National Framework is for the provision, maintenance and servicing of Ground Care Equipment. Equipment includes a range of petrol and battery powered chainsaws, brush cutters, hedge trimmers, multi head and leaf blowers. Associated equipment such as chains, specialist lubricants is also provided (circa 1000 items). All of the equipment is maintained and serviced annually. Any required repairs are also undertaken on this framework.

2) Light Plant and Tools The current National Framework is for the planned servicing and maintenance, plus breakdown support of EA owned items of Light Plant and Tools (LPTs), circa 3,400 items. Equipment includes items such as generators and hand held drills, circular saws, grinders, etc. It is used by EA field teams across the country. Periodic service and maintenance must at a minimum be carried out annually (if heavy usage may be required more frequently). The Maintenance contractor is also required to maintain and update a database of the assets and their service records to provide details of quantity, age, value and condition of the light plant & tool holding.

3) Hand Arm Vibration Monitoring Equipment EA Operational field teams use a variety of hand held tools and hand guided powered tools. Users are exposed to hand arm vibration (HAV) on a regular basis for both planned and reactive work activities. Their exposure to these vibrations must be monitored and managed in accordance with Statutory guidance. This contract covers the supply of the equipment which monitors and records a workers exposure to HAV when a hand held tool is in use. It allows EA employees to actively manage their exposure to HAV in real time.

The contractor is required to collect, process, analyse and present the HAV data in a dashboard form back to the EA.

Suppliers are asked to respond to the survey no later than Friday 2 July 2021.

Additional information: The Supply and Maintenance of Groundcare Equipment, Light Plant and Tools PIN is now live, please follow the link below for more information and details on how to take part in the PRE-TENDER SURVEY.

The EA intends to use the information captured by this survey to assist with shaping the future framework.