Research and development services and related consultancy services

Tender description

The NDA is investigating options for the disposition of the UK’s plutonium inventory. Options include reuse as mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel in reactors, immobilisation as disposal grade MOX pellets without irradiation in reactors and immobilisation as a Zirconolite Ceramic manufactured by Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP). The goal for all options is to ultimately place the inventory Beyond Reach. The NDA undertakes R&D, design studies and other work to inform its understanding and improve the maturity of the options, the likely costs and timescales for deployment and any risks or issues in their delivery. This framework will be set up with three lots: Lot 1: MOX Plant Design Services; Lot 2: MOX Pellet Manufacturing tests; Lot 3: Technical Support to Lots 1 and 2. The NDA aims to develop concept designs for plant that could manufacture MOX pellets and MOX fuel using a proven process such as MIMAS which have been successfully used in other industrial scale fuel fabrication plants. As a result of the plant design tasks, the contractor would be asked to produce plant layouts, build schedules and cost estimates. The design would also need to be licensable under the relevant UK regulations. The NDA anticipate a need to undertake MOX pellet manufacturing tests at laboratory scale to support re-use and disposal grade MOX approaches. The aim of the pellet manufacture tests would be to study suitability of the UK plutonium inventory for the MOX manufacturing process or to develop specifications for pellets for disposal grade MOX. Technical support to lot 1 and lot 2 is anticipated to be on the topics of plutonium handling, transport, analysis, storage and processing. This will be desk-based work which may include subject matter experts reviewing and writing reports, participating meetings and advising NDA. The work may also include collaboration with other subcontractors and reviewing their output, especially work done under Lot 1 and Lot 2 of this requirement.