Title
Resolution to Approve a Professional Services Agreement with Live Zero Waste Inc in the Amount of $90,231.60 to Support the City’s A2ZERO Swap Program ($90,231.60)
Memorandum
In July 2025, the City of Ann Arbor released a Request for Proposals (RFP # 25-35) titled Clothing Swap and Sustainable Textile Engagement with the purpose of finding a vendor to coordinate and grow the City’s A2ZERO Swap Program. The goal of this program is to support a local circular economy in alignment with the City’s A2ZERO Carbon Neutrality Plan, while simultaneously creating community gathering spaces and providing free necessary resources for residents.
Live Zero Waste Inc’s proposal includes a detailed description of how they plan to help advance the City’s swap program, including via undertaking the following main tasks:
• Task One: Manage swap event logistics and labor deliverables for 18-24 swap events per year including one regular swap per month, one larger swap festival, five Ward Party Swaps during A2ZERO Week, and up to six smaller, pop-up swaps.
• Task Two: Organize and prepare educational programming for circular fashion, sustainable textiles, and reuse practices.
• Task Three: Coordinate skill building workshops at monthly swap events.
• Task Four: Complete outreach and marketing tasks for each event.
• Task Five: Measure impact and quantify key climate benefits of swaps.
• Task Six: Allow space for flexible program support.
• Task Seven: Facilitate bi-weekly check-ins with OSI.
In July 2023, City Council approved a $150,000 contract with ZeroWaste.org (who later changed their organizational name to Live Zero Waste Inc), with one of the main work streams of the contract being facilitating Neighborhood Swap Days throughout the community. This contract expired in August 2025 and OSI elected not to renew the contract for the optional year three renewal due to the program growing and changing significantly within the first years, requiring a new and updated scope of work and associated contract.
In August 2023, the City’s first centralized Neighborhood Swap Day was held. The event was attended by 91 people and reused over 1500 items. In December 2023, the second Neighborhood Swap Day was hosted and attended by approximately 250 people, and over 2800 items were redistributed. In April 2024, the third centralized Neighborhood Swap Day was hosted with 200 people attending and over 2400 items reused. In June 2024, the fourth event was held at Pioneer High School, attended by over 500 people, and leading to the reuse of over 5200 items. The fifth swap took place in December 2024 at Peace Neighborhood Center where around 250 people attended, and 3412 items were reused.
In 2025, the program shifted direction to allow for more consistent programming, with the goal of making circular economy activities more accessible and reliable for Ann Arbor residents. The program was scaled down to focus on textiles and was rebranded as A2ZERO Swaps. This shift allowed for more frequent events paired with specific education and impact measurement. As of September 2025, the City has hosted 11 clothing swaps throughout the City with over 1,200 high-quality items reused.
By the deadline for proposals for RFP # 25-35 (August 2025), a total of two firms submitted proposals for consideration. Upon review by an internal steering committee, both firms had their fee proposals opened and were selected for interviews. Upon consideration of the qualifications, skills, previous experience, and fee proposals, the steering committee recommended moving forward with Live Zero Waste Inc with minor edits to their original workplan, which Live Zero Waste Inc accepted.
Live Zero Waste Inc is compliant with the City’s living wage and non-discrimination ordinances and is prepared to immediately begin work on the City’s A2ZERO Swap Program. As such, staff in the Office of Sustainability and Innovations recommend approval of a Professional Services Agreement with Live Zero Waste Inc to coordinate and grow the City’s A2ZERO Swap Program.
Budget/Fiscal Impact: The Office of Sustainability and Innovations built funds into its FY26 and FY27 budgets for work under this contract to advance the A2ZERO Swap Program. As such, funds are available in OSI’s existing FY26 budget to cover these expenses.
Staff
Prepared by: Missy Stults, Sustainability and Innovations Director
Reviewed by: Valerie Jackson, Assistant City Attorney - Sustainability
Reviewed by: Kim Hoenerhoff, Financial Analyst
Reviewed by: Milton Dohoney Jr., City Administrator
Body
Whereas, Through the A2ZERO Carbon Neutrality Plan, the City has set an aggressive goal of achieving community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030;
Whereas, One of the key strategies of the A2ZERO Plan is to move toward a circular economy;
Whereas, In July 2025, the Office of Sustainability and Innovations released a Request for Proposals (RFP # 25-35) titled Clothing Swap and Sustainable Textile Engagement seeking a vendor to provide event logistics and labor for 18 to 24 swap events per year alongside the Office of Sustainability and Innovations;
Whereas, Upon review by a committee of City staff, Live Zero Waste Inc was identified as the most qualified, experienced, and vision-aligned vendor to lead the City’s A2ZERO Swap Program; and
Whereas, Live Zero Waste Inc is compliant with the City’s living wage and non-discrimination ordinances;
RESOLVED, That City Council approve a Professional Services Agreement with Live Zero Waste Inc in the amount of $90,231.60 to support the City’s A2ZERO Swap Program;
RESOLVED, That City Council authorize a 10% contingency in the amount of $9,023 to be used at the discretion of the City Administrator;
RESOLVED, That funding for this Professional Services Agreement come from the Office of Sustainability and Innovations FY26 budget, and that any remaining funding in the FY26 expenditure budget related to the Professional Services Agreement with Live Zero Waste Inc be carried over without regard to fiscal year;
RESOLVED, That the Mayor and City Clerk are authorized to sign the Professional Services 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 is authorized to take all appropriate actions to implement this resolution.