The Contractor will need some waste to use during the commissioning period. This is normally likely to be sourced from the Authority and the Contract will probably include an obligation on the Authority to provide waste when requested27. The Contract Manager will need to plan ahead to ensure the Authority is able to meet such obligations. As the timing of the start of the tests can easily slip due to delays in construction process and the tests themselves may be intermittent whilst teething difficulties are sorted out this will require frequent liaison with the Contractor at the relevant time.
In practical terms the Contract Manager may need to liaise with one or more of those parties responsible for collecting waste to arrange for some of their RCVs to deliver to the new facility rather than their usual delivery point. (S)he will also need to check whether there are issues arising in relation to the diversion of waste from the incumbent residual waste contractor. As this is typically likely to be a landfill operator, used to varying volumes of waste, this should not present a difficulty. However if there is an exclusivity obligation in the Contract with the landfill operator the issue may be more complex and involve a formal Change to the Contract in accordance with the Change Protocol.
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27 If the plant is designed with significant excess capacity it is likely that the Authority will not be able to provide enough waste for the Contractor to use for commissioning. Where this is the case the Contract Manager should ensure there is early liaison with the Contractor to agree how the additional waste required for commissioning will be sourced within the terms of the Contract.