Notice Information
Notice Title
Maintenance and Development of the Dounreay Data Management System
Notice Description
The Dounreay Data Management System (DMS) is an existing bespoke developed integrated Data Management System which records the consignment, movement, processing and disposal of all solid waste on the Dounreay site ensuring that NRS Dounreay has an audit trail of the verification of waste packages from cradle to grave. The DMS was designed to replace paper-based tracking systems. Data is entered by users or read directly from assay systems, with built-in validation to help reduce the possibility of data entry error. There is a fully integrated approval process including electronic signatures. The scope of this requirement is for the provision of support and maintenance for the NRS Dounreay DMS. This maintenance service must maintain the availability of DMS for the users and ensure that threats and events are proactively managed and mitigated appropriately so there is no detrimental impact to the system and its data. The support service will include: * Availability of a help desk, to log and deal with support calls, with an appropriate Information Technology Service Management (ITSM solution for tracking tickets against agreed Service Level Agreements (SLAs). * Backups of the database. * Repair of defects and issues. * Planned quarterly updates to the servers with the latest stable version of Debian Linux, including security patching. * Un-planned updates as required if critical vulnerabilities have been identified. * Maintenance of all DMS specific related software. * Change management approval and audit trail. * System Upgrades. * Mobilisation and demobilisation for any transition periods required between contracts. Additional to the maintenance of DMS is the requirement for the Consultant to demonstrate the capability to develop and implement new functionality and propose enhanced capabilities to streamline activities which will be scoped and agreed separately under a contract change notice. The DMS is a 'live' system and is reactive to changes that will be carried out throughout the decommissioning life cycle of the Dounreay Site. As operational and compliance processes change the DMS will be required to be modified.
Procurement Information
This a direct award for the purposes of the Procurement Act 2023 and is being made pursuant to Paragraph 6 of Schedule 5 (Single Supplier - absence of competition for technical reasons). NRS Dounreay considers that, due to technical reasons, only the incumbent supplier can deliver the required services and that no reasonable alternatives exist. The Dounreay Data Management System (DMS) is a highly bespoke, business-critical system developed and configured specifically to meet NRS Dounreay's operational, safety, and regulatory requirements. The solution incorporates complex integrations with operational plant systems, bespoke data structures, and functionality evolved over a number of years. The incumbent supplier holds unique and irreplaceable technical knowledge of the system architecture, configuration, integrations, and underlying design. This knowledge is not fully documented to a level that would enable a third party to assume delivery without significant additional effort and risk. Any alternative supplier would be required to undertake substantial reverse engineering, knowledge transfer, and revalidation activities to understand and safely operate the system in a live nuclear environment. This would result in: * disproportionate technical and operational risk to the continuity of critical waste management activities; * unacceptable delays to service delivery and ongoing system development; * significant duplication of cost and effort; and * potential impacts on compliance and system assurance. Given the above, the Authority considers that competition is absent for technical reasons and that no reasonable alternative or substitute exists which could deliver the required services within acceptable levels of risk, cost, and time.
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-052c78
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/055481-2026
- Current Stage
- Award
- All Stages
- Planning, Award
Procurement Classification
- Notice Type
- UK5 - Transparency Notice
- Procurement Type
- Standard
- Procurement Category
- Services
- Procurement Method
- Direct
- Procurement Method Details
- Direct award
- Tender Suitability
- SME
- Awardee Scale
- SME
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
- CPV Divisions
48 - Software package and information systems
72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
-
- CPV Codes
48610000 - Database systems
72212100 - Industry specific software development services
72212600 - Database and operating software development services
72212610 - Database software development services
72212781 - System management software development services
72212900 - Miscellaneous software development services and computer systems
72246000 - Systems consultancy services
72250000 - System and support services
72253200 - Systems support services
72261000 - Software support services
72267000 - Software maintenance and repair services
72267100 - Maintenance of information technology software
73220000 - Development consultancy services
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- £2,000,000 £1M-£10M
- Lots Value
- Not specified
- Awards Value
- £2,000,000 £1M-£10M
- Contracts Value
- Not specified
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 12 Jun 20261 months ago
- Submission Deadline
- Not specified
- Future Notice Date
- 15 Jun 2026Expired
- Award Date
- 12 Jun 20261 months ago
- Contract Period
- 1 Nov 2026 - 1 Nov 2029 3-4 years
- Recurrence
- Not specified
Notice Status
- Tender Status
- Complete
- Lots Status
- Complete
- Awards Status
- Pending
- Contracts Status
- Not Specified
Buyer & Supplier
Contracting Authority (Buyer)
- Main Buyer
- NUCLEAR RESTORATION SERVICES LIMITED
- Contact Name
- Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
- Contact Email
- Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
- Contact Phone
- Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Buyer Location
- Locality
- WARRINGTON
- Postcode
- WA3 6GR
- Post Town
- Warrington
- Country
- England
-
- Major Region (ITL 1)
- TLD North West (England)
- Basic Region (ITL 2)
- TLD6 Cheshire
- Small Region (ITL 3)
- TLD61 Warrington
- Delivery Location
- TLM61 Caithness and Sutherland, and Ross and Cromarty
-
- Local Authority
- Warrington
- Electoral Ward
- Birchwood
- Westminster Constituency
- Warrington North
Further Information
Notice Documents
-
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/055481-2026
12th June 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/053117-2026
5th June 2026 - Pipeline notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/011272-2026
9th February 2026 - Pipeline notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/042288-2025
23rd July 2025 - Pipeline notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/029909-2025
4th June 2025 - Pipeline notice on Find a Tender
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.
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