City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: November 11, 2024
Agenda Item: 5.F
1 of 6
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Rick Valte, Public Works Director, Public Works, Public Landscape Subject: Award Agreement to Mariposa Landscape, Inc. for Citywide Landscaping Services
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines;
2. Award Bid #4489 to Mariposa Landscapes, Inc. for citywide landscape maintenance services for the Public Works Department; and
3. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Mariposa Landscapes, Inc. for $16,849,684, plus a contingency of $1,684,968, for a three-year term, with two one-year renewal options, for a total amount not to exceed $18,534,652 over the five-year period, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
Summary
The City of Santa Monica uses a hybrid service model comprised of in-house groundskeeper staff and contracted landscape services to maintain and enhance parks and public spaces citywide. The implementation of a hybrid service model allows staff to minimize service interruptions at busy locations and maximize workforce flexibility at sites with dynamic, seasonal demands. For at least the past decade, a master contract has been used to provide for landscape services in many of our public open spaces including certain parks, medians, and City-owned facilities including Woodlawn Cemetery, the Santa Monica Airport, City Hall, and the Annenberg Community Beach House. The City also contracts out special one-time or special landscape-related projects that are outside of the normal day-to-day routine. The City currently contracts 2 of 6
with Mariposa Landscapes, Inc. to provide landscape services at various City facilities and the current landscape maintenance contract expires on December 31, 2024.
After completing a new Request for Proposal process, staff recommends Mariposa Landscapes, Inc. as the best bidder for new citywide landscape maintenance services for an amount not to exceed $18,534,652 over a five-year period including a 10% contingency. The 10% contingency would be utilized to provide support services for new or one-time projects, such as the upcoming Memorial Park Redevelopment and Expansion Project and the Santa Monica Airport Conversion Project (SMACP). Funding would be secured prior to moving forward with any of these projects. Under the current contract, Mariposa Landscapes, Inc. has provided service at the required levels of service throughout the existing contract period.
Discussion
The Public Landscape Division oversees landscape maintenance at open spaces citywide including weed abatement, hardscape cleaning, irrigation inspections, trash removal at parks, turf aerification, fertilization, and mowing. Public Landscape also oversees the City’s urban forest. To complete these tasks, the division employs a combination of permanent full-time staff and contractor services, since the City does not have the resources to maintain all sites using in-house City staff. Bringing this service in-house would require hiring additional permanent full-time staff and the purchase of several vehicles and pieces of equipment to maintain approximately 110 acres of landscaping at 141 different sites including parks, facilities, and street medians throughout the city. The hybrid City staff/contractor model has been employed in other operational areas such as the custodial contract that services over fifteen City sites covering approximately 457,543 square feet.
Depending on the required tasks, the recommended vendor would perform routine work at different frequencies, such as daily, weekly, or monthly, and one-time projects at the request of various departments. Even though the services were bid out at the same service level, costs came in higher due to inflation. Staff would evaluate service levels 3 of 6
and request needed additional funding as part of the FY 2025-27 Biennial Budget process. If funding is not available, service levels would need to be modified.
One-time projects include installation of turf or plants, planter and turf renovations at various locations throughout the City. One-time or short-term projects have also included assisting the Homeless Support Team (HoST) with encampment clean-ups and other projects that support the City’s Clean & Safe initiative, such as palm frond removal after inclement weather and weed abatement. Funding would be secured prior to moving forward with any one-time projects.
In addition, the City has developed and enhanced the cityscape with new sites, such as Ishihara Park in 2017 and historic Belmar Park in 2021, and has plans to further develop existing sites, such as the planned Memorial Park Redevelopment and Expansion Project and the Santa Monica Airport Conversion Project (SMACP). The landscape maintenance contractor would be responsible for maintaining the landscaped areas created by these enhancements, at least until the end of the contract term when the City would have the opportunity to reassess its staffing resources. As a result, the recommended contract authority includes funds to account for both one-time projects and new routine sites. In these cases, funds would be encumbered by specific departments and used as needed.
Bidder Recommendation
Best Bidder Mariposa Landscaping, Inc.
Evaluation
Criteria
Price; the quality of the material or services offered; the ability, capacity and skill of the bidder to perform or provide the materials or services; the capacity of the bidder to perform the contract or provide the service promptly, within the time specified, and without delay or interference; the character, integrity, reputation, judgment, training, experience and efficiency of the bidder; any other factor that will further the intent set forth in Section 608 of the City Charter.
Municipal
Code
SMMC 2.24.180
Submittals Received
Brightview Landscape Services Inc. $19,618,932 SDG Enterprises $17,206,828 Mariposa Landscapes, Inc. $18,534,652 Stay Green $19,149,452 4 of 6
Bid Data
Date
Posted Posted On
Advertise In
(City Charter & SMMC)
Vendors
Downloaded
Date Publicly
Opened
05/29/2024 City's Online
Bidding Site
Santa Monica Daily Press 37 07/25/2024
Best Bidder Justification
Four bids were submitted and evaluated by a panel comprised of administrative and operations staff from the Public Landscape Division of the Public Works Department.
Although SDG was the lowest bidder, they received lower scores for experience and reference checks, and more importantly, did not account for the necessary wage requirements. The next lowest bidder, Mariposa Landscapes, Inc., received exceptional references, has skilled employees who provide good customer service and reliable equipment, and has an efficient and responsive management structure.
Environmental Review
The award of an agreement for the landscape maintenance of open spaces, facilities, and medians is categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15301 (Class 1 - Existing Facilities) of the CEQA Guidelines. Section 15301 provides exemption for the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency's determination. The agreement is for the landscape maintenance across the city and would not expand or materially change existing facilities or operations. Therefore, the award agreement is categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15301 of the CEQA Guidelines.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve funding from the General Fund, Beach Recreation Fund, Water Fund, Wastewater Fund, Airport Fund, Cemetery Fund, Clean Beaches Fund, Pier Fund, and the Big Blue Bus Fund to award a contract with Mariposa Landscapes for citywide landscape maintenance services. 5 of 6
Contract Request
FY 2024-25
Request
Amount
(remaining
6 months)
Future Years
Amount
Department/CIP Account #
Total
Contract
Amount
$12,411 $113,573 60600011.550016 (BBB) $125,984
$63,382 $580,021 11500001.550010 (ACBH) $643,403
$19,592 $179,291 11500002.550010 (Beach) $198,883
$588 $5,379 01700015.529140 (CDD) $5,967
$317,189 $2,904,891 01500023.550010.40073 $3,222,080
$173,247 $1,587,640 01500023.550010 (Parks &Trash) $1,760,887 $1,755 $16,055 01420002.550180.99023 (ECL) $17,810
$152,977 $1,399,931 57500002.529220 (Airport) $1,552,908 $135,804 $1,242,775 59500001.550010 (Cemetery) $1,378,579 $683 $6,253 16500003.529070 (Engineer) $6,936
$2,646 $24,212 50500002.550010 (Charnock) $26,858
$32,367 $296,197 50500001.550010 (PARS/Arc) $328,564
$1,996 $18,263 51500001.529420 (MAPS) $20,259
$2,270 $20,772 51500001.529450 (SMURRF) $23,042
$249,888 $7,287,635 Special Projects (account provided
by requesting department) $7,537,524
$11,668 $1,673,301 Various (10% Contingency) $1,684,968 $1,178,463 $ 17,356,189 Total $18,534,652
Please note that a 2.5% escalation has been included in years 4 and 5 of this contract.
Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval. Staff will evaluate service levels and submit a request for additional resources to address increased costs related to inflation as part of the FY 2025-27 Biennial Budget process. If funding is not available, service levels would need to be modified to align with available resources.
Prepared By: Leah Cornelius, Senior Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
6 of 6
Attachments:
A. Oaks_Initiative_Mariposa
B. Levine_Act_Mariposa