Contract

VULCANS (the Virtual Centre for the Application of Nuclear Systems) is a multi-year Research & Development project aiming to help develop very small nuclear power systems to support sensors and propulsion in space and in other remote and challenging environments.

  • Business Energy and Industrial Strategy

F03: Contract award notice

Notice identifier: 2021/S 000-026255

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-02edfc

Published 20 October 2021, 1:54pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Business Energy and Industrial Strategy

1 Victoria Street

London

SW1H0ET

Contact

Paul Donovan

Email

paul.donovan@beis.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 2072152445

Fax

+44 2072152445

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKI32 - Westminster

Internet address(es)

Main address

www.beis.gov.uk

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Ministry or any other national or federal authority

one.5) Main activity

General public services


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

VULCANS (the Virtual Centre for the Application of Nuclear Systems) is a multi-year Research & Development project aiming to help develop very small nuclear power systems to support sensors and propulsion in space and in other remote and challenging environments.

Reference number

TRN 5402 10 /2021

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 51000000 - Installation services (except software)

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Report on sector requirements and demand, covering:

o Demand from public and private sector organisations for Deployable Nuclear Power Sources and their fuels;

o Technical specification for isotope systems and fuel forms, in particular drawing on space mission profiles and launch safety requirements;

o Capabilities required to exploit the UK's nuclear waste inventory for isotope systems;

o Capabilities required and to develop micro-reactor fuel forms and reactors;

o Demand for access to SACRED and PuMA2 (including associated potential revenue or cost recovery mechanisms);

• Design/Engineering Specification for SACRED and for PuMA2

o Including project plan detailing path to final commissioning

o Based on above identified sector requirements

• Exploratory Research & Development into manufacturing approaches for fuel forms (both isotopic and fission) and subsequent performance testing

• Report on future Critical Micro-Reactor Testing and Validation:

o Technical requirements for a critical reactor facility

o Potential location and licensing conditions

o Level of investment required and customer pipeline

o Links to the UK AMR Demonstration programme

o Links to UKAEA's Fusion Programme.

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: £883,000

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 35113200 - Nuclear, biological, chemical and radiological protection equipment
  • 35113210 - Nuclear safety equipment
  • 38970000 - Research, testing and scientific technical simulator
  • 73100000 - Research and experimental development services
  • 73200000 - Research and development consultancy services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

VULCANS (the Virtual Centre for the Application of Nuclear Systems) is a multi-year Research & Development project aiming to help develop very small nuclear power systems to support sensors and propulsion in space and in other remote and challenging environments.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price

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 procurement falls outside the scope of application of the regulations

Explanation:

Direct award due to absence of competition due to technical reasons or protection of exclusive rights (regulation 32(2)(b)

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No

four.2) Administrative information

four.2.9) Information about termination of call for competition in the form of a prior information notice

The contracting authority will not award any further contracts based on the above prior information notice


Section five. Award of contract

Contract No

TRN 5402 10 /2021

Title

Virtual Centre for the Application of Nuclear Systems VULCANS

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

19 October 2021

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 1

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

National Nuclear Laboratory

Chadwick House, Warrington Road, Birchwood Park

Warrington

WA3 6AE

Email

tim.p.tinsley@uknnl.com

Telephone

+44 1946556575

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UK - United Kingdom
The contractor is an SME

No

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)

Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £883,000

Total value of the contract/lot: £883,000


Section six. Complementary information

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Department of Business Energy Innovation & Strategy

Westminster

SW1H 0ET

Country

United Kingdom