Secure Shredding and Disposal Services
Framework Description
ESPO's Secure Shredding and Disposal Services framework (reference 981_23) offers public bodies a choice of vetted providers for secure shredding and confidential waste disposal, on site and off site. It has seven lots, including one for high-security shredding to NPSA standards, was procured under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and is not a DPS. It runs from 18 December 2023 to 31 January 2027.
Context & Use Case
Schools, councils, NHS bodies and other public organisations use 981_23 to dispose of confidential paper and media in line with data protection duties. They choose between shredding at their own premises or at the provider's site, priced by weight or by collection frequency, and can add high-security destruction for sensitive material. Buyers complete ESPO's Access & Confidentiality Agreement to view the documents.
Scope of Services
Lot 1: On-site shredding (price per kilo) Lot 2: On-site scheduled collections (by frequency) Lot 3: Off-site shredding (price per kilo) Lot 4: Off-site scheduled collections (by frequency) Lot 5: On-site and off-site high-security shredding to NPSA standards Lots 6–7: On-site and off-site additional services
Lots
Lot 1 On Site Shredding (based on weight –price per kilo); Lot 2 On Site Scheduled Collections based on frequency of collections; Lot 3 Off Site Shredding (based on weight –price per kilo); Lot 4 Off Site Scheduled Collections based on frequency of collection; Lot 5 On Site & Off Site High Security Shredding to NPSA standards; Lot 6: On site Additional Services; Lot 7: Off site Additional Services
Who Can Apply
Suits confidential waste and shredding companies with secure vehicles, vetted staff and destruction certification. Applications for 981_23 are closed, so new providers cannot join. It ends on 31 January 2027, so a replacement procurement is the next opportunity.
Buyer Benefits
Buyers can pick the pricing model that suits their volumes, weight-based for occasional clear-outs or frequency-based for regular collections, and choose on-site destruction where material must not leave the premises. The NPSA-standard lot gives a route for the most sensitive material without a separate specialist tender.
Next Steps
The framework ends on 31 January 2027, so check the 981_23 page on espo.org and Find a Tender now for a replacement or any extension. Have your destruction certificates, BS EN 15713 or equivalent compliance evidence, staff vetting records and public sector references ready, and decide which pricing models and lots you can genuinely serve.
How Athena Can Help
With 981_23 ending in early 2027, timing matters. Athena's framework application team can prepare your submission for the replacement, from selection questions to security and data protection responses, and check it for compliance before it goes in.
If you are already appointed, our bid managers can help you win the remaining call-offs, and our public sector bidding experts can help price per-kilo and per-collection rates so you win without giving away margin.
