Who will be in control of the city’s trash hauling and recycling could depend on whether or not the council extends a consulting contract with Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc. (GBB) to help staff at the solid waste management department draft a proposal that competes with those from private firms.
City Hall is looking to consolidate its commercial service and make operations more efficient at the city yard’s transfer station.
Two requests for proposals (RFPs) have been issued and firms are currently drafting their bids. In order to meet the deadline for submissions, city staff is looking to contract with GBB, which recently conducted a review of the city’s trash hauling and helped draft the RFPs.
The waste contract would be worth $110,000. The city manager had previously approved $55,000, but the council needs to approve the rest.
There is some concern regarding a potential conflict of interest considering that GBB drafted the RFPs and has been closely working with city staff on the issue. Private firms have expressed skepticism about City Hall’s sincerity in issuing the RFPs, wondering if that move is merely a fishing expedition to see what the private sector is able to offer to allow solid waste officials to bid lower.
City staff has promised that there will be no conflict because GBB employees in San Jose will handle the consulting, whereas prior work was done in GBB’s Virginia offices by different employees. Also, employees will be instructed to not talk about the RFPs with their counterparts in Virginia.
“Staff is confident that, with these measures in place, all potential conflicts of interest will be effectively avoided,” said Celeste Peele, manager of solid waste operations.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 27, 2007. Read the original PDF.