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Council awards sludge-cake disposal contract; staff cites fuel and CPI adjustments
Summary
The council approved a multi-year contract to haul and dispose of dewatered biosolids. Staff said the bid rose to regional market rates but included fuel and CPI adjustments and two-way de-escalator language; the city plans a plant dewatering upgrade to reduce future tonnage.
The council approved awarding the contract for hauling and disposal of the wastewater-treatment plant’s dewatered biosolids—or "sludge cake," as staff called it—to the incumbent vendor after a competitive bid. Deputy City Administrator Ben Swanson (speaker 8) summarized the procurement: the per-ton price rose in line with regional bids, but the procurement included fuel-price adjustments and a CPI-based water/sewer index intended to give bidders predictable escalation and de-escalation mechanisms.
Swanson and staff said the contract term is three years and that the city expects a dewatering equipment upgrade (switching from a belt press to a centrifuge) that should reduce future tonnage. Council members asked about caps on the fuel adjustment and were told that the contract formula prevents open-ended increases and includes downward adjustments when prices fall. The council voted to award the contract during the resolutions portion of the meeting.
