Thurston County begins procurement for $20 million Waste & Recovery Center reconfiguration

Thurston County Public Works briefed commissioners on plans to reconfigure and expand the county's Waste & Recovery Center and authorized staff to issue a request for qualifications for owner advisory and construction services.

Public Works Director Erin Weese and Solid Waste Manager Jeff Bickford described a design-build approach for a project the county estimates will cost about $20 million. The reconfiguration aims to expand capacity, separate residential and commercial traffic to improve safety, reduce customer queue times, and lower long-term maintenance and operational costs.

County staff said the project is complex because the facility must remain operational during construction. The design-build delivery method was selected to provide a single design-build entity responsible for both design and construction and to improve coordination. The county expects to select an owner-advisory/constructability consultant under the RFQ for an estimated three-year contract of about $600,000; the negotiated contract will return to the board for approval.

Public Works described the project timeline: RFQ responses for owner advisory in 2025 with selection by July 2025, a subsequent RFQ/RFP for the design-build contractor and project review committee submittal later in 2025, and expected construction in mid-2026 through 2027. Commissioners requested a public briefing work session to provide an overview and broader public engagement; staff agreed to schedule a 30–45 minute session in May and to publish materials to increase transparency.

The solid waste advisory committee has reviewed and supports the design-build approach, staff said.