Section one: Contracting entity
one.1) Name and addresses
National Grid Interconnectors Limited
1-3 Strand
London
WC2N5EH
Contact
James Cooper
James.Cooper1@nationalgrid.com
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKI32 - Westminster
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.6) Main activity
Electricity
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Design, manufacture, delivery and commission of HVDC equipment for IFA - Sellindge
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 31121110 - Power converters
two.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
two.1.4) Short description
Design, manufacture, delivery and commission of HVDC equipment for IFA - Sellindge.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Design, manufacture, delivery and commission of HVDC equipment for IFA - Sellindge.
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition in the cases listed below
- The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator for the following reason:
- absence of competition for technical reasons
Explanation:
In September 2021, a fire broke out at Sellindge, the UK converter station of the IFA1 interconnector. Due to the damage to assets onsite the IFA capacity was reduced to zero (from 2000MW).
In late October 2021 bipole two was returned to service, restoring the site to half capacity (1000MW). Due to the damage sustained on bipole one, an asset replacement or repair exercise was required to be undertaken in order to recover the second 1000MW of IFA capacity.
Multiple options were explored to return full capacity of the interconnector, including refurbishment of the damaged equipment. Independent HVDC experts were engaged to support an assessment of the feasibility of integrating third party (non-OEM) assets with the original OEM system and to review the technical challenges associated with interfacing replacement equipment with the current control system, not damaged in the fire, which is in use on both the UK and French side of the interconnector.
The independent assessment confirmed it was not technically possible to integrate third party (non-OEM) assets to the existing control system. Replacement of the control system, to attempt to facilitate third party replacement assets, was estimated to be uneconomical and would also require the agreement of RTE, the joint operator of IFA, due to the additional works required in both France and the UK. Such additional work would also lead to a significant extension of the recovery programme, leading to a further extension of the unavailability of a strategically significant transmission asset.
Following the above evaluation, it was determined that competition was absent as the only viable technical solution was to replace the damaged assets on a like for like basis and therefore the decision was taken to proceed to contract with the Original Equipment Manufacturer to supply replacement assets on a sole source basis.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
Section five. Award of contract
Title
Design, manufacture, delivery and commission of HVDC equipment for IFA - Sellindge
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
17 December 2021
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
High Court Royal Courts of Justice
The Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom