RFP 25RFP14087 QA.pdf

1. Please confirm that the Bidder is responsible for contracting with a food waste composting partner directly? And SD DANR will not contract with a vender separately.

Yes, the contractor would be responsible for contracting with a food waste composting partner directly. DANR will not contract with a vendor separately.

2. In lieu of a pilot study, would it be acceptable to provide information on food waste management at various locations across the US? This research approach could capture a wider scale of potential food waste compost sites and applicable to small, medium and large population centers.

It would be preferable that a pilot study would take place but would be acceptable to take the approach of providing information on food waste management at various locations across the US with a similar climate. This would be a great secondary approach to take if a contractor cannot identify a food waste composting partner to conduct a pilot study.

3. If an existing, permitted landfill facility is contracted to perform a food waste compost pilot, what additional permit requirements would be necessary for the facility to comply with State regulations? Is there a threshold of food waste that would trigger additional measures?

DANR would not require an existing permitted landfill facility to amend their permit to conduct the pilot study project. The permitted facility would need to follow their permit requirements that pertains to their current composting operations. We would ask the contractor and landfill partner to submit a proposed operations plan that includes:

A. Identifying the sources of the food waste that will be composted;

B. Describe the composting methods to be used;

C. Describe the equipment that will be used in the facility’s operation;

D. Identify the types and sources of materials (i.e. carbon) that will be added to the composting process;

E. Describe the frequency and types of testing that will be used to monitor the composting process;

F. Describe the composting pad (packed earth, asphalt, concrete, etc.) that will be used;

G. Describe how the raw materials to be used and the finished compost will be stored; and

H. Describe how vectors will be controlled at the facility.

There would not be a threshold of food waste that would trigger additional measures. If an existing landfill partner would like to continue to compost food waste after the pilot project is complete, DANR would require the facility to amend their permit to account for this activity going forward.

4. What, if any, cost impacts would need to be accounted for permit amendment at an existing solid waste facility? And would this include public comment period for any changes to the existing solid waste permit?

DANR would not require a permit amendment for an existing solid waste facility that is currently permitted to compost yard waste to conduct a pilot study project for food waste composting. The permitted facility would need to submit a proposed operations plan as outlined in the prior question response. The facility would be able to compost food waste only during the timeframe of the pilot study. If they would like to continue to compost food waste after the pilot study project is complete, they would first need to amend their permit to account for this activity going forward. So, there would be no permit-related costs for a pilot study.

5. Assuming a community (or small scale operation) did not have a solid waste permit, how would regulation of a community compost operation be handled by DANR?

DANR would allow the pilot study to occur exempt from solid waste permitting. We would ask the contractor and pilot study partner to consider the siting criteria found in the yard waste general permit and attempt to select a location that meets those criteria.

(https://danr.sd.gov/Environment/WasteManagement/SolidWaste/docs/COMPGEN.

pdf).

Even though exempt from solid waste permitting, DANR would expect the pilot study to satisfy the following permit-equivalent requirements: submission of the operations plan already outlined, access control, surface water (leachate) management, and the physical closure requirements stated in the general permit after the pilot study ends. If the pilot study partner would like to continue composting food waste after the pilot project is complete, they must then acquire a solid waste permit. Composting would have to cease, and the closure requirements could be reconsidered until successful acquisition of a solid waste permit.

https://danr.sd.gov/Environment/WasteManagement/SolidWaste/docs/COMPGEN.pdf https://danr.sd.gov/Environment/WasteManagement/SolidWaste/docs/COMPGEN.pdf

6. Has SD DANR been in contact with interest parties for the pilot project? If so, could contact information be shared to potential bidders?

DANR has not been in contact with any interested parties for a pilot study project.