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arc21 seeks short term contractors as EfW appeal looms

The council-run arc21 group has begun procurement for short term deals to process residual waste, while it appeals a decision to refuse its plans for an energy recovery plant.

The EfW proposal was in the planning process for 8 years, with the decision to refuse planning permission currently being challenged

The deal is intended to allow arc21 councils to have contractors in place as part of a framework, to be appointed as needed.

In a contract notice published on Saturday (6 August) arc21 said it is seeking to appoint contractors on four lots, with the total deal lasting up to eight years. The framework has been valued at  up to £970 million in total.

Currently, residual waste from the six councils in the group goes to landfill either to Alpha Resource Ltd or Biffa, but some councils have direct arrangements with other local contractors for treatment/recovery and/or disposal.

Contract

The lots are split as provision of the following:

Lot 1: Services concerning residual kerbside collections and residual waste from commercial/trade collections
Lot 2: Services concerning residual waste from Household Waste Recycling Centres
Lot 3: Services concerning combined residual kerbside waste from commercial/trade collections and HWRC waste
Lot 4: Services concerning other residual waste streams such as street litter, bulky waste, fly tipped waste that has not or cannot be combined in any of the Lots

Each lot has a duration of four years, and could remain live for a further four, and can be renewed if required.

Contract notice

A spokesperson for arc21 explained to letsrecycle.com that some of the existing contracts are coming to an end and will be procured through the first tranche of call off competitions while other contracts still have time left in them so won’t be part of first phase.

The deadline for applications has been set for noon on 5 September, after which they will be reviewed, with the first round of call-off competitions expected to take place in September or October.

The arc21 spokesperson added: “The scheme will however remain open for new entrants throughout its life but only those entities who are pre-qualified at the date of each call-off competition will be invited to tender as part of the call-off competition.”

A date for the judicial review has not been set yet but is expected in autumn, according to an Indaver spokesperson.

EfW

The move comes after arc21’s planning application for an EfW plant in Newtownabbey was rejected by Minister Nichola Mallon on the grounds that it would “discourage recycling” (see letsrecycle.com story).

The EfW proposal was in the planning process for 8 years and at this stage the decision to refuse planning permission is being challenged (see letsrecycle.com story).

The £240 million facility was being proposed by Indaver and arc21 with a planned capacity of up to 300,000 tonnes.

arc21

arc21 previously included 11 councils, but now comprises six after a number of Northern Irish local authorities merged in 2015  into new ‘super’ councils.

The six arc21 councils are: Antrim and Newtownabbey borough, Ards and North Down Borough, Belfast city, Lisburn & Castlereagh city, Mid and East Antrim borough and Newry, Mourne and Down district.

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