Social and other specific services – public contracts - Call for competition

Information

Published

Expire date: 14/04/2022

External Reference: 2022-423218

Social and other specific services – public contracts - Call for competition

Social and other specific services – public contracts

Prior information notice - This notice is a call for competition

Services

Section I: Contracting authority

I.1)

Name and addresses

National Nuclear Laboratory
3857752
5th Floor Chadwick House, Birchwood Park
Warrington
WA3 6AE
UK
Contact person: Rabia Khan
NUTS code:  UK -  UNITED KINGDOM
Internet address(es):
I.3)

Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at:  
https://sharedsystems.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_s.asp?PID=15533&B=SELLAFIELD
Additional information can be obtained from
the abovementioned address:  
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted
to the abovementioned address
I.4)

Type of the contracting authority

Body governed by public law
I.5)

Main activity

Other activity:  Nuclear Decommissioning

Section II: Object

II.1)

Scope of the procurement

II.1.1)

Title

Strategic Support Framework for Spent Fuel
Reference number:  NNLC181F
II.1.2)

Main CPV code

98113100  -  Nuclear safety services
II.1.3)

Type of contract

Services
II.1.4)

Short description

Tender for a multi-Lot framework agreement to provide a compliant route to market for Strategic Support for Spent Fuels.
II.1.5)

Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: 2000000.00  GBP
II.1.6)

Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: yes
Tenders may be submitted for  all lots
II.2)

Description

II.2.1)

Title

Measurement and Metrology Services
Lot No:  1
II.2.2)

Additional CPV code(s)

71337000  -  Corrosion engineering services
73100000  -  Research and experimental development services
98113100  -  Nuclear safety services
II.2.3)

Place of performance

NUTS code:  UK -  UNITED KINGDOM
Main site or place of performance:  
Warrington
II.2.4)

Description of the procurement

The measurement and metrology services lot covers the adaption or development of measurement systems for application in:
• A heavily shielded, irradiated fuel examination facility, where measurements are undertaken directly on irradiated materials out of their storage context. Adaption may require deployment into high radiation environments or may require adaptation to be able to deploy them across a thick concrete wall into a high radiation environment with limited access and limited ability to manipulate items.
• Pond storage environments: where irradiated fuel is stored in fixed geometries underwater, with restricted access
• Dry storage environments, where fuel is contained within sealed containment systems. Monitoring may be focussed on the integrity of the containment system or conditions inside the container.
II.2.6)

Estimated value

Value excluding VAT: 2000000.00  GBP
II.2.7)

Duration of the contract or the framework agreement

Duration in months: 48
II.2.13)

Information about European Union funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no
II.2.14)

Additional information

Full details can be found in Appendix D Procurement Specification.
II.2)

Description

II.2.1)

Title

Corrosion Science and Electrochemistry
Lot No:  2
II.2.2)

Additional CPV code(s)

09340000  -  Nuclear fuels
73100000  -  Research and experimental development services
98113100  -  Nuclear safety services
II.2.3)

Place of performance

NUTS code:  UK -  UNITED KINGDOM
II.2.4)

Description of the procurement

The principal topic areas of interest in relation to this topic area are listed below and support with experimental works, technique demonstration and modelling are of interest:
• Environmentally assisted stress corrosion cracking of irradiated high Ni Austenitic stainless steel (AGR cladding) in pond water
• Environmentally assisted stress corrosion cracking of austenitic stainless steels in air, associated with long term fuel and nuclear material dry storage canisters
• Corrosion of fuel materials in pond water, disposal contexts and nominally dry gasses. Whilst the main focus is on uranium oxide and U:Pu mixed oxide fuels, there is also interest in work on other fuels, as note above
• Corrosion of fuel cladding materials, as detailed above, in pond water, disposal contexts and nominally dry gasses.
• Oxidation of fuel and cladding materials at low temperatures (e.g. below about 200°C) over very long timescales.
II.2.6)

Estimated value

Value excluding VAT: 2000000.00  GBP
II.2.7)

Duration of the contract or the framework agreement

Duration in months: 48
II.2.13)

Information about European Union funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no
II.2.14)

Additional information

Full details can be found in Appendix D Procurement Specification
II.2)

Description

II.2.1)

Title

Materials and Engineering Science
Lot No:  3
II.2.2)

Additional CPV code(s)

09340000  -  Nuclear fuels
98113100  -  Nuclear safety services
73100000  -  Research and experimental development services
II.2.3)

Place of performance

NUTS code:  UK -  UNITED KINGDOM
II.2.4)

Description of the procurement

The focus on this area is to undertake non-active work on simulant materials or undertake modelling of aspects of spent fuels that affect their behaviour in long term storage, although consideration of preparation for disposal is also relevant.
Areas of particular interest are:
• Migration of water into failed fuel during pond storage. This may include fuel in a range of conditions from largely intact fuel pins, to short sections of fuel, fuel fragments and fuel corrosion products.
• Migration of water out of failed fuel in storage or drying at a range of potential pressures and temperatures
• Radiolysis of /water vapour and hydrated compounds associated with failed fuel and corrosion products in wet and nominally dry conditions r
• Evolution of fuel and fuel corrosion products during storage, including dry, damp and aqueous environments, and during drying under vacuum or elevated temperatures
• Interaction and behaviour of radionuclides released as a result of fuel/cladding corrosion with the storage environment
• Materials engineering associated with hydrogen management, in particular to control pressurisation or explosion risk.
• Options for the stabilisation and treatment of severely damaged and corroded fuels.
Support is sought in relation to undertaking experimental work and modelling.
II.2.6)

Estimated value

Value excluding VAT: 2000000.00  GBP
II.2.7)

Duration of the contract or the framework agreement

Duration in months: 48
II.2.13)

Information about European Union funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no
II.2.14)

Additional information

Full details can be found in Appendix D Procurement Specification
II.2)

Description

II.2.1)

Title

Irradiation Facilities and Particle Accelerators
Lot No:  4
II.2.2)

Additional CPV code(s)

09340000  -  Nuclear fuels
98113100  -  Nuclear safety services
73100000  -  Research and experimental development services
II.2.3)

Place of performance

NUTS code:  UK -  UNITED KINGDOM
II.2.4)

Description of the procurement

Access to irradiation facilities is required in relation to three principal requirements:
• Understanding the effects of irradiation on materials, particularly in relation to radiolysis effects. Current areas of work are related to high pH aqueous conditions, however irradiation of low humidity air and conditions relevant to disposal are also of interest.
• Neutron imaging techniques for the detection and mapping of hydrogen in fuel storage systems (in-situ) and for detection of water in irradiated fuels (ex-situ).
• Beam line characterisation of the chemistry of nuclear materials undergoing corrosion or speciation in environments of interest (principally pond storage and disposal) using spectroscopy techniques e.g. XAFS / XANES.
II.2.6)

Estimated value

Value excluding VAT: 2000000.00  GBP
II.2.7)

Duration of the contract or the framework agreement

Duration in months: 48
II.2.13)

Information about European Union funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no
II.2.14)

Additional information

Full details can be found in Appendix D Procurement Specification.

Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information

III.1)

Conditions for participation

III.1.4)

Objective rules and criteria for participation

List and brief description of rules and criteria: This is an Open Procedure to establish a multi Lot framework agreement for Strategic Support for Spent Fuels. Full details of the tender and award criteria can be found in the ITT documentation attached.
III.2)

Conditions related to the contract

III.2.2)

Contract performance conditions

Any services, projects or contracts delivered under this framework will be performed in the United Kingdom.

Section IV: Procedure

IV.1)

Description

IV.1.1)

Form of procedure

Open procedure
IV.1.3)

Information about framework agreement

The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
IV.1.11)

Main features of the award procedure

Full details of the award criteria can be found in the ITT documentation and ITT guidance notes. Tenderers should read all documentation provided before they submit a bid for this tender.
IV.2)

Administrative information

IV.2.2)

Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate / Time limit for receipt of expressions of interest

Date:  31/03/2022
Local time:  17:00
IV.2.4)

Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted

English

Section VI: Complementary information

VI.2)

Information about electronic workflows

Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
VI.3)

Additional information

Full details of the award criteria can be found in the ITT documentation and ITT guidance notes. Tenderers should read all documentation provided before they submit a bid for this tender.
VI.4)

Procedures for review

VI.4.1)

Review body

Royal Courts of Justice
Strand
London
London
UK
Internet address: http://www.justice.gov.uk

VI.4.2)

Body responsible for mediation procedures

Royal Courts of Justice
Strand
London
London
UK
Internet address: http://www.justice.gov.uk

VI.4.3)

Review procedure

Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures: 
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
Any appeals should be promptly brought to the attention of the contact specified in Section I above, and will be dealt with in accordance with the requirements of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Any appeals must be brought within the timescales specified by the applicable law, including without limitation, the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. In accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, the Contracting Authority will also incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period from the date information on award of contract is communicated to tenderers.
VI.4.4)

Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained

Royal Courts of Justice
London
UK