Title
Resolution to Approve a Contract with Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Inc. to Develop a Biodigester Feasibility Study ($65,990.00)
Memorandum
Attached for review and consideration is a resolution approving a contract with Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Inc. to Develop a Biodigester Feasibility Study in the amount of $59,990.00 and a contingency amount of $6,000.00 for this work.
The City of Ann Arbor is seeking optimal ways to manage organics in the waste stream, as described in multiple goals of the City's Solid Waste Plan. In addition, the City's Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) generates significant volumes of biosolids that are either land-applied as fertilizer on farmland for non-human food crops, or landfilled based on the season. Many cities have explored the economic feasibility of biodigesters to manage community organic materials and to generate renewable energy to offset the system costs. This project is included in the City's Capital Improvements Plan (Project No. MF-SW-16-01) and is ranked as the second highest priority in the Solid Waste Asset Category.
As part of undertaking this type of examination, the City issued RFP #949 seeking qualified consultants to evaluate the feasibility of a biodigester to manage WWTP biosolids, Ann Arbor commercial and institutional organics, and explore the potential benefits of accepting material from a broader region surrounding the City. This project will also explore the potential market for biodigested materials to be composted.
A Request for Proposal (RFP) 889 was issued in March of 2014 to conduct a Feasibility Study on the use of biodigesters to process food waste from the City. This RFP was a $20,000.00 project to research options to collect and process all food waste produced within the city. The final report in June 2014 provided a high level estimate of food waste available from across the city including restaurants, the University, and fats, oils and greases. A basic cost model was d...
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