TO: HONORABLE MAYOR
AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Maria Öberg
SUBJECT: Actions Related to the
Purchase Orders for Tree
Maintenance and Planting
Services
DATE: August 4, 2025
Approved
Date:
8/13/25
COUNCIL DISTRICT: Citywide
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager or her designee to:
(a) Execute purchase orders with Arboricultural Specialties, Inc. dba The Professional Tree Care Company (Berkeley, CA), Brightview Tree Care Services, Inc. (Blue Bell, PA), Rapid Response Force LLC (Hollister, CA), Richard Smith dba Bay Area Tree Specialists (San José, CA), Urban Tree Management, LLC (San Carlos, CA), and West Coast Arborists, Inc. (Anaheim, CA) for tree maintenance and planting services for a one-year term beginning on or about August 27, 2025, and ending on or about August 26, 2026, for a total combined not-to-exceed amount of $7,291,500;
(b) Approve a contingency of $700,000 for unanticipated tree maintenance and planting services, subject to the appropriation of funds; and
(c) Exercise up to six one-year options to extend the term of the purchase orders, with the last option, for each purchase order, ending on or about August 26, 2032, subject to the appropriation of funds.
SUMMARY AND OUTCOME
Authorizing the City Manager, or her designee, to take this action will provide for the maintenance of roughly 20,000 existing trees and the planting of up to 3,500 trees annually throughout the City, as routine maintenance and restoration of the City’s tree canopy is prioritized.
COUNCIL AGENDA: 8/26/25
FILE: 25-886
ITEM: 2.14
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
August 4, 2025
Subject: Actions Related to the Purchase Orders for Tree Maintenance and Planting Services
BACKGROUND
The adoption of the Community Forest Management Plan in 2022 has expanded the Citywide Forestry Program. Annual funding for the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services and the Department of Transportation is now allocated to perform annual routine tree maintenance. To accomplish necessary tree maintenance and planting activities, the City requires qualified vendors to prune, remove, plant, and establish new trees within the public right-of-way, parks, libraries, schools, and along trails. Required annual services include the pruning of roughly 20,000 trees, the planting of roughly 3,500 trees, and other tree-related maintenance activities.
Historically, City tree maintenance and planting activities have been primarily limited to one-time projects, construction or development mitigation work, community-based events, and reactionary emergency tree services. In 2020, as part of the development of the Community Forest Management Plan, a tree canopy cover analysis was conducted.
The analysis determined the City’s tree canopy had declined by nearly 12% between 2012 and 2018. The Community Forest Management Plan was unanimously adopted by City Council on February 8, 2022
1 and, based on feedback from the community and City
leadership, restoring the City’s tree canopy was identified as a top priority.
The Community Forest Management Plan made it apparent that the scale of planting and tree maintenance activities needs to expand dramatically to preserve and restore the City’s tree canopy. To reduce impacts to the City’s overall tree canopy, ongoing inspections and maintenance services are needed to maintain existing trees and slow tree mortality. Completing routine tree work and planting efforts will help in preserving and expanding the City’s urban forest.
Following the direction from the Mayor’s June 2025 Budget Message, roughly$7,000,000 in funding was allocated in the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget to preserve and maintain the City’s existing community forest and tree canopy. To ensure tree planting and maintenance efforts are implemented equitably, the Department of Transportation will use Geographic Information System landscape data to identify potential tree planting locations throughout the City. Data overlays will be reviewed from several datasets, including tree canopy cover, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Equity Priority Community Layer, and “CalEnviroScreen,” a state measure that uses environmental, health, and socioeconomic information to produce scores to compare pollution burden. Planned tree maintenance activities will encompass roughly 2,500 trees in each City Council District per year.
1 https://records.sanjoseca.gov/Resolutions/RES80369.pdf
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
August 4, 2025
Subject: Actions Related to the Purchase Orders for Tree Maintenance and Planting Services
ANALYSIS
In April 2025, the Finance Department released a competitive Request for Bids to procure tree maintenance and planting services. The Request for Bids was structured as two separate packages, one for tree maintenance services and one for tree planting services. Vendors were permitted to bid on one or both packages. Six responsive, responsible bids were submitted for the tree maintenance services package and four responsive, responsible bids were submitted for the tree planting services package.
Protest: The City’s Request for Bid process included a 10-day protest period that began when the City issued the Notice of Intended Award on May 5, 2025. No protests were received.
Award: Staff recommends award to Arboricultural Specialties, Inc. dba The Professional Tree Care Company, Brightview Tree Care Services, Inc., Rapid Response Force LLC, Richard Smith dba Bay Area Tree Specialists, Urban Tree Management, LLC, and West Coast Arborists, Inc. for the tree maintenance services package and Arboricultural Specialties, Inc. dba The Professional Tree Care Company, Brightview Tree Care Services, Inc., and West Coast Arborists, Inc. for the tree planting services package as the lowest priced responsive and responsible bidders pursuant to the bidding procedures of the San José Municipal Code, Section 4.12.310B(2). Due to the variety of service needs, which requires procurement from multiple vendors, and submitted pricing, staff is recommending an award to all six respondents for the tree maintenance package and the three lowest priced respondents for the planting services package.
Approval of this recommendation will ensure the City receives these essential services for Citywide tree maintenance and planting.
EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP
Vendor-led planting efforts are but one of many initiatives that staff will pursue to increase tree planting activities and canopy cover throughout the City. Staff will continue to partner with Our City Forest to seek planting and collaboration opportunities. Staff is also exploring the use of grants and other financial incentives to encourage residents to plant and appropriately maintain street trees in front of their properties.
COST SUMMARY/IMPLICATIONS
The total recommended amount of $7,991,500 is composed of the purchase order amounts (approximately $7.3 million) and the contingency amount ($700,000). These purchase orders are to be funded by the General Fund, the Construction Excise Tax Fund, and the Construction Tax and Property Conveyance Tax Fund: Parks Purposes
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
August 4, 2025
Subject: Actions Related to the Purchase Orders for Tree Maintenance and Planting Services
Central Fund. The table below identifies the amount of the purchase orders for the initial term and the contingency amount to be used for any unanticipated tree maintenance or plantings services. Any purchase order extensions or use of the contingency amount are subject to the appropriation of funds.
1. AMOUNT OF RECOMMENDATION $7,991,500
2. COST ELEMENTS
• Three purchase orders with Rapid Response Force LLC, Richard Smith dba Bay Area Tree Specialists, and Urban Tree Management, LLC for tree maintenance services ($1,031,803 each) for the Department of Transportation
$3,095,409
• Three purchase orders with Arboricultural Specialties, Inc. dba The Professional Tree Care Company, Brightview Tree Care Services, Inc., and West Coast Arborists, Inc. ($1,031,803 each) for tree maintenance and planting services for the Department of Transportation 3,095,409
• Two purchase orders with Richard Smith dba Bay Area Tree Specialists and West Coast Arborists, Inc. for tree maintenance and planting services ($283,560.67 each) for the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services
567,122
• One purchase order with Arboricultural Specialties, Inc. dba The Professional Tree Care Company for tree maintenance services ($283,560.87) for the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services
283,560
• One purchase order with Richard Smith dba Bay Area Tree Specialists for tree maintenance services ($250,000) for the Department of Public Works 250,000
• Contingency amount (subject to the appropriation of funds) 700,000 TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED $7,991,500
BUDGET REFERENCE
The table below identifies the funds and appropriations proposed to fund the purchase orders recommended as part of this memorandum.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
August 4, 2025
Subject: Actions Related to the Purchase Orders for Tree Maintenance and Planting Services
Fund
#
Appn.
# Appropriation Name
Total
Appropriation
Amount for
Recommendation
2025-2026
Proposed
Operating/
Capital
Budget
Page*
Last
Budget
Action
(Date,
Ord. No.)
001 207H Tree Mitigation $2,220,000 $2,220,000 818 6/17/2025, 31230
001 0512 DOT Non-
Personal/Equipment
$27,415,724 $1,570,318 758 6/17/2025,
31230
465 403Q Pavement
Maintenance - VTA
2016 Measure B
$26,860,000 $1,150,000 828 6/17/2025,
31230
001 0642 PRNS Non-
Personal/Equipment
$44,014,356 $700,682 636 6/17/2025,
31230
001 229Q Inflation Reduction
Act – Urban
Forestry Grant
$526,500** $526,500 818 6/17/2025,
31230
001 3649 Emergency Street
Tree Services
(Property Owner
Requested)
$500,000 $500,000 818 6/17/2025,
31230
001 0572 PW Non-personal/
Equipment
$15,622,824 $250,000 711 6/17/2025,
31230
390 7219 Tree Service $150,000 $150,000 527 6/17/2025
31230
465 7440 Pavement
Maintenance - VTA
Measure B VRF
$5,362,000 $140,000 827 6/17/2025,
31230
001 210Y Sidewalk and Tree
Hardship
$513,000 $84,000 818 6/17/2025,
31230
* The 2025-2026 Adopted Operating Budget was approved on June 10, 2025 and adopted on June 17, 2025 by the City Council.
** This appropriation was rebudgeted for $526,500 as part of the MBA #32 – Recommended Amendments to the 2025-2026 Proposed Operating Budget and 2025-2027 Proposed Biennial Capital Budget.
COORDINATION
This memorandum has been coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office, City Manager’s Budget Office, and the departments of Public Works, Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services, and Transportation.
PUBLIC OUTREACH
This memorandum will be posted on the City’s Council Agenda website for the August 26, 2025 City Council meeting.
HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
August 4, 2025
Subject: Actions Related to the Purchase Orders for Tree Maintenance and Planting Services
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION AND INPUT
No commission recommendation or input is associated with this action.
CEQA
Categorically Exempt, File No. ER24-086, CEQA Guideline Section 15301(h) Existing Facilities.
PUBLIC SUBSIDY REPORTING
This item does not include a public subsidy as defined in section 53083 or 53083.1 of the California Government Code or the City’s Open Government Resolution.
/s/
Maria Öberg
Director of Finance
For questions, please contact Albie Udom, Deputy Director of Finance - Purchasing & Risk Management, at [email protected].