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Food Waste Treatment Services Contract

Essex County Council

This public procurement record has 6 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

05 Oct 2026 at 13:30

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

05 Oct 2026 at 13:28

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

20 Jul 2026 at 11:36

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

20 Jul 2026 at 08:01

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

05 Feb 2026 at 18:39

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

02 Jul 2025 at 13:46

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Essex County Council is planning to procure food waste treatment and disposal services for separately collected household food waste from the Essex area. The required treatment route is anaerobic digestion. The council currently manages approximately 55,000 tonnes of this waste each year, giving an indication of the operational scale involved. Essex County Council is the buyer, though the contract may also be used by one or more successor bodies taking over council functions following local government reform. The procurement is for services, rather than the supply of equipment or construction works. Suppliers would need to provide a treatment solution for household food waste collected across the council’s service area.

The process is at the planning stage; there is no invitation to tender yet. Essex County Council expects to issue a tender in early January 2027. It is seeking market feedback on a possible open framework, contract duration, procurement process and evaluation approach, to inform its final strategy. A questionnaire can be requested, with feedback due by 14 October 2026. The procurement is described as one lot. The estimated value is £8 million excluding VAT (£9.6 million including VAT). Services are required to start on 1 April 2028, with the stated contract period running to 31 March 2036. The buyer has not yet set out the final evaluation criteria; it is asking suppliers for views on its proposed approach.

This procurement is most relevant to operators able to receive and treat substantial volumes of separately collected household food waste through anaerobic digestion, and to manage its disposal as part of the service. The council’s current throughput indicates a requirement suited to suppliers with established treatment capacity and the operational capability to support a local-authority waste service. Providers interested in public-sector food waste contracts may also be able to influence how the eventual competition is designed by commenting on the proposed framework structure, contract duration, procurement process and evaluation approach. The buyer is seeking market views to shape a strategy intended to encourage suppliers to offer value for Essex residents. No particular accreditations, technical standards or minimum supplier experience are identified in the current plans.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Food Waste Treatment Services Contract

Notice Description

Essex County Council (ECC) is planning to issue a tender in early January 2027 for a contract(s) relating to the anaerobic digestion treatment and disposal of food waste collected from households in the Essex area. The required treatment services must start on 1 April 2028. ECC currently manages approximately 55,000 tonnes per annum of separately collected household food waste. The contracting authority is Essex County Council and any Successor Body meaning one or more entities which assumes any of the Council's functions (as applicable) as a result of Local Government Reform (LGR). Such successor body or bodies may be, without limitation, a local authority, a combined authority, a combined county authority, a strategic authority or any other status determined pursuant to the Devolution and LGR Legislation.

Planning Information

As part of the ongoing development of its procurement strategy and tender documentation for the provision of food waste treatment services, Essex County Council (ECC) is seeking further market feedback on a number of aspects of the proposed procurement approach. In particular, ECC is seeking views on the proposed Open Framework structure, Service Contract duration, procurement process and evaluation approach. Feedback received will help inform the final procurement strategy. Potential Bidders are invited to request a copy of the questionnaire from: Waste.Procurement@essex.gov.uk.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-055798
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/093835-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

90 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services

CPV Codes

90500000 - Refuse and waste related services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£8,000,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
5 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
4 Jan 20273 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2028 - 31 Mar 2036 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Essex County Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
CHELMSFORD
Postcode
CM1 1QH
Postcode Area
Chelmsford
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH3 Essex
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH36 Heart of Essex
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England)
Local Authority
Chelmsford
Electoral Ward
Moulsham and Central
Westminster Constituency
Chelmsford

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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