Consideration and Approval of Contract(s): Approve the Contracts for Residential Food Scrap Drop-Off Program with Sedona Compost Crowd, LLC and Restoration Soils, LLC.
 

1. Approve the Services Contract with Sedona Compost Crowd LLC d/b/a Compost Crowd for an annual expenditure of $11,700, for a contract term of up to five years and a total not-to-exceed amount of $58,500, to service, maintain, and compost food scraps collected at the drop-off locations for the Residential Food Scrap Drop-Off Program; and
2. Approved the Services Contract with Restoration Soils, LLC for an annual expenditure of $13,300, for a contract term of up to five years and a total not-to-exceed amount of $66,500, to service, maintain, and compost food scraps collected at the drop-off locations for the Residential Food Scrap Drop-Off Program
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary documents.

The City of Flagstaff launched the Residential Food Scrap Drop-Off Program in 2021 to provide residents with a free and convenient way to divert food scraps from the landfill. The United States generates an estimated 60 million tons of food waste each year, underscoring the need for accessible community solutions to reduce the amount of food waste sent to landfills, cut related greenhouse gas emissions, and provide residents with a convenient way to participate in waste diversion efforts. Since its inception, the program has grown to five neighborhood collection sites and now captures more than 37,000 pounds of food scraps annually. This waste diversion not only supports local composting efforts but also results in meaningful environmental benefits, including an estimated 26,543 pounds of CO₂ emissions avoided, equivalent to the annual emissions from consuming approximately 1,129 gallons of gasoline.

The Service Contracts with Sedona Compost Crowd (Compost Crowd) and Restoration Soils will provide a weekly collection of residential food scraps from designated drop-off sites. This scope of waste services includes maintaining collection bins, delivering collected material to a composting facility, reporting weekly metrics using the City’s digital form including: total pounds of food scraps collected, contamination levels (high/medium/low), costs associated with composting facility disposal, and any additional revenue generated from this service.

Project Name: Residential Food Scrap Drop-Off Program
Cost: Sedona Compost year one $11,700 / Restoration Soils year one $13,300, total for both contracts $25,000 annually.
Account Number Budgeted: 214-12-170-0668-0-4290
FY Budgeted Amount: $30,000
Grant Funded: No
Funding Source: Environmental Management Fee (EMF)

The Residential Food Scrap Drop-Off program is in its sixth year of operation. The program was previously reviewed by Council in 2021, as part of a ReThink Waste Plan update.

None

The City issued a Request for Proposals on March 17, 2026, advertised in the Daily Sun on March 21st and March 28th. Two proposals were received -- Compost Crowd and Restoration Soils. Based on the scoring of the proposals, the evaluation committee determined that it was the most advantageous to the City to contract with both proposers.

Scoring below:
Compost Crowd - 96.68 out of 100 
Restoration Soils - 92.22 out of 100

These contracts support core Priority Based Budgeting outcomes related to Environmental Stewardship, Waste Diversion, and Responsible Resource Management. By providing weekly collection and processing of residential food scraps, the program increases diversion of organic waste, reduces strain on landfill capacity, and supports a more circular local economy. These services directly advance community priorities for sustainable operations and reduced environmental impact.

This program directly supports the Environmental Planning & Conservation chapter of the Flagstaff Regional Plan by advancing key goals and policies: 

• Goal E&C.1: Proactively improve and maintain the region’s air quality, including reducing pollutants and promoting non-polluting strategies addressed by diverting organic waste from landfills to lower greenhouse gas emissions through utilization of contracted services. 
• Goal E&C.2: Achieve carbon neutrality for the Flagstaff community by 2030, through encouraging efficient, emissions-reducing community investments in line with weekly diversion and composting services. 
• Policy E&C.2.1: Encourage reduction of material consumption supported by decreasing landfill-bound organic waste. 
• Policy E&C.2.2: Promote community investments that decrease emissions and strengthen resilience, including localized composting infrastructure. 

The Residential Food Scrap Drop-Off Program directly advances the Flagstaff Carbon Neutrality Plan’s Sustainable Consumption priority area, which aims to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions by diverting organic waste from the landfill and decreasing methane generation. The program furthers several specific goals and strategies: 

While not a primary driver of housing outcomes, the program supports broader community livability goals by providing accessible sustainability services across five neighborhood-based drop-off sites. These services help maintain clean, resilient neighborhoods, reduce localized environmental impacts, and contribute to long-term infrastructure planning tied to population growth.