Find a TenderAwarded without competitionTransparency notice
Published 2 Jun 2026, 09:00 BST

Official UK procurement notice

CMF12100 remainder of project

Official notice

Authority: UK Atomic Energy Authority (Central government)

Direct awardSME suitable
Awarded value£1,090,000published award · exc. VAT
Award in standstill Not publishedno call for competition
Award (standstill) to OPTIMUM ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING LTD

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The requirement relates to the continuation of existing electrical, remedial, snagging, labelling, energisation/de-energisation support, commissioning support and integration works being undertaken by Optimum Electrical Engineering Ltd on the ESS Active Cells Facility project in Lund, Sweden. Optimum has been delivering the electrical installation and associated support works on site since the original competitively tendered arrangement. The remaining requirement is not a discrete new package of work that can be separated and competed without significant technical, safety, quality and programme risk. It is a continuation of ongoing works across partially completed electrical installations, live snagging, system interfaces, Quality Assurance handover, commissioning support and subcontractor Site Acceptance Test readiness. Optimum currently manages the electrical installation programme at the ESS Active Cells Facility site and is responsible for the day-to-day electrical safety activities associated with the works. Optimum has established site processes, RAMS, QA documentation routes, ESS competency arrangements and electrical safety responsibilities that are already embedded into the project delivery model. Optimum’s Lead Project Engineer has also held key electrical safety responsibilities on site, including AP(E)-type duties and authority to support switching arrangements agreed with ESS. Replacing Optimum would require these arrangements to be re-established, reassessed and accepted by ESS, which would introduce delay and additional safety assurance risk. A change in supplier at this stage would result in disproportionate technical difficulties and delivery risk. Any replacement supplier would need to mobilise, familiarise itself with the facility, review partially completed electrical works, understand historical design and installation decisions, engage with Optimum for technical and QA handover, establish RAMS and ESS competency approvals, and take responsibility for live electrical safety and commissioning interfaces. This would create duplicated effort, additional UKAEA management burden and a high risk of delay to the remaining installation, testing, commissioning and handover programme. There is also a regulatory constraint. UKAEA cannot directly undertake electrical installation works in Sweden because Swedish electrical installation companies must hold compliance officer status. UKAEA has previously been rejected by Sweden’s National Electrical Safety Board for company registration and compliance officer status. ESS holds this status but has not agreed for UKAEA to work under ESS’s compliance officer arrangements. Optimum holds the required Swedish compliance officer status and is therefore the current route through which UKAEA can continue electrical installation, energisation, de-energisation, commissioning support and associated electrical safety activities on site. The new contract will be supported by a defined Scope of Work, managed through the contract documentation, Primavera P6 programme, electrical package snagging list and UKAEA instruction. This will allow UKAEA to control, instruct, prioritise and monitor the remaining activities while retaining flexibility to respond to emerging snags, system readiness, external supplier delays and commissioning requirements.

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Direct award
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Notice status
Awarded without competition
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Direct award (no call for competition)
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
2 Jun 2026, 09:00 BST
Last source update
2 Jun 2026, 09:00 BST
Authority reference
RH/CMF 12100
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-051661
Latest notice
Transparency notice (UK5)
Delivery area in notice
Sweden (SE2)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06aaf6 Find a Tender
Why no open competition
Single Suppliers Technical Reasons
Published justification

Single Supplier with unique Technical capability and regional certification in Sweden

Review and risk notes
Risks

The requirement relates to the continuation of existing electrical, remedial, snagging, labelling, energisation/de-energisation support, commissioning support and integration works being undertaken by Optimum Electrical Engineering Ltd on the ESS Active Cells Facility project in Lund, Sweden. Optimum has been delivering the electrical installation and associated support works on site since the original competitively tendered arrangement. The remaining requirement is not a discrete new package of work that can be separated and competed without significant technical, safety, quality and programme risk. It is a continuation of ongoing works across partially completed electrical installations, live snagging, system interfaces, Quality Assurance handover, commissioning support and subcontractor Site Acceptance Test readiness. Optimum currently manages the electrical installation programme at the ESS Active Cells Facility site and is responsible for the day-to-day electrical safety activities associated with the works. Optimum has established site processes, RAMS, QA documentation routes, ESS competency arrangements and electrical safety responsibilities that are already embedded into the project delivery model. Optimum’s Lead Project Engineer has also held key electrical safety responsibilities on site, including AP(E)-type duties and authority to support switching arrangements agreed with ESS. Replacing Optimum would require these arrangements to be re-established, reassessed and accepted by ESS, which would introduce delay and additional safety assurance risk. A change in supplier at this stage would result in disproportionate technical difficulties and delivery risk. Any replacement supplier would need to mobilise, familiarise itself with the facility, review partially completed electrical works, understand historical design and installation decisions, engage with Optimum for technical and QA handover, establish RAMS and ESS competency approvals, and take responsibility for live electrical safety and commissioning interfaces. This would create duplicated effort, additional UKAEA management burden and a high risk of delay to the remaining installation, testing, commissioning and handover programme. There is also a regulatory constraint. UKAEA cannot directly undertake electrical installation works in Sweden because Swedish electrical installation companies must hold compliance officer status. UKAEA has previously been rejected by Sweden’s National Electrical Safety Board for company registration and compliance officer status. ESS holds this status but has not agreed for UKAEA to work under ESS’s compliance officer arrangements. Optimum holds the required Swedish compliance officer status and is therefore the current route through which UKAEA can continue electrical installation, energisation, de-energisation, commissioning support and associated electrical safety activities on site. The new contract will be supported by a defined Scope of Work, managed through the contract documentation, Primavera P6 programme, electrical package snagging list and UKAEA instruction. This will allow UKAEA to control, instruct, prioritise and monitor the remaining activities while retaining flexibility to respond to emerging snags, system readiness, external supplier delays and commissioning requirements.

Notice history

2 events · 1 release on Find a Tender · since 2 Jun 2026
  1. Transparency notice published
    2 Jun 2026, 09:00 BST
    UK5
  2. Contract signature expected
    10 Jun 2026, 23:59 BST
    scheduled

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1some still in standstill
Awarded value £1,090,0001 award exc. VAT
Awarded toValueDateStatus
OPTIMUM ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING LTDThe Provision of Optimum Electrical , Remedial & Integration works at ESS Active Cells Project in Sweden10 Jun 2026 – 9 Apr 2027£1,090,000—Standstill

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

UK Atomic Energy Authority

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PLJV-1169-JTDD Culham Science Centre, Oxfordshire, South East, OX14 3DBContact name, email

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • OPTIMUM ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING LTDAwarded supplierGB-PPON: PXZM-1688-NYXQ Unit 8 & 8a Waterloo Park Ind Est, Upper Brook St Stockport,, Manchester, North West, SK1 3BPContact name, email

Official documents & specifications (1)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Transparency notice awardTransparency noticeUK5Transparency notice on Find a Tender