Fremont City Council Meeting: 03/19/24 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: Community Services
Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Agreements and Contracts
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 5094) DOC ID: 5094 A
Updated: 3/15/2024 2:19 PM by Susan Gauthier A Page 1
ON-CALL TREE MAINTENANCE AND GENERAL GROUNDWORK AND DEBRIS REMOVAL SERVICES - Award Agreements and Authorize the City Manager or her Designee to Execute On-Call Tree Maintenance and General Groundwork and Debris Removal Services Agreements with BrightView Tree Services, Rapid Response and West Coast Arborists
Contact Persons:
Name: Andrew Freeman LaShawn Butler
Title: Business Manager Interim Community Services
Director
Div/Dept: Community Services Community Services
Phone: 510-494-4757 (510) 494-4329
E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected]
Executive Summary: The purpose of this report is to authorize the approval of three separate maintenance agreements for on-call tree trimming, maintenance and general groundwork and debris removal within City parks, medians, right of ways, and other City owned parcels.
BACKGROUND: In 2017, tree related safety and maintenance issues increased, and the staff identified the need for on-call contractual tree maintenance services support. On March 13, 2018, the City Council approved the initial agreements to address the City’s on call tree trimming, maintenance and general groundwork and debris removal needs Citywide. Four vendors were selected via Request for Proposal (RFP) 18-012 to address these needs: Brightview Tree Care Services, Imhof, Professional Tree Care Company, and West Coast Arborists, with the City option to decide which vendors to extend terms through June 30, 2024.
This work has advanced preventative maintenance measures and aided efforts to manage safety and liability tree issues throughout the City. City staff has worked with these vendors to identify potential tree issues to support proactive tree work to mitigate potential hazards.
Additionally, these contractors have added capacity to the City’s response efforts to meet the ongoing community and weather-related demand for tree services, which has totaled over 140 task orders at a cost of $2.15 million to date.
Staff anticipates preventative measures to mitigate risk, community and weather-related demand will continue to be leading causes for tree services requiring City service response.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS: A Request for Proposals (RFP 24-010) for On-Call Tree Trimming, Maintenance and General Groundwork and Debris Removal to renew this service was publicly advertised on September 8, 2023. The maintenance service categories identified in the scope of services include the following:
1. Tree pruning
2. Tree removal
3. Tree planting
Council Staff Report (ID # 5094) Meeting of March 19, 2024 Updated: 3/15/2024 2:19 PM by Susan Gauthier A Page 2
4. Emergency response
5. Line clearance pruning
6. Clearance pruning
7. Specialty equipment rental
8. Arborist services/inspection
9. Groundwork (e.g., but not limited to shrub pruning and clearance)
10. Debris Removal
11. Additional work
12. GPS Tree inventory
The City received eight competitive proposals in response to RFP 24-010. An evaluation panel consisting of City staff rated the proposals using the scoring criteria included in the RFP. The scoring weighed qualifications, feasibility, costs, responsiveness and meeting the City’s service agreement terms. Based on the scoring results the following contractors are eligible for service agreements:
1. Brightview Tree Services
2. Rapid Response
3. West Coast Arborist
Multiple eligible contract awards will provide the City with the capacity to continue to promptly address tree maintenance services. These agreements will have various values based on the work the City requires. All contractors were required to provide hourly rates for the services advertised in the RFP.
Staff is recommending awarding three contracts, Brightview Tree Services, Rapid Response and West Coast Arborist, each having a five-year term through June 30, 2029. The annual not-to-exceed amount for each contractor will vary depending on the type of work assigned, but staff doesn’t anticipate the combined total cost exceeding $540,000 in any year. Compensation adjustments of up to 5% may be considered each July 1st after June 30, 2025.
FISCAL IMPACT: The funding for these on-call tree maintenance services is included in the Fiscal Year 2023/24-2027/28 Adopted Capital Improvement Plan and is allocated in the Capital Maintenance Replacement for Parks project (PWC 8501). Since these are on-call services, the approval of future services is subject to the availability of fundin g.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: Approval of on-call tree maintenance agreements is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) because any environmental impacts associated with any specific tree maintenance activity are speculative at this time, and it is anticipated that compliance with Fremont Municipal Code Chapter 18.218 (Standard Development Requirements) will be sufficient to avoid such impacts. Typical tree maintenance activities will be exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines 15301(h) (maintenance of existing landscaping), but further review may be necessary on a case-by-case basis.
ATTACHMENTS: None.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5094) Meeting of March 19, 2024 Updated: 3/15/2024 2:19 PM by Susan Gauthier A Page 3
RECOMMENDATION: Award On-Call Tree Trimming, Maintenance and General Groundwork and Debris Removal Agreements and authorize the City Manager or her designee to execute the agreements, each through June 30, 2029, with Brightview Tree Services, Rapid Response and West Coast Arborists.