Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS (Defra Network eTendering Portal)
Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
UK
Contact person: Carol Caddick
Telephone: +44 7554439010
E-mail: carol.caddick@defra.gov.uk
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs
Address of the buyer profile: https://defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome
I.2) Joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://atamis-9529.my.site.com/s/Welcome
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to the abovementioned address
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
I.5) Main activity
Environment
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Nuclear Energy Regulatory Justification Services Framework
Reference number: C24286
II.1.2) Main CPV code
90713000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
The Authority has an agreement with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to fulfil specific elements of the Justification process, as Justifying Authority for new nuclear energy technologies. The Authority’s Nuclear Justification Team’s role is to advise the SoS so that the SoS may determine the class or type of practice (CTP) that pertains to any application it receives from the nuclear industry and to decide whether the CTP is Justified or not.The Authority wishes to establish a framework of suppliers who have the requisite nuclear expertise to provide advice throughout the Justification process. The Authority's Nuclear Justification Team will use the services and deliverables provided by Framework Suppliers to inform its recommendations to the Secretary of State (SoS) in respect of an appropriate CTP and whether it is Justified.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
8 650 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
90711000
71621000
90711400
45251110
09300000
71311000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
Main site or place of performance:
England
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Authority's Nuclear Justification Team will use the services and deliverables provided by Framework Suppliers to inform its recommendations to the Secretary of State (SoS) in respect of an appropriate CTP and whether it is Justified.<br/>The Authority wishes to establish a framework of up to 12 (twelve) suppliers who have the requisite nuclear expertise to provide advice throughout the Justification process.<br/>The Framework is expected to commence in August 2025 and operate for a period of 60 months with an optional extension period of up to 18 months to permit ongoing assessments to be completed, with a maximum end date of January 2032.<br/>The Authority anticipates a range of Justification applications over the Framework term. These are expected to form the core of the work commissioned through the Framework. The Authority expects to receive two applications in 2025, and thereafter one or two applications per year. <br/>There is no guarantee or commitment to the number of applications to be assessed or the timelines for applications to be received over the Framework term. Each application is expected to take up to nineteen months to complete. <br/>The objective for this Framework is to appoint Framework Suppliers with the capability to provide the following services: <br/>• Undertake specific analyses and provide technical advice to inform Justification decisions on new nuclear energy technologies including but not limited to: <br/>o preparing detailed and comprehensive written reports, in an agreed manner and timeline, as required <br/>o presenting, explaining and discussing report findings to/with the NJ Team, statutory consultees and other stakeholders as required <br/>o other related analysis and technical advice as required. <br/>• Provide ongoing technical support to the NJ Team, including but not limited to: <br/>o providing expert knowledge, advice and support to enable interpretation and understanding of technical aspects and implications of data and information relevant to the Justification assessment process <br/>o providing advice on robustness of evidence, gaps in evidence and methods <br/>o providing access to expert bodies to approach to provide supplementary evidence where needed <br/>o co-authoring draft and final Decision documents with the NJ Team <br/>o other related technical support as required.<br/>The full Framework Specification and Bidder Pack can be downloaded from the eSourcing portal at https://atamis-9529.my.site.com/s/Welcome
II.2.5) Award criteria
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Organisational Structure
/ Weighting: 10
Quality criterion: Conflict of Interest Management
/ Weighting: 10
Quality criterion: Staff Resource
/ Weighting: 15
Quality criterion: Sustainability & Social Value
/ Weighting: 10
Quality criterion: Technical Skills & Capability
/ Weighting: 40
Quality criterion: Quality Assurance
/ Weighting: 15
Quality criterion: Final Quality Weighting
/ Weighting: 70
Price
/ Weighting:
30
II.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT:
8 650 000.00
GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start:
01/08/2025
End:
31/07/2030
This contract is subject to renewal: No
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
No
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
The initial Framework term shall be 60 months with the potential for up to an 18 month extension period (exercisable by the Authority). The extension period is intended to enable the completion of assessments commenced during the initial framework term should this become necessary. It is not anticipated that new application assessments will be commenced after the end of the initial term.
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1) Conditions for participation
III.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
III.2) Conditions related to the contract
III.2.2) Contract performance conditions
Due to national security sensitivities around the services to be procured, Framework Suppliers, including Consortium Partners and sub-contractors, shall have and maintain a physical base in the UK or have a physical base in either a World Trade Organisation Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO GPA) Member party country (set out in Schedule 1A of the Regulations), or a Treaty country that the UK has an international free trade agreement with, for the duration of the Framework term. <br/> <br/>All personnel undertaking work on the Framework, including staff employed by Consortium Partners or sub-contractors, will be required to hold National security vetting Security Check (SC) level of clearance . For more information, see UK Security Vetting guidance.
III.2.3) Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract
Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement with several operators.
Envisaged maximum number of participants to the framework agreement: 12
Justification for any framework agreement duration exceeding 4 years: The Authority has a five year programme of applications. It is the intention to establish the framework to cover the same time period to maintain continuity of service. The optional 18 month extension will allow the completion ongoing assessments and any further reviews of completed assessments required. No new assessments will be commissioned after the expiry of the initial framework term.
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
02/05/2025
Local time: 15:00
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Duration in months: 6 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date:
02/05/2025
Local time: 16:00
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
No
VI.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Public Procurement Review Body
N/A
N/A
N/A
UK
E-mail: publicprocurementreview@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Internet address(es)
URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-procurement-review-service-scope-and-remit
VI.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
Public Procurement Review Body
N/A
N/A
N/A
UK
E-mail: publicprocurementreview@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Internet address(es)
URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-procurement-review-service-scope-and-remit
VI.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Public Procurement Review Body
N/A
N/A
N/A
UK
E-mail: publicprocurementreview@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Internet address(es)
URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-procurement-review-service-scope-and-remit
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
21/02/2025