National Waste Quality Checking Service for Radioactive Waste
The Environment Agency is looking to issue a tender for the provision of Waste Quality Checking Services for Radioactive Waste.
United Kingdom-London: Technical testing, analysis and consultancy services
2017/S 233-485042
Contract notice
Services
Directive 2014/24/EU
Section I: Contracting authority
I.1)Name and addresses
17 Nobel House
London
SW1P 3JR
United Kingdom
Contact person: Carol Caddick
Telephone: +44 2030250451
E-mail: carol.caddick@environment-agency.gov.uk
NUTS code: UK
Address of the buyer profile: www.defra.bravosolution.co.uk
I.2)Joint procurement
I.3)Communication
I.4)Type of the contracting authority
I.5)Main activity
Section II: Object
II.1.1)Title:
National Waste Quality Checking Service for Radioactive Waste.
II.1.2)Main CPV code
II.1.3)Type of contract
II.1.4)Short description:
The Environment Agency is looking to issue a tender for the provision of Waste Quality Checking Services for Radioactive Waste. The contract will provide the Environment Agency, Scottish Environment Protection Agency and other bodies, with the capability to undertake independent verification and assurance activities of radioactive waste (lower activity wastes (e.g. LLW and short lived ILW) suitable for near surface disposal prior to their treatment or disposal. This work could occur at sites within England, Wales and Scotland. The assurance service will be used to support regulatory activities related to compliance with the relevant radioactive substances activity permissions (e.g. permits or authorisations).
II.1.5)Estimated total value
II.1.6)Information about lots
II.2.2)Additional CPV code(s)
II.2.3)Place of performance
United Kingdom.
II.2.4)Description of the procurement:
The framework will provide the Environment Agency, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), and other bodies, with the capability to undertake, at sites throughout England, Scotland and Wales, independent verification and assurance activities of lower activity radioactive wastes prior to their treatment or disposal. Such radioactive wastes predominantly comprise Low Level Radioactive Waste, but may also include short-lived Intermediate Level Wastes that form part of radioactive waste consignments appropriate for management in near-surface environments. The contract will also be open for use by Natural Resources Wales (NRW), SEPA, Defra and its associated bodies. The service provision should be suitable to give assurance to the Environment Agencies’ regulatory staff that radioactive wastes originating from nuclear sites have been characterised and consigned appropriately. The assurance service will be used to support regulatory activities related to compliance with the relevant radioactive substances activity permissions (e.g. permits or authorisations). Work would be targeted on a risk basis, to include consideration of new treatment and disposal routes, and seeking to check radioactive wastes arising from across all nuclear sites over a given period. In addition the work areas may include checking of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) wastes being received for treatment or disposal at permitted sites, and bottom ash originating from radioactive substances activity permitted incinerators. Assurance activities will include:
— in-situ monitoring of individual items, drums or ISO containers of waste to assess the radioactivity content,
— seizing items of radioactive waste and drums (small quantities) for independent analysis for radioactivity (including transport to and from analytical facilities),
— auditing site operators’ procedures and operations for the consignment or receipt of radioactive wastes for treatment and disposal,
— audit and review the assurance approaches established by waste consignees’, including the Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR) operator, relating to any radioactive waste management services they obtain under contract,
— storing and utilising existing reference materials (including drums and packages) for testing of site operators’ own monitoring systems and, potentially, the design and creation of new reference materials.
Whilst the majority of the work will focus on radiological characterisation we are also exploring the need and feasibility of assuring those non-radiological characteristics of radioactive wastes that have the potential to affect the behaviour/mobility of radionuclides. This may lead to future capability needs in this area. The supplier may also be called up on to provide technical advice and represent the Environment Agency at relevant meetings, nationally and internationally.
A full description of the services required can be found in the ITT documents available via the Bravo links above.
II.2.5)Award criteria
II.2.6)Estimated value
II.2.7)Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
The framework will be for an initial 3 year term and can be renewed for an additional 12 month period subject to satisfactory performance and ongoing requirement by the Environment Agency.
It is expected this framework will be re-tendered during the final year of operation to establish a replacement arrangement at the end of the framework term subject to a continuing business requirements.
II.2.9)Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
All candidates expressing an interest in this opportunity will be required to complete a pre-qualification stage by submitting the Supplier Selection Questionnaire (SSC) available via the Bravo portal within the stipulated timeframe. The SSC responses will be evaluated using the evaluation criteria contained in the ITT documents. It is anticipated that the top 3 to 6 scoring candidates will then be invited to submit full tenders to supply the services required. Full details of the selection and tendering process can be found in the ITT pack.
II.2.10)Information about variants
II.2.11)Information about options
II.2.13)Information about European Union funds
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1.2)Economic and financial standing
III.1.3)Technical and professional ability
III.2.2)Contract performance conditions:
Each economic operator to be jointly and severally liable for the performance of the contracts.
Analyses carried out by the contractor on the framework shall be in accordance with a quality assurance system fully accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS), or equivalent standard.
III.2.3)Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1.1)Type of procedure
IV.1.3)Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
IV.1.4)Information about reduction of the number of solutions or tenders during negotiation or dialogue
IV.1.5)Information about negotiation
IV.1.8)Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
IV.2.1)Previous publication concerning this procedure
IV.2.2)Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
IV.2.3)Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
IV.2.4)Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted:
IV.2.6)Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1)Information about recurrence
36 months.
VI.2)Information about electronic workflows
VI.3)Additional information:
Other contracting authorities: This framework is primarily intended to meet the needs of the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The Environment Agency may require the successful bidder(s) to provide the goods/services on the same terms that are agreed as a result of this tender to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and to its associated bodies including any Agencies and non-departmental public bodies and others (the Defra Group). The Agency may also require the provision of the goods/services to members of the aforementioned Defra Group via the Environment Agency, rather than directly. A full list of the Defra Group can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations#department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs
The successful bidder(s) may also be required to provide the services to local authorities in England and Wales. A full list may be found at http://local.direct.gov.uk/Data/
Similarly, the successful bidder(s) may be required to supply the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales.
The successful bidder(s) may also be required to provide the services to Central Government departments, executive agencies, and other NDPBs. Full lists can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-bodies-2014
VI.4.1)Review body
Bristol
United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 2030250451
VI.4.3)Review procedure
The Authority will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period following electronic notification (minimum of 15 calendar days for any other means of communication) to unsuccessful applicants of the award decision. Applicants who are unsuccessful shall be informed by the Authority as soon as possible after the decision has been made as to the reasons why the applicant was unsuccessful. The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015 nº 102) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by breach of the rules to take legal action. Any such action must be brought within the applicable limitation period. Where a contract has not been entered into, the Court may order the setting aside of the award decision or order the authority to amend any document and may award damages. If the contract has been entered into the Court may, depending on the circumstances, award damages, make a declaration of ineffectiveness, order the Authority to pay a fine, and/or order that the duration of the contract be shortened. The purpose of the standstill period referred to above is to allow the parties to apply to the Courts to set aside the award decision before the contract is entered into the Environment Agency expressly reserves the right:
(i) not to award or enter into any contract as a result of the procurement process commenced by the publication of this notice;
(ii) to make whatever changes it may see fit to the content and structure of the tendering competition;
(iii) to award one or more public contract(s) in relation to part only of the requirements covered by this notice; and/or
(iv) to award a contract(s) in stages.
In no circumstances will the Environment Agency be liable for any costs incurred by the Applicants/Tenderers and their associated parties. Any expenditure, work or effort undertaken prior to contract award is accordingly a matter solely for the commercial judgement of potential Applicants and the Environment Agency will not be responsible for any such expenditure.
VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:
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