AWE Water Network Management, Maintenance and Operational Services

Tender description

The Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) is an arms-length body of the Ministry of Defence employing around 6,000 people headquartered in Aldermaston, Berkshire. For more than 70 years, AWE has supported the UK Government’s nuclear defence strategy and the Continuous At Sea Deterrent. We also use our nuclear know-how and technical expertise to provide innovative solutions that support the UK’s counter-terrorism and nuclear threat reduction activities. We work at the extremes of science and engineering to understand the performance of nuclear warheads, and assess the safety, security and effectiveness of the stockpile in the absence of live testing. Remarkable science, technology, engineering and maths integrate across the lifecycle of the warhead: from initial concept and design, to final decommissioning and disposal. Experts in their fields work together in unique and advanced experimental facilities, to perform cutting edge experiments. Lot 1: AWE is looking to engage with the market to understand the supplier’s capability and capacity to meet its needs for the management, maintenance, operation and updating of its water network and assets under a new contract for the long term. The supply of the services will support the AWE nuclear licensed sites at Aldermaston, Blacknest and Burghfield. At present there are no plans to service other sites, however it should be noted that during the life of the contract term, the infrastructure and layout of the site may change which may in turn lead to required changes in respect of the in scope services. In respect of the requirements, the following are deemed in scope. Please see the RFI Requirements document for more detail and note that a full specification will be supplied at ITT: • Acting as Principal Contractor, operate AWE owned water and waste water networks, including water abstraction, disinfection and distribution, water quality investigations and the operation of a liquid trade waste effluent network (radiological requirements), on a 24/7/365 basis at its Aldermaston, Burghfield & Blacknest sites. • Provide maintenance to meet AWE 1528 site licence requirements and all assets as necessary (particularly environmentally critical equipment) in accordance with statutory legislation, regulations, ACOPs, relevant standards, applicable site licence conditions, site permits and good industry practice. • Provide a helpdesk facility for 24/7/365 emergency response / breakdown repairs to AWE’s water and waste water networks across all estate areas and maintain a supply of critical spares. • Provision other repairs/works as necessary to keep network operational and to ensure timely recovery • Maintain response arrangements to meet business resilience arrangements including out of hours response. • Provide staff suitably qualified and experienced on site to enact all works as necessary and to meet legislative and regulatory requirements. • Provide project specific capable delivery resource that can operate with client working practices and meet legislative and regulatory requirements (e.g. Construction, Design and Management Regulations 2015) and conduct work on a Principal Contractor basis. • Provide 24/7/365 access to sampling from UKAS accredited laboratories to meet regulatory compliance. • Provide all equipment, supplies, spares and vehicles as is necessary to conduct the contract within scope (e.g. bottled water, chemicals, tankers, pumps, and civils equipment). • Work to and within AWE systems, work control, configuration, management computerised maintenance management system etc. on AWE platforms to provide auditable records. • Provide specific expertise and liaison as necessary to meet regulation and legislation or support re-view from external bodies. • Understand and meet evolving regulatory requirements as necessary to provide compliant water services provision for private networks within UK legislation. • Be capable of delivering investment aligned with AWE Utilities strategy to deliver cross site improvements / upgrades during the life of the contract.