Councils can save time and money with the new national home composting framework
Date: Thursday 11/02/10
A new framework agreement has been set up to give local authorities a simple solution to providing home composting units, accessories and related communications without having to go out to tender – saving authorities significant time and money.
The Waste Improvement Network, or WIN, (www.win.org) delivered by Improvement and Efficiency South East (IESE) has been working with ESPO – the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation, WRAP, the Better Tomorrows community interest organisation and with local authorities to procure the national home composting framework agreement which is being launched today.
The EU compliant contract has been designed to replace the WRAP home composting scheme which ended in September 2009. It is available for all councils in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to use, and enables residents to order directly from the supplier, Straight, thus requiring minimal management from councils. Straight will be providing a ‘complete solution’ which includes supply, delivery and communications material such as leaflets which can be tailored to include information and logos specific to individual councils’ needs. Additional publicity materials can be bought in if required.
Purchasing through the framework means that councils do not have to undertake their own tender process, saving time, money and benefiting significantly from economies of scale. Under the WRAP scheme a 220l compost converter was priced at £27 inclusive of VAT which included delivery and marketing support materials. By comparison, through the new framework’s managed solution schedule, the same unit including marketing support materials can be purchased by residents for just £11.91 +VAT plus £4.26 +VAT delivery charge per order providing a saving of around 30%. Provision has also been made for councils to apply a subsidy to the prices if required.
WIN has worked with local authorities across the country throughout the procurement process to ensure that the contract meets the varying needs of councils. Marten Gregory, Waste Reduction Officer at Dorset County Council was a member of WIN’s local authority consultation group and commented “Through the consultation group, local authorities were involved in the development of the specification at a number of key stages, this meant we were able to fully engage with the process and really understand how the Composting Framework would work for councils.”
In addition to composting units, the agreement also provides wormeries, kitchen composters and compostable liners. It is part of a wider contract which includes a comprehensive range of refuse and recycling products.
WIN have been working closely with WRAP to ensure that councils will continue to receive assistance with communications and information. WRAP will maintain support and assistance through their Waste Reduction Advisors, Helpline, Website and publicity materials and the Recycle Now iconography will continue to feature on all communications material related to the scheme.
More details, including how to access the framework agreement can be found at win.org.uk/compostingframework with comprehensive information regarding communications and publicity available from February 5th.