About the GDS
GDS is part of the Emergency Response and Recovery Programme at Fera.
What the GDS does...
The GDS helps the country prepare for and recover from a CBRN or significant HAZMAT incident, and minimise its impact on society, the economy and the environment. We provide advice, guidance, management support and contractual arrangements to support those authorities responsible for dealing with the decontamination of the built and open environment, and transport assets.
GDS has both a role in preparing for and then in dealing with a crisis.
Role in preparing for a crisis – core functions:
- To establish and maintain a Framework of contractors (Specialist Suppliers) which, in the event of a CBRN or major HAZMAT incident, and using a call-off contract mechanism, can offer appropriate remediation or decontamination-related services (including sampling and monitoring and waste management services to facilitate decontamination) for the built and open environment and transport assets, including critical national infrastructure;
- To establish and maintain a programme of work to test, exercise and evaluate GDS and GDS Framework capability against likely requirements based on the appropriate Government policies and materials, using other technical information as appropriate;
- To capture information on known Framework capability and capacity; identify gaps in known capability and capacity, and explore mitigations and possible solutions as appropriate;
- Provision of advice and briefing on Framework capability and capacity, and written guidance on associated remediation/decontamination issues to departments, Devolved Administrations, and Responsible Authorities;
- To participate in the work of identifying, prioritising, and, as necessary, managing decontamination-related research projects;
- To build up a library of the relevant knowledge (including reference material) and experience available to GDS, drawing on national and international information, which can be used by its officers, and others, to support the development of the Framework and wider remediation work;
- To maintaining a Duty Officer role to give access to the GDS services at all times.
Role in a crisis:
- To be expert advisors on the capability and capacity of the GDS Framework contractors, their services and, where relevant, the different remediation or decontamination methodologies and technologies available through the Framework;
- To provide expert/scientific advice as necessary to relevant groups, including the STAC and Recovery Co-ordination Group, on the consequences of the decontamination techniques used by the Framework contractors, and on their capability/capacity and operating procedures to inform the consequence management strategy;
- To help the lead Responsible Authority (or “Agent”) access the most appropriate Framework services in order to ensure the efficient, effective and timely decontamination/remediation work is carried out and to assist them in being an intelligent customer when setting up the appropriate contract or contracts;
- To facilitate the liaison between the Responsible Authority and the contractor(s) throughout the duration of the contract;
- To signpost alternative options where Framework services have reached capacity, or where the decontamination service necessary does not require the level of capability available through the Framework;
- To provide where required, appropriate briefing and assistance to Central Government (including direct to the relevant Minister through the Lead Government Department) on decontamination-related matters including capability and capacity of Framework contractors and other known remediation or decontamination capability.
- During a CBRN or major HazMat incident GDS will deploy on the invitation of the Responsible Authority, or at the direction of CoBR. The extent of the deployment will be incident specific, and reflect both the requirements of the Responsible Authority and the efficient use of GDS resources.
Our work is built on a foundation of scientific support and research to improve decontamination technologies and capabilities.
These functions will allow GDS to bring together the available expertise in a logical and comprehensive manner, allowing those responsible for decontamination to function far more effectively. We will remove the need for them having to procure the work independently, and allow them to benefit from pre-planning.
Page last modified: 9 April 2009
Page published: 12 May 2006
