Waste Removal and Recycling Services

The School Board of Polk County, Florida issued Invitation to Bid (ITB) 045-PGB-0418 for comprehensive waste removal and recycling services across approximately sixty-three school and educational support sites. The procurement seeks experienced vendors to provide municipal solid waste (MSW) pick-up and disposal, cardboard recycling, and mixed recyclable material collection services, with specified pick-up times between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Required services include managing front load containers, unscheduled pick-ups, roll-off containers, clamshell loaders, rear load hoppers, and trash compactors across multiple locations with varied container sizes and pick-up frequencies. Bidders must submit comprehensive contact information, provide references from three current clients, and demonstrate capability to service multiple locations. The original bid was issued on April 12, 2018, with a bid submission deadline of May 15, 2018, at 3:00 PM, and included a non-mandatory pre-bid conference on April 19, 2018. Evaluation criteria appeared to focus on pricing, service capability, equipment maintenance, and responsiveness, with a $50,000 bid bond requirement.

Republic Services of Florida has been the incumbent vendor throughout multiple contract renewals, consistently winning the bid across different contract periods from 2018 to 2025. The contract allows for potential one-year extensions and does not appear to have specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises. The most recent recommended bid award document from April 7, 2025, indicates the contract will continue with Republic Services, covering all bid items related to waste removal and recycling services. Pricing is structured on a per cubic yard basis, with the 2018 bid tabulation showing Republic Services offering the lowest total bid cost of $581,317.30, compared to competitor Advanced Disposal's bid of $690,297.00. The contract value suggests an annual budget range between $500,000 and $700,000, with specific rates for waste removal at $6.28 per yard and recycling services at $6.00 per yard. The School Board of Polk County maintains the right to approve and execute contracts involving public funds expenditures up to $250,000 under Policy 6320.