Cooperative Agreement 84082501

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING FROM THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT (IIJA). EPA'S SOLID WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR RECYCLING (SWIFR) GRANTS FOR POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS OF STATES AND TERRITORIES WILL FUND ACTIVITIES THAT WILL RESULT IN A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THE GENERATION OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE (MSW) AND/OR AN INCREASE IN THE DIVERSION OF MSW FROM LANDFILLS AND INCINERATION, AS WELL AS FUND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS AND PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE OR INCREASE ACCESS TO PREVENTION, REUSE, MECHANICAL RECYCLING, ANAEROBIC DIGESTION, AND COMPOSTING. THE PURPOSE OF THIS AWARD IS TO ENHANCE THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S EFFORTS TO MEET THE SWIFR GRANTS ELEMENTS. SPECIFICALLY, THE CITY OF AUSTIN WILL REDUCE VOLUME OF FURNITURE AND BUILDING MATERIALS SENT TO AUSTIN-AREA LANDFILLS AND MOVE CLOSER TO AUSTIN'S ZERO WASTE GOAL BY OPENING A CITY-RUN REUSE WAREHOUSE WHICH WOULD ACCEPT AND REDISTRIBUTE GENTLY USED FURNITURE AT NO COST TO NONPROFITS AND THEIR CLIENTS WITH A FOCUS ON FURNISHING THE HOMES OF THOSE TRANSITIONING OUT OF HOMELESSNESS. THEY WILL SECURE THE WAREHOUSE AND EQUIPMENT, DEVELOP PROGRAM DETAILS, MARKETING AND LOGISTICS, BEGIN ACCEPTING AND DISTRIBUTING FURNITURE, POTENTIALLY EXPAND TO ALLOW FOR BUILDING MATERIALS. THEY WILL ALSO INNOVATE TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY BENEFIT THROUGH REUSE AND DO SO BY: WORKING WITH A NONPROFIT PARTNER TO FACILITATE A WORKFORCE PROGRAM, CREATING A STANDARDIZED PROCESS FOR UPCYCLING TWO OBSOLETE FURNITURE TYPES (EX. FILING CABINETS AND TELEVISION CONSOLES), ISSUING AND AWARDING A RFP FOR MANAGEMENT OF WORKFORCE PROGRAM, CREATING AN INNOVATION LAB TO BE HOUSED AT THE REUSE WAREHOUSE, AND IDENTIFYING RANDD COLLABORATION OPPORTUNITIES WITH LOCAL INSTITUTIONS (CITY DEPARTMENTS, UNIVERSITIES, ETC.) TO BRING MODERN TECHNOLOGY TO THE REUSE SECTOR.ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED ARE SECURING THE WAREHOUSE AND EQUIPMENT (16' BOX TRUCK AND 5000LB FORKLIFT), DEVELOPING PROGRAM DETAILS, MARKETING AND LOGISTICS, BEGINNING TO ACCEPT AND DISTRIBUTE FURNITURE, AND EXPANDING TO ALLOW FOR BUILDING MATERIALS. THEY WILL ALSO INNOVATE TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY BENEFIT THROUGH REUSE AND DO SO BY: WORKING WITH A NONPROFIT PARTNER TO FACILITATE A WORKFORCE PROGRAM, CREATING A STANDARDIZED PROCESS FOR UPCYCLING TWO OBSOLETE FURNITURE TYPES (EX. FILING CABINETS AND TELEVISION CONSOLES), ISSUING AND AWARDING A RFP FOR MANAGEMENT OF WORKFORCE PROGRAM, CREATING AN INNOVATION LAB TO BE HOUSED AT THE REUSE WAREHOUSE, AND IDENTIFYING RANDD COLLABORATION OPPORTUNITIES WITH LOCAL INSTITUTIONS (CITY DEPARTMENTS, UNIVERSITIES, ETC.) TO BRING MODERN TECHNOLOGY TO THE REUSE SECTOR.SUBRECIPIENT:NO SUBAWARDS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT.OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE PURCHASE OF ONE WAREHOUSE, ONE 16' BOX TRUCK AND ONE 5000LB FORKLIFT, ABILITY TO TRACK THE AMOUNT DIVERTED FROM LANDFILLS THROUGH THE WAREHOUSE BY TWO CATEGORIES: FURNITURE AND BUILDING MATERIALS (REPORT), THREE FULL TIME JOBS CREATED, QUARTERLY REPORT OF WEIGHT OF FURNITURE AND BUILDING MATERIALS DONATED TO THE WAREHOUSE AND COLLECTED BY NONPROFITS AND THEIR CLIENTS, AVG. 35 FURNITURE DONATIONS/MONTH IN YEAR 1, AVG. 30 FURNITURE COLLECTIONS/MONTH BY ORGANIZATIONS AND CLIENTS IN YEAR 1 OF COLLECTIONS, AND AVG. 15 COLLECTIONS/MONTH IN YEAR 1 INTENDED TO HELP FURNISH HOUSING FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE INCREASING THE DIVERSION RATE OF AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY-MANAGED MATERIALS AND INCREASED EMPLOYMENT IN THE REUSE SECTOR. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE THE GENERAL POPULATION OF AUSTIN AND THE HOMELESS AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS OF AUSTIN.