Council discusses additional $18,000 for solid‑waste consultant to help draft garbage RFP

City of Chester council members on June 9 discussed amending the scope of work for the city’s solid‑waste consultant to include drafting a request for proposals (RFP) for the municipal garbage contract, and the timing and funding for that work.

Staff said the consultant, Mid Atlantic Solid Waste, was originally engaged to perform a trash‑optimization and street‑sweeping routes study. After the kickoff meeting, staff determined the consultant’s industry expertise would add value to the RFP process and approved an additional scope of services for $18,000 to help draft the RFP. Staff said the draft RFP was received last week and the city expects to issue it for bid within about a month.

Council members asked about the cost and potential savings. Staff said it is difficult to quantify direct dollar savings from the consultant’s work because the procurement would create a multi‑year contract (proposal envisions a five‑year contract with two one‑year renewal options) and market rates are likely to increase. The stated objective is to produce a clear, industry‑standard RFP that attracts competitive bids and minimizes later contract disputes.

Councillors also asked where the $18,000 would come from. Initial comments said the general fund, but the city’s chief financial officer clarified that the expense will be paid from the city’s solid‑waste fund. Staff said the earlier contract amount had been discussed as roughly $57,000 when first proposed, and that the $18,000 is an additional, separate scope to produce the RFP.

Staff emphasized the desire to begin the procurement earlier than in past cycles; the current garbage contract expires at the end of the year, and past procurements reached council late in the process. No new procurement action was approved at the deliberative meeting; staff said the RFP will be put out for bid pending council action and final budget alignment.