Small Modular Reactor Technology Partner

Description

The Government is committed to a programme of new nuclear projects beyond Sizewell C, giving industry and investors the confidence they need to deliver projects at speed. Great British Nuclear (GBN) was launched to lead delivery of a programme of new nuclear projects. The first priority for GBN is to launch a competitive process to select small modular reactor (SMR) Technology Partners, which shall be the subject of this Procurement. GBN is seeking Technology Partners that will provide design, development, manufacturing, supply, installation and commissioning of various products, equipment or services related to the key plant required for SMR nuclear generation, including but not limited to reactor, steam generation, turbine, electrical generation, as well as the integrated design of these component parts. The Technology Partner will be responsible for delivery to site of a designed and tested solution, a complete set of interface specifications, and installation and commissioning of the solution. GBN reserves the right to reduce the scope of the key plant components based on value for money and management of risk. GBN intends to establish Project Development Company(s) (Project Devco), which will provide developer capabilities. The Technology Partner will be responsible for joint working with a Project Devco to connect and test interfacing equipment, complete integrated system testing and complete final commissioning and handover. Subject to affordability, GBN reserves the right to make up to four awards. However, GBN reserves the right to award three, two or only one contract(s) to Technology Partner(s), or not to make any award at all. The decision in relation to how many Technology Partners will be awarded contracts will be taken having regard to the quality of tenders, as well as affordability and value for money considerations. GBN also reserves the right to appoint one or more Applicants as reserve contractors. The terms of the contract awarded to a reserve contractor would be provided in the invitation to submit initial tender (ISIT) documentation. It should be noted that GBN reserves the right not to include provision for a reserve contractor within the ISIT or not to appoint a reserve contractor. Where required, GBN proposes to make co-funding available to the selected Technology Partner(s) through a Co-Funding Agreement. GBN presently anticipates providing up to 50% funding on commercial terms via the Co-Funding Agreement to support Technology Partners to develop their Generic Design Solution for Final Investment Decision (FID) by 2029. Details of the funding and constraints will be provided in the ISIT documentation. Additionally, GBN intends to award a two-stage contract for Technology Partners for the provision of their Site Specific Design Solution, with the first stage being design and the second stage being the supply. The second stage is conditional upon the exercise of an option by GBN. GBN reserves the right to exercise this option for manufacture and supply, installation and commissioning subject to satisfactory delivery against agreed milestones and achievement of FID. GBN will make available Site Specific Design Solution development costs. The Supply Phase i.e. the period from FID to Commercial Operation Date (COD) for a first of a kind (FOAK) project in the UK will include the manufacture, supply, installation and commissioning of the Supply Works on a value-for-money basis by the Technology Partner and provision of fuel assemblies and supporting maintenance services up to and including first refuelling outage. GBN reserves the right to require Technology Partners to adopt specific supply solutions. The estimated total value is indicative only and is based upon GBN’s current understanding of the market, the potential costs of technology yet to be developed and prior to the conduct of the competitive procurement process. Lot 1: The Procurement Process will take the form of a Competitive Procedure with Negotiation and will be conducted in accordance with Regulation 29 of the PCR 2015. In accordance with the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012, GBN must consider (a) how what is proposed to be procured might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the area where it exercises its functions, and (b) how in conducting the process of procurement it might act with a view to securing that improvement. Accordingly, GBN has taken this into account when designing the procurement. The Procurement Process includes a qualification stage which will be evaluated on a pass / fail basis. Applicants who pass the qualification stage will be invited to submit an Initial Tender response which will be evaluated in accordance with criteria stated in the procurement documentation. In accordance with Regulation 29(15) GBN reserves the right to award based on Initial Tenders without negotiation. GBN reserves the right to down-select following evaluation of Initial Tenders and to exclude Applicants who do not meet the minimum standard specified within the award criteria outlined within the procurement documents. In the event GBN intends to down-select, in accordance with Regulation 29 (12) of PCR 2015, up to the four (4) highest scoring Applicants following evaluation of Initial Tenders will be invited to negotiate. Following negotiation Applicants will be invited to submit a final tender stating their Best and Final Offer (BAFO). GBN reserves the right to undertake successive negotiations prior to requiring applicants to submit BAFOs. BAFOs will be scored and ranked, with contracts awarded in order to the Most Economically Advantageous Tender. Further details in relation to the procurement process are set out in the procurement documents. GBN intends to award two-stage contracts to Technology Partners for the development of their Site Specific Design Solution with an option to request the supply and installation for the aforementioned key elements of a new UK programme of SMRs. GBN reserves the right to exercise the option for manufacture and supply subject to satisfactory delivery against agreed milestones and achievement of FID. Where Technology Partners require funding to develop their Generic Design Solution for FID by 2029, GBN proposes to make co-funding available to the selected Technology Partner(s) through a Co-Funding Agreement to be entered into with either the Technology Partner or its parent company depending on the nature of the agreed co-funding. Potential Technology Partners are not obliged to accept GBN co-funding. Potential Applicants are advised the estimated total value does not include provision of subsequent orders or the nth of a kind (NOAK). Additional information: GBN is seeking site agnostic technology which may be deployed across multiple sites with varying ground conditions and cooling options. At a minimum, this should encompass all sites currently identified for nuclear deployment in the 2011 National Policy Statement for Nuclear Power Generation (EN-6). For the successful Technology Partners GBN will specify a site for each Technology Partner.