BACKGROUND:
The City of Cathedral continues to find it both efficient and cost effective to bid out for on call for Graffiti Abatement and Traffic Signal Maintenance services. Regularly called upon to assist the City's Engineering and Public Works Departments, these specialized service providers have trained personnel and the specialized equipment to address the needs of the City in these maintenance areas.
Graffiti Abatement Services
Since 2014, the City has contracted services to address the City’s Graffiti Abatement need. Graffiti Protective Coatings, Inc. (GPC) has provided these services to the City with On-Call Graffiti Abatement Services since 2014 and have demonstrated the timeliness and performance required of the contract with the City. GPC has also demonstrated that they can work closely with the Public Works Department and to perform the services required for ordered tasks.
GPC has a proactive zero-tolerance approach to graffiti abatement through constant patrol of the service area and provides a 24-hour, seven day a week response based on requests received from City Staff and residents through the City's graffiti hotline. GPC provides a 60 minute or less response to emergencies.
GPC is located in Southern California and has over 1,000 municipalities, government agencies and private clients. GPC's definition of professional abatement is a technique that leaves no traces of past vandalism. GPC also provides a minimum 98% color match quality to restore color on permeable surfaces.
Traffic Signal Maintenance and Emergency On-Call Services Traffic Signal Maintenance has been contracted out to a service provider since the incorporation of the City. Traffic signal equipment is specialized as is the training necessary for personnel to maintain the equipment. Having outside service providers, with their trained personnel and specialized equipment has proven to work well for the City.
For the past four (4) years, Seimens ITS, now Yunex, LLC, has provided the City with Traffic Signal Maintenance and On-Call Services. Yunex, LLC has demonstrated the performance expected for the Traffic Signal Maintenance and On-Call Services required of the contract with the City. In addition, Yunex has demonstrated that they can work closely with the Public Works Department to perform the services required for ordered tasks.
The City traditionally has gone out to bid for these above cited services every two (2) years in an effort to ensure competitive pricing. The current contracts will conclude on June 30, 2022.
DISCUSSION:
To prepare for the next on-call contract cycle for these services, City Engineering Staff solicited separate Request for Proposals (RFP) for On-Call Graffiti Abatement Services, and Traffic Signal Maintenance and On-Call Emergency Services. The RFPs for Services were advertised in the Desert Sun twice on May 5, 2022, and May 12, 2022.
The RFP was also posted at City Hall and on the City Website.
The RFP was circulated for triennial services (every three (3) years), with the option for two (2) one-year extensions for a potential contract term of five (5) years. This is a change from securing proposals every two years. Staff is seeing that increasing the term of these agreements during this volatile market helps the City secure stable pricing in a period of spiking/rising costs.
The RFPs were also circulated to all firms that indicated an interest in providing these services for the City. Firms were asked to provide cost proposals that included hourly rates and/or unit costs for various services in a separate, sealed envelope. The deadline to submit an RFP was on May 26, 2022, at 2:00 PM.
Graffiti Abatement Services
One proposal for Graffiti Abatement Services was received:
•Graffiti Protective Coatings, Inc. – Los Angeles, CA
The Proposal was reviewed by a three (3) member panel consisting of City Staff on May 31, 2022. Based on these reviews, the panel selected Graffiti Protective Coatings, Inc. (GPC) as responsive, qualified, and knowledgeable about the requirements for the various services and knowledge of Cathedral City and its Projects. The selection of GPC was made to ensure City Staff had flexibility and options to assure timely performance for any of the typical and/or extraordinary, tasks that may be ordered in the City’s Graffiti Abatement Program.
Traffic Signal Maintenance and Emergency On-Call Services Two proposals for Traffic Signal Maintenance and Emergency On-Call Services were received:
•Yunex, LLC - Riverside, CA (formerly Siemens ITS)
•Bear Electrical Solutions, Inc. - Anaheim, CA
The Proposals were reviewed by a three (3) member panel consisting of City Staff on May 31, 2022. Based on these reviews, the panel selected Yunex, LLC (Yunex) to be the most responsive, qualified, and knowledgeable about the requirements for the various services and knowledge of Cathedral City and its Projects. The selection of Yunex was made to ensure City Staff had flexibility and options to assure timely performance for any of the typical and extraordinary, tasks that may be ordered.
The selected firms for Graffiti Abatement Services and Traffic Signal Maintenance and Emergency On-Call Services will work closely with the Engineering Department and/or Public Works to perform the services required for ordered tasks.
Staff is requesting to award triennial on-call and/or as needed service contracts to Graffiti Protective Coating, Inc. for Graffiti Abatement Services in the not to exceed amount for annual maintenance costs of $69,360; and, Yunex LLC, for monthly base Traffic Signal Maintenance and Emergency On-Call Services in the not to exceed amount for annual maintenance costs of $41,664; and authorize the City Manager to execute all required contracts.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Graffiti Abatement Services:
GPC provided a cost proposal for Graffiti Abatement Services in the not to exceed annual amount of $69,360.
Staff compared the cost proposal to the current rates contracted in 2020 and calculated that the annual total GPC Routine Maintenance rates are approximately 11% higher than the current rates (old $18.00/site abatement vs new $20.00 per site abatement).
Staff reviewed the proposal in detail and determined that the cost increase proposed were in line with current inflation and the increase in costs for labor, materials and fuel.
The current FY 2022-23 General Fund budget for Graffiti Abatement services is $60,000. Staff is requesting a budget amendment for account 100-400-410-411-8300- 8301, in the amount of $9,360, for continued Graffiti Abatement Services.
Traffic Signal Maintenance and Emergency On-Call Services Yunex provided a cost proposal for monthly Traffic Signal Maintenance Services in the not to exceed amount of $41,664.
Staff compared the cost proposal to the current rates contracted in 2020 and calculated that the annual Yunex Monthly Maintenance rates are approximate 2% lower than last year. On Call Emergency Services were also evaluated and calculated. The Yunex Labor and Hourly rates have increased approximately 11%-18% and the Equipment Hourly Rates have increased approximately 25% when compared to current contracted rates. Staff reviewed the proposal in detail and determined that the cost increases for Emergency On-Call Services proposed are in line with current inflation and the increase in costs for labor, materials and fuel.
Historically, the annual total base maintenance and emergency on-call services have ranged from $136,000 to a high of $210,000. It is estimated the current approved Measure A budget for FY 2022-23 Traffic Signal Maintenance and Emergency On-Call Services of $210,000 will support this contract.