Tucson Recycling Plans Stall Because of Barrels

Date: July 25, 2002

Source: News Room

Expansion of once-weekly recycling and garbage collections throughout Tucson has been stalled until at least the end of August by a dispute over who gets to sell the city 130,000 blue recycling barrels. Faced with a lawsuit over who should get the contract, city officials have agreed not to award it to anyone until an independent hearing officer rules on which of three bidders should get it. Los Angles-based Rehrig Pacific Co. was originally given a $4.8 million contract to fabricate the barrels at $35.99 each after city tests found its barrels superior to two competitors'. Rehrig Pacific had already delivered 29,000 of the barrels when its contract was canceled last week, and a new agreement was issued to Toter Inc. of North Carolina, the low bidder at $35.05 per barrel, after Toter and a second unsuccessful bidder protested the city testing procedures. Rehrig Pacific sued to enforce the original contract and sought a restraining order to block the city from finalizing its contract with Toter.

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