Processing Source Separated Organic Materials with Hauling Option

Location:	California
Posted:	Nov 19, 2025
Due:	Dec 4, 2025
Agency:	City of Berkeley
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	66 - Instruments and Laboratory Equipment 70 - General Purpose Information Technology Equipment (including software). J - Maintenance, Repair, and Rebuilding of Equipment
Solicitation No:	25-11685-C
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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Finance Department

General Services Division

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

Specification No. 25-11685-C

FOR

Processing Source Separated Organic Materials with Hauling Option

PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE OPENED AND READ PUBLICLY

Dear Proposer:

The City of Berkeley is soliciting written proposals from qualified firms or individuals to process source-separated

organic materials into compost and soil amendments, with a hauling option. As a Request for Proposal (RFP) this

is not an invitation to bid and although price is very important, other factors will be taken into consideration.

The project scope, content of proposal, and vendor selection process are summarized in the RFP (attached).

Proposals must be received no later than 2:00 pm, on Thursday, December 4, 2025. All responses must be in a

sealed envelope and have “Processing Organic Materials” and Specification No. 25-11685-C clearly marked on

the outer most mailing envelope. Please submit one original and four copies of the proposal as follows:

Mail or Hand Deliver To:

City of Berkeley

Finance Department/General Services Division

2180 Milvia Street, 3rd Floor

Berkeley, CA 94704

Proposals will not be accepted after the date and time stated above. Incomplete proposal or proposals that do not

conform to the requirements specified herein will not be considered. Issuance of the RFP does not obligate the City

to award a contract, nor is the City liable for any costs incurred by the proposer in the preparation and submittal of

proposals for the subject work. The City retains the right to award all or parts of this contract to several bidders, to

not select any bidders, and/or to re-solicit proposals. The act of submitting a proposal is a declaration that the

proposer has read the RFP and understands all the requirements and conditions.

For questions concerning the anticipated work, or scope of the project, please contact Julia A. Heath, Recycling

Program Manager, via email at jheath@berkleyca.gov no later than November 26, 2025. An optional pre-bid

meeting and facility walk-through will be held on November 24, 2025 at 10:00 a.m., at 1201 Second Street,

Berkeley, CA 94710. It is the vendor’s responsibility to check for answers to questions or any addenda on the City

of Berkeley’s website at http://www.cityofberkeley.info/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=7128. For general questions

concerning the submittal process, contact Purchasing at 510-981-7320.

We look forward to receiving and reviewing your proposal.

Sincerely,

General Services Manager

2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 Tel: 510.981.7320 TDD: 510.981.6903 Fax: 510.981.7390

E-mail: finance@ci.berkeley.ca.us Website: http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/finance

City of Berkeley

Specification No. 25-11685-C

Processing Organic Materials with Hauling Option

I. BACKGROUND

Page 2 of 25

Release Date:11/18/2025

The City of Berkeley seeks a vendor to provide processing, and possibly hauling services, for the City of

Berkeley’s source–separated organic materials. Vendors are requested to bid on receiving materials and

processing them into recycled and composted products at a permitted compost facility.

Vendors are invited to submit an alternate bid for the option to include hauling the materials from the City

of Berkeley Transfer Station, located at 1201 Second Street, Berkeley, 94710, off the Gilman Street exit

from Interstate 80. For this option, the materials would be aggregated by City staff at the transfer station

and then pit loaded by City staff into vendor’s long-haul trailers for transfer to its compost site. A fuel

escalator will be utilized to protect the vendor from extreme fuel cost increases over the term of the

contract.

The City of Berkeley collects source-separated plant debris, food scraps, and compostable papers from

residents, and food scraps and compostable papers from restaurants, grocery stores, and other commercial

generators. The transfer station also receives plant debris and unpainted, untreated scrap wood from the

public at the Berkeley Transfer Station. These various types of organic materials are mixed once they are

delivered to the Transfer Station and cannot be kept separate.

The City sent an average of 33,500 tons for composting in CY 2024 and CY 2025 ranging from 1,745 to

4,359 tons per month. The materials have been very clean, with a contamination rate of less than three

percent reported by our current processor.

The City plans to increase the capture of food scraps and papers from residential and commercial

programs during the contract term, and expects to divert an additional 1,000 tons of mixed organics per

year through increased outreach and education.

II. SCOPE OF SERVICES

1. Services to be Provided

Contractor shall receive process and handle materials listed below, dispose of contaminants, and

market end products to maximize the City’s waste diversion.

2. Materials

For the purposes of this bid and subsequent contract, “City of Berkeley source-separated organic

materials” shall mean all of the following materials that are received at the City of Berkeley Transfer

Station:

• Plant debris (leaves, grass, brush, prunings, weeds, and other yard waste)

• Food and food processing waste (includes pre-and post- consumer food residuals of

vegetative, mammalian and non-mammalian origin generated in the residential,

institutional and commercial sectors)

• Food-soiled papers

• BPI Approved (ASTM 6400) compostable bags

• Unpainted and untreated wood, including pallets, wooden packing crates, and scrap

lumber, with or without nails

• Unpainted sheet rock

• Please indicate if you’re able to accept certified compostable foodware products (fiber or

plastics)

City of Berkeley

Specification No. 25-11685-C

Processing Organic Materials with Hauling Option

3. Specifications

Page 3 of 25

Release Date:11/18/2025

The Contractor must accept individual pieces of City of Berkeley source-separated organic

materials up to at least 10 inches in diameter and 10 feet in length. The Contractor’s level of

acceptable contamination must not be lower than 5% or higher than 10%. The Contractor shall

accept up to 5,000 tons per month of City of Berkeley source-separated organic materials.

4. City Commitment of Materials

The City of Berkeley shall make available to the Contractor no less than 70% of all City of

Berkeley source-separated organic materials received during any single month at the City of

Berkeley Solid Waste Transfer Station, that meet the specifications set forth in paragraph 3 of this

Exhibit.

5. Weighing of Materials

Contractor shall weigh all City of Berkeley source-separated organic materials to be delivered to

and received by the Contractor’s processing facility. Contractor shall provide to the City weight

records for each load of City of Berkeley source-separated organic materials to be delivered to and

received by the Contractor’s processing facility.

6. Hours of Operation

Contractor’s facility shall be available to receive materials from 3:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday

through Saturday, except for New Years’ Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The

majority of the shipments will be Monday through Friday.

End Products

A. End Uses

Unless otherwise requested in writing by the City of Berkeley, Contractor shall produce at least

90% of the delivered City of Berkeley source-separated organic materials into soil amendments,

such as compost and mulch. Soil amendments do not include alternative daily cover and only the

non-compostable residuals may be sent to landfill.

B. End Product Standards

Contractor shall ensure that said end products meet federal and state minimum compost and

horticulture industry standards. End products must be suitable for food crop application. OMRI

listing is not required but is preferred. A facility which produces OMRI listed materials in

conjunction with some non-OMRI processing is ideal. Contractor shall perform routine sampling

procedures and laboratory analyses as required by State of California compost regulations and

applicable permits, shall send the results to the City in a timely manner, and shall inform the City

of whether the end products meet federal and state minimum standards based on the analyses

performed. Proposal should state if Contractor participates in the US Composting Council Seal of

Testing Assurance program (STA) or similar additional testing programs, and what products will

routinely undergo this testing.

7. Documentation

A. Monthly Tonnage Summary Reports

Contractor shall provide City of Berkeley with monthly tonnage summary reports, in a form

City of Berkeley

Specification No. 25-11685-C

Processing Organic Materials with Hauling Option

Page 4 of 25

Release Date:11/18/2025

approved by the City of Berkeley. Each tonnage summary shall report the quantities, in tons, of

the following:

• City of Berkeley source-separated organic materials received during the period covered

• Any other source-separated organic materials generated in Berkeley and delivered to

Contractor’s facility by private haulers

• Percent residue (by weight) and tons of City of Berkeley source-separated organic

materials that require disposal

• Soil amendments produced (e.g. compost and mulch)

• Other end products produced

• Amount and type of finished product delivered to the City of Berkeley

Said tonnage summary reports shall be provided to the City of Berkeley along with the monthly

invoice for services.

1. Quarterly Mandatory organics sampling – processor will include a quarterly waste

characterization study for the City to understand changes in contamination rates and problem

materials it should conduct more robust outreach and education about. Depending on facility

permit type, processor could be asked to conduct the full CalRecycle SB-1383 quarterly 10-day

organics sampling on behalf of the City of Berkeley’s Zero Waste Division.

B. Accounting Methods

The City of Berkley shall have the right of approval of Contractor’s methods of accounting for

tonnages of City of Berkley source-separated organic materials received by Contractor. Said

approval shall not be unreasonably withheld.

C. Processing Facility Compliance

The Contractor shall operate and maintain the processing facility used to process City of Berkeley

source-separated organic materials into products in compliance with all applicable federal, state

and local environmental laws and regulations, permits, and Occupational Safety and Health

(OSHA) requirements. The Contractor shall obtain all permits, permit amendments and

extensions necessary for continual functioning of the facility. The City retains the right to inspect

all permits granted for the Contractor’s facility.

The City reserves the right to inspect the Contractor’s processing facility prior to award of contract

to confirm ability to meet above specifications.

D. Records Inspection

The City of Berkeley shall have the right to inspect all records needed to verify information

provided by the Contractor. Failure to provide access to such records within 72 hours of written

request from the City of Berkeley is cause for immediate termination of the agreement with the

City.

9. Marketing of End Products

Except for any end products to be provided by Contractor for use by the City of Berkeley,

marketing and distribution of end products shall be the sole responsibility of Contractor. The City

of Berkeley shall receive SB-1383 credits for any materials generated in Berkeley and marketed

and distributed by contractor.

City of Berkeley

Specification No. 25-11685-C

Processing Organic Materials with Hauling Option

10. Ownership of Carbon Offsets

Page 5 of 25

Release Date:11/18/2025

Should the vendor apply for carbon credits for material from the processing of the City of

Berkeley organics, any monetary value or actual credits will be split between the City of Berkeley

and the Vendor on a 50%/50% basis, subject to negotiation.

11. Provision of End Products to City of Berkeley

A. Amount of End Products to be Made Available to City

The amount of end products the Contractor is obliged to make available to the City of Berkeley

without charge in any month shall not exceed ten percent (10%), by weight, of the average

monthly amount of City of Berkeley source-separated organic materials received by the

Contractor’s processing facility from the Berkeley Transfer Station.

B. Provision of End Products to City

If the Transportation option is awarded, Contractor shall deliver to the City of Berkeley end

products at no cost to the City of Berkeley, upon written request. Said end products shall be

comprised of compost or mulch, in proportions and amounts to be requested by the City of

Berkeley. The City reserves the right to have the Contractor deliver said end products to locations

within the City of Berkeley, provided that reasonable, safe access and egress to the site(s) are

provided. If the Transportation option is not awarded, Contractor may deliver product to City or

load City vehicles at Contractor’s location, by mutual agreement of City and Contractor.

12. SB 1383 MANDATORY PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENT

• Under SB 1383, Article 12 – Procurement Requirements, jurisdictions are required to

annually procure a minimum quantity of recovered organic waste products (e.g.,

compost, mulch, renewable gas, electricity from biomass conversion) to meet their

assigned annual procurement target as established by CalRecycle.

• To support the City in achieving compliance with this requirement:

1. The selected Contractor shall:

• Identify, produce, or secure recovered organic waste products (such as finished

compost, mulch, or renewable gas) derived from the City’s collected material to help

the City meet its annual SB 1383 procurement target.

• Provide documentation demonstrating the quantity (in tons or cubic yards) of

recovered organic waste products produced and/or delivered for City use.

• Deliver such recovered products, at the City’s request, to City-owned or City-

designated sites, including but not limited to parks, landscaping projects, stormwater

facilities, and other municipal applications.

2. The Contractor shall, at no additional cost to the City:

This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

Processing Source Separated Organic Materials with Hauling Option

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