National Provision for RPA Advisory Services

Tender description

National Provision for RPA Advisory Services As the radioactive substances regulator in England, Environment Agency employees working in the radioactive substances regulation (RSR) function routinely come into contact with ionising radiations. There are numerous legal duties placed on the Environment Agency as an employer relating to health and safety and many of these can be discharged by suitably qualified and experienced staff who in our employment. The Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 require that employers who engage in ‘work with ionising radiations’ must consult ‘…such suitable radiation protection advisers as are necessary …’. While the Environment Agency is not strictly speaking a radiation employer, we have discussed whether we need to appoint a radiation protection adviser (RPA) with colleagues in the Health and Safety Executive and the Office for Nuclear Regulation and have received advice that it would be consistent with good practice to appoint one. Until late 2013, we had staff on the payroll who – by virtue of their experience prior to joining the Environment Agency – were accredited radiation protection advisers but these individuals retired. This required us to enter into an interim arrangement with a supplier before entering into a contract with our current supplier, Studsvik in 2015. This contract will end on 01/04/2024 and consequently we now need to re-open the competition for these services. Specifically, the contract is required to provide radiation protection advisory and assurance services throughout England for National and Area Based teams requiring radiation safety advice, support, training and any other relevant operational services