Scope
Reference
GMCA 1185
Description
Under the national Resources and Waste strategy and requirements of Simpler Recycling policy, waste collection authorities (WCAs) that are part of the GMCA waste management arrangements will be required to make changes to current dry, mixed recycling (DMR) collections increasing the range of materials to be collected.
The existing materials recovery facility (MRF) at Longley Lane, Sharston does not have the capacity or the sorting equipment required to process these additional materials.
GMCA (the Authority) is therefore looking to procure the design, build, installation, commissioning, and testing of new commingled dry recyclable material processing systems to be installed within the existing building at the Salford Road, Over Hulton, Bolton site to create a new Mechanical Recovery Facility (MRF).
The Salford Road site building has previously operated as an In-Vessel Composting facility and most recently a Bio Transfer Loading Station. The previous equipment has been removed and internal structure of the building refurbished to provide a clean operational space to accommodate new recyclable sorting equipment.
On completion of the works the site will be able to process commingled dry recyclable material collected from households across Greater Manchester, with plant outputs in the form of loose material (glass) or baled recyclable materials, with a capacity 140,000 tonnes per annum of input commingled material.
The new plant is expected to operate across two x 8 hours shifts daily (Monday - Friday) plus one additional 8-hour shift (Saturday). It is expected to employ one 8-hour daily cleaning shift (Monday - Friday).
Maintenance which cannot be completed with the plant "on-line" will be scheduled for non-operational periods, i.e. overnight and at weekends.
The key objectives of the procurement are:
• That the Works are executed with the highest regard for Health and Safety.
• In considering Plant performance, the design and equipment selection shall consider the following objectives:
o High equipment availability
o High equipment reliability over the long term
o Consideration of Capital vs Operational Costs to produce the lowest total cost of ownership
o Minimising low-grade operator roles through the use of automated processes
o The use of AI to enhance capture and purity rates of materials
o Good access for maintenance, demonstrated through HAZOP and Access, Lifting and Maintenance workshops
o Good design and access for regular cleaning
o High capture rate and purity of Aluminium
o High capture rate and purity of natural HDPE
o High capture rate and purity of clear PET
o High capture rate of glass
o High capture rate of film
o Flexibility in the design to allow for the future capture of new materials, or to adapt to changes in market specifications of existing materials (eg purity levels), or to allow integration of AI/automation
Civil works do not form part of this procurement.
Following the Pre-Market Engagement Events, which were carried out on Monday 30th June 2025 and Wednesday 2nd July 2025, the Authority will now commence with the Competitive Flexible Procedure.
The Authority reserves the right to issue updated versions (Modifications) of the documents to Suppliers as and when the need arises, in order to reflect the corresponding stage of the Competitive Flexible Procedure, together with any changes to the Procurement or any other new information.
The Authority also reserves the right following contract award, as reflected in Schedule 8 of the new Procurement Act 2023, to make various Modifications (unforeseen at this moment) as the contract evolves over the full term of the agreement.
In order to bid for this procurement, interested parties must ensure they are registered on the Central Digital Platform (https://www.gov.uk/find-Tender) and the Chest e-tendering portal (www.the-chest.org.uk).
Total value (estimated)
- £20,000,000 excluding VAT
- £24,000,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 20 April 2026 to 19 August 2027
- Possible extension to 19 February 2028
- 1 year, 10 months
Description of possible extension:
The contract period will be for 16 months with the option to extend for up to an additional 6 months. It is intended for the contract to commence in April 2026.
Main procurement category
Goods
CPV classifications
- 42914000 - Recycling equipment
- 42990000 - Miscellaneous special-purpose machinery
- 71323000 - Engineering-design services for industrial process and production
Contract locations
- UKD3 - Greater Manchester
Submission
Submission type
Requests to participate
Deadline for requests to participate
17 October 2025, 1:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
All Tenders must be submitted through The Chest, the North West Procurement portal, and can be accessed using the following link: www.the-chest.org.uk. For the avoidance of doubt, submissions made by any other method will not be accepted.
Documents must be downloaded from the Chest and reviewed in detail before Bidders submit any responses.
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
20 April 2026
Award criteria
| Name | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Technical | Quality | 60% |
| Commercial | Price | 40% |
Other information
Description of risks to contract performance
1. Known Risk
Due to the volatility of the international economic global economy including (but not limited to) war and conflict, and the trade tariffs imposed by the United States and China in 2025, there is a risk that the supply chain of goods into the United Kingdom could be affected resulting in scarcity of supply and additional or increased costs for the goods. The materialisation of this risk would need to be demonstrated to the Authority by clear evidence of the impact of the global economy on the supply chain and costs of goods to be provided under the Contract as detailed in the Specification. The Authority, acting reasonably, will determine whether they are satisfied with the evidence prior to any modification of the Contract.
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Competitive flexible procedure description
This Competitive Flexible Procedure (CFP) procurement process is being conducted in adherence with the Procurement Act 2023.
This CFP will consist of three stages:
Stage 1 - Selection Stage/Conditions of Participation
Stage 2 - Invitation to Tender
Stage 3 - Detailed Negotiation & Best and Final Offer/Design
This Tender Notice will commence the start of Stage 1 of the process.
Details of the step-by-step process, and detailed requirements are provided within the documents attached to the opportunity that can be found by visiting the GMCA's e-tendering portal, The Chest: https://www.the-chest.org.uk/
Contracting authority
Greater Manchester Combined Authority
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PXBN-3793-LCTQ
56 Oxford Street
Manchester
M1 6EU
United Kingdom
Region: UKD33 - Manchester
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government