Site Characterisation Delivery Partner

Planned date for tender release: April to June 2026

The Site Characterisation Delivery Partner (SCDP) will lead the site characterisation of two areas in  the UK in order to develop a geological understanding and suitability to host a GDF.  The contract will be for professional services, which are not bespoke in nature – taking elements from multiple  established markets including Geotechnical investigations and Oil and Gas exploration.

The SCDP will be procured by Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) under a Bespoke Professional Services Contract. This contract will be based around the principles of the New Engineering Contract (NEC), to deliver the following scope areas via Task Orders;

• to programme manage,
• to prepare designs and specifications,
• to provide procurement support and undertake site management and supervision for a wide range of suppliers and service contractors.

These works will include the drilling and testing of boreholes and a range of geophysical and other surveys which are required to develop the geological understanding of the sites.

The SCDP will work in partnership with NWS as well as the Drilling Contractor(s), the Architect Engineer (AE), Programme Integration Partner (PIP) and any other partner designated by NWS.

Market Engagement

Following the publication of the Pre-Market Engagement notice (UK2) we are now entering into a new phase of Market Engagement which shall run until the 31st March 2026.

NWS will be available to engage with the market via a 1 hour Teams call and have set aside a window of the 15th September and the 3rd October, during these calls NWS shall update the market on the latest schedule and detail how further engagements will run. Any supplier wishing to engage with NWS should submit a request in writing providing a number of dates and times they are available to the e-mail address at the foot of the Procurement documentation section.