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Commission approves multiyear waste, recycling and composting contract with Texas Disposal Systems
Summary
The Airport Advisory Commission unanimously approved a competitively solicited contract awarding total waste management services to Texas Disposal Systems for the Barbara Jordan Terminal and campus facilities; the agreement has a 3‑year initial term with two 3‑year extensions (up to 9 years).
The Airport Advisory Commission on April 8 unanimously authorized a competitively solicited contract with Texas Disposal Systems to provide total waste management services for the Barbara Jordan Terminal and other Austin Aviation facilities.
Deputy Chief Development Officer Lynn Easterbrook told commissioners the contract has a three‑year initial term with two additional three‑year extension options, for a potential total of nine years. The escalation built into extensions is intended to cover staffing, added expenses and more square footage as airport construction expands campus operations, she said.
Rick Frau, a representative of Texas Disposal Systems, spoke during public comment in favor of the award. He said diversion rates at the airport have risen substantially since his company began service — from about 9.9% historically to roughly 37% last year — and described the firm’s vertically integrated operations, including on‑campus composting and recycling facilities in Creedmoor and zero‑emission tugs used on site. "We've been able to quadruple roughly the diversion percentage since we've been working with the team," he said.
Commissioners asked staff why the incumbent won the new solicitation and whether the city’s residential resource‑recovery operation was an option. Easterbrook said the procurement was rebid as a brand‑new solicitation, that Texas Disposal Systems was the low bidder and best value, and that municipal residential collection (Austin Resource Recovery) does not provide commercial airport hauling. She also said the vendor’s local presence provides regional job benefits.
The commission asked about the roughly 20% escalation per extension referenced in the procurement documents; staff said escalation covers expected cost pressures but that specifics from the prior contract would need to be pulled from procurement records for historical comparison.
The motion to approve the contract was moved, seconded and passed unanimously; the transcript records the result as unanimous voice approval but does not list individual vote tallies. The contract will cover landfill diversion, recycling and composting pickup and processing for airport operations.
Next steps noted by staff included contract execution and continued coordination with airport operations as construction projects add buildings and square footage.
