City Generated Hazardous Waste Disposal and Emergency Response Services

The City of Palo Alto Public Works Department is requesting proposals for hazardous waste disposal and emergency response services, with proposals due September 30, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. via OpenGov, with questions due September 16 and question responses due September 23.

Proposers must hold a California Department of Toxic Substances Control Certificate of Registration as a hazardous waste transporter — the primary regulatory gate. The scope encompasses packaging, removal, transportation, and disposal of 29 identified waste streams (paint, oils, batteries, fluorescent tubes, asbestos, and various chemicals) generated at the Palo Alto Municipal Service Center and Regional Water Quality Control Plant, plus 24-hour emergency response for hazardous-materials incidents within City jurisdictional borders with maximum response times of two hours.

The anticipated annual budget is $85,000 ($255,000 over the three-year contract term), structured as a not-to-exceed amount per task with progress payments based on work-completion percentage. Mobilization and packaging are billed time-and-materials using the contractor's standard fee schedule; transportation and disposal fees are unit-based per the submitted fee schedule. Emergency response is also time-and-materials.

Evaluation criteria are prior government performance record (20%), experience (20%), proposed solution effectiveness (15%), regulatory compliance (10%), financial condition (10%), cost (10%), proposal quality (5%), timely performance (5%), and ability to provide ongoing services (5%). Proposers must demonstrate financial stability via audited statements, reviewed statements, a letter of good standing, or a Dun & Bradstreet report.

Contractors must maintain general liability ($1 million per occurrence and aggregate), automobile liability ($1 million per person/occurrence and property damage), professional liability ($1 million), and workers' compensation at statutory limits, naming the City as additional insured on all policies except workers' compensation and professional liability. Insurers must carry AM Best's Key Rating of A-:VII or higher. Cancellation notices require 30 days for non-premium terminations and 10 days for non-payment.

The City reserves the right to conduct oral interviews, negotiate with any or all proposers, or reject all proposals at its sole discretion.