Guidance

How to do business with Sellafield Ltd

How to find and apply for opportunities at Sellafield.

Sellafield Ltd’s work at Sellafield can only be achieved through strong partnership with the supply chain.

The Sellafield Ltd Supply Chain Strategy 2019/20 sets out how we will work with the supply chain to deliver the Sellafield mission.

Sellafield Ltd does not operate a preferred supplier list.

Contract opportunities are awarded through open competition in line with the general European Treaty principles of non-discrimination, equal treatment and transparency in order to ensure we provide value for money to government.

Opportunities are also available for businesses to work indirectly as a subcontractor through our prime partners.

Introduction

We have a vision to create a sustainable supply chain that can efficiently and effectively deliver the site purpose now and for the future.

We understand how the supply chain touches everything we do and we need to help make them sustainable, agile and innovative to enable us to deliver our purpose.

Should you have any queries or wish to contact the Supply Chain Development team, email:supply.chain.enquiries@sellafieldsites.com

How to do business with us

New - Supplier guidance

As part of our commitment to improve the supply chain experience, we’ve produced a guidance document to support every step of the supplier journey when working with Sellafield Ltd.

This comprehensive guide provides useful information for new and existing suppliers to understand what to expect when working with us.

Click on the document below to view or go to the Supplier Journey page.

A Supplier Journey

Current suppliers

Information for current suppliers is published on Sellafield Ltd’s Management of Contractors portal.

You will be asked to register on this system when you start working with Sellafield Ltd.

Find an opportunity with Sellafield Ltd

Changes to our opportunities system

We have just launched a new system called Atamis which haswill replacedreplace our CTM system - all all new opportunities will now be advertised via this system.

Work that was already out to market will still be available via the CTM system until thetheir tender close dates.

No supplier data has been transferred to the new system - allAll suppliers will need to re-register in Atamis, except for those previously qualified to LINC in CTM.Atamis.

Opportunities to do business with Sellafield Ltd are advertised in Atamis and dependent on the value of the contract opportunity via the Find a Tender service.

Once you are registered on the system, you can use it to manage your tendering activities.

Opportunities are also listed in Contracts Finder.

Procurement plan schedules

The Sellafield Ltd procurement plan schedule gives details of recently awarded and upcoming procurements with a value over £20,000 over the next 3 to 5 years.

It’s a live tool, updated regularly, providing a list of future commercial activities planned by a contracting authority over a defined period and over a designated transactional spend level.

It includes future activity even if funding hasn’t been secured. We encourage suppliers to regularly check the procurement pipeline for up coming opportunities.

Procurements on a page

The Sellafield Ltd procurements on a page has been designed to provide a higher level of detailed support to each procurement programme of work.

Each procurement number is unique to the specific procurement. This enables the supply chain to cross reference from the quarterly procurement plan to the individual procurements on a page and vice versa.

The purpose of the document is to provide the supply chain with greater visibility of our key procurements by expanding on the procurement detail.

Procuring innovation

Our work at Sellafield can only be achieved through innovative ways and we are reliant on our supply chain to bring innovation into the organisation to help us to deliver our purpose.mission.

Our procurement routes for innovation outlines a number of ways in which we may bring solutions into the business.

We actively seek to engage the supply chain, academia, and individuals who can bring their innovative, smart technologies and digital solutions into the nuclear arena and help accelerate our purpose of creating a clean and safe environment for future generations, whilst also reducing costs and upholding our commitment to human and environmental safety.

Innovation is usually focused on the way in which we carry out improvements. It can be carried out in anything so isn’t just focused on technology.

Our purpose is to enable innovation within the organisation through the introduction and support of governance, capability, and cultural change.

We deliver the Dragons’ Den, Sellafield Innovation Council and NDA Innovation Council.

Procurement routes for innovation

Find an opportunity with prime suppliers

There can be opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and specialist suppliers to provide their products and/or services indirectly through our prime suppliers who have been awarded contracts or frameworks with Sellafield Ltd.

It is often more efficient for Sellafield Ltd to strategically give larger contracts or frameworks to outside organisations on a long-term basis.

The organisations that are selected for this work are referred to as prime contractors companies. A prime contractors organisation is a company that has a direct contract with Sellafield Ltd.

Prime contractors companies are private sector organisations, which means that their methods of procurement vary.

For SMEs wishing to work with prime contractors organisations, it is important that they investigate how they can best apply for opportunities within these companies. 

Networking events, such as those organised by Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster are useful in ensuring that SMEs can make themselves known to Sellafield Ltd’s partners, ensuring that SMEs are best placed when applying to work for prime contractor projects.

SMEs should be aware that to ensure they can maintain long term access to these projects they will still need to contribute to the wider Sellafield Ltd vision. SMEs should therefore always strive to set themselves apart to maximise the opportunities that are available to them.

Major frameworks and contracts

The Sellafield Ltd major framework and contracts document gives an overview of all our major frameworks and contracts in existence to deliver works on the Sellafield site.

The document is useful for both existing and potential suppliers looking to further understand our supply chain landscape and to be used in conjunction with the prime supplier listing which explains what the main site contractors are looking for in their supply chain.

SMEs - LINC with Sellafield Ltd

LINC with Sellafield Ltd

LINC with Sellafield will be transitioned to the NDA group’s new eSourcing system, AtamisAtamis. which will go live on 16 January 2023.

As a result applications will no longer be accepted via CTM.

Any supplier that has already qualified for LINC has been automatically qualified in Atamis and your details transferred.

If you haven’t previously logged into Atamis, email: OneNDA.CommercialSystems@nda.gov.uk so that a password reset can be sent to enable access to your account.

If you’ve already logged into Atamis, your accounts will have to be merged. The system will pick this up.

LINC with Sellafield Ltd is a scheme that encourages SMEs at local and national level to collaborate and deliver innovative solutions to the mission at Sellafield.

Work packages that set out some of the opportunities we are addressing at Sellafield will be published on this page.

LINC has been designed to provide Sellafield Ltd with direct access to SMEs in addition to supporting Sellafield Ltd’s contribution to the UK SME agenda.

All SMEs must be pre-qualified with LINC before submitting a proposal. Details of qualified SMEs will be published periodically to support and encourage further collaboration.

Non-SMEs are free to qualify with LINC but their participation will be limited to a supporting role only. We recommend that Non-SMEs join our Dynamic Purchasing System for other opportunities.

As part of the qualification process, companies/businesses will be categorised into one of the following:

Category 1 - SME

  • SMEs are those companies that have less than 250 employees and an annual turnover of less than 50 million euros (approximately £45 million) or annual balance sheet not exceeding 43 million euros (approximately £38 million) and be a standalone entity that is not part of a wider corporate entity/group.

    entity / group. EU definition.

Category 2 - Supplier

Both category 1 and 2, are eligible to participate directly in LINC, however submissions from category 2 will only be considered should an acceptable submission (defined relative to each opportunity) not be received from category 1.

Supporting Companies

  • those companies who do not meet the EU definition of an SME in terms of numbers of employees and turnover or balance sheet thresholds

Supporting companies are not permitted to participate directly, but may participate as part of an SME led proposal.

All LINC advertised opportunities shall be valued at no more than £177,898 excluding VAT and therefore less than the prevailing Global Procurement Agreement threshold levels for supplies and services applicable to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Procurement Policy Note 09/21).

No contracts advertised through LINC will be awarded in excess of this threshold.

Opportunities above these threshold levels will be advertised on our new opportunities system called Atamis and on Find a Tender.

Atamis will replace our CTM system -  all new opportunities will now be advertised via this system.

How to qualify:

LINC with Sellafield Ltd has now transitioned over to the NDA group’s new eSourcing system - Atamis.

In order to qualify for LINC in Atamis please either log in with your existing details or register for Atamis using this link. and navigate to RFQ CC11962 - LINC with Sellafield Ltd Qualification.

Please complete the qualification form and answer the questions which are attached to the tender in order to be able to qualify for any future LINC opportunities.

If you have any questions regarding the qualification please contact:linc@sellafieldsites.com

Qualified companies

Details of companies that have qualified for LINC with Sellafield Ltd.

The list will be updated on a regular basis.

The Engineering and Technology Solutions Marketplace Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS)

TheAs of 01 February 2023, the DPS will be transitioned to the NDA group’s new eSourcing system, Atamis.

Any supplier that has already qualified for the DPS has been automatically qualified in Atamis onand 01your Februarydetails 2023.transferred.

If you HAVE NOT previously logged into the NDA group’s new eSourcing system, Atamis, you will need to email: OneNDA.CommercialSystems@nda.gov.uk so that a password reset can be sent to enable access to your account.

If you have already logged into Atamis your accounts will have to be merged.  The system should pick this up.

The DPS is a collaborative procurement lead by Sellafield Ltd on behalf of the NDA Estate.

The DPS which provides a compliant procurement route to market and direct relationships with the supply chain that drive value for money through competed work packages up to the value of £999,999.

The Solutions Marketplace Dynamic Purchasing System scope covers products and services which is split in to 4 categories which are:

  1. Assetasset Maintenancemaintenance
  2. Digitaldigital
  3. Engineeringengineering Servicesservices
  4. Manufacturedmanufactured Productsproducts

The following contracting authorities are able to use the DPS:

  • Direct Rail Services

  • Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd

  • International Nuclear Services

  • Low Level Waste Repository Ltd

  • Magnox Ltd

  • Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

  • National Nuclear Laboratory

  • Radioactive Waste Management

  • Sellafield Ltd

SME action plan

As a public contracting authority Sellafield Ltd are committed to delivering activities which increase the opportunities for SMEs (small to medium enterprises) to do business in our supply chain.

We publishhave oura activities which drive towards this target in the form of an annual SME action plan.

We comply with the UK Government’s financial target, to investspend 3132 to- 33% of our annual supply chain spend with SMEs.

However,SMEs at Sellafield, we are committed to supporting the SME community above any financial target. We believe that the SME community play a significant role or our mission’s delivery and in the overall economy.2022/23.

AsWe a result, we have robust plans to consistently engage, and we encourage our stakeholders to invest in individual SME programs, which we are very much interested in.

For transparency purposes, we publish our activities andwhich wedrive sharetowards ourthis primetarget contractors’in bestthe practicesform asof well,an aimingannual toSME inspireaction and influence.plan.

SME Forum

The SME Forum was established by Sellafield Ltd Supply Chain Development Team to facilitate consistent engagement and open communication with the SME community.

Through these forums we aim to encourage the constructive dialogue using a collaborative platform to identify and promote opportunities for mutual learnings, improvements and development, knowledge and best practices, innovation, market trends, areas of common interest.

Meetings currently take place on a quarterly basis, both in West Cumbria and Warrington (schedule and location announced in advance via the Sellafield Bulletin and email communications).

The Forum runs under Sellafield’s Supply Chain Development and SRM Teams, with Category Manager’s support/contribution.

Depending on the matters raised during the sessions, Sellafield Ltd’s subject matter experts join to provide first-hand and accurate information, as well as prime contractor for networking purposes.

Please see below our SME Forum Leaflet

SME Forum leaflet

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Social Impact

We’ve been building social impact into procurements for several years and through the Procurement Policy Note PPN 06/20 (Taking account of social value in the award of central government contracts) the government has reinforced its expectations.

Procurement Policy Note 06/20 – taking account of social value in the award of central government contracts

Our ambition to achieve the maximum possible social impact from our work at Sellafield is outlined through 6 objectives in our social impact multiplied strategy, known as SiX, and requires direct and indirect contribution and support from our supply chain partners.

Sellafield Ltd Social Impact Strategy (SiX)

The SiX strategy contains our vision, objectives and outcomes linked to the Sellafield Ltd Enterprise Strategy, to provide our communities and taxpayers with a socio-economic growth return on their investment at Sellafield.

Sellafield Ltd - Social Impact Strategy

To understand what we are looking for from our suppliers within procurements, and to support the delivery of our strategy, watch the video below.

Social Impact

Further information on our social impact activities can be found on our social impact, multiplied page.

Open for business sessions

We are keen to ensure that the supply chain have access to regular, open and transparent conversations with Sellafield Ltd.

The Supply Chain Development team hold frequent, informal sessions where we can support with any clarifications on how to do business with us and discuss your constructive feedback, aiming to a continuous improvement of our supply chain experience

If you wish to attend any sessions, please send an email with your proposed subject or question, to ensure that we can properly respond during our discussion

These sessions are open to all businesses regardless of size, location or business sector, and will be delivered as video or voice calls.

Once you have emailed us with your preferred date, we will provide details of how to access along with the time of your allocated 20-minute slot.

Please email: supply.chain.enquiries@sellafieldsites.com

Dates for 2023 to be confirmed.

In the meantime, please take a look at our ‘How to do Business leaflet’.

Published 31 July 2017
Last updated 163 March 2023 + show all updates
  1. Updated LINC registered companies and categories

  2. New - Supplier guidance document added

  3. Updated 'How to do business' leaflet

  4. As of the 16 January 2022, LINC with Sellafield will be transitioned to the NDA group’s new eSourcing system, Atamis

  5. Social Impact has been added as a new section.

  6. Changes to the CTM tender portal service - replaced now by Atamis

  7. Content updated to reflect new processes, dates and times.

  8. Procurements on a page - new document and updated dates on 'open for business' sessions

  9. Change from Tier 2 to prime suppliers.

  10. Changes to the LINC threshold.

  11. Updated LINC registered company list

  12. Additional innovation procurement detail

  13. New major frameworks and contracts document added.

  14. SME action plan added

  15. COVID-19 information box has been deleted from the page.

  16. Business Open Sessions update

  17. Sellafield Ltd Supply Chain Guidance added.

  18. Document link updated

  19. Registered Companies & Categories list has been updated

  20. Attached document has replaced previous document

  21. Updated to include latest LINC challenge

  22. New LINC package available

  23. New LINC opportunity available

  24. LINC work package 3 has been added to the LINC area on this page.

  25. LINC with Sellafield Ltd list of registered companies have been added

  26. Change of contact details and additional information regarding the new LINC scheme.

  27. First published.