Government Shopping List For 'Dirty Bomb' Attack

As the government prepares for a 'dirty bomb' attack here's the shopping list so far.







4th April 2007 - 12,000 CBRN compatible helmets;
10,000 personal communication systems

See original post here »

* 80,000 Escape Hoods (pictured)

This contract for a single-use escape hood with respiratory protection against known CBRN (Chemical Biological Radiation and Nuclear) threats was awarded to Avon Protection on the 19th of August 2006. It has a value of £8 million.

* 12,000 Biohaz Protective Suits

The Home Office contract for a complete CBRN personal protective equipment suit, including respiratory protection, was first reported on this blog (see here). The contract was put out to tender on the 21st of December 2006 and has yet to be awarded. I estimate its value to be approximately £4 million.

* Detection, Investigation and Monitoring (DIM) Vehicles

A £2 million contract for the fit-out of DIM vehicles was awarded to Manchester based company, Auto Electrical Services (Mcr) Ltd., on the 1st of April 2006. The vehicles are used for detecting and monitoring CBRN substances.

* 8000 Body Bags

The Home Office contract for CBRN resistant body bags was first reported on this blog (see here). The original tender document was published at the beginning of July last year as an order for 'bags'. The wording in the document was subsequently amended on the 15th of July to read 'body bags'. The winner of the contract is due to be announced in the next month or so.

* Decontamination Services

Several companies, including Bioquell UK Ltd, have been contracted to provide services for the decontamination of buildings and the wider open environment after a major CBRN or HAZMAT incident.

* Crowd Containment Barriers

The tender for 108 rapidly deployable physical barriers, resistant to CBRN agent degradation, was put out to tender on the 23rd December 2006.

* Public Address Systems

Also published on the 23rd December 2006 was a contract for 372 public communication systems that allows for the delivery of self-help and instructional information to the public at or within a CBRN cordoned area.

Major Incident Response Vehicles

10 sets of 3 vehicles, with a possible requirement for up to 24 single unit vehicles, all of which would be converted to up to four design specifications including provision of specialist IT and satellite-related communications equipment. Order placed 13 Feb 2007.



* The tender documents can be found on the website of the Official Journal of the European Union, Tenders Electronic Daily.

Ref: 2006/S 157-168993 (Escape Hoods)
Ref: 2006/S 245-263315 (Biohaz Suits)
Ref: 2006/S 64-066287 (DIM Vehicles)
(CBRN Body Bags) see original post »
Ref: 2005/S 238-234521 (Decontamination Services)
Ref: 2006/S 245-263313 (Crowd Containment Barriers)
Ref: 2006/S 245-263314 (Public Address Systems)