Organics Collection and Disposal Services

The District of Columbia Department of General Services is conducting a competitive sealed bid Invitation for Bid (IFB No. DCAM-26-NC-IFB-0006) for Organics Collection and Disposal Services across multiple District facilities, including D.C. Public Schools (DCPS), Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), Fire and Emergency Medical Services (FEMS), and other agency properties. The procurement seeks one qualified and licensed contractor to provide comprehensive organics collection and disposal services, encompassing collection of post-consumer food waste, compostable food service ware, paper products, and yard debris using appropriately-sized containers (32-, 64-, and 96-gallon carts, 7-gallon buckets, and roll-off dumpsters) and dedicated vehicles. The contractor must supply all labor, materials, equipment, vehicle maintenance, fuel, licenses, permits, management, recordkeeping, and reporting services necessary to support the District's sustainable waste management efforts. The contract is structured as an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) agreement with a one-year base period plus up to four (4) one-year option periods for a maximum five-year duration, featuring firm-fixed unit rates for routine and supplemental services subject to a non-guaranteed maximum ordering ceiling of $950,000 per contract period and a guaranteed minimum order of $50.00 annually. Required contractor qualifications include valid DC Solid Waste Collector Registration for at least three operational vehicles, Service Contract Act wage compliance (Wage Determination No. 2015-4281, Revision 35), D.C. Living Wage Act compliance ($17.95 per hour through June 30, 2026; $18.40 per hour thereafter), GPS/AVL service verification technology, specified insurance coverage (environmental liability of $2,000,000 per occurrence, commercial general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence, automobile liability of $1,000,000 combined single limit, and workers' compensation insurance), First Source Employment Agreement execution, and 51% District resident new hire hiring targets. The pre-bid conference is scheduled for March 12, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at DGS Headquarters (3924 Minnesota Avenue, N.E., Washington, DC 20019), with electronic bid submissions due by March 25, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. EST via the OpenGov Procurement system and public bid opening held the same day at 2:00 p.m. Pricing must account comprehensively for all direct and indirect costs including labor, supervision, materials, equipment, vehicle maintenance, fuel, insurance, overhead, G&A expenses, and anticipated wage increases, with estimated annual costs for basic services ranging from $3,120.00 to $4,056.00 per container type.

This procurement is exclusively designated for Small Business Enterprises (SBEs) certified by the District's Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) at the time of bid submission; joint ventures are excluded from participation. Certified SBE bidders receive a maximum combined preference of up to 12% on bid pricing. For task orders exceeding $250,000, contractors must subcontract at least 35% of the dollar volume in accordance with Small Business Enterprise requirements. The District has provided reference guidance on acceptable organics materials based on Prince George's County's Organics Composting Facility in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, which serves as the designated disposal location and specifies acceptable yard trim materials, food scraps, and compostable products with approved manufacturers and item numbers. Contractors must comply with the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act wage determination and the Living Wage Act, which contains ten specific exemptions but applies to contracts valued at $100,000 or more. The contractor is subject to disincentive fees ranging from $100 to $500 per incident for missed collections, performance failures, and unauthorized key personnel replacement, and must submit monthly tonnage data documenting collection activities and weights across all service locations. No incumbent contractor information has been specified, indicating this may be a new service initiative or transition from previous arrangements. The overall contract value ceiling is established at $950,000 per annual contract period, with total potential contract value reaching approximately $4,750,000 across the five-year maximum duration including the base period and all option periods.