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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Gio Santana, Superintendent of Parks
Jim Birchall, Chief Public Facilities Officer
Michael Pegues, Chief Information Officer
DATE: 09/1/2023
SUBJECT:
A Resolution authorizing the Director of Purchasing to purchase an 8-year service agreement from Big Belly Solar, Inc, Needham, MA, for a connected smart waste, solar compacting and recycling platform at Philips Park for a total award of $793,989.12.
PURPOSE:
The City of Aurora seeks a comprehensive waste management solution that incorporates modern technology to streamline waste collection, monitoring, and removal. City staff plan to deploy "smart" garbage bins at Phillips Park, the Golf Course, and Zoo initially prior to expanding to other areas based upon need and success of the program. If advantageous, the Big Belly "Connect" program is easily scalable to other City parks, downtown, transit centers and other City locations over the next years
See attachments:
1. Phillips Park Operations Overview-Big Belly Smart Solutions
2. SmartWaste briefing packet - Marketplace city Clearbox Review
3. BigBelly- City of Aurora Service Agreement.
4. BigBelly Connect Warranty info.
BACKGROUND:
Currently, Aurora maintains standard waste management infrastructure at Phillips Park. During peak months Phillips Park hosts nearly 100 customer-facing 50-gallon garbage drums with open-air tops, leaving them exposed to weather and pests.
These are emptied 4 times per week regardless of time of year, event schedules, and nearby activities at substantial cost to the City. Fluctuating customer levels and uneven use of the available garbage bins means that set pick-up schedules are not perfectly responsive to need.
With the smart waste bins and "Connect" software, the units will alert staff when stations are ready for collection. This will not only increase efficiency of garbage collection, but also free up staff hours that can be re-allocated to more vital job functions. The stations are also self enclosed which will prevent waste overflow, rodent problems, and windblown litter, the stations also feature panels that could be used for advertising of major City events, public service messages or even the potential to generate revenue from advertising (management of advertising is NOT included in the connect program, so the City would take on the role of advertising if preferred).
DISCUSSION:
The City engaged Marketplace.city to perform the RFQ and RFP.
Process Sequence:
- Created Market Landscape with approximately 20 companies.
- Drafted RFQ document based on Aurora Public Facilities needs and industry best practices.
- Based on the market landscape and City Stakeholder review, publicly posted and distributed the Opportunity and Scope Document<https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/marketplace-city/projects/37962>for vendors to complete in order to be included in the reporting and selection process.
- RFQ was posted and distributed on 3/3/23 and closed 3/24/23.
- Three responses were completed by the deadline
- Upon review of the submissions, two vendor proposals provide comprehensive waste bin solutions, while the third (Nordsense) provides sensors that are installed inside the existing bins to measure & report their fill levels.
- At this time, project leaders seek to focus on comprehensive solutions with new integrated bins, which led to demonstrations with Big Belly & Wastequip.
- After demonstration, Wastequip was asked to provide follow-up documentation on maintenance plans/schedules.
- Project leaders submitted scoring based on submitted proposals, demonstrations, and follow-up documentation.
- Big Belly was selected as the winning bid based upon the scores submitted by City staff.
- Despite both Big Belly & Wastequip indicating in their proposals that they could provide a public outdoor Wi-Fi network to Phillips Park, further discussion indicated this was outdated or required 3rd-party tools. Big Belly retired this product line after years of poor results
A decision package was approved for this service, funding is budgeted in account 340-4440-451.39-50 for this purchase.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
By deploying Bigbelly units, the City of Aurora is moving forward with smart city technology that supports sustainability and efficient government operations; offer connected hardware that will notify city staff when fill levels are reached so they can be emptied on demand, will provide tracking and trending data to city staff, and will provide a safer, cleaner, healthier service to residents.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That Council authorize the Director of Purchasing to purchase an 8-year service agreement from Big Belly Solar, Inc, Needham, MA, for a connected smart waste, solar compacting and recycling platform at Philips Park for a total award of $793,989.12
cc: Infrastructure and Technology Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
title
A Resolution authorizing the Director of Purchasing to purchase an 8-year service agreement from Big Belly Solar, Inc, Needham, MA, for a connected smart waste, solar compacting and recycling platform at Philips Park for a total award of $793,989.12.
body
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the proposed services have been publicly advertised in accordance with City Purchasing Procedures; and
WHEREAS, This subscription-based service was designed to deliver a flexible, scalable, smart platform that transforms waste operations today, and enables Customers to benefit from the technology innovations of the future; and
WHEREAS, The plan is to implement connected smart waste bins throughout Philips Park as part of the Aurora's Smart City Program; and
WHEREAS, funds are available for this purchase in account 340-4440-451.39-50.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: the Director of Purchasing shall be and hereby is authorized and directed to execute an 8-year service agreement from Big Belly Solar, Inc, Needham, MA, for a connected smart waste, solar compacting and recycling platform at Philips Park for a total award of $793,989.12.