Comprehensive Garbage, Recyclables, and Composting Collection Services

Location:	Washington
Posted:	Apr 14, 2026
Due:	Jun 8, 2026
Agency:	City of Poulsbo
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	S - Utilities and Training Services
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

The City of Poulsbo is requesting Proposals (RFP) from qualified firms for solid waste collection services within the City Service Area (See Appendix A, Exhibit A). These services include single-family, multifamily, and commercial garbage collection; single-family and multifamily recycling and compostables collection; and the processing and marketing of collected recycling and compostables. The contract term will be ten (10) years.

The City currently provides garbage service to residents and businesses using carts and detached containers. The City currently contracts with Bainbridge Disposal for residential curbside and multifamily recycling and yard debris service. The three-year contract with Bainbridge Disposal expired February 28, 2025 and the City has exercised its option two times to extend the contract for one year each, which will run through February 28, 2027. All other services are open market.

The City is seeking a comprehensive solid waste collection contract to bring all services under one contract with one provider. The City seeks continuation of most service standards with some minor revisions and improvements as described in the attached draft Base Contract. The City also seeks proposed revenue impacts for one alternative, as listed in the Priorities & Requested Services Section.

The RFP process is described in detail in the Instructions to Proposers Section. Proposers should submit their Proposal, based on the attached Base Contract, with the revenue impacts of the alternative separately identified on the specified Price Proposal Form.

Proposal Submittal Due Date is June 8, 2026

Poulsbo Solid Waste Collection RFP

Appendix A. Base Contract

Appendix B. Supporting Data

Appendix C. Proposal Non-Price Forms

Appendix D. Proposal Price Form

Appendix E. Industry Review Comments and Responses

Attachment Preview

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

FOR

COMPREHENSIVE

GARBAGE, RECYCLABLES, AND COMPOSTABLES

COLLECTION SERVICES

Proposal Issue Date: April 13, 2026

Proposal Submittal Due Date: June 8, 2026

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INFORMATION FOR PROPOSERS ...................................................................................... 1

1.1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1

1.2. RFP Schedule.......................................................................................................................... 1

1.3. Date of Commencement of Service ....................................................................................... 1

1.4. City Contact Information........................................................................................................ 2

1.5. Defined Terms........................................................................................................................ 2

2. BACKGROUND AND EXISTING SYSTEM ............................................................................. 3

3. PRIORITIES AND REQUESTED SERVICES ............................................................................ 5

3.1. City Priorities.......................................................................................................................... 5

3.2. Base Contract ......................................................................................................................... 5

3.3. Rate Proposals ....................................................................................................................... 6

3.4. Alternatives ............................................................................................................................ 7

3.5. Proposer Variations................................................................................................................ 7

4. INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS ........................................................................................ 8

4.1. Request Proposal Documents ................................................................................................ 8

4.2. Examination of Proposal Documents..................................................................................... 8

4.3. Interpretations ....................................................................................................................... 9

4.4. Representations ..................................................................................................................... 9

4.5. Modification or Withdrawal of Proposals.............................................................................. 9

4.6. Public Documents and Disclosure........................................................................................ 10

4.7. Disclaimer of Costs............................................................................................................... 10

4.8. Proposal Security Bond ........................................................................................................ 10

4.9. Process Integrity Requirements........................................................................................... 11

4.10. Non-Collusion....................................................................................................................... 12

4.11. Title VI .................................................................................................................................. 12

4.12. ADA Information .................................................................................................................. 12

5. PROPOSAL ..................................................................................................................... 12

5.1. Proposal Preparation Format............................................................................................... 13

5.2. Submission of Proposals ...................................................................................................... 19

6. PROPOSAL EVALUATION ................................................................................................ 19

6.1. Proposal Responsiveness and Proposer Qualifications (pass/fail) ...................................... 20

6.2. Rate Evaluation (60 points).................................................................................................. 20

6.3. Qualitative Review (40 points)............................................................................................. 20

6.4. Process ................................................................................................................................. 21

7. APPENDICES .................................................................................................................. 22

City of Poulsbo Solid Waste Collection RFP

1. INFORMATION FOR PROPOSERS

1.1. Introduction

The City of Poulsbo is requesting Proposals (RFP) from qualified firms for solid waste collection

services within the City Service Area (See Appendix A, Exhibit A). These services include single-

family, multifamily, and commercial garbage collection; single-family and multifamily recycling

and compostables collection; and the processing and marketing of collected recycling and

compostables. The contract term will be ten (10) years.

The City currently provides garbage service to residents and businesses using carts and detached

containers. The City currently contracts with Bainbridge Disposal for residential curbside and

multifamily recycling and yard debris service. The three-year contract with Bainbridge Disposal

expired February 28, 2025 and the City has exercised its option two times to extend the contract

for one year each, which will run through February 28, 2027. All other services are open market.

The City is seeking a comprehensive solid waste collection contract to bring all services under

one contract with one provider. The City seeks continuation of most service standards with some

minor revisions and improvements as described in the attached draft Base Contract. The City also

seeks proposed revenue impacts for one alternative, as listed in the Priorities & Requested

Services Section.

The RFP process is described in detail in the Instructions to Proposers Section. Proposers should

submit their Proposal, based on the attached Base Contract, with the revenue impacts of the

alternative separately identified on the specified Price Proposal Form.

1.2. RFP Schedule

The City has set the following schedule for receipt and review of the Proposals. The City reserves

the right to modify this schedule if deemed necessary. All times shown are Pacific Standard Time.

Event

Release Final RFP

Proposer Questions and Comments Due

Proposals Due

Proposal Evaluation, Interviews, and Selection

Finalization of Contract

Council Process

City Executes Contract

Date of Commencement of Service

Date or Time Frame

Monday, April 13, 2026

Monday, May 11, 2026 by 3 PM

Monday, June 8, 2026 by 3 PM

June – July 2026

August – September 2026

September – October 2026

Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Monday, March 1, 2027

1.3. Date of Commencement of Service

The Contractor shall start the Services under the Contract on March 1, 2027.

City of Poulsbo Solid Waste Collection RFP

1.4. City Contact Information

All communication regarding this RFP must be through the City contact listed below:

April Zieman

Contract Administrator Manager

City of Poulsbo

200 NE Moe St, Poulsbo, WA 98370

360-394-9746

azieman@cityofpoulsbo.com

1.5. Defined Terms

Terms used in these Proposal Documents that are defined in the RFP and/or Base Contract have

the meanings assigned to them as follows. Defined terms are applicable to the singular and plural,

and all pronouns.

• Base Contract: The Comprehensive Garbage, Recyclables, and Compostables Collection

Services Contract, to be the basis for the Contract entered into by the City and the

Selected Proposer after completion of the RFP process and is to be the basis for all

Proposer Rate Proposals. A copy of the Base Contract is attached to this RFP.

• Base Proposal: The Proposal submitted by a Proposer based on the Base Contract and

that meets the requirements of the RFP.

• City: The City of Poulsbo, in Kitsap County, Washington.

• City Contact: The City staff who all communication regarding this RFP must be through.

• City Service Area: The area within the incorporated boundaries of the City that is specified

as the Contractor’s service area.

• Contract: The contract executed by the City and the Selected Proposer for the Services.

• Contractor: The Selected Proposer that has entered into the Contract with the City related

to the Services.

• Date of Commencement of Service: March 1, 2027, which is the date that the Contractor

agrees to commence the provision of Services as described throughout the Base Contract.

• Day or Days: Calendar days unless otherwise specified.

• Proposer: A vendor that submits a Proposal to the City in response to this RFP.

• Proposal: A formal response to the RFP submitted by a Proposer to the City. A Proposal

will only be deemed a Responsive Proposal if, at the City’s sole discretion, it includes all

necessary documents, information, security, rates, and proposed modifications to the

Base Contract in compliance with the RFP.

• Proposal Documents: The Advertisement for Proposals and the Request for Proposal,

including any attached or referenced appendices, exhibits, or addenda.

City of Poulsbo Solid Waste Collection RFP

• RFP: This Request for Proposal procurement document including any attached or

referenced appendices, exhibits, or addenda.

• Selected Proposer: means the Contractor to whom the City makes an award as provided

in the Award of Contract section of these Instructions to Proposers.

• Services means all collection and processing services and associated functions specified

in the Base Contract, including any changes made to its executed final form, the Contract.

Some minor differences in defined terms or word usage may exist between this RFP and the Base

Contract. Please note that the RFP is describing existing conditions, data reported by the existing

contractor, potential RFP alternative, and other narrative text that is not specific contract

language. The Base Contract is the Contract document that the Selected Proposer is expected to

execute, and thus the definitions and usage in that document represent the technical definitions

that will be used over the Contract term.

2. BACKGROUND AND EXISTING SYSTEM

This section generally describes the existing solid waste collection system. Carefully review the

draft Base Contract (Appendix A) to determine the scope of operations envisioned under the new

Contract.

The City of Poulsbo’s population is approximately 13,000 according to the Washington State

Office of Financial Management. If current growth rate trends continue as outlined in the City’s

comprehensive plan, the City’s anticipates a population of approximately 17,000 in 2036.

All previous annexation areas will be part of the new collection contract. The future annexation

area is in the Urban Growth Area (UGA) adjoining the city limits. The UGA and City limits are

shown in Exhibit A of the Contract. The City does not have any pending annexations, but the UGA

is the area where annexations would be allowed over the next 20 years. The UGA may be

modified over time through our comprehensive plan amendment process.

Appendix B includes current customer rates, current recycling contract rates, historical tonnage

data by material stream and customer sector, current container counts, current service at City

facilities, and more. Recycling and yard waste container counts and services have been provided

by the City’s current hauler and have not been verified by the City. The City encourages Proposers

to perform their own investigation to confirm data as desired.

Additional information about current services may be obtained at:

https://cityofpoulsbo.com/public-works-solid-waste/

Mandatory Service: Single-family homes, multifamily properties, and businesses have

mandatory garbage collection under Poulsbo Municipal Code 8.16. Exemptions are available for

vacant houses and lots, or when tenants are away and water is turned off.

Single-Family Collection: The City currently provides service to 3,994 residential accounts.

Garbage service includes embedded every-other-week collection of recyclables in a 64-gallon

cart provided by Bainbridge Disposal. Every-other-week compostables collection is by

City of Poulsbo Solid Waste Collection RFP

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

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Comprehensive Garbage, Recyclables, and Composting Collection Services

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