April 1, 2025
Public Works
DATE: April 1, 2025
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Daniel Chavarria, Director of Public Works
Tawfic Halaby, Deputy Director of Public Works –
Operations & Maintenance
Subject:
Contract with Vestis Group, Inc for Uniform Rental and
Laundry Services
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The proposed $120,000 funds are included in the fiscal year 2024-25 operating budgets for the Public Works and Engineering Department. Appropriate amounts based on
this contract will be included in the proposed operating budgets through fiscal year 2027-28 (Account Objects
400538 and 400381).
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
None
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The City is required by its collective bargaining
agreements to provide uniform rental and laundry
services for various City departments. The Department of Public Works is requesting City Council approval to
contract with Vestis Group, Inc. (formerly Aramark
Uniform Services) to provide uniform rental and laundry services.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE a sole-source contract with Vestis Group, Inc.
(formerly Aramark Uniform Services) for as-needed
uniform rental and laundry services for an amount not to exceed $360,000, over a three-year term from April 2,
2025, to April 1, 2028, with an option for two-year
extension for $240,000 - Public Works Department
AGENDA
REPORT
April 1, 2025
(Daniel Chavarria 510-620-5478/Tawfic Halaby 510-620-
5482).
DISCUSSION:
The City is required by its collective bargaining agreements to provide uniform rental and laundry services for various City departments. Items furnished under this agreement include shirts, pants, coveralls, smocks, mats, rugs, towels, lockers, and garment dispensers. The laundered items are delivered once a week to designated locations. In accordance with this agreement, uniforms are maintained in good condition and are repaired when required.
In 2019, the City conducted a competitive solicitation for uniform rental and laundry services for the Public Works Department. The process, which was open to all qualified vendors, resulted in only one response from the incumbent provider, Vestis Group, Inc., formerly Aramark Uniform Services (Attachment 1). Currently Vestis Group, Inc., support uniform and laundry services for approximately 120 employees, the majority of which are in the Public Works Department. Each employee is provided with 11 uniforms (i.e., shirts or smocks and pants) and the Vestis Group provides laundering retrieval and delivery services for more than 1200 individual garments weekly.
Switching to a new uniform provider would entail significant costs and time investment.
Staff time would be required to measure and fit each employee for new uniforms (a process that takes approximately six months) (Attachment 2).
Historically, when the City switched uniform providers in the past, the City incurred significant costs for lost or missing uniforms. The last time a switch occurred, the City paid approximately $40,000 for lost and missing uniforms. This amount reflects the expense of replacing garments that were either not accounted for or could not be returned to the City under the new provider.
If the City were to change uniform providers again, there is a high likelihood of additional financial loss in the form of missing items, which would further burden the budget.
Given these requirements, the cost to transition to a new uniform provider would be substantial, both financially and in terms of staff time. This transition would also disrupt the daily operations of the department.
Vestis Group, Inc. has been providing consistent and reliable uniform rental and laundry services to the Public Works Department. There have been no major service disruptions
April 1, 2025
or issues during the current term of the contract beginning in March of 2020. The department is satisfied with the quality and timeliness of the uniforms and laundry services provided by Vestis (Attachment 3).
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Sole Source
Attachment 3 – Original Contract
Attachment 3 – Contract (proposed)