Research and development services and related consultancy services

Tender description

He Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) seeks to award a contract to the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) Ltd to clarify the way NNL provides advice to Government. This will include: providing Government with impartial technical advice on a range of nuclear policy, programmes and strategic issues; programme support to the BEIS Nuclear Innovation Programme; representing Government in certain international fora; and acting as a Secretariat for any new independent advisory framework the Government may convene. Whilst NNL already provides this support, this procurement will clarify the arrangements and will separate this advisory function from NNL's commercial business by a series of ethical barriers. This contract will formally separate NNL's services to Government from its commercial business in order to streamline access to technical nuclear advice and support, enhance oversight and governance, and ensure the independence of the advice provided. These services will be delivered by the Nuclear Innovation and Research Office (NIRO). NIRO is hosted by NNL but separated through a series of ethical barriers. NIRO will be hosted by NNL at cost.