CHICAGO (Sept. 9, 2024) – The Caucus is issuing a Request for Qualifications to assist with the Chicago Metro Recycling Education and Outreach (REO) Campaign. Please see the Request for Qualifications PDF or review the text of this document below.

Update on Sept. 24, 2024: The Caucus has provided responses to all of the questions received by potential bidders. View all of the questions and answers here.

Request for Qualifications to Assist with the Chicago Metro Recycling Education and Outreach (REO) Campaign

I.Purpose

The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus (the “Caucus”) seeks statements of qualifications from firms qualified to provide professional services to assist the Caucus collect and report on the data necessary to determine the impact of the REO campaign on the:  1) increase in recycling tonnage, 2) associated increase in jobs created, 3) increase in participation in recycling programs and 4) decrease in the recycling contamination rate for materials delivered to material recovery facilities in the region.  Attachment A contains a summary of the Chicago Metro REO Campaign and more specifics on the performance measures the consultant will be responsible for under the campaign.

This Request for Qualifications (RFQ) includes the following sections:

  • Section II – Submittal Information
  • Section III – Background
  • Section IV – Project Supervision
  • Section V – Project Deliverables
  • Section VI – Qualifications Information
  • Section VII – Project Understanding and Proposed Scope of Services
  • Section VIII – Selection Process

II.Submittal Information

To be considered, your company’s statement of qualifications (SOQ) must be received via email no later than 3 p.m., October 7, 2024 at emakra@mayorscaucus.org.

The Statement of Qualifications must be organized as follows:

  1. Cover letter
  2. Qualifications information
  3. Project understanding
  4. Proposed scope of services
  5. Proposed Professional Services Agreement

All questions should be directed to Edith Makra in writing at emakra@mayorscaucus.org.  The deadline for submitting questions regarding this RFQ is 3 p.m., September 18, 2024.  Responses to all questions received will be provided to potential respondents by September 24, 2024.

III. Background

Consultants responding to this RFQ are expected to review the information regarding the campaign and grant provided in Attachment A.  The consultant will be expected to collect baseline data for 275 units of local government in the Chicago Metropolitan Mayors Caucus region and after the education and marketing campaign is implemented to collect data across the region to determine the impact of the campaign on the metrics outlined in Section V.  The Caucus’ partners will be able to assist in collecting the baseline and post campaign data for the 275 units of local government.  The campaign is limited to data from the residential sector only.

IV. Project Direction and Oversight

The selected consultant will work under the direction of Edith Makra, Director of Environmental Initiatives.  The consultant will also be working with and interacting with personnel from the Caucus’ partners on this project including DuPage County, Kane County, McHenry County, Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County, Solid Waste Agency of Lake County and Will County.

V. Project Deliverables and Schedule

The budget for this project is set under the REO grant at $60,000.  Therefore, the consultant selected for this work will be selected based on its qualifications, understanding of the expected work product, and proposed scope of services.  The Caucus is asking the consultant to demonstrate how it would best utilize the $60,000 budget to address the data and program metric needs of the REO campaign, and more specifically, the project deliverables listed below.  How the consultant collects the data, and how it is presented is left to the consultant’s discretion and should be explained in the scope of services section of the SOQ.  Ultimately, the Caucus reserves the right to review, comment and alter the scope of services during final contract negotiations.   The following project deliverables are expected from the consultant:

  1. The consultant, with assistance from the Caucus’ partners, will collect baseline data on the weight of recyclables collected from the 275 units of local government during calendar year 2023. The data shall be reported in total tons per municipality per year and in pounds per household per year recycled per municipality and also region wide.  During the third year of the REO campaign (the REO grant has a three-year term), the consultant, with assistance from the Caucus’ partners, will collect data on the weight of recyclables collected from the 275 units of local government during calendar year 2026.  The consultant will compare the baseline data from 2023 with the data collected in 2026 and compute the increase in recycling tonnage for each municipality, the pounds per household per year, and the region as a whole (the goal of the REO campaign is to increase recycling tonnage by 15% region wide).  The consultant will also estimate the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions associated with the increase in recycling tonnage.
  2. To augment the data collected in item 1 above, the consultant will survey MRFs that serve the Caucus’ region to estimate the tonnage of recyclables delivered to the MRFs by the 275 units of local government in 2023 and 2026.
  3. During year three of the campaign the consultant will determine the number of jobs created based onthe difference in recycling tonnage taken to material recovery facilities (MRF) and the associated increase in MRF staffing hours due to the increase in tonnage.
  4. The consultant will determine how many of the 275 units of local government have curbside recycling programs provided to their residents in 2023 and whether those programs are weekly, every other week or otherwise.  During the third year of the REO campaign the consultant will determine how many of the 275 units of local government have curbside recycling programs in 2026 and whether those programs are weekly, every other week or otherwise.  In addition, where data is available, the consultant will determine the participation rate (defined as the number of homes that set out a recycling cart at least once a month divided by the total number of homes provided collection services) on a municipal level based on estimates provided by the hauler for each municipality in 2023 compared to 2026.
    The goal for the REO grant is for 5 or more municipalities to initiate curbside recycling for the first time, restart a program that was discontinued, or expand the services offered.
  5. The consultant will survey the MRFs that service the 275 municipalities to determine the contamination rate in 2023. During the third year of the REO campaign the consultant will survey the MRFs to determine the contamination rate in 2026.  The goal of the REO grant is to lower the contamination rate to approximately 10% from the estimated baseline of approximately 20 to 25%.
  6. The consultant will review the Quality Assurance Policy Plan (QAPP) submitted by the Caucus to USEPA and recommend any changes or updates to the QAPP. The consultant must sign and comply with the QAPP.
  7. The consultant will prepare a final report, in a format consistent with the overall grant report to be submitted by the Caucus to USEPA, reporting on and summarizing the data collected pursuant to items 1-5.

VI.Qualifications Information

The SOQ should contain the following qualifications information:

  1. Background information on the firm, including, but not limited to, an overview of the firm, number and type of employees, principals or partners, areas of specialization, specialized solid waste planning experience in Illinois, and other information that would indicate the necessary qualifications to accomplish this project.
  1. List the personnel who will be assigned to the project and describe their education, experience/qualifications and licenses. Provide a project team organizational chart and copies of resumes.  Identify the project manager, and each other project team members’ specific areas of responsibility on the project.
  1. Identify any subcontractors, if any will be used, and their specific responsibilities. Provide background information on each subcontractor.
  1. Describe your involvement in projects of similar size and scope in Illinois and other regions, providing the name, email address and telephone number of three references.
  1. Evidence of insurance including coverage limits for the following coverages:
    1. General Liability
    2. Auto Liability
    3. Worker’s Compensation
    4. Professional Liability

VII. Project Understanding and Proposed Scope of Service

The Caucus has decided not to prescribe a set scope of services but instead is allowing the consultant to use its creativity, knowledge and skill sets to recommend an approach, using the $60,000 set budget, to meet the project deliverables outlined in Section V.  The following items must be addressed in the scope of services section of the consultant’s SOQ:

  • A description of the consultant’s proposed scope of services, linked to the project budget.
  • A project budget detailing, by scope item, the hours to be worked by the project team members, their hourly rates and total project cost. Also provide a copy of the fee schedule to be used throughout the duration of the project. Services are to be billed on a time and materials basis, with appropriate invoice detail to document work completed during the invoice period.
  • A project schedule based on a start date of November 1, 2024, with the first internal draft of the consultant’s report due April 1, 2027, and final report due May 1, 2027. Include milestones for delivery of baseline municipal recycling data and baseline MRF contamination rates, meetings with the Caucus and its partners, and other key milestones.

VIII. Selection Process

The Caucus will review all SOQ’s which are submitted prior to the deadline.  The Caucus reserves the right to reject any or all SOQ’s or to cancel the selection process at any time.  It also reserves the right to request additional information or clarification from respondents.  This is a qualifications-based selection process, cost is set at $60,000 and therefore cost will not be a factor in the selection process.

The Caucus will rank the SOQ’s received from most qualified to least qualified to fulfill the requirements of the project.  The Caucus reserves the right to interview respondents to provide an additional opportunity to present their qualifications and proposed scope of services.  Such interviews would be held with staff from the Caucus and its partners.  The final ranking of the respondents will be presented to the Executive Director of the Caucus for final approval of the top ranked respondent.