SCS Engineers presents an overview of a live webinar titled “Phased by Design: Aligning Data, Dollars, and Decisions in Planning,” which focuses on a case study from the City of High Point, North Carolina. The webinar demonstrates how a phased, financially grounded procurement process can lead to more targeted, practical, and cost-effective outcomes in waste management planning, with broader applications for municipalities and utilities.
The City of High Point adopted a phased approach, sequencing its planning process first to diagnose financial and operational challenges, which then inform subsequent decisions, resulting in a more focused scope and budget. This contrasts with traditional broad RFPs, which often yield generic, overly comprehensive proposals.
The webinar features Melinda King, Assistant Public Works Director of High Point, NC, who has extensive experience managing public works divisions, including landfill and environmental services. Melinda led the RFP effort in the case study. Vita Quinn, a national expert on utility finance and rate studies at SCS, also presents, sharing expertise on financial sustainability solutions and utility rate design across various services, including solid waste and recycling.
Procurement teams often create RFPs under time pressure, without close collaboration with the utility or the department that needs the project. This can lead consultants to respond to poorly defined scopes, resulting in expensive and broad plans that are difficult to implement. A phased approach begins with procurement and realistic expectations, enabling more precise consultant bids, sharper solutions, and easier plan execution.
While the case study centers on solid waste management, the phased procurement process applies to any business, municipality, utility, or public works department seeking improved planning and procurement outcomes.
Attendees will learn how to:
Participants will gain a repeatable procurement framework that integrates financial analysis, operational feasibility, and long-term strategy into a phased project roadmap. They will also better understand how to structure scopes that protect budgets while attracting innovative consultant solutions.
The webinar encourages questions during and after the session and offers certificates of attendance on request for the live session. For those unable to attend live, a recording is available upon RSVP.
