Services to process & market recyclable materials
| Location: | North Carolina |
|---|---|
| Posted: | Feb 18, 2026 |
| Due: | Mar 20, 2026 |
| Agency: | City of Durham |
| Type of Government: | State & Local |
| Category: |
|
| Solicitation No: | 26-1034 |
| Publication URL: | To access bid details, please log in. |
| Bid Number: |
26-1034
|
| Bid Title: |
Services to process & market recyclable materials
|
| Category: | Requests for Proposals/Qualifications and Services |
| Status: | Open |
|
Attachment Preview
City of Durham
Environment and Street Services Department
Solid Waste Management Division
1833 Camden Avenue
Durham, NC 27704
Request for Proposals RFP
# 26-1031
(RFP) Date of Issue: February 18, 2026
The City of Durham is soliciting proposals
for services to process & market
recyclable materials
Project Manager Name
Project Manager Title
Project Manager Department
Project Manager Phone Number
Project Manager E-Mail
Wayne Fenton
Assistant Director
Environment & Street Services
919-560-4186 ext. 32232
Wayne.fenton@durhamnc.gov
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
10.0 Date of RFP .............................................................................................................. 3
20.0 Project Manager and Contact with City; Questions about this RFP ....................... 3
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT AND NATURE OF RFP
30.0 Project Background and Purpose… ......................................................................... 3
40.0 Scope of Work ......................................................................................................... 3
50.0 Compensation Amount and Schedule .................................................................... 5
60.0 Definitions in this RFP ............................................................................................. 5
70.0 Contract…................................................................................................................ 5
70.5 Contract Terms…..................................................................................................... 5
80.0 Trade Secrets and Confidentiality… ........................................................................ 5
90.0 Bonds ...................................................................................................................... 6
100.0 Insurance ................................................................................................................ 6
110.0 Discretion of the City…........................................................................................... 7
SCHEDULE
120.0 Schedule…............................................................................................................... 7
130.0 Keeping Proposals Open......................................................................................... 7
140.0 Deadline to Submit Proposals ................................................................................ 8
GETTING MORE INFORMATION ON THE PROJECT AND RFP PROCESS
150.0 Questions................................................................................................................ 8
160.0 Pre-submittal conferences, meetings, andsite visits ............................................. 8
170.0 Updates and revisions to RFP.................................................................................. 8
EVALUATION CRITERIA
180.0 Evaluation Criteria… ............................................................................................... 8
180.5 Interview….............................................................................................................. 8
190.0 Understanding of the Project… .............................................................................. 8
200.0 Methodology Used for the Project… ...................................................................... 9
210.0 Management Plan for the Project… ..................................................................... 10
220.0 Experience and Qualifications.............................................................................. 10
230.0 Contract Cost… ..................................................................................................... 10
CONTENTS OF PROPOSAL
240.0 Contents of Proposal… ......................................................................................... 10
COVER LETTER WITH PROPOSAL
250.0 Cover Letter… ....................................................................................................... 10
260.0 Addendums .......................................................................................................... 10
HOW TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL
270.0 How to Submit a Proposal… ................................................................................. 10
280.0 Format…............................................................................................................... 10
320.0 Notice under American with Disabilities Act…..................................................... 17
330.0 Values of City of Durham… .................................................................................. 17
Attachments
Exhibit A – Sample Contract
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Request for Proposals (RFP) for Services to Process and Market Recyclable Materials
10.0 Date of RFP issuance: February 18, 2026
20.0 Project Manager and Contact with City; Questions about this RFP
Direct questions and concerns to:
Attn: Wayne Fenton
Assistant Director
Environmental & Street Services Department
Division of Solid Waste Management
1833 Camden Avenue
Durham, NC 27704
Wayne.fenton@durhamnc.gov
(919)560-4186 ext. 32232
If you have concerns about this RFP that you believe are not being addressed by the project manager, please contact:
Casey Harris-Pratt
Assistant Director
Environmental & Street Services Department
City of Durham
1833 Camden Ave.
Durham, NC 27704
919-560-4186 ext. 32224
Casey.Harris-Pratt@durhamnc.gov
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT AND NATURE OF RFP
30.0 Project/Service Background and Purpose. The City of Durham (“the City”) collects single-stream recyclable materials
from approximately 82,000 residential locations, small business customers, and City facilities. The City is soliciting proposals
from one or more private sector service providers to provide the City with the processing and marketing of recyclable
materials collected via the City’s single stream curbside recycling program (“Recyclable Materials”). In pursuing this service
from the private sector, the City must determine that the selected candidate has the necessary qualifications, facilities,
equipment, staffing, and financial resources to respond in a timely manner and without interruption. Having a reliable
Contractor that can provide the required services while meeting the financial, environmental, and sustainability goals of the
City and all applicable federal, state, and local regulations is important for the health, safety, and convenience of the public.
In order to address these needs and concerns, the City is requesting proposals in a formatted and structured method to best
assess the qualifications of Contractors who can successfully meet the City’s requirements.
40.0 Scope of Work. The City expects the Contractor to provide the following services:
1. Accept, process, and market Recyclable Materials delivered by the City, its employees, and/or its contractors to the
Contractor’s receiving facility (Receiving Facility) at the Contractor’s sole expense. Recyclable Materials shall include, but
are not limited to, the following and may change during the term of the contract, in consultation with the Contractor,
based on material markets:
a. Metal cans (Aluminum, Steel)
b. Mixed Paper (old newspapers, old magazines, junk mail, office/copy/writing paper, kraft paper bags, phone books,
non-metallic/non-plastic wrapping paper)
c. Corrugated Cardboard (OCC) including clean pizza boxes
d. Glass bottles and jars (clear, green, blue, amber)
e. Paperboard/boxboard (cereal boxes, shoe boxes, beverage cartons)
f. Plastic clamshells - #1 only (PET)
g. Plastic bottles, tubs, jugs, jars (PET, HDPE Color, HDPE Natural)
The Contractor may propose additional recyclable materials for consideration of inclusion by the City.
Table 1: Total Annual Quantities of Residential Recyclable Materials:
This historical information provides estimated quantities to be delivered to the Contractor, but, quantities of materials
collected by the City and by private haulers may vary over time and are not guaranteed.
Based on prior year numbers, the City estimates that it receives the approximate tons of comingled recyclables annually
as shown in the table below. The City makes no warranty as to the amount of comingled recyclables it will receive in
future years. Contractor shall make its own, independent estimate of anticipated quantities.
DESCRIPTION/TONS
Curbside recyclables collected by City
Recyclables received by City from
private haulers
TOTAL
FY 22-23
14,352
4,172
18,524
FY 23-24
13,207
4,062
17,269
FY 24-25
14,944
4,126
19,070
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2. Provide efficient service at its Receiving Facility - The Receiving Facility shall efficiently serve both City vehicles and
City-contracted vehicles that are carrying Recyclable Materials (collectively referred to as “City vehicles”) and shall meet
all applicable zoning and regulatory requirements. Efficiently serving City vehicles shall include minimizing, to the extent
possible, “turnaround time” from arrival at, to departure from, the Receiving Facility so as to not delay City or contracted
hauler vehicles. Please provide information regarding average and maximum (excluding emergency situations)
throughput times.
a. As specified in 2.b. and 2.c. below, the Contractor shall make the Receiving Facility available for City and
City-contracted vehicles to unload on days the City is scheduled to collect Recyclable Materials and for such other
hours as may be necessary to serve City and City-contracted vehicles. Additional hours will sometimes be required
upon a minimum of two (2) hours’ prior notice.
At a minimum, the Receiving Facility shall be available to receive materials from the City and City contracted
haulers, between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. through 12 p.m. on
Saturday, and “make-up days” as enumerated in subsection (c) below.
b. The Receiving Facility will be made available for City and/or contractor vehicles on “make-up collection days”, if
requested in advance, for observed City holidays, as specified by the City. Makeup days are typically Fridays, but
may also include other days. Makeup days may also be requested by the City following inclement weather related
events that disrupt collection schedules. City observed holidays may include:
a. New Year’s Day
b. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday
c. Good Friday
d. Memorial Day
e. Juneteenth
f. Independence Day
g. Labor Day
h. Veterans Day
i. Thanksgiving Day
j. Day after Thanksgiving
k. Day before Christmas
l. Christmas Day
m. Day after Christmas
c. Identify any alternate or backup facilities/locations to be used to receive recyclable materials during any shutdown
periods that exceed 24 hours.
d. Contractor shall return to the City residual materials equal by weight to the percentage of residual materials
attributed to the City from processing of recyclable materials, for disposal by the City. Residual materials to be
loaded to transfer trailers provided by the City’s hauling contractor on an agreed upon schedule.
3. Establish Vehicle Weights - The Contractor shall weigh the City/City contractor vehicles upon entering the Receiving
facility and shall provide drivers with access to a readout while on the scales that shows them the weight. On or before the
start date of the agreed upon contract, the Contractor shall provide to the City, in an electronic format acceptable to the
City, a tare weight of all City and City contractor vehicles that may deliver and discharge Recyclable Materials at the
Receiving Facility.
The City will notify the Contractor when a new piece of equipment is being placed in service for the collection of
Recyclable Materials and will transport the new piece of equipment to the Receiving Facility for the new tare weight to be
obtained.
a. The Contractor shall re-weigh all City and contractor vehicles at least once each year to ensure no changes have
occurred to affect the tare weight of the City vehicles. The reweighing of the City vehicles may be done all at one
time each year or scheduled in phases so long as all of the City vehicles are reweighed annually.
b. Weigh Tickets
Entrance Ticket - Upon entrance of a City or contractor vehicle to the Receiving Facility, the Contractor shall provide
the City or contractor vehicle operator with a time-stamped ticket indicating the time of entrance of the City vehicle
at the Receiving Facility and the gross weight of the loaded vehicle.
Exit Ticket - Upon the exit of a City or contractor vehicle from the Receiving Facility, the Contractor shall provide the
City vehicle operator with a time- stamped ticket indicating the time of exit from the Receiving Facility, a weight ticket
showing the City vehicle’s weight after unloading, and a weight ticket showing the total weight of Recyclable
Materials delivered to the Receiving Facility by the City vehicle based on the most recent tare weight.
4. Composition Study
During the second fiscal year of the Contract, the Contractor shall conduct a Composition Study using the criteria identified
in the “City of Durham Recycling Composition Study – Project Implementation” composed of representatives of both the
Contractor and the City (“Joint Team”) to evaluate and conduct an in-depth analysis of the City’s Single Stream process,
including the composition of Recyclable Materials and residue and the proportion of residue processed at the Receiving
Facility attributable to the City’s collection. Composition evaluations shall be an ongoing annual process throughout the term
of the Contract to provide the City with an accurate depiction of the City’s diversion rate and the impact of education,
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outreach and other initiatives designed to reduce contaminants and residuals in the recycling stream. The cost of the
composition studies shall be borne by the Contractor.
50.0 Compensation Amount and Schedule.
A. The Contractor shall share revenues associated with the sale of each commodity with the City using an agreed upon
formula. Bidder proposals shall clearly identify the formula and data sources proposed to be used for determining
commodity market values and their proposed revenue sharing percentages.
B. All Contractor costs and fees, including overhead and operational costs, travel and administrative expenses, shall be
clearly identified in the Contractor's proposed pricing structure for both fixed and variable costs and revenues.
60.0 Definitions in this RFP.
Unless the context indicates otherwise –
(a) The expressions “RFP”, “this RFP”, and “the RFP” refer to this document as it may be amended or updated.
(b) “City” and “city” mean the City of Durham.
(c) The “proposal” is the response of a person, firm, or corporation proposing to provide the services sought by this RFP.
(d) The word “Candidate” or “candidate” is the person, firm, or corporation that submits a proposal or that is considering
submitting a proposal.
(e) The word “Contractor” or “contractor” is the person, firm, or corporation with which the City enters into a contract to
provide the services sought by this RFP. That is, “contractor” generally refers to a successful candidate that has obtained a
fully executed contract with the City, while “candidate” is generally reserved to the stage before a contract has been signed.
(f) The word “shall” is used to inform candidates what the City thinks it wants and/or what the project manager thinks is in
the best interest of the City. Candidates that wish to increase the likelihood of being selected will, in general, do what the
RFP says candidates “should” do, but failure to comply with all “shoulds” will not necessarily and/or automatically result in
rejection of a proposal.
A. Contamination: Non-recyclable materials contained in the single stream recyclables delivered to the materials
recycling/recovery facility (MRF) by the City.
B. Consumer Price Index (CPI): as published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Water, Sewer and Trash Collection
Services (Series ID CUSR0000SEHG), or with written notice to, and agreement by the City, any other relevant national,
regional or local CPI.
C. Contamination Fee(s): any fee that will be charged to the City for each ton of recyclables that contains more than a
specified percentage of non-recyclables materials.
D. Excluded Materials: Items that will not be accepted at the MRF and which could result in rejected loads. To be
specified by bidders and identified in proposals.
E. Materials recycling/recovery facility (MRF): the contractor’s MRF or any other location within the Triangle region to
which the Contractor may direction materials from the City, from time to time.
F. Net Sales Price (NSP): the combined total of the average revenue received by the Contractor and charges paid by the
Contractor for each commodity in the Single Stream Recyclables processed at the MRF the month before the City is
invoiced for that prior month’s deliveries, minus any freight costs paid by the Contractor. For example, the City will
be invoiced in May for its April deliveries, and the NSP in May’s invoice will reflect the combined revenue and charges
realized by the Contractor for the City’s April deliveries, minus applicable freight costs
G. Non-conforming materials: items that may or may not be recyclable but do not meet the Specifications identified for
“Single Stream Specifications”.
H. Processing Fee: The Contractor’s price per ton fee charged to the City before any adjustments for NSP.
I. Recyclable Materials: Items that are able to be sorted and processed at the MRF and subsequently marketed by the
Contractor.
J. Single Stream Recyclables: commingled recyclable materials requiring no sorting by residents, the City or haulers.
Sorting of single-stream materials is performed at the MRF.
K. Specifications: the specifications in Exhibit __ that Recyclable Materials must meet in order to be accepted by the
Contractor at the MRF.
70.0 Contract. The City anticipates that the conclusion of the RFP process will result in a contract between the City and the
successful candidate under which the successful candidate will provide the goods and services generally described in this
RFP. It is the City’s intention to use the contract that is attached as Exhibit A, modified and filled in to reflect the RFP and the
proposal. The candidate may not object to any of the substantive contract provisions. The City assumes the candidate
accepts all standard City contract terms and conditions.
If federal assistance or funds are used in conjunction with the services provided by the candidate, clauses for contracts
involving federal financial assistance shall be incorporated into the contract. The candidate is required to be familiar with
these federal assistance clauses and to comply with them.
70.5 Contract Term. The Contract shall have an initial term of three (3) years, beginning July 1, 2026 or the date the Contract
is executed (the “Effective Date”), whichever is later. Prior to the expiration of this 3-year term, the parties may choose to
continue the contractual relationship on the same terms and conditions or to negotiate new terms.`
80.0 Trade Secrets and Confidentiality. As a general rule, all submissions to the City are available to any member of the
public upon request. However, if information and/or materials qualify as provided in this section, the City will take
reasonable steps to ensure trade secrets remain confidential.
Definitions.
In this section (Trade Secrets and Confidentiality) –
The term “candidate” includes the candidate as contractor (that is, after it is a party to a contract with the City).
The term “trade secret” means business or technical information, including but not limited to a formula, pattern,
program, device, compilation of information, method, technique, or process that:
a. Derives independent actual or potential commercial value from not being generally known or readily
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