Breckenridge staff plans RFP for solid‑waste contract; hauler urges 90‑day deployment window for new containers

City staff told the council the current solid‑waste contract will require notice and the city plans to publish a request for proposals (RFP) for a new contract. The city manager recommended a five‑year contract with an option to renew and said the city must provide at least 90 days’ notice if it will change haulers.

During public comment, David Ratliff, director of business for County Waste Service (CWS), urged the council to advertise the RFP and consider a longer deployment window between award and service start. Ratliff said new vendors often need to order thousands of new containers and that manufacturing and delivery require four to six weeks; he recommended setting a start date at least three months after contract award to ensure new cans arrive and are distributed. "If your bid selection goes live in August, order containers three months out to your start date," Ratliff said. He also stressed his company’s local ownership and aesthetic container options (shorter, tan cans) that he said fit the community better than large corporate color schemes.

The city manager said the contract currently runs long and staff intends to issue an RFP with a five‑year base and potential renewal; staff submitted a proposed timeline that would give a 90‑day transition window. No formal contract award was made at the meeting; council members signaled support for issuing an RFP and for structuring a transition period that allows adequate time for container ordering and deployment.