8.3 –Award of Landscape Services Contracts
June 11, 2025
1 Staff recommends that the City Council award and authorize the City Manager to execute the following seven contracts for City Landscape Maintenance Services, for a combined total of $12,169,173.65, as solicited through the respective Requests for Proposals (RFPs), and authorize the City Manager to execute an optional three-year extension to each contract, at the original rates and terms.
Recommendation
2 Recommendation
3 BrightView Landscape Services, Inc. for one contract totaling $2,154,898.67:
• North Parks District (RFP No. MH2501) for five years, through June 30, 2030.
Gachina Landscape Management, Inc. for five contracts totaling $7,896,345.19:
• South Parks District (RFP No. MH2502) for $2,366,256.94 for five years, through June 30, 2030. • North-South Arterials District (RFP No. MH2504) for $4,144,035.71 for four years, through June 30, 2029.
• Downtown and Government Buildings District (RFP No. MH2505) for $294,672.03 for three years, through June 30, 2028.
• Weed Abatement District (RFP No. MH2506) for $803,550.74 for three years, through June 30, 2028. • Community Facilities District (RFP No. MH2507) for $287,829.77 for three years, through June 30, 2028.
Odyssey Landscaping, Inc. for one contract totaling $2,131,150.24:
• East-West Arterials (RFP No. MH2503) for four years, through June 30, 2029.
It is further recommended that the City Manager be authorized to take all necessary and appropriate actions to implement the purpose and intent of these contracts.
Background
4 Since 2003 City landscaping has been competitively bid and awarded to BrightView Landscape Services. The current BrightView contract expires June 30, 2025.
Since 2003, landscape maintenance services have been provided by a single contractor, BrightView Landscape Services, Inc.
The previous contract award on June 12, 2019, was approximately $1.3 million. Today, that annual cost has increased to over $2.031 million, due to City’s continued growth and the expansion of its maintained areas.
Over the past two decades, the City has experienced substantial development. The total landscaped area now exceeds 14 million square feet, including approximately:
• 4 million square feet of arterial roadways,
• 4 million square feet across 11 public parks,
and numerous other sites such as:
• government facilities,
• utility properties,
• designated weed abatement zones, and
• “Community Facilities Districts”, specifically, the City’s Landscape Maintenance Assessment District (LMAD) areas.
Maintaining all these areas under a single contractor has become increasingly inefficient and operationally challenging. The one-contractor model no longer supports the scale, complexity, or service demands of a growing city.
Background
5 6
Background Staff developed a strategic maintenance district layout to address the added volume of landscape by issuing multiple Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for landscape maintenance services across seven distinct service areas to better align with operational needs:
• RFP No. MH2501 – North Parks District
• RFP No. MH2502 – South Parks District
• RFP No. MH2503 – East-West Arterials District
• RFP No. MH2504 – North-South Arterials District
• RFP No. MH2505 – Downtown and Government Buildings District • RFP No. MH2506 – Weed Abatement District
• RFP No. MH2507 – Community Facilities District (LMAD areas) The intent is to award similar districts to different contractors to increase competitiveness and improve service quality.
Contract durations have also been staggered to promote a consistent bidding cycle and ensure management transitions over time.
This approach enhances flexibility, distributes workload, and positions the City to better respond to changing service needs and performance outcomes. 7 Background • While Dividing our landscape into multiple contracts brings benefits, it also introduces complexity.
• It will require increased coordination, communication, and oversight.
• To ensure consistency in service quality and adherence to standards across districts, the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Budget includes funding for a Program Manager position dedicated to the Operations and Maintenance Division. Recruitment for this position is currently underway.
• In addition, the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget includes a request for a Senior Maintenance Worker to help oversee contractor performance.
• These positions are critical to maintaining the quality and value of the City’s landscaping assets.
8 Background By the May 3, 2025 proposal deadline, the City received 35 proposals. Of the 35 proposals submitted, 30 were deemed responsive and qualified. 23 proposals advanced to a short-listing phase based on cost competitiveness, maintenance pricing and unit costs for extra work. These shortlisted firms were further evaluated.
A Selection Committee comprised of Public Works Operations and Maintenance staff evaluated the proposals using criteria:
• Project understanding, experience with comparable maintenance contracts
• Project methodology,
• Firm qualifications, and
• References
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA 9 Background
Following a comprehensive evaluation process,
BrightView Landscape Services, Inc.,
Gachina Landscape Management, Inc., and
Odyssey Landscaping, Inc.
emerged as the most qualified vendors across the seven service areas. Staff subsequently entered into negotiations with each of the selected vendors to finalize scope, pricing, and contract terms. 10 Discussion
Loren Olson – Branch Manager
Loren has over 25 years’ experience in the green industry in Northern California. Loren has worked at the highest customer service level projects including the City of Mountain House. Loren’s skills include vast horticultural knowledge, leadership abilities, strong customer service, attention to detail, and the ability to mentor employees.
Brandon Steene – Vice President
Brandon holds a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture Science and has over 25 years of landscape management experience. Brandon is a Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor (CLIA), Certified Irrigation Contractor (CIC), and holds his Qualified Applicator’s License (QAL). Brandon has worked with several large municipalities (City of Mountain House, City of Palo Alto, City of San José, and City of Fremont), campuses (Apple, Meta, and Amazon), as well as many school and school districts (Making Waves Academy, Millbrae Elementary School District, and Valley Christian Schools). 11 Discussion
1988
John Gachina
started
company out
of his garage
in Cupertino.
1997
Opened new
corporate offices
in Menlo Park
2010
Opened East
Bay Branch
2016
Jacklyn
Ishimaru
Gachina
assumes
ownership
2018
Opens 5th
branch and
certified
women and
minority
business
2019
Jackie wins
National
Association
Landscape
Professionals
Woman
Entrepreneur
of the Year
2020
Gachina
Landscape
Management
reached $40M
in annual
revenue.
2025
Gachina
Landscape
Management
wins 3 silver
awards at NALP
for excellence,
vision , culture
and innovation
H. Jaclyn IshimaruGachina
President, Owner
12 Discussion
Martin Gates Owner/President
Martin began his career in the landscape and irrigation industry in 1977. After working in the industry for several years, Martin founded Odyssey Landscaping in 1982. Odyssey Landscaping began as a one-man operation specializing in residential landscaping installation. Incorporated in 1986, operations expanded to include commercial landscaping, tract residential installations and architectural landscape design services.
Odyssey Landscaping Company was established by Martin
Gates in 1982. Under the same ownership, we have grown
to over 200 employees offering a full-service design/build landscaping firm.
Our quality control, training and top of the line equipment allow us to provide a quality landscape that will enhance your project.
13 Discussion
Service Duration and Contract Terms
Contract durations vary based on the scope and operational complexity of each service area, ranging from three to five years.
• North and South Parks Districts – 5 years
• North/South & East/West Arterial Districts – 4 years
• Downtown Buildings, Weed Abatement and CFD Districts – 3 years This staggered approach reflects the City’s desire to better manage long-term commitments, align with anticipated development timelines, and allow for flexibility in future procurement cycles.
Each contract includes an optional three-year extension under the original rates and terms, subject to performance and funding availability. 14 Contract Highlights
• An incidental repair and labor allowance of approximately eight percent (8%) to address general repairs, vandalism-related work, and special requests. • A Consumer Price Index (CPI) escalator, not to exceed three percent (3%) annually, based on the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, which is a regional measure of inflation published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This index tracks the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for goods and services like fuel, labor, and materials.
• The following table provides vendor assignments and associated costs by service area and fiscal year…
Discussion
Contracts Cost Distribution
15 16
Financial
Impact • The City’s current annual cost for landscape maintenance services, including an eight percent (8%) allocation for maintenance and repairs, is approximately $2.031 million.
• Based on staff’s recommendation, the proposed total annual cost across all contracts beginning July 1, 2025, is estimated at $2.799 million, representing an increase of approximately $0.768 million, or 38%.
• This increase reflects market-driven adjustments, expanded scope, and restructuring of the City’s landscape maintenance program. 17 Cost modeling had anticipated potential increases of up to 22%, driven by the following factors:
• CPI increases exceeding the former contract’s three percent (3%) annual cap
• Two consecutive years with no price increases under the current contract
• Four of the last six years with CPI adjustments well below the cap • The proposed cost also includes maintenance of approximately $40,000 in new landscape areas not previously under contract.
Compared to modeled projections without a CPI cap (estimated at $2.429 million annually), the recommended contract pricing reflects a 15% increase, primarily attributable to expanded scope and updated market rates.
Financial
Impact
Sufficient funding has been proposed for FY 2025-26 Budget to fund the first year of costs for services.
Funding for the remaining years of the contract will be contingent on future operating budget appropriations and approval of this agreement is contingent on the adoption of the Fiscal Year 2025-26 operating budget.
Additional costs for one 3-year extension, pending staff recommendation and Council approval. • The projected costs of initial term of all contracts: $12,182,394.10 • Additional extension cost all contracts: $9,785,272.23 • Total costs initial term and extension all contracts: $21,967,666.33 18 Financial Impact
Staff recommends that the City Council award and authorize the City Manager to execute the following seven contracts for City Landscape Maintenance Services, for a combined total of $12,169,173.65, as solicited through the respective Requests for Proposals (RFPs), and authorize the City Manager to execute an optional three-year extension to each contract, at the original rates and terms.
Recommendation
19 Recommendation
20 BrightView Landscape Services, Inc. for one contract totaling $2,154,898.67:
• North Parks District (RFP No. MH2501) for five years, through June 30, 2030.
Gachina Landscape Management, Inc. for five contracts totaling $7,896,345.19:
• South Parks District (RFP No. MH2502) for $2,366,256.94 for five years, through June 30, 2030. • North-South Arterials District (RFP No. MH2504) for $4,144,035.71 for four years, through June 30, 2029.
• Downtown and Government Buildings District (RFP No. MH2505) for $294,672.03 for three years, through June 30, 2028.
• Weed Abatement District (RFP No. MH2506) for $803,550.74 for three years, through June 30, 2028. • Community Facilities District (RFP No. MH2507) for $287,829.77 for three years, through June 30, 2028.
Odyssey Landscaping, Inc. for one contract totaling $2,131,150.24:
• East-West Arterials (RFP No. MH2503) for four years, through June 30, 2029.
It is further recommended that the City Manager be authorized to take all necessary and appropriate actions to implement the purpose and intent of these contracts. 21 QUESTIONS