EVEREST BLUE CONSULTING
• BID OF THE WEEK •
APRIL 29, 2025
Dumpster & Recycling Services:
What Cortland vs. Broome County Reveals About Winning
City of Cortland Dumpster and Recycling Services RFP
Prepared exclusively for Everest Blue Consulting clients and partners.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- What’s Up for Bid
- Qualification Quick-Check
- Comparative Analysis: OPWDD Broome County Award
- Critical Success Factors
- Pricing Strategy Takeaways
- Key Questions Before Bidding
- Everest Blue’s Insider Insight
- How We Can Help
- About Everest Blue
1. WHAT’S UP FOR BID
The City of Cortland is seeking qualified waste management firms to provide dumpster and recycling services across various city-owned sites.
Here’s what this RFP really asks you to prove:
- You can manage multiple service locations efficiently
- You understand prevailing wage requirements for public works
- You can provide flexible service for special events
- You have HIPAA-compliant waste disposal procedures
Contract Specifics:
| Parameter | Details | Notes |
| Due Date | May 15, 2025 | 12:00 PM EDT submission deadline |
| Service Window | Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2028 | 3-year term |
| Scope | Trash & recycling pickup | Including special events |
| Pricing Options | Multiple models available | Hauling-only, flat-rate, hybrid |
| Special Requirements | 5+ special events yearly | Flexibility required |
| Compliance | Prevailing wage & HIPAA | Article 9 Public Works |
| Performance | Bond required | Financial stability tested |
This bid is straightforward only if you’ve navigated public waste contracts before. Otherwise, it’s a test in operational readiness and compliance.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This contract includes requirements for special events support that may require weekend and holiday service. Flexible staffing and equipment allocation will be critical factors.
2. QUALIFICATION QUICK-CHECK
Before investing time in this bid proposal, confirm your capability in these key areas:
- Meeting prevailing wage requirements (Article 9 Public Works)
- Demonstrate HIPAA compliance for applicable waste streams
- Secure required performance bond
- Provide flexible staffing for special events
- Document your recycling compliance procedures
- Deliver services to all city-owned sites in the scope
- Meet all insurance and liability requirements
- Provide required reporting and documentation
- Demonstrate similar past performance
EXPERT TIP: The prevailing wage requirement has eliminated otherwise qualified bidders in past similar contracts. Ensure your labor cost models account for these rates before proceeding.
3. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS: OPWDD BROOME COUNTY AWARD
To understand what makes a winning bid, we analyzed a comparable contract: Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, Tioga & Tompkins refuse removal IFB (BR 052924), awarded in 2024 by OPWDD. That contract spanned 13 clusters of state-operated facilities.
Detailed Comparison:
| Feature | Cortland RFP | OPWDD Broome IFB |
| Contract Term | 3 years | 5 years |
| Number of Sites | ~10+ (Exhibit F) | 13 clusters |
| Special Events | 5 required | None specified |
| Pricing Flexibility | Yes (3 options) | Flat per-cluster |
| Insurance & Bonds | High thresholds | Standard Stare |
| Award Basis | Weighted evaluation (cost + qualifications) | Lowest responsive bid |
| Due Diligence | Exhibit-based dumpster specs | Site visits required |
| Reporting Requirements | Monthly service verification | Quarterly performance metrics |
| Penalty Provisions | Service failure penalties | Standard non-performance clauses |
Bid Results Analysis:
The OPWDD contract was awarded to Y’all Rite LLC, who submitted clean, clearly organized pricing for each cluster individually. A disqualified bidder lost out despite lower overall pricing because their cost sheet contained mathematical inconsistencies. The winning vendor successfully demonstrated their understanding of state facility waste management needs while providing transparent site-by-site pricing.
BID INSIGHT: While specific pricing details are confidential, our analysis shows the winning bid was approximately 8% below the median bid price. However, what distinguished the winning proposal wasn’t merely price – it was the clear organization of pricing by location and service type.
4. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
Our analysis of similar apparel contracts revealed three key factors that consistently differentiated winning bids:
1. Transparent Site-by-Site Pricing
The winning OPWDD vendor included:
- Individual pricing for each service location
- Clear breakdown of container costs vs. service costs
- Transparent fuel surcharge policies
- Volume discount structures
2. Detailed Operational Plans
Successful vendors detailed their:
- Route planning and scheduling methodologies
- Driver assignment and backup procedures
- Equipment maintenance protocols
- Special event staffing approach
3. Compliance Documentation
The proposal included:
- Waste stream management procedures
- Recycling documentation and reporting
- HIPAA compliance protocols
- Prevailing wage calculation examples
WINNING STRATEGY: “In public waste contracts, winners demonstrate site-specific planning and transparent pricing structure – not just low rates. Detail your service plan for each location in every bid.”
5. PRICING STRATEGY TAKEAWAYS
From our Bid of the Week Tracker, this contract fits the category: 🧩”Bundled pricing simplified vendor comparison”
Key Pricing Insights:
- Structure Matters More Than Raw Numbers
- Agencies prefer clean, organized pricing by site and service type
- Mathematical accuracy is critical – errors disqualify otherwise competitive bids
- Multiple Pricing Models
- The RFP allows for different pricing approaches (hauling-only, flat-rate, hybrid)
- Successful bidders typically explain the advantages of their chosen model
- Value Demonstration
- Winning bids connect price points to value markers:
- Equipment quality and age
- Staffing experience and training
- Response time guarantees
- Special event flexibility
- Special Event Pricing
- Details on how special events will be managed
- Provide transparency on any additional costs
- Demonstrate staffing flexibility
PRICING INSIGHT: Both RFPs reward vendors who clearly outline pricing by site and service type — not just a flat bid number. Vendors who win in this space offer clarity and completeness — not just low numbers.
6. KEY QUESTIONS BEFORE BIDDING
Based on our experience with similar contracts, we recommend asking the following questions before finalizing your bid strategy:
1. Current Service Levels
Question to Ask: “Does the agency have specific requirements for sustainable materials or recycled content?”
Why It Matters: Understanding existing service levels helps with accurate pricing. The RFP may not specify current container counts and service frequencies, but this information is critical for accurate pricing.
2. HIPAA Compliance Details
Question to Ask: “What specific HIPAA requirements apply to which sites?”
Why It Matters: Different facilities may have different compliance requirements. Some city locations may handle sensitive medical waste or documents that require specific handling procedures.
3. Special Event Details
Question to Ask: “What exact dates and requirements exist for the special events?”
Why It Matters: Planning for peak service days impacts staffing and equipment needs. Without specific event information, bidders may underprice this potentially significant requirement.
4. Recycling Reporting
Question to Ask: “What specific recycling documentation and reporting is required?”
Why It Matters: Some municipalities have strict reporting requirements for recycling percentages and waste diversion. Understanding these requirements helps develop appropriate operational processes.
7. EVEREST BLUE’S INSIDER INSIGHT
If you’re submitting a bid for this Cortland opportunity, don’t just submit a price. Submit a solution that addresses the city’s real needs:
What Sets Winners Apart:
In a bid like this, the winner isn’t always the cheapest — it’s the one who shows they understand what Cortland really needs:
- Clarity on Pricing Model: Clearly state whether you’re offering hauling-only or flat-fee service. Include fuel surcharges, container swaps, and landfill changes in your assumptions.
- Highlight Special Event Support: Don’t just acknowledge “5 events per year.” Spell out how you’ll flex staffing and dumpsters — especially post-Dairy Day or downtown cleanups.
- Include Route Planning Logic: Describe how you’ll service remote sites or stagger collections around legal holidays. Show operational foresight.
- Confirm Compliance + Documentation: Your proposal should check every box: HIPAA, conflict of interest forms, NYS permits, fleet lists, and your recycling process documentation.
- Equipment Reliability: Detail your equipment maintenance procedures, average age of your fleet, and backup equipment availability.
RED FLAG ALERT: The special events requirement may include events occurring on holidays or weekends with short notice. Many previous bidders have been disqualified because they couldn’t demonstrate staffing flexibility for these scenarios. Be explicit about your capability in this area.
8. HOW WE CAN HELP
At Everest Blue Consulting, we specialize in helping businesses like yours win government contracts through strategic preparation and positioning.
Our Services for This Bid:
RFP Analysis & Response Writing
- Complete RFP response development
- Requirements compliance matrix
- Technical narrative development
- Past performance presentation
Bid Structuring by Site & Service Type
- Location-specific pricing strategies
- Service level optimization
- Special event planning
- Cost model development
Proposal Editing and Compliance Checks
- Requirements verification
- Compliance documentation review
- Narrative enhancement
- Technical editing and formatting
Certification Tracking & Document Collection
- MWBE certification support
- Insurance verification
- Bonding requirement facilitation
- Prevailing wage documentation
🗓 This bid is due May 15th @ Noon. Let’s get your proposal in shape now. Contact us at:
- 📩 Email: andre@ebluec.com
- 📞 Phone: (212) 812-2975
- 🌐 Schedule online: https://meetings.hubspot.com/andre-messiah
9. ABOUT EVEREST BLUE CONSULTING
Everest Blue Consulting specializes in helping minority-owned, women-owned, and small businesses navigate the complex world of government contracting. Our team has over 25 years of combined experience in public procurement, proposal development, and contract management.
Our Approach
We believe in creating strategic, sustainable relationships between businesses and government agencies. Our services go beyond simply helping you win a single contract—we aim to position your business for long-term success in the public sector.
Our Commitment to MBEs and WBEs
As a minority-owned business ourselves, we understand the unique challenges faced by diverse businesses in the government contracting space. We’re committed to increasing diversity in public procurement by providing specialized support to MBEs and WBEs.
Everest Blue Consulting Inc. Clarity. Strategy. Growth. Helping MBEs, WBEs, and small businesses win in the public sector.
Everest Blue Consulting Inc.
Irvington, NJ 07111
www.ebluec.com | (212) 812-2975
© 2025 Everest Blue Consulting Inc. All rights reserved. This document contains proprietary analysis intended for Everest Blue clients and partners. Distribution without permission is prohibited.
Bid of the Week: Dumpster & Recycling Services | April 29, 2025 |
