Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
AWE PLC
Reading
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKJ11 - Berkshire
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Defence
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Provision of Industrial, Medical Gases and Special Gases and Associated Equipment and Services
Reference number
tender_379952/1237863
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 24100000 - Gases
two.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
two.1.4) Short description
Atomic Weapons Establishment Plc (“AWE”) is looking to engage with the market to understand bidders’ capability and capacity to provide industrial, medical and special gases and associated equipment and services to support its Aldermaston and Burghfield sites.
AWE are considering an agreement with industry (single supplier) for a period of up to 6 years.
For clarity this document forms a part of pre-market engagement and is not part of any competitive procedure. Any information you submit will be considered solely for the purposes of building a greater understanding of the marketplace, and industry's ability to support the procurement category strategy
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £18,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 24100000 - Gases
- 24110000 - Industrial gases
- 24111000 - Hydrogen, argon, rare gases, nitrogen and oxygen
- 24111100 - Argon
- 24111200 - Rare gases
- 24111300 - Helium
- 24111500 - Medical gases
- 24111600 - Hydrogen
- 24111700 - Nitrogen
- 24111800 - Liquid nitrogen
- 24111900 - Oxygen
- 24112100 - Carbon dioxide
- 24112200 - Nitrogen oxides
- 24113200 - Compressed air
- 24311900 - Chlorine
- 24321115 - Acetylene
- 31711400 - Valves and tubes
- 38420000 - Instruments for measuring flow, level and pressure of liquids and gases
- 38421110 - Flowmeters
- 38423000 - Pressure-measuring equipment
- 38423100 - Pressure gauges
- 38431100 - Gas-detection apparatus
- 42131140 - Pressure-reducing, control, check or safety valves
- 42131141 - Pressure-reducing valves
- 42131142 - Control valves
- 42131147 - Safety valves
- 42131170 - Gas-cylinder outlet valves
- 42131320 - Choke manifolds
- 42131390 - Assemblies of valves
- 44523200 - Mountings
- 44523300 - Fittings
- 44612000 - Liquefied-gas containers
- 44612100 - Gas cylinders
- 44612200 - Gas tanks
- 63121110 - Gas storage services
- 80550000 - Safety training services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ11 - Berkshire
Main site or place of performance
AWE Aldermaston
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
AWE is looking to engage with the market to understand the supplier’s capability and capacity to meet its needs for industrial, medical and special gases and associated equipment and services post expiry of its existing contract which expires on 31st December 2024. A procurement is required to secure future supplies under a new contract for the long term.
The supply of products and associated services will support the AWE sites at both Aldermaston and Burghfield. At present there are no plans to service other sites, however it should be noted that during the life of the contract term, the infrastructure and layout of the site may change which may in turn lead to required changes in respect of the in scope services.
In respect of the requirements, the following are deemed in scope. Please see the RFI Requirements document for more detail and note that a full list will be supplied at ITT together with specifications and sizes:
1. Compressed Industrial Gases
2. Compressed Medical Gases
3. Compressed Research/Special Gases and Gas Mixtures
4. Bulk Gases in Liquid Form
5. Cryo Liquids in Small Vessels
6. Solid Carbon Dioxide (CO2, ‘Dry Ice’)
7. Gas Regulators and Handling Equipment
8. Assorted Fixtures and Fittings
9. Maintenance and Inspection Services
10. Rental of Gases Tanks
11. Delivery Services
12. Gas Safety Training Courses
13. Demand and Inventory Management
In respect of requirement 13, it should be noted that AWE requires the successful bidder to undertake the inventory and demand management in respect of the requirements listed above. Continuity of supply is critical to AWE and as such, any successful bidder will need to implement an operating model to ensure that availability of gases meets AWE requirements can be met 365 days a year. The proposed inventory management solution should be light / zero touch from AWE staff, whilst demonstrating appropriate budgetary controls and contract management.
To support the development of our procurement strategy and understand how the market can support and fulfil AWE requirements, AWE is requesting interested parties to submit the proforma; Appendix A, to AWEProcurement@awe.co.uk, including in the title of your email submission “Industrial, Medical Gases and Special Gases and Associated Equipment and Services ”. https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/44698214-d1ab-4dd6-bbbc-95e4be981414?origin=SearchResults&p=1
We ask that you register your interest in this PIN and RFI by Friday 4th August16:00 BST, submissions after this deadline may not be considered.
Once the necessary security checks have been carried out using the information submitted in the proforma, if successful, the RFI will be sent to the nominated email in your proforma.
Responses to the RFI should be submitted via email to AWEProcurement@awe.co.uk, including in the title of your email submission “Industrial, Medical Gases and Special Gases and Associated Equipment and Services ”.
The nature of this PIN is such that AWE intends to operate restrictions within the relevant procurement regulations in order to protect essential national security interests. If an economic operator has connections with any hostile entity or foreign states which are deemed by AWE to pose a risk to the UK’s national security interests or is otherwise considered not to possess the reliability necessary to exclude risks to the security of the United Kingdom, AWE reserves its right to exclude them from this exercise.
In issuing this PIN and engaging with the market, the AWE is not committing to conduct any procurement in relation to this Programme. Equally non-participation in this Market Engagement will not be taken into account in any future procurement activities and will not preclude any organisation from submitting a tender in any future competitions.
Note: The nature of this contract is such that the award will be subject to supplier’s passing AWE’s security requirements as dictated by its site licenses.
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
6 October 2023
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
You can download RFI documents from here https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/44698214-d1ab-4dd6-bbbc-95e4be981414?origin=SearchResults&p=1