Radioactive transport from JRC-Geel to USA

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) is announcing a planned procurement opportunity for the transport of nuclear samples from its facility in JRC-Geel, Belgium, to the USA. This is a service procurement, not a grant, requiring the expertise of a specialized transport company licensed by the Belgian nuclear safety authorities, known as FANC. The primary goal is to hire a qualified firm capable of safely managing the logistics of radioactive material transport.

Key details include that the contract will have a duration of 12 months. The procurement process is categorized as a negotiated procedure and is marked as unsuitable for small and medium enterprises, indicating the specialization required may limit eligibility to larger firms with adequate resources and regulatory compliance.

Eligible applicants must demonstrate compliance with licensing requirements from FANC, suggesting that direct involvement in the Belgian market or substantial international capabilities is needed. The project is operational, geared toward the efficient action of transporting materials rather than research or development.

While the specific funding amount for the contract is not detailed, it is emphasized that this will be a commercial contract where the selected company will be compensated for services rendered. The registration window for expressing interest in this opportunity is set for September 30, 2025, with a closing date of October 15, 2025. Following this period, the JRC anticipates launching the actual procurement negotiation process on the same date.

Interest parties are instructed to submit their expressions electronically, with no co-funding requirement specified. This pre-announcement serves to prepare potential bidders for the upcoming procedure leading to the contract award. The structure of this procurement indicates a focus on established entities in the nuclear transport sector due to the complexities involved in handling radioactive materials safely and in compliance with regulatory standards.

This is a publication announcing the contracting authority’s intention to publish a future negotiated low or middle value procedure, not a call for tenders.

The procedure identifier is EC-JRC/GEE/2025/MVP/5036-EXA.

The title of the planned call for tenders is Radioactive transport from JRC-Geel to USA.

The description is as follows: JRC-Geel intends to transport nuclear samples from Belgium to the USA. For this purpose, the services of a specialised transport company are needed. The transport company shall demonstrate that it is licensed by the Belgian nuclear safety authorities (FANC) for executing this type of nuclear transports on Belgian territory.

The procedure type is a planned negotiated procedure for middle/low value contract.

The estimated total value is not specified.

The lead contracting authority is the European Commission, DG JRC Joint Research Centre.

The main classification (CPV) is 60400000 Air transport services.

The nature of the contract is services.

The maximum contract duration is 12 months.

There is no framework agreement.

Milestones:
Start date for expression of interest: 2025-09-30 Europe/Brussels
Deadline for expression of interest: 15/10/2025 05:59 Europe/Brussels
Indicative date of launch of the negotiated procedure: 2025-10-15 Europe/Brussels

Expression of interest:
Submissions must be sent exclusively at the address for submission given below.
Method of expression of interest: Electronic
Address for expression of interest: Express interest

A question was asked: Where can I find the procurement documents for calls for tenders with ‘ExA' in the reference?
The answer is: References that feature an ‘ExA’ are not calls for tenders. They are a publication announcing the contracting authority’s intent to launch in the future a low or middle negotiated procedure.
This was published on 03/10/2024 17:32.

In summary, the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Geel, Belgium, plans to launch a negotiated procurement procedure to secure a specialized transport company for moving nuclear samples from Belgium to the United States. This is not an active call for tenders yet, but a pre-announcement. The selected company must be licensed by the Belgian nuclear safety authorities (FANC) to handle such transports within Belgium. The contract is expected to last for a maximum of 12 months. Companies interested in this opportunity should express their interest electronically, with a deadline of October 15, 2025. The actual negotiated procedure is expected to start around the same date. The procedure identifier is EC-JRC/GEE/2025/MVP/5036-EXA.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are specialized transport companies. The transport company shall demonstrate that it is licensed by the Belgian nuclear safety authorities (FANC) for executing this type of nuclear transports on Belgian territory.

Funding Type: The funding type is procurement via a negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract. It is a service contract.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity appears to be open to single applicants.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The announcement specifies that the transport is from Belgium to the USA, suggesting that companies licensed in Belgium are particularly relevant. However, the geographic eligibility isn't explicitly limited, but the requirement for licensing by Belgian nuclear safety authorities (FANC) suggests a focus on companies operating within Belgium or capable of meeting those licensing requirements.

Target Sector: The target sector is transport, specifically radioactive material transport. It also touches on the nuclear sector.

Mentioned Countries: Belgium, USA.

Project Stage: The project stage is operational, requiring a company capable of executing a specific transport service.

Funding Amount: The funding amount is described as a middle/low value contract, but no specific monetary range is given.

Application Type: The application type is a planned negotiated procedure. The first step is to express interest electronically.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in exchange for services.

Application Stages: There are at least two stages: expressing interest and then participating in the negotiated procedure.

Success Rates: Success rates are not mentioned.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding is not mentioned.

Summary:

This is a pre-announcement for a planned negotiated procurement procedure by the European Commission, DG JRC - Joint Research Centre (JRC-Geel). The JRC-Geel intends to contract a specialized transport company to transport nuclear samples from Belgium to the USA. The selected company must be licensed by the Belgian nuclear safety authorities (FANC) for executing nuclear transports on Belgian territory. This is not a call for tenders yet, but rather a notification of the contracting authority's intent to launch a negotiated procedure for a middle/low value contract in the future. The procedure identifier is EC-JRC/GEE/2025/MVP/5036-EXA. The main classification is air transport services. The maximum contract duration is 12 months. The start date for expression of interest is planned for 2025-09-30, with a deadline of 2025-10-15. The indicative date for the launch of the negotiated procedure is 2025-10-15. Interested parties should express their interest electronically via the provided link.