Title
Resolution to Approve a MRF Education Center Tour Contract with Ecology Center, Inc. ($43,788.00/year)
Memorandum
Attached is a resolution to approve a three-year contract with an option for one, two-year extension at the same rate, with Ecology Center, Inc., for operating the City's Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) Education Center tours and open houses at $43,788.00/year with a 3% increase/year. The first-year funding for this contract has been included in the solid waste enterprise fund (60%) and the water utilities fund (40%), both within the Public Services Area approved FY2014 operation and maintenance budget, with proportional increases from each of the funds planned for subsequent years. Continuation of the contract in the second through fifth years will depend on the availability of funding in the budgets for those years. The Ecology Center has also been contracted in a competitively-bid process by the City to provide educational programs in Ann Arbor schools since 1980.
The City has provided MRF tours and open houses for an average of 4,000 visitors/year since the facility opened in 1995. Visitor evaluations for the city's MRF educational offerings have been consistently high over the years. The tours allow the public to have a first-hand experience with how locally-collected recyclables are processed and what new products are remanufactured from the recovered materials. The MRF tours help support greater quantity and quality of recyclables that come into City-owned facility, which translates into cost-savings for the City by diverting materials from the landfill and directing recyclables to regional markets, wherein the City receives a share of the sales revenues. The MRF tour programs also provide information on composting, household toxics, waste reduction, water and energy conservation and other issues identified by the City. Contracting for the MRF tours will cover the coordination, advertizing, staffing, evaluations, reporting, and supplies for 130 tours and open houses/year and is part of the current reorganization of the Public Services Communications Liaison position.
RFP#865 was promoted to 22 area educational groups, members of the Michigan Recycling Coalition and was posted on BidNet. Three applications were received. A review committee was comprised of three city staff, Washtenaw County's Environmental Services Supervisor, and the AAPS Field Trip Coordinator, who brings 40 6th-grade "Urban Hydrology" classes/year to the MRF tours. The committee evaluated the three proposals and opened the price proposals for the two most qualified vendors. The Ecology Center, Inc. was the lowest bidder, $43,788.00/year. The second-place proposal was $70,800.00/year.
Ecology Center, Inc., received Living Wage approval on April 16, 2013, and Human Rights approval on August 21, 2012.
Staff
Prepared by: Nancy Stone, Public Services Communications Liaison
Reviewed by: Craig Hupy, Public Services Area Administrator
Approved by: Steven D. Powers, City Administrator
Body
Whereas, It is the City's responsibility to manage and reduce the solid waste stream in a cost-effective, service-oriented, and environmentally responsible manner and to promote water quality protection;
Whereas, To increase the volume of recyclables diverted from the waste stream and keep the recovered materials relatively free of contaminants, the City engages in cost-effective solid waste education measures to increase community understanding and compliance;
Whereas, The City is required by the MDNR to engage in source water protection educational efforts;
Whereas, To address the educational needs of the community with regards to recycling and waste reduction options, the City issued a Request for Proposals in May 2013, reviewed by a committee representing Ann Arbor school teachers, County staff and the City;
Whereas, The Ecology Center was the lowest responsible bidder;
Whereas, The proposal document specified the services to be provided for three years with the option of an additional two-year extension at the same rate and with the continuation of services in the second through fifth years being dependent on the availability of funding in the budgets for those years;
Whereas, Funds for youth environmental educational services have been budgeted in the solid waste enterprise fund (covering 60%) and the water utilities enterprise fund (covering 40%), both within the Public Services Area approved FY2014 operation and maintenance budget, with proportional increases from each of the funding sources to be proposed in subsequent budget years; and
Whereas, Living Wage approval for Ecology Center, Inc., was received on April 16, 2013, and Human Rights approval was received on August 21, 2012;
RESOLVED, That City Council approve a contract with Ecology Center, Inc., for five years for solid waste youth educational services as identified in RFP #865 in the amount of $43,788.00/year for the first year and with a 3% increase in the amount per year in each of years two through five with continuation of the contract in the second through fifth years to depend on the availability of funding in the budgets for those years; and
RESOLVED, That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized and directed to execute this renewal agreement after approval as to substance by the City Administrator and approval as to form by the City Attorney; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be authorized to take the necessary actions to implement this resolution.