PRO004877- Tankering & Industrial Cleaning Framework

United Utilities Water Limited is launching a single integrated framework to replace its existing fragmented arrangements for Tankering, Industrial Cleaning and Water Sludge Cake services across its water, wastewater, network and bioresources operations. The framework will streamline the procurement of planned, reactive and emergency operational services, provisioning suppliers with a compliant route to market for the collection, movement, transport, discharge and disposal of wastewater, sludge, sludge cake, solids, grit, and other associated materials. By consolidating these essential activities, United Utilities aims to ensure continued operational resilience and environmental stewardship within its asset portfolio.

The framework has been divided into three distinct lots. Lot 1 covers Tankering Services, including loading, collection, transport, transfer, and discharge of a broad range of waste streams, inter‑works sludge transfer, wastewater transfer, process tankering, solids haulage, and incident support during capacity constraints or emergencies. Lot 2 focuses on Industrial Cleaning Services, encompassing planned and emergency cleaning of operational wastewater and sludge‑related assets through emptying, desilting, de‑gritting, washdown, jetting, vacuumation, screening, pumping, and containment of waste materials. Lot 3 addresses Water Sludge Cake and Water Sludge Services, providing collection, loading, transport, haulage, transfer, and operational spreading of waterworks sludge cake, liquid sludge and associated solids between United Utilities sites and approved destinations.

Suppliers admitted to the framework will be evaluated against United Utilities’ minimum technical, operational, commercial, health and safety, environmental, transport and compliance requirements, with active call‑offs determined through separate competitions. The framework will operate for an initial four‑year term with options for two additional two‑year extensions, reflecting the company’s need for flexibility and performance continuity. All supplied services must meet relevant industry technical standards and compliance protocols.

United Utilities Water Limited is procuring a single integrated framework for Tankering, Industrial Cleaning and Water Sludge Cake services across its water, wastewater, network and bioresources operations. The framework will replace existing fragmented legacy arrangements and provide a compliant route to market for planned, reactive and emergency operational services. The services include the collection, movement, transport and discharge of wastewater, sludge, sludge cake, solids and associated materials; industrial cleaning of operational wastewater, network, treatment and bioresources assets; and the collection, haulage, transfer and operational spreading of waterworks sludge cake and liquid sludge. The framework is expected to be split into three lots: Lot 1 Tankering Services, Lot 2 Industrial Cleaning Services, and Lot 3 Water Sludge Cake / Water Sludge Services. Suppliers admitted to the framework will be assessed as meeting United Utilities’ minimum technical, operational, commercial, health and safety, environmental, transport and compliance requirements. Admission to the framework will not guarantee work. Specific operational requirements will be allocated through separate call-off competitions, which will determine the Active Call-off Suppliers for relevant service areas, regions, asset types and capacity requirements. Other approved framework suppliers may be used for back-up, resilience, overflow, emergency or continuity requirements where Active Call-off Suppliers cannot meet demand.

Communication: https://uk.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_s.asp?PID=105787&TID100110910&B=
Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: En
Enquiry deadline: 2026-06-08T11:00:00+00:00
Submission address and any special instructions: https://uk.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_s.asp?PID=105787&TID100110910&B=
Tenders may be submitted electronically: allowed
Award decision date (estimated): 2026-10-26T23:59:59Z

Lot number: LOT-0001
Description: Lot 1 covers the provision of Tankering Services across United Utilities’ wastewater, network and bioresources operations. Services may include planned, reactive and emergency tankering; loading, collection, transport, transfer and discharge of wastewater, sludge, thickened sludge, sludge cake, solids, grit, screenings and associated materials; interworks sludge transfer; wastewater transfer; process tankering; solids haulage; and operational support during incidents, capacity constraints, maintenance, outages or emergency events.
Lot value (estimated)
160.000.000,00 GBP excluding VAT
192.000.000,00 GBP including VAT
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals: The framework agreement is expected to operate for an initial term of 4 years, with the option to extend for two further periods of 2 years each. The maximum total framework term is therefore up to 8 years. Any extension will be at United Utilities’ discretion and subject to the final framework terms, ongoing operational requirements, supplier performance, value for money, service continuity, and continued business need.

Lot number: LOT-0002
Description: Lot 2 covers the provision of Industrial Cleaning Services across United Utilities’ wastewater, network, treatment and bioresources operations. Services may include planned, reactive and emergency cleaning; emptying, desilting, de-ragging, de-gritting, washdown, vacuumation, jetting, screening, pumping, removal, containment and clearance of materials from operational wastewater and sludge-related assets.
Lot value (estimated)
150.000.000,00 GBP excluding VAT
180.000.000,00 GBP including VAT
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals: The framework agreement is expected to operate for an initial term of 4 years, with the option to extend for two further periods of 2 years each. The maximum total framework term is therefore up to 8 years. Any extension will be at United Utilities’ discretion and subject to the final framework terms, ongoing operational requirements, supplier performance, value for money, service continuity, and continued business need.

Lot number: LOT-0003
Description: Lot 3 covers the provision of Water Sludge Cake / Water Sludge Services across United Utilities’ water treatment and bioresources operations. Services may include the collection, loading, transport, haulage, transfer and operational spreading of waterworks sludge cake, liquid sludge and associated sludge materials between United Utilities sites, operational locations and approved destinations.
Lot value (estimated)
17.000.000,00 GBP excluding VAT
20.400.000,00 GBP including VAT
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals: The framework agreement is expected to operate for an initial term of 4 years, with the option to extend for two further periods of 2 years each. The maximum total framework term is therefore up to 8 years. Any extension will be at United Utilities’ discretion and subject to the final framework terms, ongoing operational requirements, supplier performance, value for money, service continuity, and continued business need.

Award criteria:

Name	Type	Weighting
Technical	quality	80%
Commercial	price	20%