Food Waste Prevention & Diversion Campaign: R&D, Implementation and Evaluation

The City of Seattle is seeking qualifications for Food Waste Prevention & Diversion Campaign: R&D, Implementation and Evaluation . Qualifications are due no later than 1:00 pm on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 . All questions are to be submitted through the e-procurement portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/seattle no later than 1:00 pm on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 .

Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is seeking submittals from qualified consultant teams to help research and develop tactics to improve food waste prevention and diversion amongst Seattle residents. We envision the work will focus on the following key tasks (see more details below in Scope of Work section).

• Conduct research into the barriers and motivations for food waste prevention (preventing edible food from going to waste) and diversion (sorting food scraps and organic waste for composting) among Seattle’s residents, with a special focus on the multifamily sector;
• Assist in the design and implementation of behavior change campaigns and tactics based on research to improve both food waste prevention and diversion;
• Evaluate the impact of those campaigns and tactics; and
• Assist in the evolution of and wider-scale implementation of action/s related to food waste prevention and diversion through partnerships, campaigns, and other relevant efforts.

Preventing food from being wasted or landfilled is the single most impactful step that SPU can take to mitigate climate change. In fact, food is the second largest contributor (23.7%) to consumption-based greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Seattle after transportation (30.9%). In addition, SPU must meet food waste-related goals and commitments laid forth in the 2021-2026 SPU Strategic Business Plan (SBP), the 2022 Solid Waste Plan , the 2013 City of Seattle Climate Action Plan , and the 2022 City of Seattle Food Action Plan as well as comply with the new WA State Organics Management Law (HB 1799, 2022). This state law aims to cut landfill-disposed organic material by 75% by 2030 compared to 2015 levels and includes phased requirements for services and programs to divert food waste from landfill disposal and increase food waste prevention and food rescue.

Although Seattle already has policies in place prohibiting food in the garbage and programs to support food waste prevention and diversion, food waste remains the single largest component in Seattle’s residential and commercial garbage streams, and the majority of it is edible food waste. Seattle residents are currently only diverting about one-third of all food waste to the compost stream, while the other two-thirds are going to the garbage, which is in direct violation of City code. Therefore, SPU needs further actions to meet the established commitments, support the implementation of state law, and achieve meaningful food waste reduction in Seattle.