In an effort to secure a long-term solid waste contract, the City of Omaha on Wednesday opened the bidding process on a new contract.
“This is a critically important decision. We need a modern, safe, efficient and environmentally friendly collections system that we can afford,” Mayor Jean Stothert says.
Stothert says the city will select the best system possible within the current budget. “I will not support a tax increase to pay for this contract.”
Companies will be required to bid on a collection system that uses automated trucks and 96 gallon covered carts to collect garbage, recyclables and yard waste. Bidders are required to provide costs on three options.
- Three carts: one each for garbage, yard waste and recyclables. Garbage and yard waste would be collected separately weekly. Recyclables would be collected every other week.
- Three carts: co-mingled garbage and yard waste collected weekly in two carts, recyclables collected every week in on cart.
- Two carts: one cart for garbage co-mingled with yard waste collected weekly and a second cart for recyclables collected every other week. The current contract expires at the end of 2019.