Four north-west companies have been named as the first to join the Programme and Project Partners (PPP) long-term framework to help deliver major projects at Sellafield.

Shepley Engineers and PPS Electrical, of Whitehaven, Process Pipework Services, from Ulverston and Alpha Engineering, based in Preston, will work alongside the PPP key delivery partners to provide heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) services via framework agreements of up to 16 years.

John Rossiter, head of PPP supply chain, said: "This is a huge milestone for the partners as we enter in to our first long-term frameworks with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and local businesses at Tier 3 of our ecosystem.

"This is a first for the construction industry and the output of a huge and collaborative effort.

"I'd like to welcome our new supply chain partners to the PPP enterprise and thank everyone involved for helping us pioneer new models and give us a platform to achieve true innovation in how we deliver for our projects and communities."

The Programme and Project Partners was mobilised in 2019 to transform major project delivery at Sellafield.

Since then it has awarded contracts worth up to £3 billion worth with around 200 suppliers from across the UK.

The suppliers selected for this framework will work alongside key delivery partners Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick, EJ Parker, NG Bailey, and Altrad Babcock to deliver HVAC mechanical and electrical.

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All 4 were supported through the tender process by the ‘Swimming with the Big Fish' SME matchmaker service.

The frameworks have a combined potential value of £51 million in the first 5 years. The commercial model rewards project performance as well as other factors including sustainability, developing people, and investment in Cumbria.

The approach also allows PPP to embed the knowledge, expertise, and innovation SMEs naturally bring at the earliest stages of project delivery.

All 4 companies have made commitments to support local skills and social impact during the lifetime of the framework agreement.

Alpha Engineering will invest in apprentices and develop its business growth plans in Cumbria.

Process Pipework Services will create new jobs and apprenticeships as well as volunteering in the community and supporting local schools programmes.

And Shepley Engineers and PPS Electrical, both part of the Shepley Group, will invest in future talent and social impact initiatives in west Cumbria. 

Gavin Jakubowski, managing director of Shepley Group, said: "We are incredibly excited and extremely proud to have signed multiple long-term framework agreements to support delivery of the Sellafield Programme and Project Partners Programme.

"The opportunity builds on our decades of heritage at the site. Through our commitment to engineering excellence and right first-time ethos, we look forward to supporting the continued successful delivery of the decommissioning programme, while contributing to the local economy and increasing employment opportunities in West Cumbria."

Martin Crouch, managing director of Alpha Engineering, said:

"The framework provides Alpha Engineering a platform to invest in long term strategic goals such as training and apprentices' programmes, systems and processes of which for a SME, can be difficult given the relative short-term approach to business continuity.

"Alpha Engineering will also focus on critical social impact commitments and look forward to being part of aligned initiatives, in particular within West Cumbria and Warrington.

"Our high performing team will integrate and collaborate on in-flight projects with the commercial model being flowed down to ensure alignment in achieving the overall outcome."

Additional suppliers will be brought on board via key delivery partner long-term frameworks, with a total of 20 expected to be signed up by March 2024.