Council approves RFP for new recycling provider; other bidders feel left on the curb

May 7—Currently, Albuquerque residents have to drive to drop-off locations to recycle glass waste.

That could change with a new planned recycling facility — but, according to a Solid Waste spokesperson, it's "still too early to tell" if curbside glass pickup is possible, as contract negotiations continue.

Albuquerque City Council voted 8-1 Monday to approve the bidder selected from a Request For Proposal, which recommended Texas-based WM handle the building and operations of a new recycling facility.

A spokesperson for WM, formerly Waste Management, said glass processing is included in the bid. Jennifer Wargo said the proposed facility will be able to expand as the city does and include "cutting-edge technology." The contract amount was unknown Monday, Wargo said, because final terms couldn't be negotiated until the council voted on the recommendation.

The vote came after the Finance & Government Operations Committee voted unanimously, with two councilors excused, against recommending WM in April. The committee consists of Committee Chair Louie Sanchez as well as Councilors Dan Champine, Tammy Fiebelkorn, Brook Bassan, Dan Lewis and Klarissa Peña. All but Peña voted in favor of the recommendation on Monday.

Wargo said the April committee vote came as a "surprise," although she said councilors had questions.

"The committee overseeing the process had specific inquiries, which WM feels have been answered," Wargo said in an email to the Journal.

Those questions included whether glass processing was included in the bid and the site of the new location. That location is to be determined after a formal contract has been negotiated, but Wargo said the company has located several possible locations.

Alex Bukoski, a spokesperson for the city's Solid Waste Department, said although a site hasn't been identified yet, it will be either within a 10-mile radius of the existing facility on Edith or a 20-minute drive of the site.

Councilors had other questions on Monday.

Fiebelkorn asked specifically about glass recycling and the timeline for a city pilot to pick up glass for recycling.

"The answer is they could handle the glass ... (but) it's really up to the city to figure out how to pick up that curbside glass," Fiebelkorn said.

Former Solid Waste director and current Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Matthew Whelan said glass recycling is something the city "always desired to do," but did not provide a specific timeline, as the pickup process would depend on the technology used at the new site.

Peña asked about a line item that would allow for a rate increase, which Whelan said "doesn't mean we have to do it," but allows for increases during the negotiations.

The current contract is with Waste Connections, formerly Friedman Recycling. A city-owned and -operated facility was floated as an alternative; but a study estimated a $25 million price tag with "no capital" to pay for it, Whelan said at the Monday meeting.

Another option was to negotiate with Waste Connections to improve its facility, but ultimately a Request For Information was put out instead, which had four respondents. Of those four, three applied for the RFP, including Waste Connections.

The respondents were evaluated on their experience and qualifications, performance history, cost proposal and planned approach. WM scored 876 out of a total possible 1,050 points; Waste Connections, 807; Universal Waste Systems, 24.

But representatives for the other applicants speaking during public comment said they didn't have all the information. Michael Cadigan, an attorney representing Universal Waste Systems, said the company would have submitted a bid but was unaware that a site did not need to be identified. Cadigan said, instead, the company sent a letter expressing "concerns about changing recycling facilities," which was scored as a bid.

Barrett Jensen, representing Waste Connections, said there was "uncertainty about what the RFP was truly trying to accomplish" and said increased costs could materialize if the timeline for the new facility isn't met.

But other public commenters spoke in favor of the process and the selected bidder.

Frank Sanchez, the vice president of Town Recycling, a South Valley recycling plant, said, "We have been in the business for over 12 years and have worked with Waste Management on various recycling projects. Waste Management has been a great business partner, always working with the utmost transparency and fairness."