Portsmouth council awards transfer-station operations to Waste Connections after RFP timing debate

The Portsmouth Town Council voted unanimously Oct. 28 to award the contract to operate the Portsmouth Transfer Station to Waste Connections of Rhode Island following extended discussion about the town’s request for proposals process and the timing of a parallel curbside collection program.

Town Administrator Woodhead told the council the town issued RFP P25-001 on Sept. 19, with bids due Oct. 18, and that the solicitation preserved the existing transfer-station operational structure. “We issued an RFP on September 19,” Woodhead said, and the town received a single proposal from the incumbent. He added that the RFP language is incorporated into the contract the vendor will sign.

During public comment, resident Mary McDowell asked who prepares and is notified about RFPs, saying she had not been informed when the transfer-station RFP went out. Woodhead and other councilors described the typical process: department heads draft requirements, procurement and finance participate, and the council approves RFPs before they are posted. The administrator and councilors stressed the RFP was issued earlier than some residents expected so pricing could be calculated and presented in December to support a target curbside launch of July 1, 2025.

Councilors also raised practical concerns about how a new curbside service could affect the transfer station’s finances. One councilor warned that if many users choose curbside, the transfer-station sticker base could shrink and remaining users could face higher annual sticker prices. Council discussion identified specific cost drivers that staff will track: anticipated tipping-fee increases run by the regional recycler/operator, potential staffing changes at the transfer station (for example, whether a second attendant will remain required), how construction and demolition (C&D) disposal costs change, and the treatment and hauling of metals currently collected at the site.

Councilor Gleeson proposed approving the award “pending a mutually agreeable contract by and between the parties and approved by the Portsmouth Town Council,” but that motion did not receive a second. Another councilor subsequently moved to award the contract as recommended in the RFP; that motion was seconded and carried on a 5–0 vote.

Woodhead said the town will present two price scenarios in December — one with a pay-as-you-throw option and one without — so residents can compare costs when deciding whether to use curbside service or continue using the transfer station. He also noted the town reserves the right to negotiate final contract terms with the selected proposer if circumstances change after award.

The council’s approval authorizes the administrator to proceed with awarding proposal P25-001 to Waste Connections of Rhode Island under the terms set forth in the RFP and related contract documents. The council did not set a final sticker price at the Oct. 28 meeting; staff said sticker and curbside pricing will be presented to the council in December.