Background
Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority (MRWA) is committed to supporting the target of zero waste by 2040. This involves changing behaviours and attitudes and encouraging residents to take actions to help us achieve our goals. Through continued funding, education and partnership, MRWA aims to support this transition whilst stimulating local economy and the development of green initiatives amongst local business and organisations.
Recent research conducted by Defra has found that throughout their lifecycle, reusable nappies generate 25% less CO2, use 97.5% less raw materials, and that the environmental impact of disposal single-use nappies is nine times higher than for that of a reusable nappy. The report also shows that even when factoring in washing nappies and drying nappies, cloth nappies are still the best nappy choice for the environment. Due to these statistics, MRWA would like to commission works within this area.
The Project
For this project, MRWA is looking to commission a local individual or organisation in the development and delivery of a reusable nappy and wipe kit. This can be as a new initiative, redesign or expansion of existing success, and should promote the message of trialling these items to encourage long-term adoption of reusable practices. As this is a research project, partnering organisations will also be required to provide insight and feedback around the user experience and attitudes to help support future project development.
While the design and content of the kit will be decided and proposed by the tenderer, a range of approaches will be accepted if they focus on embracing reuse to educate and encourage the wider community to begin to utilise reuse. Kits must be beginner-friendly and inclusive of all necessary materials to complete a successful trial, alongside resources or workshops to support in their use.
The partner will be fully responsible for the design, sourcing and/or manufacturing of these kits and will be asked to estimate how many kits can be provided within the proposed budget – including distribution and project management, as well as being responsible for monitoring feedback and data around participants through means such as questionnaires, interviews and focus groups. The partner will work alongside MRWA staff to actively promote the project, associated resources, and necessary feedback engaging with local community groups and parenting spaces to increase participation and success.
Sustainable Development Goals
MRWA has prioritised four of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals with regards to its impact from operations and activities. The prioritised goals are:
4. Quality Education.
11. Sustainable cities and communities.
12. Responsible consumption and production.
13. Climate Action.
It will educate, inform, and raise awareness of the benefits of reuse at home or in communities. It will manage plastic waste where it is produced, influence sustainable communities, and reduce methane emissions which contribute to climate change. Participants will change behaviour and be more responsible about their consumption and the waste they produce.
What will your organisation’s participation involve?
If you would like to be involved in this project, you will work closely with MRWA’s Strategy & Development team to develop and deliver the Reusable Nappies & Wipes project. We are looking to commission a forward-thinking, efficient and sustainable organisation to manage the Reusable Nappies & Wipes project across the Liverpool City Region (LCR). With the intention of gathering evidence about the behaviour of participants with regards to the kit, its usefulness, and its benefits to determine if further distribution, outreach or educational projects could be beneficial.
Taking part
Taking part will involve the following:
Engage with residents and community groups – the partner will communicate and engage with residents and local communities and encourage people to trial reusable products within their own life, fighting stigma and taking away worries around financial investments.
Developing a Reusable Nappy & Wipe kit and relevant resources (either as separate or combined schemes) – the partner will be responsible for:
- Sourcing and designing these kits and their products
- Assessing the resources needed to add to a kit to make the scheme successful – whether these be leaflets, ‘how to’ videos or educational workshops
- Estimate the number of kits, including any logistics (distribution/collection) and project management requirements that could be provided within the budget
- In return for a free ‘kit’, encourage participants to provide feedback and data to support the development of future schemes.
Health & Safety – you will maintain excellent Health and Safety standards throughout the project. You will manage the project on our behalf and mitigate risk.
Help increase reuse at home by:
Creating lendable Reuse kits – you will identify items fit for purpose for each kit. You will propose additional resources to make up a full kit.
Consider sustainability – throughout the project, you should consider sustainability implications and ensure the project is keeping waste production to a minimum.
Devise a promotional and engagement plan – develop a communications and logistics plan to promote the availability of kits and their distribution. Encourage participants to provide date and testimonies for behavioural research.
Produce summary behavioural analysis report – once the Reusable Nappies & Wipes kit has been distributed, the partner will be responsible for following up with participants utilising; questionnaires, interviews, focus groups or any other relevant means to determine participants’ views, whether good or bad, alongside their likelihood to continue long-term. MRWA officers can work to support the development of this evaluation based on requirements.
Please note: This is a commissioned project, rather than a grant scheme. Organisations in receipt of Zero Waste Community Fund support may apply – however, there must be no duplication of participants, activity or outputs between projects.
Project Outcomes
We’re looking for the following outcomes from this project:
- Development and delivery of a complete reusable nappy & wipes kit(s). These kits are to be utilised by the organisation beyond this project, so designing with longevity is essential
- Development and distribution of all necessary resources and materials for both promotion and education with support of MRWA
- Engagement with community organisations and participants across all six areas of the Liverpool City Region (Liverpool, Sefton, Knowsley, Halton, Wirral and St. Helens)
- A minimum engagement of approximately 40 households, with an aim for this to be evenly spread per district. These figures can be reviewed and adjusted based on the successful tender quotations and price per kit
- Health and Safety risk assessments where relevant
- Support and monitoring of the project and its participants throughout
- A detailed evaluation of participants, attitudes and behaviour both before and after the scheme, collected through questionnaires, interviews and focus groups. This is a key deliverable to help support future schemes development
- End of project report compiling all of the above.
How your organisation can benefit from taking part in the project
Help instigate behaviour change – our long-term goal is to achieve zero waste by 2040. You can help us shift from a linear to a circular economy, reduce waste and carbon and address the global challenges we face today and, in the future, including: poverty; inequality; climate change; and environmental degradation. To do this successfully, you will work in partnership and directly engage residents across the LCR.
Embed waste prevention, reduction and reuse thinking within your organisation – expand your organisation’s knowledge of the challenges faced by people locally and internationally with regards to sustainable lifestyles.
Provide opportunities for residents to understand and develop reuse methods – help residents to change their behaviour and attitudes towards reuse and waste, understand the consequences of lifestyle choices and how their actions can support change.
Develop new partnerships and networking links – build up relationships with community groups and other interested organisations.
Provide social value for the LCR communities – there is significant social value in community engagement and supporting individuals to access items that may be outside of their financial means. Reusable products are often the more expensive option and, through free resources, you can help remove these financial barriers.
Funding linked to the Project
We have a total of £20,000 funding available for this project. Funding is split across two financial years; £10,000 during 2026-2027 and £10,000 during 2027-2028, and will follow the authority’s pay-on-completion model.
This funding should be inclusive of all materials, production, delivery, and admin associated with the project. Potential partners will be asked to estimate how many reuseable kits can be provided within this proposed budget with a minimum of 40 households.
We will evaluate each project application individually and will appoint the right organisation to deliver the best overall outcome for the LCR.
When will the project be delivered?
This project will begin July 2026 and end February/March 2028. A detailed timeline of activities is provided below:
| Activity Detail: | Dates: |
| Project tender goes live | 3rd July 2026 |
| Meeting requests window closes | 24th July 2026 |
| Project tender closes | 31st July 2026 |
| Tender applications evaluated | w/c 3rd August 2026 |
| Organisation selected | w/c 10th August 2026 |
| Due diligence | Following acceptance |
| Project initiation meeting | Following acceptance |
| Final reports received | March 2028 |
Evaluating applications
We will score applications received based on:
- 50% Meeting project objectives
- 40% Finance
- 10% Evaluation
How to apply
To apply, please download and complete the application form and send to laura.gilmore@merseysidewda.gov.uk or chauntelle.bowler@merseysidewda.gov.uk by 5pm, Friday 31st July 2026.
If you have any questions, please contact laura.gilmore@merseysidewda.gov.uk or chauntelle.bowler@merseysidewda.gov.uk.