UK seeks safeguards reporting system provider

The UK's Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) is looking for suppliers to deliver a solution to provide a Safeguards Information Management and Reporting System (SIMRS). The is being advertised via the government's Digital Marketplace.

ONR is to establish a new domestic civil nuclear safeguards regime ahead of the UK's withdrawal from the European Union and Euratom on 29 March 2019. The UK currently undertakes nuclear safeguards with the European Commission through Euratom and will need to deliver this capability by means of its own UK State System of Accountancy for the Control of Nuclear Material (SSAC) including development of a replacement SIMRS. Without the system, ONR says it will not be able to deliver Nuclear Material Accountancy effectively.

"A system that meets international reporting obligations must be ready for parallel running by end of December 2018 and go live by 29 March 2019," ONR said today. "ONR requires a supplier that can develop and implement a fully functional system that meets all mandatory requirements by prescribed deadlines, provide associated user training and provide development, support and maintenance post-implementation."

ONR safeguards inspectors and nuclear material accountants need to import, review, analyse, validate and report nuclear material information from UK duty holders so that it has a comprehensive accountancy system - including a log of historical and current nuclear material quantities, locations and movement. This will assure that no nuclear material is being diverted from civil nuclear purposes, ONR said.

Suppliers will work with an internal project team consisting of safeguards inspectors, project managers, IT consultants and internal corporate services. It may also involve working with UK duty holders, UK government, international regulators and others as relevant.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News