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

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.