Norway - Machinery for the treatment of sewage - Intention notice - Procurement of module based purification technology.

Indre Østfold municipality intends to enter into a contract with Renasys Solutions AS for testing a module based treatment system at Revaug treatment facility. Affected parties wishing to promote objections are requested to do so within 10 days from 16.03.2026. The solution from Renasys has a combination of qualities that, in total, fulfil the municipality ́s need to quickly reduce overflow and ensure consistency with secondary treatment requirements without extensive alterations to the existing installations. Other tenderers have not been found who can deliver a system that fulfils the municipality ́s needs, and the contract will be published in accordance with the utilities regulations § 17-5, cf. § 9-3 (1) letter b nos. 2 and 3. The actual procurement is temporary and shall contribute to reducing overflows, handling hydraulic tops from foreign water and providing data basis for technology choices and dimensioning of future treatment facilities. The supply regulations will open for procurements without competition when the stated terms are fulfilled. It is stated in § 9-3 (1) letter b that the contracting authority can hold a procurement without competition if the service only a specific tenderer can deliver because competition is impossible for technical reasons, or because the tenderer has the sole right, including intellectual property rights. The provision only applies if reasonable alternatives are not available. The revaug treatment facility serves approx. 22,500 pe and handled approx. 3.6 mill m³ sewage in 2025. The installation has considerable foreign water supply in connection with precipitation, leading to hydraulic overload, with an increased risk of overflow and reduced purification effect. Pending new treatment facilities, the municipality needs a system that can be established within the existing facility, given limitations on available area, integration with existing infrastructure, operational conditions and the need for continual data collection. The system shall, among other things: reduce the overflow volume and particle content significantly enable an overflow degree of ≤ 2 % contribute to fulfil the current requirement for secondary purification. integrated into the existing infrastructure and limited area. facilitate 24/7 data acquisition and R&D evaluation. be relocated and included in the municipality ́s stand-by The municipality has carried out market surveys in 2023-2025, which has included a supplier dialogue, consultants and assessment of technology categories. The following have been assessed: conventional stationary systems, semi-mobile/container based systems and module based high performance systems with integrated monitoring and data collection. The municipality has concluded that module based cleaning technology with integrated monitoring and data collection is the only system that together fulfils the requirements for performance, area efficiency, integration, data collection, mobility and R&D suitability. Putting together individual components from different suppliers will require comprehensive engineering design services and new development and cannot be realised within the time frame that the municipality can use. The municipality therefore considers that the competition is technically impossible in accordance with § 9-3 (1) letter b no. 2, as only one tenderer can deliver a solution within the existing framework conditions and an available time frame. The solution is further protected by patents and immaterial rights that include the modules' design and function, the interaction between mechanical purification, control systems and data acquisition, as well as system architecture. Other tenderers cannot offer an equivalent system without infringing these rights. The service cannot, therefore, be provided by others due to intellectual property rights, cf. § 9-3 (1) letter b no. 3. The municipality is subject to binding environmental requirements and an order from the Government Manager to reduce overflows. These have immediate effect and cannot be postponed. An ordinary competition process will typically take 6-12 months - time that the municipality cannot use. The system is temporary and shall be discontinued when the new permanent treatment facility is completed in 2032. The municipality has not identified other tenderers who, within the available time frame, can deliver a system that fulfils all the requirements. A hesitance attitude would lead to continued overflows contrary to environmental requirements and delayed data collection, weakening the basis for technology choices and the dimensioning of the 2032 facility. The provision in § 9-3 (1) letter b requires that there are no reasonable alternatives. The municipality considers it necessary to enter into a contract with Renasys Solutions AS, given technical limitations, environmental requirements and time limits. There are no real alternative suppliers who together can cover the need, and the terms for direct procurement are deemed fulfilled. After the announcement has expired, the municipality will enter into a contract with Renasys Solutions AS. The project can be completely or partly financed via a third party through leasing or similar financing products. Enquiries should be sent to Linda Lieberknecht; linda.lieberknecht@io.kommune.no