The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Over 140 delegates from a wide range of existing and potential suppliers attended a Supplier Workshop, organised by the NDA's Radioactive Waste Management Directorate (RWMD), in Birmingham, UK, at the end of January.

The event was an initial engagement exercise designed to provide potential suppliers with more details about the programme to implement geological disposal. It focussed on the likely phases of work which will be undertaken on completion of the current site selection process led by Government.

The event sought the views of delegates to help develop the RWMD's Contracting and Commercial Strategy for surface based investigations and construction.

NDA's Acting Chief Executive, Richard Waite, welcoming delegates to the event said:

"We are looking for your involvement in developing our early thinking on forming our Contracting Strategy. We wanted to ask you for your thoughts and views before we develop the strategy. Once we have a draft we will come back to you again for your views."

Richard said that about 90% of the cost of implementing the Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) will be invested in the supply chain:

"Government is leading the site selection process and they will decide on sites for detailed investigation and implementation. We have looked at the lessons learnt from similar large infrastructure schemes around the world. We not only want to gain your views, we want you to feel you are part of the process and to work in partnership with us."

Alun Ellis, Repository Project Director, told delegates that NDA plans to evolve the RWMD into a small, client focussed intelligent customer organisation which would make maximum use of the supply chain and so gain best value for the UK taxpayer.

He explained that as the Government's process for site selection was based on communities volunteering to host the geological disposal facility, it meant that at the moment many things were outside the control of RWMD.

He said potential host communities will seek to engage with suppliers too. The process requires development of partnerships:

"The process depends on the communities being comfortable and having sufficient confidence to move forward with the project."

"Having a disposal route available is key to much of the NDA's work and remit to clean up the legacy. If this project is delayed, storage costs increase" Alun added.

He said that although RWMD cannot be definite about its plans as it awaited the outcome of the site selection process, the programme of preparation work was underway. This included undertaking research and development work.

RWMD's budget for this year is about £15 million growing to between £20m and £30m over the next five years and potentially spending £50m to £100m per year during the surface based investigations stage. The total cost up to the first emplacement of waste is expected to be about £4billion.

Alun Ellis told delegates:

"There are bigger construction projects in the UK, but this is significant and includes a steady rate of expenditure. There is a lot of uncertainty, but this provides us with an opportunity as we are not driven by tight timescale. We want to maximise the use of the supply chain. We want you to challenge us to make sure we are doing it appropriately."

The delegates were then able to give their views through small discussion groups and these will be used by RWMD to help develop the strategy.

If you would like to feed back your views on any of the issues raised, please email gdf.procurement@nda.gov.uk