REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
for
Homeless Encampment & Illegal Dumping
Abatement
#2682
June 4, 2026
City of Culver City
Housing and Human Services Department
9770 Culver Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232-0507
Homeless Encampment & Illegal Dumping Abatement
RFP #2682
I. REQUEST SUMMARY
The City of Culver City is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to provide homeless encampment abatement, illegal dumping cleanup, and related environmental remediation services throughout the City of Culver City. The anticipated contract term shall consist of an initial two (2) year period with 1 (1) optional one-year renewal terms exercisable at the sole discretion of the City.
Services shall include a combination of regularly scheduled weekly cleanups (one designated day per week) and emergency or on-call response services, as requested by City staff. Cleanup locations will be identified, coordinated, and authorized by designated City representatives. The selected vendor shall furnish all labor, supervision, equipment, vehicles, tools, transportation, disposal services, personal protective equipment (PPE), and any other resources necessary to safely and effectively perform homeless encampment and illegal dumping cleanup services in accordance with the requirements outlined in this Request for Proposals (“RFP”).
However, proposers may not take advant age of omis sions or oversights in this document. Proposers must supply products and services that meet or exceed the requirements of this RFP. I n the event of a dispute over installation or performance, the needs of Culver City will govern.
II. INTRODUCTION
A. Community Profile
The City of Culver City (City) is a charter city incorporated in 1917. The city is governed by a five-member City Council whose members are elected at large and operates under a Council/City Manager form of government.
Culver City is a full-service city located in the western area of Los Angeles County, generally situated north of Los Angeles International Airport, southeast of Santa Monica, south of Beverly Hills and southwest of West Hollywood. The city is approximately five square mil es with a residential population of approximately 40,000.
B. Background
The City of Culver City experiences homeless encampments and illegal dumping activities in various locations throughout the City, including but not limited to roadway overpasses, creek beds, flood control channels, industrial corridors, open space areas, trails, and public rights-of-way.
These activities may create significant public health, environmental, and public safety concerns. Potential impacts include exposure to communicable di seases resulting from unsanitary conditions, accumulation of biohazardous or medical waste, environmental degradation, fire hazards, obstruction of public access, and contamination of waterways and surrounding natural resources.
The City seeks to retain an experienced and qualified vendor capable of delivering responsive, safe, and effective cleanup and abatement services. Vendors must demonstrate the ability to perform services in compliance with all applicable health, safety, and environmental regulations while maintaining professionalism, sensitivity, and respect during interactions involving unhoused individuals and occupied encampments.
While the City has utilized a vendor for this service, this RFP is being issued in compliance with internal requirements to periodically solicit proposals.
C. General RFP Submittal Information
The City’s designated staff will evaluate proposals received. During the review process, the City reserves the right, where it may serve the City’s best interest, to request additional information or clarification from those that submit proposals, or allow clarifications, corrections of errors, or omissions. Any and all changes in the RFP will be made by written addendum, which shall be issued by the City to all prospective proposers registered for the RFP the through the City’s electronic procurement system, Culver City PlanetBids
.
The City reserves the right to retain all proposals submitted. Submission of a proposal indicates the Proposer’s acceptance of the conditions contained in this RFP, unless clearly and specifically noted in the proposal submitted and confirmed in the contract between the City and the Proposer selected.
The preparation of the proposal will be at the total expense of the Proposer. There is no expressed or implied obligation for the City to reimburse responding Proposers for any expense incurred in the preparation of proposals in response to this request. All proposals submitted to the City shall become properties of the City and will not be returned. If any information in your proposal is confidential and/or proprietary, please further submit a separate, redacted copy for servicing public records requests.
The proposer may submit an alternative proposal (or proposals) that it believes will also meet the City's project objectives but in a different way. In this case, the proposer must provide an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of each of the alternatives and discuss under what circumstances the City would prefer one alternative to the ot her(s). If an alternative proposal is submitted, the maximum length of the proposal may be expanded proportionately by the number of alternatives submitted.
If applicable and in harmony with the EPA’s Environmentally Preferred Purchasing, we prefer that all bids submitted include an independent Green Certification of the company, products, or workers required via the proposal contract. Green certification refers to the operational aspects of the company often referred to as “Green Practices.” Self-assertion of environmental merit does not resolve potential greenwashing concerns. Therefore, a company demonstrating an environmentally credible operation by an independent review shall be a minimum requirement for all vendors, suppliers, and business relationships.
The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, in whole or part, to waive any informality in any proposal, and to accept the proposal which, in its discretion, is in the best interest of the City. The City reserves the right to reject any proposal not accompanied with all data or information required. Any proposer may withdraw his proposal, without obligation, at any time prior to the scheduled closing time for receipt of proposals. A withdrawal will not be effective unless made personally or by telephonic notification received prior to the closing date. Proposals may later be referred to the City Council for appropriate action.
Proposals must be submitted electronically through Culver City PlanetBids , by or before 3:00 p.m. (PST) on Thursday, June 18, 2026 (“Proposal Deadline”).
The electronic procurement system will not accept any Proposals after the Proposal Deadline. Only a Proposal submitted electronically through Culver City’s PlanetBids will be considered for evaluation. No separate hardcopy materials will be accepted by the City.
For a complete list of the City’s RFP submittal terms and conditions, legal statements, and insurance requirements, please refer to the exhibits attached hereto.
D. Vendor Eligibility and Excluded Parties Policy (Federal Suspension and Debarment Certification)
Pursuant to Federal Law, certain parties are excluded from receiving federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and certain federal financial and nonfinancial assistance and benefits. Compliance with federal suspension and debarment requirements is mandatory to protect the City’s eligibility for federal funding.
Applicability
This requirement applies to this Request for Proposals and any resulting contract, purchase order, or procurement in the amount of Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000) or greater that is funded in whole or in part with federal funds, including federal grants or subawards.
Mandatory Certification
As a condition of submitting a proposal, each Proposer must certify that neither the Proposer nor its principals are presently:
• Debarred
• Suspended
• Proposed for debarment
• Declared ineligible
• Voluntarily excluded from participation in transactions by any federal department or agency.
This certification shall also apply to any proposed subcontractors. A sample Federal Suspension and Debarment Certification is included with this RFP (Attachment 1 – Sample Federal Suspension and Debarment Cert.)
Verification of Eligibility
The City reserves the right to verify Proposer eligibility prior to contract award by:
• Reviewing the Proposer’s written certification; and/or • Independently verifying eligibility through the federal System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov
.
The City may reject any proposal or disqualify any Proposer determined to be ineligible under federal suspension and debarment rules.
False or Changed Status
Submission of a false certification, or failure to notify the City of a change in eligibility status, may result in:
• Disqualification of the proposal;
• Termination of the contract, if awarded; and/or
• Any other remedies available to the City under applicable law.
E. RFP Questions
Questions with regards to this RFP should be submitted through Culver City PlanetBids bef ore 3:00 p.m. (PST)by Thursday, June 11, 2026. No questions via telephone. No questions submitted after deadline. All firms registered for the RFP will receive responses to all questions and any other addenda that may be released, electronically by Thursday, June 16, 2026.
F. Schedule
The City reserves the right to make changes to the below schedule, but plans to adhere to the implementation of this RFP process as follows:
RFP released: 6-04-26
Deadline for receiving questions: 6-11-26
Response to questions: 6-17-26
Proposals due: 6-18-26
Finalists selected: 6-22-26
Presentations/Interviews (if necessary): 6-22-26
Vendor selected: 7-13-26
Notice of Intent to Award:
Approximately two (2) weeks prior to the anticipated City Council meeting where the contract is to be awarded to the selected bidder, the City will notify all proposers of its intent to award on Culver City PlanetBids.
III. SCOPE OF SERVICES
The City of Culver City intends to obtain the services of a qualified firm to provide the services as outlined below. Best industry practices and/or best management practices may require additional services not explicitly enumerated. The proposer should identify any additional services required, price them, and explain them in their response.
A. Project Scope
Services may include, but are not limited to:
• Homeless encampment cleanup and abatement
• Illegal dumping removal and disposal
• Removal of trash, debris, and abandoned materials
• Removal and proper disposal of biohazardous waste
• Dismantling and removal of unoccupied temporary structures • Site restoration and sanitation
• Limited vegetation trimming for site access
• Pressure washing and graffiti removal on an as-needed basis • Motel master leasing room cleaning, when requested by City staff The contractor shall respond to both scheduled weekly cleanup assignments and emergency/on-call cleanup requests identified by the City.
Project requirements shall include, but not be limited to:
Work may occur in challenging environments, including but not limited to:
• Freeway underpasses
• Flood control channels
• Creek beds and riparian corridors
• Open space areas
• Steep embankments
• Heavily vegetated areas
• Areas adjacent to vehicular traffic
Sites may contain hazardous or potentially hazardous materials including:
• Hypodermic needles
• Human waste
• Animal waste
• Biohazardous materials
• Food waste
• Propane tanks
• Batteries
• Construction debris
• Furniture and appliances
• Tires and automotive parts
• Miscellaneous refuse associated with encampments
Occupied encampments may occasionally be present during cleanup operations. When necessary, City staff may coordinate with law enforcement to support site safety.
Biohazard Handling
The contractor shall ensure all personnel performing services are properly trained and certified in the handling, containment, transportation, and disposal of hazardous and biohazardous materials in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. Copies of all required certifications, licenses, and training records shall be provided upon request.
The selected contractor shall:
1. Conduct site cleanup operations including debris collection, hazardous waste removal, dismantling of unoccupied encampments, and site sanitation.
2. Provide all labor, supervision, equipment, vehicles, PPE, materials, and tools necessary to complete the work.
3. Coordinate with City staff regarding scheduling, site access, staging areas, and operational logistics.
4. Maintain appropriate supervision of all contractor personnel and ensure compliance with all applicable safety standards.
5. Maintain emergency contact availability for operational coordination and emergency response purposes.
6. Photograph cleanup sites before and after services and provide electronic copies to City staff.
7. Submit cleanup reports documenting services performed, staffing levels, disposal manifests, and related operational information.
8. Safely handle and dispose of hazardous materials in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
9. Ensure all personnel are trained annually in OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standards and related safety protocols.
10. Conduct all operations in a professional, courteous, efficient, and businesslike manner.
IV. PROPOSAL OUTLINE TO BE SUBMITTED
The proposal shall be organized and submitted with the following elements:
A. Cover Page
B. Table of Contents
C. Executive Summary
Provide a brief summary describing the proposer’s ability to perform the work requested, a history of the proposer’s background and experience providing services, the qualifications of the proposer’s personnel to be assigned to this project, any subcontractor, sub consultants, and/or suppliers and a brief history of their background and experience, and any other information called for by this request for proposal which the proposer deems relevant, including restating any exceptions to this request for proposal. This summary should be brief and concise to apprise the reader of the basic services offered, experience and qualifications of the proposer, staff, subcontractors, and/or suppliers.
D. Questionnaire/Response to Scope of Services
Proposer shall provide responses and information to fully satisfy each item in the Questionnaire. Each question item should be presented before the proposer’s response.
E. Attachments
V. QUESTIONNAIRE
A. Company and General Information
1. Company name and address. Also, include A/P remit address, contact names, emails and phone numbers.
2. Letter of transmittal signed by an individual authorized to bind the respondent, stating that the respondent has read and will comply with all terms and conditions of the RFP.
3. General information about the primary contact who would be able to answer questions about the proposal. Include name, title, telephone number and email address of the individual.
B. Qualifications and Experience of the Firm
1. Describe your firm’s history and organizational structure. Include the size of the firm, location of offices, years in business, organizational chart, name(s) of owner(s) and principal parties, and number and position titles of staff.
2. What is the primary business of the parent company and/or affiliates?
3. Which office(s) of your organization will have primary responsibility for managing this account? List the members of your team who will be responsible for providing the services and for ongoing support.
4. What is your firm’s experience conducting the services requested? Describe comparable projects performed by your firm in the last five years, including the number of projects, scope of service, and status of projects.
5. Comment on other areas that may make your firm different from your competitors.
C. Qualifications and Experience of Proposed Project Team
1. Describe the qualifications of staff proposed for the assignment, position(s) in the firm, and types and amount of equivalent experience. Be sure to include any municipal agencies they have worked with in the past three years and their level of involvement. A description of how overall supervision will be provided should be included.
2. Identify and provide the resume(s) of the personnel who will be assigned to this project.
D. Questions/Response to Scope of Services
1. Describe the methods by which your firm will fulfill the services requested in the Scope of Services and subsequent sections.
2. Provide a statement of the service(s) that differentiate your firm from other respondents.
E. Fees
1. Provide your fees for the proposed services. Fee quotes should be detailed by service and the breakdown of all fees itemized.
2. Outline billing and payment expectations, including timing and method of payment.
3. Describe any remaining fees not previously detailed in the above.
F. References
List the name, address, e- mail address and telephone number of references from at least three (3) recent similar projects. Include a brief description of the work provided for each reference. California municipal or county projects are preferred. You may offer more than three recent similar projects if desired.
The references should include the start date of the project and the date of completion for each project.
G. Implementation Schedule
Include a detailed implementation schedule with an estimated project start date of July 14, 2026, and note key project milestones and timelines for deliverables.
Identify any assumptions used in developing the schedule.
H. Certificate(s) of Insurance
The City will require the successful Respondent (or P roposer) to provide Certificates of Insurance evidencing required coverage types and the minimum limits. See the attached City Draft Standard Agreement for more information on the City’s insurance requirements.
I. Business Tax Certificate
The proposing organization does not require a
Culver City B usiness Tax
Certificate t o respond to this RFP. However, the successful proposer will be required to acquire a Culver City Business tax certificate during the contracting process and maintain an active certificate throughout the contracted period.
J. Standard City Professional Services Agreement
The city will require the successful company to execute a professional services agreement with the city. Please review the attached draft agreement and identify any questions, changes, or areas of concern in your proposal to the city. Any/all requests for changes to the agreement must be included with the responsive proposal. A company’s failure to respond with proposed changes to the draft agreement indicates their concurrence with its terms and conditions.
VI. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS
Proposals will be judged on the Proposer’s ability to provide services that meet the requirements set forth in this document. The City reserves the right to make such investigations as it deems necessary to determine the ability of the Proposer to provide services meeting a satisfactory level of performance in accordance with the City’s requirements. Interviews and presentations by one, several, or all of the Proposers may be requested by evaluators if deemed necessary to fully understand and compare the Proposer’s capabilities and qualifications. The adequacy, depth, and clarity of the proposal will influence, to a considerable degree, its evaluation.
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria, in no order:
CRITERIA Max Points
Understanding of the project/scope of work and completeness 25
Qualifications of proposed project team
25 Relevant Projects
10 Firm’s qualifications and experience with similar projects 10 Project Schedule
10 Cost and Cost Effectiveness 20
Maximum Total Score
100
As reflected above, contract award will not be based solely on price, but on a combination of factors as determined to be in the best interest of the City. After evaluating the proposals and discussing them further with the finalists or the tentatively selected vendor , the City reserves the right to further negotiate the proposed work and/or method and amount of compensation.
SUPPLEMENTAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND LEGAL STATEMENTS
SUPPLEMENTAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
I. Submission of a proposal shall be deemed a binding offer to enter into a contract with the City. Any proposed modifications to the agreement shall be signed by the successful Proposer and returned, together with the certificate of insurance required pursuant to said Section of the Agreement withi n ten (10) days after the Notice of Award.
II. All Proposers shall be presumed to understand all of the terms, conditions and requirements of the agreement as stated in the specifications and to be thoroughly familiar with the project.
III. The selected Proposer shall be required to obtain all applicable Culver City permits and business tax certificate. The Business Support Center (HdL) may be reached at (310) 594-7847. The cost of these items shall be included in the total proposal price.
IV. Any proposal may be withdrawn prior to the RFP opening time provided that the request is in writing and signed by the authorized representative. The withdrawal of a proposal shall not prejudice the right of the Proposer to file a new proposal to the time and date set for the opening of proposals. No proposal received after the time fixed for the RFP opening will be considered.
V. Subsequent to the RFP opening, a Proposer shall be relieved of a proposal due to mistakes only if the Proposer can establish to the satisfaction of the City that all of the following circumstances exist:
a. A mistake was made.
b. The Proposer gave the City written notice within five (5) days after the opening of the proposals of the mistake; specifying in the notice, in detail, how the mistake occurred.
c. The mistake made the proposal materially different than the Proposer intended it to be.
d. The mistake was made filling out the proposal and not due to error in judgment or to carelessness in reviewing the scope of service or specifications as stated in the RFP.
VI. The City reserves the right to seek supplemental information from any proposer at any time between the dates of proposal submission and the RFP award. Such information will be limited to clarification or amplification of questions asked in the original proposal. Any proposer may be subject to personal interview and inspection of their business premises prior to award.
VII. The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive informalities and minor irregularities in proposals received and to accept any portion of proposal or all items of proposal if deemed in the best interest of the City. In addition, the City reserves the right to do any, or all, of the following:
a. Reject any or all proposals or make no award.
b. Issue subsequent RFP.
c. Cancel the RFP.
d. Remedy technical errors in the request for proposals. e. Modify any requirements contained within the RFP and request revised submittals from Proposers determined to be within the competitive range. f. Award a contract to one or more Proposers.
g. Accept the written proposal as an offer, without negotiation and issue a notice to proceed, if applicable.
VIII. The City reserves the right to contract with any of the organizations responding to this RFP based solely upon its judgment of the qualifications and capabilities of that organization.
IX. All materials submitted regarding this RFP become the property of the City.
Responses may be reviewed by any person at RFP opening time and thereafter.
The City has the right to use any or all information presented i n reply to this request, subject to the limitations outlined in Proprietary Information below.
Disqualification of a proposer does not eliminate this right. a. Proprietary Information – Any restrictions on the use of data contained within a proposal must be clearly stated in the proposal itself. Proprietary information submitted in response to this RFP will be handled in accordance with applicable City Procurement Regulations and the California Public Records Act.
X. The City is not liable for any cost incurred by proposer prior to issuance of an agreement, contract, or purchase order.
LEGAL STATEMENTS
All proposers must meet the following contractual and legal requirements in order to enter into a contractual agreement with the City:
I. PROHIBITED INTERESTS
a. Contractor warrants that it has not employed or retained any company or person, other than a bonafide employee working solely for Contractor, to solicit or secure this contract and that it has not paid or agreed to pay any company or person, other than a bonafide employee working solely for Contractor, any fee, percentage, brokerage fee, gifts or any other consideration, contingent upon or resulting from the award or making of this contract. For violation of this warranty, the City shall have the right to annul this contract without liability.
b. Contractor agrees that, for the term of this Contract no member, officer, or employee of the City, or of a local public body during his/her employment for one (1) year thereafter, shall have any interest, direct or indirect, in this contract, or to any benefit arising thereof.
c. The employment by Contractor of personnel on the City’s payroll will not be permitted in the execution of this contract, even though such employment may be outside of the employee's regular work ing hours or on Saturdays, holidays, or vacation time; further, the employment by the Contractor of personnel who have been on the City’s payroll within one (1) year prior to the date of contract award, where such employment is caused by and/or dependent upon Contractor securing this or related contract with the City, is also prohibited.
II. ANTI-LOBBYING PROVISION
a. During the period between proposal submission date and the contract award, proposers, including their agents and representatives, shall not directly discuss or promote their proposal with any member of the City of Culver City City Council or City staff except in the course of City-Sponsored inquiries, briefings, interviews, or presentations, unless requested by the City.
b. This provision is not meant to preclude offerors from discussing other matters with City Council members or City staff. This policy is intended to create a level playing field for all potential offerors, assure that contract decisions are made in public, and to protect the integrity of the RFP / Bid Evaluation process. Violation of this provision may result in rejection of the offeror’s proposal.
III. NON-DISCRIMINATION PROVISION: The City of Culver City encourages the participation of Small Business Enterprises (SBEs) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) in its procurement and contracting activities. The City reaffirms its commitment to award its contracts and purchase or ders in a non- discriminatory manner regardless of the individual’s or entity’s ancestry, age, color, physical and/or mental disability, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, familial status, marital status, medical condition, military an d/or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sex/gender, or sexual orientation.
IV. PROTECTION OF RESIDENT WORKERS: Protection of Resident Workers: The City of Culver City actively supports the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) which includes provisions addressing employment eligibility, employment verification, and nondiscrimination. Under the INA, employers may hire only persons who may legally work in the United States (i.e., citizens and nationals of the U.S.) and aliens authorized to work in the U.S. The employer must verify the identity and employment eligibility of anyone to be hired, which includes completing the Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I -9). The Contractor shall establish appropriate procedures and controls so no services or products under the Contract Documents will be performed or manufactured by any worker who is not legally eligible to perform such services or employment.
Sample Federal Suspension and Debarment Cert.
RFP Attachment 1
Federal Suspension and Debarment Certification
Proposer/Business: ___________________________________________________ Business Address: ___________________________________________________ City / State / Zip: ___________________________________________________ Federal Tax ID Number (TIN): ________________________________________ City of Culver City RFP Number: ________________________________________
Certification
The undersigned hereby certifies, under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California, that:
1. Neither the Proposer nor any of its principals (as defined in 2 C.F.R. § 180.995) is presently:
o Debarred
o Suspended
o Proposed for debarment
o Declared ineligible
o Voluntarily excluded from participation in transactions by any federal department or agency
2. This certification applies to the Proposer and, if applicable, any proposed subcontractors that will participate in the performance of the contract.
3. The Proposer understands that the City may independently verify eligibility through the federal System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov prior to
contract award.
4. The Proposer agrees to immediately notify the City in writing if, at any time during the solicitation process or contract term, the Proposer or any of its principals becomes suspended, debarred, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in federal programs.
5. The Proposer acknowledges that submission of a false certification, or failure to provide timely notice of a change in eligibility status, may result in:
o Disqualification of the proposal;
o Termination of the contract, if awarded; and/or
o Other remedies available to the City of Culver City under applicable law.
Authorized Representative Name (Printed): _______________________________ Title: _______________________________________________________________ Signature: ___________________________________________________________ Date: _______________________________________________________________