RFP_for_Solid_Waste_Consulting_Services.pdf

C I T Y O F T U S T I N

3 0 0 C e n t e n n i a l W a y , T u s t i n , C a l i f o r n i a 9 2 7 8 0

R E Q U E S T F O R P R O P O S A L S for

Professional Consulting Services for

Solid Waste Consulting Services October 2025

PROPOSAL SUBMITTALS: Responses to the Request for Proposal (RFP) are to be submitted to:

Attn: Elsa Robinson Senior Management Analyst

Public Works Department City of Tustin

300 Centennial Way Tustin, California 92780 no later than 4:00 P.M. on December 15, 2025. The proposal shall be submitted electronically via OpenGov. Proposals received in OpenGov after the specified time will not be accepted.

Questions regarding this request will be limited to written form and shall be submitted via OpenGov. Verbal inquiries will not be accepted.

The fee proposal shall be uploaded as a separate file from the main proposal in OpenGov.

INDEX

SECTION PAGE

I. Project Description #2 II. Background #2 III. Schedule of Events #2-3 IV. Scope of Work #3-8 V. Proposal Requirements #8 VI. General Requirements #11 VII. Consultant Evaluation & Selection Process #13 VIII. Administration Specifications #14

ATTACHMENTS

Attachment A – Sample Consultant Services Agreement http://intranet/CityForms/logos/CoT_Logo-2008.JPG

CITY OF TUSTIN

Solid Waste Consulting Services – RFP (2025)

I. INTRODUCTION / PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The City of Tustin (hereinafter referred to as the “City”) is soliciting proposals from qualified firms to provide professional solid waste consulting services. The City seeks an experienced consulting firm (hereinafter referred to as the “Consultant”) with demonstrated expertise in California solid waste, recycling, and organic waste management, including procurement and contract negotiation services.

The Consultant will assist the City in preparing for the upcoming expiration of its current solid waste agreement, which terminates on March 31, 2028. Services will include a comprehensive evaluation of the City’s existing solid waste and recycling agreement, programs, development of a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit future solid waste service providers, and support in the negotiation of a new agreement covering the collection, hauling, processing, and disposal of solid waste, recyclables, organics, and other divertible materials.

The selected Consultant will enter into a Consulting Services Agreement with the City to provide services identified in the Scope of Services section of this RFP (the “Project”). The City anticipates executing a multi-year agreement with the selected Consultant on an as-needed, time-and-materials basis.

II. BACKGROUND

The City of Tustin is located in Orange County, California, and is roughly 37 miles southeast of Los Angeles and 90 miles northwest of San Diego. The City has an estimated population of of approximately 80,276 and covers over 11 square miles. The City is a full-service City that offers a range of municipal services that include, but is not limited to: police protection; public works, water utility operations; building and safety; development services for land use planning, and zoning; housing and community development; and a full range of recreation and cultural activities.

The City has an exclusive agreement with CR&R, Inc. for all residential and commercial waste collection services, including recycling and organic material collection services. The current agreement with CR&R expires on March 31, 2028. The City is seeking consulting services to assist in the development of a Request for Proposals to solicit new solid waste service proposals and negotiate a new agreement before the expiration of the agreement. The City expects the consultant to provide knowledge, experience, and expertise necessary to assist the City with the development and implementation of a new agreement and programs to comply with State law.

III. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

The City intends to progress in this procurement in a series of orderly steps. The schedule that follows has been developed to provide adequate information for Proposers to prepare definitive proposals and to permit the City to fully consider various factors that may affect the decision. This schedule is subject to change at the discretion of the City staff. The City will provide sufficient advance notice to prospective Consultants in the event of schedule changes via issuance of an Addenda.

Activity Date Issuance of Request for Proposals

October 27, 2025

Deadline for Questions in OpenGov

November 10, 2025, at 4:00 p.m.

Questions Answered/Addenda Issued

November 24, 2025

Proposals due in OpenGov

December 15, 2025, at 4:00 p.m.

Review of Proposals

December 16, 2025 – January 2, 2026

Tentative Interviews

Week of January 5, 2026*

City Council Award

February 3, 2026*

Kick-Off Meeting Date

Week of March 2, 2026*

*Date subject to change

IV. SCOPE OF WORK

1. Project Overview

The Consultant will provide technical expertise and professional support to the City in connection with the procurement of future solid waste collection services and the negotiation of a new agreement. Specifically, the Consultant will assist City staff in preparing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for solid waste collection, hauling, recycling, and organics services, and will support the City throughout the negotiation and execution of a new agreement.

In addition, the City intends to retain the Consultant to provide ongoing technical assistance and advisory services related to the administration and management of the new solid waste agreement, including monitoring compliance, evaluating service performance, and recommending program enhancements as needed.

The Scope of Work, as further described in this RFP, may be modified through negotiation and/or a written addendum issued by the City. Any modifications will become part of the final Consulting Services Agreement executed between the City and the selected Consultant. The scope of services described herein is the minimum necessary to meet the City’s objectives. The

Proposer is expected to expand on the scope by incorporating their expertise and proposed method of approach.

The Consultant shall perform the following tasks:

Task 1: Program Review and Assessment

A. Review and analyze the City’s current agreement, including service requirements, performance standards, rate structures, rate adjustment mechanisms, reporting requirements, enforcement provisions, and termination clauses.

B. Conduct a comprehensive review of the City’s existing solid waste, recycling, and organics collection programs, including collection routes, service levels, diversion performance, compliance with state legislation (e.g., SB 1383, AB 341, AB 1826), and overall cost-effectiveness.

C. Benchmark the current programs and agreement against industry best practices and agreements in comparable California jurisdictions.

D. Identify areas of strength, service gaps, potential risks, and opportunities for improvement in the City’s current agreement and programs.

E. Provide recommendations for new agreement terms and conditions that align with the City’s operational needs, financial goals, and sustainability objectives.

Task 2: Procurement of Solid Waste Hauler A. Develop a comprehensive Request for Proposals (RFP) for solid waste, recycling, and organics collection services that reflect the City’s objectives, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices.

B. Incorporate a draft agreement template into the RFP that establishes baseline terms and provisions, including service requirements, performance standards, diversion benchmarks, and reporting obligations.

C. Work with City staff in the preparation of presenting the RFP package to City Council for approval before public advertisement.

D. Prepare a list of potential service providers and invite each provider to submit a proposal.

E. Assist with conducting a pre-proposal meeting with prospective proposers and the preparation of the written response(s) of any subsequent addenda to the RFP.

F. Develop the written criteria and the methodology to evaluate and rank each proposal submitted.

G. Coordinate any site visits to facilities of potential service providers and prepare questions for the City to ask providers during the visit.

H. Assist the City with proposer inquiries, addenda, and clarifications during the solicitation period.

Task 3: Proposal Evaluation and Selection Support A. Prepare a technical analysis of each proposer to verify the ability to comply with, provide for, and meet the requirements of the contract period.

B. Evaluate each proposer’s experience and ability to perform the contract through references. Analyze the financial capability and strength of the proposer to perform in the contract.

C. Assist City staff in facilitating proposer interviews, site visits, and reference checks.

Task 4: Contract Negotiation A. Assist the City in negotiating services, terms, and rates with the selected proposer B. Assist in drafting and finalizing agreement documents in coordination with City staff and legal counsel, including performance standards, compliance provisions, and enforcement mechanisms.

C. Work with City staff in the preparation of meetings, study sessions, and/or presentations with City Council and staff to communicate findings, options, and recommendations. The target date for the City Council approval of a solid waste contractor is April 1, 2027. The date to initiate (roll out) service is April 1, 2028, for the collection, hauling, processing, and/or disposal of solid waste services.

Task 5: Implementation of New Agreement A. Support program implementation and transition activities to ensure continuity of service and compliance with new agreement requirements.

B. Provide technical support in developing public outreach materials (as requested) to inform the community about potential service changes.

Task 6: Ongoing Contract Management and Regulatory Compliance Support The Consultant shall provide technical assistance and professional support to the City in managing and monitoring the new solid waste agreement following execution. The purpose of this task is to ensure proper implementation, performance compliance, and adherence to state and local regulatory requirements. Services under this task shall include, but are not limited to, the following sub-tasks:

Task 6.1: Program Implementation Tracking

A. Develop and maintain a tracking system to monitor and aggregate time-sensitive contractual and compliance obligations.

B. The tracking system shall be a live document that is regularly updated to reflect timelines and deliverables established in the agreement, applicable regulatory requirements, and key milestones identified in monthly, quarterly, and annual contractor reports.

C. Provide regular updates to City staff and identify upcoming deadlines, pending deliverables, and compliance risks.

Task 6.2: Report Review and Evaluation

A. Review and track the hauler’s monthly, quarterly, annual, and specialized reports for completeness and accuracy.

B. Provide written evaluation notes summarizing observations, findings, and recommended follow-up actions.

C. Recommend refinements to reporting formats to ensure consistency with City requirements and CalRecycle reporting standards.

Task 6.3: Coordination and Communication

A. Facilitate regular coordination meetings between the City, the hauler, and the Consultant to ensure proactive and consistent communication.

B. Prepare meeting agendas, minutes, and action item logs to document progress, performance concerns, and contract deliverables.

C. Support the City in resolving operational, service delivery, and customer service issues

Task 6.4: Contract Adherence and Performance Monitoring

A. Provide technical assistance to City staff regarding contract interpretation, enforcement, and adherence.

B. Monitor hauler performance to ensure compliance with all program implementation and service standards.

C. Conduct analysis and provide observations of quarterly waste characterization studies and route review monitoring.

D. Track progress toward diversion, contamination, and service performance goals.

Task 6.5: Rate Review and Financial Oversight

A. Conduct in-depth reviews of the hauler’s annual rate adjustment submission, including verification of CPI adjustments, pass-through cost components, and compliance with contractual methodology.

B. Provide analyses and recommendations to City staff before final rate approval.

Task 6.6: Other Contract Management Support

A. Assist with other contract management tasks as requested by the City, including data verification, operational audits, or agreement-related research and recommendations.

Task 7: CalRecycle Assistance, Record Keeping, and Reporting The Consultant shall assist the City in maintaining compliance with CalRecycle reporting and record-keeping requirements, including all components of SB 1383, AB 341, AB 1826, and AB 939.

Task 7.1: Annual and Periodic Reporting A. Assist the City in gathering data and preparing the CalRecycle Electronic Annual Report

(EAR), Form 303 Report, and other required submittals.

B. Coordinate with City departments, the hauler, and other recycling entities to collect required data.

C. Analyze and summarize SB 1383 reporting components, including:

o Procurement requirements o Edible food recovery programs o Commercial and residential organics recycling o Education and outreach documentation o Waivers and exemptions o Contamination inspection and enforcement results o Enforceable mechanisms and record-keeping

Task 7.2: SB 1383 Compliance Tracking

A. Develop and maintain tracking systems and document repositories for SB 1383 compliance data, including edible food recovery, education, inspections, waiver administration, and enforcement documentation.

B. Review the hauler’s SB 1383 compliance and diversion reports and provide evaluation notes identifying potential issues or deficiencies.

C. Facilitate meetings with the City and hauler to discuss SB 1383 implementation progress and corrective actions, as needed.

Task 7.3 Data Management and Record Keeping

A. Establish and maintain an organized electronic file structure for the City’s SB 1383 implementation record, ensuring all required documentation is current and complete.

B. Coordinate with City staff to collect, review, and store supporting documentation such as outreach materials, inspection forms, waiver records, and enforcement notices.

C. Ensure data is entered accurately into CalRecycle’s Local Government Information Center (LoGIC) system.

Task 7.4 CalRecycle Review and Audit Support

A. Assist the City in preparing for and participating in CalRecycle’s annual review process, including conference calls or site visits.

B. Support the City in responding to CalRecycle data requests related to SB 1383, AB 341, and AB 1826 compliance.

C. Provide advance preparation materials and coordinate with the hauler to assemble required information.

Task 7.5 JACE Compliance Review Assistance A. Assist the City in preparing for CalRecycle’s Jurisdiction and Compliance Evaluation

(JACE) review, conducted approximately every four years.

B. Support the City in assembling documentation, participating in multi-day site visits, and responding to findings or corrective action requests.

C. Provide ongoing guidance to maintain readiness for future compliance evaluations.

Project Timeline The following schedule represents the anticipated timeline for this project. The City reserves the right to modify this schedule as necessary.

Milestone Estimated Date Description

Project Kickoff March 2026 Consultant begins work; review of existing programs and solid waste collection service agreement.

RFP Release August 2026 City issues the Solid Waste Collection Services RFP with a proposed franchise agreement template.

Proposals Due November 2026 Deadline for proposers to submit proposals to the City.

Evaluation and Selection January – April

City reviews proposals, conducts interviews, negotiates terms, and selects the preferred proposer.

Implementation Phase of New Agreement

April 1, 2027 – April 1, 2028

Transition period to implement new franchise services and ensure full compliance by contract commencement.

V. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Although the City requires no specific format, this section is intended to provide guidelines to the Consultant regarding features that the City will look for and expect to be included in the proposal.

1. Content & Format

The City requests that proposals submitted be organized and presented in a neat and logical format, and are relevant to these services. Consultant’s proposals shall be clear, accurate, and comprehensive. Excessive or irrelevant material will not be favorably received.

The Proposal shall be limited to a maximum of 15 double-sided pages (excluding front and back covers, section dividers, and attachments such as resumes and forms). Font size shall be a minimum of 12-point Arial. Proposal exhibits shall be a maximum 11” x 17”. The purpose of these restrictions is to minimize the costs of proposal preparation and to ensure that the response to the RFP is fully relevant to the project.

The proposal should include the following:

• Cover Letter

• Executive Summary

• Scope of Work / Methodology

• Team Organization

• Statement of Qualifications & Resumes of Key Personnel

• References

• Fee Proposal

2. Cover Letter

The Cover Letter shall be addressed to Elsa Robinson, Senior Management Analyst, and at minimum, must contain the following:

a. Identification of firm, including name, address, and telephone number.

b. California Secretary of State Entity Number.

c. Name, title, address, and telephone number of contact person during period of proposal evaluation.

d. Statement to the effect that the proposal shall remain valid for a period of not less than 90 calendar days from the date of submittal.

e. Signature of a person authorized to bind the firm to the terms of the proposal.

3. Executive Summary

In a brief narrative, describe the proposed solution by setting forth the overall approach and plans to meet the requirements of the RFP. The intent of this narrative is to convey to the City that the firm understands the objective of the requested service, the nature of the work, and the level of effort necessary to successfully provide the defined services. The narrative should stipulate how the firm’s approach and plans to provide the services are appropriate to the tasks involved.

4. Scope of Work/Methodology

Provide a detailed description of the approach and methodology to be used to accomplish the Scope of Work of this RFP. The methodology should include:

a. Describe the firm’s approach to managing the project, including an implementation plan that describes in detail the specific plans to manage, control, and supervise the project to ensure satisfactory provision of services.

b. Provide a project timeline designed to meet the requirements of the City, as well as scheduling and control methodology that will be used to ensure the schedule will be met. The timeline should include key milestone dates and a detailed description of key project steps.

c. Provide a description of the implementation plan considerations, including estimated timeframes and deliverables for various stages of the project.

d. Detailed description of the specific tasks you will require from City staff. Explain what the respective roles of City staff and your staff would be to complete the tasks specified in the Scope of Work.

e. Provide a detailed description and/or examples of your quality control procedures that ensure all work products delivered to the City (i.e., drafts and final versions) are of high quality, accurate, and have been thoroughly reviewed prior to delivery to the City.

5. Organization Chart

The purpose of this section is to describe the organization of the project team, including subconsultants and key staff. A project manager and an alternate project manager who will be the prime contact and be responsible for coordinating all activities with the City should be included. An organization diagram shall be submitted showing all key team members and illustrating the relationship between the City, the project manager, key staff, and subconsultants.

6. Statement of Qualifications & Resumes of Key Personnel

The information provided in this section should describe the qualifications of the firm and key staff in performing projects within the past five years that are similar in scope and size to demonstrate competence to perform these services. The projects listed should be those that the key staff named for this project were responsible for performing. Information shall include:

• Names of key staff who participated in named projects and their specific responsibilities.

• The client’s name, contact person, addresses, and telephone numbers.

• A brief description of the type and extent of services provided.

• Completion dates (estimated, if not yet completed).

• Total costs of the projects.

There also should be a brief description of the role and responsibilities of all key staff and subconsultants identified in the team organization, also should be included. There should be included in the section brief resumes of key personnel who will provide these services, demonstrating their qualifications and experience. Resumes should highlight education, relevant experience, licenses, and specific responsibilities for services described.

7. References

Provide at least three (3) references, past and present, using the same service being proposed and indicate the scope of work, date, and the name, email address, and telephone number of the client contact. Also, provide a complete list of other municipalities in California utilizing your Solid Waste Consulting services over the past five (5) years.

8. Fee Proposal

Compensation for services provided shall be based upon the consultant’s detailed fee proposal to furnish the services detailed in their proposal.

A Fee Proposal shall be submitted in a separate file from the main proposal in OpenGov.

A work program, along with a breakdown of labor hours by employee billing classification, as well as the cost of non-labor and subconsultant services, shall be included with the fee proposal. The labor breakdown shall be compiled based upon a listing of work tasks that correlate with the consultant’s defined scope of work for the project proposal. This information will be used by the City staff to evaluate the reasonableness of the fee proposal and may be used in negotiating the final fee amounts for the contract agreement.

Fees will not be used to determine the ranking of the consultants.

The City will negotiate the final fee with the top-ranked consultant.

Reimbursable expenses shall not be allowed unless negotiated prior to a contract.

Price escalations during the contract term are disfavored and will not be allowed unless negotiated prior to execution of the contract.

Although no public meetings are anticipated, the fee proposal shall include a unit cost for a public meeting (eg, $/public meeting) in the event a meeting will be required.

The consultant shall prepare progress billings, reflective of the project schedule and the scope of work completed, by line item and description.

VI. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Insurance Requirements

The consultant shall furnish with the proposal proof of the following minimum insurance coverage. These minimum levels of coverage are required to be maintained for the duration of the project:

A. General Liability Coverage - $1,000,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage. If Commercial General Liability Insurance or other form with a general limit is used, either the general aggregate limit shall apply separately to this project/location, or the general aggregate limit shall be twice the required occurrence limit.

B. Professional Liability Coverage - $1,000,000 per occurrence (note: A “claims made” policy is acceptable). If consultant provides “claims made” coverage, consultant shall also agree in writing to either:

i. Purchase Tail Insurance in the amount required by the resulting agreement to cover claims made within five years of completion of consultant’s services under the agreement.

ii. Maintain professional liability insurance coverage with the same carrier, or with an equivalent carrier in the amount required by the resulting agreement five years after completion of consultant’s services under this agreement.

The consultant shall provide written evidence of either form by executing the attached letter agreement (Attachment B) on consultant letterhead.

C. Worker’s Compensation Coverage - State statutory limits.

Deductibles, Self-Insurance Retentions, or Similar Forms of Coverage Limitations or

Modifications, must be declared to and approved by the City of Tustin.

The consultant is encouraged to contact its insurance carriers during the proposal stage to ensure that the insurance requirements can be met if selected for negotiation of a contract agreement.

The City shall be named as Additional Insured and no policy may be modified or cancelled prior to thirty (30) days written notice.

Certificates of insurance and insurer endorsements evidencing the required insurance shall be provided.

2. Standard Form of Agreement

The consultant will enter into an agreement with the City based upon the contents of the RFP and the consultant’s proposal. The City’s standard form of agreement is included as Attachment A. The consultant shall carefully review the agreement, and include with the proposal a description of any exceptions requested to the standard contract. If there are no exceptions, a statement to that effect shall be included in the proposal.

3. Disclaimer

This RFP does not commit the City to award a contract, or to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of the proposal. The City reserves the right to extend the due date for the proposal, to accept or reject any or all proposals received as a result of this request, to negotiate with any qualified consultant, or to cancel this RFP in part or in its entirety. The City may require the selected consultant to participate in negotiations and to submit such technical, fee, or other revisions of their proposals as may result from negotiations.

4. Assigned Representatives

The City will assign a responsible representative to administer the contract, and to assist the consultant in obtaining information. The consultant also shall assign a responsible representative (project manager) and an alternate, who shall be identified in the proposal. The consultant’s representative will remain in responsible charge of the consultant’s duties from the notice-to-proceed through project completion. If the consultant’s primary representative should be unable to continue with the project, then the alternative representative identified in the proposal shall become the project manager. The City’s representative shall first approve any substitution of representatives or subconsultants identified in the proposal in writing.

The City reserves the right to review and approve/disapprove all key staff and subconsultant substitution or removal and may consider such changes not approved to be a breach of contract.

5. City Business License

A city business license will be required of the consultant and any subconsultants for services under this agreement.

VII. CONSULTANT EVALUATION & SELECTION PROCESS

The City’s consultant evaluation and selection process is based upon Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) for professional services. Proposals will be evaluated based on the response to all provisions of this RFP. Since this solicitation is an RFP as opposed to a Bid, pricing alone will not constitute the entire selection criteria. The City may use some or all of the following criteria and corresponding percentages in its evaluation and comparison of proposals submitted. The criteria listed are not necessarily an all-inclusive list. The order in which they appear is not intended to indicate their relative importance. The City reserves the right to modify the evaluation criteria and percentage of score as deemed appropriate prior to the commencement of evaluation.

The following criteria will be used in evaluating the proposals using a point value system (100 points) based upon the weighting indicated below:

1. Qualification and Experience of Firm (20 points)

2. Approach and Work Plan (30 points)

3. Qualifications and Experience of the project manager and other key individuals (40 points)

4. Schedule of Delivery (5 points)

5. Reference Checks (5 points)

The City may elect to interview a short list of qualified firms or to interview only the top-rated firm based upon the proposals submitted for the project.

City staff will negotiate a contract with the best-qualified firm for the desired consulting services.

Should City staff be unable to negotiate a satisfactory contract with the firm considered to be the most qualified, negotiations with that firm shall be formally terminated. Negotiations will then be undertaken with the next most qualified firm. Failing to accord with the second most qualified firm, the City staff will terminate negotiations and continue the negotiation process with the next most qualified firm in order of their evaluation ranking until an agreement is reached and a firm is selected, and an agreement is executed.

Additional information related to the consultant selection process will be made available in the future once the City has executed this contract. Please refrain from making any verbal inquiries or requests for a formal debriefing related to the subject RFP until the City of Tustin completes the ongoing contract process.

VIII. ADMINISTRATION SPECIFICATIONS

A. The City of Tustin’s Rights to Proposals

All proposals, upon submission to the City of Tustin, shall become its property for use as deemed appropriate. By submitting a proposal, the offer covenants not to make any claim for or have any right to damages because of any misinterpretation or misunderstanding of the specification, or because of any misinformation or lack of information.

The City of Tustin has the following prerogatives with regard to proposals submitted:

• to accept or reject any or all proposals;

• to correct any arithmetic errors in any or all proposals submitted;

• to utilize any or all the ideas from proposals submitted;

• to change the proposal’s due date upon appropriate notification;

• to adopt any or all of an offeror’s proposal; and

• to negotiate modifications to the scope and fee with selected offeror prior to contract award.