United Kingdom342 days leftOpen

Electrical Infrastructure Upgrade Framework

Tender Overview

LOCATION

Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

VALUE

£780,000,000

DEADLINE

January 11, 2027 at 00:00

CATEGORY

Other

CPV CODE

31200000

REFERENCE

001900-2026

Project Timeline

Contact Information

View Original

Original Tender Description

AWE Plc ("AWE") is embarking on a critical transformation of its infrastructure as part of the national endeavour to support the UK's nuclear deterrent and has been refining and formalising a new approach to infrastructure delivery, designed to drive greater consistency, pace, and long-term value. This model is being largely implemented via 3 programmes: - Future Materials Campus: A programme to renew existing facilities for the manufacture of nuclear components, storage of nuclear materials, provide improved science and analysis capabilities, and invest in new capabilities for nuclear material recovery. - Future Infrastructure Programme: a programme that focuses on delivering wider infrastructure needs e.g. new office accommodation; laboratories; testing facilities, site services, and advanced manufacturing facilities. - Estates and Liabilities management: on-going liabilities management to run programmes that safely decommission and demolish legacy facilities and manage generated waste via seeking suppliers with experience of the same. This framework focuses on upgrading the electrical network under FIP, with the possibility of some works supporting the Future Materials Campus. Strategic aspirations are to upgrade and modernise AWE's electrical network infrastructure, improve network resilience and obsolescence management, to benefit from modern standards and requirements, while reducing the cost base of new infrastructure. The Electrical Infrastructure Upgrade Programme will grow significantly over the coming years, and AWE looks to appoint 2 partners through this procurement, with the capacity and capability to meet the programme's increasing demand. The Framework is a zero-value contract against which AWE may call off work for the Electrical Infrastructure Upgrade programme. The Framework will provide no guarantee of any work to any Supplier, it is a contract mechanism against which AWE may (but is not obliged) to call off work from the relevant Supplier for the Electrical Infrastructure Upgrade Framework. Full Framework Information "ITP Volume 2 Framework Specification" will be available to Suppliers that have registered and been granted access, as below. AWE will award a place on the Framework to the 2 highest scoring suppliers, that offer the most advantageous tenders that is, the tenders that balance price with quality, technical capability, and sustainability. There will be a transparent mechanism to award work under the Framework as set out in the procurement documents Bidders should download, complete and sign the Electrical Infrastructure Non-Disclosure Agreement and Tender Security Questionnaire available from the Defence Sourcing Portal here https://contracts.mod.uk/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=60647 and return these by email to: electricalinfrastructure@awe.co.uk. The deadline for submission of these documents is 12:00 on 23rd January 2026 in order to gain access to the Invitation to Participate and associated procurement documents. Once AWE has reviewed and signed the documents where appropriate, Bidders will be invited to the Invitation to Participate stage of the procurement where they will have access to the detailed documentation. A list of the documentation to be provided at the different stages of this procurement will be found in Appendix A of 'EIU - ITP - About the Procurement' and further details of the assessment approach that will apply under this procurement, will be found in "EIU - ITP Vol1. Instruction for Suppliers."
⚠️

MANDATORY EXCLUSION GROUNDS

  • No specific mandatory exclusion grounds are explicitly stated in this announcement.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Must download, complete, and sign the Electrical Infrastructure Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).
  • Must download, complete, and sign the Tender Security Questionnaire.
  • Must return the completed and signed NDA and Tender Security Questionnaire by email to electricalinfrastructure@awe.co.uk.
  • Must submit the NDA and Tender Security Questionnaire by 12:00 on 23rd January 2026.
  • Must register and be granted access to the Invitation to Participate (ITP) and associated procurement documents.
  • Must have the capacity and capability to meet the programme's increasing demand for electrical infrastructure upgrade works.
  • Must be one of the 2 highest scoring suppliers to be awarded a place on the framework.
🔧

TECHNICAL CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Must demonstrate technical capability related to upgrading and modernising AWE's electrical network infrastructure.
  • Must demonstrate technical capability related to improving network resilience.
  • Must demonstrate technical capability related to obsolescence management.
  • Must demonstrate technical capability to benefit from modern standards and requirements.
  • Must have the capacity and capability to meet the programme's increasing demand for electrical infrastructure upgrade works.
💰

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Must offer a tender that balances price with quality, technical capability, and sustainability.
📋

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  • Submit the Electrical Infrastructure Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).
  • Submit the Tender Security Questionnaire.
  • Submit the NDA and Tender Security Questionnaire via email to electricalinfrastructure@awe.co.uk.
  • Submit the NDA and Tender Security Questionnaire by 12:00 on 23rd January 2026.
  • Submit a tender that balances price, quality, technical capability, and sustainability (for the main ITP stage).
  • Adhere to the assessment approach detailed in "EIU - ITP Vol1. Instruction for Suppliers" (once accessed).
  • Provide documentation as listed in Appendix A of 'EIU - ITP - About the Procurement' (once accessed).

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PDF
Official PDF Version
PDF001900-2026_official.pdf
Summary:
AWE seeks two partners for a zero-value framework to upgrade its electrical infrastructure, requiring bidders to first submit an NDA and Tender Security Questionnaire by January 23, 2026, to access full tender documents and be evaluated on price, quality, technical capability, and sustainability.

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67
Good

Tender Quality Score

This tender outlines a significant electrical infrastructure upgrade for a critical national program, but its quality assessment is severely hampered by the complete absence of detailed tender documents and specific evaluation criteria.

Score Breakdown

Legal Compliance100/100

The initial announcement lacks explicit mandatory exclusion grounds and detailed evaluation criteria, which are fundamental for a legally sound and transparent procurement process. The reliance on email for initial sensitive document submission is also a concern regarding auditability and security.

No specific mandatory exclusion grounds explicitly stated in the announcement.
Missing detailed evaluation criteria for the main ITP stage, only vague statements provided.
Clarity40/100

The strategic context and program description are clear and well-articulated. However, the extracted requirements are very high-level and lack the specific detail necessary for potential bidders to fully understand the scope, expectations, and evidence required.

Technical and capability requirements are generic, lacking specific metrics or detailed expectations.
The implications of a 'zero-value contract' with no guarantee of work, while stated, may not be fully clear without further detailed documentation.
Completeness83/100

This is the most significant weakness. The tender information provided is an announcement, not a complete tender package. The absence of the Invitation to Participate (ITP), detailed specifications, terms and conditions, and a comprehensive evaluation methodology makes a full quality assessment impossible.

No documents attached or document content available for the full tender package (ITP, specifications, etc.).
Missing detailed evaluation criteria and scoring methodology.
Fairness60/100

The restricted procedure and the aim to appoint only two partners suggest a focus on highly capable suppliers. However, the lack of detailed evaluation criteria and the broad nature of capability requirements raise concerns about transparency and the potential for subjective assessment, which could implicitly favor certain large, established firms with prior experience in sensitive environments.

Absence of detailed and objective evaluation criteria makes it difficult for bidders to understand how proposals will be judged, potentially leading to an unfair advantage for those with prior knowledge.
Broad capability requirements ('capacity and capability to meet the programme's increasing demand') without specific metrics could implicitly limit competition to a very small pool of large, established contractors.
Practicality40/100

The framework approach with two partners is a practical strategy for a large, long-term, critical infrastructure project. However, the initial submission process for sensitive documents is less practical and secure than modern e-procurement solutions.

The initial submission process for NDA and Security Questionnaire via email is archaic for a project of this scale and sensitivity, potentially creating administrative burden and security risks.
The 'zero-value contract' with no guaranteed work, while common for frameworks, might deter some high-quality suppliers given the significant upfront effort required for a restricted procedure.
Data Consistency100/100

The provided information is internally consistent, with the description aligning with the extracted requirements and timeline.

Sustainability0/100

Sustainability is mentioned as a factor to balance with price, quality, and technical capability, which is positive. However, there are no explicit requirements or criteria for green procurement, social aspects, or innovation beyond 'modern standards,' representing a missed opportunity for a project of this scale and duration.

No explicit green procurement criteria or requirements specified.
No explicit social criteria or requirements specified.

Strengths

Clear strategic context and detailed program description for a critical national infrastructure upgrade.
Significant estimated value (780M EUR) and long contract duration (84 months), indicating a major, long-term commitment.
Focus on improving network resilience, obsolescence management, and benefiting from modern standards.
Explicit mention of balancing price, quality, technical capability, and sustainability in the tender assessment.
Aims to appoint two partners, promoting some level of competition within the framework.

Concerns

Critical absence of comprehensive tender documents (ITP, specifications, T&Cs) for a thorough assessment.
Insufficient detail on evaluation criteria, lacking transparency and objectivity for fair competition.
Archaic initial submission process for sensitive documents via email, raising security and auditability concerns.
Broad and potentially restrictive capability requirements that could implicitly limit competition to a very small pool of large, established firms.
Limited explicit focus on green procurement, social criteria, or innovation, despite the project's scale and duration.

Recommendations

1. Ensure all comprehensive tender documents, including detailed specifications, terms and conditions, and a clear, measurable evaluation methodology, are made available promptly to all registered participants.
2. Clearly define and publish specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) evaluation criteria and sub-criteria for all stages of the procurement process to enhance transparency and fairness.
3. Implement a secure, auditable e-procurement platform for all document submissions, especially for sensitive information like NDAs and security questionnaires, to improve process integrity and efficiency.

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Tender Quality Score
67/ 100 · Good

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