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3m3 Box Design Optimisation and Development

SELLAFIELD LIMITED

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

17 Jun 2026 at 08:21

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

26 May 2026 at 10:49

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Sellafield Limited, a sub-central government authority based in Warrington, United Kingdom, is the buyer involved in a public procurement process titled "3m³ Box Design Optimisation and Development." This process pertains to the engineering and industrial process industry, with the procurement aiming to enhance the existing 3m³ box design used in manufacturing environments. The procurement method employed was a direct award due to technical reasons, as specified in the UK Procurement Act 2023. The process has been completed with Stainless Metalcraft (Chatteris) Limited as the supplier. Key dates in this process included the contract award being made on 26th March 2026, with the standstill period concluding on 26th June 2026, and the contract period set from 30th June 2026 to 30th June 2027. The project location is designated as within the UKD11 region.

This tender represents a significant opportunity for businesses involved in engineering design services and the production of industrial equipment, particularly those with capabilities in manufacturing optimisation and development activities. It is tailored for companies that can engage in direct partnerships with existing production environments to enhance efficiency and product performance. The direct award to Stainless Metalcraft (Chatteris) Limited underscores the necessity for qualified manufacturers with established expertise in specialised manufacturing processes. Such projects offer pathways for growth by aligning with strategic industry needs and cementing roles as pivotal suppliers in high-value contracts within the public sector.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

3m3 Box Design Optimisation and Development

Notice Description

The contract covers engineering development, testing and validation activities to support the ongoing optimisation of the existing 3m3 box design currently utilised within the live manufacturing environment, including: * Development and validation of methods to support refurbishment and reuse activities * Design and testing of enhanced base configurations to support long term performance * Development of an alternative reduced height bund configuration to improve operability and process efficiency * Testing and verification of proposed improvements * Preparation of supporting manufacturing instructions and technical documentation to enable controlled implementation This activity relates solely to the existing production design and supports ongoing product and process optimisation within the live manufacturing environment.

Procurement Information

It has been determined that competition is absent for technical reasons in accordance with Schedule 5, paragraph 6(a) and 6(b) of the Procurement Act 2023, and that no reasonable alternative or substitute exists. The scope of this contract is limited to development, optimisation, and validation activities directly associated with the manufacture of 3m3 boxes produced using Stainless Metalcraft Chatteris (SMC)'s established and validated manufacturing process. These activities are inseparable from the existing production route and rely on production-specific tooling, equipment, processes, and manufacturing knowledge embedded within the live manufacturing environment. SMC is the incumbent manufacturer and the only organisation with direct access to the current qualified production configuration, accumulated process learning, validated methods of manufacture, and in-process and completed box inventory. The required activities must be designed, trialled, and validated directly within the live manufacturing environment to maintain compliance with safety, quality, and assurance requirements. For technical reasons, the scope cannot be delivered by an alternative supplier without establishing an equivalent qualified manufacturing environment, including replication of tooling, equipment, process capability, and validated production controls. Establishing and qualifying such an environment would be incompatible with the requirement to apply improvements directly within the existing production system and would not represent a viable, proportionate, or practicable alternative. Accordingly, in line with Schedule 5, paragraph 6(a), only SMC can deliver the required services for technical reasons, and in line with paragraph 6(b), no reasonable alternative or substitute exists. The award of this contract to SMC therefore represents the only technically viable means of meeting the authority's requirements. This contract relates solely to the optimisation of the existing 3m3 production arrangements.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06a316
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/056897-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

44 - Construction structures and materials; auxiliary products to construction (except electric apparatus)

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

CPV Codes

44613800 - Containers for waste material

71323000 - Engineering-design services for industrial process and production

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£300,000 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
17 Jun 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
26 Mar 20264 months ago
Contract Period
29 Jun 2026 - 30 Jun 2027 1-2 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
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

STAINLESS METALCRAFT (CHATTERIS

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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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