Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: APRIL 14, 2026
TO: CITY COUNCIL
SUBMITTED BY: STEPHEN BISE, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
PREPARED BY: JEROME JOAQUIN, ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER
MICHELLE DURON, SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING SPECIALIST
SUBJECT: SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT SERVICES REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL EVALUATION
SUMMARY
Staff requests City Council direction for the next phase of the Solid Waste Management Services Request for Proposal process and enable staff to proceed with finalizing service agreement terms and preparing for contract award.
PROPOSED MOTION
Direct staff to coordinate exclusively with the top-ranked firm and, if deliberations do not progress, staff may initiate coordination with the next highest-ranked firm and present a recommended agreement for consideration at a future City Council meeting.
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
Direct staff to coordinate with the top three-ranked firms and present a competitive side-by-side term comparison at a future City Council meeting.
Other options brought by City Council.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Proposed Motion.
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
None.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statements:
Fiscal and Organizational Stability
Infrastructure and City Assets.
FISCAL IMPACT
Customer service rates in the Refuse Fund (Fund 46) incorporate the Solid Waste Management Services contract cost structure. Staff will present final fiscal implications for the City General Fund and customer service rates with the contract award.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
City Council appointed Mayor Jung and Council Member Valencia to an Ad Hoc Committee on May 20, 2025 to assist with the Solid Waste and Recycling Services Request for Proposals (RFP) review and evaluation. The Committee provided input and staff guidance throughout the process.
City Council approved releasing a Solid Waste Management Services RFP on September 16, 2025 to secure long-term, high-quality solid waste collection, recycling and organics management services.
The City electronically posted RFP #2526-03 Solid Waste Management Services in OpenGov, the City’s e-Procurement solicitation platform on September 17, 2025. The RFP included a comprehensive scope of services, RFP requirements and timeline (Attachment 3). The City held a mandatory pre-proposal conference on October 1, 2025 to provide project details and clarifying requirements to proposers. The question and answer period closed October 15, 2025, with final written responses issued on October 17, 2025 to ensure transparency and equal access to information. The City received nine proposals by the November 17, 2025 deadline.
Five staff members from relevant departments sat on an Evaluation Committee to review all submissions. The City invited all nine firms to the interview phase held January 22 and 23, 2026 to discuss firm qualifications with the Evaluation Committee and how they align with City priorities. The Committee finalized evaluation scores on January 29, 2026, enabling staff to prepare findings for the Ad Hoc Committee and receive guidance on next steps. Staff made RFP Packets available for independent Council Member review starting February 9, 2026 through contract award.
Evaluation Criteria and Scoring
The Evaluation Committee performed an extensive scoring analysis for each proposal. Scoring criteria prioritized overall proposal quality and completeness, assessing firm operational capabilities, regulatory compliance expertise, team qualifications and relevant experience. Reviewers considered financial stability, service reliability, available resources, proposed rates, commitment to community benefits, local support and performance during the oral interviews. The Committee combined scores across 15 evaluation categories, resulting in the following final ranking:
EDCO Disposal
CR&R Environmental Services
Universal Waste Systems
NASA Services
Athens Services
Valley Vista Services
GreenWaste Recovery
Ware Disposal
Republic Services.
The Evaluation Committee identified the following top three-ranked firms as the most responsive and qualified, based on the scoring and analysis:
EDCO
CR&R Environmental Services
Universal Waste Systems
These firms demonstrated strong operational expertise, competitive rate structures, comprehensive compliance frameworks, diverse range of value‑added services and significant infrastructure capabilities.
Ad Hoc Committee Evaluation and Recommendation
Staff presented a RFP proceedings summary to the Ad Hoc Committee on February 2, 2026, including a review of the top-ranked firms. The Ad Hoc Committee requested a follow-up meeting to examine scoring, proposals and supplemental materials.
The Ad Hoc Committee met again on February 24, 2026 and supported considering the top three firms and recommended also considering the following three firms at the upcoming study session:
Republic Services
Athens Services
Valley Vista Services.
The Committee expanded the number of firms for to consider the range of options available to City Council when selecting a firm, with particular emphasis on pricing structures, infrastructure, organizational integrity and service reliability. The Committee also directed the study session exclude presentations from the proposing firms, allowing City Council members to further explore the proposal details through a dedicated question and answer format.
Revised RFP Timeline Schedule
Staff adjusted the RFP timeline to better match the deliberation process and anticipated City Council direction. Staff advanced key milestones, including the City Council Study Session and final recommendation meeting, to later dates to allow City Council sufficient time to review internal documents, public engagement and remaining compliant with the State’s Corrective Action Plan (CAP) deadline. *Italicized sections indicate revised activities and dates Activity
Milestone Date
RFP Posted - Electronic Delivery
September 17, 2025
Mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference
October 1, 2025
Last Day to Submit RFP Questions
October 15, 2025
Last Written Response to Proposer Questions
October 17, 2025
Deadline For Submittal of Proposals
November 17, 2025
Complete Proposal Evaluation
January 15, 2026
Interview Selected Proposers
January 19 through 23, 2026
Review Committee Presents Findings to Ad Hoc Committee
February 2, 2026
Prepare RFP Report Packet for Council Review
Week of February 2, 2026
RFP Report Packet Available for Council Review
February 9, 2026 – Contract Award
Follow-Up Evaluation with Ad Hoc Committee
February 24, 2026
Present Evaluation at Council Study Session
April 14, 2026
Present Final Recommendation to Council
TBD
Finalize Agreement with Recommended Firm
TBD
Finalize Equipment Purchase and Roll-Out Plan
TBD
Selected Firm Orders Equipment
July 1, 2026
Roll Out of Commercial Program
July 1, 2027
Roll Out of Residential Program
July 1, 2027
*Bolded sections indicate firm timeline requirements for the City to meet the CAP deadline Deliberation Priorities
Staff needs City Council direction at this stage to authorize developing detailed scopes of work, rate structures and service level deliberation to finalize contract terms. Timely action is necessary to maintain progress toward awarding and transitioning contracts in accordance with the state-mandated CAP timeline.
City Council should consider the following priorities:
reasonable pricing structure relative to services provided service quality and reliability
compliance and regulatory alignment
local economic impacts
new contract transition timeline for all proposed firms (i.e., customer data evaluation, equipment purchases, SB 1383 Collection Service Rollout Plan, customer service level assessment, SB 1383 Education and Outreach Campaign) community engagement
innovation, infrastructure and sustainability
workforce reliability, minimizing risk of labor stoppages.
The procurement process would secure regulatory compliance, operational reliability, cost-effective service delivery and align with City sustainability goals.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – PowerPoint Presentation
Attachment 2 – RFP #2526-03 Solid Waste Management Services Attachment 3 – Solid Waste Management Services RFP Vendor Scores Attachment 4 – Solid Waste Management Services RFP Summary Attachment 5 – Athens Services Proposal
Attachment 6 – CR&R Environmental Services Proposal
Attachment 7 – EDCO Disposal Proposal
Attachment 8 – Greenwaste Recovery Proposal
Attachment 9 – NASA Services Proposal
Attachment 10 – Republic Services Proposal
Attachment 11 – Universal Waste Systems Proposal
Attachment 12 – Valley Vista Services Proposal
Attachment 13 – Ware Disposal Proposal
cc: City Manager Eddie Manfro
Solid Waste Request for Proposal Evaluation
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