Section one: Contracting authority/entity
one.1) Name, addresses and contact point(s)
AWE PLC
Room 20,Building F161.2 Atomi, C Weapons Establishment
READING
RG74PR
Contact
Lyra SCM
Email(s)
Country
United Kingdom
Companies House
02763902
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:
Delivery Partner Project LYRA
two.2) Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance
Works
NUTS code
- UKJ1 - Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
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
This Prior Information Notice ("PIN") seeks to provide additional and/or updated information from the previous version issued by AWE in August 2023.
As stated in the Defence Nuclear Enterprise Command Paper, published by the Ministry of Defence on 25th March 2024, AWE Plc ("AWE") is embarking on a critical transformation of its infrastructure as part of the National Endeavour to support the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent. We have three major infrastructure programmes:
• Future Materials Campus (FMC) - focusing on the required investment to renew AWE's manufacturing and storage capability for nuclear materials and increasing capability for material recovery.
• 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.
• Liabilities management - Our sites have been operating for a number of decades, and as a result many facilities are reaching the end of their operational life. Liabilities management runs programmes to safely decommission and demolish these legacy facilities and manage the wastes generated.
This opportunity relates to a complex high hazard plant at AWE Burghfield site and is one of the critical facilities to be delivered as part of the FIP programme.
Further information regarding AWE can be found at https://www.awe.co.uk/ (https://www.awe.co.uk/)
Lyra Delivery Partner:
AWE is seeking to contract and work with a Strategic Delivery Partner on a Tier 1 basis with the overarching scope of delivering and managing design, installation and re-kit of several sectors within an existing explosives/hazardous building located on the AWE Burghfield site.
There will be two main packages of work issued under a single framework lot:
• Early works: To deliver the wider facility investment in mechanical, electrical and HVAC systems upgrade. This will include Supply and installation of Mechanical & Electrical Services, Control & Instrumentation, Architectural Fit-out, Specialist Doors, and Process Plant & Equipment. This will occur in the first phase of the contract.
• Main works: Front-end development of Mission Delivery specific activities; Production of Options appraisal, Safety Case Processes, the supply and installation of Mechanical & Electrical Services, Control & Instrumentation and Process Plant & Equipment. This will occur in the second phase of the contract.
The delivery models for both work packages are under review and will be refined as a result of pre-market engagement.
The location of the works is our Burghfield site, which is covered by a Nuclear Site Licence and Explosives Site Licence and various Environmental permits, places strict demands for compliance with these Licences associated with working in such an environment. Each Contractor shall comply with and carry out works in accordance with the Client's Security Requirements. The sites are also a Control of Major Accident Hazards Installation (COMAH) (Lower Tier).
This PIN calls for interested suppliers to indicate and express their interest in participating in a pre-market engagement exercise and Request for Information ("RFI"). Suppliers interested in responding to the PIN, and therefore engaging in pre-market engagement and responding to the RFI, will be required to successfully undergo an AWE security assessment before being able to participate. 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).
Estimated value excluding VAT
£200,000,000
Lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.5) Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
- 45220000 - Engineering works and construction works
Additional CPV code(s)
- 45213200 - Construction work for warehouses and industrial buildings
- 45213220 - Construction work for warehouses
- 45214620 - Research and testing facilities construction work
two.6) Scheduled date for start of award procedures and duration of the contract
Scheduled date for start of award procedures: 1 October 2025
two.7) Additional information
As part of market engagement activities, AWE are planning on providing those with successfully countersigned NDAs to access the following:
• Further information about the LYRA project;
• Invitation and the ability to take part in roundtable discussions to inform the project's sourcing strategy; and
• Respond to our request for information.
If you are interested in taking part in pre-market engagement activities, please email:
to request an 'Acknowledgement Proforma', including "LYRA Pre-market engagement" in the title. AWE shall undertake a security assessment against the information suppliers submit in the proforma.
If suppliers successfully meet AWE's security requirements, a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) will be sent to the nominated email address provided in their proforma. The NDA must be signed and returned before further market engagement information is released to the supplier.
Once the NDA is successfully countersigned, the supplier will receive an information pack, containing more detail on Lyra and details of upcoming market engagement activities.
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.
Please request proforma or expression of interest before 29th November 2024 at 17:00 GMT
Section six: Complementary information
six.2) Additional information
The procurement procedure is to be determined. The procurement will either follow the Competitive Procedure with Negotiation, or the Competitive Flexible Procedure.
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, AWE is not committing to conduct any procurement in relation to this Requirement. 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.
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; and
4) Failure to register an interest in connection with this PIN shall not prevent an organisation from participating in any formal call for competition.