PVD25-65-Sustainability - RFP - Residential Trash _ Recycling Carts (3 Year Contract with Two- 1 Year Options)-MT 49000.pdf

Revised: 7/28/2024

BOARD OF CONTRACT AND SUPPLY

CITY OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Item Description: Residential Trash & Recycling Carts (3-year contract with two 1-year options)

Procurement/MinuteTraq #: 49000

Date to be opened: 5/5/2025

Issuing Department: Sustainability

QUESTIONS

• Please direct questions related to the process, how to fill out forms, and how to submit an application(Pages 1-8) to the Purchasing Department.

o Email: purchasing@providenceri.gov Please use the subject line “Solicitation Question”

• Please direct questions relative to the Minority and Women’s Business Enterprise Program and the corresponding forms (Pages 10-11) to the MBE/WBE Outreach Director for the City of Providence, Grace Diaz o Email: gdiaz@providenceri.gov Please use subject line “MBE WBE Forms”

• Please direct questions relative to the specifications outlined (beginning on page 14) to the issuing department’s subject matter expert:

o Name: Kevin Proft o Title: Deputy Director of Sustainability o Email Address: kproft@providenceri.gov

Pre-submission Conference There will be a Non-Mandatory Pre-Bid Conference on April 16, 2025 at 10 a.m.

Deadline for questions submissions:

Bidder questions will be accepted through April 18, 2025. A response to questions will be posted by April 25, 2025.

mailto:purchasing@providenceri.gov mailto:gdiaz@providenceri.gov

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION

Meeting Date: 5/5/2025

Bids may be submitted up to 2:15 P.M. on the above meeting date at the Department of the City Clerk. Room 311, City Hall. 25 Dorrance Street, Providence. At 2:15 P.M. all bids will be publicly opened and read at the Board of Contract Meeting in Conference Room 305, on the 3rd floor of City Hall.

• Bidders must submit 2 copies of their bid in sealed envelopes or packages labeled with the captioned Item Description and the City Department to which the solicitation and bid are related and must include the company name and address on the envelope as well. (On page 1).

• If required by the Department, please keep the original bid bond and check in only one of the envelopes.

• Communications to the Board of Contract and Supply that are not competitive sealed bids (i.e. product information/samples) should have “NOT A BID” written on the envelope or wrapper.

• Only use form versions and templates included in this solicitation. If you have an old version of a form do not recycle it for use in this bid.

• The bid envelope and information relative to the bid must be addressed to:

Board of Contract and Supply Department of the City Clerk – City Hall, Room 311 25 Dorrance Street Providence, RI 02903

**PLEASE NOTE: This bid may include details regarding information that you will need to provide (such as proof of licenses) to the issuing department before the formalization of an award.

This information is NOT requested to be provided in your initial bid by design.

All bids submitted to the City Clerk become public record. Failure to follow instructions could result in information considered private being posted to the city’s Open Meetings Portal and made available as a public record. The City has made a conscious effort to avoid the posting of sensitive information on the City’s Open Meetings Portal, by requesting that such sensitive information be submitted to the issuing department only at their request.

BID PACKAGE CHECKLIST

Digital forms are available in the City of Providence Purchasing Department Office or online at http://www.providenceri.gov/purchasing/how-to-submit-a-bid/

The bid package MUST include the following, in this order:

• Bid Form 1: Bidder's Blank as the cover page/ 1st page (see page 6 of this document)

• Bid Form 2: Certification of Bidder as 2nd page (see page 7 of this document)

• Bid Form 3: Certificate Regarding Public Records (see page 8 of this document)

• Bid Form 4: Affidavit of City Vendor (see pages 9 and 10 of this document)

• Forms from the Minority and Women Business Enterprise Program: Based on Bidder Category. See forms and instructions enclosed (pages 10-11) or on:

https://www.providenceri.gov/purchasing/minority-women-owned-business-mbewbe-procurement-program/

Please note: MBE/WBE forms must be completed for EVERY bid submitted and must be inclusive of ALL required signatures. Forms without all required signatures will be considered incomplete.

• Signed Addenda: All addenda to this RFP must be signed and submitted with the bid.

• Bidder’s Proposal/Packet: Formal response to the specifications outlined in this RFP, including pricing information and details related to the good(s) or service(s) being provided. Please be mindful of formatting responses as requested to ensure clarity.

• Financial Assurance, if requested (as indicated on page 5 of this document under “Bid Terms”)

All of the above listed documents are REQUIRED. (With the exception of financial assurances, which are only required if specified on page 5.)

***Failure to meet specified deadlines, follow specific submission instructions, or enclose all required documents with all applicable signatures will result in disqualification, or in an inability to appropriately evaluate bids.

http://www.providenceri.gov/purchasing/how-to-submit-a-bid/ https://www.providenceri.gov/purchasing/minority-women-owned-business-mbewbe-procurement-program/

NOTICE TO VENDORS

1. The Board of Contract and Supply will make the award to the lowest qualified and responsible bidder.

2. In determining the lowest responsible bidder, cash discounts based on preferable payment terms will not be considered.

3. Where prices are the same, the Board of Contract and Supply reserves the right to award to one bidder, or to split the award.

4. No proposal will be accepted if the bid is made in collusion with any other bidder.

5. Bids may be submitted on an “equal in quality” basis. The City reserves the right to decide equality.

Bidders must indicate brand or the make being offered and submit detailed specifications if other than brand requested.

6. A bidder who is an out-of-state corporation shall qualify or register to transact business in this State, in accordance with the Rhode Island Business Corporation Act, RIGL Sec. 7-1.2-1401, et seq.

7. The Board of Contract and Supply reserves the right to reject any and all bids.

8. Competing bids may be viewed in person at the Department of the City Clerk, City Hall, Providence, immediately upon the conclusion of the formal Board of Contract and Supply meeting during which the bids were unsealed/opened. Bids may also be accessed electronically on the internet via the City’s Open Meetings Portal.

9. As the City of Providence is exempt from the payment of Federal Excise Taxes and Rhode Island Sales Tax, prices quoted are not to include these taxes.

10. In case of error in the extension of prices quoted, the unit price will govern.

11. The contractor will NOT be permitted to: a) assign or underlet the contract, or b) assign either legally or equitably any monies or any claim thereto without the previous written consent of the City Purchasing Director.

12. Delivery dates must be shown in the bid. If no delivery date is specified, it will be assumed that an immediate delivery from stock will be made.

13. A certificate of insurance will normally be required of a successful vendor.

14. For many contracts involving construction, alteration and/or repair work, State law provisions concerning payment of prevailing wage rates apply (RIGL Sec. 37-13-1 et seq.)

15. No goods should be delivered, or work started without a Purchase Order.

16. Submit 2 copies of the bid to the City Clerk, unless the specification section of this document indicates otherwise.

17. Bidder must certify that it does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation and/or religion in its business and hiring practices and that all of its employees are lawfully employed under all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations. (See Bid Form 2.)

http://providenceri.iqm2.com/Citizens/Default.aspx http://providenceri.iqm2.com/Citizens/Default.aspx http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/TITLE37/37-13/INDEX.HTM

BID TERMS

1. Financial assurances may be required in order to be a successful bidder for Commodity or Construction and Service contracts. If either of the first two checkboxes below is checked, the specified assurance must accompany a bid, or the bid will not be considered by the Board of Contract and Supply. The third checkbox indicates the lowest responsible bidder will be contacted and required to post a bond to be awarded the contract.

a) A certified check for $ must be deposited with the City Clerk as a guarantee that the

Contract will be signed and delivered by the bidder.

b) A bid bond in the amount of per centum (%) of the proposed total price, must be deposited with the City Clerk as a guarantee that the contract will be signed and delivered by the bidder; and the amount of such bid bond shall be retained for the use of the City as liquidated damages in case of default. Any person signing a bid bond as an attorney-in-fact shall include with the bid bond an original, or a photocopy or facsimile of an original, power of attorney.

c) A performance and payment bond with a satisfactory surety company will be posted by the bidder in a sum equal to one hundred per centum (100%) of the awarded contract.

d) No financial assurance is necessary for this item.

2. Awards will be made within nighty (90) days of bid opening. All bid prices will be considered firm, unless qualified otherwise. Requests for price increases will not be honored.

3. Failure to deliver within the time quoted or failure to meet specifications may result in default in accordance with the general specifications. It is agreed that deliveries and/or completion are subject to strikes, lockouts, accidents, and Acts of God.

The following entry applies only for COMMODITY BID TERMS:

4. Payment for partial delivery will not be allowed except when provided for in blanket or term contracts.

The following entries apply only for CONSTRUCTION AND SERVICE BID TERMS:

5. Only one shipping charge will be applied in the event of partial deliveries for blanket or term contracts.

6. Prior to commencing performance under the contract, the successful bidder shall attest to compliance with the provisions of the Rhode Island Worker’s Compensation Act, RIGL 28-29-1, et seq. If exempt from compliance, the successful bidder shall submit a sworn Affidavit by a corporate officer to that effect, which shall accompany the signed contract.

7. Prior to commencing performance under the contract, the successful bidder shall, submit a certificate of insurance, in a form and in an amount satisfactory to the City.

http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE28/28-29/INDEX.htm

BID FORM 1: Bidders Blank

1. Bids must meet the attached specifications. Any exceptions or modifications must be noted and fully explained.

2. Bidder’s responses must be in ink or typewritten, and all blanks on the bid form should be completed.

3. The price or prices proposed should be stated both in WRITING and in FIGURES, and any proposal not so stated may be rejected. Contracts exceeding twelve months must specify annual costs for each year.

4. Bids SHOULD BE TOTALED so that the final cost is clearly stated (unless submitting a unit price bid), however each item should be priced individually. Do not group items. Awards may be made on the basis of total bid or by individual items.

5. All bids MUST BE SIGNED IN INK.

Name of Bidder (Firm or Individual):

Contact Name:

Business Address:

Business Phone #:

Contact Email Address:

Agrees to bid on (Write the “Item Description” here):

If the bidder’s company is based in a state other than Rhode

Island, list name and contact information for a local agent for service of process that is located within Rhode Island

Delivery Date (if applicable):

Name of Surety Company (if applicable):

Total Amount in Writing*:

Total Amount in Figures*:

*If you are submitting a unit price bid, please insert “Unit Price Bid”

Use additional pages if necessary for additional bidding details.

Signature of Representation

Title

BID FORM 2: Certification of Bidder (Non-Discrimination/Hiring)

Upon behalf of_____________________________________________ (Firm or Individual Bidding), I, (Name of Person Making Certification), being its (Title or “Self”), hereby certify that:

1. Bidder does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation and/or religion in its business and hiring practices.

2. All of Bidder’s employees have been hired in compliance with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations.

I affirm by signing below that I am duly authorized on behalf of Bidder, on this day of 20 .

Printed Name

BID FORM 3: Certificate Regarding Public Records

Upon behalf of______________________________________________ (Firm or Individual Bidding), I, (Name of Person Making Certification), being its (Title or “Self”), hereby certify an understanding that:

1. All bids submitted in response to Requests for Proposals (RFP’s) and Requests for Qualification (RFQ’s), documents contained within, and the details outlined on those documents become public record upon receipt by the City Clerk’s office and opening at the corresponding Board of Contract and Supply (BOCS) meeting.

2. The Purchasing Department and the issuing department for this RFP/RFQ have made a conscious effort to request that sensitive/personal information be submitted directly to the issuing department and only at request if verification of specific details is critical the evaluation of a vendor’s bid.

3. The requested supplemental information may be crucial to evaluating bids. Failure to provide such details may result in disqualification, or an inability to appropriately evaluate bids.

4. If sensitive information that has not been requested is enclosed or if a bidder opts to enclose the defined supplemental information prior to the issuing department’s request in the bidding packet submitted to the City Clerk, the City of Providence has no obligation to redact those details and bears no liability associated with the information becoming public record.

5. The City of Providence observes a public and transparent bidding process. Information required in the bidding packet may not be submitted directly to the issuing department at the discretion of the bidder in order to protect other information, such as pricing terms, from becoming public. Bidders who make such an attempt will be disqualified.

I affirm by signing below that I am duly authorized on behalf of Bidder, on this day of 20 .

Printed Name

BID FORM 4: Affidavit of City Vendor

Per our Code of Ordinances Sec. 21.-28.1 (e), this form applies to a) the business, b) any political action committee whose name includes the name of the business, c) all persons holding ten (10) percent or greater equity interest or five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) or greater cash value interest in the business at any time during the reporting period, d) all executive officers of the business entity, e) any spouse or dependent child of any individual identified in a) though d) above.

Executive officers who are not residents of the state of Rhode Island are exempted from this requirement.

Per R.I.G.L. § 36-14-2, “Business” means a sole proprietorship, partnership, firm, corporation, holding company, joint stock company, receivership, trust, or any other entity recognized in law through which business for profit or not for profit is conducted.

Name of the person making this affidavit: ____________________________________________

Position in the “Business” ________________________________________________________

Name of Entity _________________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________________________

Phone number: ________________

The number of persons or entities in your entity that are required to report under Sec. 21.-28.1 (e): _____

Read the following paragraph and answer one of the options:

Within the 12 month period preceding the date of this bid submission with the City of Providence, or with respect to the contracts that are not in writing within the 12 month period preceding the date of notification that the contract has reached the $100,000 threshold, have you made campaign contributions within a calendar year to (please list all persons or entities required under Sec. 21.-28.1 (e)).

a. Members of the Providence City Council? ☐ Yes ☐ No

• If Yes, please complete the following:

Recipient(s) of the Contribution:

Contribution Date(s): Contribution Amount(s):

b. Candidates for election or reelection to the Providence City Council? ☐ Yes ☐ No

• If Yes, please complete the following:

c. The Mayor of Providence? ☐ Yes ☐ No

d. Candidates for election or reelection to the office of Mayor of Providence? ☐ Yes ☐ No

Signed under the pains and penalties of perjury. Position https://library.municode.com/ri/providence/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH21REFI_ARTIICOPUSA_S21-28.1QUPADOBUCI http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE36/36-14/36-14-2.htm https://library.municode.com/ri/providence/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH21REFI_ARTIICOPUSA_S21-28.1QUPADOBUCI https://library.municode.com/ri/providence/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH21REFI_ARTIICOPUSA_S21-28.1QUPADOBUCI

MBE/WBE Participation Plan

Please complete separate forms for each MBE/WBE subcontractor/supplier to be utilized on the solicitation.

Bidder’s Name:

Bidder’s Address:

Point of Contact:

Telephone:

Email:

Procurement #:

Project Name:

Which one of the following describes your business’ status in terms of Minority and/or Woman Owned Business Enterprise certification with the State of Rhode Island? (Check all that apply).

☐MBE ☐WBE ☐Neither MBE nor WBE

This form is intended to capture commitments between the prime contractor/vendor and MBE/WBE subcontractors and suppliers, including a description of the work to be performed and the percentage of the work as submitted to the prime contractor/vendor.

Please note that all MBE/WBE subcontractors/suppliers must be certified by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Opportunity at the time of bid. The MBE/WBE Directory can be found here. Please visit, the City’s MBE/WBE page for details of the program (e.g.

instructions and requirements).

• Nonprofit organizations are not required to complete the rest of this form.

• Construction projects unable to identify subcontractors prior to bid submission (e.g. Design Build) are required to provide updates to the MBE/WBE Outreach Office Name of Subcontractor/Supplier:

Type of RI Certification: ☐MBE ☐WBE ☐Neither Address:

Point of Contact:

Telephone:

Email:

Detailed Description of Work to Be Performed by Subcontractor or Materials to be Supplied by Supplier Per the Scope of Work provided in the RFP

Total Contract Value ($):

Subcontract Value ($): Participation

Rate (%):

Anticipated Date of Performance:

I certify under penalty of perjury that the forgoing statements are true and correct.

Prime Contractor/Vendor Signature Title Date

Subcontractor/Supplier Signature Title Date

*If you did not meet the 20% MBE/WBE combined participation goal, submit a Waiver Request Form.

https://dedi.ri.gov/divisions-units/minority-business-enterprise-compliance-office/minority-business-enterprise-mbe

MBE/WBE Waiver Request Form Fill out this form only if you did not meet the 20% MBE/WBE participation goal.

State-certified MBE or WBE Prime Bidders are NOT REQUIRED to fill out this form.

Submit this form to the City of Providence MBE/WBE Outreach Director, Grace Diaz, at gdiaz@providenceri.gov, for review prior to bid submission. This waiver applies only to the current bid which you are submitting to the City of Providence and does not apply to other bids your company may submit in the future. In case a waiver is needed, City Department Directors should not recommend a bidder for an award if this form is not included, absent or is not signed by the city of Providence MBE/WBE director.

Prime Bidder: _______________________________________ Contact Email and Phone________________________________ Company Name, Address: ________________________________________ Trade _________________________________ Project /Item Description (as seen on RFP):

To receive a waiver, you must list the certified MBE and/or WBE companies you contacted, the name of the primary individual with whom you interacted, and the reason the MBE/WBE company could not participate on this project.

MBE/WBE Company Name

Individual’s Name Company Name Why did you choose not to work with this company?

I acknowledge the City of Providence’s goal of a combined MBE/WBE participation is 20% of the total bid value. I am requesting a waiver of _______ % MBE/WBE (20% minus the value of Box F on the Subcontractor Disclosure Form). If an opportunity is identified to subcontract any task associated with the fulfillment of this contract, a good faith effort will be made to select MBE/WBE certified businesses as partners.

Signature of Prime Contractor / Printed Name Date Signed or Duly Authorized Representative

Signature of City of Providence Printed Name of City of Providence Date Signed MBE/WBE Outreach Director / MBE/WBE Outreach Director or Duly Authorized Representative mailto:gdiaz@providenceri.gov

FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

APPRENTICE REQUIREMENTS (Construction Projects Valued at $100,000 or More).

Attention of prospective bidders is called to the fact that this project is to be bid upon and executed under the City of Providence Code of Ordinances Chapter 21 Art. II Section 21-28.1 c(1) and (2) related to utilizing apprentices in the contract. This ordinance outlines requirements for utilizing not less than 15% of total hours worked by apprentices. The City may lower this percentage only if it determines in writing that compliance is not feasible or that it would be unduly cost prohibitive to the project. The attention of prospective bidders is also called to the fact that reporting the efforts undertaken and progress towards achieving the requirements in this ordinance is a condition for payment. Compliance reporting shall be submitted with any contract payment requisition, in a format to be specified by the City. This demonstration of compliance through such reports shall be a condition of the requisition for payment to be processed. Upon the contract being awarded to the successful bidder, a mandatory meeting will be scheduled to review the project requirements relative to apprenticeship requirements and the process and protocols by which these goals will be achieved. At this meeting, specific forms and procedures for the documentation and achievement of these requirements by the successful bidder will be provided, discussed and agreed upon for the execution of the contract.

“FIRST SOURCE” REQUIREMENTS.

Attention of prospective bidders is called to the fact that this project is to be bid upon and executed under the City of Providence Code of Ordinances Chapter 21 Art. III 1/2 First Source Agreements Sec. 21-91 through 21-96. This ordinance outlines requirements for hiring Providence residents to work on this project. The City may waive this requirement only upon a determination in writing that qualified residents of Providence are not available for the project, pursuant to Sec. 21-94(e). The attention of prospective bidders is called to the fact that reporting the efforts undertaken and progress towards achieving the requirements in this ordinance is a condition for payment. Compliance reporting shall be submitted with any contract payment requisition, in a format to be specified by the City.

This demonstration of compliance through such reports shall be a condition of the requisition for payment to be processed. Upon the contract being awarded to the successful bidder, a mandatory meeting will be scheduled to review the project requirements relative to the First Source Agreements and the process and protocols by which these goals will be achieved. At this meeting, specific forms and procedures for the documentation and achievement of these requirements by the successful bidder will be provided, discussed, and agreed upon for the execution of the contract.

https://library.municode.com/ri/providence/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH21REFI_ARTIICOPUSA_S21-28.1QUPADOBUCI https://library.municode.com/ri/providence/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH21REFI_ARTIII_1-2_FIURAG

BID PACKAGE SPECIFICATIONS

1. Overview A. Purpose The City of Providence is seeking a vendor to replace trash and recycling carts for households in its residential trash and recycling curbside collection program. The awarded vendor will be responsible for supplying new carts, assembling and delivering the carts, assigning carts to households, and disassembling and recycling of existing carts.

B. Background Information The curbside collection program includes approximately 62,500 households. Each household generally has one 95-gallon recycling cart and one 65-gallon trash cart. As such, a three-unit, multi-family home would typically have three 95-gallon recycling carts and three 65-gallon trash carts. The City has issued three main types of carts over the life of its cart-based collection program – 95-gallon “Big Green Cans”, 65-gallon gray carts, and 65-gallon blue carts, which replace Big Green Cans when they break and are replaced.

A rough summary of the City’s existing cart landscape follows:

• 95-gallon Big Green Can o Appx. Number in circulation: 31,250 o Manufacturer: Rehrig o Raw material information:

Resin: cart, lid, lid pins, 12” wheels Metal: pull bar, metal axel o Average age: 12+

• 65-gallon gray cart o Appx. Number in circulation: 62,500 o Manufacturer: Rehrig o Raw material information:

Resin: cart, lid, lid pins, 12” wheels Metal: pull bar, metal axel o Average age: 10+

• 65-gallon blue cart o Appx. Number in circulation: 31,250 o Manufacturer: Rehrig o Raw material information

Resin: cart, lid, lid pins, 12” wheels Metal: pull bar, metal axel o Average age: variable

2. Scope of Work Based on the availability of funding, the City intends to replace either a portion of or all of the trash and recycling carts associated with its curbside collection program.

A. Base Scope of Work The awarded vendor shall:

• Supply, deliver, and assemble 95-gallon trash and 95-gallon recycling carts to 12,500 households. Each household shall receive one trash cart and one recycling cart. Cart delivery should begin on or before September 15, 2025. The City shall supply a comprehensive address list of eligible households no less than four weeks prior to the cart delivery start date. Any damage to the carts during delivery and assembly shall be the responsibility of the awarded vendor to replace in-kind.

• Disassemble and responsibly dispose of corresponding existing carts. Existing carts shall be recycled to the greatest extent practicable. The City shall receive a recycling credit for the sale of recycled materials from its existing carts.

• Scan cart barcodes at the point of delivery to develop a database that assigns specific carts – based on serial number, RFID tag, and bar code – to specific addresses and GPS coordinates. Awarded vendor must have the ability to deliver to and document any addresses that may be excluded from the original delivery list, and to use resolution codes to track where delivery was not possible to a particular address for reasons such as vacant lot, commercial address, or resident refusal. Awarded vendor shall provide the database to the City and have the ability to migrate all open and closed requested data into a cloud-based asset management system for ongoing cart management and reporting purposes at the request of the City.

• Affix literature to each cart during initial distribution. The City shall provide the materials to be attached to each cart.

• Warranty the carts for at least 10 years and agree to a reclaim program to take back and recycle all carts and cart parts generated by the City that have reached the end of their useful life.

• Supply additional carts following the initial order for the duration of the contract term. City will deliver carts after initial order.

• Provide financing terms for the initial order for any costs exceeding $1,825,000.

B. Add Alternate 1 The awarded vendor shall:

• Supply, deliver, and assemble 95-gallon trash and 95-gallon recycling carts to 62,500 households. Each household shall receive one trash cart and one recycling cart. Cart delivery should begin on or before September 15, 2025. The City shall supply a comprehensive address list of eligible households no less than four weeks prior to the cart delivery start date. Any damage to the carts during delivery and assembly shall be the responsibility of the awarded vendor to replace in-kind.

• Disassemble and responsibly dispose of corresponding existing carts. Existing carts shall be recycled to the greatest extent practicable. The City shall receive a recycling credit for the sale of recycled materials from its existing carts.

• Scan cart barcodes at the point of delivery to develop a database that assigns specific carts – based on serial number, RFID tag, and bar code – to specific addresses and GPS coordinates. Awarded vendor must have the ability to deliver to and document any addresses that may be excluded from the original delivery list, and to use resolution codes to track where delivery was not possible to a particular address for reasons such as vacant lot, commercial address, or resident refusal. Awarded vendor shall provide the database to the City and have the ability to migrate all open and closed requested data into a cloud-based asset management system for ongoing cart management and reporting purposes at the request of the City.

• Affix literature to each cart during initial distribution. The City shall provide the materials to be attached to each cart.

• Warranty the carts for at least 10 years and agree to a reclaim program to take back and recycle all carts and cart parts generated by the City that have reached the end of their useful life.

• Supply additional carts following the initial order for the duration of the contract term. City will deliver carts after initial order.

• Provide financing terms for the initial order for any costs exceeding $8,700,000.

3. Specifications A. Cart Specifications

i. Material: The cart must be manufactured from first-quality high-density polyethylene (HDPE) provided by a well-established resin manufacturer. Carts must be 100% recyclable and shall be manufactured with the maximum amount of recycled material possible, including at least 10% residential post-consumer recycled plastic. Bidders must submit a technical data sheet from the resin producer. Carts with higher amounts of recycled content will be assessed more favorably.

ii. Resin Additives: All plastic parts shall be colorfast so they do not alter or fade appreciably in normal use throughout the warranty period. The plastic resin must be enhanced with color pigment and ultraviolet inhibitor, which must be used at a rate of no less than 2% by weight. To ensure thorough distribution of resin and additives, a hot-melt blending process shall be used. Bidders must submit a statement certifying that all of the plastic resin and additives will be hot-melt blended.

iii. ANSI Conformance: The containers shall meet the requirements of ANSI Z245.30-2008 and ANSI Z245.60-2008 (Type B and G containers) standards. The containers shall meet the ANSI Appendix D Test for “Loading and Unloading Test for Carts” that requires 520 dump cycles under the containers full rated load performed for both full automation and semi-automation. All ANSI certifications shall be submitted with the proposal.

iv. Capacity: The total capacity of the cart bodies, excluding the lid, must be 95 US gallons ±3%.

v. Width: The cart shall be manufactured with a narrow-width design to fit through a 30-inch door opening.

vi. Load Rating: The cart must be designed to regularly receive and dump 330 pounds of materials, excluding the weight of the cart, without permanent damage or deformation.

vii. Maneuverability: The cart shall be manufactured with a foot operated tilt feature designed in the axel area to facilitate easy tipping. Carts that require less force to tip will be assessed more favorably.

viii. Resin Weight: The cart must be manufactured to achieve a minimum resin weight of approximately 34 pounds.

ix. Wall Thickness: The quoted cart must have a nominal wall thickness of 0.165 inches throughout the body of the cart. The body must have a minimum wall thickness of 0.185 inches in the critical wear points (i.e. cart bottom, handle and lift mechanism). The minimum wall thickness of the lid must be

0.140 inches. Carts that exceed the minimum specification shall be assessed more favorably.

x. Rim of Body: Cart body shall be molded with an upper rim to add structural strength and stability to the cart and to provide a flat surface for lid closure. This reinforced rim shall have a raised inner perimeter to serve as a barrier to escaping odors, intrusion of pests, and to prevent moisture from entering the cart from under the edge of the lid. The rim of the cart must not have an inward radius to obstruct free flow emptying of material out from the cart.

xi. Bottom: The cart bottom must be reinforced at all points that contact the ground and include molded in wear strips to improve durability. The bottom of the cart must be impact resistant at all points (four corners and the center) of the base. Carts with thicker wear strips will be assessed more favorably.

xii. Lid: The cart lid shall be one-piece and shall be manufactured from the same material used in the cart body. The lid shall not fade, warp, bend, slump, or distort to such an extent that it no longer fits the cart properly. Cart lids must be crowned to prevent ponding of water. The lid should prevent the intrusion of rainwater, rodents, and insects and prevent the emission of odors when closed. Cart lids must open from a closed position through a full 270° arc and hang open without stressing the lid, cart body, or tipping over the cart. The cart lid must be easily removed if damaged or failing, but should not be readily removable by the public by hand or ordinary tools. Lids shall be securely attached to the carts without the use of metal hinges, brackets/bolts and/or screws, metal bars, PVC, plastic glued connections, or any hidden bars. Attachments must be weather-resistant and easily installed during cart assembly and uninstalled during cart disassembly. Lids shall be hinged to open using gravity as the cart is dumped.

Living hinges, lid counterweights are not acceptable. Locking and latching mechanisms are not acceptable.

xiii. Handle: Each cart must be equipped with a molded-in handle as part of the container body. Bolt on handle mounts or bolt on handles are not acceptable. The handle shall provide a comfortable grip for either pulling or pushing. The handle must not have the ability to rotate on its own axis at any time.

xiv. Wheels: Wheels shall be at least 10” in diameter and 1.75” wide with grooved, quiet treads. Carts with 12” wheels will be assessed more favorably. Wheels must be extra high molecular weight polyethylene capable of supporting a minimum of 200 lbs. per wheel. Wheels must be snap on wheels, and each wheel shall be furnished with an inner lock pin made out of a corrosion resistant material. Wheels that require the use of pal nuts, washers, or other means of connection are not unacceptable. Wheel bearings, if provided, shall be maintenance-free and self-lubricating.

xv. Axel: Carts shall be furnished with a 5/8” minimum diameter, high strength, solid steel axle with corrosion resistant coating. Axle must slide through molded-in plastic journals in the cart bottom and must not be exposed to contents inside of cart. Axles attached by means of bolts or rivets are not acceptable. Carts that exceed the minimum standard will be assessed more favorably.

xvi. Lift System: Each cart shall be equipped with attachment points which make it compatible with standard American semi-automated bar-locking lifters and fully-automated arm lifters. The upper lift point must be permanently molded into the cart. All lower lift bars must be designed to withstand at least ten years of lifter attachment. The lower bar must be mounted in molded-in plastic bearings or held in place with pre-installed latch/push pins. The lower bar must be factory installed and cannot be attached by means of rivets, screws, bolts, or similar fasteners. With the exception of the metal axel and, possibly, a metal lift bar, there shall be no other metal attachments, metal framing, or nots and blots on the cart.

xvii. Stability: The carts shall be designed to remain stable and self-balancing when in the upright position, either loaded or empty, when the lid is thrown open. Cart lid shall be designed to not blow open during inclement weather conditions. The cart must be designed to withstand winds averaging 30 mph when empty. Certified wind tunnel testing results shall be provided with the vendor proposal. Carts that exceed the minimum standard shall be assessed more favorably.

xviii. Construction: Carts shall be manufactured with a smooth non-textured interior surface and free from crevices, recesses, projections, and other obstructions where material inside the carts could become trapped.

Carts shall be manufactured with a slight taper, to permit nesting, with lids attached, of unassembled carts during shipment and storage. All necessary parts and hardware to assemble a complete cart are to be included with each truckload delivery.

xix. Spare Parts: Original spare parts shall be available throughout the ten year warranty period of each cart. All parts supplied will meet ANSI Standards and manufacturer’s specifications and standards.

xx. Color: Color must be impregnated into the plastic. Surface treatments, painted or spray-on finishes, and materials that are not homogenous are not acceptable. Trash carts shall be gray with black lids.

Recycling carts shall be bright blue with bright blue lids.

Final color choices shall be selected by the City after a bidder is awarded. Awarded bidder shall submit samples of all available colors and finishes and provide information about the percentage of recyclable materials that can be used with each color.

For the purpose of calculating potential recycled materials for this bid, bidders should select the versions of the colors requested above that permit the greatest amount of recycled materials to be incorporated.

xxi. Serial Numbers: Each cart must have a serial number and associated barcode hot stamped in white on the body. The starting number shall be determined by the City, and updated upon request. The serial number must be in a position that will permit unobstructed visibility while the containers are nested or stacked. The vendor shall coordinate with the City on the preferred location of the serial number. The awarded vendor will maintain a file that identifies the date of manufacture by the serial number. The serial number shall be the same number used to identify the cart for warranty purposes.

xxii. City Seal: The City of Providence seal shall be hot stamped onto both sides of the cart body at a size and in a location approved by the City.

xxiii. User Instructions: Instructions for the safe use of the cart must be molded into each lid. Instructions shall be in both English and Spanish. The awarded vendor shall coordinate with the City on the specific language for each cart type prior to manufacture of the carts.

xxiv. In-Mold Label: The recycling and trash carts shall include in-mold labels permanently molded into the container lids. They shall not wear or peel from normal uses. They shall have ultra-violet and other protection from the effects of the sun. The trash cart’s in-mold label will provide instructions for bulky waste disposal. A sample approximating the graphic that will be used for the in-mold label on the recycling cart is included below:

xxv. Manufacturing Information: Carts shall be permanently identified with manufacturer’s name, model, year and month of manufacture, manufacturer’s maximum load weight rating, and volumetric capacity.

Carts shall specify that they are manufactured in accordance with ANSI standards and the amount of recycled content they are made of.

B. RFID Tag Specifications The City may implement web-based asset management software with of following the roll-out of new carts. The software will be procured separately from this RFP. With that said, the carts provided under this RFP shall include the necessary configuration to enable the City to use this software. The City’s goals for the software include inventory management, warranty management, work-order management, locating lost/stolen carts, tracking of cart set out rates, and tracking of contaminated recycling carts, among others. The software must enable the City to generate customized reports at the household level by associating each cart with a specific customer address and to view data via an online dashboard. Configuration should support data gathering by scanning the cart barcode with a smart phone, a handheld device, and using truck-installed hardware to read RFID tags. The awarded vendor will be expected to coordinate with the City’s future asset management software vendor to migrate manufacturing and delivery data to the software.

i. RFID Tag Integration: All carts must be equipped with an RFID tag and barcode that has been pre-associated with the serial number by the manufacturer. The RFID tag must be installed with no exposure to the outside elements. RFID Tags affixed to the cart lid or inside the cart are unacceptable.

ii. RFID Tag Association: It is the responsibility of the cart manufacturer to provide a database for the City that includes the association information. The database must include each cart’s RFID tag, serial number, date of manufacture, cart size, cart type, delivery date, assignment address, and GPS coordinates among others. The awarded vendor shall maintain this database for the life of the agreement and provide additional association information for future cart purchases. The City may at any time request this information and the awarded vendor must provide the information within 48 hours of the request. Additionally, the System should be capable of reporting and allowing for data to be extracted into Microsoft Excel or other similar type of application.

iii. RFID Inlay Specifications: At a minimum, the RFID inlay must be Gen2 passive UHFand have an optimal operating frequency of 860 - 960 MHz and have an operating temperature of -40°F to +149°F.

The dry inlay must meet ISO/IEC 18000-6C and EPC global C1G2 protocol. The antenna dimensions must not exceed 3.741 in x 0.302 in. with a thickness over chip not to exceed 11 mills. The inlay substrate must be heat-treated PET. The inlay must be sandwiched between a minimum of two-0.005” polyester material using a heavy duty P7 permanent adhesive.

iv. RFID Tag Testing: RFID tag used in manufacturing must have been tested and certified with an IP67 rating. The testing certification requirements consist of (1) 1mm Probe per EN 60529, (2) Dust circulation per EN 60529 and (3) Temporary Immersion per EN 60529.

v. RFID Tag Verification: The RFID tag must be encoded and verified at the manufacturing facility to ensure that it is working properly prior to shipment.

C. Warranty, Returns, & Reclaim Program Specifications

i. Warranty: Bidders must provide the City with a document that clearly states the exact warranty of the cart manufacturer. The awarded bidder shall fully guarantee the performance of the carts and warrant carts against defects in materials and workmanship for a minimum of ten (10) years on all carts after the date of acceptance of the product. Warrantable carts delivered by the awarded bidder that fail within the warranty period shall be replaced and warranted for the remainder of the warranty period. For purposes of this section, a cart shall be defined as a complete unit, including a full lid assembly, all hot stamping, all in-mold labels, all embossing, wheel assembly, hardware, serial numbers/bar codes, and all other components. During the warranty period, the awarded bidder shall replace defective carts/parts at no additional cost to the City, including transportation and handling. The warranty term will survive the contract term. If the awarded bidder is owned (or purchased) by another business entity, the owning entity shall also accept full financial responsibility for the warranty of the bidder.

Examples of defects in materials and workmanship shall include, but are not be limited to:

a. Failure of the lid to prevent rainwater from entering the cart when in the closed position

b. Damage to the cart body, lid or any component parts through opening or closing the lid

c. Failure of the lower lift bar from damage during interface with standard ANSI approved lifting devices

d. Failure of the body and lid to maintain their original shape

e. Damage or cracking of the cart body through normal operating conditions

f. Failure of the wheels to provide continuous easy mobility as originally designed

g. Failure of any part to conform to standards as specified herein

h. Failure of ultraviolet effectiveness resultant of sun exposure causing deterioration or shattering of the carts or lids will be cause for replacement by the awarded bidder on the grounds of improper use of inhibitor

i. Failure of barcode/RFID tag to be read by the appropriate device

j. Failure of ultraviolet effectiveness resultant of sun exposure causing in-mold labels to fade

The bidders warranty is understood to include and cover all issues referenced in this Section, whether stated in bidder’s warranty or not.

Replacement: Any cart or component part that does not conform to the technical requirements, as deemed by the City, or that fails by reason of inadequate or improper materials, defective workmanship, insufficient resistance to weathering or for any other cause whatsoever other than negligence or abuse shall be replaced within forty-five (45) calendar days from notice to the awarded bidder, at no cost to the City.

Cart Replacement Parts: The awarded bidder shall provide to the City all cart components for use as replacement parts of defective and unserviceable carts still under warranty, at no cost to the City.

Replacement parts shall be the same or superior in quality and performance as the original equipment manufactured parts. In the event that the awarded bidder is unable to provide the City with any replacement part for a period longer than forty-five (45) calendar days, the bidder shall be liable for providing new replacement carts. For each unavailable cart part requested by the City, the bidder’s maximum liability shall not exceed the cost of a new, replacement cart delivered to the City. The specialized tool sets required for cart repairs shall be replaced at no cost to the City, as requested by the City. The City shall not seek warranty replacement to exceed twenty-five (25) sets of specialized tools per contract period.

Responsibility for damage or loss: The awarded bidder shall not be responsible for damage or loss of carts due to vandalism, abuse, neglect, theft or acts of nature after delivery and acceptance by the City.

To the extent that the cart conforms to the solicitation requirements, the awarded bidder shall not be responsible for damage or loss due to fire.

Claim Procedures: The City may remove a cart from residential service for repair or replacement at any time, regardless of the cause of defective performance. For carts that are subject to a warranty claim

(Warrantable Carts), but repairable, the City may elect to install replacement parts such as wheels, grab bars and lids. However, this action will in no way waive the warranty requirement of the carts. All carts that are identified as not repairable, as determined by the City, and are Warrantable Carts, shall be replaced as discussed above.

In the event that a Warrantable Cart or component part is identified by the City as requiring complete replacement, then the City shall retain the Warrantable Cart or component part and promptly notify the awarded bidder in writing of its warranty claim. Within forty-five (45) calendar days of this notification, the awarded bidder shall honor the warranty claim by delivering a replacement cart to the City. If the awarded bidder contests the warranty claim, notice must be submitted in writing to the City’s contract manager within fourteen (14) calendar days. In the case of a contested claim, resolution must be reached 60 days after the initial claim was filed.

The awarded bidder may visually inspect the Warrantable Cart or component part during the forty five

(45) calendar day post-notification period. The awarded bidder may, upon its inspection of damaged carts/parts, challenge its obligation to replace subject carts/parts on the basis that the failure resulted from either negligent handling and/or abusive use. The Burden of Proof when contesting warranty claims shall be placed solely on the awarded bidder. Such proof shall be in writing with specific details as to the exact cause of the defect. The City will consider the details of the awarded bidders contested item.

In the event of a contested warranty claim, the City and the awarded bidder shall use their best efforts to mutually resolve the disagreement. In the event that the City and the awarded bidder cannot resolve their disagreement within forty five (45) calendar days subsequent to the awarded bidder’s notice, the City’s determination shall be final.

ii. Product Returns: The City may elect to return to the awarded bidder any unused item within sixty (60) business days of receipt and acceptance of that item by the City if the item is…