Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
AWE Plc
Aldermaston
Reading
RG7 4PR
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKJ - South East (England)
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
AWE Water Network Management, Maintenance and Operational Services
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 65100000 - Water distribution and related services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) is an arms-length body of the Ministry of Defence employing around 6,000 people headquartered in Aldermaston, Berkshire.
For more than 70 years, AWE has supported the UK Government’s nuclear defence strategy and the Continuous At Sea Deterrent. We also use our nuclear know-how and technical expertise to provide innovative solutions that support the UK’s counter-terrorism and nuclear threat reduction activities.
We work at the extremes of science and engineering to understand the performance of nuclear warheads, and assess the safety, security and effectiveness of the stockpile in the absence of live testing.
Remarkable science, technology, engineering and maths integrate across the lifecycle of the warhead: from initial concept and design, to final decommissioning and disposal. Experts in their fields work together in unique and advanced experimental facilities, to perform cutting edge experiments.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £75,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 45231300 - Construction work for water and sewage pipelines
- 45232150 - Works related to water-distribution pipelines
- 45232151 - Water-main refurbishment construction work
- 45232430 - Water-treatment work
- 45240000 - Construction work for water projects
- 45252120 - Water-treatment plant construction work
- 45252126 - Drinking-water treatment plant construction work
- 45259100 - Wastewater-plant repair and maintenance work
- 45332200 - Water plumbing work
- 65100000 - Water distribution and related services
- 65120000 - Operation of a water-purification plant
- 90733400 - Surface water treatment services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ - South East (England)
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 the management, maintenance, operation and updating of its water network and assets under a new contract for the long term.
The supply of the services will support the AWE nuclear licensed sites at Aldermaston, Blacknest 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 specification will be supplied at ITT:
• Acting as Principal Contractor, operate AWE owned water and waste water networks, including water abstraction, disinfection and distribution, water quality investigations and the operation of a liquid trade waste effluent network (radiological requirements), on a 24/7/365 basis at its Aldermaston, Burghfield & Blacknest sites.
• Provide maintenance to meet AWE 1528 site licence requirements and all assets as necessary (particularly environmentally critical equipment) in accordance with statutory legislation, regulations, ACOPs, relevant standards, applicable site licence conditions, site permits and good industry practice.
• Provide a helpdesk facility for 24/7/365 emergency response / breakdown repairs to AWE’s water and waste water networks across all estate areas and maintain a supply of critical spares.
• Provision other repairs/works as necessary to keep network operational and to ensure timely recovery
• Maintain response arrangements to meet business resilience arrangements including out of hours response.
• Provide staff suitably qualified and experienced on site to enact all works as necessary and to meet legislative and regulatory requirements.
• Provide project specific capable delivery resource that can operate with client working practices and meet legislative and regulatory requirements (e.g. Construction, Design and Management Regulations 2015) and conduct work on a Principal Contractor basis.
• Provide 24/7/365 access to sampling from UKAS accredited laboratories to meet regulatory compliance.
• Provide all equipment, supplies, spares and vehicles as is necessary to conduct the contract within scope (e.g. bottled water, chemicals, tankers, pumps, and civils equipment).
• Work to and within AWE systems, work control, configuration, management computerised maintenance management system etc. on AWE platforms to provide auditable records.
• Provide specific expertise and liaison as necessary to meet regulation and legislation or support re-view from external bodies.
• Understand and meet evolving regulatory requirements as necessary to provide compliant water services provision for private networks within UK legislation.
• Be capable of delivering investment aligned with AWE Utilities strategy to deliver cross site improvements / upgrades during the life of the contract.
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
28 February 2024
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
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 “Water Network Management, Maintenance and Operational Services”. The proforma; Appendix A is attached to the Contracts Finder notice: www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/f75e685c-ca0b-4953-83a7-f4b8b87dd750
We ask that you register your interest in this PIN and respond to the RFI by 27th October 2023 16:00 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 “Water Network Management, Maintenance and Operational 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.