Food waste collection

The Town of Manchester, Connecticut has issued an Invitation to Bid (ITB) #23/24-28 for a voluntary food waste collection pilot program targeting five specific drop-off locations: the Transfer Station (three 65-gallon carts), Whiton Library, Senior Center, and Mount Nebo Park. The primary objective is to divert food waste from the overall waste stream through a structured collection and disposal process. Collection services will be required Monday through Saturday at the Transfer Station (7:00am to 2:30pm) and Monday through Friday at other locations (6:00am to 5:00pm), with the contractor responsible for providing trash bags, monthly cart cleaning, and precise waste weight recording. Bidders must demonstrate at least two years of waste collection experience and provide professional references. The contract will be awarded to the lowest total cost bidder, with an initial term from the award date through December 31, 2024, and options to extend for two additional one-year periods. Contractors must submit detailed pricing for collection and hauling/disposal at each site, along with information about their waste processing facilities.

The procurement includes specific living wage requirements, mandating $16.59 per hour for employees with comprehensive health care benefits or $24.59 per hour without. Bidders must comply with comprehensive insurance requirements, including commercial general liability, automobile liability, and workers' compensation insurance with coverage limits varying based on the contract's total value. The Town of Manchester reserves the right to add additional sites and adjust collection frequency and cart numbers as the program expands. While no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are explicitly mentioned, the living wage certification form provides exemption opportunities for charitable organizations, small employers with fewer than 25 eligible employees, and contracts under $25,000 annually. Though a specific budget range is not provided, the contract appears structured to allow flexibility in scaling the food waste collection program. Potential bidders must complete and submit a mandatory Living Wage Certification Form, with failure to do so potentially resulting in bid rejection.