Palm Coast Restarts Waste Collection Proposal Search

Palm Coast, FL – The City of Palm Coast is on the search yet again for proposals from companies regarding waste collection services. The city initially submitted their first request for proposals (RFP) in August, which yielded only two bids: a bid from the Houston-based FCC Environmental Services, LLC, and one bid from Waste Pro, the city’s current waste collector; the same provider who came under fire for lapse in services. In April, the city publicly announced that they were holding Waste Pro accountable for a delay in trash pickups. The following month, the company was put on notice and given seven days to resolve a breach in their contact. A day later, Waste Pro announced a hiring drive to address a labor shortage they say caused a delay. Initially, submissions for the request for proposals were due on September 30. By that time, only FCC and Waste Pro had responded. The city established a committee to review the bids, focusing mainly on experience, prior performance, and implementation plans. According to the city, just prior to negotiations, Waste Pro filed a bid protest.  Further review of the RFP found that the RFP originally issued by Palm Coast didn’t capture all of the differing terminology currently used by governments to evaluate all forms of performance incentives and penalties by solid waste companies. “On behalf of the residents of Palm Coast, it is vitally important for the City to receive all information regarding performance standards imposed by other governments in order to make the best decision on the next collection services contract for the City,” said the city in a press release. “It has been determined that the required information regarding administrative fines, liquidated damages or other penalties deducted under existing government contracts was omitted from the proposals received.” All original proposal have since been rejected as the city begins to advertise a new RFP including updated language to capture all potential terminology used by other local governments to “reference penalties to the hauler for performance issues.”