--- title: "Food Waste Treatment Services contract" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-055798" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-055798" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-055798.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-055798.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL" published: "2026-07-20" --- # Food Waste Treatment Services contract Buyer: ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-055798 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-055798) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-055798.json) ## Summary Essex County Council is currently in the planning stage for a significant public procurement opportunity titled 'Food Waste Treatment Services Contract'. The process involves the anaerobic digestion treatment and disposal of food waste collected from households throughout the Essex area. With an estimated gross value of £8.4 million, the contract is set to commence on 1 April 2028, with a potential extension period extending to 2035. The procurement falls under the services category, specifically relating to refuse and waste-related services, and is above the threshold, making it an engaging opportunity for various regions across the UK, including UKC, UKD, UKE, UKF, UKG, UKH, UKI, UKJ, and UKK. The planned procurement involves consideration of dividing the service requirement into lots, accommodating both smaller and larger capacity bidders, and the Essex County Council anticipates issuing the tender documents as early as 2026. This procurement process presents substantial business growth opportunities, particularly for enterprises engaged in waste management and treatment. Businesses within this industry can benefit from this contract by leveraging experience in anaerobic digestion and capacity to handle substantial volumes of waste, which stands at approximately 40,000 tonnes annually. The planned division into lots may cater to the capacities of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as larger bidders who can offer discounted services for volume handling. Engaging in this tender could lead to long-term contractual opportunities, given the renewal options extending over 10 years, offering stable business growth for enterprises with sustainable waste management solutions. The engagement sessions and feedback opportunities offered by Essex County Council further open pathways for businesses to tailor their proposals to align with local government requirements, ensuring competitiveness and viability for future opportunities. ## Notice Essex County Council (ECC) is planning to issue a tender as early as 2026 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 manages approximately 40,000 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. The estimated value provided includes the extension period. ### Planning Information As part of the drafting of tender documents ECC is considering the best way to divide its food waste treatment requirements so that it obtains the best value solution(s) from the market. ECC is considering the division of the treatment requirement into lots to make the offering as attractive as possible to both bidders with small amounts of capacity and those with larger capacity that can offer discount for volume. To this end, please read the Proposed Lotting Approach description below along with the worked examples and give us your feedback and comments in the questions at the end of the document. Thank you. Potential Bidders are invited to request a copy of the questionnaire from: Waste.Procurement@essex.gov.uk ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068145-2026 | | Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | SME | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 20 Jul 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 30 Jul 2026 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 31 Mar 2028 - 31 Mar 2031 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £7,000,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Planning | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL | | Locality | CHELMSFORD | | Post town | Chelmsford | | Postcode | CM1 1QH | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLH East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLH3 Essex | | ITL 3 | TLH36 Heart of Essex | | Local authority | Chelmsford | | Electoral ward | Moulsham and Central | | Westminster constituency | Chelmsford | | 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) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 90 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services ### Codes - 90500000 - Refuse and waste related services ## Release History - 20 Jul 2026 at 10:36 - PlanningUpdate - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068145-2026 - 20 Jul 2026 at 07:01 - PlanningUpdate - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068036-2026 - 5 Feb 2026 at 18:39 - PlanningUpdate - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/010729-2026 - 2 Jul 2025 at 12:46 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036807-2025 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068145-2026 20th July 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068036-2026 20th July 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/010729-2026 5th February 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036807-2025 2nd July 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-055798. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-055798.json.