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HomeMy WebLinkAboutC32590 - Multi-Family Housing Rcycling Pgrms Contract No. C32590 CITY OF PALM DESERT SPECIAL PROGRAMS DEPARTMENT STAFF REPORT REQUEST: APPROVE CONTRACT WITH D&B VISIONS FOR CONSULTING SERVICES RELATIVE TO THE CITY'S COMMERCIAL AND MULTI- FAMILY HOUSING RECYCLING PROGRAMS SUBMITTED BY: Frankie Riddle, Director of Special Programs DATE: February 28, 2013 CONTENTS: D&B Visions Proposal Recommendation By Minute Motion: 1. Authorize the Mayor to enter into an Agreement with D&B Visions for consulting services relative to the City's Commercial and Multi-Family Housing Recycling Programs; and 2. Authorize expenditure of funds in an amount not to exceed $80,000 from the Recycle Fund, Account No. 236-4195-454-3090. Executive Summary Contracting for services to assist staff with implementation of recycling programs within commercial and multi-family housing complexes provides the City with increased opportunities to contact more businesses and property owners within the community. This contact will result in increased awareness and implementation of recycling programs (twice the amount, if not more) including the follow up required for successful implementation and sustainability of the programs. Some of the benefits to contracting for services include, 1) increased manpower (labor) without hiring additional staff; 2) reduced labor costs; 3) contract can be terminated or amended based on City need; 4) increased community awareness and participation; and 5) potential savings to local businesses and property owners. Discussion The City has actively created and implemented various recycling programs, including a successful awareness campaign utilizing the City's mascot Recycle Binney. However, with the continuous turnover of business and multi-family housing complex owners, managers, employees, tenants, etc., it is difficult to provide the continuous attention, training, and monitoring that is required for previously implemented programs while additionally targeting new areas for implementation. Currently the City has one (1) Recycling Technician who has implemented recycling programs at 583 businesses at an approximate annual savings of *$83,114.64; 14 Palm Desert Housing Authority owned apartment complexes (1,039 units) at an approximate annual savings of *$65,412.72; and 27 privately owned complexes (1,989 units) at an approximate annual savings of *$70,249.56 (*savings generally to property owners). However, one technician is not capable of undertaking the activities necessary to create and implement new recycling programs for businesses and property owners (e.g., making initial contact, developing programs, training STAFF REPORT CONSULTING SERVICES FOR COMMERCIAL AND MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING RECYCLING PROGRAMS FEBRUARY 28, 2013 PAG E 2 staff, assisting with the placement of interior and exterior containers, providing continuous monitoring, etc.) while trying to promote and maintain existing recycling programs on a consistent and on-going basis for approximately 3,100 commercial businesses, 95 multi-family housing complexes (4,546 apartment units), and all of the Palm Desert Housing Authority owned complexes within the City. As demonstrated above, in most cases, recycling programs do save local businesses money and additionally divert recyclable material from the landfill. Given the above, staff is requesting City Council approval of a contract for consulting services to assist staff with increasing awareness, education, and participation in the City's Commercial and Multi-Family Housing Recycling Programs. Upon posting a request for proposals, the following two (2) proposals were received (ranked from low to high bidder): Com an Cos# D&B Visions $85.00 per hour 29642 Ramsey Court All costs included in the rate except marketing Temecula, CA 92591 materials and travel time to the Cit Sl��ari 1���==� � �.���� ` � - .��``�r� � ` -_� *, 180�??£�� � ��`' I��-�; b ��x ��, e��'rz' �, ;� ,�� � _�� Y��� � 2�}5 � �5 � �� Incme, GA�2 � � __ - � �5 : � � ��r�e. i ea .... __ . �cost : ,,�= After reviewing the two proposals received, staff recommends that City Council approve a contract with D&B Visions for consulting services relative to the implementation of commercial and multi-family housing recycling programs. In addition, staff was able to negotiate with D&B to perform work at a reduced cost of$65.00 per hour. Fiscal Analvsis Funding for services and other activities relative to the education and implementation of the City's Commercial and Multi-Family Housing Recycling Programs was included as part of the FY 2012/2013 Budget process. Funds are available within the Recycle Fund, Account No. 236- 4195-454-3090. Submitted By: CITYCOUNCILA�`ION APPROVED DENIED RECEIVED OTHER MEET G DAT - � ' Frank Riddle, irector of Special Programs AYES: l 69 j NOES: ABSENT: AB5TAIN: VERIFIED BY: Paul S. Gibso , Director of Finance Original on File with City lerk's Office Approval: --µ_� �__ �-� �.-�_.w-�--J�. Joh . Wohlmuth, City Manager , � � � 29642 Ramsey Court Temecula, C,A 92591 (951) 265-8699 FAX 693-9563 bringingyour message to life don.woo@dnbvisions.com December 24,2012 Frankie Riddle, Director of Special Programs City of Palm Desert 73-510 Fred Waring Drive Palm Desert, CA 92260 Dear Ms. Riddle, D&B Visions is an environmental program development company,specializing in assisting public agencies inform their residents about natural resource conservation and protection. This letter is in response to your Request For Proposals: Solid Waste and Recycling Consulting Services and the attached proposal is our response to the RFP. Visions has assisted the cities of Chino and Ontario with informing Multi-Family Dwelling (MFD)residents and managers about their recycling programs and believe that we can help you with your commercial and MFD recycling programs. Thank you for reviewing this proposal. If you have any questions,comments,or concerns, please don't hesitate to conta.ct me via any of the methods listed on our letterhead. Sincerely, ���� Don woo Owner Statement of Oualifications D&B Visions(Visions)assisted the cities of Chino and Ontario inform their Multi-Family Dwelling(MFD)owners,ma.nagers,and residents on the State's recycling requirements and ways that the city and waste haulers can assist them in both meeting the State's requirements and save money(see"References"section for details on each program). From this experience and current work with the Mojave Desert and Mountain Recycling Authority,Visions has kept abreast of the State's Assembly Bills 939 and 341. The basic scope of the Bills,and the requests of the City of Palm Desert(City),is to install recycling containers,inform residents and workers on recyclable materials,and implement a recycling program at MFDs and commercial buildings to increase materials diverted from the waste strearn by increasing recyc�ing. The City of Palm Desert has described their scope of work, including consultant's responsibilities and specific tasks,within the Request For Proposals—Solid Waste and Recycling Consulting Services. To accomplish their goal, Visions plans to: Develop inventory of commercial and MFD accounts. Visions will acquire data on all accounts,including number of bins, sizes,and pickups at each site. This information should be available from the City or Burrtec Waste and Recycling Services (Burrtec). This data will be compiled into a list that defines quantities of waste produced. Develop promotional materials on recycling. Brochures and fact sheets will be produced to define cost savings for recycling,mandates of the state, and materials appropriate for recycling. Contacting businesses not already recycling. Initial contacts will be via phone calls to detennine contact person and to set up appointments for on-site visits. On-site visits will entail trash characteristic inventory,visits with management on the State's mandates, cost savings related to recycling,and procedures to insta.11 a recycling progra.m. Installing recycling program. Visions will work with commercial and MFD managers,Burrtec, and the City as applicable to install a recycling program at their site. Presentations will be given as needed and/or requested to inform participants on why recycling is important,the correct items that can be placed in recycling containers, and the state's mandates. Making follow up visits. Visions will make visits to the sites two weeks after each recycling container is installed. In MFDs,I have found that it takes about a month before residents start chauging behavior. It should take less time at a commercial location,since workers should be following management's direction. Develop reporta for city. Visions will develop monthly reports with updates on each location to show progress of the recycling program's efforts. As with all programs,success is dependent on communication and cooperation between consultant and client. Therefore, to accomplish this task,Visions requires the City to: • Meet with Visions to review current programs and discuss expectations; and • Provide Visions with current business disposal information(size of bins,pickups per week,cost for service, etc. References City of Chino D&B Visions was contracted from December 2009 through May 2011 by the City of Chino to assist them with their Multi-Family Dwelling Recycling grant program. During that time, Visions: • Developed recycling brochures,magnets, stickers for recycling containers,and posters, • Visited all of the MFDs in the city, • Evaluated their trash service and bin locations, • Proposed service that would maximize their savings while still accommodating their solid waste disposal needs, • Coordinated the new bin placement with their waste hauler, Waste Management, • Gave presentations to residents and/or delivered promotional materials to each unit, • Evaluated the MFD recycling after bins had been introduced, • Provided feedback to the MFD management and City. Contact: Sylvia Ramos - City of Chino PO Box 667/Chino, CA 91710 (909)464-0758 sramos@cityofchino.org City of Ontario After working with the City of Chino,the City of Ontario asked D&B Visions if they could duplicate their program for them. Visions was contracted from June 2011 through December 2011 to assist them with their Multi-Family Dwelling Recycling grant program. During that time,Visions: • Developed recycling brochures,magnets, stickers,and recycling bags, • Visited all of the MFDs in the city, • Evaluated their trash service and bin locations, • Proposed service that would maximize their savings while still accommodating their solid waste disposal needs, � • Coordinated the new bin placement with their waste hauling department(the city is their own waste hauler), • Gave presentations to residents and/or delivered promotional materials to each unit, • Evaluated the MFD recycling after bins had been introduced, • Provided feedback to the MFD management and City. Contact: Bob Figoni-City of Ontario 1425 S. Bon View Ave./Ontario,CA 91761 (909)395-2664 bfigoni@ci.ontario.ca.us Resume D&B Visions is an environmental program development company that specializes in assisting government agencies inform their residents and businesses on natural resource conservation and protection. Don Woo started Visions in 1999 to fill a niche in the environmental program arena. Cities and counties had conservation mandates to meet,but didn't have the expertise to communicate the information to it's constituents. His background in natural resource conservation education and talents in media development have allowed him to fill this void and assist cities and county agencies throughout the region develop materials and give presentations on the topics of solid waste management(including recycling and backyard composting), stormwater pollution prevention,proper househo(d hazardous waste disposal,and water conservation. D&B Visions is a one-person operation,owned and opera.ted by Mr. Woo. His current and past clients include the: City of Chino Costa Mesa Sanitary District City of Fontana County of Riverside Waste Management Department City of Ontario County of San Bernardino Stormwater Program City of Rancho Cucamonga County of San Bernardino Zero Waste Communities City of Redlands Mojave Desert&Mountain Recycling Authority City of San Bernardino City of Upland Mr.Woo graduated from Humboldt State University with a Bachelors Degree in Natural Resource Interpretation and,along with his presentation training,has developed skills in graphic � design,video production,and web page development to convey the conservation message. Prior to starting Visions,he worked as an Information&Education Specialist for the Inland Empire West Resource Conservation District,Pazk Ranger for the City of Los Angeles,and Naturalist for both the Los Angeles City and Los Angeles County Outdoor 5cience Schools. Cost Summary AB 341 states that"a business(includes public entities)that generates four cubic yazds or more of commercial solid waste per week or is a multifamily residential dwelling of five units or more shall arrange for recycling services:' From the numbers relayed to proposers by Lisa Ream of the City,it appears that there are 1,077 trash accounts and 605 recycling accounts,which means there are 472 trash accounts without recycling service. Ms.Ream also mentioned that there are 110 MFDs of five units or more. Therefore there are potentially 582 commercial and MFD accounts that fall under the requirements of AB 341. Visions works on an hourly rate of$85/hour. Time is charged for meetings,program development,travel time within the City(not travel"to"the City),and administration. Aside from time for meetings with City staff and developing promotional materials,Visions estimates it will spend anywhere from one to three hours on each business. Therefore,using the 582 businesses that potentially fall under AB 341 requirements as a reference point, it would take 582— 1746 hours to reach the businesses at a cost of $49,470 to $148,410. The numbers provided by Ms.Ream did not mention which commercial accounts have more or less than four cubic yards produced per week, so the"582 businesses"is just a reference point. It is difficult to determine a timeline for the number of businesses reached, since it is unclear how many businesses fall under the requirements. Visions plans to comrnit approximately 1 S hours per week, or 780 hours per year on this project if selected as consultant for this project. Along with Visions personnel costs, there will be costs for printing of promotional materials. Again,once the actuat number of commercial accounts and MFD units that fall under AB 341 is established and a quantity of printed materials required can be created, a more defined breakdown of costs can be developed. Monthly billings will accompany monthly reports and updates. A standard net-30 is the usual billing cycle, however other arrangements are available. NOTE: Visions cannot guarantee that all businesses reached will convert to a recycling � program. I believe in conservation, which is why I am in the business, and will promote it and the City's recycling program to the fullest extent, however the decision to switch services is entirely up to the business owners. However, with the City's free recycding service and impending recycling ordinance, I anticipate a high participation rate.