Waste Picker Integration Guideline and Database Framework Design in Johannesburg, South Africa

Request for Proposal (RfP)
Waste Picker Integration Guideline and Database
Framework Design in Johannesburg, South Africa
C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, Inc.
120 Park Avenue, 23rd Floor
New York, NY 10017
United States of America
28 April 2026

Contents
1. C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group Inc. 1
2. Summary, purpose and background of the project 1
3. Proposal guidelines 2
4. RfP and project timeline 5
5. Proposal evaluation criteria 5
6. Project budget 6
7. C40 policies 7
8. Submissions 7
1. C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group Inc.
C40 is a network of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities working to deliver the urgent action
needed right now to confront the climate crisis and create a future where everyone, everywhere, can thrive.
Mayors of C40 cities are committed to using a science-based and people-focused approach to limit global
heating in line with the Paris Agreement and build healthy, equitable and resilient communities. We work
alongside a broad coalition of representatives from labour, business, the youth climate movement and civil
society to support mayors to halve emissions by 2030 and help phase out fossil use while increasing urban
climate resilience and equity.
The current co-chairs of C40 are Mayor Sadiq Khan of London, United Kingdom, and Mayor Yvonne
Aki-Sawyerr of Freetown, Sierra Leone; three-term Mayor of New York City Michael R. Bloomberg serves as
President of the Board. C40’s work is made possible by our two strategic funders: Bloomberg
Philanthropies and Realdania.
To learn more about the work of C40 and our cities, please visit our website or follow us on X , Instagram ,
Facebook and LinkedIn .
2. Summary, purpose and background of the project
C40 Cities is working with a group of cities to provide support in engaging informal workers to enhance
waste management, build resilience and improve livelihoods.
Many cities around the globe face significant challenges in managing solid waste. Informal waste
management workers make up roughly 80% of the 24 million waste workers worldwide. Impressively,
informal workers collect between 50% and 100% of a city’s waste, especially in the Global South. The lack
of recognition and integration of these workers into official waste management systems leads to
dangerous working conditions and inefficient collection and recycling practices.
Integrating informal waste workers improves both job opportunities for informal workers and waste
collection outcomes by fostering collaboration between city officials, community leaders, and informal
Request for Proposals: Waste Picker Integration Guideline and Database Framework Design in Johannesburg, South Africa 1

workers.
C40 Cities is working with the city of Johannesburg to advance in the process of integrating informal
waste workers in the municipal waste management system with the aim of increasing waste collection and
improving the lives of informal workers.
Project:
The City of Johannesburg (CoJ) is committed to formally recognizing and integrating informal
waste pickers as essential environmental service providers. This initiative is critical for increasing
recycling rates, reducing landfill disposal, and improving livelihoods within a circular economy
framework.
To achieve this, the City requires a robust policy foundation and a reliable data management
system. C40 Cities is seeking a consultant to provide technical assistance in drafting the Waste
Picker Integration Policy/Guideline and designing the framework for a centralized Waste Picker
Database .
Objectives:
The main aim of this assignment is to support the Environment and Infrastructure Services
Department (EISD) in creating the intellectual and technical architecture for integration, engaging
internal (Pikitup -Operational-, Legal Department -Regulatory-, and Social Development
-Livelihoods) and external (Waste Picker Cooperatives, NGOs, Producer responsibility organisation,
and Private Recyclers) stakeholders.
The core objectives are:
● Policy Drafting: Develop a comprehensive "Waste Picker Integration Policy/Guideline" for
the City of Johannesburg. This document must align with the National Waste Management
Strategy (2020), Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations, and existing City
by-laws.
● Database Framework Design: Design the data architecture, registration methodology, and
verification protocols for a citywide Waste Picker Database. This includes defining the data
fields (demographics, spatial operations, material volumes) necessary for future service
contracting and social protection.
● Facilitation of Stakeholder Engagements: Provide expert facilitation for the Informal Waste
Picker Forum , ensuring that the draft policy and database design are co-created and
validated by waste picker cooperatives and representatives. It should be ensured that the
stakeholder engagement facilitated is inclusive of women, youth and vulnerable groups with
a 50% attendance of the mentioned groups.
3. Proposal guidelines
Propo