Technical testing, analysis and consultancy services

Tender description

The Environment Agency has awarded a framework for the provision of waste quality checking services for radioactive waste. The contract will provide the Environment Agency, Scottish Environment Protection Agency and other bodies, with the capability to undertake independent verification and assurance activities of radioactive waste (lower activity wastes (e.g. LLW and short lived ILW) suitable for near surface disposal prior to their treatment or disposal. This work could occur at sites within England, Wales and Scotland. The Assurance service will be used to support regulatory activities related to compliance with the relevant radioactive substances activity permissions (e.g. permits or authorisations). The framework will provide the Environment Agency, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), and other bodies, with the capability to undertake, at sites throughout England, Scotland and Wales, independent verification and assurance activities of lower activity radioactive wastes prior to their treatment or disposal. Such radioactive wastes predominantly comprise low level radioactive waste, but may also Include short-lived intermediate level wastes that form part of radioactive waste consignments appropriate for management in near-surface environments. The contract will also be open for use by Natural Resources Wales (NRW), SEPA, Defra and its associated bodies. The service provision should be suitable to give assurance to the environment agencies' regulatory staff that radioactive wastes originating from nuclear sites have been characterised and consigned appropriately. The assurance service will be used to support regulatory activities related to compliance with the relevant radioactive substances activity permissions (e.g. permits or authorisations). Work would be targeted on a risk basis, to include consideration of new treatment and disposal routes, and seeking to check radioactive wastes arising from across all nuclear sites over a given period. In addition the work areas may include checking of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) wastes being received for treatment or disposal at permitted sites, and bottom ash originating from radioactive substances activity permitted incinerators. Assurance activities will include: in-situ monitoring of individual items, drums or ISO containers of waste to assess the radioactivity content; seizing items of radioactive waste and drums (small quantities) for independent analysis for radioactivity (including transport to and from analytical facilities); auditing site operators' procedures and operations for the consignment or receipt of radioactive wastes for treatment and disposal; audit and review the assurance approaches established by waste consignees', including the Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR) operator, relating to any radioactive waste management services they obtain under contract; storing and utilising existing reference materials (including drums and packages) for testing of site operators' own monitoring systems and, potentially, the design and creation of new reference materials. Whilst the majority of the work will focus on radiological characterisation we are also exploring the need and feasibility of assuring those non-radiological characteristics of radioactive wastes that have the potential to affect the behaviour/mobility of radionuclides. This may lead to future capability needs in this area. The supplier may also be called up on to provide technical advice and represent the environment agency at relevant meetings, nationally and internationally.