Request for Proposals Waste Characterization Study for Chatham County Solid Waste & Recycling

Transcription

1 Request for Proposals Waste Characterization Study for Chatham County Solid Waste & Recycling PURPOSE Chatham County Solid Waste & Recycling Division is requesting proposals from qualified firms to conduct a waste characterization study of municipal solid waste (MSW) collected from Chatham County Collection Centers. BACKGROUND Chatham County Solid Waste & Recycling Division (the County) is responsible for the operation of twelve (12) collection centers throughout the county. These centers collect recyclables and MSW from residents in the unincorporated areas of the county. Each center has a compactor and a bulky waste roll-off container for MSW collection and two (2) of the centers have additional pre-crushers for bulky waste. Each of the twelve (12) collection centers has receptacles for source-separated glass (brown, green, and clear), aluminum cans, steel cans, mixed paper, corrugated cardboard, plastics (#1 - #7 bottles), scrap metal (including white goods), and electronics. The County strives to have a high MSW diversion rate and wishes to analyze the materials that are being placed in the MSW receptacles to determine if recyclable materials are being managed properly and to better focus our education and enforcement efforts. A waste characterization was performed in 2011 and serves as a baseline measurement of MSW composition. SCOPE OF WORK The County is seeking the services of a qualified firm or individual with extensive knowledge and background in the solid waste management field. The selected firm will provide services that include but are not limited to: A. Develop a study approach including sampling procedure and process for wastes contained in twelve (12) compactor boxes (one from each collection center), two (2) pre-crusher boxes, and twelve (12) bulky waste containers (one from each collection center). B. Work with the County to define sorting categories. C. Prepare a sorting and safety protocol for personnel that will be sorting the materials. The protocol will define the sorting process, sorting categories, space requirements, safety procedures, and training for sorters. The transfer station safety rules require hard hats and safety vests at all times. One individual shall be designated as safety officer and will coordinate with the transfer station operator to insure the safety of all personnel involved in the sampling and sorting.

2 D. Conduct field sorts in accordance with the study approach and the sorting and safety protocol approved by the County. Waste sorting will be performed at the Waste Management, Inc. Siler City Transfer Station during the operating hours of the facility over a three (3) day period. Each day, vehicles will arrive at the site and will be identified by collection center and container type. The drivers will be directed to dump their waste loads into a designated area on the tipping floor of the transfer station. Upon completion of the sorting activities, the transfer station operator will push the waste from the sorting area into the waiting trailers. The County will obtain all approvals required for this activity at the site from Waste Management, Inc. E. Prepare a final report to include the study approach, sorting categories, sorting and safety procedures, final analysis of the waste sort, and comparison to 2011 baseline waste characterization. PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS A. Proposal Deadline: Must be received by Chatham County no later than September 26, 2013, 4:00 PM EST. B. Submission of Proposals: Vendors must submit both an electronic PDF version of the proposal (excluding any materials that are non-electronic) and three hard copies with all attachments, including signatory pages, which should be received by the deadline above. The hard copies must be sent to one of the following delivery addresses: Postal Address: Robin James, Chatham County Finance Office P. O. Box 608, Pittsboro, NC Street Address: Robin James, County Finance Office, Courthouse Annex 12 East Street, Pittsboro, NC The electronic PDF version of the proposal (excluding non-electronic materials) must be submitted by the deadline above to: robin.james@chathamnc.org or may be included in the bid packet on digital media. C. Withdrawal of Proposals: Proposing vendors may withdraw their proposals any time before the deadline for submission on September 26, :00 p.m. EST, but the withdrawal must be submitted in writing and signed by the proposing vendor. D. Inquiries and Corrections: All inquiries relating to this request should be in writing and addressed to: Robin James, Chatham County Finance Office P.O. Box 608; Pittsboro, NC They may also be faxed to or ed to: robin.james@chathamnc.org

3 If a proposing vendor finds discrepancies in or omissions from the specifications or should require additional clarification of any part, a written request for interpretation shall be submitted to Robin James. Any interpretation of or changes made to the RFP will be made by written addendum to each proposing consultant and shall become part of the request for any contract awarded. The County will not be responsible for the accuracy of any other oral explanations, interpretations, or representations. All inquiries must be made at least five (5) business days before the proposal deadline, which means they must be submitted by 12:00 Noon EST on September 20, It shall be the responsibility of each proposing organization or individual to verify that every addendum has been received prior to submitting proposals. E. Vendor Certification: The submission of proposal shall be deemed a representation and certification that the proposing vendor: Has carefully read and fully understands the information provided by Chatham County in this RFP; Is financially solvent and as the capability to successfully undertake and complete the responsibilities and obligations of the proposal submitted; Represents that all of the information contained in the submitted proposal is true and correct; Did not in any way collude or conspire with any other parties, directly or indirectly, in regard to the amount, terms or conditions of this proposals; Acknowledges that Chatham County has the right to make any inquiry it deems appropriate to substantiate or supplement information provided by proposing vendors and hereby grants Chatham County permission to make these inquiries; and Acknowledges that any proposal cannot be modified after its submission for any reason. F. Format & Deadline of Proposals: Late proposals will not be accepted under any circumstance and will not be opened or reviewed. We will not accept proposals by fax or any method other than is outlined under item B. of Proposal Instructions. The sender must allow ample delivery time for the selected shipment or transmission methods. G. Definition and Context: Unless otherwise specified in this document, all words shall have a common meaning unless the context in which they are used clearly requires a different meaning. Words in the singular number include the plural, and in the plural include the singular. RFP SCHEDULE The deadline for submitting questions in writing (mail, or fax) is Friday, September 20, 2013 by 12:00 Noon.

4 The RFP deadline for receipt of proposals by the county is Thursday, September 26, The RFP Committee will review proposals September 27 to October 11, We expect to conclude the evaluation and make a recommendation to the Chatham County Manager by October 14, PROPOSAL CONTENTS These instructions cover the format, contents and development of proposals. The proposal should be no longer than 15 pages (30 pages double-sided) to cover the sections listed below. Attachments required to provide necessary information are not included in the page count. Only that information deemed essential to convey the proposing vendor s understanding of Chatham County s requirements for this RFP should be submitted. Items not listed below and not explicitly related to the RFP (i.e. general marketing materials and examples of unrelated work) will not be considered in the evaluation process. All proposals should include the following items in the order listed below and must be organized as follows: Section 1 - Proposal Summary - This should include the highlights of the proposal, such as an overview of the vendor organization, most relevant experience of the proposing vendor, and summarized cost information. Section 2 - Vendor Information & Signature Form - This form is provided as Attachment 1 of the RFP. The form should be completed and signed by the person with authority to approve contracts with Chatham County. Section 3 Compliance with E-Verify requirements - Effective September 4, 2013 local government units are prohibited from entering into certain contracts unless the contractor and the contractor s subcontractor comply with the requirements of Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the General Statutes. All vendors submitting an RFP must show they have complied with the requirement by completing the E-Verify affidavit included within this document, confirming your company has either complied with the E-verify requirement or you are exempt from the requirement. The affidavit must be included with the required signature in the RFP submittal. Failure to submit the E-Verify affidavit may result in a determination that the RFP is nonresponsive. Section 4 - Qualifications of Firm Qualified applicants must have an extensive background in the solid waste management field and possess a thorough knowledge of solid waste management rules and regulations. Applicants must be experienced in Local, State and Federal regulations that may affect any and all aspects of the program. Applicants must provide information to demonstrate the firm s experience including experience with other local government agencies. Section 5 - References - Applicants must provide a list of projects within the last five (5) years that demonstrate the applicants skills and capabilities with the type of services being

5 requested. Please include the project name, location, client contact name and telephone number, and a brief description of the project. Section 6 - Project Management - Applicants must provide a proposed organizational chart for services to be provided to the County. Include resumes of key professional staff anticipated to work on the project. Detailed information on the staff s experience on similar projects and knowledge of the solid waste management field should be included. Provide information regarding the current workload for the key professional staff to address the applicants ability to supply adequate staffing for the contract. Section 7 - Pricing - Lump sum pricing to perform the scope of services as proposed. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS Chatham County requires selected contractors and any subcontractors to obtain and maintain at their own expense all insurance required by state and federal law. If requested, the selected organization agrees to provide Chatham County with evidence of required policies, certificates and/or endorsements upon the award of the contract. As a minimum, contractors and subcontractors are required to have the following coverages related to any contract work for Chatham County: Workers compensation as required by the State of North Carolina Professional liability, including errors and omissions, malpractice (if applicable) and negligent performance at least $1 million for all damages Comprehensive general liability, including personal injury, broad form property damage blanket contractual and fire legal liability--$1 million combined limit for bodily injury and property damage The County shall be named as an additional insured on both the professional liability and comprehensive general liability coverage. Contractor shall furnish copies of all such policies and all renewals, terminations and alterations to the County on a current basis. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS The following criteria will be the basis on which firms will be selected for further consideration: 1. Specialized or appropriate expertise in this particular type of project. 2. Adequate staff and equipment for the project. 3. Current workload. 4. Previous experience with this type of project. 5. Previous experience with Chatham County. 6. Pricing

6 7. Other factors that may be appropriate for the project. The above listing does not indicate the order of importance. The selection committee shall establish a priority ranking for the final list of criteria for the project. CONDITIONS All proposing firms or individuals shall comply with all conditions, requirements, and specifications contained herein, with any departure constituting sufficient cause for rejection of the proposal. However, Chatham County reserves the right to change the conditions, requirements and specifications as it deems necessary. The proposal must be signed by a duly authorized official of the proposing organization or individual submitting the proposal. The firm must return the completed Attachment No. 1: Vendor Information and Signature Form The firm must comply with the E-Verify requirements and return the required affidavit No proposals will be accepted from any person or organization that is in arrears for any obligation to Chatham County, or that otherwise may be deemed irresponsible or unresponsive by county staff, the Chatham County Board of Commissioners, or the Chatham County Economic Development Corporation. Chatham County is not obligated to enter into any contract as a result of the RFP. All prices quoted must be firm for a period of 90 (ninety) days following the proposal deadline. Chatham County reserves the right to reject any and all proposals or any part thereof and to select the most responsive proposal that is deemed in the best interest of Chatham County. Only one proposal can be awarded as the result of the RFP. Chatham County may approve or disapprove the use of specific proposed subcontractors in any proposals. Chatham County reserves the right to enter into an agreement with another proposing vendor in the event that the originally selected vendor fails to execute a contract with the County or defaults on their contract. All proposals shall be prepared in a comprehensive manner as to content, but we do not require specific types of binders or promotional material for submissions. Promotional material will not be considered part of the proposal and will not affect the evaluation of proposals. Chatham County reserves the right to negotiate with any, none or all of the proposing vendors. All costs, including travel and expenses, incurred in the preparation of this proposal will be borne solely by the proposing company. The County will not return proposal materials to those submitting proposals.

7 No agreements with any selected vendor shall be binding until a contract is approved, signed and executed by the County Manager and authorized representatives of the vendor. The County of Chatham is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, marital status, race, color, creed, national origin, age or disability. Attachment 1 Name of Vendor: Trade License # (if applicable) Contact Person(s) Street Address with City, State & Zip Code Mailing Address (if different than above) Phone # Fax # Vendor Information & Signature Form Proposer will do the work as: Individual Joint Venture Partnership Corporation Date & state of incorporation Name of partnership or joint venture Date State By signing below, the submission of qualifications shall be deemed a representation and certification by the Proposing Consultant that it has investigated all aspects of the RFB, and it has read and understands the RFB. Bidder Signature: Date Signed: Title of Signatory:

8 (Affix Official/Notarial Seal) STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CHATHAM AFFIDAVIT ************************** I, (the individual attesting below), being duly authorized by and on behalf of (the entity bidding on project hereinafter "Employer") after first being duly sworn hereby swears or affirms as follows: 1. Employer understands that E-Verify is the federal E-Verify program operated by the United States Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies, or any successor or equivalent program used to verify the work authorization of newly hired employees pursuant to federal law in accordance with NCGS 64-25(5). 2. Employer understands that Employers Must Use E-Verify. Each employer, after hiring an employee to work in the United States, shall verify the work authorization of the employee through E- Verify in accordance with NCGS 64-26(a). 3. Employer is a person, business entity, or other organization that transacts business in this State and that employs 25 or more employees in this State. (Mark Yes or No) a. YES, or b. NO 4. Employer's subcontractors comply with E-Verify, and if Employer is the winning bidder on this project Employer will ensure compliance with E-Verify by any subcontractors subsequently hired by Employer. This day of, Signature of Affiant Print or Type Name: State of North Carolina County of Signed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me, this the day of, My Commission Expires: Notary Public