SELLAFIELD LTD has signed a £500m procurement deal, which has the potential to create to 1,140 jobs over 10 years.

In what the nuclear site describes as a “UK first”, the agreement guarantees that Cumbrian firms will win work from decommissioning.

Under the framework, known as the Decomissioning Delivery Partnership (DDP), four consortia confirmed so far – made up of 12 companies – have entered into a 10-year agreement to support Sellafield Ltd.

Eleven of the 12 are based in, or have a significant presence in, Cumbria.

And all have committed at least 20 per cent of their sub-contracting spend with small to medium-sized enterprises.

They have also pledged a local-first approach to recruitment, to give 150 jobs to under-represented or disadvantaged people, provide up to 240 apprenticeships, plus training, school outreach and business mentoring.

These commitments are written into their contracts, and the firms will face financial penalties if they fail to deliver.

Paul Foster, managing director of Sellafield Ltd, said: “Our first priority will always be the safe, secure and cost- effective clean-up of Sellafield.

“But alongside that is a commitment to help deliver a long-term, sustainable economic future for our local community.

“DDP will help achieve this by placing socioeconomic outcomes at the heart of the contract from the outset and by holding contractors to account on delivery.

“We have listened to our stakeholders and worked with Government, the NDA and our supply chain to design a responsible, sustainable procurement that uses public sector contracts to unlock investment from the private sector, backed up by the power of a legally binding contract.”

The deal follows a two-year planning and tendering exercise, and should help diffuse recent criticism of Sellafield Ltd for awarding two £50m contracts for metal storage containers to suppliers outside the county.

The companies chosen under DDP had to demonstrate how they will support Sellafield Ltd’s socioeconomic strategy, with emphasis on skills, growth and community.

They were also assessed on other factors including quality and value.

Sellafield Ltd is finalising agreements with another two consortia that were successful in the tendering process. Their identities will be confirmed once legal and commercial arrangements are in place.

The four delivery partners confirmed so far are:

  • Integrated Decommissioning Solutions (made up of Energy Solutions EU, Hertel, North West Projects and Westlakes Engineering;
  • Nexus Decommissioning Alliance (Costain Oil, Gas and Process);
  • Cumbria Nuclear Solutions (Shepley Engineers, James Fisher Nuclear, REACT Engineering, Jacobs Stobbarts, Westinghouse Electric, WYG Engineering);
  • The Decommissioning Alliance (Jacobs UK, Energy Solutions EU, Westinghouse Electric).