United Kingdom46 days leftOpen

Technical Support to Regulatory Assessments of Solid Radioactive Waste Disposal Framework

Tender Overview

ORGANIZATION

ENVIRONMENT AGENCY

LOCATION

United Kingdom, United Kingdom

VALUE

£11,700,000

DEADLINE

March 20, 2026 at 15:00

CATEGORY

Other

CPV CODE

71621000

REFERENCE

007413-2026

Project Timeline

Contact Information

View Original

Original Tender Description

The Environment Agency is the independent environmental regulator for the nuclear industry and for radioactive substances regulation in England. It regulates a range of activities, depending on the type of site, but in all cases it regulates the disposal of solid radioactive waste on or from the site, as well as discharges to air and water (which are also defined as disposal under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016 (EPR2016)). Its remit covers England, but the Environment Agency works closely with the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) on matters of mutual interest, including those relating to the management and disposal of solid radioactive waste. The Authority is seeking to establish an Open Framework, for up to an 8 (eight) year period, with multiple suppliers across 3 (three) technical Lots, that have the capability to provide technical support and scrutiny across several areas of solid radioactive waste disposal. Suppliers appointed to the Framework will support the Environment Agency in meeting its statutory obligations in the regulation of solid radioactive waste disposal. Suppliers are required for the provision of expert advice and scrutiny on solid radioactive waste disposal including, but not limited to, support in the technical evaluation of near-surface Environmental Safety Cases (ESCs) from developers and operators of radioactive waste disposal facilities and Site-Wide Environmental Safety Case (SWESCs) from operators of nuclear licensed sites and expert advice and scrutiny on geological solid radioactive waste disposal. The scope of services will also encompass expert advice relating to the Environment Agency’s remit in pre-disposal management and materials not yet formally declared as wastes, such as spent fuel and separated plutonium and other advice connected with solid radioactive waste disposal. The Framework will also be available to other Defra group bodies which have regulatory roles in the nuclear industry should they require services related to solid radioactive waste disposal to fulfil their statutory obligations. The full Framework Scope and Technical Specifications are provided in the Bidder Pack which also contains the full details of the opportunity, the tender process and how to submit a tender. The Bidder Pack is available via the Authority’s eSourcing portal. Note: there has been an amendment to the previously published UK03 Planned Procurement Notice (UK-0561). The lot structure has been amended - Lot 3 will now be divided into three (3) separate Sub-lots not a single Lot as previously advised. To participate in the tendering procedure you must be registered on the Defra eSourcing Portal to access the opportunity and submit a Tender Response. Details of how to register your organisation can be found at https://atamis-9529.my.site.com/s/Welcome
⚠️

MANDATORY EXCLUSION GROUNDS

  • No specific mandatory exclusion grounds are explicitly stated in the provided text. Bidders should refer to the Bidder Pack for full details.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Bidders must be registered on the Defra eSourcing Portal to access the opportunity.
  • Bidders must be registered on the Defra eSourcing Portal to submit a Tender Response.
🔧

TECHNICAL CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Bidders must have the capability to provide technical support and scrutiny across several areas of solid radioactive waste disposal.
  • Bidders must be able to provide expert advice and scrutiny on solid radioactive waste disposal.
  • Bidders must be capable of supporting the technical evaluation of near-surface Environmental Safety Cases (ESCs) from developers and operators of radioactive waste disposal facilities.
  • Bidders must be capable of supporting the technical evaluation of Site-Wide Environmental Safety Cases (SWESCs) from operators of nuclear licensed sites.
  • Bidders must be able to provide expert advice and scrutiny on geological solid radioactive waste disposal.
  • Bidders must be able to provide expert advice relating to the Environment Agency’s remit in pre-disposal management of materials not yet formally declared as wastes (e.g., spent fuel, separated plutonium).
  • Bidders must be able to provide other advice connected with solid radioactive waste disposal.
  • Bidders must be able to provide services across 3 technical Lots (with Lot 3 divided into three sub-lots).
  • Bidders must be able to support the Environment Agency in meeting its statutory obligations in the regulation of solid radioactive waste disposal.
💰

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • No specific financial requirements are explicitly stated in the provided text. Bidders should refer to the Bidder Pack for full details.
📋

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  • Bidders must submit their Tender Response via the Defra eSourcing Portal.
  • Bidders must adhere to the tender process and submission instructions detailed in the Bidder Pack.
  • Bidders must submit their tender response by the deadline of 2026-03-20 at 15:00:00+00:00.
  • Bidders must be aware of the amended lot structure, specifically that Lot 3 is now divided into three separate sub-lots.

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DOC
OCDS Record
OCDS Data007413-2026_ocds_record.json
Summary:
The Environment Agency is seeking suppliers for an 8-year Open Framework across three technical Lots to provide expert advice and scrutiny on solid radioactive waste disposal, including safety case evaluations and geological disposal.
DOC
OCDS Release Package
OCDS Data007413-2026_ocds_release.json
Summary:
The Environment Agency seeks expert technical support via an 8-year Open Framework with multiple suppliers across three lots for the regulation and scrutiny of solid radioactive waste disposal, including environmental safety cases and pre-disposal management.
PDF
Official PDF Version
Administrative Documents007413-2026_official.pdf
Summary:
The Environment Agency seeks expert technical support for an 8-year Open Framework to regulate solid radioactive waste disposal, including evaluating safety cases and providing advice, with full details available in the Bidder Pack via their eSourcing portal.
HTM
Tender Notice
Administrative Documents007413-2026.html
Summary:
The Environment Agency seeks multiple suppliers for an 8-year open framework to provide expert technical support and scrutiny for regulatory assessments of solid radioactive waste disposal across various technical lots.

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65
Good

Tender Quality Score

This tender outlines a critical and complex service for radioactive waste disposal regulation. While the description of the services and technical requirements is clear and detailed, the significant absence of explicit evaluation criteria in the provided information is a major concern for clarity, completeness, and fairness.

Score Breakdown

Legal Compliance75/100

Legal compliance is generally good; the procedure type and CPV code are clear, and there are no disputes. However, the provided text lacks explicit mandatory exclusion grounds and financial requirements, directing bidders to the Bidder Pack for full details, which is a minor gap in immediate transparency.

Mandatory exclusion grounds not explicitly stated in provided text
Financial requirements not explicitly stated in provided text
Clarity55/100

The description of services and technical capabilities is very clear and detailed. However, the most significant issue is the explicit absence of evaluation criteria, which severely impacts the overall clarity of how bids will be assessed.

No evaluation criteria specified
Performance conditions not explicitly stated
Completeness60/100

Basic information, deadlines, value, duration, and document availability are present. However, the tender is incomplete due to the explicit lack of evaluation criteria and the absence of mandatory exclusion grounds and financial requirements in the provided text, requiring reference to the Bidder Pack.

No evaluation criteria specified
Mandatory exclusion grounds not explicitly stated in provided text
Fairness50/100

Document access, value disclosure, and e-procurement are positive aspects. However, the critical absence of specified evaluation criteria significantly undermines the fairness and transparency of the procurement process, as bidders cannot objectively prepare or understand how their proposals will be judged.

No evaluation criteria specified
Practicality85/100

The tender is highly practical, supporting electronic submission via a dedicated portal with a clear registration URL. The contract start date and estimated value are known. There is a minor point of clarification needed regarding the 48-month contract duration within an 8-year framework.

Minor clarification needed for 'Contract Duration: 48 months' within an '8 (eight) year period' framework
Data Consistency80/100

Most key fields are populated, and dates are logical and consistent. Minor inconsistencies include empty codes for procedure type and a missing liable person. No disputes or suspensions are reported.

Liable Person field is empty
Procedure type codes are empty
Sustainability30/100

The tender does not explicitly mention any green procurement, social aspects, or innovation focus. It is also not indicated as EU funded, which often correlates with higher sustainability standards.

No explicit green procurement criteria
No explicit social aspects

Strengths

Clear and detailed description of the required services and technical capabilities
Use of an Open Framework with multiple lots, promoting competition and flexibility
Electronic submission and access to documents via a dedicated eSourcing portal
Transparent disclosure of estimated value and contract duration
Appropriate CPV classification and clear procedure type

Concerns

Absence of explicit evaluation criteria, significantly impacting clarity, completeness, and fairness
Mandatory exclusion grounds and financial requirements not explicitly stated in the provided text
Lack of explicit sustainability, social, or innovation criteria
Minor data gaps (e.g., empty codes for procedure type, missing liable person)
Potential for minor confusion regarding 'Contract Duration: 48 months' within an '8 (eight) year period' framework

Recommendations

1. Ensure all evaluation criteria, mandatory exclusion grounds, and financial requirements are clearly and comprehensively detailed in the Bidder Pack and easily accessible.
2. Consider integrating sustainability, social value, and innovation criteria into future tenders, especially for long-term frameworks.
3. Populate all standard data fields (e.g., procedure codes, liable person) for improved data completeness and consistency.

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B
Tender Quality Score
65/ 100 · Good

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