The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has today announced
that the Babcock Dounreay Partnership (BDP), a joint venture
between Babcock, CH2M HILL andURS, has been selected as preferred
bidder in the competition to take ownership of Dounreay Site
Restoration Limited (DSRL).
Whilst being selected as preferred bidder is not the end of the
competition phase, it is major step in the process. All
parties now enter into a mandatory 10-day standstill period, which
will be followed by a three-month transition phase during which the
contract between the NDA and BDP will be finalised. The
formal award of the contract is planned for2nd April
2012.
The transition phase provides time for members of the new
executive team to introduce themselves to the existing management
and workforce. In the meantime, the competitive process
continues until share transfer on 2 April, and the NDA intends that
the non-preferred bid remains in reserve until then.
Following successful transition BDP will become the new Parent
Body Organisation and take ownership of DSRL, the site licence
company at the site, through share transfer.
BDP brings international experience and proven technologies, new
to theUK, to the Dounreay closure programme. Tony Fountain,
NDA Chief Executive, welcomed the decision: "The selection of BDP
as the preferred bidder is a significant step in our drive to
attract world-class management and innovation to our sites.
"We have undergone a comprehensive and rigorous process aimed at
securing the best possible parent body for this challenging site.
BDP brings a successful track record and extensive nuclear
experience that will bring enormous benefits to the decommissioning
and clean-up programme."
Roger Hardy, Babcock's Managing Director Nuclear, expressed his
delight at the news: "Being selected as preferred bidder is a
fantastic achievement. BDP brings together outstanding
international decommissioning and site management expertise and we
look forward to working with DSRL to complete the closure programme
safely and cost effectively."