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Zero Waste Advisory Commission Richard McHale Director Austin Resource Recovery To: From: Date: Subject: February 7, 2024 Director’s Monthly Report to the Zero Waste Advisory Commission Multifamily Composting ARR hosted a February 6 webinar for Austin Apartment Association property manager members. ARR will offer additional webinar opportunities to educate property managers across the city about the new multifamily composting rules. Brownie Drive ARR sent three educational mailers addressing compost and recycling contamination and has one more planned. ARR has provided these materials in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. ARR also promoted/participated in an Austin Code-led cleanup in the area on January 20. We will continue to monitor proper recycling and composting in the neighborhood, and we will address any ongoing issues as needed. Recognition • Assistant Director Gena McKinley was selected to serve on the Board of Directors for the National Recycling Coalition, a non-profit organization that is focused on the promotion and enhancement of recycling in the United States. • Assistant Director Ron Romero was selected to serve on the Board of Directors for the Texas Public Work Association, a non-profit organization that is focused on local government public work and solid waste activities. • Director Richard McHale was given the 2023 Phil Parmer Volunteer Service Award from the Capital Area Planning Council of Governments in appreciation for leadership and dedication to regional environmental and solid waste planning. Historic Preservation Plan The Planning Department will be providing a briefing regarding the Equity-Based Preservation Plan. This presentation is scheduled for the April 2024 ZWAC meeting. This is of interest as topic deferred in the November 2023 meeting. Compensation Update With the Director’s approval, ARR HR worked with HRD Compensation and received approval on a few priorities to help combat hard-to-fill positions. I. Shift Differential Expansion Approval For employees who work the overnight shift in Litter Abatement, ARR was approved to pay the shift differential for the entire shift instead of partially paying the shift differential because the shift crosses over to the morning.  II. Employee Referral Incentive To encourage employee referrals and attract qualified candidates, ARR created an employee Referral Incentive. Eligible employees who successfully refer candidates meeting the specified criteria will have the option to choose between two attractive incentives: One-time Lump Sum Payment: Amount: $300.00 per referred employee Administrative Leave (ADL): 12 hours of Administrative Leave per referred employee III. Employee Retention Incentive The retention incentive began on 5/12/2022 as per the following: Up to $3,000 Retention Incentive based on continuous employment in one of the approved titles: (Current approved Operations titles: ARR Operator Associate, ARR Operator Trainee, ARR Operator, ARR Operator Senior, and ARR Crew Leader) • $500 – First payout after 6 months • $500 – Second payout at 12 months • $1000 - Third payout at 2-years • $1000 – Fourth payout at 3-years IV. Pay Parity Adjustments Due to Living Wage Increase With the FY24 living wage adjustment to $20.80, it was identified that some employees (14) in the ARR Operator Family of jobs had salaries that would fall below the compensation offered to new hires. HRD approved compensation adjustments for the affected ARR Operators. Austin Resource Recovery EPA Grant City of Austin staff met with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff in late January to discuss the grant award for the Austin Reuse Warehouse. The EPA anticipates having the Cooperative Agreement/Terms and Conditions ready for City execution in March 2024. In anticipation of this City staff will present a Request for Council Action (RCA) to City Council on February 29. This will formally amend the department budget to accommodate the grant award. City staff is in the early stages of scheduling a grant “big check” press conference, with the EPA, at City Hall on March 27 to formally announce the grant to the public.  ARR Solicitation Updates As of January 26, 2024 ZWAC Meeting February 7, 2024 ❖ Preparing for Council: • Supplemental Brush and Bulk Collection Services (IFB): This contract is for supplemental brush and bulk debris removal, hauling, and disposal at designated debris management sites throughout ARR service area. New contract. • Refuse, Recycling, and Organic Carts (CO-OP): The Contractor shall deliver residential refuse, recycling, and organic carts with lid graphics and radio-frequency identification tags. These carts are crucial for the collection of residential garbage, recycling, and organic waste. Link to the current contract. • Zero Waste Youth Education Program (RFP): This contract provides outreach and zero waste education services for students from kindergarten through the 12th grade. Link to the current contract. ❖ Published: • Rigid Plastics Recycling Services: This contract is for the pickup, handling, transporting, recycling, processing, reusing, or reselling, and disposal of Plastics collected by ARR from citizens residing in Austin and Travis County. Link to the current contract. ❖ Expected to be Published Within 90 days: • Compost Processing Services: This contract shall provide all skills, manpower, equipment, supplies, vehicles, transportation, utility services, and all resources necessary to successfully accept, screen, sort, and process, as well as to successfully market, sell, analyze, and report on, the amount of Compost Materials delivered to the Contractor by the City. Link to the current contract. • Latex Paint Recycling: Contractor shall recycle Latex Paint to increase the City’s rate of diversion and shall create marketable product that can be sold to offset the cost of creating that product. Link to the current contract. ❖ Expected to be Published Within 90 days: Continued • Curbside Textiles Collection Program: The Contractor shall provide everything necessary to successfully collect, grade, sort, and bale soft textile recyclables (“Textiles”) and shall sell the Textiles collected through the Program to secondary markets for repurposing, resale, and/or reuse. The Contractor may also collect, grade, and sort other recoverable materials (“Recoverable Materials”), excluding electronics and automobiles, that are not currently recycled through a curbside service by ARR (e.g., housewares, small appliances, books, or furniture) and shall sell Recoverable Materials collected through the Program to secondary markets for repurposing, resale, and/or reuse. Link to the current contract. • Daily Drop-off of Unacceptable Bulk Waste Materials Collected through Dumpster or Roll-off Service: This contract will fill a Materials coverage gap in the City’s current landfill contract where material collected via dumpsters or roll-off services are not accepted. This contract will not include Class I Industrial Waste. New contract. Definitions: CCO (Capital Contracting Office): Administers the procurement of professional and construction services. CO-OP (Cooperative Contract): A contract that has been competitively bid and issued by another government or purchasing alliance with the intention of sharing it with other governmental entities. ILA (Interlocal Agreement): A collaborative contract between local government entities (for example, ARR and a county, state, or school district) to provide more efficient and less costly services, where any payments are made from current revenues. IFB (Invitation for Bid): Formal bidding documents inviting suppliers to submit pricing for goods or services. RFI (Request for Information): Used to obtain industry input, feedback, or reactions from potential suppliers prior to issuing a solicitation. RFQ (Request for Quotation): Informal request to suppliers to provide quotes on specific goods or services. RFQS (Request for Qualifications): Formal solicitation used when qualifications are the main criteria for professional services. RFP (Request for Proposals): Formal request for a supplier to provide a solution and cost estimate to a complex need.