resource recovery plant implementation
               guides for
           municipal officials
            planning and overview
             technologies  risks
           and contracts markets
             accounting format
           financing
             further assistance

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                          ft. j.
     This publication is part of a special series of reports prepared
by the U.S.  Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Solid Waste
Management Programs.  These reports are designed to assist municipal
officials in the planning and implementation of processing plants to
recover resources from mixed municipal solid waste.  Alan Shilepsky
is responsible for overall project direction.

     The title of this series is Resource Recovery Plant Implementation:
Guides for Municipal Officials.   The parts of the series are as follows:

     1.  Planning and Overview (SW-157.1)
     2.  Technologies (SW-157.2)
     3.  Markets (SW-157.3)
     4.  Financing (SW-157.4)
     5.  Procurement (SW-157.5)
     6.  Accounting Format (SW-157.6)
     7.  Risks and Contracts (SW-157.7)
     8.  Further Assistance (SW-157.8)

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     This environmental  protection publication (SW-157.5) in the solid
waste management series  was prepared for the U.S.  Environmental  Protection
Agency by The Mitre Corporation, Bedford, Massachusetts, under Contract
No. 68-01-2647 for which Alan Shilepsky served as  EPA's Project Officer.
Technical content of this report was approved by the Resource Recovery
Division, Office of Solid Waste Management Programs.  Mention of commercial
products or services does not constitute endorsement of the U.S. Government.

     Single copies of this publication are available from Solid Waste
Information, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio  45268.

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                          TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION I    PROCUREMENT OF RESOURCE RECOVERY SYSTEMS -
             AN OVERVIEW

             OTHER IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES
             DECIDING HOW TO PACKAGE THE PROCUREMENT
               Conventional Approach
               Turnkey Approach
               Full  Service Approach
             DECIDING HOW TO CONDUCT PROCUREMENT
               Formal Advertising
               Competitive Negotiation

SECTION II   MANAGING THE RESOURCE RECOVERY SYSTEM
             PROCUREMENT PROCESS

             PRELIMINARY ACTIVITIES
             BIDDER SOLICITATION
               Prequalification Request
               Qualification Evaluation
                  Preparation for Qualification Evaluation
                  Evaluation of Qualifications
               The RFP
                  Bidders' Briefing
                  RFP Amendments
                  Proposal Due Date
             PROPOSAL EVALUATION
               Preparing for Proposal  Evaluation
                  Evaluation Forms
                  Evaluation Staff
                  Evaluation Team Training
                  Evaluation Calendar
                  Administrative Details
               Proposal  Evaluation Phase
                  Log-in Procedure
                  Proposal Handling
                  Preliminary Screening
                  Detailed Evaluation
                  Rating Scheme
                  Site Visits
               Evaluation Summary
 2
 4
 4
 5
 5
 5
 6
 7
 9
11
11
11
12
12
16
16
17
17
17
17
17
18
18
25
25
25
25
26
26
27
27
28
28

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                    TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued)
SECTION II   (CONCLUDED)

                  Review Committee Analyses                      30
                  In-house Presentation of Results               30
                  Notification of Bidders                        30
                  Public Notice                                  31
               Competitive Negotiation                           31
                  Sponsor Preparation                            31
                  Competitive Negotiation Procedure              32
                  Contractor Selection                           32
               Contract Negotiation                              33

SECTION III  PREPARING THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR
             RESOURCE RECOVERY SYSTEMS                           34

             CONTENTS OF THE RFP                                 34
             INTRODUCTORY MATERIALS                              36
               General Program Description                       35
                  Solicitation Purpose                           37
                  Project Goals and Objectives                   37
                  Summary of Specific Project Features           33
                  Program History and Sponsor's Legal
                  Authority                                      33
                  Proposal Schedule                              39
               System Description and Performance
               Requirements                                      39
                  Technical Performance Requirements             39
                  Management Performance Specifications          45
                  Economics and Financing                        43
                  Environmental and Aesthetic Specifications     50
                  Contractual Considerations                     51
               Proposal Requirements (Formal Instructions to
               Bidders)                                          53
                  General Requirements                           53
                  Detailed Proposal Requirements                 54
               Evaluation Process                                62
                  Methodology/Approach                           62
                  Evaluation Team                                62
                  Evaluation Techniques                          54
                  Evaluation Criteria                            64
               Appendices                                        66

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 SECTION I:   PROCUREMENT OF RESOURCE RECOVERY SYSTEMS - AN OVERVIEW
     State and local  governments have recently experienced difficul-
ties in acquiring from contractors  the equipment, facilities,  or
services needed to fully implement  resource recovery systems.   These
procurement difficulties have been  created by a number of character-
istics, unique to resource recovery,  which make the procurement pro-
cess more complex than that of traditional  public works projects:

     •   Technological complexity --  many of the technologies
         have not yet been proven in  operational use.

     •   Political sensitivity -- the costly and highly visi-
         ble solid waste management function involves  intense
         political and public participation.

     •   Financial self-sufficiency -- a resource recovery
         project should be a business operation which  finan-
         cially stands on its own whether operated by  govern-
         ment or industry.

     •   Variety of contractors --  services may be obtained
         from consulting engineers, turnkey or full-service
         contractors, or construction contractors.

     •   Long-term contracts -- a resource recovery project
         can involve  contracts that can extend up to twenty
         years for operation, disposal of residuals, and
         sale of products.

     0   Multiple system options -- various combinations of
         technology,  markets, ownership and operation, finan-
         cing and risk sharing are  available for consideration.

     •   Multi-jurisdictional -- for  economical  operation, many
         of the resource recovery technologies must be designed
         and constructed as large capacity facilities, requir-
         ing refuse from a number of  jurisdictions.

     •   Extraordinary procurement  -- in some cases, procure-
         ment of the  system may not involve an actual  "purchase"
         at all, but  rather selection and award of a "franchise"
         for a full-service arrangement.

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     The purpose of this guide is to provide assistance to state and
local government officials in the procurement of resource recovery
systems and services.  It is important to note at the outset that
each procurement must be tailored to fit the particular application
and needs of the local sponsor, within legal and equitable bounds.
It is recognized that every state and local government must operate
with unique traditional and legal procurement procedures and, for
this reason, the information in this guide is advisory.  Each govern-
ment must design its own best procurement approach.

     Primary emphasis in this guide is on defining and explaining a
competitive negotiation approach to procurement.  This approach offers
flexibility and is appropriately used to procure not only equioment
and facilities, but also a "system designer", whether a consulting
engineer or a design and construct contractor.  Two topics are treated
in some detail:  (a) managing the procurement process, i.e., proce-
dures for soliciting and evaluating proposals; and (b) preparing the
Request for Proposals (RFP).

                   OTHER IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES

     System procurement is only one of many activities necessary to
implement resource recovery (Figure 1).  Preceding procurement
are the planning studies needed to provid an in-depth
understanding of the area's solid waste problem, and to choose from
among the many total systems options available.  Experience to date
indicates that these planning studies can take a year or more to
complete.  Details concerning the planning process are presented in
PJanning and Oyerview in this series of Implementation Guides.


     System procurement can begin after necessary key decisions have
been made about the overall project concept.  The first step is pre-
paring a Request for Proposals (RFP) or Invitation for Bid (IFB)
package.  Procurement extends through design, construction, and
shakedown, and is completed only after the system is accepted as
operational.  (Operational activities are not treated in this guide.)
The process of developing the RFP or IFB, soliciting and evaluating
proposals, and negotiating contracts can take at least one year;
detailed design and construction can require an additional two to
three years.

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               DECIDING HOW TO PACKAGE THE PROCUREMENT

     One reason that resource recovery procurement is substantially
more complex than most other public procurements is that it is not
always apparent which facilities and services should be procured to-
gether.

     A resource recovery "system" can be defined as a single plant,
or a combination of elements of the overall  solid waste management
system, such as transfer stations, transport activities, and residue
disposal sites.  For some projects an important decision concerns
which of the many required services, facilities, or equipment should
be procured as a "package" from one contractor, and which should be
purchased separately.  Other questions include:

     •   Should the central processing facility be procured
         via a conventional formal advertising approach
         using an Invitation for Bid (IFB) prepared by a
         design firm?

     •   Should a turnkey or full-service arranqement be
         procured for design and construction via a Request
         for Proposals (RFP) and competitive negotiation?

The advantages of packaged procurements include the possibility of
obtaining a lower overall system cost and better system integration.
Key disadvantages include procurement complexity and relative loss of
control over component selections.  The approaches for packaging the
procurement are discussed below.

                        Conventional Approach

     The conventional approach for procuring public works projects
may involve two procurements:  one for engineering services and one
for construction.  A professional engineering consultant is hired to
participate in planning and to prepare system plans and specifications
which serve as a competitive bid package for construction.  The same
consultant might also be retained to perform other services such as
construction supervision and plant startup.

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                          Turnkey Approach

     An extension of the conventional approach is to assign one party
total responsibility for facility design, construction, and startup.
This approach involves a single procurement of services, and requires
that the contractor provide a guarantee of system performance by
demonstrating that the system can meet operational, rather than de-
sign, acceptance tests.

                        Full Service Approach

     A further extension of procurement packaging is the inclusion of
private operation and possibly private ownership (although private
operation c_an indeed be contracted as a separate service under any
approach).   Under a full  service arrangement, a systems contractor
has full responsibility for financing, design, construction, opera-
tion, and possible ownership.  In essence, the full service contrac-
tor offers the government sponsor a disposal service instead of a
facility.

                 DECIDING HOW TO CONDUCT PROCUREMENT

     Laws and procedures governing state and local  government procure-
ment of products and services vary widely among jurisdictions and
appear to be changing.  The variety of procedures used seems to be
limited only by the ingenuity and courage of procurement officials
and their legal counsel.  In general, formal procurement laws and
procedures are established to specify the conduct of procurements for
small purchases, engineering and other professional services, con-
struction, and equipment items.

     The three standard methods normally used in procurement of these
products and services are (1) purchase order, for small purchases,
(2) formal advertising (including two-step formal advertising), for
construction projects and equipment, and (3) negotiated procurement
for engineering and other professional services.  When more than one
  Under  some  of  the  financing mechanisms  and  leasing  arrangements  being
  used today  for tax and  depreciation reasons, actual ownership of  the
  facility  is at times  a  moot point.  The  key issue is who  ultimately
  bears  the various  risks associated with  the facility and  its operations.
  These  risks are discussed  in  the  Risks  and  Contracts Guide of this
  series.

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professional service firm is being formally considered, negotiated
procurement may be termed competitive negotiation.  Both formal ad-
vertising and competitive negotiation can be used in the procurement
of resource recovery systems and services.  Because competitive nego-
tiation is a newer concept, this guide focuses on it, but both meth-
ods are defined below.

                         Formal Advertising

     This is a standard procurement method used by state and local
governments to procure equipment, facilities and the construction of facil'
ities.  Strictly speaking, the overall formal advertising method
involves competitive procurement of the engineering consultant who
would be responsible for system design and probably other tasks as
well.  An Invitation for Bid (IFB), prepared by the consultant, is
used to solicit bids based upon specifications and attachments pre-
pared to permit full and free competition.  All bids are opened pub-
licly at the time and place stated.  Prompt award is made to the
responsible bidder whose bid, conforming to the IFB, will be most
advantageous to the government, price and other factors considered.

     Formal advertising is an effective method of procurement when
the following conditions are present:

     t   Definitive specifications exist.

     •   Lowest bid is a major criterion.

     •   More than one bid is anticipated.

     Formal advertising can be used in the procurement of resource
recovery systems and services.  A simplified description of the pro-
cedure is as follows:

     1.   Qualifications of appropriate architect-engineering
          (A&E) consultants are examined.

     2.   An architect-engineering (A&E) consultant is hired.

     3.   The consultant participates in planning, designs
          the resource recovery system and prepares detailed
          drawings and specifications.

     4.   Invitation for Bid  (IFB) package is prepared.

     5.   Sealed bids are received.

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     6.   Bids are opened in public and reviewed for com-
          pleteness and responsiveness.

     7.   Bidders are ranked by both:  (a) technical merits
          and (b) cost.

     8.   Award is made to the lowest and best bidder.

The formal advertising method is treated in most state  and local pro-
curement laws, and virtually all state and local jurisdictions have
had considerable experience with it.

                       Competitive Negotiation

     Traditionally, competitive negotiation has been reserved for
procurement of professional services, such as engineering or project
management, while construction and equipment have been  procured by
formal  advertising.  But because of the aforementioned  complexity of
resource recovery systems and services, state and local governments
have shown an interest in utilizing competitive negotiation for all
phases  of resource recovery projects.  One reason for this interest
is the  consideration now being given to private operation and owner-
ship of resource recovery facilities.  When this ownership option is
chosen, traditional rules and procedures requiring use  of the formal
advertising procurement method frequently do not apply  and thus can
be avoided since the government is not actually "purchasing" the
facility.

     Competitive negotiation has two important characteristics; it
removes lowest bid as the primary criterion for selection, and it
allows  the sponsor to discuss the proposals with bidders before a
selection is made.  This two-way exchange of information between
bidder  and sponsor provides an opportunity to fully consider the
important technical, financial, marketing, environmental, and manage-
ment interrelationships of a proposal.

     The complete competitive negotiation procedure is  somewhat com-
plex.   It involves solicitation and evaluation of bidder qualifica-
tions,  preparation of a Request for Proposals (RFP) package, evalua-
tion of proposals, and participation in a substantive discussion-
negotiation process to select one bidder with whom contract negotia-
tions will take place.   It should be noted that the sponsor's RFP
should  be as specific as possible, with respect to preferred tech-
nology, markets, management, financing, etc., to reduce misunderstandings
at the  outset and to ensure comparability of proposals.

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     Although time-consuming,  the procedure can be very useful  in
clarifying what otherwise may  be an extremely complicated resource
recovery procurement.   The procedure fosters close understanding
between bidder and sponsor before actual  contract negotiations
begin enabling subsequent contract negotiations to be accomplished
more quickly and less expensively (some have taken almost a year to
complete).

     It should be noted that it is indeed possible to treat the
discussion-negotiation efforts (before selection of a single "final-
ist") and contract negotiations as a single process.  What this means
is that a single bidder might  be chosen for contract negotiations
immediately after proposal evaluation, or that contract negotiations,
in effect, could be conducted  competitively with two or more bidders.
The advantages of these variations must be considered in light  of the
particular situation and the capabilities of the sponsor.
                               8

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SECTION II:  MANAGING THE RESOURCE RECOVERY SYSTEM PROCUREMENT PROCESS
     The management of resource recovery procurement involves a series
of activities beginning when the key system decisions have been made
and extending to the time when the system is fully operational.  The
purpose of this section is to outline those activities.

     The formal advertising procurement method has been  well  documen-
ted, so this section describes the steps involved in the competitive
negotiation method.  This method can be used to procure  a turnkey or
full service contractor, or, in a shortened version, the design ser-
vices of a consulting engineer.  The actions required by the  sponsor
in competitive negotiation procurement, as described below, include
the preliminary activities to prepare for solicitation of proposals,
proposal evaluations, contractor selection, and contract award (Fig-
ure 2).

     In the case that the sponsor is using competitive negotiation to
procure a turnkey or full service contractor, it is imperative that
it have adequate technical, legal, financial, and managerial  assist-
ance in the process.  Usually, this entails engaging the services of
knowledgeable consultants, such as consulting engineers, management
consultants, and financial advisors.

                       PRELIMINARY ACTIVITIES

     First, the sponsor must plan the specific steps of  the procure-
ment process it intends to use.  One major decision is whether or not
to conduct a prequalification stage, that is, an examination  of bidder
credentials and selection of qualified bidders prior to  issuance of
the RFP.  This process, if permitted by state and local  law,  will save
unqualified bidders considerable money and effort in preparation of
proposals and will save the sponsor time and effort in proposal eval-
uations.

     The sponsor must also prepare a set of evaluation criteria which
will be used to evaluate proposals.  The criteria should reflect the
sponsor's goals in the system implementation; they should outline key
issues for consideration and emphasize the issues of most importance
to the sponsor.  More discussion of evaluation criteria  is provided
in Section III.

     To select a contractor using the competitive negotiation approach,
the sponsor will solicit proposals by preparing and issuing a Request
for Proposals (RFP) "package".  The RFP should be based  upon  the pre-
established evaluation criteria and sponsor goals for the resource

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                  Procurement Method Selection
                          T
PRELIMINARY

ACTIVITIES
Prequalification Decision

i


                  Announce Proposed Project
           Issue Preliminary Request for Qualification   (optional)
                                                            BIDDER
              	1              D1UULK

              Receive and Evaluate Qualifications      (optional)   SOLICITATION
                         Issue RFP
                   Conduct Bidders' Briefing
                      Receive Proposals
                                                           PROPOSAL

                                                          EVALUATION
                     Evaluate Proposals
                    Negotiate with Bidders
                                                          NEGOTIATION/

                                                            SELECTION
                      Select Contractor
Negotiate with Contractor
i

                                                          CONTRACT

                                                            AWARD
                 Complete Contractual Agreements
Figure  2.   Procurement  Steps:   A  sponsor's  procurement activities are
based upon previous planning  (Figure  1)  and range from the  development
of  a  procurement strategy to  the  signing of contracts.  Contractor
responsibilities may include  design,  construction, and/or operation.
                                        10

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recovery system.  Section III describes the process of preparing the
RFP and its contents.  The rest of this section describes the other
steps involved in the competitive negotiation process.

                         BIDDER SOLICITATION

     The bidder solicitation can be accomplished by using one of two
approaches.  In one approach bidders are prequalified in order to
receive the RFP; in the other the RFP is released to all requesters.
(In some cases, such as the selection of a consulting engineer, the
final selection may be made immediately after the qualification stage.

                      Prequali fication Request

     If prequalification is going to be used, the first solicitation
of bidders should occur at least one month prior to the issuance of
the RFP.  Depending upon public bidding requirements, legal notices
may be published, press releases issued, and letters sent directly to
possible bidders to provide a brief system description (system size,
extent of resource recovery, ownership requirements, types of refuse,
etc.) and request letters of interest from bidders.  Then a Request
for Qualifications (RFQ) is issued to the bidders, containing more
details of system performance, management and financing requirements,
and procurement schedule.  It should also request the types of qual-
ification information listed below from each potential bidder.

     •   Resource recovery products, services, new business
         ventures

     •   Existing production facilities and equipment

     •   Management and financial performance

     •   Personnel description

     •   Resource recovery-related experience

     •   Corporate brochures

                      Qua!i fi cati on Evaluati on

     Evaluation of the qualifications of potential bidders is not an
inherently detailed process.  The purpose is to encourage a number of
capable firms so as to ensure a proposal response representative of
the industry, and secondly to eliminate firms that are obviously in-
capable of fulfilling the requirements.
                                  11

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Preparation for Qualification Evaluation

     A form should be prepared containing questions which will  enable
the evaluator to assess the data supplied in the qualification  state-
ments.  An example of a useful format is contained in Table 1.   It
should be noted that the four major areas, i.e., technology, manage-
ment, marketing and finance are emphasized and can be evaluated inde-
pendently if so desired.

The Creation of a Rating Scheme

     Since the evaluation of qualifications serves only to screen the
unqualified bidders from those qualified, it should be kept as  simple
and straightforward as possible.  A detailed rating scheme is not re-
quired; however, a numeric scheme may be utilized to assure that all
of the factors have been considered.  A numerical measure will  enable
evaluators to assign relative weights to the more important attributes,
as well as allow for ease in presentation of results.

Creation of an Evaluation Team

     The size of the evaluation team will be influenced by the  expect-
ed number of replies.  However, the group should be representative of
the interested principals and should possess skills in the four impor-
tant areas:  financing, technology, management and marketing.  A
training meeting should be held prior to the evaluation effort  to
ensure a uniform interpretation of evaluation criteria.

     Other details which must not be overlooked are the physical loca-
tion of the team during their evaluation effort, the log-in and track-
ing procedure of the replies to the RFQ and an assignment plan  for
handling the workload.

Evaluation of Qualifications

     The actual evaluation begins with the receipt of the qualifica-
tions statements and includes the steps listed below.

Log-in

     All the responses should be recorded and maintained in an  access-
ible file for future reference.
                                  12

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               Table 1

Checklist for Evaluation of Responses
    to Requests for Qualification
C R I I t R I A
Process Technology
a Does the applicant propose a proven process that is within the "state of the art"'
b Based on the number of locations indicated in the response, has the proposed process had
sufficient operating experience7
c Does the proposed process have adequate processing capacity in tons per day either
singularly or modularly7
d Has the contractor demonstrated other experience in the field of resource recovery or
municipal solid waste disposal'
OVERALL: Is the proposed process a viable process? (Consider answers to a-d)
Management
a Does the type of organization proposed give sufficient prominence to resource recovery7
b Has the firm a history of corporate success7 (See when established, profits)
c. Has the firm a background in resource recovery' (See length of time in resource recovery,
market history, and backlog)
d. Has the firm indicated future emphasis in solid waste? (See research)
e Does the corporate structure indicate a high enough level of control and responsibility7
f. Does the overall staff have skill and experience to successfully man and run a plant of the
size proposed'
OVERALL, Does the level of control, the corporate structure, and the highest level of
responsibility suggest a firm commitment on the part of the management of the firm?
{Consider answers to a-f)
Marketing
a. Is the corporate marketing arrangement adequate for marketing resource recovery products'
b. Does the firm have background in dealing with recovered products'
c. Has the firm researched potential markets for the marketing of resource recovery products7
d. Does the proposed marketing staff have adequate experience and responsibility'
OVERALL- Does the marketing data submitted indicate sufficient interest and planning by the
firm in the marketing area7 (Consider answers a-d)
Financial
a Can the firm successfully weather daily operating contingencies7 (See cash and working
capital )
b. What are the possibilities for raising additional funds if needed7 (See credit rating,
debt to equity ratio)
c Does the firm give indication of being capable of surviving future long term contingencies7
(See net worth, profits, long term debt)
d Is the firm capabJe of taking on additional projects? (See current backlog)
OVERALL: Does the overall financial picture indicate sufficient financial backing for this
project'

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COMMENTS





                 13

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Initial Scan

     The purpose of the initial  scan is to provide overall  familiarity
with the candidates and to divide them into two groups.   The first
group consists of all  contractors whose capabilities are not subject
to question.  The remaining candidates comprise the second  group.

Detailed Study

     The candidates in the second group should be given  a more careful
analysis than those in the first.  The financial specialists should
examine each qualifications statement, paying particular attention to
the net worth, debt to equity ratio and the value of other resource
recovery work commitments.  The  remaining members of the team should
review the technical,  marketing  and management areas.  However, it is
desirable that each person review every qualifications statement.  A
team of three to four members should be capable of reviewing 30 to 40
replies in two to three days.

Final Summary

     In this step the results of the previous reviews are arranged
into three groups.  The first consists of those respondents who qual-
ify without question.   The second group includes those firms that are
acceptable, with noted deficiencies.  For exanple, a firm or consor-
tium may have an unclear corporate or management structure or a high
debt to equity ratio which may indicate the need for additional fi-
nancial backing.  The final or third group includes those firms who
appear unacceptable and consequently should be discouraged from sub-
mitting a proposal.

     For summary purposes a rudimentary point system can be employed
based on the format demonstrated in Table 1.  The technical rating
of one point may be given to firms possessing a low level of techni-
cal expertise and little operational experience.  A two point rating
may be assigned to firms which demonstrate technical expertise but
have not yet been committed to a full scale facility.  The highest
rating, three points, may be awarded for demonstrated technical exper-
tise and a conmitment to a full  scale facility.  Similar ratings can
be used for the other three areas.  These ratings can be summarized
in a format such as the one shown in Table 2.

     Since this is an evaluation of the companies' qualifications to
implement a complicated and capital intensive facility, the final
decision should be weighed more heavily toward the technical and fi-
nancial areas, with consideration given to the comments in the remarks
column.  Typical remarks might include:  high debt to equity ratio,

                                  14

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a local firm, lack of data, etc.  The comments for possibly rejected
qualifications will require some understanding and detail to support
that judgment.

Notification of Respondents

     All firms responding to the RFQ must be notified of the results
of the evaluation.  The firms rated highest can be notified by mail.
Included with the letter of acceptance should be a copy of the RFP
and a list of qualified bidders.  Those firms which possess some defi-
ciency can simultaneously be mailed the same RFP package, with the
sponsor's  recommendation of the corrective action to be included in
their proposals.  Finally, the firms which are to be discouraged or
prevented from bidding should be informed of the reasons for their
poor rating.  Such reasons may include insufficient resource recovery
experience, insufficient financial backing, limited management, mar-
keting, or technical capabilities.  In the event that the evaluation
team does not want to preclude anyone from bidding, it may allow an
insistent bidder to submit a proposal anyway.

                               The RFP

The RFP package should include a notice of the total number and names
of bidders to whom it was issued, a review of the procurement schedule
and the name and phone number of the sponsor.  Section III provides
a detailed outline of the RFP contents.  The information and bidder
requirements which are presented in the RFP should be as specific and
detailed as possible.

Bidders' Briefing

     A meeting with all bidders should be held to review the RFP,
clarify any misunderstandings of the RFP contents, and survey bidder
sentiment concerning the RFP or procurement schedule.  The meeting
should be scheduled two weeks to a month following the issuance of
the RFP to allow bidders time to become familiar with the RFP contents
before the briefing and to allow sufficient time between the briefing
and the proposal due date to permit bidders to incorporate any changes
or clarifications into the proposals.

     A briefing of the RFP contents or a discussion of major issues
may be presented.  The most important item during the bidders' brief-
ing, however, will be the response to the bidders' questions.  Ques-
tions may be asked orally or may be submitted to the sponsor in writ-
ing prior to the meeting.  (The desired approach should be specified
in the RFP.)  It is important that an accurate written record of the
                                  16

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conference, preferably a stenographic transcript, be provided to the
bidders following the conference  to ensure fairness and equity to
all bidders.  This record, in addition to response to written ques-
tions and any changes in the procurement schedule, should be sent to
the bidders as soon as possible.

RFP Amendments

     If as a result of the bidders'  briefing or generation of new
information, any changes in the RFP are desired by the sponsor, they
should be made and bidders officially notified as quickly as possible.
It is important that each bidder receive the amendments.  Follow-up
calls or letters from the sponsor to the proposal manager for each
firm may be necessary to ensure that information has not been lost
and that no bidders have been overlooked.

Proposal Due Date

     The bidders should be given 90 days or longer after the issuance
of the RFP to prepare proposals.  If extensive changes are made in
the RFP at the time of the bidders'  briefing, the deadline may have
to be extended to allow bidders time to prepare responsive proposals.
The sponsor should be receptive to bidder sentiment about the reason-
ableness of the time schedule.

                         PROPOSAL EVALUATION

     The evaluation of proposals is a considerably more detailed and
time consuming procedure than the evaluation of qualifications.  The
purpose is to select the most qualified firm and process not solely
on the basis of low cost, but based unon a number of major criteria
including technical system design and operation, marketing consider-
ations, system management, financial considerations, environmental
impact and aesthetics, and pricing and economics.  Careful prepara-
tion and evaluation are therefore necessary, as described below.

                  Preparing for Proposal Evaluation

     The preparation for proposal evaluation should begin well before
the receipt of proposals.  Preparation steps include the following
items.

Evaluation Forms
     It is extremely important to develop comprehensive evaluation
forms based upon the detailed evaluation criteria defined during the
                                  17

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RFP preparation.  Examples of evaluation forms are shown in Tables 3
through 8.  The forms should be designed to force the evaluators to
consider every important detail in the proposal  and to accurately
summarize the proposal's merits and weaknesses.

Evaluation Staff

     The evaluation committee should consist of specialists in engi-
neering, finance and economics, marketing and environmental control,
as well as people familiar with the political and operational  environ-
ment in which the facility will be implemented.   The sponsor's tech-
nical advisors should be involved and legal counsel should be  avail-
able.  Every effort should be made to include representatives  of the
various government agencies who are involved with the project, such
as members from the Departments of Public Works  or Sanitation, En-
vironmental Affairs, Public Health, Administration and Finance and
other involved state, county, regional or local  agencies.  The spe-
cific number of evaluators depends upon the number and detail  of pro-
posals expected and the number of specialists who can devote the time
required by the evaluation effort.  The evaluation must be a full
time assignment for the key evaluators.

     It is recommended that the evaluation staff be subdivided into
teams to focus upon each of the major evaluation criteria.  To cor-
respond with the evaluation criteria outlined in Table 13, three
teams could be formed to focus upon Financing and Economics; Environ-
mental Impact; and Marketing, Management and Technical Design.  Eval-
uators and government representatives should be assigned according to
their expertise.  For example, representatives from a Comptroller's
Department should be on a financial team, representatives from a
Department of Public Health on a technical or environmental team as
appropriate.

Evaluation Team Training

     Approximately one week prior to the beginning of the evaluation
effort a team training and orientation meeting should be held.  The
calendar or scheduling of the evaluation effort should be explained
at this meeting.  Among the more important aspects to be discussed
are the standards for acceptable responses in each of the areas being
investigated.  It is essential that each evaluator understand the
standards so proposals are treated equally.  All evaluators must be
kept aware of revisions in standards so that all proposals will be
evaluated by the same standards.
                                  18

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                                                  Table  3
                    Technical   System  Design  &  Operation  Evaluation
                                             (Sample  Form)
I.   Develop  a brief discussion  of the system design and operating philosophy with  special  attention  paid to the following
    major subjects
         *  Design Technology
         •  Energy Balance
         *  Reliability
         •  Alternative Site
         (  Emergency Procedures
         •  Start-up Procedures


II.  Develop  an evaluation of the system design and operation  based on  the specific items shown in the sample table below
CRITERIA
Design
Process "State of Art"
Capability (TPD)
Completeness
Efficiency of Equipment
Storage Capacity
Technology Back-up
Peripheral Equipment
Volume Reduction
Traffic Handl ing
Energy Balance
Ratio of Energy Used/Energy Produced
Output Materials
Residue Quality
RATING

CRITERIA
Reliability
Operating Time (days/year)
Scheduled Downtime
Unscheduled Downtime
Maintenance Schedule
Downtime Related to Storage Capacity
Necessary Redundancy
Emergency Procedures
Safety Precautions
Overflow of Storage Capacity
Discussion and Suggested Solution of
Major Equipment Difficulties
Discussion and Suggested Solution of
Other Problem Areas
RATING

CRITERIA
AHj;r™ tm?. Jj_te_
Local Assignment
Access
Size
RATING
A = acceptable, S = some problems U - unacceptable
III. Prepare a summary discussion of major  technical weaknesses.
IV.  Prepare a summary discussion of major  technical strengths.
V.   List all sources  of information in addition to  the proposal (e.g.,  phone calls, visits, etc.
                                                    19

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                                                Table  4
                                      Marketing  Evaluation
                                            (Sample  Form)
I.   Develop a  brief discussion of the marketing, strategy,  highlighting  the following:
         •  Description of Markets
         *  Market Experience
         *  Product Commitments
II.  Develop an evaluation of the marketing based on the specific items  shown in the sample table below.
CRITERIA
Market Description
Quantities (total est.)
Location of Markets
Long Term Plans
RATING

CRITERIA
Marketing Experience
Evidence of successful efforts
Staff qualifications
Organization Qualification
RATING

CRITERIA
Product Commitments
Evidence of Commitments
Quantity
Length of Time
Price Range
RATING

A = acceptable, S = some problems, U = unacceptable
III.  Prepare summary discussion of major marketing weaknesses.
IV.   Prepare summary discussion of major marketing strengths.
V.    List all  sources of information in addition  to the proposal (e.g.,  phone calls, visits, etc.
                                                    20

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                                          Table  5
                                Financial  Evaluation
                                      (Sample  Form)
I.   Develop a brief discussion of  the proposed  financing including:
         «  Share of investment
         «  Method of private equity financing
         »  Method of providing non-private equity financing
         •  Anticipated interest rates
         (  Corporate financial capabilities
II.   Develop an evaluation of the  financing based on the specific items shown in the sample table below.
CRITERIA
Contractor share of investment
Methods of providing private equity financing
Methods of providing non-private equity financing
Anticipated interest rate
Corporate capabilities
Net worth vs. resource recovery backlog
Ability to raise capital
Ability to meet normal financial contingencies
RATING

A = acceptable, S = some problems, U = unacceptable
III.  Prepare a summary discussion of the major  financial  weaknesses.
IV.   Prepare a summary discussion of the major  financial  strengths.
V.    List all sources of information in addition to the proposal (e.g.,  phone calls,  visits, etc.).
                                            21

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                                           Table  6

                          Pricing/Economics  Evaluation
                                      (Sample  Form)
I.   Develop an evaluation of the general pricing and economic factors based  on the specific items shown in
    the sample table following:
CRITERIA
Cost Data
Completeness
Accuracy
Support Data
Assumptions
Escalation clause
A = acceptable, S = some problems, U = unacceptable
RATING


II.  Compare  the various alternatives based on the  items shown in the sample table below.
CRITERIA
Investment Cost
Total $/ton thruput
Annual cost/ton thruput
OSM Cost
$/ton
% labor cost
Total annual cost/ton
Ratio of investment/O&M cost
Estimated product revenue/ton
% product commitment
Annual net cost/ton
Disposal fee/ton*
Return on contractor's investment (20 yrs)
Profit sharing*
Escalation*
x tors/day

y tons/day

2 tons/day

*
These items may be subject to negotiation in which case the figures here are
just a starting point for negotiation and should not be considered when com-
paring alternative proposals.
III.  Prepare a  summary discussion of the major pricing/economic weaknesses.
IV.   Prepare a  summary discussion of the major pricing/economic strengths.
V.    List all  sources of  information in addition to  the proposal (e.g., phone calls, visits, etc.
                                               22

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                                                   Table  7
                                         Management  Evaluation
                                               (Sample  Form)
I.    Develop a brief discussion of the management philosophy emphasizing:
         •  Management concepts
         •  Design and engineering personnel
         «  Operating personnel
         *  Master plan
         *  Policies
         •  Schedules

II.   Develop an evaluation of the management based on  the specific  items shown  in the sample table below.
CRITERIA
Management Concepts
Corporate Structure
Level of Control
Participants
Role Definition
Contractual Services
Design & Engineering Personnel
Identification of Key Personnel
Qualifications
Experience
Responsibilities
RATING

CRITERIA
Operating Personnel
Identification of Key Personnel
Qualifications
Experience
Responsibil ities
Subcontractor Identification
Description of Master Plan
Completeness
Clarity
Reasonableness
Schedules
RATING

CRITERIA
Policies
Maintenance Philosophy
Visitor Accommodations etc.
Safety Policies
Entire Project
Milestone Identification
Shakedown 8 Start-up
Budget Controls
Progress Controls
RATING

A = acceptable, S = some problems, U = unacceptable
III.  Prepare a summary discussion of the major management weaknesses.
IV.   Prepare a summary discussion of the major management strengths.
V.   List all  sources of information in  addition to the proposal  (e.g., phone  calls, visits, etc.).
                                                     23

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                                               Table  8
                   Environmental   Impact  &  Aesthetics  Evaluation
                                           (Sample Form)
I.   Develop a brief discussion  of the proposed environmental  impact,  with particular attention to  the following areas:
         t  Architecture design and aesthetics
         t  Construction
         •  Operation
II.
     Develop an evaluation of the environmental impact & aesthetics on  the basis  of the specific items shown in the
     sample table below.
CRITERIA
Architecture,Site Design & Aesthetics
Professional capabilities
Architectural rendering
Aesthetics
Alternative Plans
Methods
Estimated utility requirements
Energy Conservation
Traffic
Atmospheric emission
CO
SO?
NOX
* Control during construction
Air
Noise
Water effluents
• Solid waste disposal
• Additional data
RATING



















CRITERIA
Process Design & Plant Operation
* Estimated utility requirements
• Reduction of energy consumption
* Atmospheric emission
CO
S02
NOX
Special atmospheric emissions control
Alternative emission controls
Noise level investigation
Noise level controls
Alternative Noise level control
Treatment of water effluents
Water effluents control
Alternative water effluents control
Product evaluation
Impact of noise, dust on employees
Provisions for employee protection
Additional supporting data
RATING



















A = acceptable, S = some problems, U = unacceptable
III.  Prepare a  summary discussion of the major environmental  and aesthetic weaknesses.
IV.   Prepare a summary discussion of the major environmental  and aesthetic strengths.
V.   List all  sources of  information in addition to  the proposal (e.g., phone calls, visits, etc.).
                                                  24

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Evaluation Calendar

     The calendar should be established to allow sufficient time to
perform a detailed analysis of each proposal, to ask and receive an-
swers to questions which may arise and finally, to visit the respon-
dents'  facilities and existing sites of similar facilities to verify
data as the necessity arises.  A sample calendar is presented below:

                           SAMPLE CALENDAR

               <-.                 Allotted Time    Working Days From
                  p                  (days)      Receipt of Proposals

1.  Log-in                             0-1                 1
2.  Preliminary Screening              3-5                4-6
3.  Detailed Evaluation               15-30              19-36
4.  Visits                              5                24-41
5.  Evaluation Summary                 3-5               27-46
6.  Analysis by Review Committee       2-3               29-49
7.  Selection of Finalists             1-2               30-51

Administrative Details

     Since proposal evaluation may take as long as two months, it is
important that arrangements be completed in advance for such adminis-
trative details as:  office space, stationery, secretarial help, tel-
ephones, and a workable filing and distribution system for the pro-
posals.  An equally important measure is the assignment of teams and
team workload, according to the total number of proposals received.

                      Proposal Evaluation Phase

     A great amount of detailed information is required for assuring
procurement of the best resource recovery plant possible.  Because of
the large financial commitment required for the facility and also the
cost to the contractor of preparing the proposal, the sponsor is ob-
ligated to conduct a conscientious and thorough evaluation.  The ac-
tual evaluation begins with the receipt of the proposals and includes
the items addressed below.

Log-in Procedure

     A filing procedure should be established to record the replies
and the date they are received.  (In a competitive negotiation pro-
curement, no purpose is served by a public opening of proposals and
price comparison.  The proposals will be evaluated for more than just
                                  25

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price; furthermore, the prices stated in the proposals may be subject
to change in the evaluation and negotiation processes that follow.)

Proposal Handling

     Proposals must be handled in such a way that bidders are treated
equitably and all proposals are accounted for at all times.'  This re-
quires that they are safeguarded and that one individual has the prime
responsibility for their whereabouts once they are officially received.
In cases where proprietary information is proposed, extra precautions
must be taken to assure that information will not be compromised.
When not in use, proposals should be stored in a secure location, pref-
erably in a locked container.

     As a matter of policy, the sponsor may indicate in the RFP that
any proposals or parts of proposals received after the deadline are
deemed unresponsive and will be disqualified from evaluation, or the
sponsor may make provisions that under special circumstances late
proposals will be taken under advisement on an individual basis for
just cause such as inclement weather, extraordinary market commit-
ments, or last minute changes in the RFP initiated by the sponsor.
Each sponsor must decide for itself the policy it wishes to use and
must strictly adhere to it.

     The sponsor should establish a policy regarding missing informa-
tion.  Proposals with missing information may be viewed as being un-
responsive or the bidder may be allowed to supply the additional in-
formation by a prescribed deadline.

     With the proposals, the sponsor may receive bid deposits.  These
are to be considered as part of the proposals and, as such, are sub-
ject to the same provisions regarding safeguards and lateness.   The
deposits, which are normally in the form of a certified cashiers'
check or draft, should be fully accounted for at all times by the
sponsor.

Preliminary Screening

     The initial effort by the evaluators should be an overall read-
ing of each proposal.  The purpose of this review is to ensure that
the proposals are complete and responsive to the RFP.  It also per-
mits the staff to develop a familiarity with the replies.  Any pro-
posal judged as non-responsive at this stage should be referred to
the key members of the evaluation team for a final decision.  This
stage will require 3-5 days.
                                  26

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Detailed Evaluation

     Evaluation teams should then meet to begin detailed proposal
review and evaluation.  Because proposals should be submitted in
separate or easily separable volumes, the volumes can be distributed
to appropriate teams; however, each member should review all  parts
of all proposals.   The detailed review should consume three to six
weeks, depending upon the number and complexity of proposals.  In-
cluded in this interval is ample time to hear bidder presentations
or make inquiries  of bidders as needed.

     During this time the teams will complete the evaluation  forms
(e.g., Tables 3 through 8).

Rating Scheme

     A rating scheme can be an important aid in the evaluation pro-
cess.  It is not,  however, proposed to be a single measure for ac-
ceptance or rejection, but rather serves three other important pur-
poses:  to discipline evaluators to examine each criterion; to pro-
vide a mechanism for quantifying differences among proposals; and to
provide a communication medium for evaluators.  Like the evaluation
forms, a rating scheme should be developed prior to receipt of pro-
posals.

     To be effective, the scheme should incorporate, as a minimum,
the following characteristics:

     t   Simplicity; that is, it should be easy to apply,
         explain and understand

     •   Completeness; it should be applied to all important
         i terns

     •   Fairness  and objectivity; it should result in rat-
         ings that will reflect the true requirements asso-
         ciated with the procurement

     One suggested numerical rating scheme is the following:

     •   For every proposal, evaluation team members assign
         points (e.g., on a range from 0 to 10) for each
         subjective criterion, that is for each criterion
         which does not already have a numeric value.
                                  27

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     •   Each team then discusses and agrees upon one point
         assignment for each iten in each proposal.  Points
         can be summed for the major evaluation categories.

     t   If desired, weights can he assigned to the various
         evaluation criteria, accordinq to the priorities
         of the project.   (Table 9)

     •   Points are assembled from all of the teams onto a
         master chart (Table 9).  Point ratings are multi-
         plied by weighting factors to obtain a new weighted
         score for each category.  These scores are then sum-
         med to give a "bottom line" evaluation score to each
         proposal.

     Total point scores should be used with care.  Critical factors
and differences must be considered even if they do not lend themselves
to quantification and numeric ranking.  Also, additive rankings may be
misleading, in that a bidder's failure in a single area can totally
undermine a proposal's chance of success.  It is important to realize,
therefore, that a numerical system should be used as an aid, not as a
replacement for the complex evaluation decisions which must be made.
If the bottom line scores must be released publicly, they must be
accompanied by prices and statements about proposal strengths and
weaknesses.

Site Visits

     The evaluators may visit some of the contractors to acquire addi-
tional data and to meet some of the personnel assigned to the project.
Visits to sites may also be made for the purpose of reviewing and
verifying the technical characteristics of the project.  Approximately
one week should be allowed for all visits.

                         Evaluation Summary

     A large matrix can be used to display the results of the apprais-
als in each area along with the rating as shown above, and pertinent
comments pertaining to each proposal (Table 9).  Comments provided for
technical system design, for example, might relate to specific ques-
tions of process reliability or feasibility.  This matrix could be
used as a means for presenting the reasons for selection of certain
finalists for negotiation.
                                 28

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     If the evaluators feel  that sufficient information has been nre-
sented to justify selection  of finalists for negotiation, the matrix
should be presented to the review committee for approval.  The eval-
uators should be very careful  when completing the forms to include
sufficient reasons for all decisions for use in subsequent debrief-
ings and indication of questions which may be left open until the
further negotiations.

Review Committee Analyses

     After the teams have completed their evaluations, the results
should be analyzed by a committee composed of the project leader and
a representative of the various departments concerned with the pro-
ject, i.e., the Departments  of Public Health and Public Works.  Their
function should be to look for things that might have been overlooked
by the staff.  However, in most cases, the members of the review com-
mittee will have been involved in the evaluation, and so this review
will serve as a final check  before any announcement is made; two to
three days should suffice.

In-house Presentation of Results

     This step in the evaluation process ensures that all personnel
associated with the evaluation are conversant with the results.  It
is also a final opportunity for objections to be raised.  This pre-
sentation should be approximately two days in duration.

Notification of Bidders

     At this point the sponsor must notify all bidders of the selec-
tion of finalists for negotiation.  Finalists should be informed of
the schedule and procedures  for further discussions.  Those bidders
who are disqualified from further consideration should be told speci-
fically why they were disqualified.  Of course, to justify disqual-
ification, the sponsor must indicate those objective evaluation cri-
teria in which a disqualified bidder scored low.  The sponsor should
also allow time for discussing proposals with disqualified bidders.

     The sponsor has an obligation to notify bidders of the disposi-
tion of their proposals prior to public announcements.  This need
not be fully adhered to in those areas where evaluation procedures
are subject to public review.   It is important, though, for the spon-
sor to form a policy regarding the extent to which proposal evaluation
and proposal contents will become public knowledge.
                                  30

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Public Notice

     To acquire and maintain public support of the resource recovery
project, reports or press releases should be issued to the public at
this point and throughout the selection process to keep them informed
of major milestones.

                       Competitive Negotiation

     The competitive negotiation step consists of two-way discussions
with bidders to question, explore, and bargain in vital areas of pro-
posals, in order to gather sufficient information to be able to select
one final contractor.

     There is no formal procedure for competitive negotiation.  It
occurs as an extension of proposal evaluations and leads into final
contract negotiations, but there is no prescribed time period or order
of events.  Negotiations may be carried on with all finalists equally,
or if one finalist appears most qualified, negotiations can be con-
ducted solely with him until such time as he is selected or the spon-
sor decides that it is necessary to negotiate with the other finalists.
Other parties such as potential markets may be brought in for discus-
sions.  The sponsor has to determine the negotiation approach and
schedule to be used  according to the project needs and complexities,
and the qualifications of the bidders.  The basic steps of the nego-
tiation process are discussed below.

Sponsor Preparation

     Beforehand, the sponsor should determine the tasks it wishes to
accomplish in the negotiation.  In most cases, the major objective
will be to examine specific details, such as market commitments, fi-
nancing, changes in original assumptions or design modifications
which need to be addressed further.  To do this, the sponsor must
prepare the specific questions it wishes to ask of bidders in order
to gather sufficient information to select a final contractor.

     The sponsor should also establish the negotiation objectives
which will lead to the best arrangement for the sponsor (or other
public contracting party, in the event that the sponsor is obtaining
the system for a community or region).  It may, for example, wish to
introduce contractual considerations even before the final selection
in order to determine the attitudes of the competitors towards the
arrangement desired by the sponsor.  However, the sponsor must also
remain flexible to clarification or changes which may be necessary
                                  31

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to fit the system chosen, or which offer greater benefit to the spon-
sor.  The sponsor must also choose representatives for the negotiations,
In general, the negotiating team must have expertise in financial,
technical, and management issues and timely assistance from personnel
in relevant government agencies.  The sponsor may also desire to in-
clude outside professional (e.g., legal  or technical) advisors.  The
representatives must be familiar with the aspects of future contractual
agreements desired by the sponsor, and with specific tactics and ques-
tions which need to be discussed with bidders.

Competitive Negotiation Procedure

     Negotiation sessions can be informal; in fact, specific issues
can be discussed by individual mail correspondence, phone conversa-
tions, site visits or meetings.  Sessions should be held privately
with each firm, but may be held concurrently with several firms.  In-
formation or proposal changes which are generated during the sessions
are generally not shared with other bidders.

     The discussions are conducted to establish that the sponsor and
contractor(s) fully understand what their responsibilities will be
and to make the proposals more firm in any way possible.  Areas usu-
ally in need of improvement are the development of markets for materi-
als and energy, establishment of security for financing the project
and sharing of risks.  Other areas might be costs and profit, perform-
ance requirements, and methods of payment.

     There is no prescribed negotiation strategy which can be follow-
ed for every procurement or for every firm.  However, to prepare for
negotiation sessions, the sponsor should strive as quickly as possible
to determine any areas of disagreement and their relative importance.
Using normal negotiation and bargaining techniques, the sponsor should
then strive toward a level of understanding which is adequate for en-
tering contract negotiations with a final contractor.  It is essential
that both the sponsor and the bidder understand what their negotiation
limits are before contract negotiations begin.

Contractor Selection

     During the process of competitive negotiation, the sponsor will
select a  final contractor, based upon the evaluation criteria, any
changes or clarifications of proposals, and positions and detailed
information learned during the sessions.  The winner should be noti-
fied by official documentation.  The sponsor should inform unsuccess-
ful bidders verbally or by mail of the selection, the criteria which
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were used in proposal evaluation, and specifically how their proposals
failed to meet the criteria.  The reasons must be well thought out and
accurate in order to avoid bidder contest of the decision.

     A public announcement of the selection should also be made.

                        Contract Negotiation

     Final contract negotiations can begin once a single bidder has
been chosen.  It may be advantageous to set a schedule and deadline
for contract negotiations in order to provide pressure to the con-
tractor.  Other procedures and strategies should be similar to nor-
mal contract negotiation techniques.
                                   33

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          SECTION III:  PREPARING THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
                    FOR RESOURCE RECOVERY SYSTEMS
     The Request for Proposals (RFP) is the most important procure-
ment document for communicating the requirements of the sponsor to
the potential bidder.  The document must be carefully prepared, con-
cise and complete, because the bidders' decisions whether or not to
respond and the quality of their responses will be highly influenced
by the RFP.

     In preparing the RFP the sponsor should first define for himself
the overall program concept he desires to express.  (The results of
the planning efforts should have enabled him to do this.)  He should
then make sure that all appropriate items are considered and included
in the RFP.

     There is no such thing as a standard RFP; each RFP must be tai-
lored to fit the needs of a specific project.  This section provides
general discussion and examples of each required information category,
and available options for presenting the information.  A checklist of
the RFP information categories is provided (Table 10).  The sponsor
should read the description and the options provided in each section
below and ask himself what characteristics of his  system should be
described.  He can then adapt and expand the example given to fit the
special needs of the project.

     The examples provided here are not intended to stand alone as a
completed RFP; they are merely illustrative of the type of language
and the type of considerations which must be presented in each RFP
section.  In some cases only partial examples are provided because
the level of detail required would make complete examples overly long.
An actual RFP will be much more specific than the examples given here
with respect to technology, markets, site, waste characteristics,
financing and management.  The sponsor will have to decide what to
include in a specific RFP.  This guide and examples are designed to
aid it in making those decisions.

                         CONTENTS OF THE RFP

     The overall organization of the RFP as described here consists
of the following major divisions:

         Introductory Materials - This section includes a table
         of contents and glossary of terms.
                                  34

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                                                       Table   10

                                                    RFP  CHECKLIST
                        CATEGORIES
                                                                                          CATEGORIES
GLOSSARY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
    Purpos2 (subject)  of  solicitation
    Project goals/objectives
    Specific features  of  project/system
    History/background of project
         Issuing sponsor
         Authority of  sponsor
    Proposal schedule
         Bid briefing
         Proposal  due  date (address  and  sponsor  contact)
         Estimated selection/negotiation  dates

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION AND PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

  Technical performance requirements
    Process restraints,  preferences, requirements
    Detailed specs (A&E approach)
    Performance specs
    Process input/output  description
    Solid wastes inputs
         Quantity  (municipal,  commercial,  industrial, etc.)
         Composition
    Solid wastes deliveries
         Number and type  of  truck
         Schedule
    Solid wastes excluded
    Quantity/quality of residual required
    Fuel and material  product  specs
    Type of transfer/transport required
    Arrangements required for  residue  sale/disposal
    Size of facility (capacity)
    Process redundancy/reliability requirements
    Receiving,  storage and product/residue  handling
         Back-up landfill
         Disposal  methodology
    Future expansion/addition  to facility
    Other provisions (e.g.,  visitors,  signs, fences, etc.)

  Management performance  specifications
    Schedule (design & construction,test,  operation)
    Management  methodology and controls
         Contractor responsibilities
         Control techniques
    Reporting channels
         Program interactions
         Participant responsibilities
    Auditing procedures
    Approval process (procedures, responsibilities)
    Labor & hiring specs  (equal opportunity employer, etc.)
    Marketing responsibi1ities/arrangements
    Personnel qualifications

  Economics and  Financing
    Sources of  financing  anticipated
    Legal  stipulations
    Fees and payments
    Escalator factors
    Revenue sharing
  Environmental and aesthetic specifications

  Contractual considerations
    Ownership (land, facility, refuse,  landfill, products)
    Lease arrangements
    Process guarantees
    Insurance
    Patent rights
    Royalties
    Payments and schedules
    Risk sharing
    Tonnage guarantees
    Negotiable terms and conditions
    Re-opener clauses
PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
  General
    Proposal bid bond or deposit (refundaoility, etc.)
    Submission deadlines
    Number of copies, page limits
    Issuer's financial and legal liability
    Amount of time proposal  and bond are good
    Handling proprietary information
    Executive summary
  Detailed proposal requirements
    Technical design proposal  (reports,  drawings,  etc.)
    Management proposal  (pert charts,  flow diagrams,  etc.)
    Bidder qualifications
    Marketing proposal (letters of intent, etc.)
    Financial proposal
    Cost assumptions (financing charge,  rental  fees,  etc.)
    Environmental  impact and  aesthetics
EVALUATION PROCESS
    Methodology/approach
    Evaluation team - arrangements/participants
    Technique/format
    Evaluation criteria

APPENDICES
    Related reports
    Site information (soils, borings,  access,  etc.
    Permit regulations/requirements
    State, local, federal,  legal  requirements
         Environmental
         Zoning
         Building
    Sample contract or  lease
    Letters of intent
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     •   General  Program Description - This section provides an
         overview of the resource recovery program.

     •   System Description and Performance Requirements - This
         section  describes the sponsor's plans for the system
         and defines the responsibilities required of the se-
         lected contractor.

     •   Proposal Requirements - This section describes the re-
         quired format and contents of the bidders' proposals.

     •   Evaluation Process - This section describes the cri-
         teria and process for evaluation of proposals.

     This format  is provided as an example of a method for supplying
organized and complete information to the bidders.  Variations  on
this format may be utilized where special issues dictate.

                       INTRODUCTORY MATERIALS

     Both a table of contents and a glossary should be included in
the initial section of the RFP.  A full table of contents is critical
to permit readers easy access to specific RFP sections.  Likewise, it
is important to include a glossary of terms used in the RFP in  order
to prevent misunderstandings.  Terms (such as processing, facility,
residue, contractor and user fee) should be clearly defined according
to the intent of their usage.  The glossary should be placed at the
beginning of the  RFP to provide the bidders early familiarity with
the terms and to  permit easy reference during the bidders' reading of
the RFP.

     Examp le:

     Facility - The building and machinery to be constructed to
recover resources from solid waste as a result of this solicitation.

                     General Program Description

     This section gives an overview of the resource recovery program
and provides information about the specific project and the personnel
who have been involved in its planning and implementation.  It also
defines the purpose of the solicitation.  The more important subjects
to be addressed are discussed below.
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Solicitation Purpose

     The prospective bidder will want to know on what elements of the
overall solid waste resource recovery system he is bidding.  These
elements could include:

     •   design only

     •   project management

     •   design and construction

     •   design, construction and operation

     t   design, construction, operation and ownership

     •   supply or operation of transfer stations, vehicles, etc.

This section may take the form of a work statement to indicate to the
bidder the elements for which he, as contractor, will be responsible.

     Example:

     The procurement sponsor shall select a contractor to perform the
following services:

     0   To design the solid waste resource recovery facility
         in accordance with the sponsor's conceptual design,
         and supervise the construction activities on behalf
         of the sponsor under a fixed price agreement.  The
         sponsor will issue separate contracts for construc-
         tion.

     9   To provide supplemental management services and
         personnel during plant start-up, on a cost plus
         fixed-fee agreement.

     9   To provide operating, maintenance and marketing
         management services for a 5-year period on a fixed
         tonnage basis, subject to annual renegotiations.

Project Goals and Objectives

     This section should outline key characteristics of the planned
resource recovery system.  For instance, low capital cost, low opera-
ting cost, high technical reliability, highly marketable products,
                                  37

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high percentage of recovery, strong financial  position or any combina-
tion of the above may be critical  to the sponsor's  decision in choos-
ing a system.   The bidder should be informed of the sponsor's stand-
ards, although these standards or preferences  do not have to be ex-
pressed in weighted values.   If the sponsor expects the contractor to
accommodate source separation programs, this intention should also be
stated.

Summary of Specific Project  Features

     Although  detailed specifications of the system will  be provided
later in the RFP, a summary  of the features of the  project as it is
envisioned in  the planning stage will be helpful to the bidders'
initial understanding.

     Potential items to be included in the summary  description are:

     •   Numbers and types of major facilities to be constructed
         (processing facility(s), transfer stations)

     •   Method of financing

     •   Responsibilities for collection, transfer, transport,
         processing, marketing and disposal of refuse

     •   Ownership

     •   Term  and type of contract

     •   Method of ultimate  disposal

Program History and Sponsor's Legal Authority

     This section should describe the history and current status of
resource recovery planning in the area, especially  an identification
of the procurement sponsor and its authority to carry out the plan.
This information will indicate to prospective bidders the amount of
effort already expended on resource recovery planning, the serious-
ness of the sponsor and the  legalities involved in  the selection of a
contractor.  Relevant legal  authorities of the sponsor which should
be described include such issues as its control over the waste stream,
ability to engage in negotiated contractor selection, authority to
enter long term contracts, financing authority, and ability to enter
minimum guarantee contracts.
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Proposal Schedule

     The introductory section may also include a summary of the pro-
posal schedule.  Specifically, the date and location for bidders'
briefing, proposal due date, address, sponsor contact, and estimated
selection or negotiation dates should be provided.

           System Description and Performance Requirements

     The purpose of this section is to provide the specifications for
the system and other information which may be useful to the bidder in
preparing a proposal.  The section may be organized in any order de-
sired by the sponsor but should include the subjects described below.

Technical Performance Requirements

     The technical performance requirements should address the process
requirements, refuse inputs, processing plant outputs, facility capac-
ity, and process reliability.  The degree of technical specification
depends upon the amount of detail which is known to the sponsor at the
time of RFP preparation.  Process or product choices, the waste stream
composition and quantity, and the degree of process reliability de-
sired should be defined as fully as possible, so the bidder knows the
design parameters within which he is to propose.

Process Requirements

     The purpose of this section is to describe the sponsor's choice
of technology and the products to be produced.  The process require-
ments can range from being highly specific about the technology and
products desired to requesting the bidder to propose the process and
products.  If the sponsor has studied and selected a desired tech-
nology-market configuration or if it has obtained strong market com-
mitments, it may be able to specify the technology and product types.
An advantage of selecting the process and product prior to the RFP
preparation is that the evaluation of proposals will be easier if all
bidders propose similar equipment and products.  On the other hand,
the sponsor may desire to keep the selection of technology and process
open so as to encourage participation by a number of bidders and pro-
cesses.

     Three levels of specification and their'respective process re-
quirements are provided here:

     Specified Process and Product.  If the product and process types
are preselected, but a detailed design has not been done, the RFP can
provide a definite process specification and a product specification(s),

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Process specifications generally enumerate the unit processes required,
specific equipment desired, provisions for process redundancy,  modular
design, contingency design, and plant flexibility.

     Product specifications generally prescribe the type of products
required from the facility.  These include such requirements as:   tem-
perature, pressure and quality for steam, quality and form for ferrous
metals, quality and color limitations for glass, quality and form for
shipment for paper, and physical form, BTU content, chemical composi-
tion, and moisture content for fuels.

     Specified Product.  If a market for recovered products has been
determined, but a process has not been selected, the technical  spe-
cification can consist of product specifications as described above.

     Open Process.  If neither process nor product is specified,  the
RFP should provide operational requirements which generally describe
only the plant capabilities desired.  The plant capabilities include
such requirements as plant capacity, site, downtime, degree of volume
reduction, environmental impact, delivery schedule, safety and stor-
age.  These requirements should also be provided for product and  pro-
cess specified RFP's, as will be outlined in the following sections.

     Example:

     Specified Process and Product

     The bidder will propose to design, construct and operate an  ad-
vanced solid waste resource recovery system using shredders, air
classifiers and magnetic separators.  The system will ultimately  be
capable of processing a nominal 2000 tons per day of municipal solid
waste in redundant process lines to produce a ferrous metal product,
mixed nonferrous metal product, and a shredded paper fuel material
suitable as a supplemental fuel in suspension-fired, coal burning
boilers.

     Specified Product

     At the minimum, the plant must be capable of producing steam to
meet the specifications of the market, recovering ferrous metals, and
providing at least 80% volume reduction of all solid waste delivered.

     The Acme Light and Power Company will cooperate with prospective
proposers to the extent of quoting a price schedule and product spec-
ifications for the purchase of steam.
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     Open Process

     The bidder will propose a system to recover resources from solid
wastes which can be marketed.  These resources may be in the form of
energy such as shredded fuel material, oil3  gas, steam or electricity,
or in the form of materials such as paper,  corrugated paper, pulp,
metals, or glass.  No specific products are required.  Marketing guid-
ance is provided in the Appendix.

Solid Wastes Inputs

     For all types of RFP's, the characteristics of solid wastes in
the area which is to be serviced by the facility should be described
as fully as is practicable.  If knowledge of local waste quantities
or composition is limited, further studies  may be necessary.  If com-
position studies are done, it should be remembered that waste char-
acteristics can change significantly from season to season.  Some
characteristics which may be described are:

     •   Quantity and types of refuse - municipal, commercial,
         industrial, demolition, sludge, etc.

     t   Composition - percentage of paper, glass, ferrous,
         and non-ferrous metals, plastics,  leather, rubber,
         textiles, wood, food wastes, yard  wastes, moisture,
         etc.

     t   Refuse categories which are excluded from the pro-
         cessor's responsibilities, e.g. hazardous, patho-
         genic, demolition, etc.

     •   Number and types of vehicles which will deliver
         refuse

     t   Schedule of refuse deliveries

     Example:

     The contractor will process municipal  and commercial refuse.  The
contractor will not be responsible for processing hazardous, pathogenic
or explosive wastes.  The municipal refuse  has been estimated through
a series of sampling studies to have the following composition by
weight:
                                  41

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                                          % of Total by
             Refuse Category               Net Weight

               Paper                          35.8
               Glass                           8.4
               Ferrous metals                  7.6
               Non ferrous metals                .6
               Plastics                        1.S
               Leather, rubber                 1.4
               textiles                        2.9
               Wood                            2.3

             Nonfood Product Total            59. 3

               Food Wastes                    18. 7
               yard Wastes                    20.4
               Miscellaneous                   1.6
             Total                           100.0

     Refuse will be delivered in municipal collection vehicles (	
per day), private packer trucks (	 per day) and in transfer vans
(	per day).  Regular deliveries will be made during the follow-
ing hours:  7:SO a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and on
Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to noon.   Saturday delivery hours will be
extended to 4:00 p.m. during holiday weeks.

Processing Plant Outputs

     All known specifications of products and residue which will be
produced by the facility should be indicated.  These descriptions
should be as specific as possible even if the process is unspecified
in the RFP.  Requirements might include:

     t   Minimum recovery, by weight or volume, or

     •   Limitation on quantity of raw refuse which can be
         disposed by alternative means.

     •   Process residue specifications (quantity and quality).

     •   Fuel and material product specifications, including any
         specifications for marketable products which have been
         committed,  and including transportation responsibilities.
                                  42

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     •   Specific markets that must be serviced.

     •   Arrangements required for residue sale or disposal in-
         cluding transportation, secondary processing markets
         for residue, specified disposal locations, or required
         backup disposal capabilities, etc., if determined.

     Examp 1e:

     Residual Products

     The residue from the resource recovery process must not exceed
20 percent) by weight, of the incoming solid waste.

     Fuel and Material Product Specs

     0   Specified process:  The product specifications are
         provided in the Appendix.

     0   Open Process:  The bidder is required to make market
         arrangements for his own product(s).  Some marketing
         guidance is provided in the Appendix.

     Transportation

     The contractor must arrange for transportation of its products
to the market and for transportation of its residue to the residue
disposal site located 15 miles from the facility site.

     Residue Sale

     The contractor may arrange for sale or delivery of the residual
materials to any residue processing facility.

     Residue Disposal

     The contractor shall dispose of process residues in a sanitary
landfill operating under a permit from the State Department of En-
vironmental Conservation.

Facility Capacity

     The capacity of the facility, requirements for storage, and ac-
commodations for variations in the quantity of refuse delivered should
be included as precisely as possible.
                                  43

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     Examp le :

     The facility must be capable of receiving a nominal 2000 tons
per day of TOW refuse.  Seasonal variations will range from 80% to
130% of this figure.  The facility must be capable of storing up to
one week's raw refuse under cover in periods of downtime.

Process Reliability

     There are several ways in which the reliability of the system
may be guaranteed.  One way is to require specific technical design
such as a large storage area and/or equipment redundancy which will
accommodate equipment malfunction.  Another way is to establish a re-
liability requirement (e.g., a maximum number of days of raw refuse
landfill), with damages to be paid to the sponsor if this maximum is
exceeded.  This method allows the bidder to determine his own tech-
nical means of establishing reliability.  The requirement which is
established by the sponsor should be carefully outlined because it is
as an important factor in bidder design and cost calculations.

     Example:

     Technical Design Requirement

     It is desirable that the facility be designed so that no single
point of failure will prevent the plant from functioning.  Complete
duplication of dry fuel preparation lines is to be utilized to lessen
the probabilities of total plant shutdown due to mechanical failures.
The facility shall be in condition to process the required capacity
for a minimum of 50 weeks each year.

     Reliability Requirement

     In lieu of establishing a specific reliability requirement3 a
clause will be negotiated to require the contractor to make damage
rebates to the sponsor for every day over 12 per annum that it uses
the raw refuse contingency landfill.

Material Handling

     If there are any specific methods desired by the sponsor for
handling of raw or processed materials, they should be described to
the bidder.  These methods might include storage under cover, safety
considerations, movement of equipment, fire control, scale specifica-
tions and traffic patterns.
                                  44

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     Example:

     All unloading shall be done under cover and the unloading areas
shall be constructed so as to minimize wind interference.   The traffic
pattern shall be designed to provide efficient operation and use of
space.  Scales will be equipped with automatic printers which will
record the time, date and scale weight for Identification and account-
ing of loads.

Future Expansion

     Any future requirements in terms of capacity, additional recovered
products or new types of wastes (e.g., sewage sludge) should be identi-
fied, along with any necessary information such as land availability,
power restrictions, or environmental requirements.  A requirement on
the contractor to plan or implement such future additions should also
be identified.

     Example:

     The bidder is encouraged to Include plans for future construction
of additional resource recovery operations which may be economically
merited, for Instance, aluminum recovery, newsprint separation, residue
processing or electrical generation.

Other Considerations

     There may be other technical  specifications of the system, such
as accommodations for visitors, identification signs, fences, etc.,
which should be described here.

Management Performance Specifications

     The purpose of this section is to identify the responsibilities
and roles of the sponsor and contractor, as well as the schedules in-
volved in system implementation and operation.  The items that should
be included are scheduling, management methodology and controls, re-
porting channels, auditing procedures, approval requirements, labor
and hiring specifications, marketing responsibilities and arrangements,
and personnel qualifications.  A description of each is presented below,
with examples where appropriate.

Scheduling

     The bidder must be aware of the anticipated schedules for all
phases of the system implementation and operation.  For the design
and construction phase, provisions must be indicated for compliance

                                 45

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with a predetermined construction schedule or for negotiation of that
schedule.  A shakedown period schedule for testing of the facility
prior to full operation should include time periods, notification
dates, provision for delivery and payment for refuse.  Operating
schedules should designate refuse receiving hours, operating hours,
maintenance schedules, and facility downtime.  Known schedules for
additions or expansions of the facility should be included.  The
schedule should also define the term of agreement for operation of
the facility.

     Example:

     The facility shall be fully constructed in 2. 5 years from the
contract date.  An additional 6-month period shall be allowed for
purposes of shakedown and testing.

     Upon completion of plant construction, the contractor shall
notify the sponsor that it wishes to accept refuse for shakedown.
The contractor may specify the schedule for and quantities of refuse
to ~be delivered to the facility for testing.

Management Methods and Controls

     This section should summarize the contractor's management respon-
sibilities and control requirements.  Specifically, a description of
the techniques and controls which are necessary for management of
successful facility implementation should be provided.  These controls
may include reporting procedures, monitoring responsibilities, payment
responsibilities and management master plans.

     Examp le:

     The contractor is expected to employ project management and con-
trol techniques to provide the necessary information to both the
sponsor and the contractor for effective management of the program.
It is responsible for providing experienced management and technical
staffing to support all project phases.  A FEET chart shall be pre-
pared by the contractor for the sponsor's use in monitoring progress.

     The contractor shall supply verbal weekly activity reports,
monthly letter reports and detailed quarterly reports during all
phases through initial operation.

     Monthly financial reports shall be submitted to detail the
budget, reflecting actual expenditures, commitments, and projected
expenditures.
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Reporting Channels

     This section should outline the required interactions among par-
ticipants at all stages of implementation and operation.  Some major
issues to be discussed include sponsor or other agency contacts during
the design and construction stage  and notification of facility readiness
for testing and for sponsor inspection.


Responsibilities of Participants

     Responsibilities of all participants (communities, private indus-
try, sponsor, contractors) in collection, transport, processing, mar-
keting and disposal of refuse and processing output should be defined.

Auditing Procedures

     If the sponsor intends to require that the contractor allow audit-
ing of certain books, the provisions for audit should be outlined in
the RFP.  A description of the persons who will conduct the audit and
notice of the audit frequency should be provided and a format may be
specified.

     Example:

     The sponsor wi.11, reserve the right to audit the books of the re-
source recovery facility.  Sponsor audits will be conducted annually
at the sponsor's expense.

Approval Requirements

     After selection of the contractor, many public approvals may be
required during design, construction and operation of the facility.
The approvals and their estimated time requirements should be specif-
ically identified.  Such approvals may include site assignment, design
approval, equipment approval, safety and other local permit approvals,
building permits, environmental  impact approvals, legal contract ap-
provals and financing approvals.  The RFP should define the specific
approving agency and the party (sponsor, contractor and other) respon-
sible for obtaining the approval.

Marketing Responsibilities and Arrangements

     If arrangements have been made for marketing of products recov-
ered from the refuse, these arrangements should be described in detail
including degrees of commitment for purchase, market contact names and
                                  47

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addresses, product specifications, transportation distances, quantities
committed, and any other available information.  A description of the
contractual and operational market relationship among the contractor,
the sponsor and the markets should also be given.

     If no market commitments have been obtained, the bidder should be
provided with a definition of his market responsibilities and the re-
sponsibilities of the sponsor or of other parties.  Market contacts or
other leads will be useful to the bidder in establishing market arrange-
ments and should be provided in the Appendix.

     Example:

     It shall be the responsibility of the contractor to seek out,
negotiate for and develop markets for the materials recovered through
processing.  Letters of intent outlining product specifications,  quan-
tities3 and price ranges for all energy and ferrous products must be
included with the proposal.  A number of potential markets and custom-
ers for recovered products have been identified and are outlined in
the Appendix.

Personnel Qualifications

     The sponsor may require specific personnel qualifications during
design, construction and operation of the facility such as professional
engineer registration.  If so, the requirements, the stages for which
they are applicable, and reference to applicable statutes should be
provided.

Safety Specifications

     Any applicable health and safety regulations such as OSHA regula-
tions or local fire codes should be stipulated.

Labor and Hiring Specifications

     Hiring requirements such as equal opportunity employment and use
of local wage rates or local union labor force must be described.

Economics and Financing

     This section should describe all aspects of the financing plan
proposed for the system including sources, legal stipulations, fees
and payments, escalator factors, and revenue sharing.  A description
of each aspect is provided below, with examples where appropriate.
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Financing Source

     The source(s) of financing which is available for the project
has to be identified along with an outline of the respective respon-
sibilities of the sponsor and contractor in obtaining or proposing
such financing.  The relative contribution of each financing source,
mechanism for obtaining each, and estimated interest rates should
also be identified.

     The sponsor may have goals for financing of the facility.  For
example, public or private financing may be preferred.  If so, these
preferences and the reasons for them should be noted.

     Examp le:

     It is the intention of the sponsor that the system will be finan-
ced by publicly issued tax-free pollution control revenue bonds,  un-
less it is determined that contractor or other private party financing
can provide a lower user cost.

     For the purpose of calculating a debt service cost, the bidder
should assume that revenue bond financing is available at a cost of
capital of 7%.  He may3  in addition^ indicate whether private equity
is available to him and what the resulting impact on net cost would
be.

Legal  Stipulations

     Any existing legal  requirements or constraints for financing of
resource recovery activities via particular financing means should be
noted.

Fees and Payments

     A definition should be given of all fees and payments which will
involve the contractor.   Such fees may include service fees from the
communities, revenue from markets, disposal fees for disposal of resi-
due, and administrative  fees for services performed by the sponsor or
other agency.  Payor and recipient should be identified along with the
method for determining the amount of each payment, either by bid, nego-
tiation, cost basis, or  other calculation.  A specific schedule for
payments should also be  included.
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Escalator Factors

     The bidder should be informed of provisions for escalator factors
or he may be asked to propose them himself.  Furthermore, escalators
may be applied during any or all of the design, construction and opera-
ting periods.

     Example:

     The contractor shall propose methods of user fee and construction
cost escalation and shall specify which cost factors are subject to
such escalation.   Escalators may be renegotiated before a contract is
finalized,.

Revenue Sharing

     If not addressed under Fees and Payments, arrangements for shar-
ing of market revenues with the user communities should be defined.
Again the sponsor may specify the revenue sharing plan, or may ask
the bidder to propose one.

     Examp le:

     For the purpose of calculating net disposal fees, the contractor
shall assume that resource recovery revenues are shared with the user
communities on a 50%-50% basis.  The contractor may additionally pro-
vide an alternative revenue sharing schedule, with a justification
for it.  This addendum may be a basis for later negotiations.

Environmental and Aesthetic Specifications

     The bidder should be informed of all environmental standards and
regulations with which he will be required to conform, in addition to
other environmental or aesthetic specifications of the sponsor.  The
relevant environmental regulations and a list of necessary permits
may be included in the Appendix.

     Example:

     The proposed project shall meet all pertinent Federal, state and
local environmental and health requirements and standards.  Such reg-
ulations cover all aspects of the project including construction and
operation,  all solid/liquid/gaseous emissions, and all salable and
non-salable products of the process.  A list of the pertinent regula-
tions and requirements is included in the Appendix.
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Contractual Considerations

     The pattern of design, construction, management, ownership and
operating responsibilities selected for the facility requires  certain
legal instruments.  Some of the possible types of instruments  are:

     •   design and engineering services contract

     •   construction contract

     t   project management contract

     •   equipment supply contract

     t   full service contract

     t   lease for land (if sponsor owns)

     The bidder should be informed as to which of these instruments
apply to the given solicitation.   The bidder should also be given an
indication of any contractual  issues which have not been described
earlier.  These issues may include:  ownership responsibility, lease
arrangements, performance guarantees, insurance, patent rights, roy-
alties/taxes, risk sharing, and negotiable terms and conditions.   A
description of the type of information required in each of these
areas is provided below.

Ownership

     Ownership of various components of the system (land, facility,
refuse, transfer stations, landfill, products) during the construction
period, the operation period,  and the end of the term of agreement
should be defined.  Specific application of financing provisions  or
other laws which govern ownership should also be cited.

Lease Arrangements

     If any part of the land or facilities is to be rented, the terms
and arrangements for lease, ownership and payments should be outlined.

Performance Guarantees

     Provisions for performance bonds and/or labor and materials  bonds
should be defined.  The amount of the bonds or the process for the
determination of the amounts should also be listed.
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     If the sponsor desires liquidated damage provisions in the con-
tract, these should be described with occasions for use and amounts
and basis for determination.   In addition, if there are any limits to
the financial risk to be placed upon the contractor, mention of the
maximum should be made here.

Insurance

     Statutory insurance requirements should be identified so that
the bidder may include them in his costs.

Patent Rights

     Any special  provisions for retaining or acquiring patent rights
should be stated.

Royalties or Taxes

     The facility may be subject to state or local  property taxes or
to a royalty fee  in lieu of taxes.  These provisions and the amounts
to be assessed should be identified so that the bidder may include
them in his costs.  If an exact figure is unknown,  a reasonable as-
sumption should be provided for the purpose of bidding.

Sharing of Risk

     The subject  of risk sharing is one of the most important in the
procurement process since a variety of uncertainties exist in the
areas of technology, markets, and environmental control.  Provisions
for the sharing of risk will  have to be clearly outlined in the con-
tract and in the  RFP, if such provisions are known  at the time of
preparing the RFP.  Frequently, process, product and financing uncer-
tainties make it inappropriate to discuss risk sharing provisions in
the RFP; in such  a case, the RFP should define the  process for nego-
tiation of the risk sharing provisions which have not yet been deter-
mined.  The Risks and Contracts Guide of this series of Implementa-
tion Guides discusses risks in more detail and relates the risk shar-
ing formulae that have been used in some cities.

Negotiable Terms  and Conditions

     A number of other issues in a service contract between the pro-
cessor and the user communities or in a contract for facility con-
struction and operation may need to be negotiated at a later date.
These issues should be identified.  Major negotiable items may in-
clude:
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     •   Actual user fees and residue disposal fees based upon
         cost changes since the time of proposals

     •   Escalator factors

     •   Revenue sharing formulas

     •   Operation of the facility beyond the initially agreed
         term of operation

     •   Minimum and/or maximum guarantees of refuse as inputs
         to the facility, the periods for which they are guar-
         anteed, the frequency with which they may be readjusted

     t   Failure to perform clauses (i.e., liquidated damages)

     •   Contract re-opener clauses

     0   Cost readjustment clauses for future introduction of
         governmental rules or regulations which may impose cost
         or operating penalties upon the contractor.

       Proposal Requirements (Formal Instructions to Bidders)

     The purpose of this section is to specify the contents and the
format of the proposals so that all proposals will contain the infor-
mation required by the sponsor displayed in a uniform fashion.

     It is important that the evaluation criteria and procedure for
evaluation be selected by the sponsor prior to RFP preparation.  Then,
the dictated proposal format will correspond to these evaluation cri-
teria, sectioned according to evaluation procedures.  For instance,
the major evaluation criteria which are chosen may be bidder qualifi-
cations, management and marketing capabilities, technical design, and
costs and pricing.  The proposals should then be structured so that
bidder qualification, management and marketing, technical design, and
costs and pricing information are in separate sections for the pur-
pose of evaluation.  Within each section, specific information should
be requested and specific forms or tables may also be required.

General Requirements

     Certain general information concerning proposal submission must
be provided to the bidders.  The deadline for submission of proposals,
the number of copies requested and any relevant page limitations must
be included.  The bidders will  need to know what type of bid bond or
                                  53

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deposit if any is required, its amount, its form, the term and
conditions of its retention, and the conditions for its refund.

     This introduction should also include a description of specific
financial or legal  responsibilities of either the procurement sponsor
or the bidder.  Examples of specific responsibilities might be statu-
tory requirements for handling of proprietary information in proposals,
competitive bid laws which require specific procedures for handling
and reimbursing bid bonds or time limitations for validity of proposals.
Any such specific requirements must be clearly outlined for the  bidders
to prevent improper submission of proposals or proposal bonds.

     Example:

     Prospective bidders are notified that all information submitted
as a part, or in support, of proposals will be available for public
inspection in compliance with Chapter 	 of the State Statutes.

     The next step  in the explanation of proposal requirements is a
more elaborate description of the information which is desired in each
proposal section.  The Executive Summary should be the first item re-
quired.  Its page limitations should be noted and a list of the  items
which are required  in the Executive Summary should be given in just a
few sentences.  The detailed proposal requirements should then be out-
lined as described  below.

Detailed Proposal Requirements

     The proposal should be organized according to evaluation criteria
categories to allow for systematic review and evaluation.  The sugges-
ted proposal format shown here corresponds to the detailed sample
evaluation criteria and evaluation process description provided  in the
Evaluation Process  section of the RFP (e.g., Table 14).

     In some sections it may be desirable to provide charts or tables
for the bidder to fill in with the requested information.  Although
it may be extremely difficult to provide a complete, universally ap-
plicable table in some cases, the standardized table method can
facilitate the evaluation process.  Sample tables are included under
the specific topics to which they apply.

Technical Design Proposal

     This section should specifically request all of the technical
design information  which the sponsor requires to determine if the
proposed design is  reasonable and will meet the disposal needs of the
community(ies) it will serve.

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     Specific design information that may be requested from bidders
might include the following:

     0   A statement and discussion of the total  proposed process
         (preliminary design) including:   technical  specifications,
         total storage capacity, design and optimal  processing
         capabilities for each unit, and  the proposed general  con-
         figuration of the system components.

     •   A proposed Statement of Work with explanation of technical
         approaches, and a detailed outline of the proposed program
         for executing the technical requirements.

     •   A complete process flow diagram.

     •   Graphic representations including:  layouts, sketches,
         diagrams, calculations, curves,  and other data necessary
         to illustrate the proposed technical approaches and pro-
         nram
         gram.

         A general  plan identifying all  equipment in the process
         flow and locating such equipment showing general  dimen-
         sions, buildings and surrounding structures.
         Plans which clearly indicate the function, size, opera-
         tion, performance and quality of each unit process shown
         in the process flow diagram.

         A statement and schematic presentation of the energy and
         materials flow indicating:   the quantities and types of
         input materials, the energy required in BTU's for each
         of the major processing functions, the materials output
         at each of the major processing functions where appli-
         cable, the quantity of residue as percentage of raw
         refuse input, and a statement of equivalent BTU's per
         input ton of refuse where output is a form of energy.

         A statement and discussion  of anticipated downtime,
         including scheduled allowances for major overhaul and
         other repairs and an estimate of time for unscheduled
         shutdown and a statement of the possible causes.

         A statement of the number of expected days of process
         downtime when refuse accumulation will exceed the
         storage capacity.
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     •   A statement of agreement to use the specified site  and
         a discussion of any site-related construction or opera-
         tional  problems that are anticipated.

     t   Plans for emergency conditions, including safety pre-
         cautions, quench areas,  preventative maintenance, re-
         dundancy and storage capabilities.

     •   A statement and discussion of anticipated major equip-
         ment difficulties and other problem areas, together
         with potential or recommended approaches for their
         resolution.

Marketing Proposal

     This section should specifically request the marketing  informa-
tion which is necessary for selection of a process and contractor.
The amount of information will depend upon whether the sponsor or the
contractor is responsible for marketing of products.  The following
is an example of requests for marketing information where the sponsor
has performed only a preliminary market survey.

     Example:

     Specific marketing information provided by  the bidder should in-
clude the following:

     0   Full description of markets for recovered materials and
         energy  including quantities3 locations,  degree of com-
         mitment, quality specifications, and further marketing
         efforts planned to meet long term market changes.

     0   Concrete (written) evidence of successful marketing for
         the products described in this proposal.  (This type of
         evidence will weigh heavily in the contract award delib-
         erations.  The level of commitment will be evaluated on
         the basis of whether signed contracts or letters of in-
         tent for products exist.)

     »   Market commitments should specify the following:  quan-
         tity of product to be sold, quality of the material to
         be sold, product specifications, provisions and dura-
         tion of commitment, price range or basis for pricing
         of salable products.
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Management Qualifications and Proposal

     This section should specifically request the management informa-
tion which is necessary to determine whether the bidder has acceptable
management capabilities and whether the proposed management for the
facility is adequate.

     Some of the background of the bidder's management capabilities
may be provided in a qualifications statement received prior to issu-
ance of the RFP.  In this case, management background does not need
to be requested again.  If there is no prequalification stage, it will
be necessary to require a statement of management capability in the
proposal.  A table format can be utilized for this purpose.  Informa-
tion which should be requested in the RFP concerning the proposed
management of the facility includes:

     •   Full description of the proposed management philosophies,
         incentives, roles and responsibilities of participating
         firms, individuals or other groups, and contractual ser-
         vices required.

     •   Documentation of commitment and backing of parent com-
         pany or other firm, if applicable, which will lend man-
         agement, financial or other support to the enterprise.

     •   Personnel who will be assigned responsibilities for de-
         sign and construction supervisory services on this pro-
         gram.  Information which will  show the composition of
         the task or work group, its general qualifications, and
         recent experience with similar programs is required.
         Included should be names of registered designers and
         engineers responsible for preparing the design and pro-
         posal.  Special descriptions shall be given of direct
         technical supervisors and key personnel, and the ap-
         proximate percentage of the total time each will be
         available for this program.  Resumes are desirable to
         indicate education, background, recent experience and
         specific scientific or technical accomplishments.

     •   A table of personnel organization for the management
         and operation of the plant and related functions with
         job descriptions of each personnel classification.
         Resumes of key management and technical personnel are
         also desirable to indicate education, background and
         recent experience.
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     •   Additional  personnel,  and organizations,  if any,  who
         will  be required for full-time employment,  or  on  a
         subcontract or consultant basis.   The  technical  areas,
         character and extent of subcontract or consultant ac-
         tivity should be indicated,  and the anticipated  sources
         should be both specified and qualified.

     •   Description of long term management or master  plan.

     •   Description of maintenance policies, including a  list-
         ing of maintenance personnel indicating  work schedules
         and job descriptions.

     •   Description of policies for accommodating public  or
         governmental visitors  in accordance with specifications.

     t   A detailed schedule of the entire project from incep-
         tion of design through full-scale operation, including
         construction completion date, and schedule  for plant
         shakedown and startup.

     •   A description of the safety policies.

Financial Proposal

     The sponsor must know the financial status of the  bidder and  the
financial plan proposed.  Some financial data may be obtained from
the bidders during a prequalification stage, but if not,  Table  11  is
a sample of requests for bidder financial  information.   Regardless of
whether or not prequalification is utilized, a basic description  of
the proposed financial plan must also be required.

Economic Proposal

     This section should specifically request the economic information
needed by the evaluators to determine the economic impact of each  pro-
posal.  The degree of detail requested will depend upon the  level  of
economic analysis to be conducted during the evaluation stage.   How-
ever, the minimum economic information required in the  RFP is the
system's capital cost, annual debt service, operating costs, antici-
pated market revenues, and an anticipated net per ton disposal  fee.
An example of requested economic information is shown below.  A stan-
dardized cost table may be used if a tabular approach is  preferred,
such as the one provided in the Accounting Format Guide of this  series
of guides.
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                             Table 11
                 Request for Bidder Financial Data
                           (Sample Form)
Contractor Name:
Total Current Assets*:	
Total Fixed Assets:
     Reserve for Depreciation
     Buildings (Net)
     Equipment (Net)
Total Current Liabilities:	
Working Capital:	
Current Ratio:
Annual Interest Expense (Long term debt):_
Equity Composition:
     Preferred Stock           	
     Common Stock              	
     Earned Surplus            	
Debt to Equity Ratio:	
Sales (Annual $ Volume):	
Profit:
     Return on Equity (last complete year)_
     Return of Equity (average)	
Current Backlog in Resource Recovery:	
Current Credit/Bond rating (e.g., Dunn & Bradstreet):	
Proposed Financing Plan:
     Contractor's Share (%) of Total Investment	
     Source of Funds:
              Source                          Interest Rate
*Provide financial data for most recent complete year.
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     Examp le:

     Requested Economic Information

     The following minimum data and information should be provided in
the economic proposal:

     •   A firm fixed per ton user fee for each different
         operating level outlined in the RFP.

     0   A full description of the contractor's proposed
         formula for adjusting the user fee for cost
         changes in the price over the program life or
         for variations in the annual tonnage throughput.

     0   A breakout of the debt service component of the
         user fee.

     •   A full description of the resource recovery reve-
         nue sharing schedule.

     0   Cost proposals fully supported by cost and pricing
         data adequate to establish the reasonableness of
         the proposed user fee.

     •   Cost data for all stages of construction and opera-
         tion  including,, but not limited to, site development
         cost, direct construction costs, contractor costs,
         equipment costs, costs of performance and labor and
         materials bonds, financing costs, O&M costs, expan-
         sion costs, and market or transportation costs.

     •   A full description of the contractor's proposed
         formula for adjusting the construction cost to the
         initial starting date.

     It may be necessary to provide certain cost assumptions to the
bidder because many economic factors are unknown until the implemen-
tation of the plan.  In this case, cost assumptions in the RFP will
permit the bidders to base their price proposals on the same assump-
tions so that they can be evaluated comparatively.  Some economic
factors which may have to be assumed are:  financing charge (interest
rate), escalator factors, inflation factor, rental expenses, property
taxes, landfill disposal, and transportation costs.
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     Example:

     The cost assumptions below are provided to the bidder for his
use in preparing proposals.   A base per ton user fee will be proposed
by the bidder on the basis of these assumptions.  Where actual costs
(i.e., landfill costs3 financing charges, rentals etc.) are found to
differ from the assumed costs, the user fee will be adjusted during
contract negotiation to reflect the actual costs.

     0   All costs are to be submitted in 1975 dollars.

     0   The contractor is to contract with local communi-
         ties for a 20-year fixed price, full service con-
         tract.

     0   Seasonal variations in raw refuse input are ex-
         pected to vary from 80% to 130% of expected
         monthly tonnages.

     0   A site will be provided with a 20-year lease.
         The land rental will be paid directly to the
         sponsor.  For purposes of pricing it may be
         assumed that the rental will be $12,500/year.

     0   The host community is to receive a disposal
         fee of one dollar per input ton as an equiva-
         lent for property taxes.

     0   Any non-salable residue will be transported to
         and disposed of at a landfill for a total cost
         of $5.00 per ton of residue.

         Raw refuse will be disposed of during periods
         of downtime for a total transport and disposal
         cost of $8.00 per ton.

     0   Twenty year Industrial Development Revenue Bonds
         will be available at a  7 1/2% carrying charge.

Environmental  Impact and Aesthetics  Proposal

     This section should request the environmental and aesthetics
information which the sponsor requires to determine whether the pro-
posed facility will comply with  appropriate environmental quality
regulations and  aesthetics standards.
0
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     Some environmental information may not be known before the facil-
ity is fully designed or constructed.  Nevertheless, as much detail
as possible should be requested for certain critical areas of major
environmental impact.  Requests for information should include data
which will be useful for preparation of environmental  impact state-
ments or permit applications so that preparation of these documents
can begin early.  A brief example is shown below and a more complete
presentation of some required data is shown in Table 13.

     Example:

     The proposals will -Include the following environmental 'informa-
tion :

     Architecture
     0   Professional qualifications of a registered architect
         who will be responsible for the building, site and
         landscape designs.   Include photographs of at least
         three projects designed by this person, at least one
         of which is an industrial building.

     •   Architectural rendering of the proposed processing
         plant and environmental setting, including in detail
         the landscaped appearance from the road and other
         directions, with both planometric and isometric views.

                         Evaluation Process

     The purpose of this section is to describe to the bidder how the
proposals will be examined and which subject areas will be most close-
ly scrutinized.  It is important for the bidder to be aware of the
criteria by which proposals  will be judged in order for them to devote
adequate proposal effort to  the most critical areas.  A detailed des-
cription of the evaluation process itself is less crucial and may be
optional in the RFP.

Methodology/Approach

     This section should reiterate the project goals and objectives,
with particular emphasis on  their relation to the evaluation process.

Evaluation Team

     The bidder will want to know who will participate in proposal
evaluation.  This section need not identify specific persons; the
names of groups or agencies  involved and the areas of evaluation with


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                                                               Table   12
          Sample  List  of   Environmental   and  Aesthetic   Data  to  be   Considered
                             in   Resource   Recovery  Facility  Implementation
Architecture
  •  Professional qualifications of a registered architect who will  be responsible for the  building, site and landscape designs   Include photographs of
     at  least three projects designed by this  person, at least one of which is an industrial building.
  t  Architectural rendering of the proposed processing plant and  environmental setting,  including in detail  the  landscaped appearance from the road and
     other directions, with both planometnc and isometric views.
  •  Percentage of the project cost that will  be earmarked for the aesthetic aspects of architectural design, and in what manner will these funds be spent
  •  Measures and architectural features proposed  to enhance the appearance of the processing plant and its harmony with the environment.
  t  Major alternative measures and architectural  features that have been considered to enhance the appearance or environmental harmony of the proposed
     plant, and why rejected
Construction (List as much of this information as  is available)
  •  A complete outline of the methods of construction, keyed where  possible to the timetable described in the RFP.  Include estimated numbers and
     categories of employment, an inventory of types and quantities  of equipment, and types, amounts, and sources of construction materials.
  t  Special construction methods or techniques proposed as a result of the particular geologic, hydrologic,  and  other environmental aspects of the
     proposed site
  •  Comprehensive estimates of utility requirements (e.g  , water, gas, oil, electricity) during construction.
  •  Any traffic  impacts expected during construction, e.g., the temporary diversion of vehicular traffic, and the use of or effect on nearby roads
     (reference approximate daily timetables)
  •  Measures proposed to reduce the amount of air pollution caused  by construction (e.g.,  selection of equipment, dust controls).
  t  Approximate  noise levels, if known, for each  type of equipment.
  •  Extent and character of construction noise, and what provisions will be taken to minimize damage from construction-related noise.
  i  Nature, composition, flow, and provisions for water effluents occurring during construction.
  t  Nature, composition, quantities, and provisions for disposal  of solid wastes occurring during construction.
  •  Any additional environmental emissions, data, effects, measures, and alternatives related to or resulting from construction.


Process  Design and Plant Operation (Include relevant information for all anticipated scales of operation)
  t  Comprehensive estimates of utility requirements (e g., water, sewer, gas, oil, electricity) during the test  period and during full operation.
     Measures proposed to  reduce energy consumption during plant operation
                         reouce energy consumption ouring piant operation
                        :  emissions arising  from  the operation of the  proposed plant (e.g  ,  levels of S0;>, CO,  NOX, hydrocarbons,  particulates, ash,
                        ler)   To the extent feasible, provide supporting data and methods  used in arriving at  these air quality determinations,
                        lat all oertinent air oualitv standards are  met bv the orooosed plant.
                                                                                                 Include relevant features of the plant or process
All  known atmospheric
sulfur»  chlorine, other)    To  the extent feasible,  provide supporting  data and methods use
including evidence that all  pertinent air quality  standards are met by the proposed plant.
Special  measures and controls  proposed to minimize  the levels of harmful atmospheric emissions.
design.
Alternatives to these measures and controls that have been seriously considered, and why rejected.
     Expected noise levels  (above the background  level) inside and  outside the plant, and  at  the site boundaries,  during plant operation.  To t
     feasible, present supporting data, measurements, approximate noise levels of plant components (e.g., shredders), and methods of analysis.
     Measures proposed to reduce noise levels  during plant operation    Include special  features of the plant or process design
     or process design
     Alternatives  to these measures that have been seriously considered, and why rejected
     Known composition and properties of all  saleable and nonsaleable products of the proposed  process.  For fuels  this might include  particle size,
     heat value, ash contents,  sulfur content,  and moisture content,  as well as amounts of chlorine, sodium, potassium, and other constituents.
     Supporting data should be  presented where  appropriate.
     Estimated  impacts of noise,  dust (from raw refuse and otherwise), odor, and other atmospheric or aesthetic  features inside and  outside the proposed
     plant,  on  employees and users of the facility,  on visitors and passers by, and on nearby residential and recreational areas.
     Other safety  problems.
     Provisions proposed to minimize any such negative impacts, and also to safeguard the  health and safety  of those affected persons.
     Any additional environmental emissions,  data,  effects, measures, and alternative measures  related to or resulting from process  design or plant
     nprn
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which they will be involved is sufficient.  A description of evalua-
tion team arrangement may also be given, that is, whether teams will
be arranged by evaluation criteria, proposal  type or other division.

Evaluation Techniques

     The RFP should briefly describe the evaluation process which is
anticipated, identifying screening procedures and more detailed re-
view stages.

Evaluation Criteria

     The criteria to be used in evaluation should be outlined to indi-
cate the project areas which the sponsor considers to be the most im-
portant.  A detailed version of these criteria provide the sponsor
with a basis for outlining the prescribed proposal format.

     The criteria may be summarized by category of emphasis, as shown
below.  This indicates to the bidders which general areas will  receive
most attention from the sponsor.

     Examp le:

     Evaluation Criteria

     Proposals will be judged for:

     0   Technical soundness, including market commitments

     0   Technical and management qualifications of the bidder
         and proposed system

     0   Financial qualifications of the bidder and proposed
         system

     0   Cost, including the net user fee proposed

     0   Environmental impact and aesthetics, including con-
         formance to federal, state and local regulations, and
         other environmental considerations.

     A more detailed outline of criteria must also be included to en-
courage the bidder to provide sufficient information in  the important
areas.  It will also show the bidder that the sponsor's goals are well
established and thus increase the RFP credibility.  Table 13 is an
example of how the evaluation criteria may be elaborated.
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                                                   65

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     For some systems it may be possible to have very specific cri-
teria which can be measured quantitatively and which facilitate the
evaluation process.  It may also indicate to the bidder the exact
criteria which the sponsor seeks.  However, such specificity limits
the sponsor's flexibility in adapting his evaluation to unexpected
trends in the proposals which are received.

                             Appendices

     A certain amount of supplemental information may be desirable in
the RFP.  Such information often may offer more detail than is neces-
sary in the body of the RFP and may be placed in an appendix.  Pos-
sible appended materials include the items listed below.
     t
Technical, economic, planning, etc., studies which have
already been conducted pertaining to the designated
region.
     •   Site information such as detailed maps, soils and seis-
         mic information, test borings, availability of utilities,
         access conditions.

     t   Maps of the region showing the processing site(s), dis-
         posal locations, transportation routes, transfer sta-
         tions, refuse generation centers, etc.

     •   Permit requirements indicating the specific local, state,
         and federal permits required and the appropriate auth-
         ority for each.

     •   Other local, state and federal legal requirements such
         as environmental standards, zoning laws, building codes,
         fire and safety codes, professional registration require-
         ments.

     t   Legislation pertaining to public financing options.

     t   Sample contract or lease for the facility.

     t   Letters of intent indicating community  interest in re-
         gional participation, or market commitments.

     t   Marketing guidance such as history of market  interest,
         testing programs, names and phone numbers of  market  con-
         tacts, and fuel or material product specifications.
                                   66    uu.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.1976 634-930/198 1-3

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