Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick and EJ Parker Technical Services have taken the prized key delivery partner spots for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, a framework agreement worth up to £250m over the life of the programme.

The HVAC package is the first of several to be awarded by the overarching Programme and Project Partners – a five-strong team of firms delivering the massive clean up plan spanning the next 18 years.

The PPP partnership is made up of lot partners KBR (integration partner); Jacobs (design and engineering partner); Morgan Sindall Infrastructure (civils construction management partner) and Doosan Babcock (process construction management partner) and Sellafield as the fifth partner.

This new Multi Project Procurement (MPP) model has been set up to encourage long-term collaboration throughout the supply chain.

Key delivery partners will be selected for work packages covering everything from electrical and instrumentation and fabrication and manufacturing to groundworks and general civils.

Two firms are due to be announced for a £170m mechanical pipework deal and another two for £400m worth of electrical & instrumentation works in January.

A bid contest is already underway for building interior fit-out and finishes, and  concrete structures, groundworks and blockwork packages.

Eldon Garnett, on behalf of PPP management board, said: “It’s really pleasing to award our first contract as part of the MPP process, enabling us to start to realise the benefits that we know this programme will deliver.

“Looking at the responses during the HVAC tender process, there is clearly huge enthusiasm right across the supply chain to be part of the PPP team, addressing the wider Sellafield Ltd mission and we look forward to welcoming more Key delivery partners in the months ahead.”