Statewide Recycling Needs Assessment

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) is seeking a contractor to conduct a comprehensive statewide waste characterization study through a Request for Proposal (RFP) solicitation. The primary objective is to identify the annualized volume of individual materials generated in Illinois and their end-of-life handling methods across different geographic regions. Key deliverables include a draft report due by March 5, 2026, and a final report due by October 1, 2026, which will detail municipal solid waste generation by material type, greenhouse gas reduction metrics, and insights into collection, recycling, and composting efforts. The project will involve assessing waste streams from residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial sectors, as well as evaluating existing materials management infrastructure and projecting necessary improvements. Evaluation criteria include 1,590 points for technical requirements, 318 points for commitment to diversity, and 382 points for pricing, with a minimum technical score of 600 points required to advance. Pre-submission conferences are scheduled for October 9 and October 16, 2024, with the proposal due date extended to December 2, 2024, at 1:00 PM.

The contract opportunity emphasizes diversity and inclusion, with a Commitment to Diversity (C2D) component that accounts for 20% of the technical score. Vendors are encouraged to demonstrate investment in Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities (WMD) businesses and organizations, including subcontracting, diversity-related spending, and staffing representation. The project is funded through a $733,568 Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) grant from the U.S. EPA, with potential additional state funding available. The contract term runs from March 4, 2025, through December 31, 2026, with a maximum potential term of 10 years. Invoicing will occur at eight milestone points, including an initial start-up cost payment of $244,522 on March 5, 2025. While there is no specific Business Enterprise Program (BEP) goal, points will be awarded for the vendor's commitment to diversity. The project aims to provide the IEPA with contemporary data to identify specific material streams and generation locations for landfill diversion efforts, potentially leading to regulatory changes or targeted state grant fund usage.