The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

 

We have published our final strategy for optimising the use of the supply chain throughout the NDA estate.

 Supply Chain Development Strategy May 2009 (1Mb)

 Supply Chain Development Draft Strategy Summary of Consultation Responses March 2009 (1Mb)

 Supply Chain Development Draft Strategy NDA Response to Consultation Results March 2009 (1Mb)

The new Supply Chain Development Strategy aims to ensure a vibrant, efficient and competitive market at all levels, with better all-round communications and encouragement for smaller businesses wishing to access work in the NDA estate.

We currently spend more than £2.8 billion a year, of which circa £1.3 billion enters the supply chain at a range of levels below the Site Licence Companies.

Following a critical look at the existing systems last year, and informal comments from suppliers, the NDA ran a consultation exercise to identify where improvements could be made, and identifying the important issues impacting the supply chain.

Ron Gorham, the NDA's head of Supply Chain Optimisation, said:

"We were delighted by the level of responses and suggestions that came forward, and have worked hard to incorporate as many views as possible. We now hope the strategy will deliver a framework for partnership across all levels of the supply chain, from ourselves and the Site Licence Companies, right through to the smallest businesses in the supply chain."

Two workshops attracted almost 100 representatives from suppliers, trade associations regional development agencies, and Site Licence Companies, generating around 1,000 individual comments.  Areas flagged up for attention included barriers to market entry, slow and bureaucratic processes, and delays in decision-making.

The new strategy should encourage streamlining the use of the supply chain, enabling a safe, affordable, cost-effective, innovative and dynamic market for clean-up and decommissioning. It should be recognised that implementation will sit with the SLCs who have made a major contribution to the strategy.

The goals include delivery of:

• Open and consistent communications at all levels
• Provide easily available information, including NDA and SLC procurement plans and tendering opportunities via websites
• Assist small and medium-sized enterprises by providing a range of information on smaller packages of work
• Support for initiatives to share information, via networking events such as meet-the-buyer forums
• Publication of annual statistics