Food Scraps Recycling

The City of Madison is soliciting services for a Food Scraps Recycling program, with a solicitation number of 15035-0-2026-TJ and a response deadline of June 22, 2026. The contract requires the contractor to establish and operate at least four food scrap drop-off locations at neighborhood farmer’s markets during the market season, partnering with a licensed local composting facility to collect, transport, and process food waste while preventing contamination. The contractor must provide trained staff, proper equipment such as scales and containers, maintain accurate records of tonnage collected, and ensure compliance with Wisconsin DNR regulations and Madison General Ordinances, including restrictions on acceptable materials and employment practices. Performance is evaluated on a 70% technical and 30% cost basis, with additional priority given to qualifying local vendors through a 5% scoring bonus. Technical criteria emphasize track record in composting, contamination prevention, staffing plans, logistics, and sustainability practices, while cost proposals must be reasonable and competitive within a fiscal ceiling of $80,000 for the first year, with potential for one or two one-year extensions depending on funding availability. The contract includes a robust set of compliance and administrative obligations beyond typical service agreements. Contractors must adhere to Madison’s Affirmative Action policies, which may require filing a formal plan if they have 15 or more employees and annual City business exceeds $50,000, or submitting a formal exemption request otherwise. Employment practices must conform to the city’s Ban the Box ordinance and its Sweatfree Purchasing Policy, prohibiting inquiries into criminal history before conditional offers and ensuring ethical labor sourcing. Contractors are barred from carrying weapons on City work sites, must complete vendor profiles with accurate contact and tax information, and are required to carry appropriate insurance and hauling licenses. The City retains full authority for inspection and acceptance of services, and invoices must be submitted within 30 days of completion in an approved format, with payments directed through the Finance Director’s office. While the solicitation does not reference federal acquisition regulations or require UEI or CAGE codes, it stipulates electronic submission via email with mandatory RFP identification, allows electronic signatures, and specifies that awards will be made based on best value rather than lowest price, permitting negotiations with top-ranked bidders. All proposals must include supporting documentation such as price affidavits, references, vendor profiles, and compliance certifications in the required format.