Six firms shortlisted for South West Devon PFI
11 May 2009
Six bidders have been shortlisted by the South West Devon Waste Partnership to compete for its £800 million, PFI-funded waste treatment contract.
The Partnership - which is made up of Plymouth city council, Torbay council and Devon county council - has announced the list after receiving the bidders' outline solutions on April 24.
The six bidders in the running for the 25-year contract, which is expected to involve treating around 200,000 tonnes-a-year of residual waste, are:
• MVV Umwelt - German energy-from-waste technology specialists
• SITA UK - French-owned waste management company
• Shanks Waste Solutions - Milton Keynes-based waste and recycling firm
• Urbaser SA - Spanish-based waste and recycling company
• Veolia - French-owned waste management firm
• Viridor - Devon-based waste and recycling company
The partnership has said that two further companies - believed to be Amey Cespa and Waste Recycling Group - also pre-qualified to submit a bid but have since withdrawn from the procurement process.
Technology
The project was awarded £95 million in PFI credits from Defra in October 2008 (see letsrecycle.com story), based on a preferred technology of energy-from-waste, and the partnership has also identified four potential locations for facilities - Coypool, Ernesettle, New England Quarry and Wrangaton.
However, it has stressed that the final choice of technology and site will be made by the successful bidder.
Scoping
The six companies can now begin the 'scoping' process, which involves them submitting requests for 'scoping opinions' from organisations involved in planning, such as local planning authorities.
These will help them to gauge just what factors they might need to consider if they do make a formal planning application.
And, the South West Devon Waste Partnership (SWDWP) revealed that Viridor had already requested a scoping opinion from Devon county council for the potential of building an energy-from-waste facility with non-hazardous landfill and new road access at the New England Quarry site, which it already owns.
Process
Commenting on the procurement process to data, the SWDWP project director, Mark Turner, said: "It is important that people understand the difference between the initial scoping enquiries and the formal planning process. Scoping gathers basic information from organisations (rather than individuals) to see what environmental factors might need to be considered in making a planning application.
"This might involve transport and traffic movements, habitat and wildlife considerations, air quality, visual and noise elements. It means that companies can get more of an idea about the factors they will need to consider for a specific site. It's important that they can get as much information as possible as it may affect their final costs, operations and ultimately whether they decide to proceed with a particular location.
"In contrast, the formal planning application is a prescribed process, when the applicant sets out their intended plans and everyone - organisations and individuals including the general public alike, can give their feedback on the proposals. The plans, along with any comments, are considered by the planning committee, who decide whether approval can be granted so the proposals can go ahead," he added.
List
Related links
The Partnership has said that it now plans to further narrow down the list of bidders in "early summer", when those left in the running will then be asked to develop detailed plans for the bid.
It plans to invite final tenders in 2010, before awarding the contract next autumn.
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