---
title: "Strategic Support Framework for Spent Fuel"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0319a0"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0319a0"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0319a0.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0319a0.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "NATIONAL NUCLEAR LABORATORY"
published: "2022-02-21"
---

# Strategic Support Framework for Spent Fuel

Buyer: NATIONAL NUCLEAR LABORATORY  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0319a0

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## Summary

The National Nuclear Laboratory is currently conducting a tender process for its "Strategic Support Framework for Spent Fuel," classified under the nuclear safety services category. The procurement is in the planning stage and aims to establish a multi-Lot framework agreement with a total estimated value of £2,000,000 GBP. The tender is set to close on 31 March 2022, and the services will be performed in the UK, specifically around Warrington, where the National Nuclear Laboratory is located.

This tender offers significant opportunities for businesses specialising in nuclear safety, engineering, and research services. Companies experienced in providing measurement and metrology services, corrosion science, and materials engineering related to spent fuels will find suitable areas to compete in. The open procedure allows a broad spectrum of suppliers to engage and possibly expand their market presence within the nuclear sector, responding to the need for compliance and innovation in handling spent fuel and related materials.

## Notice

Tender for a multi-Lot framework agreement to provide a compliant route to market for Strategic Support for Spent Fuels.

### Lot Information

Measurement and Metrology Services

The measurement and metrology services lot covers the adaption or development of measurement systems for application in: * A heavily shielded, irradiated fuel examination facility, where measurements are undertaken directly on irradiated materials out of their storage context. Adaption may require deployment into high radiation environments or may require adaptation to be able to deploy them across a thick concrete wall into a high radiation environment with limited access and limited ability to manipulate items. * Pond storage environments: where irradiated fuel is stored in fixed geometries underwater, with restricted access * Dry storage environments, where fuel is contained within sealed containment systems. Monitoring may be focussed on the integrity of the containment system or conditions inside the container. Additional information: Full details can be found in Appendix D Procurement Specification.

Corrosion Science and Electrochemistry

The principal topic areas of interest in relation to this topic area are listed below and support with experimental works, technique demonstration and modelling are of interest: * Environmentally assisted stress corrosion cracking of irradiated high Ni Austenitic stainless steel (AGR cladding) in pond water * Environmentally assisted stress corrosion cracking of austenitic stainless steels in air, associated with long term fuel and nuclear material dry storage canisters * Corrosion of fuel materials in pond water, disposal contexts and nominally dry gasses. Whilst the main focus is on uranium oxide and U:Pu mixed oxide fuels, there is also interest in work on other fuels, as note above * Corrosion of fuel cladding materials, as detailed above, in pond water, disposal contexts and nominally dry gasses. * Oxidation of fuel and cladding materials at low temperatures (e.g. below about 200degC) over very long timescales. Additional information: Full details can be found in Appendix D Procurement Specification

Materials and Engineering Science

The focus on this area is to undertake non-active work on simulant materials or undertake modelling of aspects of spent fuels that affect their behaviour in long term storage, although consideration of preparation for disposal is also relevant. Areas of particular interest are: * Migration of water into failed fuel during pond storage. This may include fuel in a range of conditions from largely intact fuel pins, to short sections of fuel, fuel fragments and fuel corrosion products. * Migration of water out of failed fuel in storage or drying at a range of potential pressures and temperatures * Radiolysis of /water vapour and hydrated compounds associated with failed fuel and corrosion products in wet and nominally dry conditions r * Evolution of fuel and fuel corrosion products during storage, including dry, damp and aqueous environments, and during drying under vacuum or elevated temperatures * Interaction and behaviour of radionuclides released as a result of fuel/cladding corrosion with the storage environment * Materials engineering associated with hydrogen management, in particular to control pressurisation or explosion risk. * Options for the stabilisation and treatment of severely damaged and corroded fuels. Support is sought in relation to undertaking experimental work and modelling. Additional information: Full details can be found in Appendix D Procurement Specification

Irradiation Facilities and Particle Accelerators

Access to irradiation facilities is required in relation to three principal requirements: * Understanding the effects of irradiation on materials, particularly in relation to radiolysis effects. Current areas of work are related to high pH aqueous conditions, however irradiation of low humidity air and conditions relevant to disposal are also of interest. * Neutron imaging techniques for the detection and mapping of hydrogen in fuel storage systems (in-situ) and for detection of water in irradiated fuels (ex-situ). * Beam line characterisation of the chemistry of nuclear materials undergoing corrosion or speciation in environments of interest (principally pond storage and disposal) using spectroscopy techniques e.g. XAFS / XANES. Additional information: Full details can be found in Appendix D Procurement Specification.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004868-2022 |
| Notice type | Planning Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning, Tender |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 21 Feb 2022 |
| Submission deadline | 31 Mar 2022 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £2,000,000 |
| Lots value | £2,000,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Active |
| Lots status | Active |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | NATIONAL NUCLEAR LABORATORY |
| Locality | WARRINGTON |
| Post town | Warrington |
| Postcode | WA3 6AE |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLD North West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLD6 Cheshire |
| ITL 3 | TLD61 Warrington |
| Local authority | Warrington |
| Electoral ward | Birchwood |
| Westminster constituency | Warrington North |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 09 - Petroleum products, fuel, electricity and other sources of energy
- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 98 - Other community, social and personal services

### Codes

- 09340000 - Nuclear fuels
- 71337000 - Corrosion engineering services
- 73100000 - Research and experimental development services
- 98113100 - Nuclear safety services

## Release History

- 21 Feb 2022 at 17:12 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004868-2022

## Notice URLs

- http://www.justice.gov.uk
- https://sharedsystems.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_s.asp?PID=15533&B=SELLAFIELD
- https://www.gov.uk/government/case-studies/shared-services-alliance-ssa-for-nuclear-decommissioning-estate

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0319a0. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0319a0.json.