title
CC - CONSENT ITEM: (1) Approval of a Three-Year Professional Services Agreement with LA Compost for Compost Hub Management and Education Services in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $45,000 Annually; and (2) Authorization to the City Manager to Approve Two Additional One-Year Terms in an Additional Amount Not-to-Exceed $45,000 Annually.
body
Meeting Date: April 13, 2026
Contact Person: Sean Singletary/Public Works - EPO
Phone Number: (310) 253-6457
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [ ] General Fund: Yes [ ] No [X]
Attachments: Yes [ ] No [X]
Public Notification: Email: Meetings and Agendas - City Council (04/09/2026)
Department Approval: Yanni Demitri, Director of Public Works/City Engineer (03/24/2026)
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) approve a three-year professional services agreement with LA Compost for Compost Hub Management and Education Services, in an amount not-to-exceed $45,000 annually; and (2) authorize the City Manager to approve two additional one-year terms for an amount not-to-exceed $45,000 annually.
BACKGROUND
Senate Bill (SB) 1383 (Lara, Chapter 395, Statutes of 2016, Short-Lived Pollutants: Methane Emissions Reductions) was signed by then-Governor Jerry Brown on September 19, 2016, to reduce organic matter in landfills, which is a source of methane emissions. According to the Department of Resources Recovery and Recycling (CalRecycle), organic waste accounts for more than a third of the materials in California’s waste stream. When organic materials decompose in an anaerobic environment, methane gas is produced.
SB 1383 sets aggressive organic waste reduction targets to combat methane created by landfilled organics. Regulations place requirements on multiple entities including municipalities, residential households, commercial businesses and business owners, commercial edible food generators, haulers, food recovery organizations, and food recovery services to support achievements of Statewide Organic Waste disposal reduction targets. As a self-hauling agency with a City-owned Transfer Station, Culver City has unique requirements and is able to better control compliance by the City’s customers.
SB 1383 requires jurisdictions to procure recovered organic material proportionate to their population. For Culver City, this amount is equivalent to over 3,000 tons of compost material or other methods of compliance. Many jurisdictions comply by simply purchasing this amount from processors in Central California, which is then donated to farms outside of Los Angeles County. Culver City has been intentional about how limited refuse funding can be spent locally to produce as much material within the City or nearby, rather than paying for compliance hundreds of miles away and generating more greenhouse gases through trucking the material.
To accomplish our goals of increasing local generation of recovered organic material, EPO has entered an agreement with LA Sanitation to purchase credits for renewable electricity generated from renewable gas at their Warren Facility in Carson, which has satisfied approximately 50% of our procurement target. However, residents have been very excited about local food recovery and composting efforts to close the procurement gap. EPO is currently contracted with FoodCycle LA, using SB 1383 grant funding, in order to assist the City in establishing and staffing compost hubs, partnering with the Farmer’s Market and CCUSD, producing outreach materials, and developing other methods of reducing greenhouse gases by diverting organic matter from landfills. Food Cycle LA has been using Compost LA as a subcontractor. LA Compost has been in discussions with Public Works and PRCS staff to expand community composting into other parts of the City and increase participation.
DISCUSSION
On March 5, 2026, the City posted Request for Proposals (RFP) #2667 for Compost Hub Management and Education Services on PlanetBids. When the RFP closed on March 19, 2026, one submittal was received, by LA Compost.
Staff reviewed the LA Compost proposal to gauge project understanding, approach, and experience and found them to be qualified and cost effective. LA Compost currently provides these services to the City as a subcontractor to Food Cycle LA, who provide assistance in food recovery efforts for the City. LA Compost also provides similar services for the Cities of Los Angeles, Burbank, and Glendale, and has extensive experience navigating CalRecycle and its regulations. Staff recommends hiring LA Compost to provide Compost Hub Management and Education Services to advance the City’s environmental goals.
Staff recommends that the City Council approve a three-year professional services agreement with LA Compost for Compost Hub Management and Education Services, in an amount not-to-exceed $45,000 annually starting July 1, 2026.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
If approved, funding for the agreement in the amount of $45,000 will be included in the Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 in Account No. 20260400.610400 (Refuse Collection Administration - Consulting Services). Funding for the remainder of the agreement term will be included in future fiscal year budgets.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
recommended action
MOTIONS
1. Approve a three-year professional services agreement with LA Compost for Compost Hub Management and Education Services, in an amount not-to-exceed $45,000 annually;
2. Authorize the City Manager to approve two additional one-year terms, in an additional amount not-to-exceed $45,000 annually;
3. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and
4. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.