Monitoring of Radioactivity in Air and Rainwater

Tender description

This is a service requirement for a programme of monitoring of radioactivity in airborne particulates, total deposition and rainwater. This monitoring programme was established by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) in the 1950s and has produced one of the World's longest running and most comprehensive data sets on atmospheric concentrations of artificial radionuclides. The programme was formed as part of the UK Government's arrangements for meeting its obligations under Article 35 of the Euratom Treaty to monitor radioactivity in air, soil and water. Since withdrawl from the Euratom Treaty the UK's position is that it will maintain standards of radioactivity monitoring, hence the programme is still required. The programme also provides information to be published in the Radioactivity in Food and the Environment report and provides supplementary data to the UK's Environment Agencies on the exposure of the public to radiation. Contract Term This is a 4 year and 6 month service contract with the option to extend twice for 2 years each, taking the total potential contract length to 8 years and 6 months. It covers sampling and analysis for calendar years (2024-2027 in the initial period and potentially to the end of 2031). The additional 6 months covers any handover at the beginning and the analysis and reporting that lags the sampling by 4 months.