CSP25292 - Emergency Response, Capabilities and Operations (ERCO) Training and Exercising Contract

** This is an Award Notice and not a Call for Competition, This Contract has been Awarded Via CCS RM6219 - Learning and Training Services **

DESNZ is the Lead Government Department (LGD) and responsible for planning,

preparing, and leading the government's response to crises within two critical national

infrastructure sectors (energy and civil nuclear). The Department must ensure that teams

maintain a strong understanding of the risks facing their sectors, develop emergency

response plans, and continuously build, test, and assure capabilities.

In addition, DESNZ also supports cross-government efforts during large-scale incidents

such as flooding, severe weather, and pandemics. This work contributes to addressing

findings from the COVID-19 Module 1 Report, which highlighted the need for departments

to invest more in assurance, emergency preparedness, capability building, and national

exercising.

DESNZ has a progressive, well-established, and mature emergency response capability

and, as a result of working with an external supplier for a number of years, has developed

a comprehensive and structured training and exercising programme that continues to

ensure the Department's capability to effectively react and respond to crises.

The Department are now looking to appoint a supplier to continue this work to design,

develop and deliver our comprehensive training and exercising programme to further

strengthen DESNZ's emergency response capability. This is in-line the expectations of the

Department set out in Chapter 8 of the UK Governments The Amber Book - Managing

Crisis in Central Government - GOV.UK.

DESNZ runs a well-established training and exercising programme to build and test its

emergency response capabilities.

The programme covers all audiences at all grades. For example, training sessions might

have a mix of those that are brand-new to the Civil Service or emergency management,

alongside those who have many years' experience or hold senior roles.

The core target audience for the programme of work is those that work in Emergency

Response Team (ERT) within National Security and Response and Energy Resilience

which includes:

1. Operational roles during emergencies such as Situation Cell (SitCell) and

Logistics Cell (LogCell)

2. Sector team subject matter policy experts across critical energy infrastructure,

forming Policy Cell(s).

3. Senior Leaders such as Grade 7s, Grade 6s and Senior Civil Servants typically

holding leadership roles during crises.

4. Emergency response group volunteers who work across the Department that can

provide surge resourcing where required.