Laserfiche WebLink
Approve Issuance of the Solid Waste Services RFP, One-year Extension of the Solid Waste <br />Services Agreement with Waste Management, and Authorize Prop 218 Process <br />March 17, 2020 <br />Page 3 <br />One -Year Extension <br />The one-year extension with WM, from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022, accommodates an <br />expanded RFP process timeline. This timeline will provide four months for proposal preparation, <br />which for a city the size of Santa Ana, is adequate. Proposal evaluation and interviews will be <br />conducted over a six-month period allowing sufficient time considering the intricacies of proposals <br />and the unknown number of proposers. Most importantly, this expanded timeline is recommended <br />due to purchasing impacts in the manufacture and delivery of the new trucks and carts, which are <br />required in the RFP. Markets have seen an extended delivery time, as other municipalities prepare <br />for compliance with new legislation. <br />The extension also addresses the requirements of Assembly Bill 1594 (AB 1594). Effective January <br />1, 2020, AB 1594 eliminated diversion credit for green waste sent to County landfills as Alternative <br />Daily Cover (ADC). Previously, WM delivered green waste collected from the City's customers to <br />the Tierra Verde Industries green waste processing facility for grinding and transfer to the Orange <br />County Landfill System for use as ADC. WM provided this service at no charge to customers, and <br />the City received diversion credit. Under the new requirements of AB 1594, WM will continue to <br />deliver green waste to Tierra Verde, however the material will be composted, providing the City <br />with diversion credit to maintain compliance with State mandates. WM will provide this service at <br />no cost to ratepayers through June 30, 2020. Upon successful completion of a Proposition 218 <br />process, a rate adjustment of $1.90 per residential unit per month will occur effective July 1, 2020. <br />A second rate adjustment of $1.50 per residential unit per month will occur effective July 1, 2021. <br />The total two-year rate adjustment for this service equals $3.40 per residential unit per month. The <br />City continues to retain the right to choose the location for the delivery of green waste and that the <br />rate paid by the ratepayer will be reduced or increased accordingly, based on transportation and <br />processing costs. <br />Rate Design <br />In recent years, the legal requirements surrounding solid waste service providing agencies rate <br />setting in California have evolved. Namely the courts have made rulings with respect to California <br />Constitution Article XIII C and D (commonly known as Proposition 218) that have created a higher <br />"cost of service" standard for rate setting than has historically been practiced by public agencies. <br />Simply put, the burden of proof is on agencies to demonstrate that all aspects of refuse rates are <br />directly proportionate to the cost of providing service. This means aligning fixed revenue (fixed <br />charges) with fixed costs. <br />The proposed refuse rate increases for curbside cart service are structured to directly align with <br />the refuse utility's (WM) increased cost for composting green waste. Refuse rates for cart <br />customers are proposed to be fixed for all curbside customers. This cost increase is a direct pass - <br />through to ratepayers. <br />The proposed rate revenue adjustments outlined below support the cost of composting green <br />waste to maintain compliance with State mandates: <br />60A-3 <br />