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Operational Fire Fighter Apprenticeship Programme

Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

27 Aug 2026 at 08:28

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service is procuring an Operational Firefighter Apprenticeship Programme. The service uses operational firefighter apprenticeships as its preferred development route and intends to use the apprenticeship model for initial training, supporting recruitment and the effective use of its training budget. The requirement is for training services (CPV 80500000), delivered for the fire service in the Royal Berkshire area. The selected provider is The Fire Service College, based in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire. The procurement concerns a service rather than goods or construction, and is identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. The programme is intended to provide the operational firefighter training needed to develop new or additional fire service staff.

The procurement is complete and has been awarded following a selective call-off from the YPO Apprenticeships and Associated Training framework. The Fire Service College was awarded the contract on 19 August 2026 for £222,000. The contract runs from 7 September 2026 to 6 September 2030. Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service identified the college as the only viable framework option for its requirements. The direct-award decision considered provider rating, region, provider type, Ofsted rating, intake capacity and minimum intake, delivery models, facilities and available start dates. The tender submission deadline was 1 August 2026 at 2pm. The award is active.

This requirement shows sustained demand for specialist operational firefighter apprenticeship training from Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service. A credible future supplier would need to deliver recognised apprenticeship-based firefighter training, with sufficient intake capacity for the service’s recruitment needs and the ability to accommodate its minimum intake. Relevant capability includes suitable training facilities, workable delivery models and reliable start-date options. Providers would also need a strong provider profile, an appropriate provider type and a satisfactory Ofsted rating, since these were used to assess the available framework suppliers. The opportunity is relevant to training organisations, further-education providers and specialist fire-service training businesses, including SMEs, that can deliver practical and structured development for operational firefighters.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Operational Fire Fighter Apprenticeship Programme

Notice Description

RBFRS has been utilising Operational Firefighter Apprenticeships as the preferred development route for a few years. The Fire Service College has been identified from the procurement framework as the only viable option to meet our requirements. There are eight (8) suppliers in the YPO framework 1086 - Apprenticeships and Associated Training: * Capita Group Plc - Operational firefighter * Cornwall Fire Rescue and Community Safety Service * SFJ Awards The Workforce Development Trust Ltd - Operational Firefighter * Warrington and Vale Royal College * DN Colleges Group * E-Training Ltd * New College Durham * Weston College Initial training can be provided more cost effectively if an apprenticeship model is continued, which would support costs / best use of the training budget of the recruitment of additional staff as required. The sub-criteria below was used to make a more efficient decision when looking at carrying out a direct award approach. Provider rating * Region * Provider type * Ofsted rating * In-take capacity * Minimum intake * Delivery models * Facilities * Start dates

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-75389802-cf40-4a21-a4f6-371ea0d69ad1
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/9ef7759c-a990-45cd-ae80-7387b51ff491
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Call-off from a framework agreement
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80500000 - Training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£222,000 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
27 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
19 Aug 20264 weeks ago
Contract Period
7 Sep 2026 - 6 Sep 2030 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
READING
Postcode
RG31 7SD
Postcode Area
Reading
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ16 Berkshire West
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
West Berkshire
Electoral Ward
Tilehurst Birch Copse
Westminster Constituency
Reading West and Mid Berkshire

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Fire Service College

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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