五洲招标网

Published date: 1 July 2024

Last edited date: 1 July 2024

Contract summary

Industry

Industrial robots - 42997300

Research and development services and related consultancy services - 73000000

Design and execution of research and development - 73300000

Location of contract

CA24 3HU

Value of contract

£5,000,000 to £9,500,000

Procurement reference

CF-0154700D4L000000iAvzUAE

Published date

1 July 2024

Closing date

30 July 2024

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

1 April 2025

Contract end date

31 March 2029

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Innovation partnership (above threshold)

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

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Description

The NDA and its operating companies recognise that robotics and automation have a key role to play in reducing the time, cost and risk associated with our decommissioning mission. Auto-SAS aims to push the boundaries of robotic systems in the NDA group, acting as a steppingstone to the routine use of autonomous systems and continuous operations.
An area where robotic technologies provide a significant opportunity is nuclear waste handling. The characterisation, sentencing and disposal of radioactive waste is complicated, time consuming and expensive. It also poses both conventional and radiological risks to workers. Ideally waste would be handled once, segregated at source to the most appropriate waste route, properly utilising the waste hierarchy. Safety measures, alongside resource, time and space constraints, make in-situ sentencing challenging, meaning that accurate segregation is not always possible.
Auto-SAS will build upon the learning from the NDA funded Integrated Innovation for Nuclear Decommissioning - Sorting and Segregation (IIND-SAS) competition delivered through Innovate UK, which sought to demonstrate the feasibility of autonomous sort and segregation of mixed nuclear waste through the supply chain. Auto-SAS will go further by deploying an integrated system on a nuclear licenced site, for the sorting and segregation of specific radioactive waste material. The Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS) Strategic Innovation Team will be responsible for the overall delivery of the project, supported by an integrated team from across the NDA group.


Auto-SAS will be separated into two sequential phases. These phases are as follows:
1. Off-site Design, Testing and Build
2. On-Site Deployment and operation


The Autonomous Waste Sorting and Segregation (Auto-SAS) Innovation Partnership will be structured into 2 phases:

• Phase 1: Off-Site Development - Design, manufacture, commission and test an integrated sorting and segregation platform, in line with the requirements in section 7. Iterate and prototype as necessary, and thoroughly test the system to give confidence of suitable performance when brought to site. This will be verified by a successful and thorough Factory Acceptance Test and compliance with the NRS Safety and Design Justification Process (shared at ITT). Facilitate
stakeholder demonstrations of the developed platform.

• Phase 2: On-Site Deployment - Install and commission the SAS platform developed offsite, including Site Acceptance Testing (SATs). Operate it for a number of cycles within a defined time period to achieve the learning outcomes in the learning plan. Assist in the decisions around further development and future uses of the developed platform.


Estimated value

Phase Maximum Budget
Phase 1 - Off-Site Development £5,500,000
Phase 2 - On-Site Deployment £4,000,000

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More information

Previous notice about this procurement

PROVISION OF AUTONOMOUS WASTE SORTING AND SEGREGATION Auto SAS

Opportunity

Published 1 July 2024

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How to apply

Follow the instructions given in the description or the more information section.

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About the buyer

Contact name

Madeline Jones

Address

Herdus House Ingwell Drive
Moor Row, Cumbria
CA24 3HU
GB

Email

madeline.jones@nda.gov.uk

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