Procurement process best practices designed to advance towards zero waste are evolving as communities and service providers look for cost-effective ways to develop agreements that align common interests in waste reduction, recycling and composting.

General Best Practices

• Clearly communicate community zero waste goals and milestones throughout the procurement process.
• Establish minimum zero waste standards and open price proposals only from those service providers meeting those standards.
• Consider negotiation if prices and services are competitive and relationship is collaborative and communicative.
• Consider local government ownership of transfer and/or processing facilities.
• Separate collection from disposal contracts.

Detailed Procurement Best Practices

Each of these best practices includes links to local government case studies that made use of the practice.

• Mandatory Recycling and Composting
• Collaborative Negotiation Versus New Procurement
• Publicly Owned Facilities
• Separate Contracts
• Local Government Billing or Lockbox
• Start Early and Provide Zero Waste Information and Evaluation Criteria
• Process Integrity Guidelines
• Minimum Zero Waste Standards & Best and Final Offer Process
• Separate Technical and Price Evaluation