PQ0608 - Play Areas - Safety Inspections

Birmingham City Council (the Council) is seeking to appoint an organisation for the provision of safety inspections in play areas.

The contract for the services will commence in October 2025 and will be in place for a period of 3 years.

For the first year of this contract we are also looking to have:-

• a full DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) report for all facilities
• a full Play Value assessment for all facilities

There are 239 play areas that require this additional work.

Currently there are 407 facilities across 225 sites across Birmingham City Councils play portfolio. This consists of: 239 playgrounds, 84 MUGA, 32 Ball Courts,42 Gyms, 12 skate parks

The 6 play areas listed below are part of The Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield (RTSC). Through the duration of this contract these play areas may be transferred into the ownership of RTSC. We would need to seek a price for inclusion on an individual basis as the sites may be transferred.

site playground

rectory park yes

falcon lodge yes

harvest fields yes

withy hill rec yes

princess Alice yes

Spring field yes

The number of facilities may change over the length of the contract as facilities are decommissioned and new facilities constructed.

Annual Inspection

The Annual inspection will be undertaken by fully trained operatives who have got the RPII (Register of Play Inspectors International) Annual inspection qualification.

The inspection will include all play equipment, surfacing and ancillary items (benches, bins, signs, fencing, gates etc.) associated with the playground feature.

There will be an individual final report for each of the 407 facilities.

The final report for each facility will include:

• A summary of all equipment associated with the play area
• An overall photograph of each facility
• A photograph each item of equipment and ancillary items
• A photograph of each defect identified
• The defects identified need to be available in an excel spread sheet
• There needs to be a risk assessment for each defect, with recommendations for repair and time scale for repair.

There will be a citywide total summary report produced combining all of the data from each of the individual reports. This needs to be in a excel format to allow for easy interrogation of the data by the client officer.

Additional Requirements

• All inspectors need to have an enhanced DBS check
• All inspectors need to be clearly identifiable
• All inspectors need to be identified and recorded with the client
• Copies of RPII qualifications need to be provided for all inspectors used
• Any high risk defects need to be reported to the nominated client officer before leaving the site, with a photo and recommendations for how to make the fault safe.
• The facility reports need to be sent to the client officer at the end of every week
• The inspectors will need to provide a schedule for the inspections
• The inspectors will need to inform the client officer if there are any deviations in time scales that will have an impact on the completion of the inspections

The inspections will follow the guidance from the RPII Annual Inspection and the relevant British Standards:-

• BS EN 1176 Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10 & 11 Playground equipment intended for permanent installation outdoors & indoors.
• BS EN 1176 Part 7 - ‘Guidance on Installation, Inspection, Maintenance and Operation’ (this document gives guidance to the owners/operators of the facility on the installation, inspection, maintenance and operation of playground equipment, excluding ancillary items).
• BS EN 15312 Free access multi-sports equipment
• BS EN 14974 Skateparks
• BS EN 16630 Permanently installed outdoor fitness equipment

The Council will be using its free to use e-tendering system (in-tend) for the administration of this procurement process and potential suppliers must register with the system to be able to express an interest. If you wish to express an interest in this opportunity please click on the following link to access in-tendhost.co.uk/birminghamcc/ ↗ and submit your details to register. You will then be able to log on which will enable you to download all relevant quotation documentation.

If you are unable to register with In-tend or have any questions or problems on how to use this web site please either email us at: etendering@birmingham.gov.uk.

Your completed quotation submission should be returned by 12:00 (noon) on 13th October 2025 via the 'in-tend' system in-tendhost.co.uk/birminghamcc ↗