Waste Management
Framework Description
Waste Management is an APUC framework for universities and colleges in Scotland, split into nine lots: five regional lots for general waste, recyclates and recoverables, and four specialist lots for WEEE, chemical, clinical and biological, and confidential waste. Applications for this framework are closed (it is not a DPS), with the current term ending on 13 October 2027 and an option to extend by 12 months to 13 October 2028.
Context & Use Case
Estates and sustainability teams use it for routine campus waste collections in their region and for the specialist streams universities generate, such as laboratory chemicals, clinical and biological waste from research and teaching, IT disposals and confidential papers. Buyers can use a different supplier for each stream, all under one framework.
Scope of Services
A1 General Waste, Recyclates & Recoverables - Edinburgh, Lothians, Borders & Stirlingshire A2 - Central, West & South of Scotland A3 - Perth, Fife, Dundee & Angus A4 - Grampians: Aberdeenshire A5 - North of Scotland: Highlands & Islands B WEEE & Associated Materials; C Chemical Substances & Materials D Clinical & Biological Materials E Confidential Waste
Lots
A1 - General Waste, Recyclates & Recoverables - Edinburgh, Lothians, Borders & Stirlingshire; A2 - General Waste, Recyclates & Recoverables - Central, West & South of Scotland; A3 - General Waste, Recyclates & Recoverables - Perth, Fife, Dundee & Angus; A4 - General Waste, Recyclates & Recoverables - Grampians: Aberdeenshire; A5 - General Waste, Recyclates & Recoverables - North of Scotland: Highlands & Islands; B - WEEE & Associated Materials; C - Chemical Substances & Materials; D - Clinical & Biological Materials; E - Confidential Waste
Who Can Apply
Waste contractors not appointed cannot join until APUC re-tenders, around 13 October 2027 or a year later if extended. Regional waste firms suit the A lots, while licensed specialists in WEEE, chemical, clinical or confidential waste can target lots B to E without covering general waste.
Buyer Benefits
Universities carry legal duties for every waste stream, so they want licensed contractors, clear waste transfer documentation and recycling data for sustainability reporting. Splitting general waste by region and specialist waste by type gives buyers the right expertise for each stream without separate tenders.
Next Steps
Read the APUC notice on Public Contracts Scotland (NOV518682). Decide which regional or specialist lots match your licences and depots, and prepare permits, carrier registrations, recycling and diversion data and higher education references. Watch for APUC's extension decision, which sets whether the re-tender comes in 2027 or 2028.
How Athena Can Help
With nine lots, waste contractors need to bid where their permits and depots give them an edge. Athena's bid/no-bid and lot selection work identifies those lots, and our framework compliance preparation assembles permits, policies and case studies ahead of APUC's re-tender.
When the tender opens, our bid managers and pricing modellers write the method statements, price each lot to win and run a final compliance check, so the submission reflects your real operating costs.
