Solid Waste Franchise Service Fee & Rate Structure Assessment

The City of Newport Beach Finance Department is soliciting proposals under solicitation number 27-01 for a professional consultant to conduct a Solid Waste Franchise Service Fee and Rate Structure Assessment. The primary objective is to evaluate existing non-exclusive commercial solid waste and divertible materials handling franchise agreements, study recycling fee structures, evaluate organics collection services, and assess the costs and implementation of Saturday collection services. The selected consultant must ensure all recommendations comply with California state mandates, including Proposition 218, Proposition 26, AB 341, AB 1826, and SB 1383, while providing data-backed financial models and benchmarking against peer jurisdictions. The contract is structured for an initial one-year term with an option to extend for one additional year. Award decisions will be based on a trade-off process rather than lowest price, with evaluation weights distributed across key personnel experience (30%), firm qualifications (25%), project approach (25%), and project costs (20%). Required deliverables include a final report, supporting financial models, and data validation documentation. Proposers must submit their responses via the PlanetBids portal by August 31, 2026, ensuring the cost file is uploaded separately from the technical response, which is limited to 20 pages. Strict insurance requirements are mandated, including professional liability coverage for three years post-completion and policies rated A- or higher by Best’s.