Repository Development Programme CQA Support

Description

Nuclear Waste Services intend to issue a procurement for Repository Development Programme (RDP) Independent Construction Quality Assurance (ICQA) later in 2023. The Repository Development Programme will install the necessary closure engineering works required to provide both short-term and long-term environmental protection for the waste currently disposed in Vault 8 and the adjacent trenches. ICQA is required to mitigate the potential risk of failure of the closure engineering works due to substandard materials and workmanship. An ICQA Consultant specialist organisation is required to deliver Independent Construction Quality Assurance. CQA engineers and inspectors must have either of the route A or route B qualifications described in the 'Landfill Operators: Environmental Permits' document published online by the Environment agency. Lot 1: Nuclear Waste Services brings together the UK’s leading nuclear waste management capabilities. We have integrated the expertise of Low Level Waste Repository (LLWR), Radioactive Waste Management (RWM), and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) group’s Integrated Waste Management Programme (IWMP). This creates an organisation focused on the management of the UK’s nuclear waste, safely and securely for generations to come.<br/><br/>An ICQA contract is required due to a regulatory requirement from the Environment Agency and should be in place for the commencement of the major civils works in July 2024. The nature of this support requires continuous support from one organisation for continuity for the Repository Development Programme.<br/><br/>The RDP civil works includes several projects. The scope of the initial project that requires this ICQA support is the Southern Trench Cap Interim Membrane Replacement project (STIM).<br/><br/>Two construction activities in STIM will be subject to formal CQA Plans, for which a CQA Consultant will act independently of the main civils contractor. The two packages are:<br/> - Monitoring Infrastructure (MI) including Protection of existing MI adjacent to the works, decommissioning with a Sacrificial Logger; Protect and extend MI through the membrane works.<br/> - Installation of the interim trench cap membrane including multiple layers of engineered fill and a geosynthetic clay layer.<br/>For the purposes of efficiency, the CQA contractor will also inspect and verify those activities that are not the subject of formal CQA plans, i.e. haul roads, drainage and stockpile management infrastructure.<br/><br/>The CQA contract will involve no physical work or supply of materials or goods and will consist of a team of technically qualified geotechnical and civil engineering specialists. The CQA team will be supplied by a specialist organisation, to provide quality assurance including oversight, inspection, and verification of the constructed works. They will verify the lifetime quality records that provide the assurance that the work has been completed in accordance with the specification and drawings.<br/><br/>The new procurement for the provision of ICQA is seeking to provide a competent construction quality assurance provider to be in place for April 2024 when the major civils works require this independent service from the point of mobilisation onwards. The purpose of this is to gain early understanding of the works ahead of mobilisation of the Civil contractor. This ICQA service is a regulatory requirement to meet EA provisions for the RDP work scope.<br/><br/>Future projects in the programme (installed after the STIM project) include: Significant quantities of surcharge and profile fill with site won soils and imported aggregates; settlement monitoring; drainage; new monitoring boreholes; a cut off wall and a 14-layer 3m deep engineered cap. These packages of work are all subject to formal ICQA.<br/><br/>Nuclear Waste Services intend to hold a Supplier Engagement Event via Microsoft Teams on Tuesday 13th June 2023 from 09:00 to 11:00 to share high-level scope and other details. There will be opportunities to arrange 1-2-1 sessions during the event. Please see section ‘Additional Information' for more details. Additional information: To register interest in the opportunity and the Supplier Engagement Event, please access: https://one-nda.force.com/s/Welcome, search for ‘C14431 PIN for Repository Development Programme CQA Support’ in 'View Live Opportunities' and confirm your attendees via the Message Centre.