City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: AUGUST 5, 2025 FROM: PARKS, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY WARDS: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 7
SERVICES DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO. 2448 - AGREEMENT WITH MERCHANTS LANDSCAPE SERVICES, INC. FOR SPORTS PARKS LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,626,000 FOR THE TERM OF AUGUST 1, 2025, TO JUNE 30, 2028, PLUS, AN ADDITIONAL $345,000 FOR IRRIGATION REPAIRS, VANDALISM AND GRAFFITI REMOVAL COSTS FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $4,971,000, INCLUDING A 5% CHANGE ORDER AUTHORIZATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $231,300, FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $5,202,300, WITH THE OPTION TO EXTEND THE AGREEMENT FOR ONE ADDITIONAL TWO-YEAR TERM ISSUES:
Approve the Landscape Maintenance Services Agreement for Sports Parks with Merchants Landscape Services, Inc., of Santa Ana, California, pursuant to Request for Proposal No. 2448, for landscape maintenance and irrigation repair services at Sports Parks in the amount of $4,626,000 for the term of August 1, 2025, to June 30, 2028. The agreement includes an additional $345,000 for irrigation repairs, vandalism and graffiti removal costs for a total of $4,971,000, including a 5% change order authorization in the amount of $231,300, for a total contract amount of $5,202,300, with the option to extend the agreement for one additional two-year term.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Approve the Landscape Maintenance Services Agreement for Sports Parks with Merchants Landscape Services, Inc. of Santa Ana, California, in the amount of $4,626,000 for the period of August 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028, with the option to extend for one additional two-year term; Approve an additional $345,000 for irrigation repairs, vandalism and graffiti removal costs for a total contract amount of $4,971,000 for the initial term; Authorize 5% change order authority on the base contract price in the amount of $231,300 for the initial contract term; and Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the Agreement for Landscape Maintenance Services for Sports Parks with Merchants Landscape Services, Inc., including making minor and non-substantive changes.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Riverside currently contracts out landscape maintenance services for 14 Sports Parks. These services include comprehensive landscape care such as irrigation management, mowing, blowing, ball field maintenance, debris removal, and graffiti abatement.
The existing agreement with BrightView Landscaping and Design expired on June 30, 2025. To ensure continuity of service and avoid any lapse in maintenance during the transition to a new contractor, Inland Empire Landscape, Inc. agreed to provide interim services through a Stop-Gap Agreement, in the amount of $100,000 to cover services from July 1, 2025, through August 8, 2025.
Park Name
1 Andulka Park (excludes tennis center)
2 Arlington Heights Sports Park
3 Don Derr Park
4 Don Jones Park
5 Don Lorenzi Park
6 Hunt Park
7 Hunter Hobby Park
8 La Sierra Park
9 Nichols Park
10 Orange Terrace Community Park
11 Patterson Park
12 Reid Park
13 Ryan Bonaminio Park
14 Shamel Park
DISCUSSION:
Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 2448, was posted on the City’s online bidding system, Planet Bids, on February 12, 2025, seeking prospective bidders to provide services for Landscape Maintenance Services for City Sports Parks. The notification was sent to 362 City of Riverside vendors and 500 external vendors.
A non-mandatory pre-proposal meeting was held on February 20, 2025, with 17 vendors in attendance. RFP No. 2448 closed on March 13, 2025, with a total of 9 responses. Nine responses were found to be responsive and responsible. Under the guidance of the Purchasing Division, four City staff evaluated the proposals for two rounds, which resulted in Merchants Landscape Services, Inc. ranking No. 1. The evaluation criteria, total points and rankings for each evaluation round are summarized in the tables below.
Round 1
Evaluation Criteria
Total Points
Qualifications
20%
Pricing
15%
Experience (Projects of similar size and scope)
25%
Professional References
5%
Technical Approach and Methodology
35%
Evaluation Results
Vendor
Location
Total Cost
Total Points
Rank
Merchants Landscape Services, Inc.
Santa Ana, CA
$4,626,000.00
2690
1 Mariposa Landscapes, Inc.
Irwindale, CA
$5,587,704.00
2598
2 Brightview Landscape Services, Inc.
Riverside, CA
$5,070,024.00
2380
3 Inland Empire Landscape, Inc.
San Bernardino, CA
$5,736,240.00
2268
4 Pacific Coast Landscape & Design, Inc.
Riverside, CA
$5,076,000.00
2235
5 EMTS, Inc.
Clovis, CA
$5,096,340.36
2083
6 Integrity Arborist and Ecoscape, Inc.
Riverside, CA
$4,770,972.00
2066
7 EVOLUTION LANDSCAPING & PLUMBING
Huntington Beach, CA
$4,786,164.00
1920
8 RP Landscape & Irrigation
San Bernardino, CA
$4,925,232.00
1803
9 The top four vendors within a competitive point range were invited to move forward into Interviews (Round 2 Evaluation).
Round 2
Evaluation Criteria
Total Points
Methodology
30%
Staff Availability
20%
Company Quality Control Program
20%
Financial Resources to Maintain Solvency while Performing Services 10%
History of Performing Similar Services
20%
Evaluation Results
Vendor
Location
Total Cost
Rank
*Mariposa Landscapes, Inc.
Irwindale, CA
$5,587,704.00
1 Merchants Landscape Services, Inc.
Santa Ana, CA
$4,626,000.00
2 Brightview Landscape Services, Inc.
Riverside, CA
$5,070,024.00
3 Inland Empire Landscape, Inc.
San Bernardino, CA
$5,736,240.00
4 *Vendor was unable to successfully negotiate and failed to meet the departmental budget.
On May 22, 2025, the City entered into contract negotiations with Mariposa Landscapes, Inc., the highest-ranked proposer following the evaluation process. However, the City was unable to reach a successful agreement, as the contractor was not able to meet the Department’s budget without significantly reducing the level of service. Such reductions would have negative impacts on the condition and maintenance of City parks.
Given these circumstances, the City elected to proceed with the second-ranked vendor, Merchants Landscape Services, Inc., whose proposed pricing is $961,704 lower than Mariposa Landscape Services, Inc. Additionally, the scope of services are more closely aligned with the Parks Division's budget and operational needs.
Purchasing Resolution 24101, Section 508 Awards states, “Contracts procured through Formal Procurement shall be awarded by the Awarding Entity to the Lowest Responsive and Responsible Bidder, except that: (c) Contracts procured through Formal Procurement for Services or Professional Services, where a Request for Proposals or Request for Qualifications was used to solicit Bids, shall be awarded by the Awarding Entity in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in the Request for Proposals or Request for Qualifications.” The Purchasing Manager concurs that the recommended actions are in accordance with Purchasing Resolution 24101, Section 508 (c).
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of this action is $5,202,300 which includes landscape maintenance services, 5% change order authority and additional costs for materials for mainline breaks, vandalism, irrigation repairs and graffiti abatement for a three-year period from August 1, 2025, to June 30, 2028 as detailed in Table 1. Sufficient funds for FY 25/26 are budgeted in General Fund, Parks, Landscape Maintenance Sports Parks, account number 5215000-421204. Future year’s amounts will be incorporated into future year’s budgets to be approved by City Council.
Table 1. Contract Allocation
Contract Cost
Fund
Account
Account Number
FY
2025/26
FY
2026/27
FY
2027/28
Total
Annual Agreement
General
Landscape Maintenance Sports Parks
5215000-421204
$1,542,000
$1,542,000
$1,542,000
$4,626,000
Irrigation, Graffiti and Vandalism
General
Landscape Maintenance Sports Parks
5215000-421204
$115,000
$115,000
$115,000
$345,000
Total
$1,657,000
$1,657,000
$1,657,000
$4,971,000
Change Order Authority
General
Landscape Maintenance Sports Parks
5215000-421204
$77,100
$77,100
$77,100
$231,300
Grand Total
$1,734,100
$1,734,100
$1,734,100
$5,202,300
Prepared by: Vanessa Mayne, Senior Administrative Analyst Approved by: Pamela M. Galera, Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director Certified as to
Availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments:
Agreement
Award Recommendation
Presentation
Sports Parks Landscape Maintenance Services Agreement. ● Page 3