Agenda Item: 8
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: November 22, 2022
SUBJECT: AMEND CONTRACT FOR INVASIVE PLANT REMOVAL
DEPARTMENT: Neighborhood Services
PRESENTER: Darin Seegmiller
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
1. Amend the existing contract with Wildscape Restoration, Inc., to increase the scope of work for invasive plant removal and authorize an expenditure authority increase in the amount of $50,000, for a total contract amount not to exceed $99,760.
2. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all contracts and associated documents, subject to City Attorney approval.
BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Clarita (City) owns 297 acres of property in and around the Santa Clara River between South Fork and San Francisquito Creek, as shown in attached Exhibit A and B. In 2005, the City started a multi-year effort to abate invasive plants from the property. The invasive plants identified on the site include arundo, tamarisk, castor bean, and tree tobacco.
Arundo is a fast-growing, perennial bamboo that can reach 30 feet in height and consumes three to four times the amount of water of native plants. Additionally, arundo provides a desirable location for encampments within the river bed. Recent fires in the river bed have shown arundo catching fire from these encampments. Arundo survives drought and flooding, is flammable in nature, and grows back quickly after a disaster. Removal of arundo supports the Santa Clarita 2025 theme of Sustaining Public Infrastructure.
During the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021-22 budget process, the City Council authorized a Capital Improvement Project for arundo removal, and appropriated $50,000 for that effort. After adoption of the FY 2021-22 budget, the City conducted a Request for Proposal (RFP) process to solicit proposals from qualified companies who acquire permits and permissions, conduct
monitoring, remove arundo and tamarisk, and provide follow up reporting. To improve maintenance standards and enforce contractor accountability, this procurement utilized weighted criteria to evaluate and score proposals. The following categories comprised the weighted criteria used to evaluate the proposal:
• Contractor qualifications (30%)
• Thoroughness of scope of work (30%)
• References (20%)
• Cost of services provided (20%)
The RFP was sent to three qualified vendors on November 2, 2021. Only one proposal was received, from Wildscape Restoration, Inc. (Wildscape). A panel of three City staff members evaluated and scored the proposal based on the selection criteria above. The proposal was given a score of 84.6 points, and a contract was awarded to Wildscape in the amount of $49,760. As a result of unanticipated delays in obtaining permits required for the contractor to work in the river bed, the FY 2021-22 project has not been completed.
During the FY 2022-23 budget process, the City Council authorized another Capital Improvement Project for arundo removal, and appropriated an additional $50,000 for that effort.
Due to the lack of other bidders and the City’s satisfaction with the work of Wildscape, staff recommends increasing the scope of work and amending the current contract with Wildscape for the additional authorized Capital Improvement Project funds, for a total contract amount not to exceed $99,760.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
Adequate funds in the amount of $99,760 are available in Capital Improvement Project expenditure accounts R0027356 and R1007356 (Stormwater Fund).
ATTACHMENTS
Exhibit A - Project Area
Exhibit B - Work Areas
Wildscape First Amendment (available in the City Clerk's Reading File)