Agenda Item: 10
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: December 12, 2023
SUBJECT: LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS FOR LMD ZONES T- 20, T-44, T-48, T-62, T-67, T-71
DEPARTMENT: Administrative Services
PRESENTER: Andrew Adams
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
1. Award six contracts to Specialized Landscape Management Services, Inc., to provide landscape maintenance services for Landscape Maintenance District Zone T-20 (El Dorado Village), Zone T-44 (Bouquet Canyon), Zone T-48 (Shadow Hills), Zone T-62 (Canyon Heights), Zone T-67 (Miramontes), and Zone T-71 (Haskell Canyon Ranch), for a two-year contract amount not to exceed $132,484; $40,000; $40,524; $76,000; $218,968; and $142,574, respectively.
2. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute up to three additional one-year renewal options beginning in year three, not to exceed the annual contract amounts, inclusive of as- needed expenditure authority, plus an adjustment in compensation consistent with the appropriate Consumer Price Index, upon request of the contractor, and contingent upon the appropriation of funds by the City Council in the annual budget for such fiscal year.
3. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all contracts and associated documents, subject to City Attorney approval.
4. Appropriate a one-time budget increase in Fiscal Year 2023-24 of $1,220 from the Landscape Maintenance District Fund Balance (Fund 357) to expenditure account 3572453- 516110 El Dorado Village and $2,970 to expenditure account 3572458-516110 Haskell Canyon Ranch.
5. Appropriate an ongoing budget increase, beginning in Fiscal Year 2024-25, of $2,440 from the Landscape Maintenance District Fund Balance (Fund 357) to expenditure account 3572453-516110 El Dorado Village and $5,940 to expenditure account 3572458-516110 Haskell Canyon Ranch.
6. Find that the award of contracts is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to Article 19 – Categorical Exemptions, Section 15301, Existing Facilities, (h) Maintenance of Existing Landscaping.
BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Clarita (City) administers 62 financially independent zones within the Landscape Maintenance District (LMD), providing landscape maintenance services through contracts with private companies. Request for Proposal (RFP) LMD-23-24-15 for the maintenance of LMD Zone T-20 (El Dorado Village), Zone T-44 (Bouquet Canyon), Zone T-48 (Shadow Hills), Zone T-62 (Canyon Heights), Zone T-67 (Miramontes), and Zone T-71 (Haskell Canyon Ranch) was published and circulated via the City’s e-procurement system BidNet on September 25, 2023.
Unlike a bid procurement, where the recommended contract award is based upon the lowest, most responsive bid, the RFP procurement approach utilizes multiple weighted criteria to evaluate and score proposals. This approach reinforces performance expectations and ensures that vendors dedicate adequate employees to service the contract. While the price for services is a component constituting 10 percent of the weighted evaluation criteria, 90 percent of the evaluation criteria focuses on the overall value provided, including the composition and structure of the contractor’s crew, their schedule to rotate through the maintenance areas, understanding of the specifications, and references.
The following categories comprised the weighted criteria used to evaluate proposals:
• Value Provided - Team Composition/Crew Structure/Rotation Schedule (65%) • Acknowledgement and Understanding of Specifications (15%) • Proposal Amount (10%)
• References and Certifications (10%)
The City transmitted the solicitation to 656 vendors on BidNet, of which 87 vendors downloaded the RFPs. Seven companies provided proposals for consideration. An evaluation panel comprised of staff representing the City’s Special Districts division scored the responses based on a 300-point system, with the results outlined below.
ZONE PROPOSALS
RECEIVED
COMPANY LOCATION POINTS
AWARDED
Proposal 1 Specialized Landscape
Management Service, Inc.
Simi Valley, CA 271.33
Proposal 2 Stay Green, Inc. Santa Clarita, CA 254.00
Proposal 3 Far East Landscape and
Maintenance, Inc.
Van Nuys, CA 252.00
Proposal 4 SGD Enterprises Van Nuys, CA 247.00
Proposal 5 Oakridge Landscape, Inc. Santa Clarita, CA 228.33 Proposal 6 JAS Landscape, LLC Oxnard, CA 173.00
Proposal 7 eLawns, LLC Mountain House, CA 157.67
In reviewing proposals, the evaluation team awarded the highest score to Specialized Landscape Management Services, Inc. (SLM). The evaluation team determined that SLM’s proposal offered the best overall value to meet the landscape maintenance needs within LMD Zones T-20, T-44, T-48, T-62, T-67, and T-71. Specialized Landscape Management Services, Inc.’s proposal dedicates 19 monthly hours of management staff time to overseeing zone operations. It also provides a solid overall team composition and maintenance rotation schedule that positions them to manage landscape services in the respective zones successfully. The proposed crew structure, approach for rotating personnel throughout the six assigned LMD zones, and proposed modification of operations due to seasonal changes are consistent with LMD’s standards for overall maintenance. Staff has completed a due-diligence review of SLM’s professional references and determined their work history meets the City's standards and performance expectations. Based on the above, staff recommends awarding the six landscape maintenance contracts to Specialized Landscape Management Services, Inc.
To support these contracts, staff is requesting an ongoing appropriation of $8,380, which is specific to Zones T-20 ($2,440) and T-71 ($5,940), and will be combined with the funds previously appropriated during the annual budget process. If approved, the total budget for recurring monthly landscape maintenance services, including additional appropriations, will be $66,242 in Zone T-20; $20,000 in Zone T-44; $20,262 in Zone T-48; $38,000 in Zone T-62; $109,484 in Zone T-67; and $71,287 in Zone T-71. The requested ongoing base adjustment is reflective of rising fuel and industry labor costs. Moreover, the recommended contract amounts are required to ensure SLM can perform monthly landscape maintenance and repairs, maximize operational efficiencies, and ensure such work is completed promptly. Maintenance and repairs include, but are not limited to, responding to emergencies, irrigation repairs, or replacement of irrigation systems; addressing vandalism; and one-time beautification enhancement projects.
The increase in expenditure authority granted by the City Council does not represent any guarantee of additional compensation under the terms of the recommended contracts. Beyond retaining the discretion to utilize alternative contractors as deemed necessary, all unscheduled repair work or one-time enhancement projects performed by SLM under all six contracts will continue to require staff review and advanced authorization by the City’s Special Districts division. Furthermore, to improve maintenance standards and enforce accountability, the solicitation also includes provisions to impose payment reductions for poor performance should
the contractor fail to meet their maintenance obligations.
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Determination This award of contracts is not subject to CEQA review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Article 19 - Categorical Exemptions, Section 15301, Existing Facilities, (h) Maintenance of Existing Landscaping.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
The recommended action requires a one-time appropriation of $4,190 in the current fiscal year and an ongoing appropriation of $8,380 beginning in Fiscal Year 2024-25 from the Landscape Maintenance District Fund Balance (Fund 357) to support recurring landscape maintenance costs associated with the award of these contracts. Funding for future years is contingent upon the appropriations of funds by the City Council in the annual budget for such fiscal year.
ATTACHMENTS
LMD-23-24-15 Zones T20, T44, T48, T62, T67, T71 RFP Documents (available in the City Clerk's Reading File)
LMD-23-24-15 Zones T20, T44, T48, T62, T67, T71 Specialized Landscape Maintenance Response File (available in the City Clerk's Reading File)