Official UK procurement notice
Nuclear Safeguards Programme · UK public procurement notice
Authority: Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (Central government)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe Nuclear Safeguards Programme (NSP) provides international nuclear safeguards technical support to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).
Nuclear safeguards are technical measures to verify that States comply with their international obligations not to misuse nuclear materials for the manufacture of nuclear explosives. They are an essential part of the nuclear non-proliferation regime and underpin the international system of assurance which enables trade in civil nuclear material, equipment and technology between states – as such they have a key enabling role in the UK’s own plans for civil nuclear energy as part of the low carbon energy mix.
The NSP is part of the UK contribution to the maintenance of the international safeguards regime with main aims as follows:
- to assist the IAEA in ensuring the continued and improved effectiveness of its safeguards system and to influence the formulation of technical safeguards policy in the IAEA;
- to assist the United Kingdom in meeting international obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (‘the NPT’) in as cost-effective a manner as possible;
- to provide direct safeguards and technical support to DESNZ and the wider UK Government to assist in the formulation of domestic policy on safeguards and non-proliferation issues
Market engagement
A structured programme of market engagement was undertaken to inform the procurement strategy and ensure alignment with supplier capability and market conditions. This included: Three online sessions were held (23rd September, 28th October 2025 and 21st January 2026). We carried out market engagement to test capability, gather feedback, and inform the procurement approach.
- How the procedure runs: • Publish Tender Notice • Issue Procurement Specific Questionnaire (acts as down selection) - pqq_108 - Procurement Specific Questionnaire - NSP • Receive PSQ responses • Assess exclusions, conditions of participation, and objective criteria set. Take through up to 3 suppliers • Inform suppliers of outcome • NDA to down-selected suppliers prior to issue of ITT (due to sensitive nature of specification) • ITT Launch • Clarification Questions (CQ’s) from bidders • Respond to CQ’s • Initial tender submitted • ITT Intermediate Assessment (potential to down select where minimum threshold not met) • Issue results & feedback/ invitation to negotiate • Negotiation • Invite remaining bidders to submit final tender • Receive final tenders • Evaluate final tenders
CPV: Nuclear fuels · Nuclear safety services · Technical services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedRenewalPublished value£19,500,000
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
- Technical
- Commercial
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA, CPTPP)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 22 May 2025, 10:38 BST
- Last source update
- 30 Sept 2026, 17:42 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 6 Jul 2026
- Authority reference
prj_5334- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-009201- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-051cebFind a Tender
- How it runs
- Publish Tender Notice
- Issue Procurement Specific Questionnaire (acts as down selection) - pqq_108 - Procurement Specific Questionnaire - NSP
- Receive PSQ responses
- Assess exclusions, conditions of participation, and objective criteria set. Take through up to 3 suppliers
- Inform suppliers of outcome
- NDA to down-selected suppliers prior to issue of ITT (due to sensitive nature of specification)
- ITT Launch
- Clarification Questions (CQ’s) from bidders
- Respond to CQ’s
- Initial tender submitted
- ITT Intermediate Assessment (potential to down select where minimum threshold not met)
- Issue results & feedback/ invitation to negotiate
- Negotiation
- Invite remaining bidders to submit final tender
- Receive final tenders
- Evaluate final tenders
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 29 May 2026, 17:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 27 Mar 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
beisgroup.ukp.app.jaggaer.com/esop/ogc-host/public… ↗
pqq_108 - Procurement Specific Questionnaire - NSP. The deadline for this will be the 04/03/2026 09:00. This stage must be completed and passed in order to advance to the ITT stage.
If you are successful at PSQ stage, the final tender deadline for the Inviation to Tender is currently scheduled to be the 29/05/2026 17:00.
Timeline
22 May 2025 → 30 Sept 2026 · 10 dates- Planning notice published22 May 2025, 10:38 BST
- Next notice expected384 days ago1 Oct 2025, 23:59 BST
- Market engagement368 days ago17 Oct 2025, 23:59 BST
Suppliers interested in participating are invited to express their interest in attending a webinar organised by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). This webinar will take place on Tuesday, 23rd September 2025 at 3:00pm.
To confirm attendance, suppliers must send an email to [email protected] by 12:00 PM GMT on 22nd September 2025. The email should include the organisation name and the names and email addresses of up to three nominated attendees.
Engagement Process
The Department will conduct a preliminary market engagement session, open to all suppliers and interested parties. After each session, a written questionnaire will be provided, offering respondents the chance to submit more detailed and confidential feedback.
During the webinar, there will be a presentation outlining the high-level service requirements. The session will also cover initial ideas regarding the procurement structure and commercial aspects. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and share comments, with further input welcome via the follow-up questionnaire distributed after the event.
Webinar Details
The Preliminary Market Engagement Webinar will be hosted via MS Teams at 3:00pm on Tuesday, 23rd September 2025. For those unable to attend, the session content can be provided upon request following the webinar.
How to Express Interest
To register interest in attending the engagement sessions and submitting feedback, parties should email [email protected]. Please include the names, roles, and organisation for up to three attendees.
It should be noted that DESNZ does not guarantee the launch of a procurement process and cannot be held responsible for any costs or expenses incurred by potential suppliers in registering their interest.
- Tender notice published260 days ago2 Feb 2026, 18:00 GMT
- Clarification questions by207 days ago27 Mar 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Assessment summaries sent154 days ago20 May 2026, 00:00 BST
- Submission deadline144 days ago29 May 2026, 17:00 BST
- Award decision expected by106 days ago6 Jul 2026, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts50 days ago1 Sept 2026, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published20 days ago30 Sept 2026, 17:42 BST
Notice history
13 events · 6 releases on Find a Tender · since 22 May 2025- Pipeline notice published22 May 2025, 10:38 BSTUK1
- Preliminary market engagement notice published9 Sept 2025, 13:04 BSTUK2
- Published value published: £15,000,0009 Sept 2025, 13:04 BST
- Tender notice published2 Feb 2026, 18:00 GMTUK4
- Published value updated to £19,500,0002 Feb 2026, 18:00 GMTwas £15,000,000
- Status changed to active2 Feb 2026, 18:00 GMT
- Procurement method changed2 Feb 2026, 18:00 GMT
- Deadline published: 29 May 2026, 17:00 BST2 Feb 2026, 18:00 GMT
- Contract award notice published1 Jun 2026, 09:49 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete1 Jun 2026, 09:49 BST
- Contract signature expected18 Sept 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract award notice published30 Sept 2026, 10:56 BSTUK6
- Contract details notice published30 Sept 2026, 17:42 BSTUK7
Routine re-releases (6)
- 2026-02: 1 release · 2 Feb 2026
- 2025-09: 1 release · 9 Sept 2025
- 2025-05: 1 release · 22 May 2025
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Nuclear LaboratoryNuclear Safeguards Programme (NSP)28 Sept 2026 – 31 Mar 2030 · up to 31 Mar 2033Extensions: The contract will be for 3.5 years with two-optional extension periods of 2 years and 1 year respectively. | £19,500,000 | 19 May 2026 | Awarded |
| National Nuclear Laboratory | £19,500,000 †same award published again · counted once | — | Awarded |
Contracts
Nuclear Safeguards Programme · National Nuclear Laboratory
- Signed
- 18 Sept 2026
- Value
- £19,500,000
- Period
- 28 Sept 2026 – 31 Mar 2030 · up to 31 Mar 2033 with extensions
- Status
- active
- Extensions
- The contract is for 3.5 years with two optional extension periods of 2 years and 1 year respectively
3 agreed KPIs: Risk & Issue Management · Supply Chain Performance · Compliance and Security
- Risk & Issue Management, Proactive identification, management, and mitigation of risks and issues, with regular updates to DESNZ.
- Supply Chain Performance, Ethical and efficient management of subcontractors; prompt payment; resolution of supply chain issues.
- Compliance and Security, Adherence to all relevant legal, regulatory, and security requirements, including information security and data protection.
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2final-stage tenders | 0 | 0 | — |
Who bid
- did not winAmentum Clean Energy Limited · North West England
- wonUnited Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory · North West England
Bidders as named on the Procurement Act 2023 award notice. “Won” means the bidder holds an award on this notice.
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
2 commercial parties on the notice · 1 awarded- Amentum Clean Energy LimitedBidder / tenderer
- United Kingdom National Nuclear LaboratoryAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (7)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Bidding documents and specificationsAccess: Future documents can be accessed through the Jaggaer portal if you are successful at passing the PSQ stage and invited to tender stage: https://beisgroup.ukp.app.jaggaer.com/esop/ogc-host/public/beisgroup/web/login.jst?VISITORID=7f7ea8f7-38fa-490f-8a15-b1f820ee5b70&_ncp=1770051965474.3504212-1
Notices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender