Award

Uni-Directional and bi-directional saw blades

SELLAFIELD LIMITED

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

21 Apr 2026 at 13:43

Award

05 Mar 2026 at 15:22

Award

04 Mar 2026 at 10:40

Summary of the contracting process

The procurement process for Sellafield Limited involved the direct award of a contract for manufacturing approximately 230 specialist, non-standard saw blades to Fernite of Sheffield Limited. This contract is classified under the 'goods' category and encompasses regions within the United Kingdom, specifically Warrington and Sheffield. Sellafield Limited, a public authority in sub-central government, conducted this procurement due to technical reasons, ensuring continuity of supply and avoiding operational risk. The contract is effective from 20th April 2026 to 19th April 2028, following the completion of the tender process stemming from a single-supplier technical rationale according to the UK Procurement Act 2023.

This tender offers businesses in the power tools sector an opportunity to ensure critical operations within specialist industry processes. Particularly, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with expertise in producing unique consumable goods are well-suited for this type of direct procurement method where bespoke specifications are essential. Fernite of Sheffield Limited, an SME already holding the intellectual property rights for the blade designs, exemplifies the type of business that could gain from such procurement opportunities, contributing to long-term growth through fostering technical innovations and reliability in supply chains.

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Notice Title

Uni-Directional and bi-directional saw blades

Notice Description

Provision of the manufacture, quality assurance, and delivery of approximately 230 specialist, non-standard saw blades

Procurement Information

A Direct Award is justified under Section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023 using the Schedule 5 justification for Single Supplier - Technical Reasons. The requirement involves highly specialist, non-standard consumable goods that must be manufactured to bespoke specifications unique to our operational processes. Moving to a new supplier would require redevelopment of the existing blade design and production methodology, creating avoidable technical uncertainty and disproportionate operational and cost risk. The supplier also holds the Intellectual Property rights for the current design and associated manufacturing methodology, which were developed from our initial concept but remain solely owned by the supplier. As a result, no other supplier is able to lawfully or technically replicate the product without significant redevelopment work, making competition unviable at this stage. While this is not the primary basis for the Direct Award, there is also a contributing operational requirement: continued supply of these specialist consumables is essential to maintain critical operations and avoid disruption to key production activities. A delay in sourcing these goods from an alternative supplier--who would first need to develop a new solution--would introduce operational risk. This Direct Award is therefore being used as a short-term, interim measure to ensure continuity of supply whilst the organisation prepares pre-market engagement and a full competitive procurement to establish a longer-term, sustainable solution.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0661ce
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036169-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

43 - Machinery for mining, quarrying, construction equipment


CPV Codes

43830000 - Power tools

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£999,999 £500K-£1M
Contracts Value
£999,999 £500K-£1M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
21 Apr 20263 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
27 Feb 20262 months ago
Contract Period
19 Apr 2026 - 19 Apr 2028 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active, Pending
Contracts Status
Active

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
SELLAFIELD 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
Not specified

Local Authority
Warrington
Electoral Ward
Birchwood
Westminster Constituency
Warrington North

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

FERNITE OF SHEFFIELD

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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