Commercial Waste Collection, Disposal and Recycling Services

SCC COMMERCIAL WASTE COLLECTION, DISPOSAL & RECYCLING SERVICES TENDER

Preliminary Market Engagement Notice

The purpose of this Preliminary Market Engagement Notice is to initiate discussions with the market ahead of a forthcoming procurement for Salisbury City Council’s (SCC) new Commercial Waste Collection, Disposal and Recycling Services contract. The Council is seeking a suitably qualified and experienced contractor to deliver the collection, transport, processing, recycling, and lawful disposal of commercial and municipal waste generated at Council-managed locations across Salisbury.

The scope of the proposed contract will include the management of waste from parks and open spaces, spoil tip waste from cemeteries, litter and refuse from public street bins, and sweeper waste collected through street cleansing operations. It will also cover waste from Council buildings and operational sites, together with the secure collection and disposal of confidential waste and the removal and lawful disposal of fly-tipped materials from public areas.

SCC is inviting suitable, experienced, and qualified suppliers to discuss the future provision of these services in Salisbury. The Council aims to assess both the interest and capability of the market to deliver the scope of services and to gather feedback on the proposed service model to help inform the forthcoming procurement process. Please note that the use of sub-contractors to deliver the service is permissible but must be described in the tender submission by the tenderer.

A summary of the proposed service and contract scope includes:

• Collection, transport, processing, recycling, and lawful disposal of commercial and municipal waste generated from Council-managed locations across Salisbury.
• Disposal and recycling of green waste from parks, open spaces, and public grounds.
• Removal and disposal of spoil tip waste arising from cemetery operations.
• Collection of litter and refuse from public street bins, and management of sweeper waste generated through street cleansing operations (not collected from bins).
• Collection and management of waste from approximately 11 Council buildings and operational sites, including but not limited to the Guildhall, Tollgate Depot, and Bemerton Health Centre.
• Collection and secure disposal of confidential waste from Council premises and designated locations.
• Removal and lawful disposal of fly-tipped waste from public areas across the city.
• Safe, compliant, and auditable recycling or disposal of all waste collected in accordance with statutory and environmental requirements.
• Collaboration with the Council to identify opportunities for direct transport of waste to recycling or disposal points where operationally appropriate, improving cost-effectiveness and environmental performance.
• Flexibility to adapt services in response to seasonal demand, local events, and future policy or legislative changes.

Approximate anticipated volumes (tonnes per year) are as follows:

• General Waste (DNH): 240.69
• Dry Mixed Recycling: 7.00
• Glass: 0.30
• Mixed Recyclables: 15.49
• Mixed Commercial Waste: 7.20
• Municipal Waste: 31.86
• Biodegradable Waste: 10.22
• Wood: 1.12
• All Streams: 313.88

The anticipated annual value of the contract will be up to £250,000 per annum for an initial three years plus an option to extend by up to two years (ie 3+2) giving a maximum contract value and duration of £1.25m over five years. Historic spend data, based upon 2024/25 total waste disposal costs, are:

• 27004 Waste Disposal: £139,364
• 27005 Market Waste Disposal: £34,849
• Total: £174,213

Waste services are currently delivered under short-term contracts (expiring Summer 2026) with several external providers and there is a need for a formal contract to improve service consistency, efficiency, and compliance. In particular, it is recognised that combining the current number of short-term contracts into a longer-term, single supplier contract will provide greater value for money for the council in terms of financial efficiencies but also staff resourcing and consistency of service provision. The new contract will cover all waste from these public and council-managed areas to keep them clean, safe, and welcoming.

Where it makes sense, the council may transport some waste directly to disposal or recycling points to keep things efficient and cost-effective.

The main objectives of the preliminary market engagement will be to initiate a discussion with the market to consider SCC’s proposals to combine the existing contracts, maintain high standards of service and advance the Council’s strategic priorities. SCC welcomes suggestions as part of this engagement on whether the proposed service model meets these priorities and is attractive to the market.

Our contractor for the new contract period will be a critical partner in driving the outcomes of the service strategy. The key objectives and additional project considerations are as follows:

Key Objectives:

• Maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene across public and council spaces as detailed in Section 5 of the service specification.
• Increase recycling rates and encourage responsible waste disposal in line with the expectations described in the specification and in line with KPIs reported upon at contract monitoring meetings (formal targets to be set following market engagement and consultation with suppliers), subject to meeting SCC requirements as laid out in the Council's Environmental Policy.
• Fully comply with environmental and health and safety regulations.
• Introduce improvements like better collection routes, reduced emissions from collection vehicles, and faster response to service needs.

Additional Project Considerations:

• Contractual requirement to manage and handle different types of waste with varying collection schedules.
• A requirement to coordinate collections across many sites and public areas.
• Manage the challenge of adapting to seasonal changes and events that affect waste levels.
• Working with the council to minimise contamination and maximise recycling opportunities beyond current levels.

Flexibility will be key; the successful contractor will need to be innovative, adaptable and prepared to adjust over time as progress is made toward strategic outcomes and as service needs change.

The following services are out of scope for this procurement:

• domestic/kerb-side collection
• waste treatment
• food waste processing

Joint ventures or partnership bids would be welcomed. SCC intends to commence the procurement procedure in December 2025.

Market Engagement Format and Practical Considerations:

1. This market engagement event will be held online via MS Teams.
2. To attend this market engagement event, please email Nick Buchanan <[email protected]> by Friday 27 March at 16:00.
3. Attendees are limited to a maximum of two staff per organisation. Please send staff names and email addresses to receive a meeting invite.
4. A draft specification will be circulated ahead of the market engagement event and upon receipt of email addresses for attendees.
5. Feedback on the draft service specification is welcomed. In particular: (i) whether there are any alternative delivery models that could be considered; (ii) whether there are any risks foreseen with the proposed service model; (iii) whether there are any opportunities for cost savings or efficiency improvements and (iv) what innovation or industry best practice could improve service quality.
6. The event will be scheduled to take place for one hour.
7. Questions are welcomed but will be recorded rather than answered during the meeting. Questions and answers (along with slides) will be distributed with the tender pack when the tender is published.