August 19, 2025
Police Department
DATE: August 19, 2025
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Bisa French, Chief of Police
Subject:
Contract Amendment No. 2 with ServiceMasters
Restoration Services for Biohazard Removal
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The estimated $75,000 expenditure is included within the approved fiscal year 2025-2026 budget and the balance
of $75,000 will be appropriated in the Fiscal Year 2026- 2027 Police Department budget (Account String:
01191021-400538).
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
March 25, 2025
November 19, 2024
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
The Police Department seeks a second contract
amendment with Sharjo, LLC dba ServiceMaster
Restoration Services for essential biohazard cleanup at various crime scenes and Department locations to
ensure safety for City employees and the public.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE a second contract amendment with Sharjo,
LLC, dba ServiceMaster Restoration Services, for on-call biohazard and unknown substance removal and disposal
services in the amount of $150,000, for a new total
contract amount not-to-exceed $265,000, with a contract term ending November 19, 2027 – Police Department
(Chief Bisa French 510-621-1802).
.
AGENDA
REPORT
August 19, 2025
DISCUSSION:
Police Department staff requests that the City Council approve the second contract amendment with Sharjo, LLC dba ServiceMaster Restoration (Attachment 1). The Police Department’s contract with ServiceMaster Restoration allows for weekly removal and proper disposal of biohazardous waste throughout the City, including plants, waste and chemicals at marijuana grow sites, human waste on City property and sidewalks, bodily fluids in police cruisers, jail cells, and at crime scenes. Sharjo, LLC dba ServiceMaster Restoration, is equipped to provide timely and safe removal of these hazardous materials, ensuring the health and safety of City staff members and the community, as city staff members are not trained or equipped to handle such waste.
ServiceMaster has extensive knowledge of regulatory guidelines for biohazard cleanup.
Their expertise ensures that all cleaning procedures comply with local, state, and federal laws, protecting the city from potential legal liabilities.
ServiceMaster offers a broad array of services beyond crime scene cleaning, including trauma abatement and hazardous waste disposal. This versatility allows the Police Department to depend on a single provider for multiple needs, thereby streamlining operations and improving efficiency.
Contracting with ServiceMaster Restoration, a company with 38 years of experience and a robust infrastructure, will provide dedicated resources to handle these sensitive situations effectively. ServiceMaster’s Benicia and Concord branches are equipped with the tools, supplies, and expertise to respond promptly to requests, ensuring a professional and timely cleanup. Furthermore, if additional resources are needed, ServiceMaster can draw from their multiple branches across the Bay Area, ensuring comprehensive support.
In July 2024, the Richmond Police Department issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Cleaning and Biohazardous Waste Cleanup Services. During the evaluations of the proposals, Sharjo, LLC dba ServiceMaster Restoration Services emerged as the top scorer due to their demonstrated competence spread over several RFP benchmarks.
On November 19, 2024, City Council approved the original contract with the Police Department (Attachment 2). On March 25, 2025, City Council approved the first amendment to the contract which amended the service plan to include services offered to Public Works and added $115,000 in funding for Public Works’ related service requests - no funds were added to the Police Department allocation (Attachment 3).
Police Department staff originally proposed a three-year contract with the amount of $45,000 for Police Department usage based on prior vendor costs and estimates.
However, the Police Department has experienced an influx of service requests to include two costly marijuana grow site disposals, numerous accident site cleanings, patrol car and jail cell cleanings, and a myriad of human waste and bodily fluid cleanings. Police Department staff believe that adding $75,000 to be used during each
August 19, 2025
of the remaining two years of the original contract term will appropriately serve the department and community needs.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Second Contract Amendment
Attachment 2 – Original Contract
Attachment 3 – First Contract Amendment