An Garda Síochána is set to spend up to an estimated €12m on public order body armour to protect members from the likes of spike and knife strikes as well as attacks with flammable materials.
The move by An Garda Síochána (AGS) follows the increased deployment of the Garda National Public Order Units (GBNPOU) over the past year to police protests due mainly to growing tension at anti-immigration demonstrations.
Already, recent figures from the Department of Justice show that over €3.2m has been spent since the start of last year on providing additional equipment to the GNPOU that included over €200,000 on incapacitant spray and canister holders.
Now, An Garda Síochána is wishing to establish a single supplier framework agreement for the supply of protective equipment for use by public order officers.
The duration of the new contract is four years, including possible extensions.
On the €12m estimated spend, the tender states that “tenderers must understand that this figure is an estimate only based on current and future expected usage”.
Underling the multiple threats faced by public order unit Gardai when policing protests, the tender states that the personal protective equipment to be supplied will provide Garda members “with suitable protection against blunt impacts, spike and knife strikes; as well, attacks with flammable materials, and accelerants; associated with public order policing”.
The tender states that the equipment “will ensure that members of AGS can safely and effectively carry out their duties and have the appropriate means to effectively deal with, persons who, or incidents which, pose a threat to the public, members of AGS or the persons themselves”.
It also states that the equipment will “ensure that the risks to members associated with dealing with and/or arresting violent and otherwise non-compliant subjects are minimised."
The tender states that “it is essential that tenderers are cognisant of the requirement that any proposed product can be integrated with the existing GNPOU uniform and equipment”.
The tender states that the issued utility belt is a key component which carries essential equipment and is essential for use in tactical drills such as single/double belt cordons.
The tender states that a Gardai utility belt contains a long baton, incapacitant spray, handcuffs, a first aid pouch and a water bottle.
Tenders - who must show that they have annual revenues of €6m over the prior three years - have until October 4th to lodge their tenders.
Tenders must provide the summary details of two contracts within the previous three years in which they have successfully delivered, to a previous or current police or military customer.
The documentation states that tenderers must be cognisant of the fact that the successful products will be deployed in a variety of environments, some challenging, where the wearer may be required to deploy in full PPE, including torso and limb protection for extended periods of time up to and possibly exceeding 12-hour duration.
The tender states that an evaluation team will assess the user comfort and operational suitability of the proposed product.
This will include ‘petrol reception’, which involves exposure to Molotov cocktails, pyrotechnics and incendiary devices.
The evaluation team’s test of the body armour will also include a 500-metre run in less than three minutes with full PPE including shield, body drag, lunges and press-ups.
The test will also include public order tactical drills including running lines, cordons, stair and landing tactics, injured officer recovery and dealing with violent persons/active resistors in close quarters.
