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CivTech 11 - Challenge 11.3 - How can technology reduce the environmental and social impact of litter at Arrochar?

The GRAB Trust (Group for Recycling in Argyll and Bute Trust Limited)

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

09 Sep 2026 at 11:54

Award Notice
Tender

22 Jul 2025 at 15:27

Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The GRAB Trust (Group for Recycling in Argyll and Bute Trust Limited) commissioned technology and innovation services to reduce the environmental and social impact of litter at Arrochar, a Scottish beauty spot at the head of Loch Long. The requirement focuses on developing new, sustainable ways to tackle litter accumulation affecting the area’s environment, wildlife, visitors and local community. It addresses a wider Scottish problem of locations where litter gathers, while using Arrochar as the starting point. The work falls within IT services, including consulting, software development, internet and support. Delivery is centred on Arrochar and Loch Long in Scotland. The challenge is intended to replace or improve on manual and mechanical approaches, which are described as difficult and costly, through a practical technology-led solution.

The procurement has been awarded following an open procedure. The award was made on 14 July 2026 to 4c Design Limited, an SME, and the contract is active. The awarded contract value is £550,000. The original estimated value was £650,000, with a planned duration of 720 days and an extension permitted if required. The tender deadline and bid opening were both 2 September 2025 at 12:00, and bids were required in English with a 180-day validity period. Evaluation was based entirely on quality, with price carrying no points. Five electronic bids were received, all from SMEs. Electronic ordering and payment are used, and electronic invoicing is allowed. The procurement was covered by the Government Procurement Agreement.

This requirement is relevant to businesses able to combine technology development with environmental problem-solving and community-focused delivery. Credible competitors would need to turn an open public-sector challenge into a workable, sustainable product or service, rather than offer only conventional litter collection. Useful capability areas include software or digital product development, technical consulting, internet-enabled tools, support and integration, alongside an understanding of litter impacts on habitats, wildlife, visitors and local communities. The CivTech approach involves working collaboratively with the challenge sponsor and citizens, developing and testing a solution, and building a product with potential for wider use. The competition attracted five SME bids, indicating that smaller innovative businesses can participate. Experience delivering practical prototypes, co-production and scalable public-service solutions would strengthen a future response to this buyer’s requirement.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

CivTech 11 - Challenge 11.3 - How can technology reduce the environmental and social impact of litter at Arrochar?

Notice Description

Arrochar, a Scottish beauty spot at Loch Long, was designated a 'litter sink' by the Scottish Government in 2017. The problem of litter gathering at the head of the Loch has been getting worse over decades and has reached a point where it creates a damaging effect on the area, its environment, wildlife, visitors, and on the Local Community. Arrochar is perhaps the most publicised but far from the only 'Litter Sink' in Scotland. Manual mechanical methods are challenging and costly, and so this Challenge seeks to develop new, sustainable ways of tackling a national issue, starting with Arrochar.

Lot Information

Lot 1

About CivTech CivTech's mission is to drive daring and innovation in the public sector by collaboratively solving Challenges that make people's lives better - and in doing so create generations of sustainable, high growth businesses. CivTech brings together public sector expertise and private sector innovation to solve real problems, develop new products, and deliver better, faster and easier services for everyone. Central to the approach is co-production with the citizen. Part of the Scottish Government's Digital Directorate, CivTech's approach is helping transform public sector engagement with tech and innovation, delivering significant benefits to public services, producing genuine uplifts for the Scottish economy - and along the way, making lives better. Across the country there are problems public sector organisations would like to solve and in the current environment the need for smart, efficient and effective products has never been greater. The Scottish Government is aware innovation is a good way to create them and is committed to ensuring a large part of its tech spend goes to innovative businesses - whatever stage they're at, or size they are.. This is where CivTech comes in. The CivTech Innovation Flow is designed to create products as quickly and effectively as possible, and uses a true Accelerator model at the heart of its Innovation Flow model. For you - whether you're an individual, team or company - it's an opportunity to take on a Challenge, solve it, and win contracts with a blue-chip public sector organisation. You'll build a product, and a business to take it as far as possible. Because here's the kicker: the Challenges we issue aren't 'single organisation' problems - most of the problems we are solving exist worldwide. In short: Open Challenges are set. Any organisation, team or individual can respond. Applications are assessed, and shortlisted proposals go into an Exploration Stage where they're developed further together with the Challenge Sponsor and the CivTech [for which participating applicants are paid]. The best go through to the Accelerator - a period of intensive work to create the solution, and through CivTech's unique business growth workshop system, a business capable of taking the product to the world. Please visit our website for information on CivTech and how to get involved https://www.civtech.scot/how-to-apply-civtech-11 https://www.civtech.scot/civtech-11-challenge-6-reducing-teaching-workload

Renewal: The contract can be extended if required

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0563fe
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085327-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

CPV Codes

72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£650,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
£650,000 £500K-£1M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£550,000 £500K-£1M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
9 Sep 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
2 Sep 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Cancelled
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
The GRAB Trust (Group for Recycling in Argyll and Bute Trust Limited)
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
ARGYLL
Postcode
PA31 8RT
Postcode Area
Paisley
Country
Scotland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM2 Highlands and Islands
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM20 Highlands and Islands
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Argyll and Bute
Electoral Ward
Mid Argyll
Westminster Constituency
Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

4c Design Limited

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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