Public Works and Transportation Committee
September 30, 2025
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Jestin D. Johnson FROM: Josh Rowan
City Administrator Director, OakDOT
SUBJECT: Amending and Expanding the
Civicorps Contract Agreement
DATE: September 2, 2025
City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Amending Resolution Number 89736 C.M.S., Which Among Other Things Expanded The Scope Of Work For The City Of Oakland’s Contract With Civicorps (Formerly Civicorps Schools) To Include Trail Maintenance And Brush Clearance Services In Open Space Parks, By:
1. Waiving The City’s Advertising And Solicitation Of
Proposals/Qualifications Requirements; And
2. Authorizing The City Administrator To Increase The Contract Amount From Nine Hundred Thousand Dollars ($900,000) To An Amount Not To Exceed Two Million, Seven Hundred And Thirty-Five Thousand Dollars ($2,735,000)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
For thirty-four years, as the only conservation corps located within Oakland, Civicorps has partnered with the City of Oakland (City) to provide job training, education, and development opportunities for Oakland at-risk youth. City Council has previously waived competitive bidding requirements for Civicorps contracts. Approval of the proposed resolution will authorize the City Administrator to extend the scope of work for an existing contract agreement with Civicorps with an increased contract amount not to exceed $1,835,000 for a total contract value of $2,735,000.
The expanded contract value will accommodate an additional scope of work funded by the voter-approved Measure MM Wildfire Prevention Parcel Tax (Measure MM) in November 2024.
This scope aims to reduce fuel for wildfires, create defensible space around structures to slow fire spread, and maintain fire-resistant landscaping within fire safety severity zones. The contract will retain its current scope, including used motor oil recycling activities, bicycle lockers, and sign maintenance, as well as internships supporting the City’s Recycling Hotline, community outreach, vegetation management in open spaces, and other related work assigned on a task order basis.
Jestin Johnson (Sep 22, 2025 10:16:17 PDT)
09/22/2025
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Amending and Expanding the Civicorps Contract Agreement Date: September 2, 2025 Page 2
Public Works and Transportation Committee
September 30, 2025
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
Civicorps (formerly Civicorps Schools) is deeply embedded in the Oakland community and is uniquely qualified to provide paid job training, career/college readiness preparation, and wrap- around services for at-risk youth aged 18-26. Since 1991, the City has executed a series of contract agreements with Civicorps for recycling and related services, with authorization from the City Council to waive the competitive bid requirements. These agreements have been supported by state grants and included job training, education, and development programs for local at-risk youth in service-learning projects. The City’s existing agreement with Civicorps (Contract #2020003454), enacted by Resolution No. 89736 C.M.S., will expire on June 30, 2029. Increasing the dollar amount to $2,735,000, from $900,000, allows for continued and expanded services, including voter-approved vegetation management work to reduce fuel for wildfires, and enables the program to employ a larger number of local at-risk youth to learn job skills and gain work experience.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
The amended and expanded agreement with Civicorps will provide the following services:
New Scope:
Vegetation Management
To reduce fuel loads and increase safety and aesthetic beauty of open space parks, Civicorps will perform additional trail maintenance and clear brush in open space parks in effort to reduce fuel for wildfires, create defensible space around structures to slow fire spread, and maintain fire-resistant landscaping within fire safety severity zones such as Joaquin Miller Park, Knowland Park, and other city-owned open space areas within the boundaries of the Wildfire Prevention Zone designated by Measure MM (see Attachment A). This work is funded by Measure MM as adopted in the FY25-27 Midcycle Budget.
Existing Scope:
Used Motor Oil Recycling Assistance
Civicorps will assemble and deliver oil recycling kits to participating retail outlets. The kits are made available to Oakland residents free of charge at stores where motor oil is sold. This activity is funded by annual California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) grants. Additional activities that support Oakland’s oil recycling efforts may include conducting annual monitoring of retail outlets certified by CalRecycle to accept and recycle used motor oil and filters.
Bicycle Locker, Corral, and Sign Cleaning
In support of the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Program, Civicorps will continue providing cleaning of accumulated debris, liquids, and graffiti from bicycle storage lockers at 12 th Street
BART, 19th St. BART, Splash Pad Park in Grand Lake, and the Rockridge Branch Library. The contract will also continue providing cleaning services for bicycle signs. The amended agreement adds the cleaning of 20 in-street bicycle parking corrals, plus capacity for the cleaning of additional lockers and corrals that may be installed in the future. Bicycle corrals place bike racks in the street, repurposing space typically used by parked cars. The bike racks Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Amending and Expanding the Civicorps Contract Agreement Date: September 2, 2025 Page 3
Public Works and Transportation Committee
September 30, 2025
prevent the cleaning of these spaces by mechanical street sweepers, and thus, the benefit of working with Civicorps to maintain these areas. These services are funded by Measure BB Pass Through Funds.
Recycling Hotline Internship
Civicorps will provide interns who will be trained to support the City’s Recycling Hotline and conduct community outreach. Interns learn to respond to inquiries from residents about compost, recycling, and trash collection services, and to calls regarding other Recycling Program services, including business recycling technical assistance, construction and demolition recycling, collection services for City facilities, and initiating service requests in the Cityworks system. Past Civicorps interns have acquired the skills to successfully gain employment with Oakland Public Works and advance their careers in public service. This internship is funded by the Recycling Program Fund.
Trash, Recycle, Compost Container Content Audits
CalRecycle Short-lived Climate Pollutants Organic Waste Reductions Regulations Section 18984.5 mandates the City to audit how well residents and businesses are sorting their discards into trash, recycle, and compost containers. Civicorp crew members and their supervisor will perform “lid flips” of commercial and residential containers to support the City’s compliance with this requirement. This work will be funded with Local Assistance Grant Funds from CalRecycle and the Recycling Program Fund.
The services provided by Civicorps through this agreement support the following Citywide priorities:
Responsive, Trustworthy Government
Recycling Hotline interns improve the speed and rate at which the City responds to requests from Oaklanders about recycling and other related programs provided by the City, thereby building trust with the community. Employing local at-risk youth through Civicorps is an investment in Oakland’s youth and can build trust in government.
Vibrant, Sustainable Infrastructure
Maintaining a used motor oil recycling program provides the community with information and the means to properly dispose of used motor oil, with the aim of reducing instances of improper disposal of used motor oil that may pollute soils and waterways.
Maintenance and upkeep of bicycle lockers, corrals, and signs improves available infrastructure and services to bicycle commuters and others who may have otherwise driven a car if such bicycle facilities were in disrepair or unavailable. Encouraging the use of bicycles as a mode of transportation reduces the number of cars on the roadways and their associated pollution emissions, thereby increasing the quality of life for all Oaklanders.
Holistic Community Safety
Trail maintenance and brush removal in open space can reduce available fuel loads and thereby reduce fire intensity if a catastrophic fire event were to occur in the area. Many open space and trail areas in Oakland are in “Very High” Fire Hazard Severity Zones (as designated by the California Department of Fire & Forest Protection), and many people who live in these areas are at increased risk of harm. Reducing fuel loads and making trails and open space more accessible will both encourage their use and increase safety.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Amending and Expanding the Civicorps Contract Agreement Date: September 2, 2025 Page 4
Public Works and Transportation Committee
September 30, 2025
Request to Waive Competitive Bidding Requirements
The Oakland Municipal Code (OMC) Sections 2.04.040.B.4 and 2.04.051.A.1 require the City to conduct a formal advertising and competitive Request for Qualifications/Proposals (RFQ/RFP) selection process for professional services agreements over $50,000. However, Section
2.04.051.B authorizes the City Council to waive the advertising and competitive RFQ/RFP selection requirements if it finds that it is in the City’s best interests to do so.
The advertising and competitive RFQ/RFP selection requirements were previously waived by the City Council for past contracts through Resolution Numbers 82748 C.M.S., 84426 C.M.S., 86239 C.M.S., 87719 C.M.S., and for the existing contract in Resolution No. 89736 C.M.S..
Civicorps is a local, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to provide job training, education, and youth development programs by engaging local at-risk youth in service-learning projects. As the only conservation corps in Oakland, Civicorps is uniquely qualified to provide the services described above.
Civicorps’ contract performance has been, and continues to be, satisfactory. Measurements used to gauge and ensure satisfactory performance will continue through established contract management activities, which include monthly meetings between lead City and Civicorps staff, review and verification of monthly invoices and reports, field monitoring, and liquidated damages. Staff has completed and filed the Schedule L-1, Consultant Performance Evaluation Form (see Attachment A).
For the foregoing reasons, staff requests that the City Council waive the formal advertising and RFQ/RFP requirements.
FISCAL IMPACT
The funding sources below are the total contract amount to be spent for the duration of the existing agreement with Civicorps, which expires on June 30, 2029. The contract is funded by a mixture of state, federal, and local funding sources, as described in Table 1 below:
Table 1: Civicorps Contract Amendment Funding Sources
Fund Organization Project Program Amount
2154 – California
Integrated Waste
Management
Board Fund
30682 –
Environmental
Services:
Recycling
Organization
1006539 –
CalRecycle
LAGP
SC17 –
Recycling and
Solid Waste
$85,000
2218 – Measure
BB: Local
Streets & Roads
Pass Through
Fund
35245 – Bicycle
& Pedestrian
Program
1000707 – B&P
Bicycle Facilities
Design-
Implementation
NB33 –
Transportation &
Pedestrian
Safety
$60,000
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Amending and Expanding the Civicorps Contract Agreement Date: September 2, 2025 Page 5
Public Works and Transportation Committee
September 30, 2025
1710 –
Recycling
Program Fund
30682 –
Environmental
Services:
Recycling
Organization
1001673 – Non-
Residential
Recycling
SC17 –
Recycling and
Solid Waste
$70,000
2254 – Measure
MM – Wildfire
Protection Fund
30652 –
Landscape
Maintenance
1008068 –
Meas. MM-OPW
Veg. Mgmt.
Contracts
SC26 –
Sustainable
Oakland
Program
$1,620,000
TOTAL $1,835,000
There is no impact on the General Purpose Fund.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
No outreach was deemed necessary for the proposed policy action beyond the standard City Council agenda noticing procedures.
COORDINATION
This report and legislation have been reviewed by the Office of the City Attorney and the Budget Bureau.
PAST PERFORMANCE, EVALUATION, AND FOLLOW-UP
Civicorps’ contract performance has been, and continues to be, satisfactory. Measurements used to gauge and ensure satisfactory performance will continue through established contract management activities, which include monthly meetings between lead City and Civicorps staff, review and verification of monthly invoices and reports, field monitoring, and liquidated damages. Staff has completed and filed the Schedule L, Consultant Performance Evaluation Form (see Attachment B).
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: Extending the agreement with Civicorps will provide green-collar jobs and job training for Oakland youth.
Environmental: This agreement will continue progress towards conserving natural resources through recycling, vegetation management, and encouraging cycling over driving. Civicorps’ activities related to used motor oil recycling will help prevent pollution and conserve natural resources. By educating the public about used motor oil and oil filter recycling, this program helps the City to comply with stormwater pollution prevention requirements. Providing vegetation management services in open space parks will improve escape route access and reduce fire fuels that could intensify fire activity should there be a catastrophic fire event in parts Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Amending and Expanding the Civicorps Contract Agreement Date: September 2, 2025 Page 6
Public Works and Transportation Committee
September 30, 2025
of Oakland within “Very High” Fire Hazard Severity Zones. The maintenance of bicycle lockers, corrals, and signs encourages people to use their bicycles as a mode of transportation over driving a vehicle.
Race & Equity: With this agreement, the City will continue to back Civicorps’ mission to support Oakland’s at-risk youth. Civicorps is deeply embedded in the West Oakland community and is uniquely qualified to provide paid job training, career/college readiness preparation, and wrap- around services for at-risk youth aged 18-26. An investment in Civicorps is an investment in Oakland’s youth.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA)
The project and the action being undertaken to implement it are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under the following CEQA Guidelines Sections: Section 15162 and 15163 (no further environmental review required); Section 15060(c)(2) (no direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment); Section 15061(b)(3) (no significant effect on the environment); Section 15183 (projects consistent with a community plan, general plan, or zoning), Section 15301 (existing facilities), Section 15302 (replacement or reconstruction), and Section 15309 (inspections), each of which provides a separate and independent basis for CEQA clearance and when viewed collectively provide an overall basis for CEQA clearance.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Amending and Expanding the Civicorps Contract Agreement Date: September 2, 2025 Page 7
Public Works and Transportation Committee
September 30, 2025
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Amending Resolution Number 89736 C.M.S., Which Among Other Things Expanded The Scope Of Work For The City Of Oakland’s Contract With Civicorps (Formerly Civicorps Schools) To Include Trail Maintenance And Brush Clearance Services In Open Space Parks, By:
3. Waiving The City’s Advertising And Solicitation Of Proposals/Qualifications Requirements; And
4. Authorizing The City Administrator To Increase The Contract Amount From Nine Hundred Thousand Dollars ($900,000) To An Amount Not To Exceed Two Million, Seven Hundred And Thirty-Five Thousand Dollars ($2,735,000)
For questions regarding this report, please contact Kristin Hathaway at (510) 238-7571.
Respectfully submitted,
Josh Rowan
Interim Director, Oakland Public Works
Director, OakDOT
Reviewed by:
Kristin Hathaway, Assistant Director, OPW
Bureau of Environment
Rebecca Parnes, Acting Manager
Environmental Services Division
Jason Patton, Senior Transportation Planner
OakDOT
Prepared by:
Gordon Matassa, Acting Tree Supervisor II
Parks & Tree Services
Attachments (2):
Attachment A: Measure MM Wildfire Prevention Zone Map
Attachment B: Schedule L-1, Consultant Performance Evaluation Form Josh Rowan (Sep 19, 2025 12:54:14 PDT)