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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Amendment No. 2 to the Professional Services Agreement with ReCreate Waste Collaborative, LLC for the City’s SB 1383 Edible Food Recovery Program
1. Motion authorizing City Manager, or his designee, to execute Amendment No. 2 to the Professional Services Agreement with ReCreate Waste Collaborative, LLC, extending the term of the agreement to June 30, 2029, increasing the total contract amount by $450,000 for a new total not-to-exceed amount of $599,415, and expanding the Scope of Work.
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Consent
Approved for August 25, 2026 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Public Works Integrated Waste Management Division is seeking authorization to extend the term of the agreement with ReCreate Waste Collaborative, LLC (Recreate) through June 30, 2029, increase the total contract amount by $450,000 for a new total not-to- exceed amount of $599,415, and expand the Scope of Work, to continue administering the city’s Edible Food Recovery Program. Since 2023, Recreate has supported the city’s compliance with SB 1383 which requires jurisdictions to reduce organic waste sent to landfills and increase the recovery of edible food for human consumption.
Through this partnership, more than 1.2 million pounds of edible food have been recovered that otherwise would have been disposed of in landfills.
ReCreate has developed an established network on local Tier 1 and Tier 2 commercial edible food generators and regional food recovery organizations that supports efficient collection, tracking, and reporting of edible food recovery activities in compliance with SB 1383. Their specialized approach has contributed to the city’s successful implementation of the program and has served as a model for similar programs in neighboring jurisdictions. This Program is fully funded under the Franchise Agreement’s Edible Food Recovery Program Fee.
RECOMMENDATION
That City Council authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute Amendment No. 2 to the Professional Services Agreement with ReCreate, extending the contract’s 25c
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term to June 30, 2029, increasing the contractual amount by $450,000 for a new total not- to-exceed amount of $599,415, and expanding the Scope of Work, to continue providing the city's SB 1383 compliant edible food recovery services.
ANALYSIS
On July 1, 2024, the City of Glendale entered into Professional Services Agreement with ReCREATE Waste Collaborative, LLC. The original agreement covered the period from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, and authorized ReCREATE to provide commercial edible food recovery services to support the State's organics diversion requirements established by Senate Bill 1383. Under the original agreement, the maximum cost was $149,415, and ReCREATE was to provide critical technical and operational support for Glendale’s Edible Food Recovery Program, including business outreach, inspections, and SB 1383 compliance coordination. Following satisfactory performance, on July 1, 2025, the parties entered into Amendment No. 1 to extend services from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027. Staff now seeks to extend the contract to June 30, 2029, and increase the contractual amount by $450,000 for a new contract total of $599,415, to continue providing the city's SB 1383 compliant edible food recovery services.
SB 1383 requires California jurisdictions to implement edible food recovery programs.
This includes identifying Tier 1 and Tier 2 commercial edible food generators (e.g., grocery stores, hotels, schools, and large restaurants) and ensuring they have written agreements with food recovery organizations. ReCreate has demonstrated a unique level of technical precision in managing Glendale’s edible food recovery program listed below. Their work is characterized by several specialized factors that differentiate them from other industry contractors.
Proven Track Record: Since 2023, ReCreate has facilitated the recovery of 1.2 million pounds of food within the City of Glendale. Their work directly addresses food insecurity by bridging the gap between local eateries and organizations including the Salvation Army, Ascencia homeless shelter and our local food banks and pantries (i.e., Glendale Community College, Catholic Charities, etc.).
Precise Capacity Planning: ReCreate utilizes a sophisticated “capacity-planning” methodology that has been developed in partnership with CalRecycle, integrating detailed inspections with on-site visual assessments. These site visits ensure local businesses possess the exact tools and resources necessary to implement successful edible food recovery operations. This rigorous verification process not only guarantees that the City achieves maximum accuracy in meeting CalRecycle reporting requirements, but more importantly, it ensures that surplus edible food is actively recovered and provided to those in need.
Technological Integration: ReCreate utilizes a subcontracted mobile application (Careit) to allow real-time posting of surplus food and coordinates food recovery logistics through another subcontracted resource, Food Cycle LA. This collaboration and seamless integration ensures rapid transportation of food; minimizing waste and 35c
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maximizing the volume of fresh food reaching those needing food. They possess regional recognition of expertise and manage similar programs for major neighboring municipalities, including Burbank, Torrance, Santa Clarita, Barstow, and Apple Valley.
Established Local Relationships: Through regular follow-ups and onsite inspections, staff has gathered valuable feedback, and trust has been established with both donors and recovery organizations. The program’s collaborative approach has successfully reduced barriers previously hindering participation by local businesses, exemplified by the 1.2 million pounds of diverted edible food to date and directly supported Glendale’s most vulnerable populations while meeting state diversion mandates.
Additionally, ReCreate has already identified even more opportunities to grow the city’s edible food recovery program, as businesses that are not required by law to participate, have solicited program participation. They have procured a specialized module in a mobile application specifically for Glendale, to establish a student-led food recovery network at Glendale Community College. This pilot program empowers students facing food insecurity by onboarding themselves as vetted drivers, enabling them to receive and transport donations directly. This new pilot program is anticipated to be a great success as it aligns with the academic lifestyle; students who remain on campus for late-night study sessions or evening classes can facilitate food pickups exactly when local restaurants are closing. This strategic timing ensures that high-quality surplus food is recovered and utilized immediately, preventing it from going to waste overnight.
Extending the current contract allows ReCreate a seamless continuation of core operations to maintain the program’s momentum and solidify the long-term success of the Edible Food Recovery Program without a lapse in service. Furthermore, this continuity allows the immediate launch of impactful new pilot initiatives, including the Tier 3 inspections of voluntary, smaller food-generating business not mandated under SB 1383, as well as deployment of the FreshCue student focused platform(s). Beyond providing the foundational framework for this program, their specialized understanding of Glendale’s distinct waste streams and their proprietary coordination with regional transportation partners make them uniquely qualified to continue this work.
Through proposed Amendment No. 2, staff is requesting authorization to expand ReCreate’s Scope of Work and adjust compensation to accommodate these expanded program operations. Specifically, this amendment will enable ReCreate to launch the voluntary Tier 3 business inspections and deploy the Glendale Community College student food recovery pilot while maintaining continuous SB 1383 compliance support.
Approving Amendment No. 2 ensures seamless service continuity and allows Glendale to capitalize on these proven, innovative recovery initiatives without operational disruption.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
Stakeholders currently include 71 local business owners (comprised of restaurants and grocery stores), 7 established Food Recovery Organizations: Armenian Relief Society, Ascencia, First Baptist Church, Glendale Community College, International Families 45c
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Association, Loaves and Fishes, and the Salvation Army, the City of Glendale and its residents that directly benefit from food redistribution services.
Collaborative outreach methods include an implemented multi-faceted outreach strategy:
Direct Business Engagement: outreach targeted to Tier 1 and Tier 2 food generators via emails, phone calls, and mandatory yearly site visits.
Education and Technical Assistance: comprehensive SB 1383 training and educational materials, prioritizing compliance support over enforcement, as well as technical assistance regarding food safety, storage, labeling, and transportation logistics.
Digital Integration: Careit application facilitates real-time connections between available food donations and vetted drivers or recovery organizations.
Strategic Partnerships: Coordinates with FoodCycle LA to build sustainable partnerships and pickup schedules between businesses and local non-profits.
Public Awareness: Highlighting success stories and program metrics through multilingual educational materials, flyers, and signage, as well as engaging the community through social media content.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Edible Food Recovery Program will cost $150,000 annually for a total of $450,000 over three years. The contract’s annual amount was approved as a part of the FY 2026- 27 budget. In addition, the costs of this Edible Food Recovery Program is fully reimbursable under the city’s Franchise Agreements (Section 10.5). The City Council approved funding is outlined below:
Existing Appropriation
Amount Account String Funding Source
$150,000 43110-5300-PWD-7523-P0000 Refuse Disposal Fund Department Cost Center Program
Public Works Recycling Waste Reduction
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
This project is Categorically Exempt under the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as a Class 1 Exemption pursuant to the California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 15301.
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
The names and business addresses of the members of the board of directors, the chairperson, CEO, COO, CFO, Subcontractors and any person or entity with more than 55c
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10% interest in the company proposed for contract in this Agenda Item Report are attached in Exhibit 1, in accordance with the City Campaign Finance Ordinance No. 5744.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Do not authorize City Manager, or his designee, to execute Amendment No. 2 to the Professional Services Agreement with ReCreate, and direct staff to solicit proposals through a request for proposals process. Initiating a new procurement process would temporarily disrupt the city's Edible Food Recovery Program, disrupt established partnerships, and require a new consultant to rebuild the existing program.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Daniel Hernandez, Director of Public Works
Prepared by:
Etienne Ozorak, Integrated Waste Superintendent
Hourik Hayrapetian, Sr. Administrative Analyst
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
Exhibit 1. Disclosure - Campaign Finance Ordinance