Business/School Organics Hauling Services

1.0 Description Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District Montpelier, VT 05602 (802) 229-9383 www.cvswmd.org REQUEST for INFORMATION: Business/School Organics Hauling Services 1.1 The Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District ( the District or CVSWMD has operated a program for pickup and disposal of organic wastes (food scraps) from businesses and schools in the District for over a decade. In anticipation of shifts in the marketplace resulting from State of Vermont requirements associated with Act 148, CVSWMD seeks to better understand the factors that could influence a smooth transition for food scrap hauling from the public sector to the private sector in central Vermont. 1.3 This is a Request for Information (RFI) only. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This request for information does not commit the District to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, the District is not, at this time, seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Respondents are advised that the District will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party s expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be advertised on the District s website (www.cvswmd.org) and in publications of general distribution. Potential offerors should monitor these sources for additional information pertaining to a potential solicitation. 2.0 Background 2.1. The District -- CVSWMD is a union municipal organization created for the purpose of providing for disposal of solid waste generated by member municipalities and their residents, as set forth in the CVSWMD charter. CVSWMD provides leadership, education, and services for residents and businesses in reducing and managing their solid waste in order to protect public health and the environment to the greatest extent feasible. CVSWMD has served solid waste management and recycling needs in central Vermont for thirty years. Thirteen full and part-time staff members manage and operate CVSWMD programs. The nineteen municipalities currently in the CVSWMD service area include: [Washington County] Barre City, Barre Town, Berlin, Calais, Duxbury, East Montpelier, Middlesex, Montpelier, Plainfield, Woodbury; [Orange County] Bradford, Chelsea, Fairlee, Orange, Tunbridge, Washington, Williamstown; [Caledonia County] Hardwick, Walden. Organics Hauling RFI -- DRAFT 6-Dec-2016 Page 1

In 2004, CVSWMD adopted a Zero Waste Implementation Plan, with the goal of moving toward zero waste with its member municipalities in the central Vermont Region. That same year, CVSWMD launched its business organics program, a direct result of the organization s commitment to making the diversion of organic material from waste a key program focus. CVSWMD is one of the few solid waste districts in Vermont to offer a public food scrap collection operation. Since the inception of the program, the primary activity of the business organics program has remained the hauling of food scraps from area businesses and schools. 2.2 The Law -- Act 148, commonly called the Universal Recycling Law, is the most significant change to Vermont solid waste legislation since 1988. It was approved unanimously by the Vermont legislature in 2012 and focuses on recyclables and organics. One primary goal is to improve rates at which materials are diverted from landfills, in particular recyclable items, leaf and yard debris, and food scraps that could be put to better use. Another goal of the Universal Recycling Law is to provide more convenient and consistent services statewide that offer choices and incentives in a phased approach, so as to enable the development of solid waste infrastructure. The changes anticipated in Act 148 significantly alter future considerations for the CVSWMD Organics Program. With Act 148, private haulers have launched or are expanding food scrap collection routes in many parts of Vermont. In July 2017, facilities must start collecting food scraps and licensed haulers must offer separate food scrap collection if a certified compost facility with capacity to accept food scraps is located within 20 miles of the organics generators. In 2020, a statewide ban for disposing of food scraps takes effect and the 20-mile provision will no longer apply. Large commercial food scrap generators are already required to separate food scraps for on-site management or transfer to a facility. The Universal Recycling Law includes a hierarchy for managing food scraps and other organics to: 1. Reduce waste with strategies including planned shopping lists and improved storage methods. 2. Donate to food rescue organizations. 3. Divert food scraps for agricultural uses such as feeding animals. 4. Compost or process in anaerobic digesters, and 5. Recover for energy. This RFI is focused on management strategies 3, 4 and 5. 3.0 Requested Information 3.1 Information Disclosure -- In responding to this RFI, please propose what data would be useful to you and other bidders in formulating a response to a possible RFP. What would you like to know about the operation of our Organics Hauling RFI 14-Dec-2016 Page 2 of 5

Organics programs? In any future RFP, the District will provide the most current data available with respect to: 3.1.1 Business & School Organics Programs Annual Customer Counts & Tonnage Volumes for Multiple Years by Town; 3.1.2 Summary Counts/Locations of In-District and Out-of-District Customers 3.1.3 Profit and Loss Statement for FY15, FY16, and FY17 (through December 31, 2016). The District fiscal year commences July 1 each year. 3.1.4 Route Service Schedule 3.1.5 Staffing, facilities and vehicles involved in the Organics Programs 3.1.6 List of Current Food Scrap Outlets Used By CVSWMD 3.1.7 CVSWMD Business & School Organics Program Rate Schedules 3.1.8 Inventory/valuation of relevant CVSWMD Assets 3.2 Evaluation Criteria The District will specify evaluation criteria in any RFP that is released. Please comment on the following criteria that MAY be included in such a solicitation, and let us know how this list can be modified to help identify the best proposals: Bidder meets terms and conditions as called for in an RFP; Completeness of proposal based upon requested information and documentation; Responsiveness to a well-defined scope of work and program needs; Cost effectiveness of proposal; Qualifications and expertise of organization(s) and individual(s) in contracted services; Ability to meet customer specifications for on-time and quality service; Ability to meet collection standards in terms of care of property, minimization of spills, and minimization of contamination of organic materials. Proposes service routes to handle current and future customers. Establishes dates of service. Encompasses services to meet current and projected needs. Bidder demonstrates ability to meet CVSWMD s screening protocol for food waste load inspection and rejection. 3.3 Bonding The District has operated organics programs for many years, and has confirmed the expectation that these programs will serve customers within the District now and in the future. At this time, with more and more organics generators becoming subject to Vermont s legal requirements, the Organics Hauling RFI 14-Dec-2016 Page 3 of 5

District considers it crucial that any commercial service which intends to operate these programs have a sustainable business plan for doing so. A Surety Bond is a three-party agreement whereby the surety guarantees to the obligee (the project owner) that the principal (the contractor) is capable of performing the contract in accordance with the contract documents. Performance of the contract, which is the subject of the bond, determines the rights and obligations of the surety and the obligee. In responding to this RFI, please let us know if you have provided bonding in the past, and whether you feel that requiring a surety bond could be a useful way of addressing District concerns for sustainability. What other information would you recommend should be required of all bidders on any future RFP in order to address District concerns regarding service sustainability? Can you suggest other practices or methods by which potential bidders can address District concerns for sustainability? 3.4 Other Based on your experience and preferences, please suggest to the District any other questions you believe should be addressed in an RFP (if one is released), or any other information which you suggest the District should provide in order to assure the highest possible quality of responses. 4.0 Responses 4.1 Parties interested in this RFI are requested to provide a brief written response (white paper) delivered in digital form, via email. 4.2 White papers should be provided in Microsoft Office (Word) or Adobe PDF format, and are due no later than Thursday, 12 January 2017, at 4PM Eastern Time. Responses should be submitted via e-mail only to generalmanager@cvswmd.org. Please be advised that all submissions become part of the public record of the District, and cannot be held by the District in confidence. 4.3. Part-1 of the white paper shall provide administrative information on one cover page, including the following as a minimum: 4.3.1. Name, mailing address, mailing and delivery address(es), phone number, fax number, and e-mail of designated point of contact for your organization, for purposes of discussing this RFI. The District will communicate with interested parties via email regarding this RFI. 4.3.2. Brief narrative summary of your major lines of business, link(s) to any online (Internet-based) information about your organization. 4.4 Part-2 of the white paper should be no longer than five (5) pages, should address questions discussed in Section 3 or any other questions that pertain to the development of a RFP to pursue the transitioning of the CVSWMD Business/School Organics Program to the private sector. The paper should not include any proprietary information. Labelled, named, or numbered pieces of marketing or other collateral materials may be appended to the white paper. Organics Hauling RFI 14-Dec-2016 Page 4 of 5

5.0 Industry Discussions District representatives may or may not choose to meet with potential offerors. Such discussions would only be intended to get further clarification of potential capability to meet the requirements, especially any development and certification risks. All parties who respond to this RFI will be informed of date, time and place of any meetings offered. 6.0 Summary This Request for Information (RFI) is issued for planning purposes only; i.e., to seek information and questions that could be useful to potential bidders in advance of a possible RFP for transitioning CVSWMD Business/School Organics Hauling Services from the public sector to the private sector in central Vermont. The information provided in the RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the District. The District has not made a commitment to procure any of the goods or services discussed, and release of this RFI should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become part of the public record of the District, and cannot be held by the District in confidence. Organics Hauling RFI 14-Dec-2016 Page 5 of 5