The city of Rincon will send out requests for trash removal bids in the coming weeks to secure the best service at the best price for residents.

City officials want to explore their options since their current contract with Republic Services, Inc. expires on Oct. 27.

City Manager Donald Toms expects three companies to submit bids: Waste-Pro, Waste Management and Republic Services, Inc. He said the request for proposal is not about the complaints the city has received from customers about Republic. Rather, it’s simply being done because the current contract will end soon.

The complaints are a side issue, he said.

“They’re making a good attempt at servicing our community,” Toms said.

In the past two weeks the company has been trying to rectify issues, he added.

On Aug. 17, the council met with Steve Walden and president Jamie Amick of Republic Services, Inc., to discuss citizen complaints and how the company would correct them.

Mayor Ken Lee explained that those complaints primarily concerned containers not operating properly, lack of timely pickups and trucks leaking fluid.

He said the most important criteria is money, followed by service in sending out the RFPs. He and the council will look at things like reputation, recommendations and references in trying to decide whom to award the contract to.

“We would try to do our homework,” Lee said.

Toms said that he’s trying to beat the Oct. 27 date by getting the RFPs sent out and returned before then. He wants to provide companies with a minimum of 15 days to submit their proposals.