Councils in England publish waste contract opportunities through official procurement channels, led by the Find a Tender service. Finding a notice is the easy part: the real work is checking whether your business can meet the scope, evidence and contract terms before you bid.

Where notices appear

The Cabinet Office describes Find a Tender as the central digital platform for public procurement under the Procurement Act 2023. An enhanced version launched on 24 February 2025. It is free to use, and suppliers can search opportunities, see contracts that have been awarded or changed, and set up alerts for relevant notices.

GOV.UK’s guide to selling to the public sector also lists Contracts Finder, contacting councils directly about how to become a supplier, and newspaper and trade magazine advertisements. Many councils also run their own procurement portals. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own procurement websites, so a business working across borders should check each.

Registering as a supplier

The factsheet says there is no need to register in advance: suppliers register on Find a Tender when they want to bid, entering core business information once and sharing it with buyers through a share code or download. Bids are still submitted in the form and manner each contracting authority requires, often through the buyer’s own e-tendering system. Registering does not guarantee any work, and it does not open a closed framework.

Read what the buyer actually needs

Before bidding, check:
– the waste types, quantities and geography
– response times and service levels
– whether the council provides a tipping site or expects you to arrange one
– the vehicles, crews and back-up capacity required
– insurance levels, carrier registration and any permits
– reporting, data and payment terms
– whether the contract is split into lots

A small operator may be better suited to a defined lot, such as bulky waste in one district, or to subcontracting to a main contractor, than to bidding for a whole collection service. Any subcontract should set out clearly who is responsible for the waste, the paperwork and the service levels.

Emergencies are not an open invitation

An urgent situation does not entitle any collector to clear council waste and send an invoice afterwards. Council work needs an authorised instruction or contract, with the scope and payment agreed in advance.

Strike cover needs particular care. The Local Government Association explains that Regulation 7 of the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 stops an employment business supplying temporary workers to replace people on lawful industrial action, and that a 2022 repeal of the rule was quashed with effect from 10 August 2023. How your arrangement is structured matters more than what it is called, so take legal advice before offering cover during a dispute.

Prepare a readiness pack

Keep a current set of documents ready: carrier registration, any permits, insurance certificates, vehicle and crew details, tipping arrangements, health and safety policies and relevant experience. Only include capacity you have now, not vehicles or crews you hope to hire.

Review award notices on Find a Tender to understand who holds existing contracts and when they end, and set alerts well ahead of renewal dates.

Do not count on public money for private work

A council disruption does not mean the council will pay for residents’ private collections. Do not advertise a council subsidy or reimbursement unless the council itself has published a scheme, and check its terms first.

The bottom line

The route to council work is to become an eligible, capable supplier for a clearly defined requirement, found through official procurement channels. It is not an assumption that public money will follow every private pickup during a disruption.

Sources

This guide draws on the following sources, checked on 30 September 2026:

• Cabinet Office (GOV.UK), “Procurement Act 2023 short guides: Central Digital Platform factsheet”
• GOV.UK, “Sell goods or services to the public sector: different ways to sell”
• Local Government Association, “Industrial action: managing industrial action (use of temporary, agency or contract workers)”

Related guides

Compare Waste Removal is an independent guide. We may earn a fee from some links; this never affects what we write. This is general information, not legal advice.