The Project and Programme Management Award Shortlist

The Waste Infrastructure Procurement Programme Team, Welsh Government

The WG’s Waste Infrastructure Procurement Programme (WPP) team was established to deliver sustainable waste-treatment infrastructure and ensure local authorities meet their EU waste targets as well as the more ambitious Welsh recycling targets.

The prime vehicle for this is the development of an integrated network of waste-treatment infrastructure projects. The WPP team has been facilitating the delivery of this through two major procurement programmes – for residual waste treatment and food waste treatment. In total, these programmes have a combined capital value of approximately £0.6bn and £3bn revenue over a 25-year contract period.

TThe Programme team developed innovative investment and procurement strategies, a rigorous quality assurance regime, and a strong collaborative culture. These complex, high-risk, long-term procurements are critical to Wales avoiding substantial EU fines and in achieving Welsh recycling targets.

The programme is already evidencing significant savings compared to the reference solution, estimated at some £30m to date. As well as releasing funding against procurement progress, we manage Welsh Government support (25 per cent of the lifetime cost of the infrastructure: for food (for 15 years) and for residual projects (over 25 years).

This procurement initiative is currently unique within the UK. Centralisation where possible and the provision of guidance and template documentation (including contract terms) have reduced duplication and ensured expert commercial input at key decision points. Our programme reflects acknowledged best practice and we have been sharing our good practice with administrations in England, Scotland and Poland.