Round Rock approves contract for disaster cleanup services

Round Rock City Council passed a contract with TFR Enterprises for disaster cleanup services at its meeting Jan. 9, a proactive measure to ensure timely debris removal and other services after local disasters.

The details

The contract gives the city access to the cleanup services on an as-needed basis, as well as access to on-site planning 24-36 hours before an anticipated event like a winter storm. Cleanup services include debris management, emergency road clearance, land clearing, and recycling and disposal.

Round Rock used TFR for cleanup after a winter storm in 2023, when the city was one of the first to initiate the recovery process, according to Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation David Buzzell. The five-year agreement with the Leander-based company provides services for events that the Federal Emergency Management Agency does not respond to, and is not to exceed $10 million.

What else?

This is one of two disaster related service agreements, with a separate vendor contract planned to go in front of council in the next few months. The second agreement is specifically for events that qualify as a FEMA level disaster, meaning those the federal government declares is beyond the capabilities of local government.

To receive FEMA reimbursement for these events, the city has to keep in-depth track of the cleanup process and volumes.

"This group—you want to have them come in and get the work done fast," Buzzell said. "That's the difference, if it rises to that level."