Residential_and_Commercial_Solid_Waste_Services_(Addendum_#1_Revision).pdf

Residential and Commercial Solid Waste Services #2026-RFP-007

CITY OF BENSON, AZ

Project ID: 2026-RFP-007

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

PROJECT TITLE: RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL SOLID WASTE

SERVICES

City of Benson

101 E. 6th Street

Benson, AZ 85602

RELEASE DATE: Tuesday, September 1, 2026

PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE: Tuesday, September 22, 2026

DEADLINE FOR QUESTIONS: Thursday, October 1, 2026 3:00 pm

RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS: Tuesday, October 6, 2026

RESPONSE DEADLINE: Friday, October 9, 2026 3:00 pm

RESPONSES MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY TO:

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/bensonaz

Table Of Contents

1. Official Solicitation

1.1. Public Notice

1.2. Scope of Work

1.3. Evaluation Criteria

1.4. Pricing

1.5. Insurance Requirements

1.6. Vendors Questionnaire

1.7. Required Forms and Disclosures

2. Instructions for Proposal Submission

2.1. Definitions

2.2. Pre-Submittal Meeting

2.3. Inquiries

2.4. Addendum of Solicitation

2.5. Online Submission

2.6. Understanding Scope of Work

2.7. Proposal Contents – Vendor Questionnaire

2.8. Taxes

2.9. Public Records

2.10. Confidential Information

2.11. Certification of Non collusion; Conflicts of Interest

2.12. Withdrawal of Offer; Binding Offer

2.13. Vendor Registration; Business License

Attachments:

B - RFP Attachment - Offer and Acceptance (NEW 08-25) C - RFP Attachment - Organization Profile (NEW 08-25) D - RFP Attachment - Key Personnel (NEW 08-25) E - RFP Attachment - Letter of Insurability (NEW 08-25)

1. Official Solicitation

1.1. Public Notice

1.1.1. Advertisement

LEGAL NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

CITY OF BENSON, ARIZONA

Residential and Commercial Solid Waste Services

2026-RFP-007

DUE DATE: Friday, October 9, 2026 BEFORE 3:00 pm

The City of Benson, Arizona (the "City") is accepting electronic sealed proposals from qualified Contractors to provide Economic Development consulting services as referenced in Section 1.2. Scope of Work of the City of Benson, Arizona's Official Solicitation.

The solicitation documents can be obtained through the City's eProcurement Portal found at City of Benson eProcurement Portal.

Posted At:

Herald/Review Media Public Notice September 9th, 2026 September 16th, 2026 Daily Territorial Bid Notice September 3rd, 2026 September 10th, 2026 September 17th, 2026 City website: City of Benson, AZ Sealed Bid Process:

Yes (Online Bids Sealed /Online Pricing Sealed)

1.2. Scope of Work

1.2.1. Summary of Scope of Work

The purpose of this section is to familiarize Offerors with the requested scope of services. Offerors shall carefully review the Draft Contract and all other RFP Documents in their entirety for the complete scope of services. If the City chooses to award a contract resulting from this RFP, the Services shall be performed in accordance with the final Contract as negotiated between the City and the Contractor. The Draft Contract may be adjusted by the City to reflect the final Services to be provided or other terms and conditions agreed upon between the Offeror and the City during negotiation of the final Contract.

1.2.1. Introduction

https://www.bensonaz.gov/164/Bid-Opportunities

The City of Benson has adopted an exclusive system for the collection of garbage within City limits, in accordance with City Code Chapter 9, Health and Sanitation. The City is now seeking a contractor to perform these services.

Through this Request for Proposals (RFP), the City of Benson, Arizona (City), is soliciting proposals from qualified Offerors to provide services within the designated Service Area under an exclusive contract with the City, as further described herein. The planned Service Commencement Date is January 1, 2027. Any contract award resulting from this RFP will be subject to future approval by the City Council.

The City is planning to award one (1) contract (Contract).

1.2.2. Exclusive Services

If City Council approves a Contract resulting from this RFP, the Contractor shall provide the following Services to all Residential Service Units within the Service Area on an exclusive basis as further described in the RFP Documents.

• Residential Trash Collection Services (Section 1.2.9.)

• Residential Bulk Waste Collection Services (Section 1.2.10.)

• Residential Customer Service (Section 1.2.11.)

• Cart Maintenance and Deliver Services (Section 1.2.12.)

• City Facilities Collection Services (Section 1.2.13.)

1.2.3. Non-Exclusive Services

Services related to Solid Waste that are not specifically identified and included in the City's exclusive services to be provided by the Contractor may continue to be provided on a non-exclusive basis by any private hauling contractor possessing a valid permit from the City and a valid City's Business License.

Examples of non-exclusive services include the following:

• Commercial Trash Collection Services (1.2.13.)

• Construction, Demolition, or Renovation: Collection of Solid Waste generated by construction, demolition, or renovation activities, whether occurring at a Residential Service Unit or a Commercial

Property, is not included in the City's Collection Services and shall continue to be provided on a non-exclusive basis.

• Roll-Off Containers: Collection of Solid Waste in Roll-Off Containers, whether occurring at a Residential

Service Unit, a Commercial Property, or a Construction, Demolition or Renovation site is not included in the City's Collection Services and shall continue to be provided on a non-exclusive basis.

• Residential Junk Removal Services: Residential Service Units with Bulk Waste or large accumulations of waste exceeding quantity limits or frequencies for the City's Residential Bulk Waste Collection

Services, as described in Section 1.2.10., may choose to contract with private, licensed junk removal companies on a non-exclusive basis.

• Storm Debris Clean-Up: If the Contractor is unable to manage excess solid waste volumes resulting from storm events or other disasters, City may contract with other service providers to manage excess volumes on a non-exclusive basis.

• City Events or Special Projects: The City may request Collection Services for up to five (5) City Events or Special Projects at no additional cost to the City as further described in Section 1.2.13. The City may request a price quotation from the Contractor for additional events or projects and/or contract with other service providers on a non-exclusive basis.

1.2.4. Contract Term

The Contract includes an Initial Term of five (5) years, followed by up to two (2) optional one-year renewal terms, for a maximum total term of seven (7) years.

1.2.5. Collection Frequency

Contractor shall develop a schedule to service each residence on the recurring same day of the week. For Residential Bulk Waste Collection Services, the City is requesting Financial Proposals from Offerors for multiple collection frequency options. The Contractor shall provide Residential Bulk Waste Collection Services to each Residential Service Unit based on the final collection frequency option selected by the City.

Arizona Department of Environmental Quality revised the collection frequency rules effective February 24, 2025, of Arizona Administrative Code Section R18-13-308 to be provided no less than once per week unless a variance is obtained to reduce the minimum frequency of collection to less than once per week.

The City shall be responsible for obtaining any variances at their discretion.

1.2.6. Collection Schedule

All Trash, and Bulk Waste Collection operations shall occur between the hours of 6:00 am and 7:00 pm.

Collection may not occur outside of these hours without the prior written permission of the City.

The City’s Public Works Department operates from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM (Local Arizona Time) Monday through Friday, and 6:00 AM to 3:00 PM (Local Arizona Time) during the summer months. The Offeror shall submit their proposed collection day schedule and route maps with their Proposals.

1.2.7. Residential and Commercial Cart Sizes

The City currently offers the following sizes:

Customer Type Container Size Holds in Gallons/lbs.

Residential Standard 96 96-gallons

Residential 64 64-gallons

Residential Larger 1.5 Yard 288-gallons

Commercial 1.5 Yard 288-gallons

Commercial 3 Yard 600 lbs.

Proposals should include all sizes available.

1.2.8. Holidays

No Collection Service shall be provided on the Federal Holidays listed below. If any of these holidays fall on a regularly scheduled collection day, collection service for the Residential Service Units normally served on that day—and for the Residential Service Units scheduled for the remaining days of that week, if any—shall be delayed by one day. These holiday-related schedule adjustments shall be included in the base Financial Proposal and provided by the Contractor at no additional cost to the City.

No services will be performed when the Cochise County Transfer Station is closed. They recognize the following holidays:

• New Year’s Day

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day

• President's Day

• Memorial Day

• Juneteenth National Independence Day

• Independence Day

• Labor Day

• Columbus Day

• Veterans Day

• Thanksgiving Day

• Christmas Day

1.2.9. Residential Trash Collection Services

The Offeror shall supply Residential Trash Collection Services to all Residential Service Units in the Service Area once per week using 96-gallon Carts, or smaller Cart sizes upon request of the Resident. Residents may request a smaller Cart size (64-gallon or 32-gallon); however, the fee for Services shall remain the same regardless of the Cart size selected. For each Residential Service Unit, Trash Collection Service shall occur on the same designated day each week. Base Trash Cart Collection Service shall include one (1) Trash Cart collected once per week, with optional additional Trash Carts collected once per week for an additional fee.

Offerors shall submit:

Enter on "Pricing Proposal" the proposed Contract Rate for Residential Trash Collection Services that would apply if the final Contract with the City includes Residential Trash Collection and Bulk Waste Collection Services

The Contract Rate submitted shall include the cost to Collect and Dispose of Trash at the Disposal Sites:

• Cochise County Transfer Station located in Benson Arizona, (See Attached Map)

• Western Regional Landfill, located at 2595 N. Sagebrush Road, Huachuca City, AZ 85616

1.2.10. Residential Bulk Waste Collection Services

The Offeror shall provide Residential Bulk Waste Collection Services to all Residential Service Units in the City. Bulk Waste includes large items that will not fit into Trash Carts such as furniture, appliances, branches, and brush and does not include Hazardous Waste, Household Hazardous Waste, Special Waste, Construction, Demolition, or Renovation Waste, dead animals, tires, automotive parts. Residents place Bulk Waste items near the curb but not on the road. Bulk Waste piles shall not exceed three (3) cubic yards per collection.

Offerors shall enter proposed Contract Rates on "Pricing Table" for each of the following Residential Bulk Waste Collection Service frequency options that are currently being considered by the City.

• Four (4) Collections per year for all Residential Service Units on a by-appointment basis

• Up to Six (6) Collections per year per Residential Service Unit on a by-appointment basis

The City requires Residents to call City Hall and request an appointment for Bulk Waste Collection. The City’s minimum expectation is that a Residential Service Unit that has not exceeded its annual pick-up limit shall be able to schedule and receive a by-appointment pick-up within seven (7) calendar days or less from the date the request is submitted. Offerors shall provide information in their Proposals describing their proposed methodology and service standards for by-appointment Bulk Waste pick-ups. City Hall employees will serve as the Scheduling Liaison between the Resident and the Contractor.

1.2.11. Residential Customer Services

The City requires customer service duties be performed by the Offeror. The Offeror shall also provide a secure online portal for customer service operations. Customer service operations shall include receiving and responding to complaints and inquiries from Residents, and other correspondence between the Offeror and Residents. In addition to communications provided through the online portal, the Offeror shall provide the option for a Resident to speak with a customer service representative within an average wait time of less than ten (10) minutes. The City shall have remote read-only access to the online portal in real time to view activities and customer information.

Offerors shall enter proposed Contract Rates to provide Residential Customer Service on the pricing table provided in Section 1.5. Offerors shall enter separate proposed Contract Rates for providing customer service for a monthly billing cycle.

1.2.12. Cart Maintenance and Delivery Services

Offerors shall enter proposed Contract Rates to provide Cart Maintenance and Delivery Services. Cart Maintenance and Delivery Services include but are not limited to providing the following services with specified timeframes.

• Providing a secure location for ongoing Cart Maintenance and Delivery Operations including receipt, storage, and maintenance

• Assembly and delivery of new Carts to customers as required

• Warranty replacement, pick-up, repair, maintenance, and delivery of refurbished or replacement Carts

1.2.13. City Facilities Collection Services

The Offeror shall provide Trash Collection to City Facilities in Carts, Front Load Containers, and Roll-Off Containers as designated by the City. Current container types, sizes, and Collection frequencies for existing City Facilities are provided in Table 1.2.1.

TABLE 1.2.1: EXISTING CITY FACILITIES AND COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS

Facility Name Facility Address Container Volume

(CY/GAL)/Collection Frequency (Days per Week)

Airport 2200 W. Aviation Dr 3 YD/(2) two times per week

Animal Control 104 W. Harvest Way 96-gallon/(2) two times per week

Cemetery (7th Street) 7th Street 96-gallon/(2) two times per week

City Hall 101 E. 6th Street 3 YD/(2) two times per week

City Yard 393 N Madison Street (2) 96-gallon/(2) two times per week

(2) 3 YD/(2) two times per week

Council Chambers 599 S. Dragoon 3 YD/(2) two times per week

Community Center 705 W. Union Street 3 YD/(2) two times per week

Food Bank 197 E. 7th Street 3 YD/(2) two times per week

Lions Park 420 N. Adams Street (9) 1.5 YD/(1) one time per week

Lions Parks (Bathrooms) 435 N. Adams Street 96-gallon/(2) two times per week

Police Dept./Fire Dept. 360 S. Gila Street 3 YD/(2) two times per week

Public Library 300 S. Huachuca Street

1.5 YD/(2) two times per week

Public Library-Annex 300 S. Huachuca Street

96-gallon/(2) two times per week

Train Depot-Visitor Center

249 E. 4th Street 96-gallon/(2) two times per week

Waste Water Treatment Plant

300 W. Harvest Way (2) 96-gallon/(2) two times per week

The City may designate other City Facilities or change existing container types and collection frequencies at its sole discretion.

Offerors shall enter pricing for City Facilities Collection Services on table provided.

1.2.14. City Events and Special Projects

The Contractor shall provide Trash Carts and/or Containers for City Events as requested by the City and provide Collection, Processing, and Trash Disposal for the requested Carts and/or Containers. For each City Event, the City may request up to 3 Roll-Off Containers of up to 40 CY capacity and/or up to 50 total Trash Carts.

For up to five (5) City Events per year, the cost of providing the requested Carts/Containers shall be included in the Contract Rates for other Services and shall be provided by the Contractor at no additional cost to the City. The City may request a price quotation from the Contractor for additional events or containers, or they may contract for additional events or containers with other service providers on a non-exclusive basis.

1.2.15. Vehicle and Equipment Standards

The Offeror shall provide collection vehicles and equipment sufficient in number and capacity to efficiently perform all Services. Vehicles and equipment shall be maintained in a clean, safe, and sanitary manner in accordance with all regulatory requirements. The average age of fleet vehicles shall not exceed seven (7) years at any time.

The Offeror shall equip all collection vehicles with on-board electronic equipment and systems such as cameras, internet, GPS, software and communication systems as required to provide real-time positioning and routing of Collection vehicles, work order management and photo verification of service delivery. The Offeror shall provide details of the proposed equipment, software, and systems in their Proposals.

1.2.16. Cost Adjustments

The Contract Rates shall remain effective through January 1, 2028. Thereafter the Financial Proposal shall be subject to annual adjustment. The annual cost adjustments shall be based on the year-over-year percentage change in the average value of the U.S. Consumer Price Index: Urban Consumer – Garbage and Trash Collection over the 12-month period ended November. Adjustments may be positive or negative and shall not exceed 3% per year.

1.2.17. Solid Waste Disposal

All refuse picked up under the Contract shall be delivered to the Cochise County Transfer Station located in Benson Arizona, (See Attached Map) with an additional estimate from Offeror to haul refuse to the Western Regional Landfill, located at 2595 N. Sagebrush Road, Huachuca City, AZ 85616.

Offerors shall provide a written commitment from the Disposal Site(s) to supply Disposal capacity for the Contract Term and other information about the Disposal Sites.

1.2.18. City's Responsibilities

The City agrees to fulfill the following responsibilities as they relate directly to any Contract developed as a result of this RFP:

A. The City will provide as part of the Contract: billing, collection of payments, payment of tipping fees at the at the Cochise County Transfer Station in Benson (Transfer Station) or Landfill in Whetstone, and absorbing bad debt;

B. Under the Contract, service will be initiated or terminated through the City billing office. Commercial

Accounts that arrange for Solid Waste services under the Contract will be treated in the same manner as Residential for the establishment of billing services, tipping fees, and bad debt;

C. Commercial Accounts that establish services directly with the selected Contractor will be responsible for making their own arrangements with a Licensed Hauler and the City has no obligation or responsibilities;

D. Providing educational programs, materials, and resources to educate residents on program requirements;

E. Assisting the Contractor with requests of additional containers, larger containers, new customer containers and other arrangements as outlined in the Contract.

F. Performing other duties as described in the Contract.

1.2.19. Recordkeeping and Reporting

The Offeror shall maintain sufficient records to document fees charged, and services provided, and to demonstrate financial stability, and compliance with all legal requirements and terms and conditions of the Contract. Such records shall be made available at any time during Business Hours for inspection by the City throughout the effective period of the Contract and for a period of five (5) years after the final payment. The Offeror will provide documentation upon request that support tipping fees. The City of Benson reserves the right to audit such documentation.

1.2.20. Inspection Rights

The City or any of its duly authorized representatives shall have access, within twenty-four (24) hours of notification, to inspect the Offeror’s facilities and equipment, as the City deems reasonably necessary, to verify compliance with the terms of the Contract. The City shall conduct the inspection of facilities and equipment during regular hours of operation. The Offeror shall make available to the City all reasonable assistance to facilitate performance of inspections.

1.2.21. Personnel Standards

Any Contract developed because of this RFP shall include personnel standards to ensure that the Offeror’s employees are qualified, trained, licensed, and equipped to perform all of their duties in a safe, respectful, competent, and courteous manner in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Offerors shall submit information with their Proposals about their method of approach for satisfying or exceeding minimum personnel standards.

1.2.22. Nuisance Control

Any Contract developed because of this RFP shall include standards to ensure that the Offeror provides services in a manner that prevents litter, noise, odor, vermin, dust and other nuisances. Offerors shall submit information with their Proposals about their method of approach to meeting or exceeding minimum nuisance control standards.

1.2.23. Property Damage

Any Contract developed because of this RFP shall include standards to ensure that the Offeror takes all necessary precautions to protect public and private property during the performance of the Services, promptly notifies the City and the property owner in the event that any property damage occurs, and fully restores the damaged property to its original condition at no cost to the property owner in a timely manner.

1.2.24. Unaccepted Set-outs

In the event of an Unaccepted Set-out, the Offeror shall:

A. Take a photograph of the entire set-out;

B. Collect any portion that is properly set-out and can be easily separated;

C. Leave an Unaccepted Set-out Notice stating the reason the set-out or portion of the set-out was designated an Unaccepted Set out; and

D. Record the location address.

1.2.25. Missed Collections

A Missed Collection complaint occurs when a customer reports that their material was set out at the correct time and in the manner prescribed by the Contract and was not collected by the Contractor.

If the City or the Contractor receives a Missed Collection complaint, the Contractor shall investigate using the Collection vehicle’s onboard cameras. If the Offeror cannot demonstrate that the material was not set-out, or that an Unaccepted Set-out notice was delivered due to a non-compliant set-out, then the complaint shall be considered confirmed, and the Offeror shall be subject to Liquidated Damages. The Offeror is required to make up Missed Collections within one business day from receipt of the complaint.

1.2.26. Storm and Disaster

Debris Management In the event of an emergency declaration by the City, the President of the United States, or Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) affecting the Service Area, the Offeror shall not be responsible for collection of debris generated from or as a result of such emergency, to the extent that such debris is in excess of normal volumes and material types collected through services provided under this Contract.

In the event of such emergency declarations, the Offeror shall be required to continue provisions of services in accordance with this Contract, including collection of all materials and material quantity limits as defined herein. On a non-exclusive basis, the City may negotiate with the Offeror for additional services if required or may negotiate with other service providers for quantities in excess of normal volumes.

1.2.27. Location of Offeror Operations

The Offeror shall maintain an operations center within a reasonable distance from the City to ensure adequate performance of Collection Services. The operations location shall be equipped with the necessary facilities, equipment, and staffing to perform all required Services under the Contract. The location of the operations center must allow the Offeror to respond promptly to issues related to the performance of the Services. The Offeror shall provide the address and a brief description of the operations center in their Proposal.

1.2.28. Contingency Plan

At least ninety (90) days prior to the Service Commencement Date, the Offeror shall submit a Contingency Plan to the City’s Representative for approval. The Contingency Plan shall show the Offeror’s detailed arrangements to provide facilities, vehicles, equipment, personnel, subcontracted services, or other resources as required to maintain uninterrupted Service during equipment failures, natural disasters, emergency downtime, outages, labor disputes or any other situation or condition that would impair Offeror’s ability to provide Service. The final approved Contingency Plan shall be included in the Contract.

1.2.29. Transition Plan

The Offeror understands, acknowledges, and agrees that smooth transitions between service providers at the beginning and end of the Contract is essential for the health and safety of the City and its Residents and businesses. The Offeror shall cooperate fully with the City to ensure timely, smooth, and uninterrupted transitions between service providers at the beginning and end of the Contract. Offerors shall submit a draft transition plan with their proposals. Not later than sixty (60) days after the date of contract award, the Contractor shall submit a final Transition Plan to the City’s Representative for approval The Transition Plan shall describe the Offeror’s commitments and capabilities to support the City during transition to Service delivery by the Offeror on the Service Commencement Date and transition to Service delivery by the subsequent Offeror or the by the City upon termination of the Contract. The final, approved Transition Plan shall be included as part of the Contract. The Residential Customer database created by the Contractor during the Contract Term shall be provided to the City in a digital format acceptable to the City. The City may make an initial request for a digital copy or a request for an updated copy at any time during the Contract Term.

1.2.30. KPIs; Liquidated Damages

a. The following are Key Performance Indicators (“KPIs”) for this Project, which Contractor is required to meet each calendar month during the term of this Agreement:

• In-Service Vehicles. Contractor shall utilize operational vehicles for the collection of garbage from City accounts. Each day a vehicle is non-operational constitutes a separate violation of this indicator such that the KPI Requirement (as that term is defined below) can be calculated by dividing the total number of days each of Contractor’s collections vehicles are operational by the total number of collection vehicles scheduled to be servicing accounts. By way of example only and not as a limitation, if Contractor schedules three collection trucks to service City accounts (on non-holiday weeks) each

Monday and Wednesday and two collection trucks to service City accounts each Friday that equates to and average of 34.7 scheduled trips per month (8 collection truck-trips scheduled per week * 52 weeks per year /12 months per year). And if Contractor fails to send one truck on a regularly-scheduled day in month 1, that equates to a KPI Requirement performance of 97.2% (1-1/34.7); if the Contractor fails to send the same truck on a second regularly-schedule day in the same month, that equates to a KPI

Requirement performance of 94.2%, which constitutes a failure of that KPI Requirement for that month.

• Collection Service. Contractor shall service each of its City accounts at least weekly. Each account that is not serviced each week constitutes a separate violation of this indicator.

• Regularity of Schedule. Contractor shall identify a schedule such that it services the same address on the same day of each week (holidays excepted) and shall inform the City of its schedule so that the City can inform its residents and customers of Contractor’s schedule. Each account that is not serviced on the same day of each week (holidays excepted) constitutes a separate violation of this indicator.

• Use of GPS and Cameras. Contractor shall use GPS systems and cameras with its collection vehicles capable of verifying delivery routes and collection of individual accounts and shall provide both data sets to City within 48 hours of the date City asserts that any account was not serviced as otherwise required in this Agreement. Each account servicing that cannot be verified by both GPS and video constitutes a separate violation of this indicator.

Each KPI will be looked at individually and concurrently during the term of this Agreement.

b. Beginning April 1, 2027 and continuing throughout the balance of Contractor’s term under this Agreement, Contractor commits to use commercially reasonable efforts to reach and consistently maintain a monthly target of ninety-five percent (95%) for each KPI (the “KPI Requirement”). In the event CONTRACTOR fails to meet the KPI Requirement, within thirty (30) days of such failure CONTRACTOR shall

(i) investigate the cause of such failure and (ii) report to CITY in writing the results of the investigation along with a plan of the actions to be taken by CONTRACTOR to prevent or minimize the likelihood of such cause contributing to additional failures. At CITY’s request CONTRACTOR will discuss such reports and plan of action with CITY. Thereafter, CONTRACTOR will report to CITY on a regular basis its progress with implementing each plan of action.

c. The actual damages to the City, in the event the Contractor fails to comply with the KPI Requirement, above, may include City’s contract damages, capital costs, and personnel costs. Such actual damages are uncertain and impossible to determine at this time. Beginning with Contractor’s fourth failure to meet its monthly KPI Requirement and continuing with each successive occurrence that Contractor fails to meet its monthly KPI Requirement, and because of such uncertainty, any liquidated damages paid by the Contractor to the City in the event that Contractor fails to comply with its KPI Requirement shall be an amount equal to 5 percent of the Contractor’s monthly billing for all failures for the month at issue. Beginning with Contractor’s tenth failure to meet its monthly KPI Requirement and continuing with each successive occurrence that Contractor fails to meet its monthly KPI Requirement, and because of such uncertainty, any liquidated damages paid by the Contractor to the City in the event that Contractor fails to comply with its KPI Requirement shall be an amount equal to 12 percent of the Contractor’s monthly billing for all failures for the month at issue.

d. Contractor shall pay City Liquidated Damages assessed by the City within thirty days of the assessment date, and the City reserves the right to offset or set off Liquidated Damages due against amounts otherwise due to Contractor under this Agreement. Liquidated Damages agreed to herein are just compensation for the damages caused to the City, reasonable liquidated damages, and are not a penalty or a method to secure performance of this Agreement. Liquidated damages, when the City and

Contractor agree to them, are the exclusive remedy for the Contractor’s failure to meet its KPI Requirement, except that the City may still exercise its right to terminate this agreement for any failure by Contractor to comply with its KPI Requirement after the third assessment of Liquidated Damages.

1.2.31. Letter of Credit or Performance Bond

Offeror shall furnish the City with a letter of credit or performance bond covering faithful performance of this Contract. The performance bond shall be submitted within 45 days following the Effective Date, but in no event later than the Commencement Date. The performance bond shall be in an amount not less than six combined months of service revenue anticipated to be received under this Contract and in a form approved by the City Attorney. The term of the performance bond shall be not less than one year beginning on the Commencement Date. The Offeror shall furnish the City with a renewal of the performance bond for an additional term of not less than one year from the expiration date of the performance bond then in effect for each year this Contract is in effect. The renewal of the performance bond shall be submitted at least 30 days prior to the expiration date of the performance bond then in effect. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the then-current Surety shall not be obligated to renew the performance bond for any successive year. Non-renewal shall, however, be construed as a default by the Offeror under this Contract and the default created by the failure to deliver a renewal, performance bond shall be actionable under the then-current performance bond so provided unless the renewal, performance bond is delivered no later than 15 days prior to the expiration date of the performance bond then in effect. The performance bond (and any renewal, performance bond) shall be limited to one and only one surety and shall be issued by a Surety Offeror authorized to do business in the State of Arizona and having an A.M. Best rating of "A" or better and the "T” Underwriting limitation shall not be exceeded by the performance bond.

1.2.32. Historical Data

There are approximately 2,200 residential customers, with a potential of having this number double within the five (5) contracts depending on the development of new construction. Successful Proposer will be required to provide Residential Solid Waste collection services to all occupied residences within the City.

The City previously offered three (3) sizes of containers to Commercial accounts; 95-gallon, 1.5 yd container and 3 yd container. The City is opened to offering larger trash containers if Successful Proposers have larger units available. Commercial customers have the option to choose the size, number of containers, and the frequency of pickup. The City does not know how many Commercial Accounts may continue to use the service provided through the City under this Contract. The City is bidding out the City Government Commercial accounts under this RFP. The following information is for ALL current Commercial Accounts in the City (including the City’s accounts):

Commercial Accounts - Container Size Number of Units

Commercial Accounts 96 gallon 89

Commercial Accounts 1.5 yd 45

Commercial Accounts 3 yd 122

The City Government Commercial accounts (a subset of All Commercial Accounts listed above), are covered under this RFP, have some seasonality, and the average number of pickups may vary depending upon the time of year. The current number and type of units used are as follows:

Container Size Number of Units Average Number Pickups/Month

Commercial Accounts

1.5 yd

18 31

Commercial Accounts 3 yd

7 15

In the past ALL Residential and ALL Commercial Refuse (within the City) was picked up by two Haulers under contract with the City. This does include refuse from “cleanup days”. The annual tonnage picked up and transported to the Transfer station under previous contracts is listed below:

DATES TOTAL TONNAGE

July 1, 2022 - June 30, 4020.08

July 1, 2023 - June 30, 3705.40

July 1, 2024 - June 30, 3807.05

July 1, 2025 - June 17, 3744.98

Occasionally, a Residential or Commercial account may have a need for a larger container for a temporary use, i.e. a roll off during construction. Arrangements for delivery and pickup of these types of additional arrangements will be made directly between the hauler and the customer for this service; for accounts serviced by the City, the Hauler will provide the billing information to the City, which will service accounts in the same manner as provided for underlying services.

While it is anticipated that each account will have a container assigned to that account, there may be circumstances where it is in the best interest of the City to allow “sharing” of a container for efficiency or effectiveness.

1.3. Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the criteria outlined below, with a maximum of 100 points available.

Both price and non-price factors will be considered. The evaluation process will identify the top-rated proposal(s) that represent the best overall value to the City for the award of the resulting contract.

No. Evaluation Criteria Scoring Method Weight (Points)

1. Qualifications & Experience 0-100 Points 30 (30% of Total)

2. Method of Approach 0-100 Points 25 (25% of Total)

3. Pricing Proposal 0-100 Points 25 (25% of Total)

4. KPIs Plan 0-100 Points 10 (10% of Total)

5. Financial History 0-100 Points 10 (10% of Total)

1.4. Pricing

ables are provided for Offerors to indicate the proposed annual unit Contract Rates for Residential, Commercial, and Bulk Trash Collection Services as described in the Scope of Work. The proposal must be submitted as an annual rate, although the successful proposer's annual rate will be divided into twelve

(12) equal monthly payments. Offerors are required to enter the proposed unit Contract Rate accordingly.

RESIDENTIAL TRASH COLLECTION SERVICES

This form is provided for Offerors to indicate the proposed unit Contract Rates for Residential Trash

Collection Services as further described in Scope of Work. Offerors are required to enter proposed unit Contract.

Line Item

Description Quantity Unit of Measure

Unit Cost

Total

1 Basic Service (One 96-gallon Trash Cart Per Household per One Time weekly)

1 Dollars

2 Basic Senior Service (One 64-gallon Trash Cart Per Household per One Time weekly)

1 Dollars

3 Cost per Additional Carts 1 Dollars

4 Cost per Additional Services per Week.

1 Dollars

TOTAL

OPTIONAL RESIDENTIAL BULK WASTE COLLECTION SERVICES

This form is provided for Offerors to indicate Contract Rates for Optional Residential Bulk Waste

Collection Services as further described in Scope of Work. Offerors are required to enter proposed unit Contract Rates for all items.

Line Item

Description Quantity Unit of Measure

Unit Cost

Total

1 Four (4) collections per year for all Residential Service Units on a fixed schedule -on a by-appointment basis

1 Dollars

2 Up to four (6) collections per year per Residential Service Unit - on a by-appointment basis

1 Dollars

COMMERCIAL TRASH COLLECTION SERVICES

Line Item

Description Quantity Unit of Measure

Unit Size

Unit Cost

Total

1 Commercial Service Container Size

1 Dollars 1.5 Yard

2 Commercial Service Container Size

1 Dollars 3 Yard

3 Commercial Service Container Size

1 Dollars 4 Yard

4 Commercial Service Container Size

1 Dollars 6 Yard

1.5. Insurance Requirements

1.5.1. Required Insurance Policies

No contractor shall commence work under the contract until all insurance required has been obtained.

Contractor will maintain during the entire term of this Contract and for 2 years after the Contract term ends, the following insurance coverage from insurers that have an “A.M. Best” rating of not less than A-

VII:

1.5.2. Commercial General Liability

Policy must include Bodily Injury, Property Damage, Personal Injury and Broad Form Contractual Liability with coverage limits no lower than:

A. Each Occurrence: $1,000,000

B. General Aggregate: $2,000,000

C. Products & Completed Operations Aggregate: $2,000,000

D. Personal and Advertising Injury: $1,000,000

E. Blanket Contractual Liability: $1,000,000

1.5.3. Commercial Automobile Liability

Policy must include bodily injury and property damage, for any owned, hired, and/or non-owned vehicles used in performance of work under this Contract, with a Combined Single Limit no lower than $1,000,000.

1.5.4. Worker's Compensation

Policy must have coverage limits no lower than:

A. Per Occurrence: Statutory

B. Employer's Liability: $1,000,000

C. Disease Each Employee: $1,000,000

D. Disease Policy Limit: $1,000,000

E. [If Contractor is a Sole Proprietor, include this waiver provision under A.R.S. § 23-961(M). To determine whether the Contractor is a Sole Proprietor, please request the Sole Proprietor/Independent

Contractor form from the Contract Officer listed in the solicitation.] I am a sole proprietor, and I am doing business as [name of sole proprietor business]. I am performing work as an independent contractor for the City of Benson. I am not the employee of the City of Benson for workers' compensation purposes, and, therefore, I am not entitled to workers' compensation benefits from the

City. I understand that if I have any employees working for me, I must maintain workers' compensation insurance on them.

1.5.5. Policy Change Notice

Contractor will give the City 30 days advance written notice before any of the above policies are changed in any manner that is inconsistent with the requirements of this Contract. The notice must be sent directly to the Procurement Division of the Business Services Department.

1.5.6. Additional Insured

The Commercial General Liability, Commercial Automobile Liability and umbrella policies where applicable will include the City as an additional insured with respect to liability arising out of the performance of this contract. The City must be covered to the full policy limits, even if those limits of liability are in excess of those required by this Contract. The coverage must be primary and any insurance carried by City is excess and not contributing.

1.5.7. Verification of Coverage

A. Contractor will give the City certificates of insurance (ACORD form or equivalent approved by the City), signed by an authorized representative of the insurer, showing that the Contractor has all the insurance required by this Contract.

B. Contractor must deliver the certificates directly to the Procurement Division of the City’s Business

Services Department before the Contractor commences work under this Contract.

C. The certificates must contain the City project/contract number and project description.

D. The City reserves the right to require complete copies of all insurance policies required by this Contract at any time.

1.5.8. Subcontractors

Contractors’ insurance certificate(s) must include all subcontractors as insureds under its policies or Contractor must give the City separate certificates and endorsements for each subcontractor showing that each subcontractor has the insurance coverage described above.

1.6. Vendors Questionnaire

1. Discounts*

As stated in the Instructions to Offerors. Discounts, the price(s) herein can be discounted by _______%, if payment is made within ______ days. These payment terms shall apply to all purchases and to all payment methods.

*Response required

2. Proposal Submission.*

Upload Proposal Submission with the Following Contents:

A. Cover Page B. Description of approach to delivering the Scope of Work C. Statement of availability to undertake the Scope of Work D. Resumes, certificates, and experience of staff performing the work E. Monthly KPI Reporting Plan F. Financial History G. List of relevant experience, including the scope, within the past five (5) years H. Include Letters of Recommendation from services you provided similar to our Scope of Work

*Response required

3. Cooperative Purchasing Program

Cooperative purchasing allows other public agencies to "piggyback" on the City of Benson’s contracts. Will your firm permit the City to include cooperative purchasing language in the contract so that other municipalities may participate?

☐ Yes

☐ No

4. Does your firm have a City of Benson Business License?

☐ Yes

☐ No

When equals "Yes"

4.1. Please upload a copy of your business license.

5. Offer and Acceptance Form*

Please upload your signed Offer and Acceptance form.

*Response required

6. Does your response to this solicitation include a request to keep any portion confidential and withhold it from the public record?*

Please note: The City of Benson is a public agency subject to public records laws. Therefore, all requests to withhold information from the public record must be accompanied by justification. Pricing will not be held confidential.

☐ Yes

☐ No

*Response required

When equals "Yes"

6.1. Confidential Information*

If you answered yes, then you must use this field to identify the sections of your submittal that you are requesting be withheld from public record.

If sections are not identified as confidential in this field, your request to hold information confidential may not be accepted.

Please note: The City of Benson is a public agency subject to public records laws. Therefore, all requests to withhold information from the public record must be accompanied by justification. Pricing will not be held confidential.

*Response required

7. Is your firm submitting any exceptions for the City's consideration? *

In accordance with Instructions to Offerors - Exceptions to Contract Provisions, any exceptions that an offeror wishes to submit for the City's consideration must be indicated here in order to be considered.

☐ Yes

☐ No

*Response required

When equals "Yes"

7.1. Define the exceptions you are requesting.*

*Response required

2. Instructions for Proposal Submission

2.1. Definitions

2.1.1. Definitions

For purposes of this solicitation and any subsequent contract, the following terms have the meanings set forth below:

City: The City of Benson, Arizona

Contract: The legal agreement(s) executed between City and the Successful Offeror(s). The Contract will be deemed to include all the conditions and requirements set forth in this solicitation and any Addenda to the solicitation, all the Special Terms and Conditions and Standard Terms and Conditions, and all the terms of the Offer submitted by Offeror as finally negotiated and accepted by the City.

Contractor/Consultant: A Successful Offeror that enters into a Contract with the City.

Procurement Specialist: The City employee or employees who have been designated to act as the City’s contact for this solicitation process and who are responsible for monitoring and overseeing the Contractor's performance under the Contract.

City Manager: The contracting authority for the City, authorized to sign contracts and addenda thereto on behalf of the City.

May: Indicates something that is not mandatory but permissible.

May not: Indicates that the party is prohibited from taking the action.

Must: The action or condition is required.

Offer: Any proposal, statement of qualifications, bid, or other submission provided by an Offeror in response to this Solicitation.

Proposer: Each individual or entity that submits an Offer in response to this solicitation.

Successful Offeror: An Offeror who received a Notice of Award or a Notice of Intent to Award from the City.

Will: The indicated party is promising to take the action or abide by the condition.

2.2. Pre-Submittal Meeting

If a pre-submittal meeting is offered, the City recommends potential Proposers should attend even if the meeting is not mandatory.

2.2.1. Pre-Submittal Meeting

A Pre-Submittal Meeting will be held Tuesday, September 22, 2026 at 11:30 amat In-Person Location Benson Council Chambers 599 S. Dragoon Street Benson, AZ 85602 City of Benson is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: City of Benson Solid Waste RFP: Pre-Proposal Meeting Time: Sep 22, 2026 11:30 AM Arizona Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87925692217?pwd=zjN0dcsl6HL84YrEzLC3K1nh22jAco.1 Meeting chat link https://us06web.zoom.us/launch/jc/87925692217 View meeting insights https://us06web.zoom.us/launch/edl?muid=908aa4fc-dd96-4cd6-b0b9-bc04fa32651d Meeting ID: 879 2569 2217 Passcode: 787064 Join instructions https://us06web.zoom.us/meetings/87925692217/invitations?signature=Iu9Y9tnH-y9cfjIl-ARC-jo31cHbkRUznZpJeNcOc9w. Attendance at this meeting is mandatory. The purpose of this meeting will be to clarify the contents of this solicitation in order to prevent any misunderstanding of the City's position.

2.3. Inquiries

2.3.1. Inquires

Any questions about this solicitation or the proposed Contract must be presented at the Pre-Submittal Meeting, if there is one (see above), or submitted through the e-procurement portal system, by the Question Submission Deadline. The question must refer to the solicitation number and the paragraph number of the provision that the question concerns. The Contract Representative may respond, if they deem it appropriate, address the question in a solicitation addendum or respond through the question-and-answer portal in the e-procurement software. Offeror may not rely on oral interpretations or clarifications about the solicitation; only questions answered through the e-procurement portal or posted as a formal solicitation addendum will be binding.

2.4. Addendum of Solicitation

Solicitation Addenda will be posted on the City’s online bidding website. Proposer is responsible for checking the online bidding website regularly for new solicitation addenda and must acknowledge each addendum to this solicitation in its submittal. Please note that Proposers who have registered with OpenGov at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/bensonaz will receive email notifications of solicitation addenda.

Failure to acknowledge all addenda may result in rejection of submittal.

2.4.1. Addendum of Solication

Solicitation Addenda will be posted on the City’s e-procurement portal. Offeror is responsible for checking the portal regularly for new solicitation addenda and must acknowledge each addendum to this solicitation in its submittal. Please note that vendors who have registered with OpenGov at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/bensonaz will receive email notifications of solicitation addenda.

2.5. Online Submission

2.5.1. Online Submission

The City of Benson will only receive proposals from Proposer that have registered on OpenGov at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/bensonaz. Proposals and required documentation must be submitted through the online bidding portal. Hand-delivered hard copies will not be accepted or considered.

2.6. Understanding Scope of Work

2.6.1. Understanding Scope of Work

Before submitting an Offer to this solicitation, Offeror must familiarize itself with the Scope of Work, laws, regulations, physical conditions, and other factors affecting the obligations – including the expense and difficulty of fulfilling those obligations – that Offeror will have under the Contract if awarded to Offeror.

No adjustment to the financial or other terms of the Contract will be justified by Offeror’s failure to fully understand or appreciate the Contract requirements or other factors affecting Contract performance.

2.7. Proposal Contents – Vendor Questionnaire

2.7.1. Proposal Contents

A. The RFP Cover Page must be completed, signed by the Contractor's authorized signatory. *

B. A detailed description of the Proposer’s…