Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Department of Public Works

 

TO:

David L. Corliss, Cynthia Wagner, Diane Stoddard, Jonathan Douglass

FROM:

Chuck Soules

CC:

Tammy Bennett,  Kathy Richardson, Craig Pruett

Date:

September 7, 2011

RE:

September 13, 2011 Agenda Item

Advertise RFP R1109 for a City-Wide Glass Recycling Program

 

Please include the following item on the City Commission Agenda for consideration at the September 13, 2011 meeting:

 

Program History / Description

The City of Lawrence Waste Reduction and Recycling Division offers commercial recycling programs for both corrugated cardboard and sorted office paper. For the residents of this university town of approximately 93,000, we offer 12 drop-off locations for newspapers, corrugated cardboard and mixed paper. Combined, all of our programs have increased our recycling rate from 29% in 1996 to at least 34% by 2006. During this ten year period, our city’s population and the small business sector (i.e. retail, dining and offices) grew significantly (18% and 32% respectively). Growth since 2006 has been on a more modest pace.  Lawrence’s continued increase in recycling has kept pace with the corresponding growth in our Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generation rate.

 

The City of Lawrence Solid Waste Division, which includes the Waste Reduction and Recycling Division, is an Enterprise Fund created to manage MSW within the city limits.  All funding for waste hauling and disposition is supplied through the ratepayers to the division, and through revenue from sales of recyclables.

 

Currently the community is engaged in a comprehensive look at solid waste management services in Lawrence, through the Solid Waste Task Force, created in February 2011.  The charge of the task force is to:

 

The final report from the task force to the Lawrence City Commission is expected in March 2012.

 

 

Scope of Work

The scope of work will address how the glass program will be implemented and operated, detailing who has ownership and responsibility for each component of the program. The following is a list of some of the items which should be addressed, but contractors are encouraged to provide the most robust and complete proposal feasible. 

 

·         Possible locations (up to four) not including the two existing glass recycling drop-off locations in community which are privately operated

·         Recommended criteria for determining additional locations

·         Containers / configuration of drop-off bins

·         Management and maintenance of drop-off locations

·         Collection of materials from drop-off locations

·         Material consolidation, if necessary

·         Transportation of materials to ultimate location for recycling

·         Frequency of collection (drop-off locations, consolidation points)

·         Processing and recycling of materials with identified final uses

·         Proposed outreach and education in community

·         Cost of services provided, if applicable

·         Payment for materials received, if applicable

·         Reporting content and frequency

 

Project Status / Funding

The adopted 2012 City budget includes funding this program out of the Solid Waste Fund.

 

The Solid Waste Task Force continues to meet bi-monthly and is making progress towards final recommendations on containerization, collection services, and recycling.  The Task Force has held public listening sessions and received presentations from neighboring community programs, solid waste vendors, haulers, and handlers.  The group is on track to have their recommendations to the City Commission within the time frame of the resolution establishing the task force (March 2012).

 

Action Request. Authorize staff to advertise a Request for Proposals (RFP R1109) for a City-Wide Glass Recycling Program.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Charles F. Soules, P.E.

Director of Public Works

 

CFS/je