Richmond’s wastewater treatment plant will no longer have Veolia as a bidder for its operation, which leaves Jacobs and Inframark as the remaining contenders for the next 10-year contract.
The upcoming City Council special meeting on Tuesday, November 10, puts critical infrastructure and massive financial decisions back under the microscope. City staff wants council feedback before returning on November 17 to seek permission to negotiate with Jacobs.
Veolia’s current contract expires on May 15, 2027. It covers the wastewater treatment plant, sanitary sewer system, and storm drain system.
When bids closed on September 29, the city received proposals from just two firms, Inframark and Jacobs. An evaluation panel consisting of city workers alongside an employee from the West County Wastewater District awarded Jacobs a score of 90.4 out of 100, while Inframark received 82.
Staffing and management plans accounted for the majority of the variance, with Jacobs earning 27.4 compared to Inframark’s 22. Their fee scores were nearly identical at 23 and 22.8, though the agenda packet does not include the bid amounts.
The transition comes three years after a week of sewage odor over Point Richmond. Mayor Eduardo Martinez ran a special meeting wearing a poop emoji mask and told Veolia, “It is our information. We’re paying you.” At that meeting, then-Councilmember Doria Robinson asked the city attorney to look into “transitioning to a more responsible provider.”
Referring to that gathering, the Jacobs proposal describes the facility’s history of odors as “well documented,” highlighting the December 2023 incident in particular. Operating the facility under the agreement would mandate a 24-hour hotline for odor grievances, with every report needing to be forwarded to the municipality.
Both bidders say they would offer jobs to qualified Veolia employees. Operating under this agreement, the incoming firm will take charge while the municipality continues to adhere to a legal settlement involving San Francisco Baykeeper and the West County Toxics Coalition. The 2018 agreement, which addresses sewage overflows, runs through 2028.
The Halleman Group wrote the request for proposals and is advising the city through the bidding process. Its contract would increase by $75,000, bringing the total to $325,000, paid from the Wastewater Enterprise Fund.
In 2024, Chevron agreed to pay the city $550 million, and the city dropped its proposed refinery tax. Now the city wants Dalberg Consulting to find out how residents think the money should be spent. Dalberg ranked first among 11 firms that applied, and the council authorized negotiations in April.
Dalberg proposes holding a town hall in each of the city’s six council districts. Up to four focus groups are also planned with youth, immigrant populations, labor organizations, and residents living nearest the refinery, in addition to as many as four meetings designated for small businesses. The plan includes an online portal and one-on-one interviews with each councilmember.
