A new materials recovery facility planned near the intersection of M-32 and Airport Road in Alpena is moving toward a second construction-bid decision, with the Northeast Michigan Materials Management Authority planning to award the project on Oct. 22.
NMMMA Executive Director Bailey Barr said the authority’s board will open bid applications at 3 p.m. Oct. 9 at Alpena City Hall. The board is expected to bring its recommendations to the authority’s next meeting, where it will award the contract to a selected construction company.
The project is required to be completed by Nov. 12, 2027. If construction and later equipment installation remain on schedule, Barr said the facility could be operational in January or February 2028.
Second bid process follows cost concerns
NMMMA originally awarded the request for proposals to Devere Industrial LLC for $3.9 million in December 2025. That price was $500,000 to $700,000 higher than the authority’s earlier estimate. NMMMA and Devere later worked to reduce the final cost to $3.2 million, but the cuts were not enough to bring the project back within the authority’s budget.
The authority received only one bid during the original process. For the new solicitation, NMMMA is working with the City of Alpena engineering department to facilitate the bidding process and broaden interest among contractors.
Barr said prospective contractors were required to attend an online meeting held one week after the request for proposals was released in August. Contractors that did not attend are not eligible to submit a proposal. Nine contractors attended the meeting, including three local companies.
Barr said the company selected for the work would be ready to begin construction as soon as the request for proposals is awarded. After the building is completed, Machine X is expected to install the new equipment. NMMMA purchased that equipment from the company in September 2025, and installation could take two to three months.
“We will be bringing recommendations to the board, who we will award bids to,”
Barr said. He added that if the board awards the project Oct. 22, construction must be completed by Nov. 12, 2027.
Glass bunker planned for recyclables
Alongside the facility project, the NMMMA board approved $10,000 for a glass bunker that will temporarily hold recyclable glass before it is transported to Amrize. The cement company crushes the glass and uses it as a silica replacement.
Barr said the bunker is intended to improve efficiency by allowing NMMMA to store glass until there is enough to justify a trip to Amrize. Alcona and Iosco counties receive only about 100 pounds of recyclable glass at a time, according to Barr, and the new setup is expected to reduce trips to deliver smaller quantities.
Amrize is donating the cement pad where the bunker will be installed.
Moose Lodge site to receive upgrades
NMMMA also signed a five-year agreement with the Moose Lodge to continue hosting the authority’s recyclable bins. The agreement will allow NMMMA to make improvements to the recycling area, including installing a cement pad for the bins and security cameras.
The board discussed paving the area, but Barr said the estimated cost of about $70,000 was too high for NMMMA to pay upfront at this time.
The authority is also asking residents to keep trash out of recycling containers. Barr said 12 bags of clothing were recently placed with recyclables at the Moose Lodge location. Contamination creates additional work because employees must sort through material that does not belong in the recycling stream.
Barr said some residents may view the collection service as free trash disposal, but the recycling program is funded by taxpayers. NMMMA’s message is that residents should use other disposal options for ordinary trash rather than placing it in recycling bins.
“The biggest misconception, 'I don't have to pay for this.' This is a tax funded program,”
Residents should watch for the Oct. 9 bid-opening date and the Oct. 22 award decision as NMMMA seeks to move the Alpena-area facility into construction.