Scope
Reference
PURCON/5078
Description
The University of East Anglia (UEA) is an internationally renowned university based in a campus that provides top quality academic, social and cultural facilities to over 17,000 students and 2,500 staff.
The UEA has been ranked in the top 20 in the UK for its research quality, in the Complete University Guide's UK top 30 and has achieved the green flag award for 9 years running.
Located in 370 acres of rolling parkland but just two miles from the centre of the cathedral city of Norwich, the University is adjacent to the Norwich Research Park which is home to over 1,000 scientists working in several world ranked institutions.
A total of over 17,000 students are currently studying at the University, including non-UK students from more than 100 countries worldwide.
Founded in 1963 and located on a single campus (the "Campus") on the western fringe of Norwich, the University is respected for both its research and its teaching, attracting students from across the world.
The previous procurement activity awarded a framework of suppliers with the requirements split into Lots, resulting in multiple contractors. This has resulted in some inefficiencies within waste collection and processing.
Waste types include, but are not limited to:
- General waste, recycling, glass, food, bulky general, POPs, plasterboard and gypsum, green waste, general road sweeper, wood (including pallets), offensive waste (bagged)
- Confidential waste
- Chemical and hazardous
- WEEE, portable batteries, light tubes and bulbs, toner and ink cartridges
- Clinical
The UEA's collections cover 5 days per week and the schedule is required to remain consistent to minimise any disruption to access around the campus. There may be ad-hoc weekend collection requirements around student exit periods for example.
The waste output from academic year 24/25 is 4,057.38MT which included 2,685.06MT from construction and demolition. There is potential for this to increase depending on linked contractor agreements on campus.
Procurement Process:
The UEA intends to award a single contract for all services to promote a partnership approach, enabling innovative investment and providing cost benefits. We believe this approach will provide a positive working relationship, providing a stable, consistent service with a partner who will support the UEA in achieving environmental and sustainability objectives.
UEA intends to use a competitive flexible procedure with a two stage evaluation process. This is currently intended to include stage one with conditions of participation and qualitative evaluation questions, stage two to potentially include presentation of innovation and investment and BAFO (best and final offer) with the highest scoring two suppliers. This approach is not definite and may change before UEA issues any tender documents.
The UEA is intending to award a contract of 10 years from commencement, with an option to extend for a further 5 years.
Contract spend is expected to be £440k annually across all services.
The current contracts end 31/07/2026, an indicative procurement timetable is below, any new service will need to be implemented in time for the contract commencement date:
08/12/2025 - Pre Market Engagement notice published
09/01/2026 - Pre Market Engagement supplier response deadline
02/02/2026 - Tender issued to market
06/04/2026 - All evaluations complete
04/05/2026 - Contract signed
May/June/July 2026 - Mobilisation
01/08/2026 - New services commence
UEA is under no obligation to proceed with a competitive process following this market engagement.
Total value (estimated)
- £6,600,000 excluding VAT
- £7,920,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2036
- Possible extension to 31 July 2041
- 15 years
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 90511000 - Refuse collection services
- 90520000 - Radioactive-, toxic-, medical- and hazardous waste services
Contract locations
- UKH15 - Norwich and East Norfolk
Engagement
Engagement deadline
9 January 2026
Engagement process description
Please use our Microsoft form linked below to engage with UEA on this requirement.
We would appreciate any and all feedback relating to this requirement.
Participation
Particular suitability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Submission
Publication date of tender notice (estimated)
2 February 2026
Contracting authority
UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA
- Companies House: RC000651
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PCCY-8551-ZNDY
Norwich Research Park
Norwich
NR4 7TJ
United Kingdom
Email: procurement@uea.ac.uk
Website: http://uea.ac.uk
Region: UKH15 - Norwich and East Norfolk
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government