The Grand Junction City Council authorized a procurement to install an optical sorting and advanced materials‑recovery system in a city‑owned MRF, approving staff to negotiate and execute a design‑build contract not to exceed $11,348,511 with Bulk Handling Systems (BHS).

City Chief Financial Officer Jay Valentine and Interim General Services Director Jared Timothy briefed council on the proposed facility at 36532 Road (the former Halliburton site), which the city acquired in April. The facility will receive curbside and drop‑off recyclables on the southern “tip” floor, route material across automated belts with optical and AI‑driven sorting, and bale sorted commodities for sale. Jared Timothy described a classroom and observation area for outreach and education as part of the office footprint. Staff said the base system is scalable and that the selected package includes spare parts and a baler; BHS is offering an extended warranty and quarterly maintenance plan and has delivered more than 100 operational MRFs across the U.S. and Canada.

Valentine told council the project has been in planning since the city acquired the curbside recycling program in 2022 and that the city pursued competitive proposals, evaluated site visits to existing plants, and considered long‑term operating costs including per‑ton estimates. The procurement committee shortlisted several vendors and recommended BHS. Staff stressed the project will position the region to participate in Colorado’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program when it starts in 2026; EPR requires producers to help cover recycling costs and creates incentives for increased recovery.

Council members asked about capacity, staffing and long‑term maintenance. Staff said the initial design processes about 12 tons per hour and is scalable; operational staffing for on‑line sorting is estimated at roughly seven sorting/quality‑control staff with additional staff for loaders and offloading (roughly 12–15 people on site when fully operational). BHS will provide training and on‑site support while city staff are trained to perform routine maintenance; staff said some higher‑tech components will rely on provider support under the service plan. Startup is targeted for July 2026. The project team said grant funding and future certificate‑of‑participation financing are planned to cover capital costs.

Council Member Stout moved to authorize the city manager to negotiate and sign the contract; the motion passed 6‑0. Staff will return with final contract language and planned financing and grant updates.