City staff recommends renewing sanitation services with incumbent Waste Management after competitive bids

City staff introduced results from a Feb. 20 bid opening for residential and commercial sanitation and outlined a preliminary recommendation to continue contracting with the incumbent hauler, Waste Management.

Matt, who briefed council on the procurement process, said the city received three proposals — Waste Management (current provider), Waste Pro and Am Waste of Georgia — and evaluated them on bidder qualifications, pricing, experience and facilities. "Based on our analysis and the way we rated these bids, we're recommending Waste Management," Matt said, adding that Waste Management would subcontract some service elements to LAM Home Sanitation.

Staff said the residential low bid from Waste Management was $18.45 per month (weekly pickup), compared with $22.75 from Waste Pro and $27.66 from Am Waste of Georgia. Subscription-based recycling cart fees were listed as roughly $10–14 monthly depending on provider, and staff described options for second garbage carts and multiple commercial dumpster sizes and pickup frequencies. The recommended contract term would be three years with an option for a three-year renewal (total potential six years), staff said.

Council members asked for more detailed pricing and terms in the packet before any award vote and for staff to circulate the full bid-tabulation so members and the public can review line-item rates and service details. Staff acknowledged transition costs tied to changing providers (equipment replacement, dumpster swaps, route conversions) and said those operational impacts were part of the evaluation.

No formal award or vote took place at the work session; staff said the recommendation will be placed on a future regular-meeting agenda with full contract documents and a recommended motion for council action.