Contract Signing Next Generation Forensics Procurement for Physical Forensic Services
January 25th, 2023
Decision
To approve the contract award for the National Forensic Services contract and sign.
Decision Summary
Overview
Cambridgeshire is one of 16 forces who participated in the Blue Light Commercial national procurement for physical forensic services and the contract is ready for electronic signature.
The contract is for four years from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2027, with the option to extend for a further 1+1 years.
Forensics Services are a fundamental part of operational policing. These services support all of the operational priorities of each force as the contract will cover analysis across a wide range of offences, including homicide and other serious violence, rape and other sexual assaults, volume crime and drugs analysis (or drink/drug driving). Without provision of these services Cambridgeshire Constabulary will be unable to effectively investigate and prosecute a wide range of offences.
In 2019, following the publication of the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee Report and the Home Office’s Joint Review of Forensics a project was commissioned to develop a long-term forensic marketplace strategic plan under the Transforming Forensics Programme, with delivery to be driven through the Forensic Capability Network (FCN).
The overall value for six years for Cambridgeshire, should the extension options be utilised, is £6, 167, 649.77. This is estimated as extensions are subject to an annual price increase mechanism and the services are demand led.
The national contract was signed on 13 December 2022.
