Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name and addresses
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
Culham Science Centre
Abingdon
OX14 3DB
Contact
Phil Perkins
Telephone
+44 1235467147
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
National registration number
N/A
Internet address(es)
Main address
http://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-atomic-energy-authority
Buyer's address
https://uk.eu-supply.com/ctm/Company/CompanyInformation/Index/72814
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Other activity
Fusion Research
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
RAICo - Radiation Hot Cell Through Wall Manipulators
Reference number
T/PJP174/22
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 42997300 - Industrial robots
two.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
two.1.4) Short description
UKAEA RACE - RAICo are investigating the use of through wall manipulators in hazardous nuclear decommissioning site locations.
The development and ultimate deployment of high technology, high performing handling systems is a key element in addressing numerous use cases that have been aligned with the RAICo programme. In doing so, RAICo will play a vital part in removing operators from high hazard nuclear decommissioning environments, providing a safe remote working environment, hot cells with a remote handling capability being one example of these.
This PIN seeks to determine the current and future market capability in terms of candidate robot manipulators that are, or could be, capable of operating in place of human operators in a hot cell environment.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £454,396
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance
TBD (Whitehaven, Cumbria or Culham, Oxfordshire.
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Robotic through wall manipulators capable of operating in hazardous radiation hot cell environments in place of human operators.
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: 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 procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations
Explanation:
The authority published a prior information notice calling for expressions of interest from suppliers who either had an existing or were developing a product capable of meeting our base performance envelope. We received four responses with the outcomes as follows:
1 - Responded that they could not meet the requirements either now or in the future so were discounted.
2 - Responded that they had a product, but when we requested a meeting to discuss in more detail they confirmed they had no offering and declined our meeting stating this was not something they could supply.
3 - WMH indicated they could meet our requirement.
4 - Another supplier also indicated they could provide a suitable product and we continue to have discussions with them
As it was the authority's intention to purchase more than one manipulator from different suppliers we concluded running a formal tender process was not good use of taxpayers funds and decided on a direct award process to one or both of the two respondents to our PIN, who indicated that they could meet our technical as outlined, this is subject to us assessing the quotes as being VFM..
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2022/S 000-028259
Section five. Award of contract/concession
Contract No
Contract not awarded yet
Title
Supply of a Radiation Hardened Through Wall Manipulator
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract/concession
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
27 January 2023
five.2.2) Information about tenders
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire
Wälischmiller Engineering GmbH
Schießstattweg 16,D - 88677 Markdorf
Markdorf
D - 88677
Country
Germany
NUTS code
- DE - Germany
The contractor/concessionaire is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £454,396
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
UK Atomic Energy Authority
Culham Science Centre
Abingdon
OX14 3DB
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-atomic-energy-authority
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
UK Atomic Energy Authority
Culham Science Centre
Abingdon
OX14 3DB
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-atomic-energy-authority
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
VI.4.2)Body responsible for mediation procedures
VI.4.3)Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
The authority will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers.
This period allows unsuccessful tenderers to seek further debriefing from the authority before a contract is entered into applicants have 2 working days from the notification of the award decision to request. Additional debriefing and that information have to be provided within a minimum of 3 working days before the expiry of the standstill period. Such additional information should be sought from the contact named in this notice.
If an appeal regarding the award of a contract has not been successfully resolved, the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015 No. 102) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland).
Any such action must be brought promptly.
(generally within 3 months).
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
UK Atomic Energy Authority
Culham Science Centre
Abingdon
OX14 3DB
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-atomic-energy-authority