Market Research for Sale of Thorium

Research Sites Restoration Limited
Building 392.7, Harwell Oxford
Contact point(s): Contracts Management
For the attention of: Jed Bonsor
OX11 0DF Didcot
UNITED KINGDOM
Telephone: +44 1305202124
E-mail: jed.bonsor@research-sites.com

Internet address(es):

General address of the contracting authority: www.research-sites.com

Further information can be obtained from: Research Sites Restoration Limited
Building B71, Winfrith Site, Winfrith Newburgh, Dorset
Contact point(s): Contracts Management
For the attention of: Jed Bonsor
DT2 8WG Dorchester
UNITED KINGDOM
Telephone: +44 1305202124
E-mail: jed.bonsor@research-sites.com
Internet address: www.research-sites.com

Specifications and additional documents (including documents for competitive dialogue and a dynamic purchasing system) can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)

Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to: Research Sites Restoration Limited
Building B71, Winfrith Site, Winfrith Newburgh, Dorset
Contact point(s): Contracts Management
For the attention of: Jed Bonsor
DT2 8WG Dorchester
UNITED KINGDOM
Telephone: +44 1305202124
E-mail: jed.bonsor@research-sites.com
Internet address: www.research-sites.com

Body governed by public law

Other: Nuclear Decommissioning

The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: no

Services to support the sale of Thorium.

Services
Service category No 10: Market research and public opinion polling services
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance: RSRL Winfrith Site in Dorset.
NUTS code UKK2

The notice involves the establishment of a framework agreement

Framework agreement with several operators
maximum number of participants to the framework agreement envisaged: 8
Duration of the framework agreement

Duration in years: 2
Estimated total value of purchases for the entire duration of the framework agreement

Estimated value excluding VAT: Value dependent on subsequent sale price of material and commission arrangements to be agreed GBP

Research Sites Restoration Ltd (RSRL) have a quantity of high purity thorium which they wish to dispose of. The material is in bar form, was manufactured in the UK in the 1950s and delivered in 1962. It was intended for use with either the Fast Reactor or the High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor Programmes, but the material was never irradiated. The thorium is owned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and any proposed sale will be subject to receipt of consent from the NDA agreeing to the proposed sale.
The material comprises approximately 4 500 bars, 19mm in diameter by 350mm long, approximately 3 000 bars, 25mm in diameter by 300mm long, and a number 19mm diameter bars of various lengths. The total estimated weight is 10 230 kg.
Examination of the metal confirms that it was manufactured by the ‘British Method’ of sintering metal powder originating from calcium reduction of ThO2. Alignment of inclusions within one of the bars suggests that the material may have been worked, possibly to reduce the diameter as general literature indicates the standard size is 25 mm, but there is no detail of this.
The metal was manufactured by a sintering process, resulting in an average density of 11.3 g.cm-3, compared to the theoretical density of 11.72g.cm-3. This value is consistent with densities quoted for other sintered thorium, and is lower due partly to the inclusion of oxide, and partly porosity of the metal. The difference indicates a maximum porosity of 3.5 %.
RSRL are seeking expressions of interest from organisations who will identify potential purchasers, arrange introductions and carry out discussions with purchasers to identify details for any proposed sale agreements, with payment for services supplied in this regard being provided on a commission basis following any subsequent successful introduction and sale. Assistance with regard to security, transport, export controls and international safeguards issues is also required. It should be noted that the sale of this material is subject to RSRL obtaining the approval of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.
To help progress the delivery of the above service RSRL will welcome contact from parties reading this notice who would be interested in purchasing the material as an end user.
Due to the nature of the material any potential export will be subject to compliance with UK government policy on security, transport, export controls and international safeguards.

79310000, 79342000, 09340000, 14613000, 98391000

The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): yes

This contract is divided into lots: no

Variants will be accepted: yes

The scope of the contract will be to provide services to identify and assist in arranging the sale of thorium.

Options: yes
Description of these options: An option for RSRL to extend the duration of the contract from 2 years up to a further 2 years. Such extension(s) to be entirely at the discretion of RSRL and in such periods as determined by RSRL, provided the total duration does not exceed 4 years.
Provisional timetable for recourse to these options:
in months: 21 (from the award of the contract)

Duration in months: 24 (from the award of the contract)

Any deposits or guarantees required will either be detailed in the tender documents or depend upon the details of tenders submitted.

See tender documents.

Joint and several liability required.

The performance of the contract is subject to particular conditions: no

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: See III.2.3.

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: See III.2.3.

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met:
Those companies that request to participate must provide to the Contact Point (as listed in Annex A of this notice) one hard copy and one soft copy of their expression of Interest which shall include, as a minimum, the following:
1) A completed copy of RSRL’s prequalification questionnaire, available from the Contracts Officer named in Annex A (please note that an unacceptable professional or business standing will result in your company being declared ineligible and they will not be selected to participate in this procurement process);
2) Demonstration of the ability to identify potential sale opportunities for the thorium.
3) Evidence of experience in the provision of a similar service to that which is the subject of this notice, ideally in the nuclear industry.
4) Evidence of satisfactory economic and financial capacity, including the overall annual turnover and abridged accounts for the last 3 financial years;
5) Evidence of current levels of insurance for third party liability, employers liability and professional indemnity, including details of all insurance claims within the last five years (including outstanding claims);
6) A current D&B Comprehensive Report (or equivalent) providing an independent assessment of the supplier’s economic and financial standing.
Further information regarding D&B is available at.
http://www.dnb.co.uk/uk-business-information-reports.asp. If Suppliers would prefer RSRL to obtain these reports directly, rather than for the

Supplier to provide them, please state this clearly in your request to participate.
7) Evidence in support of customers to whom similar services were or are provided during the previous two financial years together with certificates/ letters of satisfaction, contact details and references;
8) Evidence in support of appropriate company safety, health and environmental policies;
9) Accident/ incident statistics for the last 5 years, including for each year the average number of employees, the number of RIDDOR events, the accident frequency rate and the number of incidents or near misses reported internally. To include trending of statistics and environmental incidents;
10) Details of enforcement actions, warning letters and prosecutions for the last 5 financial years including details of improvement notices, prohibition notices and prosecutions;
11) Evidence that the company can operate an ISO 9001 (or equivalent) compliant management system for the provision of the services. The evidence should include a copy of any relevant certificates together with the scope of the ISO 9001 (or equivalent) approvals. Unaccredited certification will not be accepted on its own as sufficient demonstration of capability to operate an ISO 9001 (or equivalent) compliant management system, and will require supplementing with further evidence.

Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession: no

Legal persons should indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff responsible for the execution of the service: no

Restricted

Envisaged minimum number 5: and maximum number 8
Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates: Candidates will be assessed on the information provided in III.2.3 above. If more than the required number of candidates meet the conditions for participation, the qualified candidates will be ranked and the top ranked candidates will be invited to tender.Criteria for Selection will be weighted as follows: financial 15 % (items 4, 5 and 6 in III.2.3), technical 65 % (items 2, 3 and 7 in III.2.3), health, safety and environment 10 % (items 8,9 and 10 in III.2.3), quality management 10 % (item 11 in III.2.3). N.B. Information from the prequalification questionnaire will be used in the assessment of the applicable criteria noted above).

Recourse to staged procedure to gradually reduce the number of solutions to be discussed or tenders to be negotiated no

The most economically advantageous tender in terms of the criteria stated in the specifications, in the invitation to tender or to negotiate or in the descriptive document

An electronic auction will be used: no

no

Payable documents: no

20.3.2012

30.4.2012

English.

Persons authorised to be present at the opening of tenders: yes
Additional information about authorised persons and opening procedure: Authorised individuals within RSRL. At a date and time to be determined after the due date for receipt. At RSRL Winfrith.