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$20,000 Trash Cans? Follow the Money, if You Can.
There is some question about who is being paid to develop the prototypes for San Francisco's new trash cans. According to SFiST, Institute for Creative Integration (ICI) has contracted "to create the prototypes". According to the San Francisco Chronical, Advanced Prototype Engineering LLC (APROE) has been contracted "as the industrial designer". If 2 companies are being paid to develop the prototypes, does that double the price? Remember hearing somewhere that repeats are important. Perhaps they are providing different services on the same project, do any Anons know how to track California spending?
Did a little digging on ICI and APROE.
Oakland, CA based ICI's website, in Anon's opinion, provides as little information as is possible, while still having a website (masks are a thing, pic related). Theyleverage "Francisco Bay Area and Amsterdam", "investigate and obtain insights intohuman and social behaviors" and "run longitudinal studies on people's behavioral change". ICI (founded in 2010) partners with Springtime Design, a "creative force" based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Spring time hastentacles around the world(are they saying global without saying global?). Springtime Design says, "Design is our game, and we love to play!" Springtime displays some logo's, which Anon assumes represent their clientele (some familiar logos are among them).
San Francisco based Advanced Prototype Engineering LLC's website provides more information on their website, while still coming off (in Anon's opinion) as shady. Maybe it's the fact that their "people" page literally has shaded sketchy pictures of their personnel. The site recommends an article in "Company Week", where we learn that the company was founded in 2006. "APROE has some well known clients.
SFiST
"SF Supes Consider New Custom-Designed Trash Cans That Cost Up to $20,000 Per Can"
https://sfist.com/2021/07/22/sf-supes-consider-new-custom-designed-trash-cans-that-cost-up-to-20-000-per-can/
"So, under a new Public Works chief, Acting Director Alaric Degrafinried, the city is contracting with Oakland-based industrial design firmICI (Institute for Creative Integration)to create the prototypes. The department tookinput from the publicand theSF Arts Commissionto whittle down the possibilities to three finalist models, shown below."
"Existing trash can models from other cities would cost between $3,000 and $5,000 apiece, but Public Works staff has said that most are either too large for our sidewalks, or they have openings that are too easily reached-into."