Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
National Nuclear Laboratory
5th Floor Chadwick House, Birchwood Park
Warrington
WA3 6AE
Contact
Rabia Khan
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
National registration number
3857752
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.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 above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://sharedsystems.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_s.asp?PID=15533&B=SELLAFIELD
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Other activity
Nuclear Decommissioning
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Strategic Support Framework for Spent Fuel
Reference number
NNLC181F
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 98113100 - Nuclear safety services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Tender for a multi-Lot framework agreement to provide a compliant route to market for Strategic Support for Spent Fuels.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £2,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
Tenders may be submitted for all lots
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Measurement and Metrology Services
Lot No
1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 71337000 - Corrosion engineering services
- 73100000 - Research and experimental development services
- 98113100 - Nuclear safety services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance
Warrington
two.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.
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £2,000,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract or the framework agreement
Duration in months
48
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2.14) Additional information
Full details can be found in Appendix D Procurement Specification.
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Corrosion Science and Electrochemistry
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 09340000 - Nuclear fuels
- 73100000 - Research and experimental development services
- 98113100 - Nuclear safety services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.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.
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £2,000,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract or the framework agreement
Duration in months
48
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2.14) Additional information
Full details can be found in Appendix D Procurement Specification
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Materials and Engineering Science
Lot No
3
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 09340000 - Nuclear fuels
- 98113100 - Nuclear safety services
- 73100000 - Research and experimental development services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.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.
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £2,000,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract or the framework agreement
Duration in months
48
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2.14) Additional information
Full details can be found in Appendix D Procurement Specification
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Irradiation Facilities and Particle Accelerators
Lot No
4
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 09340000 - Nuclear fuels
- 98113100 - Nuclear safety services
- 73100000 - Research and experimental development services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.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.
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £2,000,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract or the framework agreement
Duration in months
48
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2.14) Additional information
Full details can be found in Appendix D Procurement Specification.
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.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.
three.2) Conditions related to the contract
three.2.2) Contract performance conditions
Any services, projects or contracts delivered under this framework will be performed in the United Kingdom.
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Form of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
four.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.
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of expressions of interest
Date
31 March 2022
Local time
5:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
Section six. Complementary information
six.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
six.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.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Royal Courts of Justice
Strand
London
London
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
Royal Courts of Justice
Strand
London
London
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
six.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.
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Royal Courts of Justice
London
Country
United Kingdom