Planning

Client Partnership Framework (CPF)

ATOMIC WEAPONS ESTABLISHMENT

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

09 Oct 2025 at 14:33

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) is currently at the planning stage of the Client Partnership Framework (CPF) procurement process. This is centred around the transformation of its infrastructure to support the UK's nuclear deterrent. AWE, a central government public authority based in Reading, UK, is seeking interest from infrastructure professional service providers. The CPF will be an initial 8-year framework with possible extensions for a total of 16 years, located primarily at AWE Aldermaston. Key dates include a due date for NDAs by 5pm on 15th October 2025 and a pre-market engagement event between 17th to 27th October 2025. AWE plans to issue a Tender Notice in November 2025, alongside an Invitation to Participation (ITP) in this comprehensive services procurement, covering engineering, project management, and integration services.

This tender offers significant business growth opportunities for professional service suppliers specializing in engineering, project management, and strategic consultancy, particularly those with experience in nuclear and related infrastructure projects. The CPF is structured to include three primary lots: Engineering & Technical Services, Project & Programme Management Services, and FMC Integration Services, envisaging collaborative client-side delivery across crucial infrastructure and materials programmes. Ideal participants are those with capabilities in whole-life infrastructure delivery, and knowledge of safety, health, and environmental management, ensuring alignment with AWE's stringent security and regulatory requirements. The process is designed to form a trusted government partnership, creating avenues for skilled suppliers to significantly impact the UK's strategic infrastructure projects over the next 16 years.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Client Partnership Framework (CPF)

Notice Description

AWE Plc ("AWE") is embarking on a critical transformation of its infrastructure as part of the national endeavour to support the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent. AWE has been refining and formalising a new approach to infrastructure delivery designed to drive greater consistency, pace, and long-term value. This model is now being actively implemented. AWE is publishing this Preliminary Market Engagement Notice to inform and update the market regarding the establishment of the 16-year Client Partnership Framework (CPF). The pre-market engagement activities covered by this notice are for consultation on specific areas as prior market engagement took place under a Prior Information Notice (PIN) 3186 issued on 22nd April 2024. The new approach is structured around an integrated model for AWE's Infrastructure Projects Delivery (IPD) portfolio. Over the next 18 months, AWE will competitively procure or directly appoint suppliers across its three major infrastructure programmes, which will be supported by the new Client Partnership Framework (this procurement). The three major programmes are: 1) Future Materials Campus (FMC) 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. For FMC, we are seeking professional services suppliers to support client-side delivery, and ideally those that have experience in supporting the delivery of nuclear infrastructure build and associated commissioning. 2) Future Infrastructure Programme (FIP), focusing on delivering AWE's wider infrastructure needs in relation to new office accommodation; laboratories; testing facilities, site services, and advanced manufacturing facilities. For FIP we are looking for professional services suppliers to support client-side delivery, and ideally those that have experience of supporting whole life infrastructure, including design, build, maintenance. 3) Estates and Liabilities (E&L) management. Our sites have been operating for several decades, and as a result many facilities are reaching the end of their operational life. Liabilities management runs programmes to safely decommission and demolish these legacy facilities and manage the waste generated and are seeking suppliers with experience of the same. CPF will support FIP, FMC and E&L by providing client management services covering engineering, programme and project management and productivity to enable AWE as the Client to plan, control and scrutinise project investments for sensitive services and works - helping AWE retain its position as an informed, intelligent client at all stages of programme delivery. Services provided under the CPF (a range of design, technical, programme management and specialist services) will support AWE to effectively oversee and scrutinise the FIP, FMC and E&L Delivery Partners and ensure that these infrastructure programmes are delivered to time, cost and quality. Services will be required to support various programme stages including feasibility, design, development, construction and commissioning of infrastructure. As the programmes grow over the coming years, AWE is taking steps to ensure its supply chain is appropriately structured to support future delivery requirements. The arrangement will create a client partnership to act effectively as a trusted government partner. CPF will plan and design the investment portfolio, while providing the effective oversight to delivery partners (appointed via a separate procurement exercise) for time, cost and quality. The primary location is the Aldermaston site. The sites at Aldermaston and Burghfield are owned by the Ministry of Defence, with the management and operations carried out under contract by AWE and the nuclear site licence, environmental permits and other regulatory permissions held by AWE plc. AWE is independently regulated by several organisations including the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), the Defence Nuclear Safety Regulator (DNSR), the Environment Agency (EA) and the Defence Nuclear Security Regulator (DefNucSyR) Each Supplier shall comply and carry out professional services in accordance with the Client's security requirements. AWE reserves the right to instruct Suppliers to deliver services at other AWE-owned or prospective site locations. It is anticipated that duration of the CPF will be an initial term of 8 years, followed by 2 optional 4-year extension periods, exercisable at the sole discretion of AWE. The maximum potential term of CPF is 16 years. The Framework is expected to comprise an estimated 10% of AWE's total capital investment portfolio over the period. AWE is seeking to establish a single, closed, Framework Agreement made up of 3 Lots providing the following services: Lot 1: Engineering & Technical Services (2 Suppliers), delivering non-fissile related activities, including: * Engineering design between Project Review Sanction Gates ('SG') 0-2 * Engineering design and assurance from SG 2-5 * Safety assurance * Safety, health and environmental management (including Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 support) * Quality management * Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) * Construction management (inc. fulfilling the role of NEC Supervisor) * Commissioning engineering * Handover engineering Lot 2: Project & Programme Management Services (2 Suppliers) supporting both fissile and non-fissile related activities, with both discrete services and, as required, assurance of the Lot 3 Supplier. * Programme management * Project management (including fulfilling the role of NEC Project Manager) * Investment management * Project controls * Risk management * Reporting (Project, Programme and Portfolio level) * Commercial management Lot 3: FMC Integration Services (1 Supplier), administering the integration and efficient delivery of AWE projects across fissile related activities . As such, it will cover all services required by Lot 1, all services required by Lot 2 plus further integration services.

Planning Information

AWE is seeking interest from infrastructure professional service providers to take part in the pre-market engagement activities regarding the establishment of the CPF Framework arrangement and it is AWE's intention to issue a Tender Notice in November alongside the Invitation to Participation (ITP). REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS: To participate in any market engagement activities interested Suppliers will be required to email FutureInfrastructureProgramme@awe.co.uk including in the subject line CPF. A proforma and draft NDA letter will then be sent to suppliers to be filled in and returned to allow for a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to be put into place. Interested bidders must have returned the NDA proforma by 5pm on the 15th of October 2025. PARTICIPATING IN PRE-MARKET ENGAGEMENT: A pre-market engagement event will be held between the 17th to the 27th of October 2025. The event is anticipated to be face to face and will not be recorded. To attend suppliers MUST have a completed NDA in place. Exact date will be confirmed post receipt of the NDA. Invitations will be emailed, and a Request for Information (RFI) will be issued after the event. The nature of this pre-market engagement and planned tender is such that AWE intends to operate restrictions within the Procurement Act 2023 in order to protect essential security interests. As such AWE Plc reserves its right to require further information to be provided by suppliers and/or steps taken to preserve this security interest. If an economic operator has connections with any hostile entity or foreign states which are deemed by AWE to pose a risk to the UK's national security interest or are otherwise considered not to possess the reliability necessary to exclude risks to the security of the United Kingdom, AWE reserves its right to exclude them from this pre-market engagement activity. An additional market engagement webinar may be held post 27th October 2025 at AWE discretion if required. One-to-one pre-market engagement will only be undertaken in exceptional circumstances where AWE considers that additional clarification or discussion is required. Any such meetings may be held virtually or in person. AWE will not be bound to meet any bidders who express an interest in participating. OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION: All information and material collected from these pre-market engagement activities will be documented and may be subject to public disclosure in line with UK Public procurement regulations, respecting commercial confidentiality. Questionnaire submissions and participation in the pre-market engagement activities does not preference or preclude participation in future tender activities in this project. Suppliers are required to complete the registration steps regardless of whether a Non-Disclosure Agreement/Security Aspects Questionnaire (now known as Tender Security Questionnaire) was completed as part of any previous market engagement.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05abdd
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/063823-2025
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

71241000 - Feasibility study, advisory service, analysis

71242000 - Project and design preparation, estimation of costs

71300000 - Engineering services

71500000 - Construction-related services

72221000 - Business analysis consultancy services

72224000 - Project management consultancy services

79410000 - Business and management consultancy services

79994000 - Contract administration services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
9 Oct 20254 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
10 Nov 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
31 Dec 2026 - 30 Dec 2034 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
ATOMIC WEAPONS ESTABLISHMENT
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
futureinfrastructureprogramme@awe.co.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
READING
Postcode
RG7 4PR
Post Town
Reading
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ16 Berkshire West
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
West Berkshire
Electoral Ward
Aldermaston
Westminster Constituency
Reading West and Mid Berkshire

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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