If successful, AmeyCespa will replace Biffa subsidiary Island Waste which has held a contract with the council since 1997 and which expires in October 2015. The Island Waste contract was one of the very earliest long-term waste management contracts awarded in the UK.
The Executive of the Isle of Wight Council met on Tuesday (June 23) and agreed AmeyCespa as the preferred bidder with Veolia as a reserve bidder, allowing, it said “details to be finalised in relation to the contract before its final award”.
The preferred bidder was selected “following an extensive and detailed tendering process and evaluation of the various bidders’ proposals, set against strict criteria developed by the council”, an authority statement said.
The preferred and reserve bidders were the two final bidders from an initial five submissions (the other original contenders were: Biffa; Viridor with Serco; and FCC Environment). Both AmeyCespa and Veolia are said to have included “a range of innovative solutions in their proposals, designed to maximise value for money for the council”.
As well as recycling and waste collection and treatment, in line with the council’s sustainability objectives the new contract includes a requirement to operate a re-use and waste minimisation service.
Executive member for sustainability, environment and public realm, Councillor Luisa Hillard, said: “We are very pleased to have selected our preferred bidder for the new contract to deliver waste collection and treatment services for the Island over the next few decades.
“Both bids were very high quality and this has been a thorough and very complex process. I am confident that this long-term contract will be future proof, in accordance with good practice and will build on lessons learned from the past.”
Affordable
“Cllr Hillard added: “We have ensured the new contract is affordable and offers value for money to our residents while achieving the best possible recycling rates and increased sustainability. It also promises to deliver real community and social benefit for the Island.”
Council leader, Councillor Jonathan Bacon, said: “This new contract is a huge step forward for the Isle of Wight and follows an extensive and highly detailed procurement process to ensure we have a modern, efficient and effective waste collection and treatment service for many years to come.”
The treatment route for unrecyclable waste proposed by AmeyCespa has not been disclosed by the Isle of Wight Council. At present some goes to the Energos gasification plant on the island which has had a chequered history.
However, AmeyCespa has a recent relationship with Energos in Milton Keynes as Energos is supplying the technology for AmeyCespa’s Milton Keynes waste recovery plant project. Energos is building what has been termed as an advanced conversion facility for “black bag waste” at Milton Keynes. Accordingly, it would seem likely that AmeyCespa may well choose to use the Energos facility, potentially with some upgrades.
Hampshire
Should Veolia end up with the contract, as reserve bidder, it might be more likely to send residual waste from the island to its energy from waste plants which are situated across the Solent in Hampshire.
The core services under the new contract will include: the collection, treatment and disposal of household waste and recyclable material; the provision of civic amenity sites and bottle banks; the provision of reuse and minimisation services; and the treatment and disposal of waste delivered by third parties.
Under the terms of the deal, the council is asking bidders to draw up plans that will see the council achieve a 90% landfill diversion rate by 2025, as well as a combined recycling and composting rate of 55% by 2020, rising to 60% by 2025.
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