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The UK government has approved continuation of a key contract for engineering design and safety case services provided by a joint venture at Sellafield site in West Cumbria.
The Design Services Alliance (DSA), a 15-year contract with a total sanction value of £1.5bn, will continue into its third five-year tranche from 2022 to 2027.
The DSA was originally set up in 2012 with Sellafield Ltd as a partner working as one team, alongside AXIOM (a four-entity joint venture comprising Assystem, Jacobs, Mott MacDonald and Progressive (Aecom and Cavendish Nuclear)).
Working with the broader supply chain, the alliance has since delivered cashable, non-cashable and future benefits totalling more than £220m.
The DSA has also helped to make Sellafield safer sooner by cutting 744 months from hazard reduction schedules.
Paul Adams, head of the DSA, said: “This announcement is just reward for a lot of hard work by the people involved in the alliance. It recognises how we value each other across the alliance and our shared commitment to perform with passion, pride and pace.
“We are committed to continuous improvement and our belief that we can deliver even better results between now and 2027.
“The DSA makes a real difference at Sellafield by challenging accepted ways of doing things, removing unnecessary scope, making procurement smarter, and reducing project costs with radical new technologies and lean techniques.”
Ian Belger, head of design engineering and safety case at Sellafield Ltd, added: “This is great news for the individuals and teams working in the DSA and a recognition of their contribution and effort.
“Our alliance with the DSA partners gives Sellafield Ltd access to a range of key capabilities and reach back into some of the world’s largest and most capable nuclear industry contractors.
“This has enabled Sellafield Ltd’s design engineering capability to deliver significant value over the past nine years.
“Our challenge now is to build on this by doing even better and delivering on our digital, sustainability and carbon targets.
“This latest sanction from government will allow the alliance to continue providing benefits as it concludes its 15-year mission.”
