Camarillo City Council
AGENDA REPORT
Date: August 14, 2024
To: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
From: Greg Ramirez, City Manager
Submitted by: Carmen Nichols, Assistant City Manager
Subject: General Services Agreement with California Wood Recycling, Inc.
DBA Agromin for SB 1383 Procurement
BACKGROUND
In September 2016, the state adopted Senate Bill 1383 - Short-lived Climate Pollutants (SB 1383) requiring local jurisdictions to implement a mandatory organic waste collection and recycling program. To comply with SB 1383, the City of Camarillo adopted Ordinance 1184 – Regulating Mandatory Organic Waste Disposal Reduction on November 12, 2021.
Beginning January 1, 2022, the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) SB 1383 mandated that cities and counties annually procure a specific quantity of recovered organic waste products to meet their procurement targets. These requirements are aimed at strengthening California’s green, self-sustaining economy.
Increased demand for these products will stimulate infrastructure investment and generate new green collar jobs within the state.
DISCUSSION
Mandatory Organics Procurement
SB 1383 requires all jurisdictions in California to annually procure recovered organic waste products made from recycled organic material, such as compost, mulch, and renewable energy from anaerobic digestion and electricity from biomass conversion.
CalRecycle assigns an annual procurement target to each jurisdiction every five years based on its population. Each jurisdiction is given the flexibility to choose any combination of recovered organic waste products to procure and may use or donate these products to meet its procurement target, depending on its local needs. CalRecycle encourages community benefits agreements between jurisdictions and organics recovery facilities to benefit the community by providing quality compost and mulch for local use through giveaway events for residents, counting towards the jurisdiction’s procurement target.
General Services Agreement with Agromin
August 14, 2024
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City’s Procurement
CalRecycle calculated the annual recovered organic waste product procurement target for the City of Camarillo to be 5,577 tons between January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2026 (Attachment 1). To date, the City has procured 1,584 tons of recovered organics materials and reported this information to CalRecycle to be applied towards the City’s target procurement total. It is estimated that the City will not meet the state procurement target of 5,577 tons by City use only and that expanding procurement for the use by residents, landscape companies, and other local entities is necessary to meet this mandate.
Staff met with California Wood Recycling, Inc. DBA Agromin (Agromin) and discussed entering into an agreement for the procurement of organics products and to help develop a community program encouraging the procurement and/or use by residents and other local businesses and partnering agencies within the City.
Agromin is the largest organics recycler in California that composts material into earth- friendly organic soil products used by farmers, government entities, landscapers and gardeners. Agromin composts over 1 million tons of organic material each year, more than any other organics recycler in California, and manages organic waste and markets compost and mulch in 16 California counties including Alameda, Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Merced, Orange, Riverside, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara, Sacramento, Solano, Ventura and Yolo. Local partnerships with Agromin include the County and City of Ventura who provide free compost and mulch program to their residents. Beneficial to the City of Camarillo is Agromin’s local site, located at 201 Kinetic Drive, Oxnard, CA 93030, resulting in local travel for pick-up or delivery of materials. Staff recommends a sole source agreement with Agromin because they offer a complete SB 1383 procurement solution that fully addresses the City’s needs (Attachment 3).
Community Organics Voucher Program
To expand the City’s Organics Program and meet the state procurement target, staff recommend entering into a two (2) year general services agreement with Agromin to provide material for City use as well as use by others, and to implement a Community Organics Voucher Program to offer mulch and compost material to the Camarillo community. Additionally, staff are researching opportunities to work with other local agencies such as the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Parks District, California State University Channel Islands, and school districts for procurement of organics products and hosting community giveaway events for mulch and compost material through the City’s agreement with Agromin.
A description of the City’s Community Organics Voucher Program is outlined in attachment 2 of the proposed General Services Agreement (page 10), however, highlighted below is a summary of key service benefits of the program.
General Services Agreement with Agromin
August 14, 2024
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•The City’s Community Organics Voucher Program will be available to the Camarillo community.
•Community vouchers are valid for ES2 Mulch or Compost 100 materials. •Participants can place an order for compost or mulch, between ½ cubic yard up to 15 cubic yards of compost or 20 cubic yards of mulch, using Agromin’s online portal (shop.Agromin.com).
•Participants have the option to select free pick-up at Agromin’s facility or delivery of products for a fee based on their location, not paid for by the City. •Bulk delivery of products is available to the City for community events or use for City projects.
•City staff will have unlimited user access to Agromin’s customer portal (CaliforniaCompost.net) to assess demands, procure, and track recycled organic waste product usage for SB 1383 reporting and compliance.
Procurement Funding
CalRecycle’s SB 1383 Local Assistance Grant Program provides funding to local jurisdictions to help meet implementation and procurement requirements. On April 27, 2022 the City was awarded SB 1383 OWR-1 grant funding in the amount of $99,269 and on February 26, 2024, the City was awarded SB 1383 OWR-4 grant funding in the amount of $187,556. Approximately $85,000 annually from SB 1383 grant funding is allocated for procurement costs, while $35,000 is designated for education and community outreach expenditures. These funds must be expended by April 1, 2026. Procurement of recovered organic waste products for City projects and implementation of a community Organics Program was included in the City’s Budget for FY 2024/25 and SB 1383 grant funding will be used to offset these expenditure costs.
Communications and Community Outreach
If approved, staff will begin communications and community outreach with surrounding businesses and residents to provide detailed information on the City’s Organics Program.
Additionally, City staff will explore coordinating eco-friendly community events and workshops to educate the public on organics recycling and use of recovered organic waste products. Detailed information on the program will also be shared on the City’s website and promoted on communications platforms including Facebook, Instagram, local Government Channels (Spectrum Channel 10 and Frontier Channel 29), and Marquee sign located at City Hall. A flyer publication will also be advertised in the Camarillo Acorn and Ventura County Star newspapers and featured in the City’s CityScene Newsletter and City News email blast to the community.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funds for the General Services Agreement No. CC 2024-105 with California Wood Recycling, Inc. DBA Agromin for procurement of recovered organic waste products are General Services Agreement with Agromin
August 14, 2024
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included in the Solid Waste Grant Programs/SB 1383 OWR Account No. 805-3510- 435.71-53.
CEQA DETERMINATIONS
City staff has determined, in accordance with Section 15061(b)(3) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, that General Services Agreement for the procurement of recovered organic waste products is not subject to CEQA review because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the General Services Agreement may have a significant effect on the environment.
RECOMMENDATION
1. Authorize the City Manager to execute a two-year Agreement No. 2024-150 with California Wood Recycling, Inc. DBA Agromin for SB 1383 procurement for an amount not-to-exceed $205,000, and authorize a contingency in the amount of $20,500 for a total agreement amount of $225,500 and;
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute future amendments to the Agreement with California Wood Recycling, Inc. DBA Agromin for unforeseen additional services up to the contingency amount.
ATTACHMENTS
1. CalRecycle Recovered Organic Waste Procurement Target for Jurisdictions
2. CC 2024-105 General Services Agreement - California Wood Recycling, Inc.
DBA Agromin
3. August 5, 2024 Sole Source Letter from Agromin
REFERENCE MATERIALS – AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW AT CITY HALL None.