Scope
Reference
C400424
Description
Somerset Integrated Care Board (ICB) is seeking a provider with the capability and capacity to deliver a Primary Care healthcare waste collection and disposal service to General Practice and Community Pharmacy. The services in the tender include:
1. Collection & transport of healthcare waste and pharmaceutical waste
2. Storage of healthcare waste and pharmaceutical waste
3. Treatment of healthcare waste and pharmaceutical waste
4. Incineration of healthcare waste and pharmaceutical waste
5. Provision of reusable and single use containers for healthcare waste and pharmaceutical waste
6. Decontamination of reusable containers for healthcare waste and pharmaceutical waste
7. Promoting waste segregation and compliance
8. Healthcare and pharmaceutical waste tracking data including Duty of Care compliance
The commissioner has a maximum financial envelope available of £386,000 per annum, inclusive of VAT. The total maximum contract value for the 5-year Contract is £1,930,000, inclusive VAT. At the end of the initial contract term the Commissioner will have extension options of up to 4 years in total, made of 2 x 24 month periods, which will be awarded at the Commissioner's discretion, giving a maximum possible contract value of £3,474,000 inclusive of VAT over 9 years if the full contract term is fulfilled.
The Commissioner is of the view that TUPE does not apply to this service
The new contract will commence on the 1st of October 2026 with mobilisation planned from April 2026
Total value (estimated)
- £2,895,000 excluding VAT
- £3,474,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2031
- Possible extension to 30 September 2035
- 9 years
Description of possible extension:
The contract may be extended for up to a further 4 years, made up of 2 x 24 month extension periods, which may be exercised at the commissioner's discretion.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 90524100 - Clinical-waste collection services
- 90524200 - Clinical-waste disposal services
Contract locations
- UKK23 - Somerset
Justification for not using lots
• The service has not been split into separate lots such as collection and disposal/treatment. Since managing multiple contracts would make the combined service disproportionality expensive for the commissioner to manage.
• Multiple contracts for the delivery of this service could increase technical risk and add uncertainty to which party is responsible and accountable, thereby making the management of contract liability between parties more complex.
Participation
Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation
The ITT documentation within the e-procurement system sets out the minimum level of economic and financial standing threshold within the evaluation criteria for this procurement.
Technical ability conditions of participation
The ITT documentation within the e-procurement system sets out the technical ability conditions of participation within the evaluation criteria for this procurement.
Particular suitability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Submission
Tender submission deadline
16 December 2025, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Interested providers will be able to view this opportunity via the live opportunities list on the 'Health Family' e-procurement system, Atamis. Click on 'View our Live Opportunities' from the home page, available on the following link: https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome.
Once you have found the opportunity (via the search function, using the title or reference number), to gain full access to the bid documentation (including questionnaires), you will need to click on 'Register interest' - this will take you to the log-in page.
If you are not already registered on the system, you will need to do so before gaining full access to the documentation and be able to submit a bid.
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
7 April 2026
Award criteria
| Name | Description | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality | Quality | 60% | |
| Price | Price | 25% | |
| Social Value | Quality | 10% | |
| Value for Money | Value for Money and Financial risk management |
Price | 5% |
Other information
Description of risks to contract performance
• Regulatory Shift; more stringent environmental legislation and/or updates to technical guidance (HTM 07-01 revisions) e.g. Expansion of the Emissions Trading scheme for Waste incineration.
• Increase in demand for plastic recycling exceeds growth in recycling capacity
• Emergence of electric HGV into the market in the next 5-10 years and uncertainty of their charging requirements, range and viability (Particularly in rural areas).
• Potential requirement for new infrastructure, equipment and containers, for example recyclable cardboard containers
• Clustering or Merging of Commissioning organisation,
• Market Volatility; Fluctuations in the cost of fuel, labour, and disposal processes (e.g., incineration costs)
Please see Known Risks described in Appendix 11 of the tender documentation for further details.
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Justification for not publishing a preliminary market engagement notice
Market Engagement has been conducted, please see related notices: Healthcare Waste Services in General Practice and Community Pharmacy
Notice identifier2025/S 000-010158Published19 March 2025, 2:02pm: Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04ef15
Notice identifier2025/S 000-043231 Published25 July 2025, 3:26pm: Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04ef15
Documents
Associated tender documents
https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
Interested providers will be able to view this opportunity via the live opportunities list on the 'Health Family' e-procurement system, Atamis. Click on 'View our Live Opportunities' from the home page, available on the following link: https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome.
Once you have found the opportunity (via the search function, using the title or reference number), to gain full access to the bid documentation (including questionnaires), you will need to click on 'Register interest' - this will take you to the log-in page.
If you are not already registered on the system, you will need to do so before gaining full access to the documentation and be able to submit a bid.
Contracting authority
NHS SOMERSET INTEGRATED CARE BOARD
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PWYW-4754-LMYV
Wynford House, Lufton Way
Yeovil
BA22 8HR
United Kingdom
Region: UKK23 - Somerset
Organisation type: Public authority - central government
Other organisation
These organisations are carrying out the procurement, or part of it, on behalf of the contracting authorities.
NHS South Central and West CSU
Summary of their role in this procurement: Procurement support
- NHS Organisation Data Service: 0DF
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PXTZ-5316-XWPW
Omega House, 112 Southampton Road
Eastleigh
SO50 5PB
United Kingdom
Email: scwcsu.clinical.procurement@nhs.net
Website: https://www.scwcsu.nhs.uk/
Region: UKJ35 - South Hampshire