(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of any county charter or any law to the contrary, and in addition to any other authority provided by law, the legislative authority of a county may contract with one or more vendors for one or more of the design, construction, or operation of, or other service related to, the solid waste handling systems, plants, sites, or other facilities in accordance with the procedures set forth in this section. When a contract for design services is entered into separately from other services permitted under this section, procurement shall be in accord with chapter 39.80 RCW. For the purpose of this chapter, the term “legislative authority” shall mean the board of county commissioners or, in the case of a home rule charter county, the official, officials, or public body designated by the charter to perform the functions authorized therein.

(2) If the legislative authority of the county decides to proceed with the consideration of qualifications or proposals for services from vendors, the county shall publish notice of its requirements and request submission of qualifications statements or proposals. The notice shall be published in the official newspaper of the county at least once a week for two weeks not less than sixty days before the final date for the submission of qualifications statements or proposals. The notice shall state in summary form (a) the general scope and nature of the design, construction, operation, or other service, (b) the name and address of a representative of the county who can provide further details, (c) the final date for the submission of qualifications statements or proposals, (d) an estimated schedule for the consideration of qualifications, the selection of vendors, and the negotiation of a contract or contracts for services, (e) the location at which a copy of any request for qualifications or request for proposals will be made available, and (f) the criteria established by the legislative authority to select a vendor or vendors, which may include but shall not be limited to the vendor’s prior experience, including design, construction, or operation of other similar facilities; respondent’s management capability, schedule availability and financial resources; cost of the services, nature of facility design proposed by the vendor; system reliability; performance standards required for the facilities; compatibility with existing service facilities operated by the public body or other providers of service to the public; project performance guarantees; penalty and other enforcement provisions; environmental protection measures to be used; consistency with the applicable comprehensive solid waste management plan; and allocation of project risks.

(3) If the legislative authority of the county decides to proceed with the consideration of qualifications or proposals, it may designate a representative to evaluate the vendors who submitted qualifications statements or proposals and conduct discussions regarding qualifications or proposals with one or more vendors. The legislative authority or representative may request submission of qualifications statements and may later request more detailed proposals from one or more vendors who have submitted qualifications statements, or the representative may request detailed proposals without having first received and evaluated qualifications statements. The representative shall evaluate the qualifications or proposals, as applicable. If two or more vendors submit qualifications or proposals that meet the criteria established by the legislative authority of the county, discussions and interviews shall be held with at least two vendors. Any revisions to a request for qualifications or request for proposals shall be made available to all vendors then under consideration by the city or town and shall be made available to any other person who has requested receipt of that information.

(4) Based on criteria established by the legislative authority of the county, the representative shall recommend to the legislative authority a vendor or vendors that are initially determined to be the best qualified to provide one or more of the design, construction, or operation of, or other service related to, the proposed project or services. The legislative authority may select one or more qualified vendors for one or more of the design, construction, or operation of, or other service related to, the proposed project or services.

(5) The legislative authority or its representative may attempt to negotiate a contract with the vendor or vendors selected for one or more of the design, construction, or operation of, or other service related to, the proposed project or services on terms that the legislative authority determines to be fair and reasonable and in the best interest of the county. If the legislative authority or its representative is unable to negotiate such a contract with any one or more of the vendors first selected on terms that it determines to be fair and reasonable and in the best interest of the county, negotiations with any one or more of the vendors shall be terminated or suspended and another qualified vendor or vendors may be selected in accordance with the procedures set forth in this section. If the legislative authority decides to continue the process of selection, negotiations shall continue with a qualified vendor or vendors in accordance with this section at the sole discretion of the legislative authority until an agreement is reached with one or more qualified vendors, or the process is terminated by the legislative authority. The process may be repeated until an agreement is reached.

(6) Prior to entering into a contract with a vendor, the legislative authority of the county shall make written findings, after holding a public hearing on the proposal, that it is in the public interest to enter into the contract, that the contract is financially sound, and that it is advantageous for the county to use this method for awarding contracts compared to other methods.

(7) Each contract shall include a project performance bond or bonds or other security by the vendor that in the judgment of the legislative authority of the county is sufficient to secure adequate performance by the vendor.

(8) The provisions of chapters 39.12, 39.19, and * 39.25 RCW shall apply to a contract entered into under this section to the same extent as if the systems and plants were owned by a public body.

(9) The vendor selection process permitted by this section shall be supplemental to and shall not be construed as a repeal of or limitation on any other authority granted by law.

(10) The alternative selection process provided by this section may not be used in the selection of a person or entity to construct a publicly owned facility for the storage or transfer of solid waste or solid waste handling equipment unless the facility is either (a) privately operated pursuant to a contract greater than five years, or (b) an integral part of a solid waste processing facility located on the same site. Instead, the applicable provisions of RCW 36.32.250 and chapters 39.04 and 39.30 RCW shall be followed.

*Reviser’s note: Chapter 39.25 RCW was repealed by 1994 c 138 § 2.

Construction of 1986 c 282 § 19—1990 c 279: “Section 19, chapter 282, Laws of 1986, codified as RCW 36.58.090, established an alternate procedure by which a county was authorized to procure systems and plants for solid waste handling and to contract with private vendors for the design, construction, or operation thereof. Any county with a population of over one hundred thousand that, prior to the effective date of chapter 399, Laws of 1989 [July 23, 1989], complied with the requirements of either (1) section 10 (3), (4), and (5), chapter 399, Laws of 1989, or (2) section 19(3), chapter 282, Laws of 1986, shall be deemed to have complied with the requirements of section 19(3), chapter 282, Laws of 1986.” [ 1990 c 279 § 1.]

Severability—Legislative findings—Construction—Liberal construction—Supplemental powers—1986 c 282: See notes following RCW 35.21.156.