Specifications include, but are not limited to: Phase 1: Set Up and Project Management Plan Agencies will designate a Project Manager and assemble a core project team (Core Project Team). Core Project Team shall approve Contract deliverables. Contractor shall assist Agencies with creating an advisory group made up of stakeholders (Stakeholders) that will meet regularly to help provide strategic direction for the study. Stakeholders may include, but are not limited to: other State agencies, subject matter experts on recycling, and vendors. The apparent successful Proposer shall provide project management, oversight, data analysis, coordination, and reports for the Services described in this RFP. Proposer shall provide a Project Management Plan documenting the project management methodology proposed to deliver Services. The plan shall define a Deliverable management approach that clearly documents the process that the Proposer shall use to develop Deliverables and submit Deliverables for approval. Deliverables shall be reviewed and approved by Agencies and Agencies may request modifications that Contractor shall incorporate into an updated Deliverable that is then submitted for approval, as required. The plan shall include a kickoff meeting for the project and provide for weekly status reports throughout the project effort. Proposer shall submit a Project Management Plan that incorporates all of the phases described in this RFP and include any additional Tasks or Deliverables that Proposer recommends to facilitate the work. Phase 2: An evaluation of procurement practices under ORS chapters 279A and 279B related to recycled materials. Contractor shall evaluate and analyze procurement practices under ORS chapters 279A and 279B related to recycled materials, including efficacy and compliance. This shall include, but is not limited to, the following: Did agencies request, and/or vendor(s) provide any specifications or documentation regarding product recycled content? Are staff members aware of the recyclability/reusability/recycled content requirements? Do staff members have the tools and examples they need to integrate requirements into specifications? Are vendors willing to work with agency staff on providing recycled content/recyclability/reusability claims? Identify opportunities to increase the purchase of products containing post-consumer recycled content, including products containing post-consumer recycled PETE and other plastics. Are there certain product categories where compliance is relatively easier? What do you see overall as the major challenges and opportunities? A quantitative evaluation of the impact and effectiveness of the five percent price limitation described in ORS 279A.125 (2)(d). Specifically: Are agencies applying the five percent cost limitation in decision making? Is the limitation at the appropriate amount and does it drive change? To what extent, and how, did agencies give preference to products with recycled content? Methods of Data Collection. Contractor shall provide quantitative and qualitative assessment methods to gain a thorough understanding of procurement practices under ORS chapters 279A and 279B related to recycled materials. These methods shall include, but are not limited to, the following: Review a sampling of DAS and other State agencies specifications, bids, and contract files for up to 25 product price agreements, using spend data and filtering those price agreements using specifications to identify and prioritize categories of highest product spend, or products containing relevant materials of interest, from the past 5 years. Conduct up to 6 one-hour focus group interviews with procurement contract management staff in DAS and in other agencies. Develop questions for a web-based survey that Agencies shall deliver to all State agencies that utilize DAS statewide price agreements, as well as larger agencies that conduct their own procurements, and review, analyze and summarize survey results. Obtaining Data. Project Manager shall assist Contractor with obtaining data and identifying agencies and key persons to reach out to. This shall include, but is not limited to: Collecting solicitation, evaluation, contract, and agreement documents, as well as spend data, requested by the Contractor. Working with the Contractor to select focus group participants and assisting with meeting logistics. Sending survey out to relevant entities and forwarding responses to the Contractor. Proposer shall submit detailed description of their experience performing similar tasks and how they would approach this work specifically. Phase 3: Feasibility study and evaluation for opportunities to strengthen purchasing, traceability, and verification requirements of recycled products under ORS chapters 279A and 279B. Contractor shall study the feasibility and identify opportunities to increase the purchase of products containing post-consumer recycled content, including products containing post-consumer recycled PETE and other plastics. Using data from Phase 2, along with other relevant sources: Identify products and product categories that provide the best opportunities to increase the purchase of goods containing post-consumer recycled content. Priority will be based on factors such as agency spend, impact of spend with respect to recycled content, and availability of products with recycled content. Document potential implications with respect to incremental costs (ORS 279A.125 (2)(d)) and product availability (ORS 279A.125 (2)(a)). Provide a comparative analysis, using existing lifecycle data where available, including DEQ’s material attributes research found at https://www.oregon.gov/deq/FilterDocs/pcr.pdf, to determine the benefits of selecting products during the solicitation process based on post-consumer recycled content and these products overall environmental and carbon footprint versus products that do not contain recycled materials. Contractor shall evaluate opportunities for strengthening traceability and verification requirements associated with recycled products or recycled materials, especially recycled plastic. This shall include, but is not limited to: Conducting and compiling market research for the priority spend categories, identified in Phase 2, on current, potential, and future availability of products to State agencies containing post-consumer recycled content. Identifying potential barriers (technical, specifications, perception, etc.) and solutions where appropriate for increasing acceptance of materials with recycled content. Proposer shall submit detailed description of their experience performing similar tasks and how they would approach this work specifically.
