Cardboard Recycling RFI.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Seeking Carboard Collection, Hauling and Recycling Solutions for Municipal Recycling Center

TOWN OF BEDFORD

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS

RESPONSES REQUESTED BY:

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2025 at 10:00 AM

314 GREAT ROAD

BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS

1. Introduction

1.1 Overview

The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to solicit information, advice and industry best practices from industry experts, including but not limited to the private vendor community, to enable to Town of Bedford to develop a potential future solicitation to manage large volumes of source-separated cardboard at the municipal recycling center. Responses to this RFI should include information that will be useful to the Town to draft more detailed procurement solicitation(s) related to the following services, processes and workflows:

• Collection containers, including dumpsters, roll-offs, compactors, balers

• Collection methods for loose, compacted and/or baled cardboard

• Services such as transportation/hauling and recyclables processing

• Innovative solutions or emerging technologies

The Town of Bedford seeks information related to managing incoming source-separated cardboard material, short-term covered storage of the material on site and transportation to a recycling end site.

1.2 What is a Request for Information (RFI)?

A Request for Information (RFI) is used by the Town to gather detailed information from as many industry experts and potential suppliers as possible about their products, services, and capabilities. The RFI will help the Town understand the market landscape and how potential solutions align with Bedford's needs.

The RFI document includes specific questions, and also provides background information on Bedford’s context and goals. The insights gained from the RFI help the Town make informed decisions, mitigate risks, and prepare for the next stages of the procurement process.

1.3 Who should respond?

This is an open RFI and all are encouraged to respond, including vendors and contractors, businesses, consultants, researchers and non-profit organizations.

2. Background

Bedford Department of Public Works operates a municipal Recycling Center at 108 Carlisle Road.

The site is open to residents of the Town twice per week (Wednesday and Saturday) as a self-serve drop-off facility. The site is staffed with at least one Heavy Equipment Operator from the Highway Division during Recycling Center hours.

Collection containers in the drop off area are typically no more than chest high or are accessible to residents via a wooden platform to ensure that all users can easily and safely drop off materials.

Cardboard collection containers currently on site include three (3) slant-front 8yd dumpsters.

Collection frequency is twice weekly (Tuesday and Friday). These containers are provided by the Contractor.

The Recycling Center is heavily patronized by Town residents. As use of the site has grown, the volume of cardboard has significantly increased. During particularly high-volume times of the year the Town utilizes on-call roll off dumpsters to manage the overflow material. Due to the open nature of these containers, the material is not protected from moisture, which can both degrade the material and increase its weight.

The overall site is undergoing a phased redevelopment that will eventually include a stationary compactor unit for cardboard as part of the redesign of the Recycling Center. However, in the 1-5-year time horizon, the Town is seeking an interim solution to manage the anticipated continued growth. It is the goal of the Town to identify a cost-effective solution that provides the highest and best possible end use for the material.

The Town is seeking information related to a vendor or contractor offering hauling and recycling services as well as information related to the availability of vehicles and/or equipment for purchase that would enable Highway Department personnel to self-haul collected material to an end-site.

Equipment may include covered roll off containers, portable compactor units, custom hook-lift truck bodies or other equipment that might assist the Town with managing this material stream.

The Town is also interested in hearing from end-site processors who accept cardboard, either hauled from the Recycling Center by a contractor or delivered to the end-site by Town staff.

3. General

Respondents to the RFI are invited to respond to any or all of the questions in this document.

Responses to this RFI shall service solely to assist the Town of Bedford to understand the current state of the marketplace with regards to the solicited information and/or to inform the development of a possible Invitation to Bid (IFB) in the future.

Please note that this is an RFI solely issued for the purposes of obtaining information. Nothing in this RFI shall be interpreted as a commitment on the part of the Town to enter into contract with any respondent of this RFI.

This RFI does not in any way obligate the Town of Bedford to issue or amend a solicitation or to include any of the RFI provisions or responses in any solicitation. Responding to this RFI is entirely voluntary and will in no way affect the Town’s consideration of any proposal submitted in response to any subsequent solicitation, no will it serve as an advantage or disadvantage to the respondent in the course of any IFB that may be issued.

Please note that all responses will become public record. Please do not submit confidential information in your response.

4. Instructions

All responses are requested no later than 10:00 a.m. on Friday February 10, 2025. Responses can include all information that you believe could be important or useful to the Town, and at a minimum, should respond the questions in the section 5.

Respondents may submit their response in the following ways:

1.) Via email to the Town’s Trash and Recycling Administrator, Liz Antanavica, at eantanavica@bedfordma.gov All responses must include the official name of the organization submitting the response.

2.) Via online form of the Town of Bedford official website.

https://www.bedfordma.gov/FormCenter/DPW-26/Cardboard-RFI-Response-Form-119

Respondents may direct any questions to Liz Antanavica, eantanavica@bedfordma.gov

5. Information Requested

Respondents to this RFI should provide the following information in their response:

• Organization Name and Physical Address

• Contact Email Address

• Organization Website

• A description of your organization and the basis of your expertise in offering a response to this RFI.

• Identify and describe products or services that your organization provides that you believe could meet the needs and goals of the Town, as described in Section 2.

mailto:eantanavica@bedfordma.gov https://www.bedfordma.gov/FormCenter/DPW-26/Cardboard-RFI-Response-Form-119 mailto:eantanavica@bedfordma.gov