Proprietary Inoculant for Biosolids

Hillsborough County is conducting a sole source procurement for a proprietary inoculant for biosolids processing at the County's composting facility located in the Southeast landfill. The procuring agency is Hillsborough County, Florida, and the procurement is being conducted in accordance with Section 3-205(2)(a) of the County's Procurement Policy. The goods being procured consist of a proprietary inoculant manufactured exclusively by HQ Compost Holdings, LLC (doing business as Harvest Quest Compost Holdings), which is a consortium of enzyme-producing bacteria and numerous strains of fungi designed to optimize performance under fluctuating operational conditions, including seasonal feedstock changes and variable weather patterns. The inoculant will be used in conjunction with the County's Modified Static Aerobic Pile (MSAP) composting method to process approximately 37,500 wet tons of biosolids annually combined with yard waste to create usable compost for agricultural purposes. The primary objective is to maintain EPA Region IV and Florida Department of Environmental Protection approval for the Process to Further Reduce Pathogens (PFRP) regulatory requirement, while the MSAP method reduces mechanical turning needs, achieves consistent temperatures throughout composting rows, and facilitates enhanced pathogen destruction. The contract includes ongoing technical support and monthly site visits by Harvest Quest personnel to ensure optimal process performance, with additional support available by telephone. The opportunity was posted on February 27, 2026, with a due date of March 6, 2026, and the contract term would span five years beginning May 1, 2026, through May 30, 2031.

This procurement is restricted to HQ Compost Holdings, LLC, as the sole source vendor, as the Harvest Quest inoculant is the only known product that meets the County's salient specifications and is exclusively manufactured, sold, and distributed by this vendor with no authorized agents or dealers permitted to represent or resell the product. No set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises or restrictions on organizational types appear to be applicable, given the sole source nature of this procurement. The incumbent vendor is HQ Compost Holdings, LLC, and the existing infrastructure requiring integration includes the County's established Modified Static Aerobic Pile (MSAP) composting process and biosolids processing operations currently in place at the Southeast landfill facility. The estimated total contract value is $515,625.00 over the five-year period, with an annual cost of $103,125.00 calculated at $2.75 per wet ton of biosolids processed, with yard waste at no additional charge. Pricing is held constant throughout the entire five-year contract term. The County reserves the right to extend the contract period, adjust the scope of services in response to changing conditions and updated requirements, and increase the award as necessary to accommodate operational needs.