Scottish Water is seeking to better understand the market for Bioresource treatment and recovery/recycling services including supplier capabilities and operational models. This engagement is intended to inform Scottish Waters’s understanding of the market and help develop the procurement strategy.

Scottish Water is interested to hear from suppliers who can supply all or part of the service and will consider multi source options when developing the procurement strategy.

1. Bioresource Treatment
To provide treatment and recycling or recovery for approximately 90,000 wet tonnes of sludge, equivalent to 22,000 tonnes of dry solids, per annum. This is the total estimated volume to be treated and treatment does not need to be limited to one location.

Suppliers must provide their own facilities for treatment. Import storage must provide contingency capacity in the event of equipment or process failure. The service must be able to accept vehicles of all sizes, operate with full transparency, and provide import capability seven days a week.

All types of suitable treatment and recycling/recovery options will be considered.

The scope may also include the requirement to treat liquid imports.

2. Seasonal & Emergency Response
The service must be flexible enough to accept increased volumes during periods of higher cake production, with the potential to receive imports 24 hours a day in an emergency. It must also be able to accept ad hoc loads from alternative origins, and planned maintenance must not affect imports.

3. Recycling/Recovery
The service must provide full recycling or recovery in accordance with regulatory requirements, including transport to the relevant recycling or recovery locations and full transparency across all records. Where material is recycled to agriculture, BAS accreditation will be required for treatment, transport, storage and application to land.

4. Performance and Continuous Improvement
Improved outcomes will be achieved through effective performance management, reporting, innovation, resource planning and collaborative working with Scottish Water.

5. Contract Duration
The proposed contract duration is four years, with the option for a further four years’ worth of extensions, assuming delivery begins in early 2028. The overall contract term will be determined by delivery of Scottish Water’s long-term plan.

The proposed duration is indicative at this stage and may be adjusted prior to the procurement.

6. Estimated Value
Estimated annual spend is approximately £6m per annum, comprising of sludge treatment and recycling/recovery activities. The final scope will be confirmed following market engagement and may be adjusted prior to procurement.

7. Information Required from Interest Suppliers
Company Name
Primary Contact
Contact Details (Email/Phone)
Detail Relevant Service Offerings/Capabilities
Location of Services and Geographical Coverage
Previous Experience in the Water/Waste Treatment Sector
SME Status

8. Market Engagement
Interested parties should submit the information requested and register their interest to thomas.watson@scottishwater.co.uk no later than 28th October 2026. Scottish Water may subsequently engage with respondents to discuss relevant experience and supporting information in more detail.

Scottish Water will manage this process in an open and transparent manner to maximise the potential benefits. Participation or non-participation in informal discussions will neither preclude participation in, nor provide any advantage or disadvantage to, suppliers in any subsequent procurement process.

Direct or indirect canvassing of any Scottish Water representative concerning this procurement, or any attempt to obtain information relating to this Prior Information Notice outside of the formal process described in this document, may result in disqualification from this procurement and may be taken into consideration in future procurement activities.