Since 2009 CIF has coordinated the cooperative container procurement program for all Ontario Municipalities and First Nations. The rates secured are then extended to all provincial Blue Box program operators in order that they may purchase high quality containers at competitive rates. The overarching objective of these efforts is three-fold:

1. Achieve overall system cost savings
   Providing an opportunity to work through a single cooperative tender process, in lieu of having individuals undertake their own procurement efforts and incur related expenses
2. Leverage economies of scale
   Improving buying power by combining the container needs of numerous programs to attract multiple bids and ensure the best unit price is secured
3. Encourage ‘Green’ procurement and market development
   Prioritizing the selection of containers featuring resins derived from plastics collected through Ontario’s residential Blue Box Program.

Each participating Municipality/First Nation retains its own separate corporate status and the responsibility of contracting directly with suppliers for container purchases. The CIF, as the issuer of the RFT, is not an agent of, partner to or representative of these entities and is not obligated or liable for any action or debts that may arise out of this cooperative procurement.

The RFTs for blue boxes, recycling carts, and reusable bags were issued on Monday, March 29, 2021 (bid submission period closed on Monday, April 26). Companies bidding on the RFTs were required to submit bids representing products that met the best practice criteria for each container as outlined in the RFT documents. Submissions for the recycling carts & reusable bags RFTs which met all the best practice criteria and provided the lowest average unit price, including the cost of freight, were awarded the work. The blue boxes RFT included two portions to be awarded:

• the lowest average unit price, including freight; and
• the best combination of price and post-consumer resin sourced from the Ontario Residential Blue Box Program.

The 2021 RFT documents are available for download, below:

• RFT: Supply & Delivery of Blue Boxes for Municipal and First Nation Purchasers
• RFT: Supply & Delivery of Recycling Carts for Municipal and First Nation Purchasers (NOTE: as of January 1, 2024, carts are no longer being purchased under the CCPP; the RFT is kept here for reference purposes)
• RFT: Supply & Delivery of Blue Bags for Municipal and First Nation Purchasers
  • Addendum 1: Responses to Inquiries

• There is a minimum order quantity of 4,500 for reusable bags from suppliers through the CIF CCPP. To assist those who cannot meet these minimum order quantities, vendors may combine and coordinate purchases of generic reusable bags. If you are interested in this, please contact the vendor and/or CIF staff, who will work to organize an order call.
• CIF has created generic artwork for the reusable bags that can be used by most programs.