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Strategic Design Partner to Support Deconversion - Framework Agreement

UNITED KINGDOM NATIONAL NUCLEAR LABORATORY LIMITED

This public procurement record has 6 releases in its history.

Award

20 Aug 2026 at 12:39

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

13 Aug 2026 at 10:46

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

25 Mar 2026 at 16:38

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

27 Feb 2026 at 10:27

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

07 Nov 2025 at 15:16

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

24 Oct 2025 at 09:42

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL) appointed a strategic design partner to support HALEU deconversion. The requirement covers engineering design services across four planned stages: defining period, preliminary design, detailed design, and design support during manufacture. UKNNL may use separate call-offs for each stage and may adjust the schedule for other HALEU deconversion-related design work. The work is associated with the North West of England, including Chorley and the wider North West. The buyer is United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory Limited, based in Warrington. This is a specialist nuclear engineering and design requirement rather than a general consultancy or construction contract.

The procurement is complete and the framework was awarded to North West Projects Limited, trading as Actemium Design UK, on 27 February 2026. It used a selective competitive flexible procedure, with shortlisting, supplier presentations and a final tender, plus optional negotiation. The single-supplier framework is valued at £3.5 million excluding VAT (£4.2 million including VAT), with the main contract signed on 13 March 2026 and running from 16 March 2026 to 15 March 2030. Evaluation was based on technical criteria (60%), programme (10%), social value (10%) and commercial evaluation (20%). A separate call-off signed on 9 July 2026 is valued at £887,763.96 excluding VAT (£1,065,316.76 including VAT), runs from 13 July 2026 to 24 February 2027, and may be extended to 31 March 2027.

This requirement demonstrates demand from UKNNL for a single accountable engineering design partner able to support the full lifecycle of HALEU deconversion design, from early definition through detailed design and manufacturing support. A credible future competitor would need demonstrable relevant experience and contract examples, strong financial capacity, suitable insurance and robust GDPR arrangements. Nuclear capability is central: suppliers were assessed on safety, health and wellbeing and nuclear safety culture. Cyber Essentials Plus was also a participation requirement. The evaluation placed greatest weight on technical quality, so firms would need experienced engineering designers, dependable programme management and the ability to deliver social value alongside commercially competitive proposals. The framework model also favours organisations capable of managing staged call-offs and changing technical requirements.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Strategic Design Partner to Support Deconversion - Framework Agreement

Notice Description

Please note this notice is a copy of notice reference: 2026/S 000-027524 from March 2026, which is being republished to replace an incorrect notice reference: 2026/S 000-077106. This Contract Award Notice confirms the appointment by UKNNL of a single supplier framework agreement to undertake the role of "Strategic Design Partner" to support UKNNL with HALEU Deconversion. The Strategic Design Partner (SDP) Framework is intended to comprise of four stages, these are: Stage 1: Defining Period Stage 2: Preliminary Design Stage 3: Detailed Design Stage 4: Design Support During Manufacture UKNNL will enter into a new call-off for each stage of work, UKNNL reserves the right to not award future call-offs and to amend the call-off schedule for alternative HALEU Deconversion related design work. UKNNL will continually assess Key Performance Indicators to inform decision making surrounding future call-offs.

Planning Information

UKNNL will be hosting a Market Engagement Session on MS Teams on Thursday 6th November from 11:00-12:00. Suppliers can sign-up to attend this market engagement/briefing session by emailing Emma.Kirkpatrick@uknnl.com and Sarah.Walton@uknnl.com confirming the names and email addresses of attendees. To engage with UKNNL suppliers must: 1. Sign-up to the engagement session 2. Attend the session 3. Provide feedback/ ask questions UKNNL wishes to confirm appetite in the market for this contract and ensure the contracting model is attractive to potential suppliers. If you would like to pre submit questions ahead of the call please email these to Emma.kirkpatrick@uknnl.com and Sarah.walton@uknnl.com . We plan to share the attendees list of the call with all attendees. If you do not wish for your details to be shared, please notify us when registering and we will remove your information from the list before distributing.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05d301
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/079420-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

CPV Codes

71300000 - Engineering services

71320000 - Engineering design services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£3,500,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£3,500,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
£3,500,000 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
£4,387,763 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
20 Aug 20266 days ago
Submission Deadline
16 Jan 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
7 Nov 2025Expired
Award Date
27 Feb 20266 months ago
Contract Period
16 Mar 2026 - 15 Mar 2030 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
UNITED KINGDOM NATIONAL NUCLEAR LABORATORY LIMITED
Additional Buyers

United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory

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 6AE
Postcode Area
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
TLD North West (England), TLD45 Mid Lancashire
Local Authority
Warrington
Electoral Ward
Birchwood
Westminster Constituency
Warrington North

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
2
Supplier Names

NORTH WEST PROJECTS LIMITED (trading as ACTEMIUM DESIGN UK)

North West Projects Ltd T/a Actemium Design UK

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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