Innovation & Suggestions
The contractor / supply chain innovation & suggestion scheme
One of the key NDA drivers is to accelerate and reduce the cost of decommissioning through innovation. The NDA recognise that this cannot be delivered by the Tier 1 Contractors alone but requires proactive input from the entire supply chain. As a result the NDA have committed to:-
- Encourage contractors to be innovative in order to deliver their mission more effectively including improvement in safety, security, environment and socio economic conditions.
- Ensure good practice is shared between Contractors for the benefit of the UK wide decommissioning and clean up mission.
The NDA recognise the contribution of the supply chain and is constantly looking at “how to best encourage and reward innovative ideas”. The NDA strategy is that, where appropriate, it will enable IP developed under contract to remain with the contractor where this will encourage further development and exploitation provided it has a royalty free licence to exploit the developed IP across all NDA sites.
Sellafield Ltd has recognised the importance of innovation and has a successful suggestion scheme in operation for its own employees. Recognising the very important role that the supply chain can play in improving its business performance through innovation, Sellafield Ltd has been working with the supply chain to develop proposals which will foster innovation via a ‘contractor & supply chain innovation & suggestion scheme’
The developed scheme has been discussed and developed in partnership with sections of the supply chain.
Innovation and suggestions
Call for innovation proposals and suggestions
Sellafield Ltd values the knowledge and experience that lies within the supply chain and academia. As such we are seeking new, novel and emerging technologies and processes to support delivery of the operational and clean up requirements for Sellafield Ltd sites.
Call for innovation and suggestions
Call for Expressions of Interest to support the - Uranium and Reactive Metals Centre of Expertise
Announcement of result
The Sellafield Ltd Technical Directorate wishes to develop ongoing links with
universities that will support the work of its Uranium and Reactive Metals Centre of
Expertise (U&RM CoE). To start that process, it published – through the Sellafield Ltd
website – a call for expressions of interest.
A number of submissions were received and have been evaluated by members of the
CoE and by independent reviewers based within the operating plant and project
technical communities. Clarification of some points in the submissions has been
sought and provided.
We wish to thank all the universities who submitted responses for their efforts and
interest in providing this information. We appreciate that this required a significant
amount of time and effort from the universities and we have responded by committing
a significant amount of our effort in evaluating those responses, in a comprehensive
manner.
We also thank those who considered making a submission but after internal
discussions chose not to do so.
All of the submissions reflected the undoubted excellence of the universities that made
them, identified expertise that is of interest to us and described an encouraging
degree of engagement with and support of the nuclear industry.
Following our evaluation we have decided that the University link to support the
Uranium and Reactive Metals area will be developed with the Interface Analysis
Centre at the University of Bristol.
Security Guidance to 3rd parties handling Sellafield Ltd information
Call for Expressions of Interest to support the Sellafield Ltd - Flammable Gases Centre of Expertise
Sellafield Ltd requires expert support to manage immediate plant challenges, short and medium term research programmes and the provision of independent benchmarking for flammable gases hazard management that will support its continuing long term objectives of:
- Extension of the fundamental science required to underpin the understanding of the formation of flammable atmospheres (principally hydrogen) e.g. dispersion in the liquid and gas phases, Note that gas generation is excluded from this scope.
- Develop current understanding of ignition mechanisms of flammable gas mixtures (principally hydrogen) to facilitate ignition source control on nuclear plant.
- Extension of the fundamental science required to underpin the understanding of the effectiveness of possible suppression and mitigation techniques for hydrogen gas hazard management.
- Development of relevant technical guidance and standards.
Benefits to Contractors
As well as fulfilling the contractor’s obligation to deliver Innovation to Sellafield Ltd, participation in the scheme will provide significant added value to the contractor by:
- Promoting a culture of innovation within supply chain companies which will benefit other businesses.
- Allowing companies to re-invigorate their own Innovation/Suggestion schemes by publicising the Sellafield innovation initiative.
- Raise the profile of participating companies within Sellafield, thus improving their competitive position when tendering for Sellafield work.
- Recognition of participation in the Sellafield scheme by supply chain companies can be used as examples of best practice when tendering for other work.
- Promotes closer relationships between Sellafield Ltd and participating contractors.
- Provides a mechanism to formally record the submission of a subcontractor’s idea.
A key feature of the scheme is that the supply chain companies are in total control as to how they wish to exploit ideas which they or their employees generate. The company may or may not decide to invest and develop ideas before submission. Attempts have been made to minimise the contractors’ costs of operating the scheme by placing much of the scheme administration with Sellafield Ltd.
Contractors’ interests are protected by ensuring all communication of ideas is between commercial departments of Sellafield Ltd and the supply chain Companies. This allows opportunity for early exchange of ideas or documents in a formal manner. The initial point of contact in all cases is the Sellafield Technology Manager Mike James (mike.r.james@sellafieldsites.com).
Sellafield Ltd have introduced a contractor/supply chain innovation & suggestion scheme
