Title
Adopt a Resolution to Approve and Authorize the City Manager to Execute Amendment No. 1 to a Non-Professional Services Agreement with West Coast Arborists, Inc. for Citywide Tree Pruning, Stump Removal, and Arborist Services for $400,000.00 for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 for a total contract amount of $754,000.00
Staffreport
COUNCIL PRIORITY
• Infrastructure
• Sustainability & Resiliency
SUMMARY
West Coast Arborists has a current agreement with the City to provide tree maintenance services, which expires on June 30, 2024. Funding appropriated and encumbered in Fiscal year 2022-2023 has been exhausted. Staff recommends amending the contract with funding budgeted in Fiscal Year 2023-2024 for this work. The contract leverages and piggybacks on a competitively bid RFP by the City of Burlingame and will supplement existing in-house tree-trimming work providing more responsive customer service to the community.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that the City Council approve and authorize the City Manager to execute Amendment No. 1 to the Non-Professional Services Agreement with West Coast Arborists, Inc. for Citywide tree maintenance services.
BACKGROUND
Historically area maintenance on City-owned trees was performed in-house with a staff of two Tree Trimmer I’s, two Tree Trimmer II’s and a supervisor. At least one person on staff had an arborist certification. Trees were typically trimmed on a 5-year schedule. In recent years, supervisors and tree maintenance staff have retired, leaving the section with two Tree Trimmer I’s, and a supervisor who has other maintenance responsibility. The City does not currently have a certified arborist on staff.
After an unsuccessful recruitment effort to fill the vacant Tree Trimmer II positions in early 2020, the area maintenance schedule was scaled back, which is not ideal for the health of the trees. As part of the FY2022-2023 biennial budget, funding was allocated for contract tree services to supplement existing work and to resume area maintenance.
The Street Supervisor, in consultation with the City Attorney and Purchasing Agent, identified a more streamlined approach to contracting for tree maintenance services by piggybacking off another city’s contract for on-call maintenance services. The City of Burlingame issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) in May 2021. Four companies submitted proposals. After careful review by Burlingame staff and based on criteria listed in the RFP, staff selected West Coast Arborists, Inc. as the most qualified company to provide required tree maintenance services. West Coast Arborist has agreed to honor the terms of the Burlingame contract through the City of San Leandro’s contract term, which expires on June 30, 2024.
Analysis
The agreement with West Coast Arborist, Inc. was issued on October 1, 2022.
The scope of work (Attachment B) includes all labor, materials, and equipment to provide on-call tree maintenance services. Compensation is based on tree size and services requested.
Amendment No. 1 to the agreement increases the not-to-exceed compensation by $400,000.00 for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 for a total contract amount of $754,000.00 for two fiscal years.
Previous Actions
Resolution No. 2022-144 for a Non-Professional Services Agreement with West Coast Arborists, Inc. for Citywide Tree Pruning, Stump Removal, and Arborist Services
Fiscal Impacts
The amendment to the Non-Professional Services Agreement will cost $400,000.00 for fiscal year 2023-2024. The project is included in the FY 2023-2024 Council approved budget and there is sufficient funding in account 010-33-001-5340.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Resolution for Amendment No. 1 To NPSA with West Coast Arborist, Inc. for Citywide Tree Maintenance Services
Attachment B: Scope of Services and Compensation
PREPARED BY: Jennifer Auletta, Public Works Services Manager, Public Works Department