Dehydrated Food Waste By-Product

The Department of Justice Bureau of Prisons has issued a Special Notice seeking a compost manufacturer or similar company to purchase and utilize dehydrated food waste by-product from the Federal Correctional Institution in Sandstone, Minnesota. The facility operates two dehydrator units that process food scraps for weight reduction, producing a nutrient-rich by-product that resembles dry coffee grounds in appearance. This dehydrated material has been laboratory tested and deemed safe for commercial farming and gardening applications. The Bureau of Prisons aims to establish a contract to sell this waste product rather than dispose of it, creating a revenue-generating opportunity from what would otherwise be waste material. The opportunity is categorized under NAICS code 325315 for Compost Manufacturing.

The primary objective is to identify a vendor who can regularly collect and beneficially use this dehydrated food waste for compost production, farming, or gardening purposes. Interested contractors must be capable of providing a 2-3 yard storage container at the facility and establishing a pickup schedule of approximately every other week, though the frequency may vary based on container size. The Special Notice includes laboratory analysis reports from Minnesota Valley Testing Laboratories showing detailed nutrient content including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and various trace elements measured in the dehydrated material samples. Companies eligible to participate include compost manufacturers, farming operations, or gardening businesses that can utilize nutrient-rich organic matter. Responses are due by October 24, 2026, providing interested parties with substantial time to evaluate the opportunity and develop proposals for this waste-to-resource initiative.