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PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITY

HWRC Operation and Management

Oxfordshire County Council · Tender notice on Find a Tender

Tender information last checkedLast checked 27 Sept 2026, 17:46.

Opportunity overview

Waste Disposal Authorities (including Unitary Authorities) are required to provide residents with a place to dispose of their household waste, under Section 51(1)(b) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (the "1990 Act"). The Council intends to procure a contractor to manage and operate its Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) network across 6 HWRC Sites with materials management at one additional site - 7 sites. The HWRCs are in: • Alkerton HWRC, near Banbury • Ardley Fields HWRC, Bicester • Redbridge HWRC, Oxford • Drayton HWRC, Vale of White Horse • Oakley Wood HWRC, South Oxfordshire • Stanford in the Vale HWRC, Vale of White Horse • Dix Pit HWRC, West Oxfordshire (haulage operations and materials management only) The contract will include: 1. The management and operation of six Household Waste Recycling Centres ("HWRC Sites") (Alkerton, Ardley Fields (relocated to Bicester during the Contract Period), Drayton, Oakley Wood, Redbridge and Stanford Vale), including the provision of the following services: a. Reception operations: i. meet and greet; ii. managing and checking bookings; iii. checking for waste Acceptance Criteria and unsorted waste; iv. checking all vehicles required to have permits have the correct permit to access the HWRC Site; v. charging for Chargeable Waste, including DIY Waste above the free allowance and other Chargeable Waste, and for Commercial Waste, where applicable; and vi. enforcement of the above. b. HWRC Sites operation: i. maximising the Re-use, Recycling, Composting and Recovery of Contract Waste deposited by Customers according to the waste hierarchy; ii. management of waste collected under Waste Collection Authorities duties ('WCA Waste'); iii. management of Chargeable Waste; iv. management of Commercial Waste services, where applicable; v. unsorted waste segregation, including by encouraging customers to separate reuse and/or recycling from any mixed or unsorted waste brought to site; vi. managing Re-use hubs, where applicable; vii. appropriate and effective compaction of materials deposited as necessary; viii. provision and management of Plant, Vehicles and Equipment; ix. monitoring services and reporting to the Council including online reporting; and x. managing weighbridges, where applicable. c. Site management and maintenance: i. maintaining appropriate signage and road markings; ii. site cleansing; iii. site repair and maintenance; and iv. site security. d. Support with HWRC Sites re-development and re-location: i. Redeployment of Contractor's Staff for the duration of Redbridge Site's closure; ii. Transfer of Contractor's Staff and Assets from Ardley Fields HWRC Site to Bicester HWRC Site; iii. Mobilisation of the re-developed Redbridge HWRC Site and new Bicester HWRC Site. 2. Haulage operations and materials management of seven HWRC Sites (Alkerton, Ardley Fields (relocated to Bicester during the Contract Period), Dix Pit, Drayton, Oakley Wood, Redbridge and Stanford Vale), including the provision of the following services: a. onward haulage of Council Retained Waste from the HWRC Sites to Council Contracted Sites for the treatment of Green Waste, Residual Waste, Bulky Waste and POPs; b. onward haulage of Contractor Retained Waste to appropriate Treatment Sites; and c. marketing and sale of Contractor Retained Waste. This procurement is part of the Council's initiative to enhance its waste management services and develop new HWRC sites. The procurement includes two Service Delivery Options for the funding of Capital Assets: 1. Service Delivery Option A: the Council funds all Capital Assets. 2. Service Delivery Option B: the Contractor funds all Capital Assets. The procurement includes seven Anticipated Changes: 1. Anticipated Change 1: Commercial Waste Services and management of a weighbridge at the re-developed Redbridge HWRC Site 2. Anticipated Change 2: Re-Use Services at the re-developed Redbridge HWRC Site 3. Anticipated Change 3: Transfer Services at the re-developed Redbridge HWRC Site 4. Anticipated Change 4: Closure of Ardley Fields HWRC Site before the new Bicester HWRC Site opens 5. Anticipated Change 5: Re-Use Services at the new Bicester HWRC Site 6. Anticipated Change 6: Management and operation of Dix Pit HWRC Site 7. Anticipated Change 7: Management and operation of a Council owned offsite Re-Use shop in the South Oxfordshire area 8. Anticipated Change 8: Local Government Reorganisation leading to novation of the Contract to two or more contracting authorities Brief background to LGR in relation to the services and the intention: In accordance with the plans for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), the Contracting Authority will become either one, two or three unitary authorities. Central Government are expected to decide on the formation of Oxfordshire in summer 2026. This Contract with all property rights and liabilities will pass to the new unitary council(s) once formed, which is anticipated to be in April 2028. Three different unitary models have been submitted to replace the existing two-tier county and district council system: • One Unitary Model: Proposed by Oxfordshire County Council, creating a single, county-wide authority to manage all local services. • Two Unitary Model: Proposed by Cherwell, West Oxfordshire, South Oxfordshire, and Vale of White Horse District Councils. This splits the area into an "Oxford and Shires Council" and a "Ridgeway Council" (which includes West Berkshire). • Three Unitary Model: Proposed by Oxford City Council, featuring a "Greater Oxford Council" (the city and surrounding green belt), a "Northern Oxfordshire Council", and a "Ridgeway Council". The Contract Period will be 8 years, with a break clause anticipated at 4 years to allow for the required reorganisation following LGR. Further details are to be confirmed during the procurement period and as part of dialogue. The overall value of the 8 year Contract is estimated at approx. £59.5 million (including VAT) and £49.6 million (excluding VAT). This estimate is based on the current contract annual spend with predicated inflation and service changes which are subject to change. There will also be the option of a 3 year extension to the contract.

Classification

  • CPV90500000 — Refuse and waste related services
  • CPV90700000 — Environmental services

Lots

  • Lot 1£49.6m

Documents and notices

  • Tender notice on Find a TenderOpen source ↗
  • Please refer to the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) and accompanying instructions for the full conditions of participation requirements.Open source ↗
  • biddingDocumentsOpen source ↗

Published notice details

Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.

Scope, procedure and submissions

Id
I-1325
Status
active
Procurement Method
selective
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Main Procurement Category
services
Above Threshold
Yes
How to submit
Tenders are to be submitted through the South East Business Portal which is the tendering portal used by Oxfordshire County Council. https://sebp.due-north.com/
Expression Of Interest Deadline
20 Jul 2026, 10:00
Published risks
Local Government Reorganisation Uncertainty Risk: Local Government Reorganisation will be taking place in Oxfordshire during the lifespan of this contract. The future unitary council(s) are due to be confirmed by central government during the summer of 2026 and are therefore unknown at present. Service continuity is expected to remain stable, but there is risk around the legal/commercial mechanics of transferring, splitting, varying, or terminating the contract if the future governance model changes (e.g. 1 2 or 3 unitary councils). The contract includes a break at 4 years to allow for the LGR if required by the new unitary councils. Contract Costs Risks: The contract price will be set at award. There is a risk that the contract costs increase as operating costs may rise over the lifespan of the contract due to market inflation / materials market volatility. Increases due to bidder costs will be at the bidders risk, and the risk for the council will sit more in profit share and materials costs. Mitigations will be addressed through dialogue with bidders, as the council will be exploring contractor-funded capital equipment and plant options, but contract price will be set at award, with no opportunity to re-price during the contract term. Site Changes Risks: There are planned HWRC site changes and closures required during the lifespan of the contract. The council will share its current known position regarding these changes and their current known timelines with bidders during the dialogue phases. Additional Information Access to Procurement Documents and Portal • All procurement documents for this opportunity are available via the Council's online procurement portal 'Proactis' (the "Portal"). • Bidders must register on the Portal to access the tender documentation and to submit a response. Registration is free of charge. • To register, bidders should follow the link provided in this notice and create a supplier account. Once registered, bidders will be able to access the full suite of procurement documents, receive updates, and submit clarification questions via the Portal. • All communications relating to this procurement (including clarification questions and responses) must be conducted through the Portal. Submissions made outside of the Portal will not be accepted. • The Council reserves the right to amend or update the procurement documentation via the Portal. It is the responsibility of bidders to ensure they monitor the Portal for any updates or additional information. Reservation of Rights and disclaimer The Contracting Authority reserves the right, at its absolute discretion, to: • amend, suspend, cancel or abandon this procurement procedure at any time; • not award any contract as a result of this procurement; and • vary the structure, timetable or requirements of the procurement process. • The Contracting Authority shall not be liable for any costs, expenses or losses incurred by any economic operator arising from participation in this procurement, including where the procurement is cancelled, abandoned or does not result in an award.

Legal basis

Id
2023/54
Scheme
UKPGA

Procedure

Features
This Tender Notice relates to the award of a public contract through a Competitive Flexible Procedure in accordance with section 20(1) and 20(2)(b) of the Procurement Act 2023 ('PA 2023'). For a description of the process to be followed, including conditions of participation to be applied in the selection of suppliers, the process for submitting initial and final tenders (including dialogue sessions), and award criteria and assessment methodology, refer to the associated tender documents made available together with this Notice. The associated tender documents include the 'Procurement Specific Questionnaire' and accompanying documents are available on the e-tendering portal - South East Business Portal. The Contracting Authority reserves its right to rely on section 24 PA 2023 to refine award criteria as part of the competitive flexible procedure. Refinements to the award criteria may include but are not limited to: · refining award criteria weightings · adding sub-criteria or more detail to the sub-criteria (relevant to the existing main criteria). In addition, the Contracting Authority may also rely on section 31 PA 2023 to modify the terms of the procurement as set out in this tender notice or the associated tender documents. When assessing tenders for the purposes of contract award under section 19 PA 2023, the contracting authority will apply a set of pass/fail criteria (including minimum score thresholds) that only apply to the assessment of final tenders (and not of initial tenders). Such pass/fail criteria, and when and how they are to be applied, are fully set out in the assessment methodology. For the avoidance of doubt, applying the final tender-specific pass/fail criteria only at final tender stage (and not at initial tender stage), in accordance with the published assessment methodology, does not constitute a refinement of award criteria under section 24 nor a modification of terms of the procurement under section 31 PA 2023.

Submission terms

Electronic Submission Policy
allowed

Languages

en

Enquiry period

Ends
6 Jul 2026, 17:00

Expected award period

Ends
27 Mar 2027, 23:59

Lot Details

No Lots Division Rationale
Following pre-market engagement and feedback from the market it was determined that there would be greater interest in one contract. Further this is more likely to deliver economies of scale.

Contract terms

Financial Terms
30 days

Lots and requirements

Entry 1
Id
1
Status
active
Has Renewal
Yes
Has Options
Yes

Value

Including VAT
59,556,258
Amount
49,630,215
Currency
GBP

Award criteria

Criteria

Criterion 1
Type
price
Name
Price

Numbers

Entry 1
Number
40
Weight
percentageExact
Criterion 2
Type
quality
Name
Quality

Numbers

Entry 1
Number
50
Weight
percentageExact
Criterion 3
Type
quality
Name
Social Value

Numbers

Entry 1
Number
10
Weight
percentageExact

Selection criteria

Criteria

Criterion 1
Type
economic
Description
Please refer to the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) and accompanying instructions for the full conditions of participation requirements.
Criterion 2
Type
technical
Description
Please refer to the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) and accompanying instructions for the full conditions of participation requirements.

Suitability

Sme
Yes
Vcse
Yes

Contract period

Starts
1 Oct 2027, 00:00
Ends
30 Sept 2035, 23:59
Max Extent Date
1 Oct 2038, 00:59

Renewal

Description
the 8 year initial term with option to extend by up to 3 years in accordance with the terms of the Contract.

Options

Description
The procurement includes two Service Delivery Options for the funding of Assets: Service Delivery Option A: the Council funds all Assets. Service Delivery Option B: the Contractor funds all Assets.

Items and delivery

Item 1
Id
1
Related Lot
1

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
CPV
Id
90500000
Description
Refuse and waste related services
Entry 2
Scheme
CPV
Id
90700000
Description
Environmental services

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UKJ14
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom

Published documents

Entry 1
Id
conflictOfInterest
Document Type
conflictOfInterest
Description
Not published
Entry 2
Id
L-1
Document Type
technicalSpecifications
Description
Please refer to the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) and accompanying instructions for the full conditions of participation requirements.
Entry 3
Id
L-2
Document Type
biddingDocuments
Entry 4
Id
future
Document Type
biddingDocuments
Access Details
yes in draft format, see the portal - https://sebp.due-north.com/
Entry 5
Id
059401-2026
Document Type
tenderNotice
Notice Type
UK4
Description
Tender notice on Find a Tender
Published
24 Jun 2026, 13:01
Format
text/html

Planning and budget

No Engagement Notice Rationale
It has been published. See reference ocds-h6vhtk-051071

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1
Name
Oxfordshire County Council
Id
GB-PPON-PZNW-8281-MHNM

Identifier

Scheme
GB-PPON
Id
PZNW-8281-MHNM

Address

Street Address
County Hall, New Rd
Locality
Oxford
Postal Code
OX1 1ND
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Region
UKJ14

Contact

Roles

buyer

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
UK_CA_TYPE
Id
publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment
Description
Public authority - sub-central government

Recorded locations

  • Buyer location · Oxford · UKJ14 · OX1 1ND · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UKJ14 · United Kingdom

Notice and amendment history

1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

1 VERSION
  1. 059401-2026Tender notice on Find a Tender ·