Alaska DOC seeks medical waste hauler for prisons statewide

The Alaska Department of Corrections is accepting bids through June 2 for a contractor to remove, transport, and dispose of medical biohazard waste from all state correctional facilities.

The contract, valued between $120,000 and $140,000, would cover routine pickups from facilities ranging from Anchorage to remote locations. Bids exceeding $140,000 will be rejected. The state plans to issue a notice of intent to award on June 4 and finalize the contract on June 15.

The Division of Health and Rehabilitation Services requires vendors to provide biohazard collection containers in 10, 20, and 35-gallon sizes with red plastic liners. Anchorage facilities need pickups every other Wednesday, while Goose Creek Correctional Center requires service twice monthly on the second and fourth Mondays. Hiland Mountain Correctional Center requires monthly service, and Palmer Correctional Center and Mat-Su Pre-trial Facility need pickups every other Thursday. Fairbanks Correctional Center requires service as needed. Remote facilities including Anvil Mountain, Ketchikan, Lemon Creek, and Yukon-Kuskokwim correctional centers will receive mail-out service as needed.

The state will provide sharps containers, but contractors must supply mail-approved shipping containers for infectious waste. Vendors must also have the ability to incinerate old prescription slips and other medical documents as needed.

Contractors must specialize in Alaska intrastate operations and pass background checks to work inside correctional facilities. The contract runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, with three optional one-year renewals through 2030.

The state will apply a 5% Alaska bidder preference to qualifying bids, along with a 5% veteran preference and a 2% military skills program preference, each capped at $5,000.

Vendors must register with procurement officer Benjamin Baker at [email protected] or 907-269-5909 to receive amendments. Written questions are due May 26.