---
title: "Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) Litter Survey"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-060c5f"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-060c5f"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060c5f.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060c5f.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS"
published: "2026-01-22"
---

# Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) Litter Survey

Buyer: DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-060c5f

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## Summary

The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), a central government public authority based in London, is in the planning stage of a procurement process for the "Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) Litter Survey". This project falls under several industry categories, including research consultancy, feasibility study, and environmental monitoring services. As part of the procurement timeline, a supplier engagement event is scheduled for 6th February 2026, where suppliers can register their interest by 1pm on 5th February 2026. The survey is intended to run from July 2026 to July 2027, covering areas across the United Kingdom, with an estimated contract value of £200,000 inclusive of VAT. This project aims to assess litter composition in support of the upcoming DRS for drinks containers set to launch in October 2027.

This tender provides a significant opportunity for businesses focusing on environmental consultancy and research services, particularly those experienced in waste management, recycling industries, or environmental assessment studies. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) may find this project particularly appealing due to its tailored suitability for smaller organisations. Engaging in this procurement process not only offers financial benefits but also positions bidders at the forefront of a pivotal environmental initiative in the UK, driving future recycling strategies and contributing to a sustainable circular economy. Businesses involved will gain valuable insights and visibility by collaborating with Defra on such an important national study.

## Notice

The UK Government is introducing a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers, launching in October 2027. Under the scheme, consumers will pay a small, refundable deposit on single use PET and metal drinks containers, which is returned when the container is brought back to a return point. The aim is to reduce litter, increase recycling rates, and generate high quality recycled materials. The latest published policy statement from May 2025 can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/deposit-return-scheme-for-drinks-containers-policy-statement/deposit-return-scheme-for-drinks-containers-policy-statement?utm_source=copilot.com Defra is commissioning a national litter composition study for 2027 to update the 2020 study. This new evidence is needed to set a pre-launch baseline to evaluate the impact of the DRS and to support wider Circular Economy policy areas including plastics, vapes, litter, and packaging reforms. The study will provide a robust, statistically valid picture of what is being littered across England and Northern Ireland and in what quantities, forming the foundation for future policy assessment. he commissioned service will replicate the 2020 methodology while expanding the scope to include new item classifications - particularly detailed categorisation of DRS in scope and out-of-scope drinks containers by size and material, and additional categories for vapes, plastics, and other priority items. Suppliers will design and deliver a national fieldwork programme, collect and sort litter samples, and produce a full dataset and analytical report. Key outputs include national estimates of litter composition and specific breakdowns of DRS eligible container litter by count and volume, establishing a clear pre DRS baseline.

### Planning Information

You are invited to participate in a supplier engagement event regarding our DRS Litter Survey requirement . We are keen to engage with the market, to understand supplier capabilities, and explore innovations that can drive efficiency, resilience, and sustainability. This is a key opportunity for suppliers to input into the requirement and the procurement process.
The event will take place virtually via MS Teams on the 6th February 11:00am - 12noon.
The contract is expected to run for one (1) year starting Summer 2026 to Summer 2027
Suppliers are asked to register their interest by completing https://forms.office.com/e/YRG2WL89ee 
This form should be completed and returned no later than 1pm on the 05/02/2026. If you have any questions prior to the event please email joyce.angoma@defra.gov.uk
The engagement session will include the opportunity for questions to be raised and also for the Authority to get feedback from you about the requirement.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/005866-2026 |
| 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 | 22 Jan 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 23 Mar 2026 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 5 Jul 2026 - 5 Jul 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £166,700 |
| 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 | DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Post town | South West London |
| Postcode | SW1P 4DF |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West |
| ITL 3 | TLI35 Westminster and City of London |
| Local authority | Westminster |
| Electoral ward | St James's |
| Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 90 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services

### Codes

- 71241000 - Feasibility study, advisory service, analysis
- 73210000 - Research consultancy services
- 90711400 - Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) services other than for construction
- 90711500 - Environmental monitoring other than for construction

## Release History

- 22 Jan 2026 at 15:26 - PlanningUpdate - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/005866-2026
- 22 Jan 2026 at 14:31 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/005818-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/005866-2026
  22nd January 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/005818-2026
  22nd January 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome
- https://forms.office.com/e/YRG2WL89ee
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/deposit-return-scheme-for-drinks-containers-policy-statement/deposit-return-scheme-for-drinks-containers-policy-statement?utm_source=copilot.com
- 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-060c5f. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060c5f.json.