Questions and Answers: Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grant Program, Cycle 9 – Reverse Vending Machine (FYs 2023-24 and 2024-25)

Questions about the Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grant Program, Cycle 9, Reverse Vending Machine grant application are accepted in writing only, no later than May 27, 2026. Similar or related questions may be grouped together or reworded for clarity and responded to as one question. In order to receive a response, a question must pertain to clarification of the application and the requirements in the application process. Any questions submitted pertaining to other elements of the grant will not be posted on the official Question and Answer web page. Questions regarding reverse vending machine (RVM) operation requirements and certifications should be directed to the Division of Recycling at (916) 324-8598.

All questions and answers will be posted during the application period and are subject to updates. It is the applicant’s responsibility to check this website for the latest information regarding this grant cycle.

General | Eligibility | Certification | Eligible Projects | Funding | Application

General

  1. What does NTP mean in the Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grant Program, Cycle 9 (RIG9) Program?

NTP stands for Notice to Proceed. This terminology is specific to the Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grant (RIG) Program and is separate from the certification process/approval of the Division of Recycling. The grant term begins on the date of the NTP email. This email is the formal notification from CalRecycle authorizing the grantee to begin the grant project and incur costs for the RIG project. Expenditures made or costs incurred prior to the NTP date are not eligible for reimbursement.

  1. Under the grant award conditions, the grantee must pay all outstanding debts due to CalRecycle. Please provide examples of debts due to CalRecycle from certified recycling centers. What other debts are typically due from recycling centers in the current program?

An outstanding debt includes any payment(s) owed to CalRecycle. This may include, but is not limited to, fines, violations, etc. If an entity has received an invoice from CalRecycle for funds they owe to CalRecycle and payment has not been received, that entity must remit payment to CalRecycle within 60 days of an award email, or the award will void.

  1. The grant period is through April 1, 2028. Does this mean that all grant funds need to be used/invoiced by that date?

Yes, all costs must be incurred and equipment delivered prior to April 1, 2028. The Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grant Program is a reimbursement program. A grantee will only be able to be reimbursed for authorized expenses made during the grant term. Equipment must be purchased and delivered, and installed, if applicable, prior to the grant term end date.

  1. If my organization received a previous RIG award, can we apply for RIG9?

Yes, if you are a current recycling center who has previously received grant funding from the Beverage Container Recycling Fund, you may apply but priority will be given to applicants not previously awarded in past RIG cycles. Additionally, applicants with an open RIG grant may require additional review to ensure the open project is progressing in a manner satisfactory to CalRecycle before another RIG grant may be awarded.

  1. Do I need to hire a grant writer to apply for the Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grant Program?

No, it is not a requirement that you hire a grant writer to apply for the Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grant Program. If you choose to hire a consultant, understand what is being submitted on your behalf. Before you sign and submit the application documents, make sure that you read all the documents and confirm that the information provided represents your project completely. Also, consultant fees are not reimbursable with grant funding.

  1. Does CalRecycle have a preferred equipment list?

No. CalRecycle does not have, nor will CalRecycle provide, a preferred equipment list.

  1. If a Qualifying Tribal Entity is already an existing Grantee under a different RIG cycle, can they also apply for this RIG9 grant?

Yes, applicants who previously received grant funding from the Beverage Container Recycling Fund may apply. However, priority will be given to applicants not previously awarded in past RIG cycles. Additionally, applicants with an open RIG grant may require additional review to ensure the open project is progressing in a manner satisfactory to CalRecycle before another RIG grant may be awarded. Please refer to the Application Guidelines and Instructions document for additional information.

Eligibility

  1. Can a Recycling Center apply for RIG and use the equipment as a Redemption Contractor for a Dealer Cooperative?

No, equipment funded by RIG9 would not be eligible to be used for Dealer Cooperative related activities. Certified Recycling Centers are not able to operate in an unserved convenience zone where a Dealer Cooperative is present.

  1. Can a legal entity which holds two Recycling Center Certifications submit two separate applications for each Recycling Center?

No, any and all subsidiaries, divisions or affiliated businesses, are considered part of the primary business entity for the purpose of applying for and receiving a grant award under the program. A business is considered an “affiliated business” if it has at least one owner with a forty (40) percent or greater interest in another applicant’s business. Only one application per business entity will be considered. If an applicant submits more than one application, it will be the applicant’s responsibility to decide which application should go forward. If the additional application(s) are not withdrawn, all applications from that applicant will be disqualified.

  1. Can pilot program redemption centers apply for RIG9?

No, Pilot Project Recyclers are not eligible for RIG9. If a Pilot Project Recycler also operates a separate Certified Recycling Center, the Certified Recycling Center would be eligible to apply for the Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grant Program Cycle 9 (RIG9). For additional information, refer to the Eligible Applicants and Eligible Projects sections in the Application Guidelines and Instructions document.

  1. Do Recycling Centers in No Zones qualify for reverse vending machine (RVM) project scopes under RIG?

Yes, RVM projects must be located within an unserved convenience zone or no zone or within the served convenience zone that the applicant’s Recycling Center is currently serving.

  1. Are public agencies, such as local governments and counties, eligible to apply?

The eligible applicants for the Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grant Program Cycle 9 (RIG9) are existing or new certified Recycling Centers. The existing or new certified Recycling Center must be either a nonprofit organization, a local government, a private entity, Joint Powers Authority (JPA), a for-profit business, a public college or university, or a qualifying tribal entity. For additional information, refer to the Eligible Applicants section of the Application Guidelines and Instructions document.

  1. Are there resources available to determine if a project site is within an unserved convenience zone or no zone?

Yes, there are resources available to determine the project site viability. For additional information, use the Convenience Zone Status (ca.gov) webpage to identify the Convenience Zone Number and status associated with the project.

  1. We are a community service program certified by CalRecycle. Would our community service program be eligible for this Grant?

No, a community service program is not an eligible applicant under this grant. Only new or existing Recycling Centers are eligible for RIG9. For additional information, refer to the Eligible Applicants section within the Application Guidelines and Instructions document.

  1. Is installing an RVM on an already operating recycling center allowed?

Yes. However, priority will be given to projects that include sites that are within unserved convenience zones at the time of award.

  1. Licensing and permits are listed as an eligible cost for RIG9. However, licensing and permits are listed as ineligible costs for existing recyclers. Can you please clarify what type of licensing and permit costs are eligible for existing recycling centers under RIG9?

Licensing and permitting is only eligible for new Recycling Center business under RIG9. Please refer to the Eligible and Ineligible Costs sections of the Procedures and Requirements document for additional information.

  1. Can we include only education activities in our application for the RIG9 grant program?

No. Projects focused solely on only education activities is not an eligible project type under RIG9.

  1. We are a Community Service Program, and we do everything except for pay the person who turns in the recycling. Instead, we redeem and use the money for our nonprofit. Does this make us ineligible?

Yes. Only Certified Recycling Centers, who pay consumer at the time of redemption, are eligible for RIG9. For additional information, refer to the Eligible Applicants section in the Application Guidelines and Instructions document.

  1. Does internet hardware purchase and installation, such as a 5G router or satellite terminal, qualify as Equipment under RIG9, provided it is necessary for the innovative method of redemption equipment to work?

Yes. Internet hardware and installation would be considered an eligible equipment cost, if it has a direct link to the innovative project equipment. Please refer to the Eligible Costs sections of the Procedures and Requirements document for additional information.

  1. Does an internet connectivity monthly fee qualify as an eligible cost under RIG9 provided it is necessary to operate the innovative method of redemption equipment? If yes, would it be categorized as Equipment or Administrative (Operating Expense)?

No. Internet services would be considered an ineligible operating cost as it would fall under overhead/utilities related to daily operations.

Certification

  1. Do applicants need to be certified and operational before the Grant Agreement is executed?

No. After an Applicant is awarded a grant, they will receive a Grant Agreement. The Grant Agreement must be signed by the Signature Authority and returned to CalRecycle no later than 60 days after receiving the notice of award. Awardees must be certified within six (6) months of the notice of award and have acquired the necessary permits under local authority before they can receive the Notice to Proceed (NTP). In addition, grantees must be operational within a designated time period, as stipulated in their Grant Agreement.

Eligible Projects

  1. If a Recycling Center serves a convenience zone that also includes overlap from neighboring convenience zones served by other Recycling Centers, would our Recycling Center be an eligible applicant?

The project locations must be within the areas of the zone solely served by the applicant, or within an unserved convenience zone or no zone area. For additional information, please refer to the Eligibility Criteria and Evaluation Process for the Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grant Program (Beverage Container Recycling Fund, Fiscal Years 2023-24 and 2024-25).

  1. Does opening a new recycling center that only does weigh-and-pay suffice as an eligible project type?

No. New weigh and pay recycling centers would not be considered eligible for funding.

  1. Can an individual application include multiple project types under the same application?

No, only the specific project type (RVM) is eligible under the RIG9 cycle of the Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grant Program. For additional information, refer to the Eligible Projects section of the Application Guidelines and Instructions document.

  1. Is there a maximum distance (e.g., radius in aerial miles) that all included sites must fall within?

No, there is not a maximum distance that the proposed project sites must fall within. However, all eligible project sites must be within an unserved zone, no zone, or within a zone served by the applicant.

  1. Can an RVM Recycling Center be a standalone site or does it have to be together with a regular weigh and pay recycling center?

Yes. An RVM Center can be its own standalone certified recycling center at a separate site outside of a weigh and pay site, or an RVM can be placed at an existing certified Recycling Center. However, priority will be given to projects that include sites that are within unserved convenience zones at the time of award.

  1. Is a single manufacturer quote for specialized recycling equipment acceptable or is CalRecycle’s requirement intended to mandate competitive bidding? Is there a sole source justification process for specialized equipment?

A single manufacturer quote would be considered allowable in part with the application. There is not a bid requirement associated with equipment quotes and similarly there is not a sole source justification process in lieu of the bid requirement. Please refer to the Procedures and Requirements document for additional information.

  1. Can equipment funded by one RIG cycle also provide incidental benefit to another funded grant project? Can any single piece of equipment be partially or jointly funded across two grant cycles, or must each piece of equipment be exclusively funded by one grant? For example, if sorting equipment is installed at the anchor center and also serves as the counting/sorting station for containers collected via RVM, does that create a funding conflict between RIG8 and RIG9?

Equipment located at a main Recycling Center site (i.e. anchor Recycling Center, weigh & pay), either related to sortation or processing of material, would potentially have an effect on other grant funded project operations. The equipment associated with a single project should be solely funded under its given RIG grant and partial funding between cycles is not permitted.

  1. Can an operational consultant be paid through grant funds?

Consultant costs, either for administrative or equipment operation, are not eligible for reimbursement under RIG9.

Funding

  1. When renting land to install machines, are lease payments of the land eligible under infrastructure costs or non-infrastructure costs, or are they ineligible?

No. Lease payments are not an eligible cost under RIG9. Please refer to the Ineligible Costs section of the Procedures and Requirements document.

  1. What is the typical timeline from grant award to issuance of a Limited NTP so that certain expenditures (e.g., conditional use permit costs) can begin?

The issuance of the Notice to Proceed (NTP) varies based on a number of factors, therefore there is not a typical timeframe.

Application

  1. Can the entire award amount be used for the same project type (e.g., all RVM)?

Yes, an entire award amount must be utilized for the specific project type that is eligible for the RIG9 cycle. Overlap of different project types that are typically considered in the Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grant Program is not eligible for this cycle. All costs associated with the project must be included in the Budget document that is submitted with the application.

  1. Can RIG9 funds be used to construct a facility that supports CRV redemption activities, such as a warehouse or indoor recycling center, on land that was not acquired by grant funding?

No, costs related to construction of a facility are not eligible under the Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grant Program Cycle 9 (RIG9). For additional information, refer to the Eligible Costs and Ineligible Costs sections of the Procedures and Requirements document.

  1. Can an entity be awarded for more than one of the four (4) RIG6-9 Grant opportunities?

Yes, one applicant may apply once for each of the four (4) RIG cycles and could be awarded for more than one grant cycle.

  1. How will rank preference be applied for tribal and/or rural applications?

Priority will be given to both qualifying tribal entities and sites located in rural convenience zones. Rank preference will not be considered between the two priorities; however, applications that may include multiple priority factors would be ranked higher (i.e. applicants not previously having received beverage container funding, etc.).

  1. If we are awarded a RIG9 grant, would we lose the “not previously awarded” priority statues in RIG6, RIG7, or RIG8 if those cycles are evaluated at the same time or later in the same award period? Are all four open cycles (RIG6-RIG9) evaluated simultaneously, or sequentially?

The priority consideration for applicants not awarded in past RIG cycles applies to those who were not awarded in RIG cycles 1-5. The priority consideration will apply at the time of application submittal. The RIG6-9 cycles will be evaluated separately, but over the same time period.

  1. What specific documentation is required at the time of application to demonstrate a business is “in the process of obtaining a business license issued by a California city, county, or city and county?” Is a formation filing, an EIN, or a pending business license application sufficient? Must the business be fully registered and in good standing at the time of application, or only by the time of award?

A pending business license application, establishing an EIN, and a formal filing with the California Secretary of State would suffice at the time of application submittal. However, a business must be fully registered and in good standing by the secondary due date in order to be eligible for award.

  1. Lease/Letter of Intent Requirements: What constitutes an acceptable “Conditional Lease Agreement” for a commercial tenant space? Is a letter of intent (LOI) from a commercial property management company sufficient, or must it be a signed conditional lease agreement? What minimum terms must be included (e.g. does the LOI need to specify a lease duration, rent amount, or permitted use language related to recycling operations)? Can the LOI be conditioned on grant award?

A conditional lease agreement can be in the form of a draft lease agreement or a letter of intent to establish a formal lease agreement at the project site location. The conditional lease agreement or letter of intent must include, but is not limited to, the proposed address, lease duration, rent amount, permitted use language to project operations, etc. A letter of intent may also be conditional based on the grant award, similarly to the conditional lease agreement.

  1. In the narrative proposal do I need to identify which processing facility I will be delivering the recycling products to?

Yes. Please provide a clear detail of the project and how the material will flow in the proposed Certified Recycling Center operation.

  1. Does app/software development count as infrastructure or non-infrastructure? If the app serves both consumer-facing recycling education functions AND equipment control functions, how should it be organized and split across budget categories?

If the software has a direct link to the equipment, the software costs may be considered an eligible equipment cost under infrastructure.