Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name, addresses and contact point(s)
AWE plc
AWE Aldermaston
READING
RG74PR
Email(s)
ElectricalInfrastructure@awe.co.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Justification for not providing organisation identifier
Not on any register
Internet address(es)
General address of the contracting authority/entity
Further information
Further information can be obtained from the above mentioned contact point(s)
one.2) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.3) Main activity
Defence
one.4) Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities/entities
The contracting authority/entity is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities/entities:
No
Section two: Object
two.1) Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority/entity:
Electrical Infrastructure Upgrade
two.2) Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance
Works
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance
AWE Aldermaston and Burghfield sites
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
two.3) Information on framework agreement
The notice involves the establishment of a framework agreement: Yes
two.4) Short description of nature and scope of works or nature and quantity or value of supplies or services
As stated in the Defence Nuclear Enterprise Command Paper, published by the Ministry of Defence on 25th March 2024, AWE Plc ("AWE") is modernising its infrastructure to deliver the current and next generation warheads for the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent, and to support the UK to become a world-leader in new nuclear technologies. We have two complex infrastructure programmes:
1) Future Material Campus (FMC) - focusing on the required
investment to renew AWE's manufacturing and storage
capability for nuclear materials and increasing capability for
material recovery.
2) Future Infrastructure Programme (FIP) - focusing on
delivering AWE's wider infrastructure needs in relation to new
office accommodation; laboratories; testing facilities, site
services, and advanced manufacturing facilities.
This framework will focus on upgrading existing electrical network under the Future Infrastructure Programme. However, there is the possibility that works could also be carried out in the Future Material Campus.
o Electrical Infrastructure Upgrade (EIU) - focusing on
delivering AWE's wider electrical infrastructure needs across
both Aldermaston and Burghfield sites in relation to new build
substations, substation asset replacement, substation
construction works, substation civil works, enabling works,
High Voltage 11kV (HV) & Low Voltage (LV) underground
cabling.
AWE's strategic aspirations are:
- Upgrade and modernise its electrical network infrastructure
- Improve network resilience and obsolescence management
- Benefit from modern standards and requirements
- Reduce the cost base of new infrastructure
This PIN Notice specifically relates to the support required to enable the Electrical Infrastructure Upgrade Programme (EIU).
AWE is seeking interest from suppliers to take part in pre-market engagement activities regarding the establishment of a potential 10-year Framework arrangement to deliver its strategic infrastructure priorities.
Our Electrical Infrastructure Programme will grow significantly over the coming years, and AWE is looking to appoint suppliers through this procurement with the capacity and capability to meet the programme's increasing demand.
AWE will carry out further pre-market engagement activities with interested suppliers to investigate the current market capabilities and capacity for the programme, and to allow suppliers the opportunity to understand AWE and its ambitions in more detail.
AWE intends to run a competition in the future, in advance of this we are seeking to engage with the market on the best procurement strategy to adopt.
This PIN calls for interested suppliers to indicate their interest in participating in an initial request for information (henceforth 'RFI') pre-market engagement exercise. Suppliers interested in responding to the PIN will be required to successfully undergo an AWE security assessment before participation in the RFI. For the avoidance of doubt, suppliers who do not participate in the initial RFI will still be allowed to take part in subsequent market engagement and procurement activities, subject to meeting AWE's security requirements (as detailed on the Acknowledgement Proforma).
This PIN relates to the potential procurement of a long-term framework for the upgrade of AWE's electrical infrastructure.
Scope of the framework include, but not limited to:
1) Substation Construction Works:
- Design and construction of new substations or extension of
existing substations
- Early Contractor Involvement
- Detailed Design Services
- Principal Contractor and Principal Designer under CDM
Regulations 2015
2) Site Establishment:
- Site prep, site facilities, temporary draining, waste
management, creation of a suitable CDM compound, utility
diversions
3) High Voltage Cabling:
- Supply and installation of 11kV HV power cables, and
associated Auxiliary cabling, Pilots and Earths
4) Low Voltage Cabling:
- Supply and installation of LV power cables, and associated
Feeder Pillars or building isolators
5) Substation Enabling Works:
- Civil enabling works to facilitate the construction of new
substations and/or extension of the existing substations,
surveys and diversions
6) Electrical Works:
- Electrical works required to facilitate the construction of new
substations and/or extension of existing substations
- Cabling, including jointing, terminations and testing.
- Electrical installations
- Testing and commissioning of all assets
7) Substation Civil Works:
- Civil works required to facilitate the construction of new
substations and/or extension of existing substations
- Excavation and temporary works
- Foundations
The RFI will aim to test the early thinking around the Electrical Infrastructure Framework procurement as well as understand market appetite (including perceived barriers to entry faced by suppliers new to AWE) and industry views on current best practice, lessons learnt, new innovations, procurement and partnering vehicles. This will help inform the development of the procurement strategy.
Estimated value excluding VAT
Range: between £200,000,000 and £400,000,000
Lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.5) Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
- 45000000 - Construction work
Additional CPV code(s)
- 31200000 - Electricity distribution and control apparatus
- 45100000 - Site preparation work
- 45210000 - Building construction work
- 45232220 - Substation construction work
- 45232221 - Transformer substation
- 45310000 - Electrical installation work
- 45400000 - Building completion work
two.6) Scheduled date for start of award procedures and duration of the contract
Scheduled date for start of award procedures: 1 April 2026
Duration in months: 120 (from the award of the contract)
two.7) Additional information
Suppliers interested in participating in the RFI are required to register their interest to ElectricalInfrastructure@awe.co.uk, including in the title of their email submission "Electrical Infrastructure Framework" and reference number AWE0054.
AWE shall undertake a security assessment against the information suppliers submit in the proforma.
If suppliers successfully meet AWE's security requirements the RFI and a Non-Disclosure agreement (NDA) will be sent to the nominated email address provided in their proforma. In addition, the NDA will need to be signed and returned before further market engagement information is released to the supplier.
If suppliers successfully meet AWE's security requirements (as detailed on the Acknowledgement Proforma), the RFI will be sent to the nominated email address provided in their proforma. For the avoidance of doubt, suppliers will not be invited to respond to the RFI if, in the sole opinion of AWE, they do not meet the necessary security requirements.
We ask that suppliers register their interest in participating in the RFI by 16:00 Friday 18th October BST to allow supplier responses to be fully considered as part of our contracting model design process.
However, suppliers can register interest in participating in the RFI at ANY point up to the issue of the tender notice.
AWE will hold a virtual presentation to provide details to interested parties about our requirement.
This will take place on MS Teams at 13:00 on Wednesday 23rd October 2024 BST and will last approximately 45 minutes.
After this presentation, all attendees are invited to submit a written response to the Request for Information Questionnaire.
AWE may undertake subsequent pre-market engagement activities as our sourcing strategy develops. This may be in the form of round table discussions, face-to-face meetings, webinars or further RFIs. For the avoidance of doubt, suppliers who do not participate in the initial RFI, will still be allowed to take part in subsequent pre-market engagement activities subject to meeting AWE's security requirements as detailed below.
The nature of this PIN is such that AWE intends to operate restrictions within the relevant procurement legislation 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, 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.
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions relating to the subcontract
three.1.1) Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:
N/A
Section six: Complementary information
six.2) Additional information
Conditions regarding this PIN:
1) This PIN is not a call for competition and is not published to reduce time limits for the receipt of tenders;
2) AWE reserves the right not to commence any procurement or award any contract in respect of this opportunity;
3) The information contained in this PIN may be subject to change due to the impact of governance, assurance, regulatory changes and/or the pre-market engagement outcomes. Insofar as is permitted by law, AWE shall not be liable for any losses incurred by any party as a result of reliance on the information contained/linked herein;
4) Failure to register an interest in connection with this PIN shall not prevent an organisation from participating in any formal call for competition.