OF SOLID WASTE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE Dear Reader,

Through WasteWise, a voluntary partnership program that focuses on reducing solid waste, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides free technical assistance and national recognition to businesses, governments, and institutions. Since 1994 the pro-gram has continued to keep more than 1,200 WasteWise partners informed of cutting-edge waste reduction activities that help organizations save money while improving resource efficiency and protecting the environment. From basic source reduction and recycling to environmental management systems and life cycle planning, WasteWise pro vides resources and guidance that can help organizations gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace. More recently, several WasteWise partners have successfully demonstrated additional cost savings and improved waste reduction through an innovative contracting strategy coined “resource management ” (RM) by WasteWise partner General Motors. This manual is designed to guide WasteWise partners and other organizations through the process of establishing a baseline for current waste streams, issuing a request for proposals (RFP), and designing a comprehensive waste management contract that utilizes RM. The appen dices of the manual provide useful examples such as an RFP template and compensation options. Because WasteWise already helps partners assess, track, and measure waste streams, RM implementation will be much easier for WasteWise partners and will complement existing efforts to save money and resources. For organizations not participating in WasteWise, please consider joining this free, voluntary program to take advantage of available resources and be eligible for recognition by EPA for your achievements. Visit <www.epa.gov/wastewise>, call 800 EPA-WISE (372-9473), o