Solid Waste Transportation and Disposal Services

The City of Seattle, through Seattle Public Utilities, is requesting proposals for long-haul transportation and disposal services for non-recycled solid waste generated in the city (residential and nonresidential), with proposals due July 29, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time. The estimated contract value is between $350 million and $450 million over the full contract term; this estimate is provided for general planning purposes only and does not constitute a guarantee of minimum or maximum compensation.

The contractor will receive compacted, containerized garbage from SPU's transfer stations and other City-authorized customers, transport the material to approved disposal facilities, and return empty containers to maintain required inventory levels. Services must be reliable, fully permitted, protective of public health and safety, and aligned with the City's long-term solid waste management strategies. All solid waste streams entering the City System must be accommodated, including residential and non-residential garbage, contamination and residuals from organics and recycling processing, non-recycled construction and demolition waste, and special wastes. The contractor will utilize standardized intermodal containers: 40-foot closed-top containers (approximately 80 to 90 percent of usage), 48-foot open-top, and 20-foot closed-top configurations.

The initial contract term is ten years, ending March 31, 2038, with two optional five-year extension terms at the City's discretion. Pricing during the initial ten-year term will be firm and fixed, with potential adjustments during any extension terms. Service commencement is anticipated April 1, 2028, with contract execution in March 2027. City waste tonnage has grown at an average annual rate of approximately two percent over the past decade, with self-haul tonnage exhibiting higher growth ranging from 4.5 to 6.2 percent annually.

The RFP document and all technical requirements are contained exclusively in Contract Appendix A; the RFP body does not restate technical content. An optional pre-submittal conference is scheduled for June 9, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time via Microsoft Teams. Questions are due June 16, 2026 by 3:00 p.m. Interviews are anticipated for the week of August 31, 2026, with announcement of the successful proposer expected the week of September 21, 2026. The City welcomes innovative approaches and beneficial alternatives that support City priorities, with instructions for Alternative Proposals provided in Section 6 of the RFP.