The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced a major tender valued at nearly £66 million, seeking industry partners to help deliver its ambitious Nuclear Skills Plan (NSP).
The initiative, driven by the Defence Nuclear Organisation (DNO), aims to tackle the critical skills shortage across the UK’s civil and defence nuclear sectors and support the government’s ambition to create up to 40,000 new jobs by 2030.
The tender invites suppliers to support the cross-sector Nuclear Sector Skills Team (NSST) in executing nine distinct work packages. These projects are the first major delivery phase of the ten-year Nuclear Skills Plan, which was launched in May 2024 after extensive collaboration between government bodies, industry leaders, and academic institutions.
The plan is a direct response to the growing demand for skilled professionals required to deliver critical national nuclear programmes, aligning with priorities in both the Defence Nuclear Command Plan and the UK’s broader energy security goals.
The opportunity is broken down into nine specific lots, offering a wide range of opportunities for the defence supply chain and beyond. These include:
- Lot 1: A “Destination Nuclear” marketing campaign and website to attract new talent.
- Lot 2 & 9: Management of bursary schemes for university students and teacher training.
- Lot 3: A comprehensive nuclear sponsorship scheme to support aspiring professionals.
- Lot 5: Programmes designed to attract and retrain “career switchers” from other industries.
- Lot 6: Development of a sophisticated skills supply and demand model.
- Lot 7: Creation of defined career pathways and associated curriculum.
- Lot 8: Establishment of a national Training Provider Network.
Procurement Process: The procurement will be conducted in a two-stage process. Interested parties must first submit an Expression of Interest by completing a Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ). Following an evaluation, up to four bidders for each lot will be shortlisted and invited to the full Invitation to Tender (ITT) stage.
Potential bidders can access the full tender documents and submit their PSQ via the Defence Sourcing Portal. This tender represents a significant, long-term opportunity for suppliers to become key players in developing the UK’s nuclear talent pipeline, directly supporting the nation’s defence and energy security ambitions.
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Post written by: Vicky Maggiani
Vicky has worked in media for over 25 years and has a wealth of experience in editing and creating copy for a variety of sectors.
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