Request for Proposals for Mattress and Box Spring Collection and Recycling Services 10-9- 26 Issuance.pdf

Request for Proposals for

Mattress and Box Spring Collection and Recycling Services by

Northeast Maryland

Waste Disposal Authority

Date of Issue: October 9, 2026

Table of Contents

1. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

2. GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 PROCUREMENT

2.2 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS AVAILABILITY

2.3 INFORMATION OR CLARIFICATION REQUESTS

2.4 SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

2.5 CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

2.6 EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

2.7 IRREVOCABILITY OF PRICE PROPOSAL

3. SCOPE OF SERVICE

3.1 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

3.2 COLLECTION CONTAINERS

3.3 COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS

3.4 QUANTITIES

3.5 EQUIPMENT

3.6 WEIGH PROCEDURES

3.7 RECYCLING FACILITY AND RESIDUE DISPOSAL SITES

3.8 SERVICE FEE

3.9 MONTHLY REPORTS

3.10 AGREEMENT TERM .................. ………………………………………………………………… 15

4. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

4.1 ACCEPTABLE MATERIAL TRANSPORT AND RECYCLING MINIMUM

QUALIFICATIONS

4.2 REQUIRED CONTENT OF PROPOSALS

5. GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT PROPOSER

5.1 EXPERIENCE WITH ACCEPTABLE MATERIAL TRANSPORT AND

RECYCLING DESCRIPTION

5.2 ACCEPTABLE MATERIAL TRANSPORT AND RECYCLING PROPOSAL

5.3 INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

5.4 FINANCIAL QUALIFICATIONS

5.5 PERFORMANCE BOND, LETTER OF CREDIT, CASHIER’S CHECK

5.6 AUTHORITY REVIEW OF PROPOSALS

5.7 EXCEPTIONS TO TERMS AND CONDITIONS

6. EVALUATION PROCESS AND CRITERIA

6.1 EVALUATION PROCESS

6.2 EVALUATION CRITERIA

7. ADA COMPLIANCE ………………………………………………………………………………… 24

7.1 ALTERNATIVE FORMS …………………………………………………………………………… 24

APPENDIX A:

MAP OF DESIGNATED COLLECTION SITES

APPENDIX B

APPENDIX C

APPENDIX D

FORM OF PERFORMANCE LETTER OF CREDIT

APPENDIX E

APPENDIX F [RESERVED]

APPENDIX G-1

APPENDIX G-2

APPENDIX G-3

APPENDIX H

APPENDIX I

ARTICLE 1 - TRANSACTION TERMS AND CONDITIONS

ARTICLE 2 - OBLIGATIONS OF THE CONTRACTOR AND THE MEMBER

JURISDICTION

ARTICLE 3 - TERMINATION

ARTICLE 4 - TERM

ARTICLE 5 - REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

ARTICLE 6 - DISPUTES

ARTICLE 7 - MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

EXHIBIT A - CONTRACTOR’S PROPOSAL

EXHIBIT B - INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

EXHIBIT C - REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

1. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority (“Authority”) is a multi-county agency created by the State of Maryland to assist participating member jurisdictions (“Member Jurisdictions” or “Members”) with recycling and waste management systems. Members include Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Harford, Howard, and Montgomery Counties.

The Authority’s Members continue to pursue greater diversion of material from disposal. Some of the Members have existing collection points for recycling mattresses and box springs. The Authority would like to enhance service to its Members by providing additional collection and recycling options for mattresses and box springs recycling. The Authority requests technical and price proposals from qualified vendors (“Proposers”) for the following elements of mattress and box spring collection: (including collection containers and other equipment as needed), acceptance, loading/unloading, transportation, processing, marketing, recycling or reuse, residual disposal and any other incidental costs. This service will be provided to one or more of the Authority’s Member Jurisdictions. The term of the Master Service Agreement (“Agreement”) (defined below) will be July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2032. However, the date on which service begins (“Operations Date”) may be different for each Member Jurisdiction.

The Contractor shall provide equipment and personnel to accept or remove Acceptable Material (defined in Section 2.04 of Appendix I, Master Service Agreement below) from Collection Containers at current or future locations designated by the Member Jurisdictions (See Appendix A for a list of Current Designated Collection Sites), as applicable.

The Contractor shall accept or transport Acceptable Material to an offsite Recycling Facility, as applicable. The Recycling Facility will act as the Contractor’s main processing site for all Acceptable Material to be recycled under the Master Service Agreement, as set forth in Appendix I. The Master Service Agreement will act as the primary contract between the Authority and Contractor, to ensure the Contractor provides services for mattress and box spring collection (including collection containers and other equipment as needed), acceptance, loading/unloading, transportation, processing, marketing, recycling or reuse, residual disposal and any other incidental costs throughout the length of the Agreement, unless otherwise noted in the final Confirmation (defined in Appendix I, Master Service Agreement, below).

2. GENERAL INFORMATION

The Authority will evaluate the Proposer’s technical and financial qualifications and the technical and price proposals based on the written materials received and other evaluations that may be conducted by the reviewers.

Pertinent Dates:

Question Submittal Date October 30, 2026 (4:00 p.m. Local Time)

Proposal Due Date November 30, 2026 (4:00 p.m. Local Time) Start Date of Master Service Agreement July 1, 2027

If there is interest in site visits, expressed by Proposers, in writing, by the Question Submittal Date, the Authority may arrange, through instructions provided in an Addendum, for site visits to occur at the Member Jurisdiction Designated Collection Sites. Additionally, before the Evaluation Committee finishes its evaluation of proposals, the Authority may require site visits at the Proposers’ Recycling Facilities, in order for Authority and Member Jurisdiction staff to evaluate operations and conditions at the Proposers’ Recycling Facilities.

2.1 PROCUREMENT

The Authority is soliciting technical and price proposals in accordance with the requirements and allowances set forth in the Code of Maryland Regulations 14.13.01.

The Authority reserves the right and has the sole discretion to:

• Award a Master Service Agreement to one or more Proposers.

• Supplement, amend, or otherwise modify this RFP, or to cancel this RFP without substitution.

• Waive any or all informalities in the technical and price proposal, or failures to comply with the RFP requirements that are determined by the Authority in its discretion to be insignificant or immaterial.

• Request further information from Proposers as needed to support the Authority’s selection of a Proposer.

• Conduct simultaneous negotiations with Proposers deemed to be reasonably susceptible of award.

2.2 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS AVAILABILITY

The RFP will be available for download at no charge at the Authority’s website at www.nmwda.org. Proposers who download the RFP should notify the Authority of their interest by mail or e-mail to be assured of receiving any future Addenda. A paper copy of the RFP may be obtained at no charge from:

http://www.nmwda.org/

Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority Tower II – Suite 402 100 South Charles Street Baltimore, Maryland 21201-2705 Tel. (410) 333-2730, Email: procurement@nmwda.org

2.3 INFORMATION OR CLARIFICATION REQUESTS

All contacts relative to this solicitation, as well as questions concerning these instructions shall be directed to the Authority in writing, by email at procurement@nmwda.org. The subject line for such communications should be “RFP for Mattress and Box Spring Collection and Recycling Services.” Questions received on or before the Question Submittal Date will be answered by the Authority (in the form of an Addendum to this RFP) and answers distributed to all companies that have received a copy of the RFP or otherwise notified the Authority of their interest in the procurement.

Proposers shall notify the Authority of any conflicts, errors, omissions or discrepancies in this RFP prior to this time. Proposers shall not initiate communications related to this project with other Authority staff, the Member Jurisd ict ions, local elected officials, or local government staff responsible for solid waste management or recycling. Any communications may result in the disqualification of the Proposer’s technical and price proposal.

The Authority may, as necessary, issue written Addenda that describe changes, interpretations, or clarifications. The Authority will post all Addenda on the Authority’s website at www.nmwda.org, or deliver the Addenda to all parties recorded by the Authority as having received the RFP documents. Only answers issued by formal written Addenda will be binding on the Authority. Oral and other interpretations or clarifications will be without legal effect.

Interested parties are strongly encouraged to submit written questions as soon as possible, but no later than the Question Submittal Date by emailing procurement@nmwda.org.

2.4 SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

Each Proposer shall submit the proposal by email, with the subject line “RFP for Mattress and Box Spring Collection and Recycling Services,” to procurement@nmwda.org. The proposal shall not be longer than 60 pages; however, items such as proofs of insurance, permits, certifications, résumés and a letter from a surety or financial institution regarding the performance bond/letter of credit or cashier’s check may be submitted as attachments without contributing to the 60-page limit.

The technical and price proposal must be submitted on or before 4:00 p.m. local time on November 30, 2026 (“Proposal Closing Date”).

The Proposer shall be responsible entirely and exclusively for all costs incurred by the Proposer associated with technical and price proposal preparation and subsequent negotiations, which may or may not lead to execution of a Master Service Agreement. Any technical and price proposals received after the indicated time and date will not be considered. The Authority mailto:procurement@nmwda.org http://www.nmwda.org/ mailto:procurement@nmwda.org reserves the right to issue an addendum that extends the original due date for technical and price proposals.

2.5 CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

Proposals submitted in response to this RFP are subject to the Maryland Public Information Act.

Proposers should specifically identify those portions of their proposals that they consider to contain confidential, proprietary commercial information, or trade secrets by marking the applicable pages “CONFIDENTIAL.” Proposers are advised that, upon request for this information from a third party, the Authority is required to make an independent determination as to whether the information must be disclosed under the law. If the Authority determines that materials marked as confidential must be disclosed under the law, the Authority will notify the Proposer in advance of releasing the information to permit the Proposer to take independent action to protect the information. Proposers agree that the Authority has no liability for release of information it determines in good faith must be disclosed under the law.

2.6 EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Proposers shall comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations pertaining to non-discrimination and equal employment opportunity. The Proposer is responsible for determining the applicability of these provisions and extent of compliance.

2.7 IRREVOCABILITY OF PRICE PROPOSAL

The prices proposed in response to this RFP shall be irrevocable for a period of 120 days from the Proposal Closing Date, or, if modified during negotiations, for a period of 120 days from the date such modified proposal prices are proposed.

3. SCOPE OF SERVICE

3.1 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Authority intends to enter into one or more Master Service Agreements with the Proposer(s) that submit the proposals deemed by the Authority to represent the best value to the Authority.

The Authority may enter into Master Service Agreements that use different payment scenarios as described in Appendix E, the required price proposal format. The form of the Master Service Agreement is attached to this RFP as Appendix I. Note that, as described in the Master Service Agreement, each Member Jurisdiction will issue its own Confirmation for the services to be provided to that Member Jurisdiction in accord with the Master Service Agreement. Award of a Master Service Agreement to a Proposer does not guarantee the Contractor any work under the Agreement. Only the execution of a Confirmation by a Member Jurisdiction creates a contract under which Acceptable Material will be sent to an individual Contractor.

3.2 COLLECTION CONTAINERS

If requested under a specific Confirmation, the Contractor shall provide Collection Containers in good working order, such that they perform satisfactorily and safely for their intended purpose, for the acceptance of Acceptable Materials at Designated Collection Sites. Appendix A details current and/or required Collection Containers, equipment, pickup schedules and vehicles needed at each Member Jurisdiction Designated Collection Site. Member Jurisdictions retain the right to add or change Designated Collection Sites based on operational needs, as long as the subject Designated Collection Sites meet the conditions set forth below and do not exceed the total number of listed Designated Collection Sites per Member Jurisdiction as detailed in this RFP, unless otherwise agreed to in writing by all Parties (defined in Appendix I, Master Service Agreement).

Collection Containers include, but are not limited to, C type and road legal kingpin type enclosed trailers. C type containers can be categorized as large reusable steel boxes designed to be moved from one mode of transport to another without unloading and reloading. A road legal kingpin type enclosed trailer would include a fifth-wheel coupling hitch. A fifth wheel uses a large horseshoe-shaped coupling device mounted a foot or more above the bed of the tow vehicle.

The fifth wheel is intended for level roads and possesses limited side-to-side tilt. The fifth wheel can handle twenty or twenty-five percent weight transfer.

C type, Trailer or other Collection Containers may also be specially fabricated and/or intended to remain stationary onsite the Designated Collection Site, if requested by the Member Jurisdiction in writing. Live loading of Acceptable Material by the Contractor from a Collection Container onsite a Designated Collection Site onto a Contractor’s collection vehicle may also be required, if requested by a Member Jurisdiction in writing.

Each Member Jurisdiction will determine how many Collection Containers are used at each Designated Collection Site.

Each Member Jurisdiction that participates will provide a paved or hard packed area for the Collection Containers. The current locations of these areas are identified in Appendix A. The Contractor must provide sufficient personnel and equipment for the collection of all Acceptable Material delivered to the Designated Collection Site, such that a Collection Container is available seven days/week. In other words, the Member’s operations cannot be hampered by the Contractor not collecting Acceptable Material when requested. Access and egress to deliver and remove Acceptable Materials will be allowed during normal operating areas of each Member Jurisdiction’s facility. Typical operating hours are 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but may vary from site to site. The Contractor is required to follow all rules and regulations at each Designated Collection Site.

3.3 COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS

Generally, the Member Jurisdictions will load the Contractor’s Collection Containers and contact the Contractor for pickup. Load vehicle requirements are listed in Appendix A for each

Designated Collection Site. Contractors or persons collecting Acceptable Material from the sites must be clearly identifiable and be able to provide supporting documentation as to company affiliation and to the Agreement, if it is requested of them.

The Contractor’s failure to (1) remove Acceptable Material from Collection Containers or fully loaded Collection Containers, as applicable, or (2) accept loads of Acceptable Materials within forty-eight (48) hours per the Appendix E Price Proposal Form and selected pricing by each applicable Member Jurisdiction Confirmation (or by the next succeeding business or operations day, if the date of performance falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, and/or otherwise determined in the Member Jurisdiction’s Confirmation) or the timeframe set forth in the Confirmation, if different, may, at the Member Jurisdiction’s discretion, cause the Contractor to pay damages to the Member Jurisdiction in the amount of 25% of the total fee due to the Contractor or Member Jurisdiction for the loaded Collection Container(s) for the next 24 hours and 10% of the total fee for each 24 hour period afterward until the collection occurs and/or Collection Containers are removed or Acceptable Materials are accepted. In the event the Designated Collection Site is closed (scheduled or unscheduled) for business the day(s) after the request to swap the Collection Container(s), said Collection Container(s) must be swapped the next operating day.

3.4 QUANTITIES

Appendix B contains information regarding annual quantities of mattresses and box springs delivered to the Member Jurisdictions, as well as recent population data. The Authority provides this information for reference only and not as a guarantee of future deliveries. The Contractor is solely responsible for developing estimates for future mattress and box spring recycling quantities as part of its technical and price proposal. The Contractor should consider historical information presented in current and previous Member Jurisdiction solid waste management plans, industry trends in regional mattress and box spring recycling volumes, and estimates provided by the Member Jurisdictions in Appendix B.

The Authority does not guarantee a specific amount of Acceptable Material, nor provide any minimum nor maximum guarantees for the volume of current or anticipated future Acceptable Material received at the Designated Collection Sites or under curbside collection, as applicable.

The Authority shall have no financial responsibility in the event the amount of Acceptable Material handled falls short of or exceeds current or projected quantities.

3.5 EQUIPMENT

The Contractor’s equipment must be designed, engineered and rated to perform satisfactorily and safely at all times in accordance with generally accepted waste industry procedures and local, state and federal laws and regulations.

All of the Contractor’s over the road equipment proposed, and the process to be used for the performance of the mattress and box spring recycling transfer for this project, must follow the acceptable Collection Container types and collection requirements described in Sections 3.2 and

3.3. The body of the over the road trucks shall be so mounted on the chassis that when fully loaded, the axle load shall fall within the maximum axle load limit prescribed by law. The Contractor will be responsible for any litter falling out of the vehicles on the grounds of the Designated Collection Site and all public roads used for transportation of the material.

3.6 WEIGH PROCEDURES

As applicable, payment shall be based on the net pounds recorded on the weight ticket issued by the Member Jurisdiction’s scale house, or at another site with certified scales, or at the Contractor’s scale house, per written approval by the Member Jurisdiction. The load ticket records weight in net pounds. As applicable, the Contractor will be required to obtain and provide a weight slip from the Designated Collection Site scale house verifying that they “weighed in” or “weighed out” during each visit.

Weights will be determined as follows:

1. The Contractor or Member Jurisdiction, as applicable, shall provide tare weights for all vehicles used (subject to periodic verification of empty vehicles by weighing without vehicle contents on any scales utilized). Each vehicle shall be identified as prescribed by each Member Jurisdiction. Alternatively, each Member Jurisdiction or Contractor, as applicable, shall have the option to establish and store tare weights of the Member Jurisdiction or Contractor’s vehicles using the Contractor or Member Jurisdiction’s scales, per written direction from the Member Jurisdiction and/or as established in each Confirmation.

2. The tare weight of each vehicle shall be kept at the Contractor or Member

Jurisdiction’s scale house and/or in its database to be used as necessary.

3. The empty vehicle will pull onto the inbound scale to get the tare weight of the vehicle only.

4. The vehicle will then be loaded by the Contractor or Member Jurisdiction, as applicable, and weigh out.

5. The full weight of the load will include the total weight of the vehicle and

Acceptable Material.

6. Should the Contractor or Member Jurisdiction utilize a vehicle with weights different from those provided and used for stored weights, the Contractor or Member Jurisdiction shall provide accurate weights for the new vehicle. Should the Contractor or Member Jurisdiction fail to provide said weights, the Contractor or Member Jurisdiction, as applicable, shall weigh the empty vehicle and establish that as the tare weight for the vehicle.

7. Upon entering the Designated Collection Site, the Contractor or Member Jurisdiction will weigh-in the collection vehicle at the scale house. Once the vehicle is loaded it will weigh-out before leaving the Designated Collection Site.

A scale ticket will be produced by the scale attendant and given to the Contractor or Member Jurisdiction which identifies the net load weight which will be the basis for payments.

8. If there is no scale or if the scale at the Designated Collection Site(s) is unavailable, then the Contractor or Member Jurisdiction shall weigh the vehicles at a site designated by the Member Jurisdiction or at certified scales approved by the Member Jurisdiction in writing, which may include the Contractor’s Recycling Facility, even if the payment scenario is not determined by weight (so that Members may utilize the weight data for their Maryland Recycling Act reporting requirements). The Contractor or Member Jurisdiction may utilize the certified scale at the Contractor’s Recycling Facility, for any other reason, if designated by the Member Jurisdiction in writing.

3.7 RECYCLING FACILITY AND RESIDUE DISPOSAL SITES

The Contractor is required to reuse or recycle all of the Acceptable Material directed to it by the Member Jurisdictions. The Recycling Facility shall, at a minimum, be available to receive Acceptable Material by the Proposal Closing Date, including having all necessary permits and approvals in hand. Recycling Facilities and Acceptable Material residue disposal sites shall be sited, constructed, operated, monitored, closed, and otherwise maintained in a manner that is protective of human health and the environment and are operated in compliance with Applicable Laws. The Contractor shall not dispose of Acceptable Material residue in any location, including a landfill, or an expansion cell next to an existing landfill, that is, or is proposed to be, on the National Priority List of the Federal Superfund Program (40 CRF Part 300), or that is, or is proposed to be, on a similar list under a similar program for any state.

If a disposal site is located in a jurisdiction that is required to prepare a Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan (or its equivalent if the facility is located outside of Maryland), the plan of the receiving jurisdiction shall allow waste import from other States to the disposal site.

Representatives from the Authority and/or Member Jurisdiction may inspect any site used by the Contractor for any contract resulting from this RFP as deemed necessary. Such visit(s) shall be scheduled in advance and shall not be unreasonably opposed by the Contractor.

3.8 SERVICE FEE

As provided in the Contractor’s price proposal, incorporated into the Master Service Agreement, either the Authority (or individual Member Jurisdictions) will pay the Contractor, the Contractor will pay the Authority (or individual Member Jurisdictions) or neither the Authority (or individual Member Jurisdictions) or the Contractor will pay the other party. The payments will occur monthly, per Member Jurisdiction written approval, (the Contractor must provide an invoice or payment due by the 15th day of each month for material collected and recycled from the preceding month, with an allowance of 45 days from the date an acceptable invoice is submitted before payment is received for all Acceptable Material transferred from the Designated Collection Sites. The Service Fee must include collection (including collection containers and other equipment as needed), acceptance, loading/unloading, transportation, processing, marketing, recycling or reuse, residual disposal and any other incidental costs (as adjusted by CPI, as applicable).

The Contractor is responsible for all material that is taken from the Member Jurisdiction’s Designated Collection Site(s) or other collection points, as applicable.

For effective recycling, and the health and safety of recycling personnel, the Member Jurisdictions will make every reasonable effort to ensure that Acceptable Material is free of the following, when loaded into Collection Containers; however, Contractors shall assume that there may be a certain amount of contaminated or non-Acceptable Material in various loads, if not screened out by the Contractor before departure from the Designated Collection Sites. Accordingly, Proposers should incorporate into their price proposals an estimate of the cost of the management of any such contamination, based on their industry knowledge:

• Significant alterations to the original structural condition, such as Acceptable Material units being bent, folded, or crushed.

• Complete water saturation (usually occurring when the Acceptable Material was previously stored uncovered, outside in the elements)

• Live bed bugs or significant signs of bed bug activity such as 'spotting' and dead bugs.

• Roach, flea, or other insect infestation

• Rodent infestation and/or nesting

• Significant biological contamination (blood, feces, etc.)

• Contamination with volatile chemicals, oils, or wet paint

• Excessive amounts of dirt or mud

Photograph examples of some of the above noted conditions are shown below, for reference.

However, Proposers are encouraged to submit additional examples and information (including photographs) as part of their proposals to reflect less extreme or less atypical conditions, so that the Authority and Member Jurisdictions are able to review and evaluate more representative imagery and/or examples. Additional photographs and/or information can better support a clearer understanding of undesirable mattress and box spring conditions, so that Members know which unit conditions to screen and divert from their mattress and box spring recycling programs:

Altered Structure (Broken, Bent and Folded):

Water Saturated (Stored Uncovered):

Bed Bud Infestation:

Biological Contamination:

Feces: Blood:

Dirt and Mud:

The Contractor may inspect and reject, at its sole cost and/or expense (including but not limited to, the transportation costs and labor costs of the Contractor’s staff to arrive at the collection location (such as at the Designated Collection Site) and evaluate the material for program acceptance), any non-Acceptable Material prior to departure from the Designated Collection Site(s) or collection points, as applicable; however, the Member Jurisdiction is not responsible for management or payment of any non-Acceptable Material taken to the designated Recycling Facility. Any material collected and taken to the Contractor’s Recycling Facility may not be reclassified to a different category or billing rate from its original designation, as established, in writing, by the Member Jurisdiction prior to the departure of the material from the Designated Collection Site(s). Any material removed from the Member’s Designated Collection Site(s) by the Contractor may not be returned to the originating Member Jurisdiction (or any other jurisdiction). All costs associated with the disposal or management of any such material are the sole responsibility of the Contractor.

The Contractor is responsible for all material that is delivered to the Contractor’s Recycling Facility. The Contractor may inspect and reject, at its sole cost and/or expense (including but not limited to, the transportation costs and labor costs of the Contractor’s staff to arrive at the collection location (such as the curb) and evaluate the material for program acceptance), any non-Acceptable Material prior to departure from the curb (if being collected curbside); however, the Member Jurisdiction is not responsible for payment of any non-Acceptable Material taken to and accepted by the Contractor at the Recycling Facility. Any material removed from the curb (if being collected curbside) by the Contractor may not be returned to the curb or originating Member Jurisdiction (or any other jurisdiction). All costs associated with the disposal or management of any such material are the sole responsibility of the Contractor.

It is the Contractor’s responsibility to manage any non-Acceptable Material received at its Recycling Facility. It is the Proposer’s responsibility to estimate and include any potential non- Acceptable Material residue and residual disposal costs into the per pound cost within the Price Proposal Form for each Member Jurisdiction, as requested in Appendix E.

Beginning on July 1, 2028, and each July 1 thereafter through the end of the Agreement, the “Inflation Index” shall adjust the Service Fees set forth herein on an annual basis. The Authority will allow for an escalation to the Price Proposal Form, in accordance with the appropriate inflation adjustor, if requested (i.e., the calculations submitted and applicable Consumer Price Index referenced and linked) in writing by the Contractor, prior to July 1 of each year.

The inflation adjustor shall be 100% of any change in the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index ("CPI").

The CPI applied for Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County, and Howard County services shall be the CPI for all Urban Consumers for Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD – All Items (1982-84=100), link provided here for reference:

Consumer Price Index Historical Tables for Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD : Mid–Atlantic Information Office : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (date last accessed, September 6, 2026).

https://www.bls.gov/regions/mid-atlantic/data/consumerpriceindexhistorical_baltimore_table.htm https://www.bls.gov/regions/mid-atlantic/data/consumerpriceindexhistorical_baltimore_table.htm

The CPI applied for Frederick County and Montgomery County services shall be the CPI for all Urban Consumers for Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, MD – All Items (1982-84=100), link provided here for reference: Consumer Price Index Historical Tables for Washington-Arlington- Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV : Mid–Atlantic Information Office : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (date last accessed, September 6, 2026).

For Member Jurisdictions using the CPI for Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, the July 1, 2028 adjustment shall compare the most recently reported CPI as of July 1, 2028 (the April 2028 reference month, anticipated to be posted in May 2028) to the April 2027 reference month, posted in May 2027. Thereafter the most recent CPI reported on July 1st of the current year (the April reference month, usually posted in May) will be compared to the CPI used from the previous period (the April reference month, usually posted in May).

For Member Jurisdictions using the CPI for Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, MD, the July 1, 2028 adjustment shall compare the most recent reported CPI as of July 1, 2028 (the May 2028 reference month, anticipated to be posted in June 2028) to the May 2027 CPI reference month, posted in June 2027. Thereafter the most recent CPI reported on July 1st of the current year (the May reference month, usually posted in June) will be compared to the CPI used from the previous period (the May reference month, usually posted in June).

The Inflation Adjustor shall be calculated as shown below.

CPI for current period less CPI for previous period equals the index point change. The index point change shall be divided by the previous period CPI and added by 1 to equal the Inflation Adjustor. The Inflation Adjuster will be rounded at the second decimal place.

The maximum Inflation Index increase, for each one-year period, shall not exceed 1.03, or 3 %.

The Inflation Index increase may not exceed the actual change demonstrated in the Contractor’s documented request, and may not be adjusted more than once in a fiscal year.

Example Timeline:

Operations Start Date, July 1, 2027 (May 2027 CPI reference month) First CPI Adjustment, July 1, 2028 (May 2028 CPI reference month) Second CPI Adjustment, July 1, 2029 (May 2029 CPI reference month) Etc.

Example Calculation:

CPI for current period – 120.8 CPI for the previous period – 117.2

Index Point Change = 120.8-117.2 = 3.6 Inflation Adjustor = (3.6/117.2) + 1 =1.03 https://www.bls.gov/regions/mid-atlantic/data/consumerpriceindexhistorical_washingtondc_table.htm

3.9 MONTHLY REPORTS

The Contractor must provide the Member Jurisdictions and the Authority with a monthly recycling report, accompanied by the monthly invoice and copies of all weight tickets, due by the 15th day of each month, for material collected and recycled from the preceding term, with a breakdown of total pounds collected. Weight tickets must reconcile to the monthly report and monthly invoice, as applicable. The Contractor is required to provide full lifecycle accounting for all recycled and reused materials. This includes documenting the collection, processing, recycling, reuse, transformation, and final disposition of each material type. All end markets for recycled and reused materials must be clearly identified, including the specific entities or industries that receive and utilize the material. The Contractor must also identify and report materials that are not recycled, reused, or discarded. The Contractor must maintain verifiable records demonstrating the movement and final use of all recycled and reused materials throughout the entire lifecycle.

3.10 AGREEMENT TERM

The term of the Master Service Agreement will be July 1, 2027, through 11:59 PM June 30, 2032; however, dates for services under the Confirmations for individual Member Jurisdictions may vary, as set forth below.

Confirmations for individual Member Jurisdiction may have different starting and ending Operations Dates within the term of the Master Service Agreement. Any individual Member Jurisdiction may initiate a Confirmation to begin and end services at any point during the Master Service Agreement. Prior to performing services for a Member Jurisdiction, the Contractor is required to enter into a Confirmation with that Member Jurisdiction, pursuant to the terms of the Master Service Agreement, if the Contractor provided a price proposal for that Member Jurisdiction in Appendix E. If a Member Jurisdiction notifies the Contractor that it is choosing to enter into a Confirmation, the Contractor must enter into the Confirmation within 30 days of the written request by the Member Jurisdiction.

4. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Proposers must meet the following minimum qualifications.

4.1 ACCEPTABLE MATERIAL TRANSPORT AND RECYCLING MINIMUM

QUALIFICATIONS

Project staff with at least three years of management experience developing and operating a mattress and box spring recycling, collection, transfer or processing system.

Evidence of access to a primary Recycling Facility with the capacity to receive all Acceptable Material projected to be exported from the Designated Collection Sites over the term of the Master Service Agreement. The Recycling Facility will be the receiving facility for all Acceptable

Material. All Acceptable Material will be reused or recycled at the Recycling Facility, unless sent to an approved downstream recycler.

Acceptable Materials collected by the Contractor must be at a minimum reused or recycled, or components reused if applicable, and cannot be discarded, unless the Contractor is unable to find an outlet or market for the Acceptable Material. In the latter circumstance, the Contractor must notify the Authority and applicable Member Jurisdictions as to why such material is not reusable or recyclable. Recycling means any process in which mattresses and box springs, components, and by-products may lose their original identity or form as they are transformed into new, usable, or marketable materials. Recycling includes the process of collecting, sorting, cleansing, treating, and reconstituting materials that would otherwise become solid waste, and returning them to the economic mainstream in the form of raw material for new, reused, or reconstituted products which meet the quality standards necessary to be used in the marketplace. Recycling does not include as a primary process, the use of incineration for energy recovery or energy generation by means of combustion or transformation (e.g., incineration, pyrolysis, distillation, or biological conversion other than composting) or engineered municipal solid waste.

4.2 REQUIRED CONTENT OF PROPOSALS

This section includes the Authority’s requirements for presenting the Proposer’s corporate and personnel qualifications and proposed plan to provide the required services. The Authority will review each Proposer’s qualifications in accordance with the procedures presented in Section

6.0 of this RFP. Refer to Section 2.4 of the RFP for submittal form requirements.

5. GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT PROPOSER

The Proposer shall submit the following information:

Name of Proposer (the legal name of Proposer should be used and consistent among all documentation).

Business Address.

Type of Organization.

Copies of all pertinent certifications.

Proposer’s authorized representative and contact information including telephone and email information. The Proposer must provide, in writing, the dedicated contact for communication with the Authority, the “authorized representative.” This contact will be solely responsible and authorized to submit proposals on behalf of the Proposer. The Proposer’s authorized representative shall submit both original proposals and any best and final offers that are requested by the Authority

State the number of years the Proposer has been in business under the present name.

List any other names under which your firm has done business during the past 10 years and indicate the years during which the firm was so named.

If the Proposer is a subsidiary of another firm or is intended to be a newly created subsidiary, include the information requested in the items above for the parent Proposer and describe the role of the parent Proposer in this project.

If the Proposer is a joint venture or partnership, attach to this form a narrative description identifying the relationship and responsibilities of the members of the joint venture or partnership and the mutual contractual obligations of the members and include the information requested above for all members.

Disclose if the Proposer, any of its officers, or any parent, subsidiary, or affiliated organization or any of its officers, (1) has ever been convicted of any crime, or (2) has been fined an amount greater than $10,000 for a civil or criminal violation of any federal, state, or local statute, regulation or permit in connection with solid waste transportation, disposal or recycling contracts, operations or services. If there is information to disclose, state the name of the person, the name of the firm, the case number, and the circumstances surrounding the conviction or violation.

Disclose if the Proposer, or any of its subsidiaries or partners has ever been debarred or prohibited from doing business with any public jurisdiction or entity. Provide documentation that includes jurisdiction identification, cause, formal letters, emails, dates, and resolution.

5.1 EXPERIENCE WITH ACCEPTABLE MATERIAL TRANSPORT AND

RECYCLING DESCRIPTION

The proposal must address the experience of the Proposer in transporting and recycling mattresses and box springs. The Proposer shall determine and present in its technical and price proposal the method of transport and the location of the final recycling location.

(a) Proposer’s Acceptable Material Transport and Recycling Experience

Provide the following information for projects that clearly demonstrate the Proposer’s experience in very similar projects involving Acceptable Material transport and recycling including management of short-haul and long-haul systems and compliance with Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) transport regulations. Provide up to five descriptions of the projects performed in the past 10 years that are very similar to the project described in this RFP. Project descriptions should, at a minimum, provide the following information:

Name and location of Recycling Facility.

Recycling Facility owner and references, owner contact, address and telephone number.

Local, state and federal regulatory agencies of jurisdiction, agency names, references, contacts, addresses and telephone numbers.

Year developed.

Recycling Facility design and capacity.

Marketing experience.

(b) Résumés of Key Officers and Project Team Leaders

Provide résumés of the firm’s key officers or principals. Provide résumés for persons responsible for the following project functions and the percent of time committed to this project:

Project Manager (and primary contact person if different).

Agreement Administrator.

(c) Organization Chart

Include an organization chart in the technical and price proposal. Provide sufficient detail to indicate the relationship between all personnel for which résumés are included.

5.2 ACCEPTABLE MATERIAL TRANSPORT AND RECYCLING PROPOSAL

(a) Technical and Price Proposal Requirements

The technical proposal shall be no more than 60-pages, including all plans, diagrams and figures;

however, items such as proofs of insurance, permits, certifications, résumés and a letter from a surety or financial institution regarding the performance bond, letter of credit or cashier’s check may be submitted as attachments without contributing to the 60-page limit. The technical and price proposal will address technical and cost components for the services.

The price proposal must be submitted in the format in Appendix E to this RFP. The Proposer must provide pricing on a per pound basis for the services required by this RFP. In addition, the Proposer should describe any volume discount(s) it is proposing for each Member Jurisdiction.

The project description must also include the following elements:

(a) Acceptable Mattress and Box Spring Transport and Recycling

Recycling Facility:

• Location of processing/Recycling Facilities

Provide as detailed a response as possible, including any available documentation or verification, for any assurances that mattresses and box springs received by Proposer will not become a threat to human health, human safety, or the environment, either in or out of the United States, after Proposer takes possession of the mattresses and box springs. In its proposal, the Proposer shall guarantee to be diligent in their operations and that they shall comply with all facility safety requirement and Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for operations at each site and must comply with all Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) and other safety reporting provisions.

Description of general recycling and processing procedure and downstream locations for all other commodities.

Ownership (or legal basis for use).

Copies of permits/status of required permits (land-use, environmental, etc.). Amount of material processed at each Recycling Facility over the last three years.

Notification and circumstances of any termination of services by any government jurisdiction over the last five years.

Recycling Facility capacity, in total developed area and permitted expansion area.

List of jurisdictions in which disposal site is located (County, Port District, etc.).

Host Community Agreement (if one exists).

Guaranteed maximum amount of Acceptable Material residue requiring disposal in a landfill or other waste disposal facility. Description of disposal process of residuals.

Description of marketing plan for recyclable materials.

Transportation:

• Describe all transportation phases such as short-haul leg, intermodal facility(s), transportation method, etc.

Status of permits required.

Contingency Plans:

• Contingency plan for operating procedures that will take effect in the event of interruption of normal transportation options including work stoppage by Proposer's employees, emergency weather conditions, building or equipment failure, lack of access to the primary system for transportation, lack of access to the primary Recycling Facility. Description of backup management method, authorization for use, and site (name, address) if primary Recycling Facility is unavailable.

5.3 INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

The Proposer must have or be willing to obtain insurance with the minimum terms as shown in Exhibit B to the Master Service Agreement in Appendix I. If the Proposer does not currently have the minimum insurance required, the Proposer must, at its own cost, obtain such insurance prior to the signing of the Master Service Agreement, or request, in writing, a waiver of a specific insurance requirement with the submission of the proposal. The Authority is not obligated to waive any insurance requirements.

5.4 FINANCIAL QUALIFICATIONS

The Proposer shall provide the following information for all companies, subsidiaries and/or parent companies that will work on the project. The Authority shall have sole discretion to determine the financial adequacy of proposing companies, subsidiaries or subcontractors. Information shall be submitted in a form which is in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

Price proposal for services for Mattress and Box Spring collection (including collection containers and other equipment as needed), acceptance, loading/unloading, transportation, processing, marketing, recycling or reuse, residual disposal and any other incidental costs services.

Certified audited financial statements or annual financial reports for the past fiscal year to include at a minimum, income statements, balance sheets, and statements of changes in financial position. If less than one year of financial statements are available, this information should be provided to the fullest extent possible.

The Proposer, if a corporate entity, must be in good standing with the State of Maryland. The Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (“SDAT”) issues a certificate verifying that a business entity is in “good standing” in the State of Maryland. As proof of meeting this requirement, a Proposer shall provide with its proposal a current certificate of good standing from SDAT. For more information, please see the online services and the Certificate of Status information on the SDAT website at http://www.dat.state.md.us/.

If the Proposer is not a Maryland corporation, the Proposer shall submit a good standing certificate from its state of incorporation and advise whether or not it is registered with SDAT and authorized to do business in the State of Maryland. A "resident business" is defined as a business enterprise with a Maryland address, registered to do business in the State of Maryland, http://www.dat.state.md.us/ employs Maryland residents, and regularly conducts business within the State. The term includes subsidiaries, divisions, and business branches headquartered outside of the State of Maryland.

Information on any material changes in the mode of conducting business, bankruptcy proceedings, assignments of accounts or assets, corporate restructuring, and mergers or acquisitions within the past three years, including comparable information for related companies and company principals. If the Proposer has none, the Proposer must state this in writing in their proposal.

Summary of the firm's access to bank lines of credit, revolving credit agreements, or other sources of working capital funds. If the Proposer has none, the Proposer must state this in writing in their proposal.

The rating on outstanding corporate debt, if any has been issued, with recent copies of the rating agency reports on that outstanding corporate debt. If the Proposer has none, the Proposer must state this in writing in their proposal.

Evidence of the ability to obtain a performance bond, letter of credit or cashier’s check in the amount defined in Section 5.5 below.

Pending or potential legal actions that could materially affect the Proposer's financial situation and/or its ability to meet its contractual obligations to the Authority. If the Proposer has none, the Proposer must state this in writing in their proposal.

a. PERFORMANCE BOND, LETTER OF CREDIT, CASHIER’S CHECK

Each Proposer shall submit with its technical and price proposal a letter from a surety or financial institution that demonstrates the Proposer's ability to secure the performance bond, letter of credit, or intent to provide a cashier’s check in lieu of a performance bond or letter of credit, as required by Section 7.05 of the Master Service Agreement at Appendix I. The Form of Performance Bond/Letter of Credit is attached hereto as Appendix D of this RFP. If the Proposer is selected, and provides a cashier's check to the Authority, in lieu of a performance bond or letter of credit, the Authority will cash the cashier's check and hold the full amount in the Authority's checking account for the duration of the Master Service Agreement and Confirmation as applicable OR, at its sole option, the Authority will cash the cashier's check and the Proposer will pay for an escrow account to hold the full amount for the duration of the Master Service Agreement and Confirmation, as applicable.