Integrated Control Centre simulator in Geretsried goes operational – IABG praised for successful project management

In a ceremony held on Monday 31 July 2006, the Bavarian State Minister of the Interior, Dr. Günther Beckstein, launched the new control centre simulator at the State Fire School in Geretsried. The simulator represents the technical blueprint for the 26 Integrated Control Centres to be established across Bavaria, which can be accessed by the public under the uniform European number for ambulance and fire services, 112. The new control centre will be used for the centralised, state-wide initial and advanced training of future Integrated Control Centre employees. The technical equipment at the control centre simulator – particularly the complex information and communications technology – largely reflects that used at an operational control centre. This allows control centre users to be trained under the most realistic conditions possible.

IABG is responsible for performing project management and providing technical support to the Bavarian State Ministry of the Interior (StMI) for this challenging project. In addition to risk management, project control, the creation of an IT security concept and technical evaluation, this included establishing and operating a special <link https: www.bayern-ils.de ilswebseite index.php external-link-new-window externen link in neuem>ICC portal. The public area of this portal provides extensive information and photographs.

Another important role performed by IABG was its technical contribution to the tender documents for the control centre simulator (including the uniform Bavaria-wide deployment control software), which, at over 500 pages in length, were extremely comprehensive. This included the complex technical specifications. With its extensive experience, IABG played a vital part in ensuring that, in particular, all of the technical components complied with the operating specifications and the provisions of public contract law. This effort proved to be worthwhile: following the conclusion of the tender review and the award recommendation, several bidders initiated review proceedings with the Public Contract Chamber of Southern Bavaria. Thanks to the watertight tender documents, the flawless implementation of the award procedure and the committed support of an expert team of lawyers, all three applications for review were rejected as unfounded in all instances.

To support the operators of Integrated Control Centres as effectively as possible, the Ministry of the Interior decided to develop sample specifications on the basis of the tender documents for the control centre simulator and to provide these to operators in the individual control centre areas. These specifications can then be used as the basis for the tender procedures for their own Integrated Control Centres, meaning that they only need adjust the documents to reflect local conditions. IABG also performed a key role in preparing the sample bill of quantities and specifications. In the coming months, IABG will carry out a technical evaluation of the planning documents for all ICSs in Bavaria.