Official UK procurement notice
Site Characterisation Professional Services Support (SCPSS) - C26888
Authority: Nuclear Waste Services Limited (Public body)
What is being bought3 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionThe scope of the SCPSS Framework has been split into three Lots to allow NWS to appoint the right specialist.
Lot 1 - Site Characterisation Planning and Technical Advisory Services: includes a wide range of consultancy, advisory, review and support services to NWS associated with all aspects of the planning, design, specification and delivery of site characterisation programmes (including onshore and offshore, intrusive and non-intrusive, plus off-site analysis).
Lot 2 - Geological and Geophysical Interpretation and Modelling: encompasses geological and geophysical analysis, interpretation and modelling activities required to support the development of geological understanding. This will include interpretation and modelling across multiple UK sites, regions and basins, reflecting evolving data availability, uncertainty, and project maturity.
Lot 3 - Hydrogeological Interpretation and Modelling: encompasses the research and technical development required to characterise, interpret and model hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical systems. This includes the development of conceptual and numerical groundwater flow and solute transport models.
ITP and ITT documentation available on Atamis: atamis-2464.my.site.com/s/Welcome ↗
- How the procedure runs: Stage 1 - Conditions of Participation Stage Stage 2 - ITT Stage
CPV: Advisory and consultative engineering services · Civil engineering consultancy services · Core preparation and analysis services · Digital mapping services · Engineering services · Engineering support services · Environmental engineering consultancy services · Environmental impact assessment other than for construction · Environmental issues consultancy services · Environmental management · Environmental monitoring other than for construction · Environmental planning · +15 more
How this framework works
From the published notice- Type
- Closed framework
- Call-offs
- call-offs may be awarded directly or by further competition
- Places
- up to 15 suppliers
- Framework period
4 yrs · up to 5 yrs from 26 Apr 2027, NWS considers a longer term of 4 years plus an optional 1-year extension for the SCPSS framework to be necessary owing to uncertainty of the geological disposal facility (GDF) programme and funding cycle changes that may affect the site characterisation phase of the GDF being a major infrastructure project.
Published description of the framework
Three Lots - Max Five Suppliers per Lot.
Lots and requirements (3)Procurement structure
3 lots · all with a published value · a supplier may bid for at most 2 and win at most 2 of themEvery one of these 3 lots carries the same published figure, £4,600: it is the framework's maximum for the whole notice, not each lot's own budget, and no share per lot is published. The cards below say ceiling above rather than repeat it.
Lot #1Site Characterisation Planning and Technical Advisory ServicesRenewalceiling above
Lot 1 - Site Characterisation Planning and Technical Advisory Services
Lot #2Geological and Geophysical Interpretation and ModellingRenewalceiling above
Lot 2 - Geological and Geophysical Interpretation and Modelling
Lot #3Hydrogeological Interpretation and ModellingRenewalceiling above
Lot 3 - Hydrogeological Interpretation and Modelling
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).
- “Site Characterisation Professional Services Support (SCPSS) - C26888” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, up to 15 suppliers, not a single contract: call-offs may be direct or by further competition.
Competition analysis · published record, not a forecast of who will bid
How Nuclear Waste Services Limited buys Consultative engineering and construction services (CPV 7131), and who usually turns up
Nuclear Waste Services Limited’s own published record, next to the published market for the same work. This notice is a framework or DPS, so only frameworks and DPS are compared. Whole-market view: Consultative engineering and construction services (CPV 7131) →
How the contest usually goes
Winner shares use published awards; bid and price charts use contested lots.
i
How often small and medium firms win.
Share of awards where the winner’s size is known.
The counts under this question show how many awards have a known supplier size.
Small firms have won here. Neither number says whether you qualify; it describes who has been winning.
i
How often local firms win similar work.
Winners with a registered address in the delivery region, out of awards with a known address.
Here, local means registered in North West England (authority’s region).
A local branch does not count if the registered address is elsewhere.
Most of this buyer’s recorded winners are registered outside North West England.
i
How long buyers here take to decide after bids close.
Middle value in days from the deadline to the first award notice, on competitions that published both dates.
Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.
Half of these awards were announced within 77 days of the bid deadline.
i
How often work is awarded with no recorded rival.
Direct awards and tenders where every published lot count shows one bid.
Both shares are minimums: some awards have no bid count.
Thin markets produce this too; it is not proof of a tailored specification.
Direct awards or one recorded bid are common here. Check the route before spending time on a bid.
How many bids did past lots attract?
i
How many bids past lots received.
Each colour is a bid-count range. Only competed lots with a published count are included.
Past bids do not predict this tender.
1 bid0% / 0%
2–310% / 9%
4–680% / 20%
7+10% / 70%
How did awards compare with estimates?
i
Where winning prices landed against estimates.
Each colour shows awards below, close to or above the published estimate, one lot at a time.
On a framework or DPS, prices are agreed when work is called off.
Past prices are a guide, not a bid price.
Not comparable on a framework or DPS. The notice sets up a supplier panel and a ceiling value; what the work actually costs is agreed later, on each call-off or mini-competition, and those publish as contract notices of their own. The award-vs-estimate record of this market therefore sits on the call-offs; this page shows it on the contracts, not on the panel that frames them.
Assess each lot i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
Open a lot for its forecast, this buyer’s previous supplier and possible competitors, from published award history, not a bid list
Lot #1Site Characterisation Planning and Technical Advisory ServicesCPV 71311000Published estimate£5k
i
How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid1%
2–326%
4–666%
7+7%
i
Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
No earlier contract of this buyer matches this lot on the published record.
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
| Supplier | Won in this category | Live contracts | Award vs estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
WSP UK LimitedLarge | £487m117 awards in 36m · last this month | 43 live · £410m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=18 |
Jacobs UK LtdLarge | £355m50 awards in 36m · last this month | 13 live · £55m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=12 |
AECOM LIMITEDLarge | £90m148 awards in 36m · last this month | 39 live · £66m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | 9% below n=33 |
| £3.0m30 awards in 36m · last 1 months ago | 3 live · £492k iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | 14% below n=2 | |
| £1.2m11 awards in 36m · last 2 months ago | None on file | 3% below n=1 |
Lot #2Geological and Geophysical Interpretation and ModellingCPV 71311000Published estimate£5k
i
How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid1%
2–326%
4–668%
7+5%
i
Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
No earlier contract of this buyer matches this lot on the published record.
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
| Supplier | Won in this category | Live contracts | Award vs estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
WSP UK LimitedLarge | £487m117 awards in 36m · last this month | 43 live · £410m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=18 |
| £3.0m30 awards in 36m · last 1 months ago | 3 live · £492k iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | 14% below n=2 | |
| £1.1m12 awards in 36m · last 3 months ago | 3 live · £281k iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=1 | |
| £1.2m11 awards in 36m · last 2 months ago | None on file | 3% below n=1 | |
| £418k6 awards in 36m · last 9 months ago | None on file | no comparable pairs |
Lot #3Hydrogeological Interpretation and ModellingCPV 71311000Published estimate£5k
i
How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid1%
2–326%
4–666%
7+8%
i
Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
No earlier contract of this buyer matches this lot on the published record.
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
| Supplier | Won in this category | Live contracts | Award vs estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| £3.0m30 awards in 36m · last 1 months ago | 3 live · £492k iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | 14% below n=2 | |
Stantec UK LimitedLarge | £1.3m34 awards in 36m · last 1 months ago | 10 live · £42m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | no comparable pairs |
| £1.1m12 awards in 36m · last 3 months ago | 3 live · £281k iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=1 | |
| £1.2m11 awards in 36m · last 2 months ago | None on file | 3% below n=1 | |
| £418k6 awards in 36m · last 9 months ago | None on file | no comparable pairs |
About this data
- Source. Official UK public procurement notices (Find a Tender), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. New notices arrive through the day; the figures are rebuilt nightly.
- Two views, kept apart. The authority’s own track record and the wider market for the same kind of work sit side by side and are never mixed. Where the local picture is too thin, a figure widens to a broader market and says which one it used.
- Forecasts are labelled. The price forecast and its range, possible competitors and the earlier-work matches are our estimates from past awards: not published facts, not win chances and not price advice. Official notices do not say who is bidding.
- Every figure shows what it rests on. Not every notice publishes a bid count, a value or a delivery region, so each figure carries the number of records behind it, and one built on few records is marked as such. The on a figure explains it; the counting rules are in the methodology. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
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
- Open admission
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Framework agreement
- Who may use this agreement
- Not stated in the notice; call-off rights may be limited to the establishing authority
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 15 Sept 2025, 15:38 BST
- Last source update
- 8 Oct 2026, 11:26 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 17 Mar 2027
- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-091954- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Not published
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-059a7aFind a Tender
- How it runs
Stage 1 - Conditions of Participation Stage
Stage 2 - ITT Stage
How to participate & submission route
Official notice Apply via Atamis (Health Family)- Requests to participate (first stage)
- 26 Oct 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Appointment period ends
- 26 Oct 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- 19 Oct 2026, 12:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Invitation to Participate (ITP) documents for the first stage of this procurement, as well as DRAFT Invitation to Tender (ITT) documents are available on Atamis: atamis-2464.my.site.com/s/Welcome ↗
Submissions should be made through the Atamis portal.
Please note NWS only requires a submission for Stage 1 (ITP) by 12pm on 26th October 2026.
Timeline
15 Sept 2025 → 26 Apr 2027 · 9 dates- Planning notice published400 days ago15 Sept 2025, 15:38 BST
- Market engagement35 days ago14 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST
a pre-tender market engagement webinar on will take place at 15:00 on 14/09/2026. Please use the link below to register for the webinar:
Nuclear Waste Services SCPSS Webinar (events.teams.microsoft.com/event/1e2d673b-4388-… ↗)
If you have any queries or require technical assistance with registration, please contact: [email protected]
NWS has also created a webpage to facilitate communication with the market and the sharing of documentation. The link to the webpage is: www.nuclearwasteservices.uk/2025/11/site-charact… ↗
- Tender notice published21 days ago29 Sept 2026, 14:47 BST
- Next notice expected20 days ago29 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST
- Latest notice published12 days ago8 Oct 2026, 11:26 BST
- Clarification questions by1 day ago19 Oct 2026, 12:00 BST
- Today20 Oct 2026
- Admission / appointment period endsin 6 days · period end, not a bid countdown26 Oct 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Award decision expected byin 149 days17 Mar 2027, 23:59 GMT
- Contract startsin 188 days26 Apr 2027, 00:00 BST
Notice history
9 events · 6 releases on Find a Tender · since 15 Sept 2025- Pipeline notice published15 Sept 2025, 15:38 BSTUK1
- Preliminary market engagement notice published25 Nov 2025, 17:00 GMTUK2
- Preliminary market engagement notice published25 Feb 2026, 11:52 GMTUK2
- Published value published: £13,800,00025 Feb 2026, 11:52 GMT
- Preliminary market engagement notice published24 Aug 2026, 13:24 BSTUK2
- Tender notice published29 Sept 2026, 14:47 BSTUK4
- Status changed to active29 Sept 2026, 14:47 BST
- Procurement method changed29 Sept 2026, 14:47 BST
- Tender notice published8 Oct 2026, 11:26 BSTUK4
Published amendments (2)
The next round of SCPSS Market Engagement - Webinar
Adding 'Justification of Term' which weren't on the original notice. NWS considers a longer term of 4 years plus an optional 1-year extension for the SCPSS framework to be necessary owing to uncertainty of the geological disposal facility (GDF) programme and funding cycle changes that may affect the site characterisation phase of the GDF being a major infrastructure project
Routine re-releases (6)
- 2026-02: 1 release · 25 Feb 2026
- 2025-11: 1 release · 25 Nov 2025
- 2025-09: 1 release · 15 Sept 2025
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Nothing awarded yet- Awards (0)
- No award published
- Contracts (0)
- No contract published
- Bid statistics
- No aggregate bid statistics published
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (6)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender 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
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement 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