---
title: "Pay structure reform in the UK Fire and Rescue Service"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-069b12"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-069b12"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-069b12.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-069b12.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT (IDEA)"
published: "2026-05-18"
---

# Pay structure reform in the UK Fire and Rescue Service

Buyer: IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT (IDEA)  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-069b12

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## Summary

The Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government (IDeA) is seeking services for the reform of the pay structure within the UK Fire and Rescue Service. This procurement, titled "Pay structure reform in the UK Fire and Rescue Service," falls under the service category of fire-brigade and rescue services. The opportunity is within several regions across the United Kingdom, including UKK, UKJ, and others, with a procurement stage currently at tender. Key deadlines include the end of the tender period on 18th June 2026 and the opportunity for electronic submissions is permitted. With a gross value of £30,000 and an open procurement method, this process allows for below-threshold open competition.

This procurement presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in HR consultancy, and job evaluation systems, particularly those with experience in public sector reforms. Ideal participants might include small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs). The project entails advising on and assisting in the design of a new pay structure, offering a unique chance for businesses to influence national policy and support sector resilience. As there is potential for project renewal based on associated work outputs, this opportunity also offers long-term business growth prospects. The focus on quality of submission, weighted at 70%, provides an avenue for businesses with robust expertise to excel.

## Notice

The National Joint Council for Local Authority Fire & Rescue Services (NJC) has been discussing reform of the Grey Book pay structure for operational firefighters in the UK for several years. We are now at a point where the aims and objectives of the main stakeholders - the government, the employees (represented by the Fire Brigades Union) and the employers (represented by the National Employers) - are aligned in such a way that we now have an opportunity to make significant progress towards a new pay and grading structure that enables the expansion of the role of a Firefighter to support national resilience and allow the sector to respond to new and emerging risks. The current pay structure within the Grey Book over 20 years old, it is a flat structure, with no spinal points or incremental progression and there is no job evaluation process or structure in place to enable the evaluation of knowledge, skills or competency in role. Initial work has begun on what a new pay structure might look like and we are now seeking assistance from an external party to provide assurance to our work programme and project plan, to help create a robust job evaluation system specifically fit for purpose in the operational fire and rescue space, and to draw on good practice from other sectors. Before undertaking the technical design of the job evaluation system, the supplier will work collaboratively with the NJC Joint Secretaries and the LGA's Workforce Team to shape the project through a structured scoping and advisory phase. This will ensure alignment with national priorities and the principles already agreed by both parties (the employers' side and the employees' side of the NJC).

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: There may be scope to extend which will primarily be dependent on any associated work that arises as a result of this project

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/045390-2026 |
| Notice type | UK4 - Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - open competition |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Tender |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 18 May 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 18 Jun 2026 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 10 Aug 2026 - 31 Aug 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £25,000 |
| Lots value | £25,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Active |
| Lots status | Active |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT (IDEA) |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Post town | South West London |
| Postcode | SW1P 3HZ |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West |
| ITL 3 | TLI35 Westminster and City of London |
| Local authority | Westminster |
| Electoral ward | St James's |
| Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster |
| Delivery location | TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England) |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 75 - Administration, defence and social security services

### Codes

- 75250000 - Fire-brigade and rescue services

## Release History

- 18 May 2026 at 13:33 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/045390-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/045390-2026
  18th May 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/A-16269
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/A-16270

## Notice URLs

- https://app.panacea-software.com/LGA-Sourcing/eRFX-Suppliers/OpenReq.aspx?requirementId=cb3617ec-7dcb-4391-a2ee-abe077de721b
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-069b12. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-069b12.json.