Project Information

Bid Title

Solid Waste Rate Study

Issuing Agency

Gunnison County

Location

Colorado

Published Date

May 29, 2026

Closing Date

Jul 1, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Original Source

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Bid Documents

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Project Description

Bid Title:	Solid Waste Rate Study
Category:	Public Works
Status:	Open

Description: Gunnison County is initiating a comprehensive Landfill Rate Study to ensure that the County’s solid waste system remains financially sustainable, operationally resilient, and aligned with long-term environmental and community goals. As Landfill operations become increasingly complex, it is essential that the County base its fees on a clear understanding of true operating and lifecycle costs. This study will provide that foundation. The primary objective of the study is to develop a full cost-of-service analysis that identifies the actual resources required to operate, maintain, and plan for the future of the Landfill. This includes current operating costs, capital projects, equipment replacement needs, and state-mandated closure and post-closure obligations. Understanding these costs will allow the County to determine the revenue required to maintain safe, compliant, and reliable service over both the short and long-term. A second objective is to design a fair and equitable rate structure that allocates costs appropriately across user groups. By analyzing customer types, waste streams, and tonnage patterns, the study will help the County establish rates that reflect cost-causation and are transparent and defensible. This ensures that no customer class is subsidizing another and that rates remain consistent with industry standards and best practices. The study also aims to provide rate alternatives and policy options for consideration by the Board of County Commissioners. These options may include adjustments to tipping fees, surcharges, minimum-load fees, or incentives that support waste reduction and diversion goals. Each alternative will be accompanied by financial impacts, operational considerations, and customer impacts to support informed decision-making. Additionally, the study will develop a long-range financial outlook to help the County plan for major capital improvements, equipment needs, and the ultimate closure and post-closure care of Landfill cells. This forward-looking modeling will aid in building stable reserves, smoothing future rate adjustments, and mitigating financial risks. Finally, the study will support public transparency and communication. The resulting documentation, models, and presentations will help explain how rates are determined, why changes may be necessary, and how the County is managing its solid waste system responsibly and sustainably. Publication Date/Time: 5/29/2026 12:00 AM Publication Information: Solid Waste Rate Study Closing Date/Time: 7/1/2026 4:00 PM Contact Person: Martin Schmidt, Director of Public Works mschmidt@gunnisoncounty.org 970-641-0044 Qualifications: See Proposal Special Requirements: See Proposal Miscellaneous: See Proposal Related Documents: Solid Waste Rate Study RFP_Final 052826

Attachment Preview

Gunnison County Solid Waste Department

Consulting Services for a Solid Waste Rate Study

5/27/2026

1. STUDY OBJECTIVES

Gunnison County is initiating a comprehensive Landfill Rate Study to ensure that the County’s solid

waste system remains financially sustainable, operationally resilient, and aligned with long-term

environmental and community goals. As Landfill operations become increasingly complex, it is

essential that the County base its fees on a clear understanding of true operating and lifecycle costs.

This study will provide that foundation.

The primary objective of the study is to develop a full cost-of-service analysis that identifies the

actual resources required to operate, maintain, and plan for the future of the Landfill. This includes

current operating costs, capital projects, equipment replacement needs, and state-mandated closure

and post-closure obligations. Understanding these costs will allow the County to determine the

revenue required to maintain safe, compliant, and reliable service over both the short and long-term.

A second objective is to design a fair and equitable rate structure that allocates costs appropriately

across user groups. By analyzing customer types, waste streams, and tonnage patterns, the study will

help the County establish rates that reflect cost-causation and are transparent and defensible. This

ensures that no customer class is subsidizing another and that rates remain consistent with industry

standards and best practices.

The study also aims to provide rate alternatives and policy options for consideration by the Board

of County Commissioners. These options may include adjustments to tipping fees, surcharges,

minimum-load fees, or incentives that support waste reduction and diversion goals. Each alternative

will be accompanied by financial impacts, operational considerations, and customer impacts to

support informed decision-making.

Additionally, the study will develop a long-range financial outlook to help the County plan for major

capital improvements, equipment needs, and the ultimate closure and post-closure care of Landfill

cells. This forward-looking modeling will aid in building stable reserves, smoothing future rate

adjustments, and mitigating financial risks.

Finally, the study will support public transparency and communication. The resulting

documentation, models, and presentations will help explain how rates are determined, why changes

may be necessary, and how the County is managing its solid waste system responsibly and

sustainably.

2. BACKGROUND

Gunnison County’s Solid Waste Department has steadily evolved over the past several decades to

meet the community’s growing waste management needs and regulatory requirements. The County’s

Landfill operations were formally established in the mid-1980s with the creation of the Six Mile Lane

Landfill east of the City of Gunnison. This facility has served as the primary disposal site for

municipal solid waste generated within the County and has been developed in phases to ensure

long‑term capacity and environmental compliance.

In the early 1990s, the County expanded its solid waste services with the addition of a Recycle Center

adjacent to the airport. This investment reflected an increasing emphasis on waste diversion, resource

recovery, and extending the Landfill’s operational lifespan. Over time, the recycling program has

grown to accept a wider range of materials and continues to play a key role in the County’s broader

waste‑reduction strategy. The new Recycle Center is located near the Public Works Facility south of

town. Select recycling also occurs at the Landfill.

Today, the Solid Waste Department manages Landfill operations, recycling activities, special waste

handling, and scale house transactions. The department operates under a fee‑supported enterprise

model, guided by State and Federal regulations governing Landfill design, operations, closure, and

post‑closure care. As the region continues to grow and regulatory expectations evolve, the County

has increasingly emphasized long‑term planning, financial sustainability, and responsible stewardship

of Landfill assets.

This Rate Study will build on this operational history by assessing current and projected costs,

supporting responsible financial planning, and ensuring that the County’s solid waste system remains

sustainable and resilient for decades to come.

3. SUBMITTAL GUIDELINES

Firms interested in submitting Proposals for Rate Study Consulting Services shall submit the following

on or before the Submittal Deadline in a sealed envelope marked “Solid Waste Rate Study

Proposal” or one (1) electronic version in PDF format.

Proposals may be submitted by email or delivered in person to the Department by 4:00 pm on

Wednesday, July 1, 2026, and addressed to:

Gunnison County Solid Waste Department

195 Basin Park Drive

Gunnison, Colorado 81230

Questions generated by respondents and subsequent answers by the owner will be answered and

posted on the County website at: https://www.gunnisoncounty.org/Bids.aspx . The County will

answer questions from potential respondents only in writing, no verbal responses shall be considered

binding. All such questions and the County’s answers will be provided by numbered addendum, by

email and by public publishing. Please email questions to: Martin Schmidt, Assistant County Manager

for Public Works, at: mschmidt@gunnisoncounty.org please allow 2-3 workdays for responses. No

answers will be provided after June 29, 2026.

A question-and-answer meeting will be hosted on Microsoft Teams on June 18, 2026 at 10 a.m.

Please contact Martin Schmidt for the meeting details and login information. All proposals must be

submitted to: Martin Schmidt, Assistant County Manager for Public Works,

mschmidt@gunnisoncounty.org Proposals must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, July

1, 2026.

The Department reserves the right to waive non-substantial irregularities in any proposal, to reject

any or all responses received as a result of this solicitation, to request additional information for the

purposes of clarification, to extend the submission due date for; to modify, amend, reissue or rewrite

this document; and to procure any or all services by other means. The Department may modify,

clarify, or interpret the RFP by sending an addendum to each firm that originally received or

requested an RFP. Any such addendum shall become part of the RFP and of any contract awarded.

The Proposer may not make modifications to a proposal already submitted to the Department but

may submit a written request to withdraw. It is the responsibility of the Proposer to ensure that

modified proposals are resubmitted in accordance with the RFP submittal deadline.

The Department will not be liable for any costs incurred by the consulting firms’ incidental to

the preparation of proposals or for developing and carrying out interview presentations, if needed.

Submission of a proposal indicates acceptance by the firm of the conditions contained in this Request

for Proposals (RFP) unless clearly and specifically noted in the proposal submitted and confirmed in

the contract between the Department and the firm selected.

County Contacts: Martin Schmidt

or Jordan Brink

mschmidt@gunnisoncounty.org or jbrink@gunnisoncounty.org

970-641-0044

or 970-641-8565

4. SCOPE OF SERVICES

The Study will require the selected consultant (Consultant) to perform all necessary analyses and

documentation to perform the study of the Department’s rates, fees, fund transfers and recommend a

ten-year (10 year) rate schedule. In general, the scope of work shall involve a comprehensive review

of the Department’s enterprise funds’ historical and projected revenues, usage, expenses, reserve

policies, rates and charges, current budgets, Capital Improvement Plans, future growth potential, and

any other information deemed pertinent.

Specifically, the Scope of Work will include, but shall not be limited to the following:

4.1. STUDY OBJECTIVES

The studies are to be performed in conformance with the following policy directions:

a) Establish Cost-of-Service (COS): Determine the full, defensible revenue requirement (rate

structures) to operate the County Landfill sustainably, inclusive of operations, maintenance,

capital, closure/post-closure, debt service, and reserve targets ensuring long-term financial

stability and health of their solid waste enterprise funds.

b) Design Equitable Rates: Recommend tipping fee schedules and surcharges that recover

costs fairly across customer classes (MSW, C&D, special wastes, self-haul, commercial haulers,

municipalities).

c) Promote Policy Alignment: Ensure rates align with County objectives (e.g., waste diversion,

recycling, compost, waste-reduction incentives, regional service role).

d) Enhance Transparency: Provide clear documentation and public-facing materials explaining

methodology, assumptions, and impacts.

e) Support Implementation: Offer a phased rollout plan and tools to update rates annually or

as conditions change.

4.2. STUDY REQUIREMENTS

Scope of Services (Tasks & Deliverables)

Phase 1 — Kickoff, Work Plan & Data Request

Tasks:

• Conduct kickoff meeting (project goals, key decisions, timeline);

• Confirm facilities included (Landfill, transfer station(s), recycling/compost, HHW,

scale house);

• Issue detailed data request (see Section 5);

• Develop a Project Work Plan with milestones, risks, and communication protocols.

Deliverables:

• Kickoff Agenda & Notes;

• Project Work Plan (timeline, roles, risk register);

• Data Request Checklist.

Phase 2 — Regulatory, Policy & Market Review

Tasks:

• Summarize applicable Federal/State requirements affecting costs (e.g., closure/post-

closure financial assurance, operating standards);

• Review County policies (e.g., diversion targets, surcharge policies, franchise or hauling

ordinances);

• Benchmark peer facilities’ rate structures in similar sized Colorado or mountain

counties (high-level).

Deliverables:

• Regulatory & Policy Memo;

• Benchmark Snapshot (fee comparisons & structural insights—not policy prescriptions)

Note: This study isn’t legal advice; it identifies relevant requirements and common

Commodity Codes

• NAICS 541620Environmental Consulting Services
• NAICS 562111Solid Waste Collection

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