Official UK procurement notice
HyDUS Mobile Containerised Laboratory
Authority: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe HyDUS project is creating a world first demonstrator for a reversible hydrogen storage system and the MCL (Mobile Containerised Laboratory) will act to house this demonstrator. Procurement of this equipment is essential since it allows better control and isolation of the demonstrator system to the surrounding environment. Isolation is a requirement here due to the nature of the experimental campaign which includes production of DU storage bed systems containing pyrophoric powders during conditioning, handling of mildly radioactive DU (includes risk of contamination) and work with explosive/flammable gases such as hydrogen (operating at low pressure ranges). The MCL, as delivered will:
- Function as the surrounding environment
- Contain the safety systems for the process hazards
- Be delivered with the experimental process infrastructure in place
- Be delivered with a DU powder sump system per bed as per suppliers design
CPV: Laboratory building construction work · Modular and portable buildings
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedProcedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Goods
- 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
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 23 Dec 2022, 10:39 GMT
- Last source update
- 21 Sept 2023, 11:06 BST
- Authority reference
JNCA/BO093/23- FTS notice number
2023/S 000-027871- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-039409Find a Tender
- Why no open competition
The works, supplies or services can be provided only by a particular economic operator due to absence of competition for technical reasons
- Published justification
UKAEA requires a hydrogen compliant containerised laboratory that would also be certified for holding depleted uranium getter/storage beds. Following a prior information notice (PIN) UKAEA identified that there was only one company that could meet the unusual combination of technical capability.
From our market engagement, there were no other suppliers that can provide containerised laboratory solutions which include accommodation of DU and DU getter beds combined with hydrogen circulation and storage. Available off the shelf containerised laboratories do not provide compliance with both the safety features required for hydrogen storage, as well as, the safety features required for housing depleted uranium metal in a powdered and therefore, pyrophoric form (flammable). This is a unique combination of risks and therefore, highly specialised.
As such, COTS solutions are not suitable, because they are not safety compliant. For a supplier, other than the chosen supplier, to modify a COTS containerised solution it would add complexity, time and cost and it is considered highly unlikely that they would have the technical capability or interest in providing a solution that is safety compliant to our specifications. It is considered that it is much better to go directly to the only specialised manufacturer that has a track record of delivering the capability that our project requires.
- Review procedure
VI.4.2)Body responsible for mediation procedures
VI.4.3)Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
The authority will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers.
This period allows unsuccessful tenderers to seek further debriefing from the authority before a contract is entered into applicants have 2 working days from the notification of the award decision to request. Additional debriefing and that information have to be provided within a minimum of 3 working days before the expiry of the standstill period. Such additional information should be sought from the contact named in this notice.
If an appeal regarding the award of a contract has not been successfully resolved, the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015 No. 102) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland).
Any such action must be brought promptly.
(generally within 3 months).
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- —
Timeline
24 Feb 2023 → 21 Sept 2023 · 2 dates- Next notice expected24 Feb 2023
- Notice published21 Sept 2023, 11:06 BST
Notice history
2 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 21 Sept 2023- Status changed to complete21 Sept 2023, 11:06 BST
- Procurement method changed21 Sept 2023, 11:06 BST
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smolsys Ltd | CHF 836,325 † | — | Awarded |
Contracts
HyDUS Mobile Containerised Laboratory · Smolsys Ltd
- Signed
- 22 Aug 2023
- Value
- CHF 836,325
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1bids | — | — | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- UK Atomic Energy AuthorityMediation bodyReview bodyReview contact point
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- Smolsys LtdAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications
Official links; attachments are not copiedNo document links were published on the notice.