Final_Greater_MN_Recycling_RFP_FY27.docx

Greater Minnesota Waste Reduction, Reuse, Recycling and Composting Grants State Fiscal Year 2027 Request for Proposals (RFP) The RFP assists applicants in applying for and managing state grants. This document describes the State Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) Greater Minnesota (MN) Waste Reduction, Reuse, Recycling and Composting Grants (GRMN) including information on who may apply for funding, funding priorities, match requirements, activities eligible for funding, and other information that will help applicants plan their project and submit a competitive application. Applications are due no later than 4:30 p.m. Central Time (CT) on Tuesday, October 13, 2026.

The applicant should frequently check the SWIFT Supplier Portal for the most recent updates, including questions and answers, and addendums related to this RFP.

Contents

The grant application form, project work plan, and budget can all be found in the SWIFT Supplier Portal.

The MPCA will be hosting an informational webinar for this RFP on Thursday, September 17, 2026, from 9-10am CT. Login information will be posted on the https://www.pca.state.mn.us/grants-and-loans/greater-mn-waste-reduction-reuse-recycling-and-composting-grants webpage.

1. Program overview The 2025 Minnesota Legislature allocated funding for waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting grants in Greater MN under Minn. Stat. § 115A.565 for Fiscal Year 2027 July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029. All projects must be completed by June 30, 2029. Extensions beyond this date are not available. For purposes of this RFP, most key terms are defined per Minn. Stat. § 115A.03. Funds are for projects that focus on best practices for waste reduction, reuse, recycling or composting collection systems.

2. Funding The MPCA has approximately $1 million available for grant awards. Funding for the FY27 Greater MN Waste Reduction, Reuse, Recycling, and Composting grant round comes from the Environmental Fund, as appropriated by the state Legislature for programs administered by the MPCA. The grant round is a competitive application process.

The available funding will be divided into the following two project categories:

1. Traditional Recycling Projects - $500,000.00 Traditional recyclables include hard/rigid polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE), glass, food metal containers, Old Corrugated Cardboard (OCC), and paper.

Preferred projects will contribute to meeting Minnesota’s statutory recycling goals (Minn.Stat.115A.551):

a. Implementation or expansion of a regional, county, or citywide recycling collection program. Applicants expanding collection are encouraged to demonstrate in their proposal that processing capacity is sufficient to handle additional material

b. Improve the quality of recyclables by reducing contamination to enhance marketability

c. Transition to a more efficient recycling collection system (single sort, etc.)

d. Establish or expand processing or transfer capacity

e. Other innovative traditional recycling programs

2. All other projects, including Waste Reduction, Reuse, Composting, etc. - $500,000.00 Preferred projects

a. Establish or expand projects reducing waste

b. Establish or expand projects reusing materials in their original form

c. Establish or expand organics collection through curbside, commercial, or drop-sites

d. Establish or expand processing or transfer capacity for source-separated organic materials

e. Development or expansion of systems and programs to reduce waste, reduce the toxicity of solid waste, reuse or recycle materials (non-traditional recyclables), including, but not limited to, new and emerging waste types Applicants that have not received funding through this grant program in the past three years will receive additional points per the evaluation score sheet.

The minimum grant award is $10,000. Applications asking for less than the minimum will be deemed ineligible.

The maximum grant award is $250,000 per project. Applications asking for more than the maximum will be deemed ineligible.

The MPCA reserves the right to award grant amounts that are lower than the amount requested by an applicant. The MPCA reserves the right to move unused money between the funding pools for Traditional Recycling and Other Projects.

Match requirements Local direct and indirect cash-match or in-kind match of at least twenty-five (25%) of the grant award is required. A reasonable dollar value must be assigned to all in-kind matches. The match cannot be met with services or funds derived from other grant sources administered by the MPCA.

Example:

Grant Amount: $50,000 Required Match Amount: $12,500 (25% of the grant amount) Total Project Amount: $62,500 Overhead costs such as your organization’s existing building space, existing utility payments, and other non-project-related operational costs are not eligible as grant or match.

Examples of eligible match are:

In-kind hours from paid staff contributing to the project Hours from volunteers contributing to the project Cost to purchase or reasonable dollar value estimates for equipment/materials to support the project Payment schedule The MPCA shall reimburse the Grantee for only those expenditures incurred during the term of this grant. No funds shall be disbursed by the MPCA in the absence of adequate documentation of matching funds as determined by the MPCA.

Grant Payments Per State Policy on Grant Payments, reimbursement is the method for making grant payments. All grantee requests for reimbursement must correspond to the approved grant budget. The State shall review each request for reimbursement against the approved grant budget, grant expenditures to date and the latest grant progress report before approving payment. Grant payments shall not be made on grants with past due progress reports unless the MPCA has given the grantee a written extension.

3. Eligible and ineligible applicants Eligible applicants Eligible applicants are political subdivisions or federally recognized tribes in Minnesota outside the Twin Cities seven-county Metropolitan Area (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington County). Multi-organizational collaboration is encouraged. If the applicant is a city, the city’s population must be less than 45,000.

Ineligible applicants The MPCA and State employees Applicants debarred by the state, its departments, commissions, agencies, or political subdivisions The MPCA may also deem an applicant ineligible because of, but not limited to enforcement issues, labor standards, tax status, past grant performance or other such issues Any individual

4. Eligible and ineligible projects There are several best practices a community can implement that result in more reuse, increased collection and management of recyclable and compostable materials. Implementation of proven best practices can improve reuse, recycling, or composting program efficiency and effectiveness.

Eligible projects All projects must be locally administered, have an educational component, and include measurable outcomes. The proposed project must include one or more of the State of Minnesota waste hierarchy following elements:

· waste reduction

· reuse

· recycling

· composting of source-separated compostable materials or yard waste; or

· demonstrate that the project will reduce waste generation through waste reduction and/or reuse or that the project will increase the amount of recyclable materials or source-separated compostable materials diverted from a disposal facility Preferred projects

1. Traditional Recycling Projects Traditional recyclables include hard/rigid polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE), glass, food metal containers, old corrugated cardboard (OCC), and paper.

Preferred projects will contribute to meeting Minnesota’s statutory recycling goals (Minn.Stat.115A.551):

a. Implementation or expansion of a regional, county, or citywide recycling collection program. Applicants expanding collection are encouraged to demonstrate in their proposal that processing capacity is sufficient to handle additional material

b. Improve the quality of recyclables by reducing contamination to enhance marketability

c. Transition to single-sort recycling collection

d. Establish or expand processing or transfer capacity

e. Other innovative traditional recycling programs

2. All other projects, including Waste Reduction, Reuse, Composting, etc.

Preferred projects:

a. Establish or expand projects reducing waste

b. Establish or expand projects reusing materials in their original form

c. Establish or expand organics collection through curbside, commercial, or drop-sites

d. Establish or expand processing or transfer capacity for source-separated organic materials

e. Development or expansion of systems and programs to reduce, reuse, or recycle materials (non-traditional recyclables), including, but not limited to new and emerging waste types Applicants that demonstrate they are utilizing best practices and implementing preferred projects will receive additional points according to the application score sheet. However, any project that will expand or improve a waste reduction, reuse, recycling or composting program in Greater MN is eligible.

Ineligible projects Unless specified otherwise, ineligible projects include:

Projects seeking funding for general operating expenses Projects seeking funding to replace existing equipment or containers without also demonstrating increased access to recycling and/or organics collection that will result in the collections of additional materials.

Projects for environmental compliance remediation Projects limited to individual benefit, a non-innovative local benefit or that do not have a broad community impact Projects that do not meet the eligibility specifications identified in this RFP Application not submitted and received by the applicable deadline Projects that cannot be completed by June of 2029 Priorities Environmental justice It is the policy of the State of Minnesota to ensure fairness, precision, equity and consistency in competitive grant awards. This includes implementing diversity and inclusion in grant-making. https://mn.gov/grants/assets/POL_08-02_RatingCriteriaforCompetitiveGrantReview_2017-09-15_tcm1093-749640.pdf establishes the expectation that grant programs intentionally identify how the grant serves diverse populations, especially populations experiencing inequities and/or disparities.

The MPCA is committed to making sure pollution does not have a disproportionate impact on any group of people by prioritizing the principle of environmental justice. This means that all people regardless of their race, color, national origin, or income benefit from equal levels of environmental protection and have opportunities to participate in decisions that may affect their environment or health. It is MPCA’s strategic plan to address environmental concerns in all programs.

To learn more, visit: https://www.pca.state.mn.us/about-mpca/mpca-and-environmental-justice.

Projects benefitting underserved communities and environmental justice areas will be rated higher. Minnesota Statute 116.065 defines “environmental justice areas” as census tracts:

· in which at least 40% of the population is people of color

· in which at least 35 percent of households have income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level

· in which at least 40 percent of the population has limited proficiency in English

· that are located within Indian Country, which is defined as federally recognized reservations and other Indigenous lands Census tracts need to meet only one of these criteria to be considered an environmental justice area. This Grant Contract Agreement will prioritize projects that serve and improve communities with higher concentrations of low-income residents and people of color, including tribal communities. Click here to see if the project is located in an Environmental Justice area.

Evaluation will be conducted using the most up-to-date environmental justice information available at the time of evaluation.

5. Eligible and ineligible costs Eligible costs Eligible grant costs are limited to the costs of:

Researching, developing, or implementing projects that focus on best practices for waste reduction, reuse, recycling or composting collection systems in Minnesota, including staffing or contractors Equipment costs and grant project staffing may be eligible on a case-by-case basis Unless specified as ineligible, a determination of eligible costs will be dependent on the proposed project Ineligible costs Ineligible costs include costs that are not directly related to the project. Ineligible costs do not count toward the required matching funds percentage unless stated otherwise. The following costs, including but not limited to, even if they are directly related to the project, are ineligible:

The cost of preparing the grant application The cost of activities and costs incurred prior to execution of a grant agreement General operating support such as routine overhead expenses not related to the proposed project Environmental compliance remediation The purchase of real property (land, real estate, and buildings), or easements. However, if not incurred prior to execution of a grant agreement, such costs may count toward the required match percentage Equipment, except as determined on a case-by-case basis. However, if not incurred prior to execution of a grant agreement, such costs may match the required percentage match The cost of obtaining any required permits from the MPCA. However, if not incurred prior to execution of a grant agreement, such costs may count toward the required percentage match Lobbying, lobbyists, and political contributions Bad debt, late payment fees and finance charges or contingency funds, interest, and investment management fees Attorney fees

· Employee worksite parking

· Mark-up on purchases and/or subcontracts

· Taxes, except sales tax on eligible equipment and expenses

· Activities addressing enforcement actions or that involve a financial penalty

· Memberships (including subscriptions and dues)

· Food (other than staff per diem), alcoholic refreshments

· Entertainment, gifts, prizes and decorations

· Merit awards and bonuses

· Donations and fundraising

· Computer(s), tablets, and software, unless unique to the project and specifically approved by the MPCA as a direct expense

· Purchase or rental of mobile communication devices such as cell phones, unless unique to the project and specifically approved by the MPCA as a direct expense

6. Application instructions In completing the application, please ensure all sections are addressed and the application is submitted before the deadline. Pay close attention to any specific information that is requested and demonstrate connections to project eligibility. Additional pages may be submitted as supporting documentation.

A complete application will consist of the following documents:

· Application and work plan form (Microsoft Word format is preferred) including completed anticipated environmental outcomes table

· Budget (Microsoft Excel format is preferred – modify as needed)

· Exhibit C: Capacity Responses

· Exhibit D: Certification that the entity is not suspended or debarred by the State of Minnesota or the federal government

· Exhibit H: Certification that no current principals have been convicted of a felony financial crime in the last ten years

· Optional documents:

· Letters of support (may include other project partners)

· Proof or explanation of matching funds

7. Application submission instructions Applications must be received electronically by the MPCA no later than Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 4:30pm Central Time (CT), through the SWIFT Supplier Portal. Application submissions received after the deadline will not be accepted.

Applicants should submit the following application materials in their original file formats for the application to be considered eligible:

Application and work plan form (Microsoft Word format is preferred) including completed anticipated environmental outcomes table Budget (Microsoft Excel format is preferred – modify as needed) Exhibit C Exhibit D Exhibit H Submit applications and required forms via the SWIFT Supplier Portal. The MPCA is not responsible for any errors or delays caused by technology-related issues, even if they are caused by the MPCA.

Questions regarding submitting an application can be directed to the Vendor Assistance Help Desk at 651-201-8100, option 1 or by clicking on Supplier Portal Help within the SWIFT Supplier Portal.

Applications submitted via any other method, including but not limited to fax, mail, email, and in-person deliveries, will not be accepted.

By submitting an application, each applicant warrants that the information provided is true, correct, and reliable for purposes of evaluation for potential grant award. The submission of inaccurate or misleading information may be grounds for disqualification from the award, as well as subject the applicant to suspension or debarment proceedings and other remedies available by law.

All costs incurred in responding to this RFP will be borne by the applicant.

8. Application review process Project scoring and evaluation Applicants are encouraged to score their own application using the evaluation score sheet (Appendix A) before submitting their application. Applicants are encouraged to have colleagues review the content to assure the intent of the application is being met. Also, applicants should refer to the evaluation score sheet when completing the application to include as many of the evaluation criteria as possible. Formal review of applications will be conducted by a team of MPCA staff and community-based grant reviewers.

Refer to specific instructions within each section of the application package, these will be highlighted in red, to assure that the application contains the information needed to fully evaluate the proposal during evaluation. Assume that the evaluator knows nothing of the proposed program.

The MPCA’s review team will also consider an applicant’s past performance (pursuant to Policy 08-13, Grant Closeout Evaluation) and may disqualify an applicant if it finds documented evidence of poor performance in prior grants.

Notification The MPCA anticipates notifying applicants of award status by early 2027.

Grant award offer A grant award offer will be made based on MPCA’s review of the applications for eligibility and availability of funding. Applicant must accept the award offer and be willing to finalize project work plan and budget.

Award offer will be contingent on the applicant’s attainment of an MPCA approved project work plan and budget within 60 calendar days of an award offer. For purposes of the work plan and budget, a project start date of early 2027 shall be assumed.

In addition to the ability to partially award projects, the MPCA reserves the right to withdraw the award offer or to refrain from awarding a grant if program funding is made unavailable or none of the proposed projects meets the requirements of the grant. If the MPCA concludes that no project has sufficient potential to implement the desired environmental outcome in Minnesota, the MPCA may or may not reinitiate the RFP process. If additional funding is made available, the MPCA reserves the right to award additional grant funds to eligible applicants who were not originally funded.

If applications for grants exceed the available appropriations, grants must be made for projects that, in the commissioner's judgment, provide the highest return in public benefits, Minn. Stat. § 115a.565, subd. 3.

In the event two applicants are tied and there isn’t sufficient funding to award both projects, the MPCA will select the applicant with the highest score in the following criteria, in descending order, until a winner is able to be determined:

• Meets an environmental need with project impact/outcomes that focus on increasing waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and/or organics collection/processing in Minnesota

• Areas of concern for environmental justice Grant contract agreements Each grantee must formally enter into a grant contract agreement. The grant contract agreement will address the conditions of the award, including implementation for the project. Grantees should read the grant contract agreement, sign, and once signed, comply with all conditions of the grant contract agreement. No work on grant activities can begin until a fully executed grant contract agreement is in place and the State’s Authorized Representative has notified the Grantee that work may start. The funded applicant will be legally responsible for assuring implementation of the work plan and compliance with all applicable state requirements including worker’s compensation insurance, nondiscrimination, data privacy, budget compliance, and reporting.

A sample State of Minnesota grant agreement can be found on the https://mn.gov/grants/ listed by organization type, for your reference. Much of the language reflected in the sample grant agreement is required by statute.

Authorized Representatives Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes §16B.98, subd. 5 (d), grantees must clearly post on the grantee’s website the names of, and contact information for, the grantee’s leadership and the employee or other person who directly manages and oversees a grant contract agreement on behalf of the grantee.

9. Application questions The MPCA is obligated to be transparent in all aspects surrounding grant work. To meet this obligation, all questions must be submitted in the same manner, and answers are only provided via the SWIFT Supplier Portal. It is the applicant’s responsibility to check the SWIFT Supplier Portal for the most recent updates to questions and answers.

Applicants who have any questions regarding this RFP must submit questions to grants.pca@state.mn.us, subject line: “Greater Minnesota Grant Question”, no later than 4:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. Answers to questions will be posted frequently in the SWIFT Supplier Portal.

MPCA personnel are not authorized to discuss this RFP with applicants and contact regarding this RFP with any MPCA personnel may result in disqualification.

10. Grantee responsibilities Awardees are required to be a registered vendor in SWIFT and will sign the grant agreement using DocuSign. To register, go to the Supplier Portal webpage SWIFT and click on the Vendor Registration Link.

Applicants do not need to log in to view the RFP and associated documents in the SWIFT system.

Applicants interested in applying will need to register as a bidder in the system by clicking on the SWIFT Supplier Portal, then Register for an Account and Register as a Bidder. Applicants should allow up to two business days to become registered as a Bidder. If an applicant is already registered in the SWIFT system as a Supplier (previously known as a vendor), then the applicant does not need to register as a bidder. The applicant will need their Supplier ID.

Questions regarding registering can be directed to the Vendor Assistance Help Desk at 651-201-8100, option 1 or by clicking on Supplier Portal Help within the SWIFT Supplier Portal.

Accountability and Reporting requirements A final report is required before the final payment is disbursed. Ten percent of the grant monies will be withheld until the final report is approved. The final report shall include a summary of how the project objectives were met, the results (measurable preferred), and the environmental and other benefits.

It is the policy of the State of Minnesota to monitor progress on state grants by requiring grantees to submit written progress reports at least annually until all grant funds have been expended and all of the terms in the grant contract agreement have been met.

Public data Per Minnesota Statutes § 13.599 and § 13.37

· Names and addresses of grant applicants and amount requested will be public data once proposal responses are opened.

· All remaining data in proposal responses (except trade secret data as defined and classified in §13.37) will be public data after the evaluation process is completed. For the purposes of this grant, data will be considered public when all the Grant Contract Agreement contract agreements have been fully executed.

· All data created or maintained by MPCA as part of the evaluation process (except trade secret data as defined and classified in §13.37) will be public data after the evaluation process is completed. For the purposes of this grant, Data will be considered public when all the Grant Contract Agreement contract agreements have been fully executed.

Conflict of interest State grant policy requires that steps and procedures are in place to prevent individual and organizational conflicts of interest, both in reference to applicants and reviewers per Minnesota Statutes § 16B.98 Subd. 2-3 and OGM Policy 08-01 Conflict of Interest in State Grant-Making Policy.

Organizational conflicts of interest occur when:

· a grantee or applicant is unable or potentially unable to render impartial assistance or advice to the Department due to competing duties or loyalties

· a grantee’s or applicant’s objectivity in carrying out the grant is or might be otherwise impaired due to competing duties or loyalties In cases where a conflict of interest is in question or disclosed, the applicants or grantees will be notified and actions may be pursued, including but not limited to, revising the grant work plan or grantee duties to mitigate the risk, requesting the grant applicant to submit an organizational conflict of interest mitigation plan, disqualification from eligibility for the grant award, amending the grant, or termination of the grant contract agreement.

Grant monitoring Minnesota Statutes §16B.97 and OGM Policy 08-10: Policy on Grant Monitoring require the following:

One monitoring visit during the grant period on all state grants of $50,000 and higher Annual monitoring visits during the grant period on all grants of $250,000 and higher Conducting a financial reconciliation of grantee’s expenditures at least once during the grant period on grants of $50,000 and higher. For this purpose, the grantee must make expense receipts, employee timesheets, invoices, and any other supporting documents available upon request by the State The monitoring schedule will be determined at a later date.

Pre-award Risk Assessment and Financial Review In accordance with Minnesota Statutes §16B.981 and OGM Policy 08-06: Preaward Risk Assessment of Potential Grantees, it is required to consider a grant applicant's past performance and financial and operational capacity before awarding grants of $50,000 or more. Granting agencies will request, review, and analyze information, including Exhibits C, D, and H, which are included as part of the application, as applicable.

In order to comply with this requirement, the following information and documents will need to be submitted before the Grant Contract Agreement is fully executed:

I. Exhibit C (All potential grantees) - Capacity Responses:

a) Please describe your history of performing the work that will be funded by the grant:

· This includes describing your organization’s current staffing and budget II. Exhibit D: Certification (All potential grantees) - Not suspended or debarred by the state of Minnesota or the federal government

· Current balance sheet

· Current income statement

· Statement of cash flows

· Certification that business is not under bankruptcy proceedings

· Disclosure of any liens on assets III. Exhibit H: Certification (All potential grantees) - No current principals have been convicted of a felony financial crime in the last ten years

The submission of inaccurate or misleading information may be grounds for disqualification from the grant contract agreement award and may subject an organization to suspension or debarment proceedings, as well as other remedies available to the State, by law.

Minn. Stat. §16B.981/Chapter 62 - MN Laws, Article 7, Section 11, Subd. 3-5 establishes the authority for a granting agency to:

· Provide or require enhanced grant oversight

· Request additional information from a potential grantee to determine whether there is a substantial risk that the potential grantee cannot or would not perform the required duties of the grant agreement

· The potential grantee has 30 business days to respond

· Develop a plan to address the risk or concerns identified

· Not award the grant

· The granting agency must provide notice of this determination to not award the grant to the grantee and the Commissioner of Administration

· The notice must include the following:

· The reason for postponing/not awarding the grant

· The timeline for the process for contesting the agency’s decision Grantee bidding requirements Municipalities: Grantees that are political subdivisions or municipalities must use these guidelines:

A. Municipalities are required to comply with Minnesota Statutes §471.345, Uniform Municipal Contracting Law.

B. The Grantee and any subrecipients must comply with prevailing wage rules per Minnesota Statutes §§ 177.41 through 177.50, as applicable.

C. Municipalities and any subrecipients must not contract with vendors who are suspended or debarred by the State of Minnesota or the federal government: Suspended and Debarred Vendors, Minnesota Office of State Procurement D. The Grantee must maintain written standards of conduct covering conflicts of interest and governing the actions of its employees engaged in the selection, award, and administration of contracts.

Audits Per Minn. Stat. § 16B.98 subd. 8, the grantee’s books, records, documents, and accounting procedures and practices of the grantee or other party that are relevant to the grant or transaction are subject to examination by the granting agency and either the legislative auditor or the state auditor, as appropriate. This requirement will last for a minimum of six years from the grant agreement end date, receipt, and approval of all final reports, or the required period of time to satisfy all state and program retention requirements, whichever is later.

Grantee Performance Evaluation For awards greater than $25,000, a grantee performance evaluation will be posted publicly in accordance with Minnesota Statutes § 16B.98, Subdivision 12 and OGM Policy 08-13.

Affirmative action and non-discrimination requirements for all grantees The grantee agrees not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, status in regard to public assistance, membership or activity in a local commission, disability, sexual orientation, or age in regard to any position for which the employee or applicant for employment is qualified per Minnesota Statutes § 363A.02. The grantee agrees to take affirmative steps to employ, advance in employment, upgrade, train, and recruit minority persons, women, and persons with disabilities.

The grantee must not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of physical or mental disability in regard to any position for which the employee or applicant for employment is qualified. The grantee agrees to take affirmative action to employ, advance in employment, and otherwise treat qualified disabled persons without discrimination based upon their physical or mental disability in all employment practices such as the following: employment, upgrading, demotion or transfer, recruitment, advertising, layoff or termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation, and selection for training, including apprenticeship. Minnesota Rules, Part 5000.3500.

The grantee agrees to comply with the rules and relevant orders of the Minnesota Department of Human Rights issued pursuant to the Minnesota Human Rights Act.

Voter registration requirement The grantee will comply with Minn. Stat. § 201.162 by providing voter registration services for its employees and for the public served by the grantee.

Right of Cancellation The State reserves the right to cancel this solicitation if it is considered to be in its best interest. The State reserves the right to negotiate modifications to the application or to reject any and all applications received as a result of this Request for Proposals. The State does not intend to award a grant contract agreement solely on the basis of any response made to this request or pay for information solicited or obtained.

Greater Minnesota Grant Round:

State Fiscal Year 2027 Appendix A: Application evaluation score sheet Evaluation factors A 100-point scale will be used to evaluate eligible applications. Scores will be used to develop final recommendations. Applicants are encouraged to score their own application using the evaluation scoresheet before submitting their application. This step is not required but may help ensure applicants address the criteria evaluators will use to score applications.

Applications will be evaluated and ranked according to the following criteria:

Preferred Project

· Is a project from the preferred project list in Part 4 of the RFP (6 points)

· Has not received funding through this program for the past three years (3 points)

Project description and information Project purpose and work proposed explained in detail Project has clear steps for successful implementation of project planning, staffing, operations, and financing Challenges and strategies for mitigation are explained and clear Shows a strong probability for project success, i.e. project timeline can be completed within the funding deadline, financially realistic, cost effective, self-sustaining after initial funds, community supported, etc.)

Background and Experience Applicants and partners engaged in the proposed project have clear experience with waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and/or organics collection and processing that can ensure successful project implementation. Qualifications and past performance of the applicant and/or individuals who will perform the work given in detail Letters of support are included for all project partners and/or impacted communities (if applicable)

Application Provides a clear and complete application, including detailed tasks in the work plan and budget Shows a clear need for the funds from the State Outlines the dollar amount requested, and matching resources are identified and fully met

Project evaluation and anticipated outcomes Project includes detailed environmental outcomes (baseline and goal/projected numbers) Steps for how data will be collected and measurements documented are clear Expected results and impact of all aspects of the program discussed Detailed explanation given for how the project will contribute either to meeting Minnesota’s statutory recycling goals (Minn.Stat.115A.551) or to increased waste reduction, reuse, or organics composting

Environmental justice (EJ) Project serves area of concern for EJ (census tracts meeting any of the following criteria: 40% or more of the population is nonwhite, 35% or more of the households have an income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, 40% or more of the population over the age of five has limited English proficiency or located within Indian Country) There are specific tasks identified for how the team will work with EJ communities, highlighting how this project is wanted by these communities, such as documentation of support

Community outreach and education

· Current practices around education and outreach explained in detail

· Plans for educating staff and the community are clearly articulated

· Detailed methods explained for project outreach, including who is the target audience, how will the audience effectively be reached, and what messages will be shared

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