---
title: "for the completion of the Integrated Control & Safety System (ICSS) for the H3AT Tritium Facility at Culham"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06c27d"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06c27d"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06c27d.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06c27d.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "UK ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY"
published: "2026-07-02"
---

# for the completion of the Integrated Control & Safety System (ICSS) for the H3AT Tritium Facility at Culham

Buyer: UK ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06c27d

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## Summary

The UK Atomic Energy Authority is overseeing a procurement process to complete the Integrated Control & Safety System (ICSS) for the H3AT Tritium Facility at Culham, Oxfordshire. This project, focused on engineering design services and electrical engineering installation works, falls under the services category and follows a direct award procurement method due to technical reasons necessitating continuity and proprietary knowledge of the system. The contract is valued at GBP 3,250,000 (excluding VAT) and has been awarded to Bilfinger UK Limited. The procurement stage currently involves the award process, with key dates including a contract period from 31 July 2026 to 28 April 2028 and an anticipated contract signature by 22 July 2026.

This tender presents significant opportunities for growth, particularly for businesses engaged in engineering design and electrical installation services. Large-scale firms with expertise in complex safety systems and proprietary technology implementation will find this tender particularly advantageous. Businesses capable of continuing and finalising intricate engineering and safety integration works, especially those familiar with proprietary systems and nuclear-grade standards, are ideally suited for such procurement opportunities, allowing them to expand their portfolios and secure high-value contracts. Engaging in projects of this nature can enhance a firm's reputation and expertise in sophisticated engineering solutions.

## Notice

Scope of supply is for the continued design development, procurement, manufacture, testing, installation and verification activities for the H3AT Integrated Control and Safety System (ICS).

### Procurement Information

This notice provides transparency of UKAEA's intention to award a contract to Bilfinger UK Limited (BUK) for the completion of the Integrated Control & Safety System (ICSS) for the H3AT Tritium Facility at Culham. The ICSS scope forms a critical part of the H3AT facility, covering the design finalisation, manufacture, installation, testing and commissioning of the control, interlock and safety systems required to safely operate the tritium plant. BUK was originally engaged as a specialist subcontractor under a wider contract with a previous main contractor (DBD), with direct responsibility for delivering the ICSS scope. Following the termination of the DBD contract, the ICSS works remain partially complete (approximately 50%) and have been significantly progressed by BUK. UKAEA intends to award a direct contract to BUK to complete the remaining works for the following reasons: * Proprietary Know-How & Design Continuity The ICSS design, software configuration, control architecture, and technical associated documentation have been uniquely developed and partially implemented by BUK, and are specific to their proprietary systems, tooling, and engineering approach. * Safety & Technical Risk Assumption : A change of supplier would require a third party to assume legal and technical liability to take over, reinterpret, and revalidate partially completed design and safety-critical systems, including Safety Integrity Level (SIL )-rated elements, which would introduce material technical and programme risk that cannot be mitigated by an alternative party * System Incompatibility: The ICSS must seamlessly integrate with existing plant systems and previously installed components already delivered by BUK. Substituting the supplier at this stage introduces in incompatibility risks across hardware, software, interfaces and safety validation activities. * Disproportionate Duplication & Rework: Replacement of BUK would lead to significant and wasteful rework, duplication of design assurance and testing, and potential invalidation of completed Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and statutory safety lifecycle deliverables. * Operational Hardship: These impacts would create disproportionate technical and operational difficulties, particularly in relation to safety assurance, system integration, and commissioning of a nuclear-grade system integration and final commissioning of the facility. On this basis, UKAEA considers that: * The proposed contract represents a partial continuation and completion of existing works by the original delivery party, and * Changing supplier would result in incompatible outcomes void existing warranties/assurances and cause disproportionate technical difficulties in operation and maintenance. The proposed direct award is therefore justified in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023, Schedule 5, Clause 7 (a) and (b). In addition, due to the unique level of system integration, the proprietary nature of the partially completed design, and BUK's ownership of detailed implementation knowledge, there is an absence of alternatives who can complete the works without significant risk to the facility's safety case, delay, and substantial duplication of cost, further supporting reliance on Schedule 5 provisions.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/062313-2026 |
| Notice type | UK5 - Transparency Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 2 Jul 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 2 Jul 2026 |
| Contract period | 31 Jul 2026 - 28 Apr 2028 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £3,250,000 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Pending |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UK ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY |
| Locality | OXFORDSHIRE |
| Post town | Oxford |
| Postcode | OX14 3DB |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire |
| ITL 3 | TLJ14 Oxfordshire CC |
| Local authority | South Oxfordshire |
| Electoral ward | Sandford & the Wittenhams |
| Westminster constituency | Didcot and Wantage |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | BILFINGER UK LIMIITED |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 45 - Construction work
- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

### Codes

- 45315100 - Electrical engineering installation works
- 71320000 - Engineering design services

## Release History

- 2 Jul 2026 at 13:27 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/062313-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/062313-2026
  2nd July 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-atomic-energy-authority
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-06c27d. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06c27d.json.