Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
Culham Science Centre
Abingdon
OX14 3DB
Contact
Phil Perkins
Telephone
+44 1235467147
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKJ14 - Oxfordshire
National registration number
N/A
Internet address(es)
Main address
http://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-atomic-energy-authority
Buyer's address
https://uk.eu-supply.com/ctm/Company/CompanyInformation/Index/72814
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Other activity
Fusion Research
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
RACE - Laser welding trials
Reference number
JNCA/PJP110/22
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 71600000 - Technical testing, analysis and consultancy services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
RACE has been investigating laser welding and carried out trials of its own design of laser
welding equipment in 2018. It has just completed a second iteration of the design to implement improvements (higher power output, more reliability) and a similar set of trials to the 2018 work needs to be carried out to verify the design. RACE does not have the equipment and expertise to test internally.
The services, facilities and support needed are:
• Laser test facilities (Safety cell, laser power source, robot, measurement equipment)
• Technician support to run experiments
• Guidance on welding setup and parameters
• Analysis of welds
• Interpretation of welds and expert opinion
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: £28,122
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 71600000 - Technical testing, analysis and consultancy services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ14 - Oxfordshire
Main site or place of performance
Culham
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
RACE has been investigating laser welding and carried out trials of its own design of laser
welding equipment in 2018. It has just completed a second iteration of the design to
implement improvements (higher power output, more reliability) and a similar set of trials to the 2018 work needs to be carried out to verify the design. RACE does not have the equipment and expertise to test internally.
The services, facilities and support needed are:
• Laser test facilities (Safety cell, laser power source, robot, measurement equipment)
• Technician support to run experiments
• Guidance on welding setup and parameters
• Analysis of welds
• Interpretation of welds and expert opinion
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Functional fit / Weighting: 50
Cost criterion - Name: Price Commercial / Weighting: 50
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: 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:
The RACE laser welding head is an evolution of the previous design that was tested at TWI. Only part of the design has needed to be changed. Testing at a different supplier is likely to require redesign of the interfacing components, requiring allocation of more resource and increasing design and management costs.
Various adaptors and ancillary components are needed to connect the laser welding head,
having previously tested with them, we already have the equipment needed to operate at TWI.
The costs to change to supplier are estimated around the £1500-£2000 mark, assuming the
safety provisions, control systems etc. are identical to TWI. This amount of money was found to be the difference between suppliers in the original selection of TWI.
Core to value for money being achieved through TWI is their previous involvement in this project. Because of this they have a good understanding of the projects aims and of UKAEA’s needs. Additionally, TWI have already demonstrated that they are capable of performing the results needed to fulfil this type of testing, by completion of the previous set of trials.
TWI have the necessary expertise, equipment and analysis ability required to provide useful
insights into the performance of the welding head and the quality of the welds produced, all under one roof. Alternate facilities, for example at an academic institution, would not have this level of knowledge in-house.
In addition to this, keeping the supplier consistent between the trials will ensure consistency in
the results collected. This will make direct comparison easier, which is necessary to show the
effectiveness of improvements in the design.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section five. Award of contract
Contract No
C/2068630
Title
Laser welding trials
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
25 October 2022
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
TWI Ltd
Bevan Braithwaite Building, Granta Park, Great Abington
Cambridge
CB21 6AL
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKH12 - Cambridgeshire CC
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Lowest offer: £28,122 / Highest offer: £28,122 taken into consideration
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
UK Atomic Energy Authority
Culham Science Centre
Abingdon
OX14 3DB
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-atomic-energy-authority
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
UK Atomic Energy Authority
Culham Science Centre
Abingdon
OX14 3DB
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-atomic-energy-authority
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
VI.4.2)Body responsible for mediation procedures
VI.4.3)Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
The authority will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers.
This period allows unsuccessful tenderers to seek further debriefing from the authority before a contract is entered into applicants have 2 working days from the notification of the award decision to request. Additional debriefing and that information have to be provided within a minimum of 3 working days before the expiry of the standstill period. Such additional information should be sought from the contact named in this notice.
If an appeal regarding the award of a contract has not been successfully resolved, the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015 No. 102) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland).
Any such action must be brought promptly.
(generally within 3 months).
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
UK Atomic Energy Authority
Culham Science Centre
Abingdon
OX14 3DB
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-atomic-energy-authority