Questions and Answers regarding the Announcement: Purchase of Individual protection equipment, intervention and communication equipment for firefighters and rescuers

Q1: Is the design of the protective jacket and trousers accepted at the discretion of the economic operator?   

A1: Information regarding the requirements for reflective tapes can be found in section 7.6. The inscription on the back of the jacket will be in Romanian “Pompier Voluntar”.  

Once the bidder has met all the specified requirements, any parameters not defined in the ToR shall remain at the bidder’s discretion, provided that this does not affect the quality or utility of the product.   

Q2: Please specify which type of hood (gagula) and what length is required.   

A2: As specified in Section 1.4 of the Terms of Reference, the firefighter hood (balaclava) shall be designed to cover the head and neck and include an extended bib protecting the nape and upper chest area.   

The hood shall be compatible with firefighting and rescue helmets (EN 443 / EN 16473) and ensure full head mobility and ergonomic use.   

Offers proposing short hoods (covering only under the chin) or designs not including an extended bib protecting the nape and upper chest area shall be considered non-compliant.   

Q3: Do you consider it possible to modify the technical specifications for protective gloves so that they contain exact characteristics, but only for medium or short protective gloves?   

A3:  The technical specifications for protective gloves, including their length, construction, and certification requirements, are clearly defined in Section 1.5 of the Terms of Reference and reflect the operational safety needs identified by the Contracting Authority. Bidders are invited to submit offers that are fully compliant with the requirements set out in the Terms of Reference.   

Q4: Category B nozzles have a capacity of 100–120 / 500 max. All manufacturers are standardized at a maximum capacity of 500 l/min. A capacity of 600 l/min corresponds to category A nozzles, which do not fall within the requested technical characteristics. We kindly ask you to modify the requirements to a maximum of 500 l/min.   

A4: If the product meets all other requirements except the maximum water discharge capacity, it can be included in the offer.  

Q5: We kindly ask you to review the required diameters for hose with broader consultation.   

A5: As specified in Section 2.4 of the Terms of Reference, for the Ø52 mm water discharge hose, both PVC and EPDM internal liners are acceptable, provided that all technical parameters and compliance with EN 14540:2014 are fully met.    
Only offers meeting all mandatory requirements of the Terms of Reference will be considered for evaluation in accordance with the established evaluation criteria.    

Ø52 mm hoses are intended as attack/discharge lines, while Ø75 mm hoses are intended as water supply / feed lines (hydrants, tanks, relay supply), which remains standard practice in many European fire services, including volunteer units, particularly in rural and semi-rural areas.   

Q6: What is the diameter for the suction strainer?   

A6: As specified in Section 2.9 of the Terms of Reference, the suction strainer shall be 2″ (50 mm) and compatible with the suction hoses used in the set. The suction strainer shall be equipped with a non-return valve, and the suction set shall include a rope, a coupling wrench, seals, and reducers, as required by the Terms of Reference. The specific design and configuration of the non-return valve and rope system may follow the manufacturer’s standard solution, provided that all required components are included and full functional compatibility is ensured.   

Q7: We kindly ask you to specify exactly which diameter of rescue ropes  you require.   

A7: As specified in Section 2.11 of the Terms of Reference, static rescue ropes with a diameter within the range of 10–11 mm are acceptable, provided that all other technical requirements are met, including compliance with EN 1891 Type A.   

Any diameter within the specified range is considered technically compliant. Offers will be evaluated in accordance with the established evaluation criteria, including technical compliance and price competitiveness, without preference for a specific diameter within the permitted range.   

Q8: Where will the hose reels be installed – on the fire engine or at the fire station?   

A8: As specified in Section 2.12 of the Terms of Reference, the hose reel is intended for transporting and rapidly deploying or retrieving hoses during operations.  The device is not a fixed installation at the fire station and not a permanently truck-mounted hose reel   
Bidders are required to submit technical data sheets, and visual documentation (e.g. photos or sketches) as part of their offer to demonstrate compliance with the specified requirements   

Q9: We are interested in the payment mechanism upon delivery of the goods. What will it be? Will payment be made after delivery of all goods, or is payment for each position/lot separately also allowed? Will there be an advance payment and, if so, what will the percentage be?   

A9: The payment conditions applicable to this procurement procedure will be set out in the contract to be signed with the successful bidder. As foreseen, payment is expected to be made in two instalments: an advance payment following contract signature and a final payment after delivery of the goods and signature of the handover–receipt act by the beneficiary, subject to the contractual provisions.  

Q10: Regarding LOT 3 of the project for the Purchase of Individual protection equipment, intervention, and communication equipment for firefighters and rescuers. In the Portable Radio description, it is mentioned that there is an existing system at the site: “Compatible with existing DMR and analog infrastructure”. Could you indicate the brand and model currently in use, please? 

A10: The Contracting Authority does not maintain a consolidated inventory of brands and models currently used by Volunteer Fire Service units. 

The requirement “compatible with existing DMR/analog infrastructure” refers to standards-based operation, namely compliance with both  ETSI DMR Tier II and conventional analog FM, and does not require interoperability with manufacturer-specific or proprietary features.