Item No.
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
BY: MATTHEW BAUMGARDNER, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS/CITY
ENGINEER
DATE: JULY 8, 2025
SUBJECT: APPROVE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH LANDSCAPE WEST MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC. FOR ON-STREET, PARKS, AND
FACILITIES LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE SERVICES
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City Council will consider awarding a professional services agreement for landscape maintenance services to Landscape West Management Services, Inc. for on-street, parks, and public facilities. Previously, landscape maintenance services were broken into two separate contracts – one for on-street services and the other for parks and facilities services.
Staff has combined the two contracts to create efficient and streamlined communications with one provider and to keeps costs within the City’s existing budget.
RECOMMENDATION
That the City Council:
1. Approve a professional services agreement with Landscape West Management Services, Inc. in the amount of $992,928 annually for On-Street, Parks, and Public Facilities Landscape Maintenance Services for an initial two-year term with the option to extend the term for a maximum of 3 one-year periods;
2. Authorize the Mayor to execute the agreement in a form approved by the City Attorney; and,
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute any and all amendments to the agreement.
BACKGROUND
On August 25, 2020, the City Council approved a professional services agreement with Landscape West Management Services, Inc. (Landscape West) in the amount of $385,080 for on-street landscape maintenance services. The contract has been amended to the current contract amount of $514,344. As part of the agreement for the on-street landscape maintenance services, Landscape West has provided recurring landscape maintenance of turf, shrubs, groundcover, planter areas and flower beds, hardscaping and associated improvements in medians and parkways. The work includes: mowing, edging, fertilizing,
APPROVE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH LANDSCAPE WEST MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC. FOR ON-STREET, PARKS, AND FACILITIES LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE SERVICES JULY 8, 2025
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aerating, and overseeding turf grass; trimming shrubs, groundcover, and vines; clearing and dead-heading perennials; testing, adjusting, and repairing irrigation systems; removing green waste, trash, weeds, debris, and seasonal leaf drop; emptying trash receptacles in the downtown area and parking structure; replacing annual flowering plants, and replenishing mulch.
On May 1, 2001, the City Council approved a services agreement with Wurzel Landscape Maintenance Inc. for landscape maintenance services of parks and public facilities.
Subsequently on January 1, 2012, Wurzel Landscape Maintenance, Inc. was formally acquired by Stay Green, Inc., the current service provider for the landscape maintenance of parks and public facilities. At that time, the City assigned the contract to Stay Green, Inc..
The contract has been amended since then to the current contract cost of $479,520.
ANALYSIS
In order to create more efficiency, staff decided to combine the two landscape contracts into one. This allows staff to work closely with one landscape company to manage the citywide landscape services. In addition, with increasing cost of fuel, labor, materials and equipment, it was anticipated more competitive pricing would be obtained through economies of scale. In reviewing the bids below, the combined services came in slightly below what the City is currently paying under both of the existing contracts.
On April 10, 2025, Public Works staff advertised a Request for Proposals (RFP) on PlanetBids. A total of 13 prospective proposers received the notification of the RFP – 12 of which downloaded the RFP. A total of 12 firms attended the mandatory pre-proposal job walk was held on April 18, 2025. A total 9 proposals from the following landscape maintenance service firms were submitted on PlanetBids on May 15, 2025:
Company
City Total Annual Fee
Landscape West Anaheim $992,928
Staygreen Santa Clarita $1,032,407
Mariposa Landscape Irwindale $1,047,384
GreenField Hacienda Heights $1,054,746
Green Tech Whittier $1,092,840
Priority Landscape Anaheim $1,122,900
Brightview Gardena $1,164,313
Verdant Whittier $1,289,976
Four Seasons Landscape Van Nuys $1,456,320
The RFP clearly outlined the City’s desire in seeking a qualified landscape maintenance service provider with a proven track record of providing quality services to municipalities and commercial clients throughout Southern California. Landscape West submitted a
APPROVE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH LANDSCAPE WEST MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC. FOR ON-STREET, PARKS, AND FACILITIES LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE SERVICES JULY 8, 2025
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comprehensive and cost-effective proposal and demonstrated a good understanding of the City's landscape service needs. They are the City’s current on-street landscape maintenance service provider and have provided satisfactory landscape services for the last five years.
They have demonstrated flexibility, responsiveness and have worked with the City when an additional five miles of new landscape medians were added to the contract over the last five years. In addition to the City of Downey, they also provide landscape services to the cities of Anaheim, Santa Ana, Chino, Riverside, and the County of Orange.
The initial term of the agreement is for two years, commencing August 1, 2025, with an option to renew three additional one-year periods.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Quality of Life, Infrastructure & Parks
FISCAL IMPACT
The maintenance contract cost for on-street, parks and public facilities landscape maintenance services for the fiscal year 25-26, $992,928.
Description Amount
Landscape Services for On-street, Park, and Facilities
Maintenance $992,928
Total Annual Cost of Services: $992,928
There are sufficient fund balances in the approved Fiscal Year 2025-2026 CIP budget for the recommended actions, as shown in the table below:
Account No. Funding Source Amount
10-4-3130-0370 Park Landscaping Maintenance $420,000
10-4-3140-0370 Street Landscape Maintenance $154,000
24-4-3125-0700 Columbia Building Maintenance $ 4,000 51-4-3510-0370 Water Supply $ 31,500
55-4-6225-0370 Transit Center Maintenance $ 6,500
65-4-3121-0370 Civic Center Maintenance $ 12,000
97-4-2570-0700 Cemetery District $ 15,000
57-1-6842 Annual Citywide Improvements $300,000
57-1-6843 Annual Citywide Median Landscape Enhancements $ 49,928 Total Available Budget: $992,928
APPROVE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH LANDSCAPE WEST MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC. FOR ON-STREET, PARKS, AND FACILITIES LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE SERVICES JULY 8, 2025
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ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Professional Services Agreement