Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute a One-Year Agreement with Action Research for Community-Based Social Marketing to Increase Use of Alameda County Industries’ Bulky Pickup Services by Multi-Family Residences, in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $186,000, Including Contingency. (Public Works 26141630).
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Gerry Beaudin, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In January 2026, City Council adopted the 2025 Zero Waste Implementation Plan (ZWIP). The 2025 ZWIP sets forth focus areas and programs to continue Alameda’s progress towards diverting 89% of waste from landfill. Of the ZWIP programs, four were identified as priority programs: multi-family bulky program, Community-Based Social Marketing (CBSM), illegal dumping enforcement, and pilot programs to increase education and resources for Alameda’s low-income and unhoused communities. Programs in these areas target materials that are difficult to recycle and dispose of. Additionally, these programs support equity goals and are responsive to community feedback, extending services to those with limited access. As part of the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Mid-Cycle Budget update, City Council approved appropriations for the four priority programs. Following that approval, staff conducted a competitive solicitation process for the multi-family CBSM program. Following the solicitation, staff recommend City Council award a one-year agreement to Action Research for CBSM services in an amount not to exceed $186,000, including a nominal contingency of $1,405.
BACKGROUND
The City Council adopted Alameda’s original ZWIP in 2010. The ZWIP sets a goal for Alameda to achieve “Zero Waste,” which is diverting 89% of waste from the landfill. The ZWIP was updated in 2018 and again in 2025.
On January 2, 2026, City Council adopted the 2025 ZWIP, which set forth focus areas and programs to continue the City of Alameda’s (City) progress towards the 89% diversion goal. Of the 2025 ZWIP programs, four were identified as priority programs: multi-family bulky program CBSM, illegal dumping enforcement, and pilot programs to increase education and resources for Alameda’s low-income and unhoused communities. Programs in these areas target materials that are difficult to recycle and dispose of. Additionally, these programs support equity goals and are responsive to community feedback, extending services to those with limited access.
Alameda’s bulky-item collection (sometimes referred to as on-call cleanup) is a once-a-year service provided by the City’s waste hauler, Alameda County Industries (ACI). Prior to 2021, the bulky-item collection program was only available to single-family customers. Bulky-item collection is performed outside of a customer’s typical weekly service. The current program allows single and multi-family residential customers once a year to place up to three cubic yards of materials, including large items and items for reuse, at the curb for collection at no cost. The current residential bulky-item collection service offered by ACI has an approximately 40% utilization rate. Through stakeholder engagement during the development of the 2025 ZWIP, staff learned that many multi-family customers are unaware of the program or how to use it. Without proper access to disposal or knowledge of how to dispose of bulky items, many materials end up on the street as abandoned waste or are otherwise improperly disposed of. The CBSM program would provide targeted outreach and education for tenants of multi-family buildings to increase participation, divert waste, and encourage behavior change. Increased participation will reduce illegal dumping and increase proper disposal of materials.
DISCUSSION
On May 22, 2026, Public Works Zero Waste staff issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for CBSM Services to increase multi-family residential participation in the City’s bulky item waste collection program. After a 14-day submittal period, the City received two timely proposals.
|
Proposer |
Location |
Annual Price |
|
Action Research (Sub. Dr. Doug McKenzie-Mohr, Cara Gurney, SCS Engineers, and HF&H Consultants) |
Oceanside, CA |
$183,470 |
|
S. Groner Associates (SGA) |
Oakland, CA |
$120,355 |
Staff evaluated the proposals according to the City’s Purchasing Policy and RFP criteria. In addition to cost, proposals were evaluated on the Proposer’s ability to deliver on the City’s required scope of work, qualifications and staff training, references, willingness to comply with the proposed agreement terms, as well as scope of work priorities such as CBSM certification, staff training, measurability of behavior change, and reporting mechanisms to resolve work orders in a timely manner.
Following proposal reviews, interviews, and reference checks, Action Research demonstrated the stronger overall ability to deliver the required scope within the allotted budget. Their scope includes training and other measures to prepare staff to continue implementing the multi-family bulky-item CBSM work in the long term. The included training will also enable staff to undertake CBSM work for other waste programs, a recommendation in the 2025 ZWIP. Staff recommends awarding an agreement with Action Research for a term of one year in an amount not to exceed $186,000, including a nominal contingency amount of $1,405. Action Research is not guaranteed any of the contingency amount, and the use of the contingency will be at the sole discretion of the City for work not originally anticipated in the scope of services.
ALTERNATIVES
• Award the agreement with a modified scope.
• Do not award the agreement and perform the work internally. This alternative is not recommended as staff do not have the necessary CBSM experience or capacity to perform this work successfully.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
As part of the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Midcycle Budget, City Council approved the appropriation of funds for the CBSM program to the Integrated Waste Program (26141630). The total cost for this agreement is $186,000, including contingency.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
The proposed Service Agreement fulfills Program 2 of the City’s 2025 Zero Waste Implementation Plan (ZWIP) Update, which was approved and adopted on January 20, 2025. The program is intended to improve engagement and bulky-item service uptake by multi-family residents through targeted CBSM-based outreach. This action is subject to the Levine Act.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action does not constitute a “project” as defined in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378, and therefore, no further CEQA analysis is required.
CLIMATE IMPACT
Implementation of the 2025 ZWIP will further enable Alameda to divert waste from the landfill. Increased participation in the bulky-item program is anticipated to reduce illegal dumping, thereby counteracting potential near-term negative impacts of climate change. The removal of litter and debris from public areas and the municipal storm drainage system will improve storm drainage and reduce the risk of local flooding, thereby enhancing local resilience to potential climate change impacts.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager to execute a one-year agreement with Action Research for Community-Based Social Marketing to increase use of Alameda County Industry’s bulky-item pickup services by multi-family residences, in an amount not to exceed $186,000, including contingency.
Respectfully submitted,
Erin Smith, Public Works Director
By,
Paula Kaltenbrunner, Zero Waste Program Specialist
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Ross McCarthy, Finance Director
Exhibit:
1. Agreement