Gothic Landscape - Landscape Maintenance Services Agreement — South San Francisco City Council, August 12, 2026

South San Francisco Services Agreement (Rev. January 2026)

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LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN

THE CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO AND

GOTHIC LANDSCAPING, INC
THIS AGREEMENT FOR SERVICES (“Agreement”) is made by and between the City of South San Francisco (“City”) and Gothic Landscape Inc. (“Consultant”) (together sometimes referred to as the “Parties”) as of August 1, 2026 (the “Effective Date”).

Section 1. SERVICES. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, Consultant shall provide to City the services and work products described in the Scope of Work attached as Exhibit A (“Services”), at the time and place and in the manner specified therein. In the event of a conflict in or inconsistency between the terms of this Agreement and Exhibit A, the Agreement shall prevail.

1.1 Term of Services. The term of this Agreement shall begin on the Effective Date and shall end on August 31, 2028 (“Term”). Consultant shall complete the Services described in Exhibit A prior to the end of the Term, unless otherwise terminated or extended under Section 8. The time provided to Consultant to complete the services required by this Agreement shall not affect the City’s right to terminate the Agreement under Section 8. In the event that the Term covers more than one (1) fiscal year, funding for services beyond the current fiscal year will be included in future City budgets but is subject to City Council approval of future annual appropriations.

1.2 Standard of Performance. Consultant shall perform all Services required pursuant to this Agreement in the manner and according to the standards and quality normally observed by a competent practitioner of the profession in which Consultant is engaged.

1.3 Assignment of Personnel. Consultant shall assign only competent personnel consistent with Section 1.2 to perform the Services pursuant to this Agreement. In the event that City, in its sole discretion, expresses concerns to Consultant regarding the performance of Consultant personnel providing Services, Consultant shall promptly confer with City and thereafter either exercise its independent authority to implement corrective actions, including without limitation assignment of different personnel to provide Services, or terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 8.

1.4 Time. Consultant shall devote such time to the performance of services pursuant to this Agreement as may be reasonably necessary to meet the standard of performance provided in Sections 1.1 and 1.2 above and to satisfy Consultant’s obligations hereunder.

Section 2. COMPENSATION. City hereby agrees to pay Consultant a sum not to exceed One Million Five Hundred Forty-Six Thousand Two Hundred Seventy-Nine Dollars and Sixty-Four Cents ($1,546,279.64), encompassing two maintenance services projects of an amount not to exceed Seven Hundred Ninety-Four Thousand Two Hundred Sixty-Two Dollars and Thirty-Two Cents ($794,262.32) for the Common Greens Landscape Maintenance Services, and an amount not to exceed Seven Hundred Fifty-Two Thousand Seventeen Dollars and Thirty-Two Cents ($752,017.32) for the Right-of-Way Landscape Maintenance Services, notwithstanding any contrary indications that may be contained in Consultant’s proposal, for Services to be performed and reimbursable costs incurred under this Agreement. In the event of a conflict between this Agreement and Consultant’s proposal, as reflected in the Scope of Work attached as Exhibit A, or Consultant’s compensation schedule attached as Exhibit B, regarding the amount of compensation, the Agreement shall prevail. Except as specifically authorized by City, Consultant shall not bill City for duplicate services performed by more than one person. Compensation specified above shall be the only payments from City to Consultant for services rendered pursuant to this Agreement. City has no responsibility for any costs or South San Francisco Services Agreement (Rev. January 2026)

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contributions to any pensions and/or annuities to which Consultant and its employees, agents, and subcontractors may be eligible.

2.1 Invoices. Consultant shall submit invoices, not more often than once per month during the term of this Agreement, based on the cost for services performed and reimbursable costs incurred prior to the invoice date. Invoices shall contain the following information, unless otherwise waived by the Contract Administrator in writing:
 Serial identifications of progress bills (i.e., Progress Bill No. 1 for the first invoice);  The beginning and ending dates of the billing period;  A task summary containing the original contract amount, the amount of prior billings, the total due this period, the balance available under the Agreement, and the percentage of completion;
 At City’s option, for each work item in each task, a copy of the applicable time entries or time sheets shall be submitted showing the name of the person doing the work, the hours spent by each person, a brief description of the work, and each reimbursable expense;
 The total number of hours of work performed under the Agreement by Consultant and each employee, agent, and subcontractor of Consultant performing services hereunder, as well as a separate notice when the total number of hours of work by Consultant and any individual employee, agent, or subcontractor of Consultant reaches or exceeds eight hundred (800) hours, which shall include an estimate of the time necessary to complete the Services;
 The amount and purpose of actual expenditures for which reimbursement is sought;  The Consultant’s signature.

2.2 Monthly Payment. City shall make monthly payments, based on invoices received, for services satisfactorily performed, and for reimbursable costs as authorized under Exhibit B and actually incurred. City shall have thirty (30) days from the receipt of an invoice that complies with all of the requirements above to pay Consultant. City shall have no obligation to pay invoices submitted ninety (90) days past the performance of work or incurrence of cost.

2.3 Final Payment. City shall pay the last ten percent (10%) of the total sum due pursuant to this Agreement within sixty (60) days after completion of the services and submittal to City of a final invoice, if all services required have been satisfactorily performed.

2.4 Total Payment. City shall pay for the services to be rendered by Consultant pursuant to this Agreement. City shall not pay any additional sum for any expense or cost whatsoever incurred by Consultant in rendering services pursuant to this Agreement. City shall make no payment for any extra, further, or additional service pursuant to this Agreement.

In no event shall Consultant submit any invoice for an amount in excess of the maximum amount of compensation provided above either for a task or for the entire Agreement, unless the Agreement is modified prior to the submission of such an invoice by a properly executed change order or amendment.

2.5 Hourly Fees. Fees for work performed by Consultant on an hourly basis shall not exceed the amounts shown on the compensation schedule attached hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit A.

2.6 Reimbursable Expenses. Reimbursable expenses, if any, are specified in Exhibit B, and shall not exceed the amount set forth in Exhibit B. Expenses not listed in Exhibit B are not chargeable to City. Reimbursable expenses are included in the total amount of compensation provided under South San Francisco Services Agreement (Rev. January 2026)

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this Agreement under Section 2 that shall not be exceeded.

2.7 Payment of Taxes, Tax Withholding. Consultant is solely responsible for the payment of employment taxes incurred under this Agreement and any similar federal or state taxes. To be exempt from tax withholding, Consultant must provide City with a valid California Franchise Tax Board form 590 (“Form 590”), as may be amended. Unless Consultant provides City with a valid Form 590 or other valid, written evidence of an exemption or waiver from withholding, City may withhold California taxes from payments to Consultant as required by law. Consultant shall obtain and maintain on file for three (3) years after the termination of this Agreement, Form 590s (or other written evidence of exemptions or waivers) from all subcontractors. Consultant accepts sole responsibility for withholding taxes from any non-California resident subcontractor and shall submit written documentation of compliance with Consultant’s withholding duty to City upon request.

2.8 Payment upon Termination. In the event that the City or Consultant terminates this Agreement pursuant to Section 8, the City shall compensate the Consultant for all outstanding costs and reimbursable expenses incurred for work satisfactorily completed in accordance with this Agreement as of the date of written notice of termination. Consultant shall maintain adequate logs and timesheets in order to verify costs incurred to that date.

2.9 Authorization to Perform Services. The Consultant is not authorized to perform any services or incur any costs whatsoever under the terms of this Agreement until receipt of authorization from the Contract Administrator.

Section 3. PROVISION OF SERVICES.

3.1 Facilities and Equipment. Except as set forth herein, Consultant shall, at its sole cost and expense, provide all facilities and equipment that may be necessary to perform the services required by this Agreement. City agrees to make available desk and conference space, as may be reasonably necessary for Consultant’s occasional use while consulting with City employees and reviewing records and other necessary information in possession of the City to provide services.

The location, type, quantity, and time of furnishing those facilities shall be in the sole discretion of City. In no event shall City be obligated to furnish any facility that may involve incurring any direct expense, including but not limited to computer, long-distance telephone or other communication charges, vehicles, and reproduction facilities. The City is not obligated to provide any other facilities and equipment.

If necessary, the City may at its sole discretion provide Consultant access to City computer hardware or network files, or both, but only at the access level strictly necessary to provide services under this Agreement as approved by the City. In the event that Consultant is provided such access, Consultant shall comply with the Electronic Use Addendum attached hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit F.

3.2 Onsite Services and Location of Work. Consultant shall perform the Services in a manner that does not interfere with operations of the City or any other City contractors and shall protect all persons and property at its work site from damage or injury. Consultant’s work site includes all buildings, offices, and other locations where Consultant performs Services, including any access roads. Upon completion of the Services, Consultant shall leave all work sites clean and free in their original condition. Consultant shall be solely responsible for the safe transportation and storage of all equipment and materials (whether owned or rented) in performing the Services and shall arrange for transportation and storage at its sole risk and cost. City may assume that anything left at the work site unreasonably long after said work is completed has been abandoned.

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Consultant further acknowledges and agrees that it shall assume the risk and is solely responsible for its owned, non-owned and hired vehicles as well as any equipment, tools, or other property utilized by Consultant in performing the Services. If City transportation, equipment, or property is made available to Consultant, such provisions are courtesy accommodations only and Consultant shall assume any and all risks and responsibilities in electing to use such provisions.

Section 4. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS. Before beginning Services under this Agreement, Consultant, at its own cost and expense, shall procure the types and amounts of insurance required by this Section. Consultant shall maintain the insurance policies required hereunder during the Term. Consultant shall not commence with the Services or allow any subcontractor to do so until Consultant and the subcontractor have obtained all required insurance, unless otherwise waived by the City.

4.1 Required Insurance. Consultant shall procure and maintain the insurance(s) checked below and satisfying the requirements in Exhibit E.
☒Worker’s Compensation Insurance
☒Commercial General Liability Insurance
☒Automobile Liability Insurance
☐Professional Liability Insurance
☐Cyber Liability Insurance/Technology Errors and Omissions Insurance

4.2 All Policies Requirements.

4.2.1 Submittal Requirements. Prior to beginning any work under this Agreement, Consultant shall furnish City with complete copies of the following:
a. Certificates of Liability Insurance in the amounts specified in the section, each of which shall be deemed as attached under Exhibit E.
b. Additional Insured Endorsement as required for the General Commercial and Automobile Liability Polices;
c. Waiver of Subrogation Endorsement required by Exhibit E; and d. Primary & Non-Contributory Insurance Endorsement required by Exhibit E. e. All copies of endorsements shall show the signature of a person authorized by that insurer to bind coverage on its behalf. If the City does not receive the required insurance documents prior to start of the Services, it shall not waive Consultant’s obligation to provide them. The City reserves the right to require Consultant to provide copies of all required insurance policies at any time.

4.2.2 Subcontractors and Subconsultants. Consultant shall ensure all of its subcontractors maintain and provide certificates of insurance and endorsements in accordance with the insurance requirements under this Agreement.

4.2.3 Wasting Policy. No insurance policy required by Section 4 shall include a “wasting” policy limit except professional liability insurance. The policies afforded Additional Insureds shall provide defense of covered claims without eroding the policy limits.

4.2.4 Excess Insurance. If Consultant maintains higher limits than the minimum amounts South San Francisco Services Agreement (Rev. January 2026)

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required by this Agreement, City shall be entitled to coverage for the higher limits maintained by Consultant. Any available insurance proceeds in excess of the specified minimum limits of insurance and coverage shall be available to the City.

4.2.5 Waiver of Subrogation. Consultant hereby agrees to waive subrogation against the City which any insurer or contractor may require from Consultant by virtue of the payment of any loss. Consultant agrees to obtain any endorsements that may be necessary to affect this waiver of subrogation.

4.3 Remedies. In addition to any other remedies City may have if Consultant fails to provide or maintain any insurance policies or policy endorsements to the extent and within the time herein required, City may, at its sole option exercise any additional remedies available to it at law or equity.

4.4 Notice of Claim. Consultant shall immediately notify City of any claim or loss against Consultant arising out of the Services under this Agreement. City assumes no obligation or liability by such notice but has the right to monitor the handling of any such claim.

Section 5. INDEMNIFICATION AND CONSULTANT’S RESPONSIBILITIES.

5.1 General Requirement. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Consultant shall indemnify, defend with counsel approved by the City, and hold harmless the City and its officials, officers, employees, agents, and volunteers (collectively, “City Indemnitees”) from and against any and all causes of action, losses, liability, claims, suits, actions, damages, expenses and costs ((including without limitation, attorney’s fees, and costs and fees of litigation) (collectively, “Liability”) of every nature arising out of or in connection with Consultant’s performance of the Services under this Agreement, or its failure to comply with any of its obligations contained in this Agreement, or its failure to comply with any applicable law or regulation.

The foregoing obligation of Consultant shall not apply when (1) the injury, loss of life, damage to property, or violation of law arises wholly from the sole gross negligence or willful misconduct of the City or its officers, officials, employees, agents, or volunteers and (2) the actions of Consultant or its employees, subcontractor, or agents have contributed in no part to the injury, loss of life, damage to property, or violation of law.

It is understood that the duty of Consultant to indemnify and hold harmless includes the duty to defend as set forth in Section 2778 of the California Civil Code. With respect to third party claims against Consultant, Consultant waives any and all rights of any type to express or implied indemnity against the Indemnitees.

Acceptance by City of insurance certificates and endorsements required under this Agreement does not relieve Consultant from liability under this indemnification and hold harmless clause.

This indemnification and hold harmless clause shall apply to any damages or claims for damages whether or not such insurance policies shall have been determined to apply. By execution of this Agreement, Consultant acknowledges and agrees to the provisions of this Section and that it is a material element of consideration.

Consultant’s obligation to defend and indemnify shall not be excused because of the Consultant’s inability to evaluate Liability or because Consultant evaluates Liability and determines that the Consultant is not liable to the claimant. Consultant must respond within 30 days to the tender of any claim for defense and indemnity by the City, unless this time has been extended by the City in writing. If Consultant fails to accept or reject a tender of defense and indemnity within 30 South San Francisco Services Agreement (Rev. January 2026)

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days, in addition to any other remedy authorized by law, so much of the money due the Consultant under and by virtue of this Agreement as shall reasonably be considered necessary by the City, may be retained by the City until disposition has been made of the claim or suit for damages, or until the Consultant accepts or rejects the tender of defense, whichever occurs first. This requirement for acceptance or rejection of a tender of defense shall apply regardless of the application of any theories of comparative fault.

5.2 CalPERS Indemnification. In the event that Consultant or any employee, agent, or subcontractor of Consultant providing services under this Agreement is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction or the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) to be eligible for enrollment in CalPERS as an employee of City or to be entitled to additional service credit for the period in which Services were provided, Consultant shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless City for the payment of any employee and/or employer contributions for CalPERS benefits on behalf of Consultant or its employees, agents, or subcontractors, as well as for the payment of any penalties and interest on such contributions, which would otherwise be the responsibility of City.

5.3 Design Professionals. Notwithstanding Sections 5.1 and 5.2, to the extent that the services under this Agreement include design professional services subject to California Civil Code Section 2782.8, as may be amended from time to time, Consultant’s duty to indemnify shall only be to the maximum extent permitted by California Civil Code Section 2782.8. The duty of a "design professional" to indemnify and defend the City is limited to claims that arise out of, pertain to, or relate to the negligence, recklessness or willful misconduct of the design professional, under Civ.

Code § 2782.8. Except as otherwise authorized by Civ. Code § 2782.8, the cost to defend charged to any “design professional” shall not exceed the design professional’s proportionate percentage fault. Consultant shall furnish to the City, upon request in writing, any necessary information for determining whether Consultant qualifies as a “design professional” for the purposes for Civ.

Code § 2782.8.

5.4 Construction Contracts. Notwithstanding Sections 5.1 and 5.2, to the extent this Agreement is a “construction contract” as defined by California Civil Code Section 2782, as may be amended from time to time, such duties of Consultant to indemnify shall not apply when to do so would be prohibited by California Civil Code Section 2782.

Section 6. STATUS OF CONSULTANT.

6.1 Independent Contractor. It is the intent of the Parties that at all times during the term of this Agreement, Consultant shall be an independent contractor and neither Consultant nor any of its employees, subcontractor, or agents shall not be an employee of City. City shall have the right to control Consultant only insofar as the results of Consultant's services rendered pursuant to this Agreement; however, otherwise City shall not have the right to control the means by which Consultant accomplishes services rendered pursuant to this Agreement. Notwithstanding any other City, state, or federal policy, rule, regulation, law, or ordinance to the contrary, Consultant and any of its employees, agents, and subcontractors providing services under this Agreement shall not qualify for or become entitled to, and hereby agree to waive any and all claims to, any compensation, benefit, or any incident of employment by City, including but not limited to eligibility to enroll in CalPERS) as an employee of City, additional service credit in CalPERS for the period in which Services are provided, or entitlement to any contribution to be paid by City for employer contributions and/or employee contributions for PERS benefits.

6.2 Consultant Not Agent. Except as City may specify in writing, Consultant shall have no authority, express or implied, to act on behalf of City in any capacity whatsoever as an agent or South San Francisco Services Agreement (Rev. January 2026)

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to bind City to any obligation whatsoever.

Section 7. LEGAL REQUIREMENTS.

7.1 Governing Law. The laws of the State of California shall govern this Agreement. Any action to enforce or interpret this Agreement shall be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in the County of San Mateo, California.

7.2 Compliance with Applicable Laws. Consultant and any subcontractors shall comply with all laws applicable to the performance of the Services hereunder. Consultant’s failure to comply with any law(s) or regulation(s) applicable to the Services shall constitute a breach of contract.

7.3 Other Governmental Regulations. To the extent that this Agreement may be funded by fiscal assistance from another governmental entity, Consultant and any subcontractors shall comply with all applicable rules and regulations to which City is bound by the terms of such fiscal assistance program.

7.4 Licenses and Permits; Business License. Consultant represents and warrants to City that Consultant and its employees, agents, and any subcontractors have all licenses, permits, qualifications, and approvals, of every nature that are required to practice their respective professions (together “Qualifications”). Consultant represents and warrants to City that Consultant and its employees, agents, and any subcontractors shall, at their sole cost and expense, keep in effect at all times during the term of this Agreement all such Qualifications. In addition to the foregoing, Consultant and any subcontractors shall obtain and maintain during the term of this Agreement valid City Business Licenses.

7.5 Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity. Consultant shall not discriminate, on the basis of a person’s race, religion, color, national origin, age, physical or mental handicap or disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex or sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, against any employee, applicant for employment, subcontractor, bidder for a subcontract, or participant in, recipient of, or applicant for any services or programs provided by Consultant under this Agreement. Consultant shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, policies, rules, and requirements related to equal opportunity and nondiscrimination in employment, contracting, and the provision of any services that are the subject of this Agreement, including but not limited to the satisfaction of any positive obligations required of Consultant thereby.

Section 8. TERMINATION AND MODIFICATION.

8.1 Termination. City may cancel this Agreement at any time and without cause upon written notification to Consultant.

Consultant may cancel this Agreement for cause upon 30 days’ written notice to City and shall include in such notice the reasons for cancellation.

In the event of termination, Consultant shall be entitled to compensation for services performed to the date of notice of termination; City, however, may condition payment of such compensation upon Consultant delivering to City all materials described in Section 9.1.

8.2 Extension. City may, in its sole and exclusive discretion, extend the Term identified in Subsection 1.1 by written amendment. Consultant understands and agrees that, if City grants South San Francisco Services Agreement (Rev. January 2026)

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such an extension, City shall have no obligation to provide Consultant with compensation beyond the maximum amount provided for in this Agreement or to reimburse Consultant for any otherwise reimbursable expenses incurred during the extension period.

8.3 Amendments. This Agreement may be amended only in writing signed by both parties.

8.4 Assignment and Subcontracting. City and Consultant recognize and agree that this Agreement contemplates personal performance by Consultant and is based upon a determination of Consultant’s unique personal competence, experience, and specialized personal knowledge.

Moreover, a substantial inducement to City for entering into this Agreement was and is the professional reputation and competence of Consultant. Consultant may not assign this Agreement or any interest therein, or to subcontract any portion of the Services to a subcontractor not included in Exhibit A, without the prior written approval of the Contract Administrator.

8.5 Survival. All obligations arising prior to the termination of this Agreement and all provisions of this Agreement allocating liability between City and Consultant shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

8.6 Options upon Breach by Consultant. If Consultant materially breaches any of the terms of this Agreement, City’s remedies shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

8.6.1 Immediately terminate the Agreement;

8.6.2 Retain the plans, specifications, drawings, reports, design documents, and any other work product prepared by Consultant pursuant to this Agreement;

8.6.3 No remedy mentioned in this Agreement is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy permitted by law. Neither the failure or any delay on the part of the City to exercise any such rights and remedies shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise by the City of any such right or remedy preclude any other or further exercise of such right or remedy, or any other right or remedy.

Section 9. KEEPING AND STATUS OF RECORDS.

9.1 Records Created as Part of Consultant’s Performance. All final versions of reports, data, maps, models, charts, studies, surveys, photographs, memoranda, plans, studies, specifications, records, files, or any other documents or materials, in electronic or any other form, that Consultant prepares or obtains pursuant to this Agreement and that relate to the matters covered hereunder (collectively “Work Products”) shall be the property of City. Consultant hereby agrees to deliver the Work Products to City upon termination of the Agreement, and City may use, reuse or otherwise dispose of them without Consultant’s permission. It is understood and agreed that the Work Products are prepared specifically for the City and are not necessarily suitable for any future or other use. Until final approval by City, all Work Products are confidential and will not be released to third parties without prior written consent of both parties unless required by law.

However, notwithstanding the foregoing, Consultant shall retain all rights, titles, and interests, including but not limited to all ownership and intellectual property rights, in all inventions, improvements, discoveries, methodologies, models, formats, software, algorithms, processes, procedures, designs, specifications, findings, and other intellectual properties developed, gathered, compiled or produced by Consultant prior to or independently of any of its services under this Agreement (“Background IP”), including such Background IP that Consultant may employ in the performance of this Agreement, or may incorporate into any part of the Work South San Francisco Services Agreement (Rev. January 2026)

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Products. Consultant grants City an irrevocable, non-exclusive, transferable, royalty-free license in perpetuity to use, disclose, and derive from such Background IP, but only as an inseparable part of the Work Products. Third-party content that may be used or incorporated in the Work Products shall not become the property of City. Consultant shall secure all licenses necessary to any third-party content incorporated into Consultant’s Work Product for City to utilize Consultant’s services and the Work Product for their intended purposes.

9.2 Consultant’s Books and Records. Consultant shall maintain any and all ledgers, books of account, invoices, vouchers, canceled checks, and other records or documents evidencing or relating to charges for services or expenditures and disbursements charged to the City under this Agreement for a minimum of three (3) years, or for any longer period required by law, from the date of final payment to the Consultant to this Agreement. All such records shall be maintained in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and shall be clearly identified and readily accessible.

9.3 Inspection and Audit of Records. Any records or documents that Section 9.2 of this Agreement requires Consultant to maintain shall be made available for inspection, audit, and/or copying at any time during regular business hours, upon oral or written request of the City. Under California Government Code Section 8546.7, if the amount of public funds expended under this Agreement exceeds TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ($10,000.00), the Agreement shall be subject to the examination and audit of the State Auditor, at the request of City or as part of any audit of the City, for a period of three (3) years after final payment under the Agreement.

9.4 Records Submitted in Response to City Solicitation. This Agreement and all responses to a Request for Proposals (RFP) or invitation to bid issued by the City for this Agreement are the exclusive property of the City. In selecting Consultant’s proposal and awarding this Agreement, Consultant’s proposal(s) become a matter of public record and will be treated as such, with the exception of those elements in each proposal that are defined by Consultant and plainly marked as “Confidential,” "Business Secret" or “Trade Secret." The City will not be liable or in any way responsible for the disclosure of any such proposal or portions thereof, if Consultant has not plainly marked it as a "Trade Secret" or "Business Secret." Further, Consultant acknowledges and agrees that the City is not in a position to establish that any of Consultant’s information constitutes a trade or business secret under the California Public Records Act or other freedom of information laws. Thus, if a request is made for information marked "Trade Secret" or "Business Secret," and the requester takes legal action seeking release of the materials it believes does not constitute trade secret information, Consultant shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the City Indemnitees (defined under Section 5) from any judgment, fines, penalties, and award of attorney’s fees awarded against the City in favor of the party requesting the information, and any and all costs connected with that defense. Consultant agrees that this indemnification survives the City’s award of contract and for as long as the trade secret information is in City's possession, which includes a minimum retention period for such documents.

Section 10 MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.

10.1 Attorneys’ Fees. If a party to this Agreement brings any action, including arbitration or an action for declaratory relief, to enforce or interpret the provision of this Agreement, the prevailing party shall be entitled to reasonable attorneys’ fees in addition to any other relief to which that party may be entitled. The court may set such fees in the same action or in a separate action brought for that purpose.

10.2 Venue. In the event that either party brings any action against the other under this Agreement, the parties agree that trial of such action shall be vested exclusively in the state courts of South San Francisco Services Agreement (Rev. January 2026)

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California in the County of San Mateo or in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

10.3 Severability. If a court of competent jurisdiction finds or rules that any provision of this Agreement is invalid, void, or unenforceable, the provisions of this Agreement not so adjudged shall remain in full force and effect. The invalidity in whole or in part of any provision of this Agreement shall not void or affect the validity of any other provision.

10.4 No Implied Waiver of Breach. The waiver of any breach of a specific provision of this Agreement does not constitute a waiver of any other breach of that term or any other term of this Agreement.

10.5 Successors and Assigns. The provisions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and shall apply to and bind the successors and assigns of the parties.

10.6 Use of Recycled Products. Consultant shall prepare and submit all reports, written studies and other printed material on recycled paper to the extent it is available at equal or less cost than virgin paper.

10.7 Conflict of Interest. Consultant may serve other clients, but none whose activities within the corporate limits of City or whose business, regardless of location, would place Consultant in a “conflict of interest,” as that term is defined in the Political Reform Act, codified at California Government Code Section 81000 et seq. Consultant shall not employ any City official in the work performed pursuant to this Agreement nor shall any City officer or employee have any financial interest in this Agreement that would violate California Government Code Sections 1090 et seq.

Consultant hereby warrants that it is not now, nor has it been in the previous twelve (12) months, an employee, agent, appointee, or official of the City. If Consultant was an employee, agent, appointee, or official of the City in the previous twelve (12) months, Consultant warrants that it did not participate in any manner in the forming of this Agreement. Consultant understands that, if this Agreement is made in violation of Government Code §1090 et. seq., the entire Agreement is void and Consultant will not be entitled to any compensation for services performed pursuant to this Agreement, including reimbursement of expenses, and Consultant will be required to reimburse the City for any sums paid to the Consultant. Consultant understands that, in addition to the foregoing, it may be subject to criminal prosecution for a violation of Government Code § 1090 and, if applicable, will be disqualified from holding public office in the State of California.

Consultant’s duties and services under this Agreement shall not include preparing or assisting the City with any preparation of a request for proposals, request for qualifications, or any other solicitation regarding a subsequent or additional contract with the City. The City shall, at all times, retain responsibility for public contracting, including with respect to any work that is the subsequent phase of or derived from the Scope of Work hereunder. Consultant’s participation in the planning, discussions, or drawing of project plans or specifications as a part of the Scope of Services, if any, shall be limited to conceptual, preliminary, or initial plans or specifications.

Consultant shall cooperate with the City to ensure that all bidders for a subsequent contract on any work that is the subsequent phase of or derived from the Scope of Work hereunder have access to the same information, including all conceptual, preliminary, or initial plans or specifications prepared by Consultant under this Agreement, as applicable.

10.8 Solicitation. Consultant agrees not to solicit business at any meeting, focus group, or interview related to this Agreement, either orally or through any written materials.

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10.9 Contract Administration. This Agreement shall be administered by Joshua Richardson, Parks Maintenance Program Manager ("Contract Administrator"). All correspondence shall be directed to or through the Contract Administrator or his or her designee.

10.10 Notices. All notices and other communications which are required or may be given under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when: (i) upon receipt, if personally delivered; (ii) upon receipt, if delivered by overnight, next-day, or certified/registered mail with return receipt requested; or (iii) upon receipt if sent electronically before 5:00 p.m. on a business day (or if not, the next business day after delivery). Notice shall be sent to the following physical or email addresses:

Consultant: Gothic Landscaping, Inc.
160 Demeter Ave.

East Palo Alto, CA 94303
City: City of South San Francisco
400 Grand Ave
South San Francisco, CA 94080

10.11 Integration. This Agreement, including all Exhibits attached hereto, and incorporated herein, represents the entire and integrated agreement between City and Consultant and supersedes all prior negotiations, representations, or agreements, either written or oral pertaining to the matters herein.

10.12 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts and electronically. Each counterpart shall be deemed an original, and together with other signed counterpart, shall constitute one Agreement, which shall be binding upon and effective as to all Parties.

10.13 Construction. The headings in this Agreement are for the purpose of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect any of the terms of this Agreement. The parties have had an equal opportunity to participate in the drafting of this Agreement; therefore any construction as against the drafting party shall not apply to this Agreement.

10.14 Force Majeure. Consultant is not liable for any delay in performance or non-performance caused by acts of God, war, civil disturbance, government action, labor dispute, pandemic, government imposed travel restrictions or quarantine, trade embargoes, border closures, or another event that is beyond Consultant 's reasonable control or reasonable ability to foresee, and that cannot be mitigated with due diligence. The time of performance shall be extended for the duration of the above force majeure event necessary to proceed with or complete services. This provision does not otherwise relieve Consultant of applicable obligations not impacted by said force majeure event.

South San Francisco Services Agreement (Rev. January 2026)

Page 12 of 12 ends

The Parties have executed this Agreement as of the Effective Date.

CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO: GOTHIC LANDSCAPING, INC.:
_________________________________ ____________________________ City Manager or designee
ATTEST:

By: _____________________________
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:

By: ____________________________
City Attorney
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL:

Landscape Maintenance Services
Common Greens
The City of South San Francisco
Thursday, May 28, 2026
&YIJCJU"
05/28/2026
Joshua Richardson, Parks Manager
South San Francisco Corporation Yard
550 North Canal Street
South San Francisco, CA 94080
RE: RFP for Landscape Maintenance Services – Common Greens Dear Mr. Richardson and City of South San Francisco:

Thank you for the opportunity to submit our proposal for Landscape Maintenance Services – Common Greens for the City of South San Francisco. Gothic Landscape Maintenance Division is pleased to provide specialized landscape maintenance services for the City’s Common Greens areas, including medians, islands, right-of-way, and HOA landscape areas identified within the RFP.

Gothic Landscape Maintenance Division provides comprehensive landscape maintenance services supported by experienced horticultural supervision, water management expertise, sustainable maintenance practices, and responsive client service.

In accordance with the RFP requirements, we acknowledge the following:
• Gothic Landscape Maintenance Division agrees to enter into the City of South San Francisco Landscaping Services Agreement included as Attachment C and will adhere to all scope of work requirements identified in the RFP documents.
• We have reviewed and understand all RFP documents, including Attachments A through D and all issued addenda.
• This proposal shall remain valid for ninety (90) calendar days from the date of proposal submission.
• Gothic Landscape Maintenance Division is properly licensed to perform the work described in this RFP.

Gothic Landscape Maintenance Division
160 Demeter Ave
East Palo Alto, CA 94303
Primary Contact:

Ryan Ferrara
Strategic Growth Manager
408.332.3545
[email protected]
We appreciate your consideration and welcome the opportunity to partner with the City of South San Francisco on this project. If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact us at any time.

Sincerely,
Ryan Ferrara
Strategic Growth Manager
Gothic Landscape Maintenance Division

COMPANY OVERVIEW
Founded in 1984, Gothic Landscape has remained a proud, family-owned and operated company from day one. The name “Gothic” originates from Gothic Avenue in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, where the Georgio family launched the business. Over the past 40+ years, Gothic has grown into the largest privately held landscape company in the nation, serving clients across California, Arizona, and Nevada with full-service capabilities. Today, our extended family includes more than 2,500 dedicated landscape professionals, united by a shared commitment to quality, safety, innovation, and environmental responsibility.

Name: Gothic Landscape
Address: 160 Demeter Ave. East Palo Alto, CA 94303
Website: www.gothiclandscape.com CA Contractors License-C27-873902 Federal Tax ID- 56-239932 A Team of Experts Committed to You
2500+
Employees
95%
Client Retention
18 yrs
Avg. Mgmt. Tenure

9.63/10
Client Satisfaction
Herticultural Services Water Management Sustainable Programs Arbor Care Environmental Restoration Construction & Install Design & Life cycle Management

ATTACHMENT D
RECENT LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE SERVICE CONTRACT WITHIN THE LAST THREE (3) YEARS Company Name
and Address
Contact Person and Phone
Number
Type of Work and Square
Footage
Contract
Amount
Hudson Pacific
Michelle Mariona
Senior Director, Operations
[email protected]
Commercial Class A

5.2 million sq ft
$834k+
Gateway of
Pacific
BioMed
Monique Adley
Director, Operations
[email protected]
Commercial Class A

2.2 million sq ft
$300K+
CSUMB
Campus
Tammy Marquez
Facilities Management
[email protected]
Campus
Institutional/Various
Locations

61.1 million sq ft
$430k+
Labor Force Allocation and Service Delivery Plan
Gothic Landscape has developed its staffing plan specifically to meet and exceed the service requirements outlined in the City of South San Francisco’s Landscape Maintenance Services – Common Greens RFP. Our proposed allocation of seven (7) dedicated personnel totaling 240 labor hours per week was determined through an analysis of the service areas, litter pickup frequencies, irrigation requirements, seasonal maintenance demands, and quality control expectations identified in Attachments A and B.

The proposed staffing includes one First Line Supervisor, four Landscape and Groundskeeping Workers, one Irrigation Technician, and one Pesticide Applicator. This staffing structure provides the resources necessary to maintain all Common Greens service areas in accordance with the required maintenance frequencies while ensuring a high standard of landscape appearance, safety, and functionality.

Our dedicated maintenance crews will perform routine mowing, edging, pruning, litter removal, weed management, irrigation inspections, and general landscape maintenance activities according to the City’s prescribed service levels. In addition, the Irrigation Technician will provide ongoing system inspections, troubleshooting, controller adjustments, and water management services to promote efficient water use and landscape health throughout the contract term.

Service Requirement Frequency Gothic Method
Mowing Per Attachment B Weekly inspection and scheduled mowing Edging Per Attachment B Mechanical edging each cycle
Weed Control Per Attachment B IPM-based treatment
Irrigation Inspection Ongoing Certified Irrigation Technician Litter Removal 52x/year Route schedule attached
Shrub Pruning Seasonal Horticulturist-directed
To further support service delivery, Gothic Landscape provides access to specialized support teams including Water Management, Arbor Care, Construction, Quality Control, Safety, and Seasonal Strike Teams. These resources are available to supplement routine operations during periods of increased workload, seasonal maintenance activities, emergency response situations, special projects, and landscape enhancement initiatives without negatively impacting the daily maintenance program.

Our management team conducts regular site inspections and quality assurance reviews to verify that all work is completed in accordance with contract requirements and Gothic Landscape’s performance standards. Through proactive supervision, detailed scheduling, and the support of our specialized service divisions, Gothic Landscape is confident that the proposed labor allocation provides sufficient staffing and operational flexibility to consistently meet the City’s maintenance expectations while delivering a safe, attractive, and sustainable landscape environment.

CONTRACT LABOR SUMMARY
Pursuant to the specifications, the following Labor Summary must be completed for the Contract Areas, showing the number of full time positions provided by the Proposer to perform services for the areas. Additionally, the City will evaluate the proposals to ensure that a satisfactory number of positions have been provided for by the Proposer to achieve a high level of landscape maintenance in these areas. This Labor Summary and the selection criteria for award of contract will be used by the City to select the most responsible Proposer.

Designate the number of full time employees that have been included in the proposal for all Contract Areas. Designate the number of personnel employed on the job for 40 hours per week or the number of hours proposed per week for each category below:

Proposer’s Proposed Manpower
Number of
Personnel
Hours
Per Week

1. First Line Supervisor of Landscaping Workers 1 40

2. Landscape and Groundskeeping Workers 4 160

3. Irrigation Technician 1 16

4. Pesticide Applicator 1 16
Total full-time positions proposed: 7 232

IDENTIFICATION OF SUBCONTRACTORS
Not less than fifty percent (50%) of the contract work shall be done by the prime contractor.

Further, the Contractor shall not, without the consent of the City of South San Francisco, either:
(a) Substitute any person or subcontractors in place of the subcontractors designated on his original proposal.
(b) Permit any subcontract to be assigned or transferred or allow it to be performed by anyone other than the original subcontractor listed in the proposal.

Should the Consultant violate any of the provisions of this Identification of Subcontractors form, it shall be deemed a violation of this Agreement, and the City of South San Francisco may cancel the Agreement.

Portion of Work
Subcontractor
Name & License
Number
Location and Place of
Business % of Work
Pest Control
(Supplemental)
Smith's Pest
Management
License # 8261
San Jose, CA 2%

ORGANIZATION & APPROACH
The Gothic Landscape team for the City of So. SF will be supported by Marlene Barneveld, Regional Manager and led by JJ Hubert, Market Manager. Marlene is a seasoned landscape professional with a degree in horticulture from the Massey University, New Zealand. She has 30+ years of experience in landscape management services with a strong emphasis on organic and sustainable environments.

Marlene is a certified Bay-Friendly Landscape Maintenance Professional, Certified Bay-Friendly Landscape Designer, Certificated Sustainable Landscaping professional. She will be responsible for directing our on-site maintenance crews and support staff to adhere to the City’s landscape maintenance needs and standards.

Marlene will provide project direction and support the landscape operations through her maintenance team & support service teams who consist of the following key service personnel:

Landscape Maintenance Team
• Branch Manager (Weekly)
• Production Team (Weekly)
• Account Manager/On-site Supervisor (Daily)
• Irrigation / Water Manager (Seasonal/On Demand)
• Safety Officer (2x month)
Support Staff
• Tree Care Crews-
• Arborist
• Construction Crews
• Water Management
• Quality Control
• Technical Advisor
• Design Specialist
Landscape Management AND NOT JUST “MAINTENANCE”
Our strategy is to provide an integrated and collaborative approach. Our Account Manager will communicate constantly with the production crews and infrastructure support teams to ensure both efficiency and quality control. It is always our goal to be proactive as opposed to reactive in bringing issues to your attention before you have to bring them to ours. Our overall Landscape Management program also includes the following:
• Daily updating of “problem” report
• Weekly property reports
• Monthly comprehensive written report for inclusion in Board of Director packets • Attendance at required Board of Director meetings (when necessary) • Attendance on all site walks with management, at your direction Safety Program
At Gothic Landscape, safety is not simply a program, it is a core value embedded in our culture and daily operations. Our commitment is to ensure every employee returns home safely each day while maintaining safe, attractive, and accessible public spaces for residents, visitors, and City staff.

Gothic Landscape maintains a comprehensive Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) and operates in full compliance with Cal/OSHA requirements and industry best practices. Safety performance is reinforced through active leadership involvement, continuous employee training, routine inspections, and proactive hazard mitigation.

Our safety program includes:
• Weekly crew safety meetings conducted in the
field.
• Weekly companywide safety calls held every
Monday to review safety performance, industry
trends, and risk management initiatives.
• Tailgate safety training covering topics such as
heat illness prevention, trip hazards, driver and
cyclist awareness, water safety, bee and
insect hazards, equipment operation, and
seasonal risks.
• New employee safety orientation and job-specific training. • Site-specific hazard assessments and safety checklists. • Routine scorecard-based crew safety inspections.
• Ongoing review and improvement of safety procedures and field practices.

Public and Community Safety
The City of South San Francisco's landscape assets are located within active public environments that require constant attention to public safety. Gothic Landscape takes a proactive approach to identifying, correcting, and reporting potential hazards before they become liabilities.

Our field personnel routinely inspect for:
• Sidewalk and pathway trip hazards.
• Vegetation encroachment into pedestrian walkways.
• Sightline obstructions at intersections, roadways, and traffic control devices. • Irrigation-related hazards and water accumulation.
• Unsafe site conditions caused by weather, vandalism, or unforeseen events.

Through ongoing training, routine inspections, employee engagement, and management oversight, we foster a culture where safety awareness becomes second nature. This commitment protects our employees, safeguards the public, preserves City assets, and supports the delivery of exceptional landscape maintenance services.

Sustainable Landscape Management
Gothic Landscape’s sustainability approach aligns with the City of South San Francisco’s commitment to environmental responsibility. We manage landscapes as living systems—balancing plant health, water use, and long-term resilience while supporting the overall function and quality of the property.

Operational Alignment
Our programs support core priorities:
• Operational efficiency — reduced inputs with consistent quality • Asset performance — protecting plant material and infrastructure • Environmental responsibility — lower emissions, reduced water use, improved ecological health Sustainable Practices in Execution
Daily operations are driven by practical, site-based decisions:
• Water-conscious management through climate-responsive irrigation • Soil-first horticulture to support plant health and longevity • Climate-appropriate plant management to reduce stress and replacement • Bioswale stewardship to maintain function and compliance • Low-impact operations minimizing noise, emissions, and disruption Accountability Through Performance
Gothic Landscape’s sustainability practices are independently assessed through EcoVadis, a global standard that evaluates companies across environmental impact, labor and human rights, ethics, and responsible procurement.

Gothic was awarded a Bronze Medal based on how we operate as a business—measuring real performance, not stated intent.

To our knowledge, Gothic is the only landscape maintenance firm in North America to achieve this level of independent sustainability recognition.

This distinction reflects a level of accountability and operational alignment that goes beyond the landscape—directly supporting SSF’s expectations for measurable, ESG-driven performance.

P/U MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY 1 West Park 1 & 2 52 x x x
2 Greenview
Commons 52 x
3 West Park 3 52 x x x x x
4 Willow Gardens 52 x
5 Stonegate 52 x
Approach/Mindset
Approach
• Transparency/ collaboration
• Flexibility/ Adaptability
Specialty Teams/ Cross Divisions
Outcomes
• Landscape Performance/ Sustainability
• Landscape Resiliency & longevity
• Asset Preservation & Risk Mitigation
• Achieve a balanced program-E.A.EEconomic, Aesthetic & Ecological JJ Hubert
Market Manager
Ro Ferroni
Senior Account Manager
Quarterly Service Strike
Team
Strike Team Foreman
Strike Team Gardener #1
Gothic Landscape
Account Manager
Production Specialist
Ground Maintenance
Crew Leader
Grounds Maintenance
Team
Irrigation/Water
Management Team
Irrigation Technician(s)
Support Services
• Administrative
• AR/AP
• Procurement
• Fleet
• Safety
• Construction
• Large Tree Care
Key Staff
Name & Title Summary Qualifications
Nada Duna
Chief Operating
Officer
Nada brings over 35 years of industry experience with a strong foundation in horticulture, pest control, and
environmental sustainability. She leads with deep
technical knowledge and a strategic focus on
operational excellence.
• Master of Science, Pathology & Entomology
• Bachelor of Science, Horticulture, American University of Beirut • Certificate in Ornamental Horticulture, Cal Poly SLO
• Pest Control Advisor since 1989
• Member of USGBC & Joint Venture Silicon Valley Water Conservation • 35+ years of industry experience
Marlene
Barneveld
Regional
Manager, NorCal
Marlene is a seasoned landscape professional with
more than 30 years in the industry, specializing in
sustainable landscaping and horticultural management
across Northern California.
• Bachelor of Science, Horticulture, Massey University, New Zealand • ReScape Landscape Maintenance Professional
• ReScape Landscape Designer
• Certificate in Sustainable Landscaping, Sonoma State University • Qualified Applicator License, CA Dept. of Pesticide Regulation • 30+ years of industry experience
JJ Hubert
Market Manager
JJ combines strong academic grounding in plant
sciences with practical expertise in water management
and landscape operations for large-scale commercial
portfolios.
• Bachelor of Science, Agriculture & Environmental Plant Sciences, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
• Certified Reclaimed Water Site Supervisor
• Member of IA & NALP
• PLANET-Certified Landscape Manager – Exterior
• Qualified Applicator License, CA Dept. of Pesticide Regulation • 15+ years of industry experience
Ro Ferroni
Senior Account
Manager
Ro is an experienced account manager with a
background in horticulture and sustainable landscape
practices, specializing in environmentally responsible
maintenance and stormwater management. Ro is
dedicated to delivering high-quality, eco-conscious
solutions that enhance landscape performance and
client satisfaction.
• AA in Ornamental Horticulture-De Anza College
• Certified Bay-Friendly Landscape Maintenance Professional • Certified Urban Hydrology and Green Stormwater Infrastructure • 10+ years of industry experience
Antonio Sanchez
Production
specialist
Antonio is an accomplished landscape professional with
three decades of experience managing and delivering
high-quality landscape projects. His expertise spans
master-planned communities, production operations,
and sustainable landscape practices, with a strong focus on efficiency, quality, and client satisfaction.
• 30 years landscape experience
• Master plan communities
• Qwel landscape certification
Victor Cruz
Water Manager,
NorCal
Victor brings a strong blend of technical education and field experience, focusing on irrigation efficiency, water management, and construction technology.
• Bachelor of Science, Information Technology, University of Phoenix • Associate of Science, Construction Management & Technology, San Jose City College
• Certified Irrigation Technician • Certified Irrigation Auditor • Certified Irrigation Contractor • Irrigation Association Member • WaterSense Partner, EPA
• 25+ years of industry experience
Tony Fargnoli
Regional
Construction
Manager
Tony is an accomplished construction manager and
arborist with three decades of leadership in landscape
construction, design, and sustainability practices.
• Bachelor of Science, Ornamental Horticulture, The Ohio State University • ReScape Certified Landscape Designer
• WaterSense Certified – Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper • ISA Certified Arborist
• 30+ years of industry experience
Ronny Avevalo
Safety Directo
Ronny is a seasoned safety leader with more than 25
years of experience in occupational safety, risk
management, and workers’ compensation
administration. His leadership focuses on regional safety oversight, claims management, regulatory compliance,
and employee well-being.
• U.S. Navy Veteran
• 25+ years of safety industry experience
• Safety professional since 1998
• Joined Gothic Landscape in 2006
• Completed numerous OSHA certification programs
• California Workers Compensation Claims Administrator Program • Currently pursuing California Workers Compensation Claims Professional designation
• Oversees regional safety teams and company-wide safety initiatives Contract Agreement
If Gothic Landscape is selected and award the landscape contract, we will execute agreement (attachment E) with no changes or addendums. We agree to comply with all terms, scopes and insurance and bonding requirements necessary to execute this agreement between Gothic Ground Management Inc. and the City of South San Francisco.

SP-1

ATTACHMENT B STANDARD OF SERVICES

CONTENTS
Common Greens Landscape Maintenance
Landscape Maintenance Services for Streets, Parkways, Landscape Maintenance Services for Streets, and Parkways, with the City of South San Francisco under terms and conditions of the RFP for Landscape Maintenance Services, dated May 15, 2026. In the event of a conflict in, or inconsistency between, the terms of this Attachment and the Service Areas and Litter Pickup Frequencies (Attachment A), the Standard of Services shall prevail.

Table of Contents

1. Location

2. Scope of Work

3. Proposal Questions

4. Safety Program

5. Traffic Control

6. Quality of Work

7. Scope of Responsibility
a. Plants
b. Emergency Number
c. Clean-up
d. Vehicles
e. Cost Disclosure for Extra Work

8. Irrigation Systems
a. General
b. Water Requirements
c. Environmental and Land Use Stewardship Responsibilities

9. Nutrient Care Standards

10. Turf Care Standards
a. Mowing
b. Edging
c. Blowing, Vacuuming or Sweeping
d. Raking
e. Tree Wells
f. Pest Control in Turf Areas

11. Shrubs and Ground Cover Standards
a. Shrubs
b. Ground Covers

12. Right-of-Way and Landscape Weed Abatement
a. Weed Abatement
b. Herbicide Application

13. Integrated Pest Management Program

14. Prosecution and Progress

15. Damage or Loss of Contractor’s Supplies or Employer’s Property SP-2

16. Property Damage

17. Definition of Terms
a. City
b. Director
c. Inspector
d. Parks Manager
e. Bidder
f. Contract
g. Contractor

18. Control of Work
a. Authority of the Director
b. Coordination of Plans, Specifications & Standard of Services c. Superintendence

19. Legal Relations and Responsibility
a. Laws to be Observed
b. Trench Safety
c. Hours of Labor
d. Review of Per Diem Rates
e. Prevailing Wage
f. Travel and Subsistence Payments
g. Registration of Contractors
h. Permits and Licenses
i. Patents
j. Utilities
k. Contractors Cooperation and Coordination
l. Public Convenience
m. Public Safety
n. Preservation of Property
o. Responsibility for Damage
p. Contractor’s Responsibility for Work
q. Portion of the Work Which May Be Placed in Service
r. No Personal Liability

20. Extra Work and Altered Quantities
a. Extra Work
b. Force Account Work
c. Alterations

21. Fair Employment Provisions

22. Employment of Apprentices

23. Inspections and Defaults
a. Inspection

24. Replacement and Extra Work
a. Replacement Cost to be Assumed by the Contractor

25. Miscellaneous Items
a. Concrete-Line Ditches
b. Fences
c. Gutters
SP-3
d. Landscape Mulching
e. Hardscape

26. Standards for Completed Weed Abatement Work
a. Abatement Quality
b. Complete Abatement
c. Litter Removal
d. Hand-cleaning of Lots
e. Mowing

CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO

LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR

STREETS, PARKWAYS, AND RIGHT OF WAYS

1. Location
The locations of all the street and parkway median landscapes and all Common Greens landscapes to be maintained are listed in Attachment A, Service Areas and Litter Pickup Frequencies.

2. Scope of Work
A. The scope of work includes furnishing all labor, materials and tools necessary to maintain all ornamental planting, including, but not limited to lawns, groundcovers and shrubs (trees are excluded); safety zones, drainage facilities, weed control on median hardscapes, poles, posts, wire, irrigation sprinkler heads, lateral lines up to the valves (not including valves or water mainlines downstream of the water meter), public walkways, existing in the defined landscape areas, including the cost of necessary repairs, replacements, care, supervision, and any and all other items necessary for the proper maintenance and operation thereof, in accordance with the standard specifications of the State of California, City of South San Francisco, and these specifications.

B. The work does not include repairs and maintenance of lighting systems, gates, benches, railings, homeowner fences, walls, sidewalks and curb and gutter (except weed control), irrigation clocks, and trees.

3. Proposal Questions
Questions regarding the RFP must be submitted by 12:00PM on May 29, 2026 and submitted via the OpenGov portal.

4. Safety Program
A. The Contractor shall conform to the rules and regulations pertaining to safety established by the California Division of Industrial Safety and to all requirements as set forth in the State of California Construction Safety Orders (Cal/OSHA).

B. Full compensation for complying with the safety requirements of this Section is considered to be included in the prices paid for the various contract items of work and no separate payment shall be made therefore.

5. Traffic Control
The Contractor shall furnish, install and maintain all signs, barricades, traffic cones and other warning devices for the purpose of traffic control. Such devices and their installation shall conform to Caltrans’ “Manual of Traffic Controls, Warning Signs, Lights, and Devices for Use in Performance of Work Upon Highways.”

6. Quality of Work
The Contractor shall ensure that all work provided in these Specifications and the Agreement entered into between the City and the Contractor is performed by fully qualified and experienced sub-contractors or personnel directly employed by the Contractor. The Contractor shall ensure that the Contractor’s and sub- contractor’s employees shall be personally presentable and act with courtesy and good manners at all times. The Contractor shall be responsible for the skills, methods, appearance, and actions of Contractor’s and sub-contractor’s employees and for all work done.

Contractor’s employees performing work under this Contract shall be clearly identified as employees of the Contractor by uniform.

The Contractor shall instruct all the Contractor’s and sub-contractor’s employees that they are not required to respond to directions from City personnel other than the Parks Manager or his/her designated representative nor are they to respond from directions given by residents.

The Contractor shall perform all work provided in these Specifications and the Agreement entered into between the City and the Contractor under the direction and to the satisfaction of the Parks Manager or their designated representative, who may make inspections at any time and request that the Contractor perform additional work or services without cost to the City to bring Contractor’s performance to the level required by the specifications in the Agreement entered into between the City and the Contractor. Re-inspection fees of $100 may be imposed at the discretion of the City.

7. Scope of Responsibility
A. Plants – Any plants that die or are damaged due to Contractor’s negligence shall be replaced at the Contractor’s expense, equal in plant size and conforming to the City Specifications and these Specifications. Replacement shall be made within fifteen (15) days from the date the defective plant is brought to the attention of the Contractor.

B. Emergency Number – The Contractor shall be readily available by cell phone during work hours. This shall not be an answering machine. In addition, the Contractor shall provide the City with an emergency callout listing where he/she may be contacted after normal working hours, on weekends and holidays. Emergency calls shall be not be considered as extra work unless damage was caused by vandalism.

C. Cleanup – It shall be the Contractor’s responsibility to maintain the entire landscape maintenance area in a condition that is acceptable to the City. Cleanup shall be performed by the Contractor and shall include the removal of all trash, leaves, branches, excess soil, empty plant containers, grass cuttings, weeds, or any other debris that may accumulate at the site as a result of duties, natural causes, or minor incidental vandalism within the landscape facilities. Debris deposited in the landscape area by homeowners shall be the contractor’s responsibility and is not considered as an extra charge.

D. Vehicles – All vehicles used by the Contractor and his/her employees must clearly display the firm’s name and/or logo. Any vehicles used for pesticide application must clearly display placards listing the pesticide being applied and the pesticide number. Placards must be visible to pedestrians and vehicles passing the area of application.

E. Cost Disclosure for Extra Work – It shall be this Contractor’s responsibility to furnish a completed pricing package. The Contractor will receive the package after Bid Award. The Contractor will return the completed package in three (3) weeks after receipt.

The Contractor shall provide his foremen with copies of City Specifications and these Specifications. Foremen and workers are expected to have sufficient knowledge of both of these Specifications so that they can perform work in a correct expeditious manner.

8. Irrigation Systems
A. General – The street and parkway areas have a variety of overhead, drip, manual and bubbler watering systems. It is the City’s objective to actively pursue water conservation within the City’s Maintenance Program. The Contractor can expect the administration of the irrigation specification to be closely monitored.

B. Water Requirements – City staff shall be responsible for controlling the timing and scheduling of the irrigation controller. The Contractor shall have full responsibility to report to the city and ensure watering requirements are met within each landscape facility. Before beginning the maintenance program, the Contractor shall inspect all systems and report damage or incorrect operation to the City inspector. Damage (other than heads and risers) not resulting from the contractor’s negligence shall be reported promptly to the owner’s representative together with an estimate of costs for correction of the condition. City may, at its option, either authorize the contractor to make repairs at the agreed upon cost or make the repairs ”in-house”. Contractor’s forces shall be capable of performing repairs, installations and modifications of existing irrigation systems to adequately irrigate all types of landscaped areas. Any repairs, installations and/or modifications done to the irrigation system will be tested upon completion to ensure proper irrigation operations. The Contractor shall ensure that:
(1) Sprinkler heads are in good operational order, filters are cleaned or replaced during yearly audit, and nozzles are replaced when worn or inadequate coverage occurs. Any minor changes such as riser extensions (vertically or horizontally) sprinkler head components, and filter replacements will be considered as included in the contract price and no additional compensation shall be allowed therefore. Any replacements shall match existing equipment in GPM precipitation rate, pattern, and mechanical action.
(2) Main irrigation lines do not demonstrate leakage when all control valves are in the closed position. Main line repairs shall be performed by the City. (3) Automatic controllers and electrical conductors are kept operational year round with maintenance and repairs made by the City.
(4) Any vandalism which occurs to the irrigation system shall immediately be reported to the Parks Manager to obtain approval to proceed with repairs. If approved by the Parks Manager, these repairs constitute extra work, which shall be completed within 7 working days. Failure to make repair within 7 workings days shall be reported to the Parks Manager and unusual problems reviewed at that time. Failure to report will convert the damaged irrigation to the fault of the Contractor. (5) Seasonal programming of controllers shall be performed by the City according to the watering rates and the clock settings for irrigation scheduling approved by the Parks Manager or their designee for each street and parkway landscape facility. All controller stations shall be labeled by in a legible manner inside each controller box.

Labeling shall provide type of head employed, type of area covered, and location(s) by degrees of the compass.
(6) Time and length of watering shall be adjusted by the City to the prevailing weather as well as to the time of day that has the least amount of wind. The City prefers watering time to be from nine in the evening to six in the morning. (7) Contractor shall ensure that all sprinklers are adjusted properly to avoid spraying on parked cars, streets, walkways, buildings, signs, and other property that may be damaged by water.
(8) Manual watering shall be on the same day each week as agreed upon between the Parks Manager and the Contractor.
(9) Plant material exhibiting signs of wilting due to lack of water shall warrant withholding of the monthly payment. Plant material which dies as a result of insufficient watering will be replaced by the Contractor at their expense (see replacement plant section).
(10) Any pressure regulators, if present, shall be adjusted by the City to ensure optimum water delivery to the type of systems serviced.

C. Environmental and Land use Stewardship Responsibilities General. The intent of these specifications is to contract for professional services that will assist in the stewardship of the street and parkway landscape facilities. It shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to report any resource deficiencies on the specified lands to the Parks Manager.
(1) The seasonal water rate varies annually and it may be necessary for the City or the Contractor to make recommendations to modify and reschedule the seasonal watering program. “Schedule Changes” in the water cycle are included with the bid price. (2) Street and parkway facilities adjacent to on-going construction activity of future developments may receive damage to the landscape and irrigation system. The Contractor shall report the damage to the Parks Manager and may be directed by the Parks Manager to repair the same within seven (7) working days. This shall be considered extra work.
(3) Any accelerated erosion on landscape facilities lands, including open space parcels, shall be immediately reported to the Parks Manager. Erosion fissures through the turf and/or groundcover areas caused by washouts from lateral line/head failure shall be repaired immediately at no extra cost to the City. Fissures caused by mainline failure shall be repaired by the City.

9. Nutrient Care Standards
Fertilization shall be the responsibility of the City and the Contractor shall work with the City to identify areas of need.

10. Turf Care Standards
General. Turf, as an important aesthetic component of ornamental landscapes, requires a regular schedule of intensive care. A consistent green appearance and healthy growing conditions predominantly free of weeds must be maintained.

Routine maintenance and service shall include, as a minimum:

A. Mowing
(1) Mowing shall be done weekly during the active growing season, and as needed at other seasons.
(2) Only sharp, well balanced blades shall be used.
(3) Grass height shall remain a consistent looking range between 3 and 2 inches. Bruising or rough cutting of grass will not be permitted. Mowers shall be adjusted and operated so that the grass is cut at a uniform height. “Scalping” of high places will not be permitted.
(4) Tufts of grass in corners or other areas that are hard to reach with a mowing machine shall be mowed using a string line trimmer or clipped by hand. (5) Clippings shall not be caught and removed from lawn unless they are too unsightly for the particular location, or are lying in swaths which might damage the lawn. Wind rowing (if used) shall be done safely.
(6) Clippings shall not accumulate on valve boxes, catch basins, or other utility boxes.

These assets are to be kept clean and visible at all times. (7) Mow edges of turf with wheels of machine up on pavement, not against the edge of the pavement.
(8) Inspect turf for rocks and debris before mowing.

B. Edging
(1) All edges shall be trimmed at the same time mowing occurs to maintain a neat appearance. This trimming shall include cutting all grass along walls, fences, foundations, curbs, sidewalks, shrubs, tree trunks, poles, guy wires, or any other object within or immediately adjacent to the lawn areas. This includes grass growing under wooden steps and benches in some areas.
(2) The trimming shall be done by power edger, string trimmer, by hand tools or a combination of these tools. Approved weed killers may be permitted for use in trimming or edging around tree trunks upon written approval. String trimmers are not to be used around shrubs, trees, and any wooden hardscape features. (3) Trim around sprinkler heads as necessary to provide maximum water coverage. (4) Care shall be taken to avoid damage to tree trunks, shrubs, sprinklers, or other structures. Damage shall be reported to the owner’s representative and repairs promptly made by the contractor.
(5) After trimming, all trimmings and debris shall be raked off lawns, swept or blown off sidewalks and paved areas and disposed of. Debris shall not be raked or blown up against homeowner’s fences or under their gates. Thick matted mud/turf edging shall be trimmed and removed from the site. This debris is not be left on lawns, landscaped areas, or sidewalks.
(6) Edges of turf against all paved areas, around valve boxes, storm drains, and other utilities shall be kept neatly edged.
(7) Special consideration shall be given to the safety of pedestrians in the area while edging.
(8) Edging against fences and walls shall be sprayed neatly as a 12 inch band.

C. Blowing, Vacuuming, or Sweeping
(1) All hardscape surfaces shall be blown free of clippings after every mowing and edging. Clippings, soil, and other debris shall be removed from site. (2) All hardscape surfaces shall be blown free of leaf litter and other debris on an asneeded basis (most often in fall months), and collected for removal from site. Again, debris shall not be raked or blown up against homeowner’s fences. (3) Vacuuming or sweeping the debris is recommended over blowing.

D. Raking
(1) To be performed on an as-needed basis to remove leaf litter from the turf (most often in the fall months)
(2) Vacuuming or blowing may be employed instead of raking. Wind rowing (if used) shall be done safely.

E. Tree Wells
(1) Tree wells in turf shall be maintained free of turf and weeds at all times. (2) A wide round well shall be maintained - at 3’-4’ from the tree trunk or as wide as necessary to encompass all tree stakes and guys as well as the tree trunk. (3) Trees damaged by tools are subject to replacement by determination of the Parks Manager and at the contractor’s expense.

F. Pest Control in Turf Areas
Lawn areas need to be closely monitored for the presence of moles, gophers, and/or ground squirrels. Treatment shall be weekly or daily (if required) until the problem is abated. It is imperative that methods used to eradicate any rodent problem be recommended by a pest control advisor, certified in license category D pursuant to Division 6 Chapter 6 of the Food and Agricultural Code, and approved by the County Agricultural Commissioner. No chemical poisons shall be used to control rodents. Mechanical (trapping) and fumigation (gassing) shall be the primary acceptable methods of control.

11. Shrubs and Ground Cover Standards
Shrub and ground cover areas shall be maintained so as to present a well-shaped, neat appearance to the public. Pruning frequency shall be performed on an as needed basis to control height and spread; to prune out dead and/or diseased foliage and branches; and to prevent line of sight obstructions to the travelling public. Pruning tools should be sharp and clean. The contractor shall ensure that appropriate tools are used for the various tasks. Listed are additional maintenance tasks, which the contractor shall be required to perform and should be included in the base bid.

A. Shrubs
(1) Maintain a 24” wide space, unobstructed by vegetation, between existing shrubs and fences. Hold all shrubbery back from this line by pruning. Use University of California and I.S.A. (international Society of Arboriculture) standards for proper pruning cuts.
(2) All pruning and trimming cuts must be made clean and at or just behind last shoulder rings. Any ragged shearing which results in any broken, stripped, pointed stubs or ragged bark edges is not acceptable and must be reworked. This type of pruning will result in a withheld payment until the work has been properly performed and the shrubs recovered.
(3) Prune out any growth of suckering or water sprouting which abnormally protrudes from the shrub base or foliar canopy.
(4) Trim foliage and branching along sidewalks, streets, retaining walls and houses to maintain a one-foot clearance.
(5) Remove all trimmings from the job site the same day. (6) Growth regulators may be used only if approved by the Parks Manager or his/her agent. Damage to shrubs caused by chemical misapplication may serve as a justification for replacement if the plant suffers from a 50% loss of foliage. (7) At no time shall shrubs be pruned or sheared back to hard wood, where the foliage is completely removed on one or all sides, leaving an unsightly thicket of bare branches.

Shrubs pruned in this manner will be subject to replacement at the contractor’s expense. Therefore, it is recommended that the frequency of pruning cycles to control height and spread be adjusted to accommodate seasonal growth habits. (8) Remove all spent flower spikes on perennial shrubs such as agapanthus, echium, hemerocallis, acanthus, etc.
(9) Shrub diseases and insect infestations must be identified by the contractor; reported to the Parks Manager, and controlled in a timely manner. Reapplications of control methods may be required. Losses associated with the contractor’s negligence in either identifying or controlling a disease or pest shall be the contractor’s responsibility to replace or repair.

B. Ground Covers
(1) Shall be neatly trimmed to maintain a one foot clearance from all walls, fences, turf, walkways, curbs, and shrub trunk/crowns. Removal of ground covers from the shrub base must be performed by hand using hand held equipment. Clearing ground cover (mostly Ivy and Blackberry) from creeping growth in shrubs shall be inspected and removed on a monthly basis. No damage to the trunk or branch tissue (cambium) of the shrubs will be allowed.
(2) Weeds (grass and broadleaf) growing in the ground cover areas may be sprayed with selective herbicides; however, the dead vegetation must be removed by hand. Weed removal by string trimmer is not allowed.
(3) Hypericum ground cover shall be mowed to ground level once a year, during the month of February. The bed areas should be raked clean and the debris exported. (4) Kurapia ground cover shall be mowed once a year, typically November, to a height of 4” when flower heads have died and only upon instruction from the Parks Manager or a representative of the Parks Department.
(5) Debris (trash, bottles, etc.) removal from the ground cover areas must be performed as designated for each area’s minimum frequency for litter removal. It is the contractor’s responsibility to review the sites and allocate sufficient manpower to accomplish this task.
(6) Ground cover diseases and insect infestations must be identified by the contractor; reported to the Parks Manager, and controlled in a timely manner. Reapplications of control methods may be required. Losses associated with the contractor’s negligence in either identifying and/ or controlling a disease or pest shall be the contractor’s responsibility to replace or repair.

12. Right-of-Way and Landscape Weed Abatement Standard
A. Weed Abatement
(1) Weed abatement shall occur at a minimum of three (3) times per year, unless noted differently in Attachment A – Service Areas and Litter Pickup Frequencies, or as needed when deemed necessary by the Parks Manager or an appointed Parks Department representative.
(2) Weed abatement work shall be performed by string trimmers, flail mowers, or other similar mechanical devices as well as appropriate hand tools such as gardening hoes, McLeods, weed wrenches, loppers, and similar hand held tools. (3) Vegetation shall be cut as close to the ground as possible and if not able to achieve ground-level, remaining vegetation shall be left no higher than 3”. (4) Landscaping vegetation shall not be damaged by mechanical means. These desirable plants shall have weeds growing underneath/within them, removed by hand. Tree trunks shall not be damaged by string trimmers or other mechanical means. Any damage that occurs from mechanical means, and causes a plant to decline, die, or compromises the future of the plant, shall be replaced at the contractor’s expense. (5) All cut vegetation shall be blown or otherwise removed from paved roadways, sidewalks, bike lanes, or similar paths of travel. Vegetation shall also be blown or removed within 3’ from the edge of roadways to prevent wind from blowing debris into the road way.
(6) Work shall be performed in a responsible manner with awareness to vehicle proximity and operating mechanical equipment at appropriate speeds to avoid vehicle damage (IE: throwing rocks with string trimmers or mowers) Any damages caused by such negligence will be at the expense of the contractor and the City will hold no responsibility for repairs or reimbursement.
(7) When performing this work appropriate traffic control shall be used; dictated by speeds travelled on the roads where the work is being performed. The traffic control methods shall be executed in accordance with “Part VI Standards and Guides for Traffic Controls for Street and Highway Construction, Maintenance, Utility, and Incident Management Operations.”
B. Herbicide Application
(1) When selective or non-selective herbicides are used the label shall prevail in determining chemical rates and application methods to be used. At no time shall any chemical be applied when winds are in excess of 10 mph or are deemed to be strong enough to cause potential drift onto non-target sites.
(2) Applications shall be made twice (2) a year and shall follow mechanical weed abatement efforts once new young leaves have sprouted and are susceptible to foliar application. Ideally, applications of post-emergent and pre-emergent shall be made before the first rains of the season and within two weeks of the last rain of spring, as weather permits. This application frequency will reduce regrowth and seed germination and reduce future maintenance activities.
(3) All herbicide applications shall be made by an applicator that holds a current Qualified Applicator Certificate (QAC).
(4) All herbicide applications shall avoid drift and overspray onto desirable landscape plants. Any “non-target” plants that show or die from chemical damage shall be replaced at the expense of the Contractor.

13. Integrated Pest Management Program
The Contractor shall act as or coordinate with a licensed specialist to identify any Pest management problems that may arise in the street and parkway landscapes.

The Contractor shall be familiar with various integrated pest management (IPM) programs. The Contractor is required to develop and adopt an IPM plan that complies with an IPM plan consistent with the IPM-based hierarchical decision making process (established by Provision C.9.d, of Water Board Permit No. R2-2009-0074, Municipal Regional Stormwater NPDES Permit) and the Cityapproved IPM Policy to effectively eradicate any diseases or pests which develop during the duration of this contract. The development and execution of the IPM program shall be the responsibility of the Contractor and will not be considered extra work.

The Parks Manager will request to see any or all labels, licenses, certificates, categories, permits or recommendations before chemicals are applied. An IPM plan developed by the Contractor may have to be approved by the Parks Manager and the County Agricultural Commissioner before implementation. Monthly chemical use reports shall be submitted to the Parks Manager on the 1st Monday of each month for the previous month’s use. A SDS must be submitted for each chemical to be used prior to any application program.

Familiarity and adherence with the City of South San Francisco’s IPM plan is required.

A. IPM techniques should include:
(1) Biological controls
(2) Physical or mechanical controls
(3) Cultural controls
(4) Reduced risk chemical controls
Prior to application, the Contractor shall provide a copy of any spray report showing details of areas, times, chemicals, SDS, and rates of application as provided by a licensed pest control advisor. A copy shall be provided with billing at the end of the month as well.

B. The Contractor shall provide the County Agricultural Commissioner’s office (as required by law) a monthly record of all pesticides used in the street and parkway landscape facilities. A copy of the same report shall be included with the Contractor’s monthly billing to the City.

Column “F” of the standard monthly report to the Commissioner shall indicate that a chemical has been used on a South San Francisco facility. Indicate also the types of weeds treated using common names.

C. The Contractor shall use Re-scape CA methods, guidelines, and techniques when performing IPM.

14. Prosecution and Progress
Progress of the Work and Time for Completion – The Contractor shall begin work on July 1, 2026.

15. Damage or Loss of Contractor’s Supplies or Employer’s Property The City does not assume liability from fire, theft, accident or any other cause resulting in damage or loss of contractor’s supplies, materials or equipment, or of personal property or belongings of their employees.

16. Property Damage
A. Any private property of City property damaged or altered in any way during the performance of the work under this contract shall be reported promptly to the owner’s representative, and shall be rectified in an approved manner back to its former conditions, prior to damage, to the contractor’s expense.

B. Any damage or unusual dumping noted, or seen, by the contractor, that has occurred by any means other than during the performance of the contractor’s work whether by vandalism or any other means, shall be promptly reported to the owner’s representative. Particularly, all hazardous conditions such as holes in sidewalks shall be reported.

17. Definition of Terms
A. City – The City of South San Francisco, State of California, acting through the City Council, or other duly authorized agents.

B. Director – The duly appointed Director of Parks and Recreation of the City of South San Francisco, acting directly or through properly authorized agents limited by the particular duties entrusted to them.

C. Inspector – The Parks Manager or his/her appointed representative, of the City of South San Francisco, limited by the particular duties entrusted to him or them.

D. Parks Manager – The Parks Manager or his/her appointed representative, of the City of South San Francisco, acting directly or through properly authorized agents.

E. Bidder – Any individual, firm or corporation submitting a proposal for the work contemplated, acting directly or through properly authorized agents.

F. Contract – The written agreement covering the performance of the work. The contract includes Statement of Qualifications, the notice to bidders, the proposal, general and special provisions, contract bonds, and all supplemental agreements affecting the work.

G. Contractor – The person or persons, firm, co-partnership, or corporation who have entered into the contract with the City, or his, their or its duly authorized representative.

18. Control of Work
A. Authority of the Director – The Director shall decide any and all questions which may arise as to the quality or acceptability of materials furnished and work performed, and as to the manner of performance and rate of progress of the work; all questions which may arise as to the interpretation of the plans and specifications; all questions as to the acceptable fulfillment of the contract on the part of the Contractor; and all questions as to compensation. His/Her decision shall be final, and he/she shall have authority to enforce and make effective such decision and orders as the Contractor fails to carry out promptly.

B. Coordination of Plans, Specifications, and Standard of Services – These specifications, standards of service, plans and all supplementary documents are essential parts of the contract, and a requirement occurring in one is as binding as though occurring in all. They are intended to be cooperative, to describe and to provide for a complete work.

C. Superintendence – Whenever the Contractor is not present on any part of the work where it may be desired to give direction, orders will be given by the Director, which shall be received and obeyed by the Parks Manager or foremen in charge of the work in reference to which the orders are given.
(1) Inspection – The Director shall at all times have access to the work and shall be furnished with every reasonable facility for ascertaining full knowledge respecting the progress, workmanship, and character of materials used and employed in the work.
(2) Whenever the Contractor varies the period during which work is carried on each day, he shall give due notice to the Director so that proper inspection may be provided. (3) The inspection of the work shall not relieve the Contractor of any of his obligations to fulfill the contract as prescribed. Defective work shall be made good, and unsuitable materials may be rejected, notwithstanding the fact that such defective work and unsuitable materials have been previously overlooked by the Director and accepted or estimated for payment.
(4) Removal of Defective and Unauthorized Work – All work which has been rejected shall be remedied, or removed and replaced by the Contractor in an acceptable manner and no compensation will be allowed him for such removal or replacement.

Any work done beyond the lines and grades shown on the plans or established by the Director, or any extra work done without written authority will be considered as unauthorized and will not be paid for. Work so done may be ordered removed at the Contractor’s expense. Upon failure on the part of the Contractor to comply forthwith with any order of the Director made under the provisions of this article, the Director shall have authority to cause defective work to be removed, and to deduct the costs from any monies due or to become due the Contractor.
(5) Emergency Repair Work – If an emergency arises by reason of the contractor’s negligence or failure to adequately prosecute the work, and the contractor is unable to respond adequately in the opinion of the Director of Parks and Recreation or designee after being served notice or an attempt has been made to serve notice, the owner may use its own forces to remedy the situation and the contractor shall promptly pay the owner’s demand for compensation therefore.

19. Legal Relations and Responsibility
A. Laws to be Observed – The Contractor shall keep himself/herself fully informed of all existing and future State and National Laws, including all provisions of Section 1776 of the Labor Code, and Municipal Ordinances and Regulations which in any manner affect those engaged or employed in the work, or the materials used in the work, or which in any way affect the conduct of the work, and of all such orders and decrees of bodies or tribunals having any jurisdiction or authority over the same. He/she shall at all times observe and comply with all such existing and future laws, ordinances, regulations, orders and decrees. In addition, the Contractor shall meet all standards of the State and Federal Government for air, water and noise pollution. The Contractor shall inform the City of the location of the records enumerated under Section 1776 (a) of the Labor Code, including the street address, city and county, and shall within five working days, provide a notice of a change of location and address.

If there is any conflict between these specifications and provisions and any laws or regulations, the matter shall be brought to the attention of the Director of Parks and Recreation immediately. All necessary permits or approvals from any involved agency shall be obtained by the Contractor before any work is started.

B. Trench Safety – The applicable regulations of the State of California, Department of Industrial Safety, will be strictly enforced. Trenches five (5) feet or more in depth shall be shored to prevent cave in. Any shoring which, in the opinion of the Director, is unsafe shall be removed and replaced in a satisfactory condition prior to personnel entering the trench or placing of pipe or other facilities.

C. Hours of Labor – The Contractor shall forfeit, as penalty to the City of South San Francisco, twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for each worker employed in the execution of the contract by him/her or by any subcontractor under him/her for each calendar day during which any workman is required or permitted to labor more than eight (8) hours in violation of the provisions of the Labor Code and in particular, Section 1810 to Section 1816 thereof, inclusive.

D. Review of Per Diem Rates – Reference is hereby made to the prevailing rate of per diem wages adopted by the City Council of the City of South San Francisco in accordance with Labor Code Section 1770 et seq, copies of which are on file in the office of the City Clerk, City Hall, South San Francisco, California, and available for inspection by interested parties. If a petition is filed in accordance with Labor Code Section 1773.4 calling for a review of the rates as so established, the closing date for the submission of bids or the start of work, whichever is applicable shall be extended as in such section provided, and the determination made by the Director of Industrial Relations of the State of California shall be deemed included in the contract for this work.

E. Prevailing Wage – Where applicable, the wages to be paid for a day’s work to all classes of laborers, workers, or mechanics on the work contemplated by this agreement shall be not less than the prevailing rate for a day’s work in the same trade or occupation in the locality within the state where the work hereby contemplates to be performed as determined by the Director of Industrial Relations pursuant to the Director’s authority under Labor Code Section 1770, et seq.

Each laborer, worker or mechanic employed by Consultant or by any subcontractor shall receive the wages herein provided for. The Consultant shall pay two hundred dollars ($200), or whatever amount may be set by Labor Code Section 1775, as may be amended, per day penalty for each worker paid less than prevailing rate of per diem wages. The difference between the prevailing rate of per diem wages and the wage paid to each worker shall be paid by the Consultant to each worker.

An error on the part of an awarding body does not relieve the Consultant from responsibility for payment of the prevailing rate of per diem wages and penalties pursuant to Labor Code Sections 1770 1775. The City will not recognize any claim for additional compensation because of the payment by the Consultant for any wage rate in excess of prevailing wage rate set forth. The possibility of wage increases is one of the elements to be considered by the Consultant.

Posting of Schedule of Prevailing Wage Rates and Deductions – If the schedule of prevailing wage rates is not attached hereto pursuant to Labor Code Section 1773.2, the Consultant shall post at appropriate conspicuous points at the site of the project a schedule showing all determined prevailing wage rates for the various classes of laborers and mechanics to be engaged in work on the project under this contract and all deductions, if any, required by law to be made from unpaid wages actually earned by the laborers and mechanics so engaged.

Payroll Records – Each Consultant and subcontractor shall keep an accurate payroll record, showing the name, address, social security number, work week, and the actual per diem wages paid to each journeyman, apprentice, worker, or other employee employed by the Consultant in connection with the public work. Such records shall be certified and made available upon request as required by Labor Code Section 1776.

F. Travel and Subsistence Payments – Travel and subsistence payments shall be made to each worker needed to execute the work, as such travel and subsistence payments are defined in the applicable collective bargaining agreements filed in accordance with Section 1773.8 of the Labor Code.

G. Registration of Contractors – Before submitting bids, Contractors shall be licensed in accordance with the provisions of the Stat Contractors’ License Law, Business and Professions Code 7000 et seq. as amended.

H. Permits and Licenses – The Contractor shall procure all permits and licenses, pay all charges and fees, and give all notices necessary and incidental to the due and lawful prosecution of the work. A City of South San Francisco Contractor’s license will be required before the contract is signed by the City.

I. Patents – The Contractor shall assume all costs arising from the use of patented materials, equipment, devices, or processes used on or incorporated in the work, and agrees to indemnify and save harmless the City of South San Francisco, the City Council, and the Director, and their duly authorized representatives, from all suits at law, or actions of every nature for, or on account of the use of any patented materials, equipment, devices, or processes.

J. Utilities – The location in public streets of pipes, conduits and other underground facilities of the public utility companies and of the City may not be indicated on the plans. Bidders are instructed to apply to companies and City departments concerned for any information which may be needed concerning utilities. For all utility location requests contact USA (1-800-642-2444) K. Contractor Cooperation & Coordination – The Contractor is advised that other construction and maintenance work may be performed by utility companies, the City and /or their Contractors in the project area concurrent with work performed under this contract. The Contractor shall be responsible for contacting the various utility companies to ascertain the times when such other work will occur and schedule his work in coordination with others such that no delays shall occur in his work schedule or in others who are working in the area. Failure on the Contractor’s part to coordinate with others in overlapping work areas shall not be the basis for any claims against the City, additional compensation nor extension of time. In addition, the Contractor shall be solely responsible for any claims made against the City by others as a result of the Contractor’s lack of coordination. This shall include businesses and homeowner’s adjacent to the project area.

L. Public Convenience – The Contractor shall so conduct his operations as to cause the least possible obstruction and inconvenience to public traffic. Where work is being done on existing public roads or streets, and no detours are available, all traffic shall be permitted to pass through the work with as little inconvenience and delay as possible.

Convenience of abutting owners along the road shall be provided for as far as practicable.

Convenient access to driveways, houses, and buildings along the line of the work shall be maintained and temporary approaches to crossing or intersecting highways shall be provided and kept in good condition.

Water shall be applied as directed by the Director for the prevention of dust nuisance in connection with public convenience. No additional payment will be made for applying water for the prevention of dust.

No work shall begin before 8:00 a.m. nor continue after 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, nor shall any work be done on weekends or holidays observed by the City of South San Francisco unless approved in advance by the Director.

Full compensation for all work involved in providing for public convenience as set forth in this article shall be considered as included in the prices paid for the various contract items of work and no additional allowance will be made therefor.

M. Public Safety – The Contractor shall furnish, erect, and maintain such fences, barriers, lights, signs and watchers as are necessary to give adequate warning to the public at all times that the work is under construction and of any dangerous conditions to be encountered as a result thereof. At any and all points along the work where the nature of construction operations in progress and the Contractor’s equipment and machinery in use is of such character as to endanger passing traffic, the Contractor shall provide such lights and signs and station such guards as may appear necessary to prevent accidents and avoid damage or injury to passing traffic.

No material or equipment shall be stored where it will interfere with the free and safe passage of public traffic. At the end of each day’s work and at other times when construction operations are suspended for any reason, the Contractor shall remove all equipment and other obstructions from that portion of the roadway open for use by public traffic.

Full compensation for the work involved in carrying out the precautionary and safety measures above specified shall be considered as included in the prices paid for various contract items of work and no additional allowance will be made.

N. Preservation of Property – Roadside trees and shrubbery that are not to be removed, and pole lines, fences, signs, survey markers and monuments, buildings and structures, conduits, pipe lines under or above ground, sewer and water lines, all street facilities, and any other improvements or facilities within or adjacent to the work shall be protected from injury or damage. If such objects are injured or damaged by reason of the Contractor’s operations, they shall be replaced or restored, at the Contractor’s expense, to a condition as good as when the Contractor entered upon the work, or as good as required by the specifications accompanying the contract, if any such objects are a part of the work being performed under the contract.

The fact that any such pipe or other underground facility is not shown upon the plans shall not relieve the Contractor of his responsibility under this article. It shall be the Contractor’s responsibility to ascertain the existence of any underground improvements or facilities which may be subject to damage by reason of his operations, and if it is necessary to lower such underground facility or encase it to protect it from damage, it shall be done at the Contractor’s expense.

Full compensation for furnishing all labor, materials, tools and equipment and doing all the work involved in protecting property as above specified, shall be considered as included in the prices paid for the various contract items of work and no additional compensation will be made.

O. Responsibility for Damage – The City of South Francisco, the City Council, or the Director shall not be answerable or accountable in any manner, for any loss or damage that may happen to work or any part thereof; or for any of the materials or other things used or employed in performing the work; or for injury or damage to any person or persons, either workers or the public; or for damage to adjoining property from any cause whatsoever during the progress of the work or at any time before final acceptance.

The Contractor shall indemnify and save harmless the City of South San Francisco, the City Council, the Director and the Director’s Inspector or other authorized agent of the City of South San Francisco from any suits, claims or actions brought by any person or persons for or on account of any injuries or damage sustained or arising in the constructions of the work or in consequence thereof. The City may retain so much of the money due the Contractor as shall be considered necessary, until disposition has been made of such suits or claims for damages as aforesaid. In the event securities have been substituted for any monies earned by the Contractor and withheld by the City of South San Francisco to ensure the performance of the contract, the City may condition the release of such securities upon the final disposition of such suits or claims for damages.

P. Contractor’s Responsibility for Work – Except as provided above, until the formal acceptance of the work by the City, the Contractor shall have the charge and care thereof and shall bear the risk of injury or damage to any part thereof by the action of the elements or from any other cause, whether arising from the execution or from the non-execution of the work. The Contractor shall rebuild, repair, restore, and make good all injuries or damages to any portion of the work occasioned by any of the above causes before its completion and acceptance and shall bear the expense thereof, except for such injuries or damages as are directly and proximately caused by acts of the [Federal Government.

In case of suspension of work from any cause whatever, the Contractor shall be responsible for the work as above specified and he/she shall also be responsible for all materials delivered to the work including materials for which he/she has received partial payment.

Q. Portion of the Work Which May be Placed in Service – If desired by the City of South San Francisco, the work, as completed, may be placed in service. The Contractor shall give proper access to the work for this purpose but such use and operations shall not constitute an acceptance of the work, and the Contractor shall remain liable for defects due to faulty construction, material and/or workmanship.

R. No Personal Liability – Neither the Director nor the City Council, nor any other officer or authorized assistant or agent shall be personally responsible for any liability arising under the contract.

20. Extra Work and Altered Quantities
A. Extra Work – New and unforeseen items of work will be classed as extra work when they cannot be covered by any of the various items for which there is a bid price or by combinations of such items.

B. The Contractor shall do such extra work and furnish such materials and equipment therefor, as may be required in writing by the Director, but he/she shall not do extra work except upon written order from the Director, and in the absence of such written order he/she shall not be entitled to payment for such extra work. All bills for extra work done shall be filed in writing with the Director. For such extra work the Contractor shall receive compensation at the prices previously agreed upon in writing.

All extra work shall be adjusted daily upon report sheets furnished to the Director by the Contractor and signed by both parties which daily reports shall thereafter be considered the true record of extra work done.

C. Force Account Work – Where payment is to be made on a force account basis, the Contractor shall receive the actual cost of all material, labor and rented equipment furnished by him/her as shown by his/her paid vouchers, plus fifteen percent (15%); provided, however, that the City reserves the right to furnish such materials required as it deems expedient, and the Contractor shall have no claim for profit on the cost of such materials.

For use of equipment owned by the Contractor he shall be paid the current prices prevailing in the locality, which shall have been previously determined and agreed upon in writing by the Contractor, plus fifteen percent (15%).

When work is performed by force account, in addition to the actual cost of labor, the City will reimburse the Contractor for compensation insurance payments; contributions made to the State as required by the provisions of the Unemployment Reserve Act, Chapter 352, Statutes of 1935, as amended. The payment of fifteen percent (15%) in addition to the actual cost of all material, labor, and rented equipment, as herein provided, shall include full allowance to the Contractor for premiums paid on any other insurance of any nature which the Contractor may be required to carry or which he may elect to carry; and for additional premiums paid on faithful performance and labor and material bonds required by reason of the increased in the amount of work to be performed over and above that called for in the original contract.

All force account work shall be adjusted daily upon report sheets, furnished to the Director by the Contractor and signed by both parties, which daily reports shall thereafter be considered the true record of force account work done.

If force account work is done on the contract the Contractor shall furnish to the Director three (3) copies of a certificate from the insurance company showing the compensation insurance rates to be charged on the various classes of work to assist in verification of the Contractor’s charges for extra work and force account.

D. Alterations – The City reserves the right to increase or decrease the quantity of any item or portion of the work or to omit portions of the work as may be deemed necessary or advisable by the Director, also to make such alterations or deviations, additions to, or omissions from the plans and specifications, as may be determined during the progress of the work to be necessary and advisable for the proper completion thereof. Upon written order of the Director, the Contractor shall proceed with the work as increased, decreased or altered.

When alterations in plans or quantities of work are ordered and performed the Contractor shall accept payment in full at the contract unit price for the actual quantities of work done.

No allowance will be made in any case for loss of anticipated profits. Increased or decreased work involving supplemental agreements will be paid for as stipulated in such agreements.

21. Fair Employment Provisions
The Contractor will not willfully discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin. The Contractor will take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and the employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin. Such action shall include, but not be limited, to, the following: employment, upgrading, demotion or transfer, recruitment or recruitment advertising; layoff or termination; rates of pay or other forms of compensation; and selection for training, including apprenticeship. The Contractor agrees to post in conspicuous place, available to employees and applicants for employment, notices to be provided by the awarding authority seeing forth the provisions of their fair employment practices section.

22. Employment of Apprentices
Attention is directed to the provisions in Section 1777.5 (Chapter 1411, Statutes of 1968) and 1777.8 of the Labor Code concerning the employment of apprentices by the Contractor or any subcontractor under him.

Section 1777.5, as amended, requires the Contractor or subcontractor employing tradesmen in any apprentice-able occupation to apply to the joint apprenticeship committee nearest the site of the public works project and which administers the apprenticeship program in that trade for a certificate of approval. The certificate will also fix the ratio of apprentices to journeymen that will be used in the performance of the contract. The ratio of apprentices to journeymen in such cases shall not be less than one to five (1:5) except:

A. When unemployment in the area of coverage by the joint apprenticeship committee has exceeded an average of fifteen percent (15%) in the ninety (90) days prior to the request for certificate, or
B. When the number of apprentices in training in the area exceeds a ratio of one to five (1:5), or
C. When the trade can show that it is replacing at least 1/30 of its membership through apprenticeship training on an annual basis statewide or locally, or D. When the Contractor provides evidence that he employs registered apprentices on all of his contracts on an annual average of not less than one apprentice to eight journeymen.

The Contractor is required to make contributions to funds established for the administration of apprenticeship programs if he/she employs registered apprentices or journeymen in any apprentice-able trade on such contracts and if other Contractors on the public works site are making such contributions.

The Contractor and any subcontractor under him/her shall comply with the requirements of Section 1777.5 and 1777.6 in the employment of apprentices.

Information relative to apprenticeship standards, wage schedules, and other requirements may be obtained from the Director of Industrial Relations, ex- officio the Administrator of Apprenticeship, San Francisco, California, or from the Division of Apprenticeship Standards and its branch offices.

23. Inspections and Defaults
General. The City is soliciting for a services rendered contract. The Contractor shall not be paid for landscape maintenance services not rendered to the street and parkway and right of way landscape facilities. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to ensure sufficient labor hours are committed to the street, parkway, and common greens landscape facilities for complete objectives set forth in Special Provisions Section and Section 30, Schedule of Landscaping Maintenance Services.

A. Inspection
(1) The City shall provide a representative of the Parks Manager to evaluate landscape services performed in the landscape facilities on a regular occurrence. The representative shall be the inspector.
(2) The City may require the Contractor, or his local authorized representative, to ride along on inspections, if previous maintenance objectives by the Contractor are not in the best interest of the street, parkway and/or right of way areas. The Contractor of his local authorized representative will be expected to take complete notes during such inspections.
(3) Payment will be made for work satisfactorily completed by the Contractor. It shall be the Contractor’s responsibility to submit to the owner’s representative a written report of completion of work at the end of each month. The owner’s representative shall indicate in writing his acceptance or rejection of work and notify the contractor immediately of any unsatisfactory work. Unsatisfactory work shall be corrected within 24 hours and a report re-submitted indicating completion. Payment will be based on work completion reports submitted by the contractor and approved and signed by the owner’s representative. Payment shall ordinarily be for 100% of the contract price (per month).
(4) Three months before the conclusion of this landscaping contract on, March 31, 2028, the following three inspections shall take place. If these inspections are not performed, final payment of this contract may be withheld. a) 90 days prior; Irrigation main line test for ruptures or leakage. No visible leaks shall be accepted.
b) 60 days prior; Automatic controller, valve control and sprinkler coverage efficiency test. Note: Main water line must be accepted before efficiency test is performed. c) 30 days prior; Walk-through with new Contractor, if applicable, to evaluate condition of landscape facilities, provide a punch-list to be completed by end of contract date.

24. Replacements and Extra Work
General. The preceding chapters in these specifications have been written to provide landscape maintenance services which will keep the City’s landscaping and open space areas in a healthy and neat appearance year-round. The following items listed will clarify other landscape maintenance and material requirements which may not be included elsewhere in these specifications.

A. Replacement Cost to be Assumed by the Contractor
(1) Damaged plant material, due to the Contractor’s maintenance practices or nonperformance of services. Replacement standards shall be new container plants and shall be equal in size to the remaining growth in the ground or the surrounding existing mature size in the adjacent landscape area. Replacement plants shall be healthy rooted and vigorous.
a) Ground covers adjacent to pavement or structures shall be no closer to these than ½ their center to center spacing plus 25%.

25. Miscellaneous Items
General. Routine maintenance items which are not considered extra work include, but are not limited to the following:

A. Concrete-Line Ditches – All concrete-lined ditches within the limits of a landscape facility shall be always kept clear, and the catch basins that these ditches empty into shall be thoroughly cleaned out periodically during the rainy season which is from October 15 to April 15. Edges should be checked periodically for erosion and damage to concrete structures. Catch basins more than 6 feet deep are not required to be cleaned by the Contractor. Special care will be taken by the Contractor to keep debris out of all basins while V-ditch maintenance is occurring. All debris or soils shall be exported from the site.

B. Fences – It is not the Contractor’s responsibility to remove all graffiti from fences and walls within the limits of the landscape maintenance area. However, the Contractor is to immediately notify the City Inspector of any graffiti found in the street and parkway sites.

C. Gutters – Clean up weeds, silt and gardening debris along curbs and aprons along streets which border the landscape facilities (see hardscape below). Drainage channels (not concrete-lined) should be cleaned in like manner.

D. Landscape Mulching – Throughout the contract, spreading of mulch will be requested by the City in landscape planters. The Contractor agrees to spread mulch, provided by the City, as directed in the areas listed in Attachment A. This labor will not be considered “extra work” unless the contractor is asked to perform this work outside of the areas outlined in Attachment A.

E. Hardscape – All hardscape features located in or adjacent to the street and parkway landscaped medians shall be kept weed free at all times. These areas include but are not limited to curb and gutter, the transition joint area between the street paving and the gutter, concrete and asphalt pavement within the island median, sidewalks (i.e. cracks and control joints), curb returns, bomanite walkways and island fingers. All pedestrian walkways must be kept clean at all times of debris, clippings, soil mudflows, etc.

26. Standards for Completed Weed Abatement Work
A. Abatement Quality – All abatement work shall be completed so that all weeds, grass, vegetation and litter which could be expected to burn or are noxious and dangerous to public safety are completely removed so there is insufficient fuel to sustain or allow the spread of fire or the continuance of a public hazard.

B. Complete Abatement – Where complete abatement is required, as much as possible of the entire parcel shall be abated in accordance with the above quality standard.

C. Litter Removal – Means and includes cleaning, cleaning and /or taking and properly hauling to an approved dump site, all loose and removable material generally defined as litter in excess of 1 cubic yard, including, but not limited to furniture, appliances, vehicle parts and batteries, wood, cement, etc. Litter removal work shall be measured and paid for at the cubic yard price.

D. Hand-cleaning of Lots – Means hand cutting and removal of weeds or other vegetation along curbs, fence lines, steep embankments including incidental litter under one cubic yard.

Hand-cleaning work shall be measured and paid for at the square foot price.

E. Mowing – Means and includes mowing weeds and other vegetation to an approximate height of one (1) inch, as terrain allows or as otherwise directed by the Inspector, and hauling the mowed weeds/vegetation, including incidental litter matter under one cubic yard, to an approved dump site. Mowing work shall be measured and paid for at the square foot bid price.

The litter removal under this contract will generally be for smaller amounts of litter that can be loaded onto a truck.

Progress payment to the Contractor for ordered hand work shall be: 100% of the verified cost of the job billed, after passing inspection made by the Inspector, payable within a reasonable time following inspection but not more often than once a month.

NOTICE OF

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
FOR
LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE SERVICES;

COMMON GREENS
FOR

THE CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO

Issued By:

Joshua Richardson, Parks Manager
South San Francisco Corporation Yard,
550 North Canal Street,
South San Francisco, CA 94080

INTRODUCTION
The City of South San Francisco (“City”) is soliciting proposals from qualified Firms/Contractors (“Contractor”) to provide specialized landscaping maintenance services throughout the City. The requested services contemplated under this Request for Proposals (“RFP”) consist of providing landscaping services, including but not limited to providing qualified horticultural supervision, furnishing all labor, materials, equipment and transportation required to properly maintain and enhance the City’s specified landscaped properties in an attractive condition, and providing other work as detailed in the Scope of Work identified below (“Project”). The proposals submitted in response to this RFP will be used as the basis for selecting a Contractor to complete the Scope of Work. The proposals will be evaluated and ranked according to the criteria provided in Section VII “Evaluation of Proposals” in this RFP.

I. BACKGROUND
The City contracts out for certain specialized landscape maintenance services throughout the City.

These specialized contracted services are necessary to keep up with the extensive and varied landscape maintenance responsibilities of the City in order to maintain safety and aesthetic objectives. Over the years, the City’s landscaping maintenance requirements have changed and the City is seeking proposals for specialized landscaping services for specified locations and service levels. These specified locations include medians, parks, and green spots.

II. OBJECTIVES
The City’s objectives for this Project include the following:
• The ideal Contractor would provide high-quality landscape maintenance services for certain areas within the City. These areas include greenways, “park-like” areas surrounding and between HOA homes in the Westpark 1, 2, and 3 areas, Greenview Commons, Willow Gardens, and Stonegate areas. These areas are broadly referenced as the “Common Greens” and includes various medians, islands, and rights-of-way located therein.”. Additionally, there are four park-like locations defined in Attachment A; bid items six (6) through nine (9), for which the City desires the Contractor to provide services. The ideal Contractor would also work in collaboration with the City to identify areas where reduction of maintenance, energy and water can result in an overall cost savings for the City. • The ideal Contractor would work in collaboration with the City to implement these identified strategies within the Service Areas. Implementation of such strategies which fall outside of the identified Scope of Work would be negotiated as Additional Services to the Contract.

III. SCOPE OF WORK

1. General
The work to be done includes furnishing all labor, material and tools necessary to maintain all ornamental planting, including, but not limited to lawns, groundcovers and shrubs (trees are excluded); safety zones, drainage facilities, weed control on medians and median hardscapes, poles, posts, wire, irrigation sprinkler heads, lateral lines up to the valves (not including valves or water mains downstream of the water meter), public walkways, , all of which exists in the forementioned landscape facilities, including the cost of necessary repairs, replacements, care, supervision, and any and all other items necessary for the proper maintenance and operation thereof. The work does not include repairs and maintenance of lighting systems, gates, benches, railings, homeowner fences (except clearing plant material from fences), walls, sidewalks and curb and gutter (except weed control).

All work shall, at all times, comply with the applicable laws and requirements of all State, Federal, local government, as well as any applicable rules and regulations of governing utility districts and agencies. The Contractor shall comply with all insurance requirements of the City of South San Francisco, included in the Landscaping Services Agreement, included as Attachment C.

2. Detailed Scope of Work
Project Scope of Work: Provide landscape maintenance services for various medians, islands, and HOA landscapes within the City, according to the Service Areas and Litter Pickup Frequency Schedule (Attachment A) and the Standard of Services (Attachment B). The period for this Project shall be for a twenty-four (24) month period starting July 1, 2026, and terminating June 30, 2028, (“Initial Term”). At the end of the Initial Term, and if agreed to by all parties, the City may extend the end date of this Agreement an additional three (3) times for an additional one (1) year period each.

Examination of Standard of Services, Service Areas, and Site Work: The Proposer shall examine carefully the site of the work contemplated and the proposal, specifications and contract form therefore. It will be assumed that the Proposer has investigated and is satisfied as to the conditions to be encountered as to the character, quality and quantities of work to be performed and materials to be furnished, and as to the requirements of these specifications.

The Proposer shall accept the site as he/she finds it, and if awarded the contract, proceed with the work stated under the contract and identified in this RFP.

IV. QUESTIONS
Interested Proposers are encouraged to promptly notify the City in writing of any questions, apparent major inconsistencies, problems, ambiguities in the Scope of Work or this RFP. Any

questions and requests for clarification/additional information shall be submitted via the online bid portal on OpenGov.com.

V. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
The following conditions must be met in order for the City to accept the proposal as responsive:
• All Proposers shall be properly licensed by the State of California to perform the specific work designated. Sub-contractors (if used) shall be properly licensed to perform their craft or work and included in the proposal. Future use of sub-contractors not stated in the proposal must be approved by the City.
• Where applicable, prevailing wages must be paid for each type of applicable work craft performed; and certified payrolls shall be made available upon request as required by Labor Code Section 1776.

The proposals shall also include the information listed below:

1. Introductory Letter
The introductory (or transmittal) letter shall be addressed to:

Joshua Richardson, Parks Manager
South San Francisco Corporation Yard
550 North Canal Street
South San Francisco, CA 94080
The letter shall include the Contractor’s (and any Sub-contractor) names, contact name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address. The letter shall address the understanding of the services being requested and any other pertinent information the proposer believes should be included.

The letter shall be signed by the individual authorized to bind the Contractor to the proposal. The letter shall also include a statement identifying that the proposal shall be firm for ninety (90) calendar days from the date of proposal submittal to permit staff evaluation and Council award.

Upon award, price quoted will be in effect for the term of the agreement.

2. Contractor Information, Qualifications, and Experience

Contractor shall provide at least three references from recent Landscape Maintenance Service clients on the form attached here in Attachment D. In addition, Contractor shall provide information demonstrating the following:
a. A Contract Labor Summary showing the number of full-time positions and hour allocation provided by the Contractor to perform services for the areas. b. An identification of Sub-contractors stating the Contractor’s proposed percentages and scope of work for each sub-contractor who will contribute toward completion of the contract Scope of Services.

3. Organization and Approach
a. Describe the roles and organization of your proposed team for this project. Indicate the composition and number of project staff, facilities available and experience of your team as it relates to this Project.
b. Describe your project and management approach. Provide a detailed description of how the team and scope of work will be managed. Describe how you will address energy efficiencies, your ability to model and verify energy savings, specifically focusing on use of electric equipment.
c. Describe the roles of key individuals on the team. Provide resumes and references for all key team members. Resumes shall show relevant experience, for the Project’s scope of work as well as the length of employment with the proposing Contractor. Key members, especially the project manager, shall have significant demonstrated experience with this type of project. d. Provide prospective schedules for mowing, edging, hedging, litter removal, and herbicide, applications, according to the frequencies stated in the Standard of Services (Attachment B).

4. Description of Work
The proposal shall include a detailed Description of Work that complies with all requirements of Attachment B: Landscape Standard of Services based on areas defined by Litter Pickup Frequency Schedule (attached hereto and incorporated herein as Attachment A).

5. Exhibit A Proposal Sheet
Contract price paid as listed in Exhibit A shall include labor, materials, and equipment, meeting all the requirements in this RFP and all incidental work. Specifically, payments shall include, but are not limited to, the following:
a. Labor to maintain Litter Pickup Frequencies as outlined in Service Areas and Litter Pickup Frequency Schedule (Attachment A); and
b. Labor to maintain all Service Areas to the Standards outlined in the Standard of Services (Attachment B); and
c. Equipment as required to maintain all Service Areas; and d. Materials to be included per the Standard of Services (Attachment B).

6. Contract Agreement
a. The City of South San Francisco agreement shall be used, Attachment C, attached hereto and incorporated herein, is the City’s standard agreement. Proposers interested in responding to this RFP should be prepared to enter into the agreement under its standard terms, meet its standard requirements, and provide required insurance; and b. Contractor shall submit with proposal a specific list of any issues with the City’s Agreement, in particular the insurance requirements.

VI. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

1. Evaluation Criteria
The services contract may or may not be awarded to the lowest responsible Proposer. When selecting the Contractor, the skill and ability of the entity or person performing the landscaping maintenance services is a key component of the selection criteria. The City will select a contractor based on demonstrated competence and on the professional qualifications necessary for the satisfactory performance of the landscaping maintenance services required. Cost will be only one factor in determining the selection.

Evaluation of the proposals will be based upon all of the following factors:
a. Cost of providing the entire scope of work.
b. Ability to demonstrate completion of a satisfactory schedule complete the project based off scope of services in Attachment A and B.
c. Contractor’s demonstrated experience, reliability and qualifications in completing projects of a similar type.
d. Demonstration of knowledge pertaining to current trends, laws, and maintenance techniques to promote sustainable landscapes.
e. Size of labor force allocated to this project.

The above criteria should be addressed by the Proposer in its response to this RFP.

2. Evaluation Process
Representatives from the City will review and evaluate the proposals. All proposals will be evaluated based on the following scoring system:

Evaluation Criteria
Maximum
Points Available
a. Cost of providing the entire scope of work. 15

b. Ability to demonstrate completion of a satisfactory schedule complete the project based off scope of services in Attachment A and B. .
20 c. Contractor’s demonstrated experience, reliability and qualifications in completing projects of a similar type. 20
d. Demonstration of knowledge pertaining to current trends, laws, and maintenance techniques to promote sustainable landscapes. 20 e. Size of labor force allocated to this project. 25
f. Total Maximum Points Available 100
Once the evaluations of proposals are completed, the City, at its sole discretion, may choose to conduct interviews with any number of the highest ranked proposers. The City reserves the right to select a proposal without conducting interviews. Proposers may be asked to submit additional documentation at or after the interview stage. If the City chooses to conduct interviews, the review panel members will score the interviews based on the previously listed evaluation criteria chart above.

If a final Contractor is identified, it will be to the most qualified respondent with whom City is able to successfully negotiate the compensation and terms and conditions of any and all agreements. If the City is unable to negotiate a satisfactory agreement, with terms and conditions the City determines, in its sole judgment, to be fair and reasonable, the City may then commence negotiations with the next most qualified candidate in sequence, until an agreement is reached or determination is made to reject all submittals.

Once a determination is made based on the evaluation of proposals, references, and interviews (if conducted), staff will make a recommendation to the City Council, who will award the project. Please note that final selection of the Contractor, the terms and conditions of any and all agreements, and authority to proceed with these services, and final award of the services contract shall all be at the sole discretion of the City Council.

VII. CONDITIONS OF PROPOSAL ACCEPTANCE
This RFP is not an offer by the City to contract with a proposer and does not commit the City to award a contract, to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of a proposal for this RFP, or to procure or contract for any services. The City reserves the right to cancel, extend or revise, in part or in its entirety, this RFP including but not limited to: selection schedule, submittal date, and submittal requirements. The City reserves the right to waive any minor irregularities or informalities contained within this RFP, negotiate with any qualified source or to cancel the RFP in part or whole; and/or reject any or all proposals received as a result of this request. If the City cancels, extends or revises this RFP, all RFP holders of record will be notified in writing via the OpenGov project portal. The City reserves the right to request additional information and/or clarifications from any or all responders to this RFP. All proposals and material submitted will become the property of the City of South San Francisco and public record. None of the submitted materials will be deemed confidential or proprietary.

The City of South San Francisco reserves the right to award in whole or in part, by item or group of items, by section or geographic area, when such action serves the best interest of the City. The City and Contractor may agree to add additional areas to the contract by mutual agreement at a later date. The City may elect to stop work at any time in the contract and will pay for work completed to that point on a time and material basis.

VIII. CITY REQUIREMENTS
The Contractor that is selected for this work will be required to maintain insurance, including worker’s compensation insurance, public liability insurance in the amount of $1,000,000 with City required endorsements, and professional liability insurance. See Attachment C for the standard insurance and indemnification clauses from the City’s agreement.

IX. APPLICABLE STANDARDS
All services required hereunder shall be performed in accordance with guidelines, regulations, policies, procedures, manuals, and standards of the State of California, City of South San Francisco, and the standards outlined in the Standard of Services (Attachment B).

X. ATTACHMENTS
The following attachments are incorporated herein and made a part of this RFP:

Attachment A – Service Areas and Litter Pickup Frequency Schedule Attachment B – Standard of Services
Attachment C – City of South San Francisco Landscaping Services Agreement Attachment D – References, Contract Labor Summary, and Identification of Subcontractor

ATTACHMENT A

SERVICE AREAS AND LITTER PICKUP FREQUENCIES
Perform the scope of work for LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE SERVICES in place, and in accordance with the Service Areas and Litter Pickup Frequencies below, and with the Standard of Services (Attachment B). See key below for notes. In the event of a conflict in or inconsistency between the terms of this Attachment and the Standard of Services (Attachment B), the Standard of Services shall prevail.

BID
ITE
M

DESCRIPTION FROM TO
LITTER
PICKUP

SERVICE
FREQ.

IRRIG.

TYPE
NOT

ES MONTHLY RATE ANNUAL COST
1 West Park 1 & 2 Common Greens 52 A $9887.01 $118,644.12 2 Greenview
Commons Common Greens 52 A $1,742.55 $20,910.60
3 West Park 3 Common Greens 52 A $14,639.61 $175,675.32 4 Willow Gardens Common Greens 52 A $1,745.88 $20,950.56 5 Stonegate Common Greens 52 A $1,745.88 $20,950.56
TOTAL BASE BID PRICE: $29,760.93 $357,131.16
Key to Service Area Notes:

Service Frequency: Minimum frequency of litter removal. 4 Quarterly Service (4 times per year)
12 Monthly Service (12 times per year)
26 Bi-weekly Service (26 times per year)
52 Weekly Service (52 times per year)
Irrigation Type: Type of control system.

A Automatic.

Irrigation schedule shall be coordinated with the City.

M Manual.

Contractor shall be responsible for turning system on and off as required for proper irrigation.

N No irrigation system.

City will provide water wagon service as requested by contractor. ([KLELW%
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL:

Landscape Maintenance Services
Right-of-Way
The City of South San Francisco
Thursday, May 28, 2026
Exhibit A.1
05/28/2026
Joshua Richardson, Parks Manager
South San Francisco Corporation Yard
550 North Canal Street
South San Francisco, CA 94080
RE: RFP for Landscape Maintenance Services – Right-of-Ways Dear Mr. Richardson and City of South San Francisco:

Thank you for the opportunity to submit our proposal for Landscape Maintenance Services – Right-ofWays for the City of South San Francisco. Gothic Landscape Maintenance Division is pleased to provide specialized landscape maintenance services for the City’s Right-of-Ways areas, including medians, islands, rights-of-way, and HOA landscape areas identified within the RFP.

Gothic Landscape Maintenance Division
160 Demeter Ave
East Palo Alto, CA 94303
Primary Contact:

Sincerely,
Ryan Ferrara
Strategic Growth Manager
Gothic Landscape Maintenance Division

Name: Gothic Landscape
Address: 2520 Pulgas Ave. East Palo Alto Phone Number: 661-678-1400 Website: www.gothiclandscape.com CA Contractors License-C27-873902 Federal Tax ID- 56-239932 A Team of Experts Committed to You
2500+
Employees
95%
Client Retention
18 yrs
Avg. Mgmt. Tenure

9.63/10
Client Satisfaction
Herticultural Services Water Management Sustainable Programs Arbor Care Environmental Restoration Construction & Install Design & Life cycle Management

5.2 million sq ft
$834k+
Gateway of
Pacific
BioMed
Monique Adley
Director, Operations
[email protected]
Commercial Class A

2.2 million sq ft
$300K+
CSUMB
Campus
Tammy Marquez
Facilities Management
[email protected]
Campus
Institutional/Various
Locations

61.1 million sq ft
$430k+
Labor Force Allocation and Service Delivery Plan
Gothic Landscape has developed a dedicated staffing and service delivery program specifically for the City of South San Francisco's Right-of-Way Landscape Maintenance Services contract. Our proposed workforce allocation is designed to meet or exceed all maintenance frequencies, quality standards, irrigation requirements, litter removal schedules, weed abatement requirements, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) obligations identified in Attachment A and Attachment B.

To provide consistent service across all medians, islands, parkways, and right-of-way landscape areas, Gothic Landscape will assign a dedicated team consisting of:

This labor allocation provides sufficient staffing capacity to perform all routine landscape maintenance activities while maintaining flexibility to address seasonal growth patterns, irrigation needs, weed abatement activities, emergency response requirements, and quality control inspections.

Service Delivery Approach
The assigned maintenance crews will perform all landscape maintenance activities in accordance with the frequencies and standards established in Attachment B. Services include mowing, edging, litter removal, shrub and groundcover maintenance, irrigation inspections, weed control, hardscape weed management, debris removal, and right-of-way weed abatement.

Service Requirement Frequency Gothic Landscape Delivery Method Turf Mowing Weekly during active growing
season and as needed
thereafter
Scheduled route-based mowing program utilizing
commercial mowing equipment
Turf Edging &
Trimming
Concurrent with each mowing
cycle
Mechanical edging and detailed trimming around
hardscape, utilities, and landscape features
Litter & Debris
Removal
Per Attachment A frequencies Dedicated route inspections and cleanup of trash, debris, leaves, and landscape waste
Irrigation Inspection Weekly Certified Irrigation Technician inspections, sprinkler adjustments, repairs, and water
management monitoring
Shrub & Groundcover
Maintenance
As needed Horticultural pruning, clearance maintenance, sight-line management, and debris removal
Weed Control Ongoing Mechanical and chemical control utilizing Citycompliant IPM practices Herbicide
Applications
Minimum twice annually and as
required
Performed by a Qualified Applicator Certificate
(QAC) holder in accordance with City standards
Right-of-Way Weed
Abatement
Minimum three times annually
and as directed
Mechanical weed abatement utilizing approved
equipment and traffic control procedures
Irrigation and Water Management
Gothic Landscape recognizes the City's emphasis on water conservation and irrigation stewardship. Our Certified Irrigation Technician will conduct weekly inspections of irrigation systems to identify broken heads, coverage deficiencies, leaks, and operational issues. Minor irrigation repairs, nozzle replacements, riser adjustments, and sprinkler head maintenance will be performed as part of routine maintenance services. Irrigation deficiencies, vandalism, or larger system failures will be documented and reported promptly to the Parks Manager in accordance with contract requirements.

Integrated Pest Management and Sustainability
Gothic Landscape will implement a comprehensive Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program that emphasizes cultural, mechanical, biological, and reduced-risk chemical controls. All pesticide and herbicide applications will be performed by properly licensed personnel. Monthly chemical use reports, SDS documentation, and application records will be provided in accordance with City requirements.

To support the City's sustainability goals, Gothic Landscape utilizes battery-powered landscape equipment where operationally feasible to reduce fuel consumption, noise, and emissions while maintaining productivity and service quality.

Quality Assurance and Contract Oversight
The First Line Supervisor will conduct regular field inspections to verify compliance with all service frequencies and performance standards. In addition, Gothic Landscape's management team will perform periodic quality assurance audits to ensure all work meets contract specifications and City expectations.

Detailed work schedules, inspection reports, irrigation records, and maintenance documentation will be maintained throughout the contract term to ensure accountability and responsiveness. Any deficiencies identified by City staff will be corrected immediately and within the contract-required response timeframe.

Supplemental Resources
In addition to the dedicated maintenance team, Gothic Landscape provides access to specialized support divisions including Water Management, Arbor Care, Safety, Quality Control, Fleet Services, Construction, and Seasonal Enhancement Teams. These resources can be deployed as needed to support seasonal workload demands, emergency response situations, large-scale weed abatement efforts, irrigation audits, and landscape enhancement projects without impacting routine maintenance operations.

Through dedicated staffing, proactive supervision, rigorous quality control, sustainable maintenance practices, and the support of specialized service divisions, Gothic Landscape is confident that our proposed labor allocation and service delivery plan will consistently meet or exceed the City of South San Francisco's Right-of-Way Landscape Maintenance Service requirements.

CONTRACT LABOR SUMMARY
Pursuant to the specifications, the following Labor Summary must be completed for the Contract Areas, showing the number of full-time positions provided by the Proposer to perform services for the areas. Additionally, the City will evaluate the proposals to ensure that a satisfactory number of positions have been provided for by the Proposer to achieve a high level of landscape maintenance in these areas. This Labor Summary and the selection criteria for award of contract will be used by the City to select the most responsible Proposer.

Proposer’s Proposed Manpower
Number of
Personnel
Hours
Per Week

1. First Line Supervisor of Landscaping Workers 1 40

2. Landscape and Groundskeeping Workers 5 200

3. Irrigation Technician 1 24

4. Pesticide Applicator 1 16
Total full-time positions proposed: 8 280

IDENTIFICATION OF SUBCONTRACTORS
Not less than fifty percent (50%) of the contract work shall be done by the prime contractor.

Portion of Work
Subcontractor
Name & License
Number
Location and Place of
Business % of Work
Pest Control
(Supplemental)
Smith's Pest
Management
License # 8261
San Jose, CA 2%

Marlene will provide project direction and support the landscape operations through her maintenance team & support service teams who consist of the following key service personnel:

Gothic was awarded a Bronze Medal based on how we operate as a business—measuring real performance, not stated intent.

To our knowledge, Gothic is the only landscape maintenance firm in North America to achieve this level of independent sustainability recognition.

This distinction reflects a level of accountability and operational alignment that goes beyond the landscape—directly supporting SSF’s expectations for measurable, ESG-driven performance.

Industry Certifications
 ReScape Landscape Maintenance Professional
 ReScape Landscape Designer
 ReScape Qualified Professional (RQP) - Landscape
Maintenance
 ReScape - Compost and Mulch Best Practices
 Certified Landscape Manager – Exterior
 ISA Certified Arborist
 ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified
 Accredited Green Roof Professional (GRP), Green Roofs for Healthy Cities  ReScape Qualified Professional – Landscape Maintenance  Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) Certification  California Native Plant Certified Landscaper
 ReScape Green Stormwater Infrastructure Bioretention Maintenance  Sustainable Horticulture Certification
 Sustainable Landscape Design
 LEED Certified
 Qualified Applicators License (QAL)
 Qualified Applicators Certification (QAC)
Water Management Certifications
 Certified Irrigation Contractor (CIC)
 Certified Irrigation Technician (CIT)
 Certified Irrigation Designer (CID)
 Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor (CLIA)
 EPA WaterSense Partner
 Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) Certification  Certified Backflow Assembly General Tester
 Certified Cross-Connection Control Specialist
 Certified Water Conservation Manager – Landscape
 Certified Agriculture Irrigation Specialists
Approach/Mindset
JJ Hubert
Market Manager
Jovana Grujic
Account Manager
Quarterly Service Strike
Team
Strike Team Foreman
Strike Team Gardener #1
Gothic Landscape
Account Manager
Production Specialist
Ground Maintenance
Crew Leader
Grounds Maintenance
Team
Irrigation/Water
Management Team
Irrigation Technician(s)
Support Services
• Administrative
• AR/AP
• Procurement
• Fleet
• Safety
• Construction
• Large Tree Care
Approach
• Transparency/ collaboration
• Flexibility/ Adaptability
• Specialty Teams/ Cross Divisions
Outcomes
• Landscape Performance/ Sustainability
• Landscape Resiliency & longevity
• Asset Preservation & Risk Mitigation
• Achieve a balanced program-E.A.EEconomic, Aesthetic & Ecological Key Staff
Name & Title Summary Qualifications
Nada Duna
Chief Operating
Officer
Nada brings over 35 years of industry
experience with a strong foundation in
horticulture, pest control, and environmental
sustainability. She leads with deep technical
knowledge and a strategic focus on operational
excellence.
• Master of Science, Pathology & Entomology
• Bachelor of Science, Horticulture, American University of Beirut • Certificate in Ornamental Horticulture, Cal Poly SLO
• Pest Control Advisor since 1989 • Member of USGBC & Joint Venture Silicon Valley Water Conservation
• 35+ years of industry experience
Marlene
Barneveld
Regional
Manager, NorCal
Marlene is a seasoned landscape professional
with more than 30 years in the industry,
specializing in sustainable landscaping and
horticultural management across Northern
California.
• Bachelor of Science, Horticulture, Massey University, New Zealand • ReScape Landscape Maintenance Professional
• ReScape Landscape Designer
• Certificate in Sustainable Landscaping, Sonoma State University • Qualified Applicator License, CA Dept. of Pesticide Regulation • 30+ years of industry experience
JJ Hubert
Market Manager
JJ combines strong academic grounding in plant
sciences with practical expertise in water
management and landscape operations for
large-scale commercial portfolios.
• Bachelor of Science, Agriculture & Environmental Plant Sciences, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo • Certified Reclaimed Water Site Supervisor
• Member of IA & NALP
• PLANET-Certified Landscape Manager – Exterior
• Qualified Applicator License, CA Dept. of Pesticide Regulation • 15+ years of industry experience
Jovana Grujic
Account
Manager
Jovana combines technical expertise in plant
health and pest management with a customerfocused approach to landscape management.

Her strong educational background and
industry experience help clients maintain
healthy, sustainable, and high-performing
landscapes.
• Master of Science, Phytomedicine, University of Belgrade • Bachelor of Science, Agricultural Engineering, University of Belgrade • Qualified Applicator License, California Department of Pesticide Regulation • Landscape Maintenance Pest Control (Category B), California Department of Pesticide Regulation
• Agricultural Pest Control (Category D), California Department of Pesticide Regulation • 5+ years industry experience
Eleazar Cruz
Production
specialist
Eleazar is an experienced landscape
professional with a strong background in field
operations, equipment management, and
California native horticulture. His hands-on
expertise and commitment to safety help
ensure the successful delivery of high-quality
landscape services.
• 10 Years of Landscape experience
• Certified CPR
• Certified landscape equipment operator
• Strong CA native horticulture background
Victor Cruz
Water Manager,
NorCal
Victor brings a strong blend of technical
education and field experience, focusing on
irrigation efficiency, water management, and
construction technology.
• Bachelor of Science, Information Technology, University of Phoenix • Associate of Science, Construction Management & Technology, San Jose City College • Certified Irrigation Technician • Certified Irrigation Auditor • Certified Irrigation Contractor • Irrigation Association Member • WaterSense Partner, EPA
• 25+ years of industry experience
Tony Fargnoli
Regional
Construction
Manager
Tony is an accomplished construction manager
and arborist with three decades of leadership
in landscape construction, design, and
sustainability practices.
• Bachelor of Science, Ornamental Horticulture, The Ohio State University • ReScape Certified Landscape Designer
• WaterSense Certified – Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper • ISA Certified Arborist
• 30+ years of industry experience
Ronny Avevalo
Safety Directo
Ronny is a seasoned safety leader with more
than 25 years of experience in occupational
safety, risk management, and workers’
compensation administration. His leadership
focuses on regional safety oversight, claims
management, regulatory compliance, and
employee well-being.
• U.S. Navy Veteran
• 25+ years of safety industry experience
• Safety professional since 1998
• Joined Gothic Landscape in 2006
• Completed numerous OSHA certification programs
• California Workers Compensation Claims Administrator Program • Currently pursuing California Workers Compensation Claims Professional designation • Oversees regional safety teams and company-wide safety initiatives Contract Agreement
If Gothic Landscape is selected and award the landscape contract, we will execute agreement (attachment E) with no changes or addendums. We agree to comply with all terms, scopes and insurance and bonding requirements necessary to execute this agreement between Gothic Ground Management Inc. and the City of South San Francisco.

SP-1

ATTACHMENT B STANDARD OF SERVICES

CONTENTS
Landscape and Right of Way Maintenance
Landscape Maintenance Services for Streets, Parkways, Landscape Maintenance Services for Streets, and Parkways, with the City of South San Francisco under terms and conditions of the RFP for Landscape Maintenance Services, dated May 15, 2026. In the event of a conflict in, or inconsistency between, the terms of this Attachment and the Service Areas and Litter Pickup Frequencies (Attachment A), the Standard of Services shall prevail.

Table of Contents

1. Location

2. Scope of Work

3. Proposal Questions

4. Safety Program

5. Traffic Control

6. Quality of Work

7. Scope of Responsibility
a. Plants
b. Emergency Number
c. Clean-up
d. Vehicles
e. Cost Disclosure for Extra Work

8. Irrigation Systems
a. General
b. Water Requirements
c. Environmental and Land Use Stewardship Responsibilities

9. Nutrient Care Standards

10. Turf Care Standards
a. Mowing
b. Edging
c. Blowing, Vacuuming or Sweeping
d. Raking
e. Tree Wells
f. Pest Control in Turf Areas

11. Shrubs and Ground Cover Standards
a. Shrubs
b. Ground Covers

12. Right-of-Way Weed Abatement
a. Weed Abatement
b. Herbicide Application

13. Integrated Pest Management Program

14. Prosecution and Progress

15. Damage or Loss of Contractor’s Supplies or Employer’s Property SP-2

16. Property Damage

17. Definition of Terms
a. City
b. Director
c. Inspector
d. Parks Manager
e. Bidder
f. Contract
g. Contractor

18. Control of Work
a. Authority of the Director
b. Coordination of Plans, Specifications & Standard of Services c. Superintendence

20. Extra Work and Altered Quantities
a. Extra Work
b. Force Account Work
c. Alterations

21. Fair Employment Provisions

22. Employment of Apprentices

23. Inspections and Defaults
a. Inspection

24. Replacement and Extra Work
a. Replacement Cost to be Assumed by the Contractor

25. Miscellaneous Items
a. Concrete-Line Ditches
b. Fences
c. Gutters
SP-3
d. Landscape Mulching
e. Hardscape

26. Standards for Completed Weed Abatement Work
a. Abatement Quality
b. Complete Abatement
c. Litter Removal
d. Hand-cleaning of Lots
e. Mowing

CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO

LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR

STREETS, PARKWAYS, AND RIGHT OF WAYS

1. Location
The locations of all the street and parkway median landscapes and all Common Greens landscapes to be maintained are listed in Attachment A, Service Areas and Litter Pickup Frequencies.

3. Proposal Questions
Questions regarding the RFP must be submitted by 12:00PM on May 29, 2026 and submitted via the OpenGov portal.

Contractor’s employees performing work under this Contract shall be clearly identified as employees of the Contractor by uniform.

B. Water Requirements – The Contractor shall be responsible for controlling the timing and scheduling of the irrigation controller. The Contractor shall have full responsibility to report to the city and ensure watering requirements are met within each landscape facility. Before beginning the maintenance program, the Contractor shall inspect all systems and report damage or incorrect operation to the City inspector. Damage (other than heads and risers) not resulting from the contractor’s negligence shall be reported promptly to the owner’s representative together with an estimate of costs for correction of the condition. City may, at its option, either authorize the contractor to make repairs at the agreed upon cost or make the repairs ”in-house”. Contractor’s forces shall be capable of performing repairs, installations and modifications of existing irrigation systems to adequately irrigate all types of landscaped areas. Any repairs, installations and/or modifications done to the irrigation system will be tested upon completion to ensure proper irrigation operations. The Contractor shall ensure that:
(1) Sprinkler heads are in good operational order, filters are cleaned or replaced during yearly audit, and nozzles are replaced when worn or inadequate coverage occurs. Any minor changes such as riser extensions (vertically or horizontally) sprinkler head components, and filter replacements will be considered as included in the contract price and no additional compensation shall be allowed therefore. Any replacements shall match existing equipment in GPM precipitation rate, pattern, and mechanical action.
(2) Main irrigation lines do not demonstrate leakage when all control valves are in the closed position. Main line repairs shall be performed by the City. (3) Automatic controllers and electrical conductors are kept operational year round with maintenance and repairs made by the City.
(4) Any vandalism which occurs to the irrigation system shall immediately be reported to the Parks Manager to obtain approval to proceed with repairs. If approved by the Parks Manager, these repairs constitute extra work, which shall be completed within 7 working days. Failure to make repair within 7 workings days shall be reported to the Parks Manager and unusual problems reviewed at that time. Failure to report will convert the damaged irrigation to the fault of the Contractor. (5) Seasonal programming of controllers shall be performed by the City according to the watering rates and the clock settings for irrigation scheduling approved by the Parks Manager or their designee for each street and parkway landscape facility. All controller stations shall be labeled by in a legible manner inside each controller box.

9. Nutrient Care Standards
Fertilization shall be the responsibility of the City and the Contractor shall work with the City to identify areas of need.

Routine maintenance and service shall include, as a minimum:

A. Shrubs
(1) Maintain a 24” wide space, unobstructed by vegetation, between existing shrubs and fences. Hold all shrubbery back from this line by pruning. Use University of California and I.S.A. (International Society of Arboriculture) standards for proper pruning cuts.
(2) All pruning and trimming cuts must be made clean and at or just behind last shoulder rings. Any ragged shearing which results in any broken, stripped, pointed stubs or ragged bark edges is not acceptable and must be reworked. This type of pruning will result in a withheld payment until the work has been properly performed and the shrubs recovered.
(3) Prune out any growth of suckering or water sprouting which abnormally protrudes from the shrub base or foliar canopy.
(4) Trim foliage and branching along sidewalks, streets, retaining walls and houses to maintain a one-foot clearance.
(5) Remove all trimmings from the job site the same day. (6) Growth regulators may be used only if approved by the Parks Manager or his/her agent. Damage to shrubs caused by chemical misapplication may serve as a justification for replacement if the plant suffers from a 50% loss of foliage. (7) At no time shall shrubs be pruned or sheared back to hard wood, where the foliage is completely removed on one or all sides, leaving an unsightly thicket of bare branches.

12. Right-of-Way Weed Abatement Standard
A. Weed Abatement
(1) Weed abatement shall occur at a minimum of three (3) times per year, unless noted differently in Attachment A – Service Areas and Litter Pickup Frequencies, or as needed when deemed necessary by the Parks Manager or an appointed Parks Department representative.
(2) Weed abatement work shall be performed by string trimmers, flail mowers, or other similar mechanical devices as well as appropriate hand tools such as gardening hoes, McLeods, weed wrenches, loppers, and similar hand held tools. (3) Vegetation shall be cut as close to the ground as possible and if not able to achieve ground-level, remaining vegetation shall be left no higher than 3”. (4) Landscaping vegetation shall not be damaged by mechanical means. These desirable plants shall have weeds growing underneath/within them, removed by hand. Tree trunks shall not be damaged by string trimmers or other mechanical means. Any damage that occurs from mechanical means, and causes a plant to decline, die, or compromises the future of the plant, shall be replaced at the contractor’s expense. (5) All cut vegetation shall be blown or otherwise removed from paved roadways, sidewalks, bike lanes, or similar paths of travel. Vegetation shall also be blown or removed within 3’ from the edge of roadways to prevent wind from blowing debris into the road way.
(6) Work shall be performed in a responsible manner with awareness to vehicle proximity and operating mechanical equipment at appropriate speeds to avoid vehicle damage (IE: throwing rocks with string trimmers or mowers) Any damages caused by such negligence will be at the expense of the contractor and the City will hold no responsibility for repairs or reimbursement.
(7) When performing this work appropriate traffic control shall be used; dictated by speeds travelled on the roads where the work is being performed. The traffic control methods shall be executed in accordance with “Part VI Standards and Guides for Traffic Controls for Street and Highway Construction, Maintenance, Utility, and Incident Management Operations.”
B. Herbicide Application
(1) When selective or non-selective herbicides are used the label shall prevail in determining chemical rates and application methods to be used. At no time shall any chemical be applied when winds are in excess of 10 mph or are deemed to be strong enough to cause potential drift onto non-target sites.
(2) Applications shall be made twice (2) a year and shall follow mechanical weed abatement efforts once new young leaves have sprouted and are susceptible to foliar application. Ideally, applications of post-emergent and pre-emergent shall be made before the first rains of the season and within two weeks of the last rain of spring, as weather permits. This application frequency will reduce regrowth and seed germination and reduce future maintenance activities.
(3) All herbicide applications shall be made by an applicator that holds a current Qualified Applicator Certificate (QAC).
(4) All herbicide applications shall avoid drift and overspray onto desirable landscape plants. Any “non-target” plants that show or die from chemical damage shall be replaced at the expense of the Contractor.

Familiarity and adherence with the City of South San Francisco’s IPM plan is required.

C. The Contractor shall use Re-scape CA methods, guidelines, and techniques when performing IPM.

14. Prosecution and Progress
Progress of the Work and Time for Completion – The Contractor shall begin work on July 1, 2026.

15. Damage or Loss of Contractor’s Supplies or Employer’s Property The City does not assume liability from fire, theft, accident or any other cause resulting in damage or loss of contractor’s supplies; materials or equipment, or of personal property or belongings of their employees.

17. Definition of Terms
A. City – The City of South San Francisco, State of California, acting through the City Council, or other duly authorized agents.

C. Inspector – The Parks Manager or his/her appointed representative, of the City of South San Francisco, limited by the particular duties entrusted to him or them.

D. Parks Manager – The Parks Manager or his/her appointed representative, of the City of South San Francisco, acting directly or through properly authorized agents.

E. Bidder – Any individual, firm or corporation submitting a proposal for the work contemplated, acting directly or through properly authorized agents.

G. Contractor – The person or persons, firm, co-partnership, or corporation who have entered into the contract with the City, or his, their or its duly authorized representative.

18. Control of Work
A. Authority of the Director – The Director shall decide any and all questions which may arise as to the quality or acceptability of materials furnished and work performed, and as to the manner of performance and rate of progress of the work; all questions which may arise as to the interpretation of the plans and specifications; all questions as to the acceptable fulfillment of the contract on the part of the Contractor; and all questions as to compensation. His/Her decision shall be final and he/she shall have authority to enforce and make effective such decision and orders as the Contractor fails to carry out promptly.

C. Superintendence – Whenever the Contractor is not present on any part of the work where it may be desired to give direction, orders will be given by the Director, which shall be received and obeyed by the Parks Manager or foremen in charge of the particular work in reference to which the orders are given.
(1) Inspection – The Director shall at all times have access to the work and shall be furnished with every reasonable facility for ascertaining full knowledge respecting the progress, workmanship, and character of materials used and employed in the work.
(2) Whenever the Contractor varies the period during which work is carried on each day, he shall give due notice to the Director so that proper inspection may be provided. (3) The inspection of the work shall not relieve the Contractor of any of his obligations to fulfill the contract as prescribed. Defective work shall be made good, and unsuitable materials may be rejected, notwithstanding the fact that such defective work and unsuitable materials have been previously overlooked by the Director and accepted or estimated for payment.
(4) Removal of Defective and Unauthorized Work – All work which has been rejected shall be remedied, or removed and replaced by the Contractor in an acceptable manner and no compensation will be allowed him for such removal or replacement.

Convenience of abutting owners along the road shall be provided for as far as practicable.

When alterations in plans or quantities of work are ordered and performed the Contractor shall accept payment in full at the contract unit price for the actual quantities of work done.

No allowance will be made in any case for loss of anticipated profits. Increased or decreased work involving supplemental agreements will be paid for as stipulated in such agreements.

The Contractor and any subcontractor under him/her shall comply with the requirements of Section 1777.5 and 1777.6 in the employment of apprentices.

25. Miscellaneous Items
General. Routine maintenance items which are not considered extra work include, but are not limited to the following:

A. Concrete-Line Ditches – All concrete-lined ditches within the limits of a landscape facility shall be kept clear at all times, and the catch basins that these ditches empty into shall be thoroughly cleaned out periodically during the rainy season which is from October 15 to April 15. Edges should be checked periodically for erosion and damage to concrete structures. Catch basins more than 6 feet deep are not required to be cleaned by the Contractor. Special care will be taken by the Contractor to keep debris out of all basins while V-ditch maintenance is occurring. All debris or soils shall be exported from the site.

B. Complete Abatement – Where complete abatement is required, as much as possible of the entire parcel shall be abated in accordance with the above quality standard.

D. Hand-cleaning of Lots – Means hand cutting and removal of weeds or other vegetation along curbs, fence lines, steep embankments including incidental litter under one cubic yard.

Hand-cleaning work shall be measured and paid for at the square foot price.

The litter removal under this contract will generally be for smaller amounts of litter that can be loaded onto a truck.

NOTICE OF

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
FOR

LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE SERVICES

RIGHT-OF-WAYS
FOR

THE CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO
Issued By:

Joshua Richardson, Parks Manager
South San Francisco Corporation Yard,
550 North Canal Street,
South San Francisco, CA 94080

I. BACKGROUND
The City contracts out for certain specialized landscape maintenance services throughout the City.

II. OBJECTIVES
The City’s objectives for this Project include the following:
• The ideal Contractor would provide high-quality landscape maintenance services for certain areas within the City. These areas include, but are not limited to, medians, roadway shoulders, green spaces, park-like spaces, and easements for which the City desires theContractor to provide services. The ideal Contractor would also work in collaboration with the City to identify areas where reduction of maintenance, energy and water can result in an overall cost savings for the City.
• The ideal Contractor would work in collaboration with the City to implement these identified strategies within the Service Areas. Implementation of such strategies which fall outside of the identified Scope of Work would be negotiated as Additional Services to the Contract.

III. SCOPE OF WORK

2. Detailed Scope of Work
Project Scope of Work: Provide landscape maintenance services for various medians, islands, and right-of-way areas within the City, according to the Service Areas and Litter Pickup Frequency Schedule (Attachment A) and the Standard of Services (Attachment B). The period for this Project shall be for a twenty-four (24) month period starting July 1, 2026, and terminating June 30, 2028, (“Initial Term”). At the end of the Initial Term, and if agreed to by all parties, the City may extend the end date of this Agreement an additional three (3) times for an additional one (1) year period each.

The Proposer shall accept the site as he/she finds it, and if awarded the contract, proceed with the work stated under the contract and identified in this RFP.

IV. QUESTIONS
Interested Proposers are encouraged to promptly notify the City in writing of any questions, apparent major inconsistencies, problems, ambiguities in the Scope of Work or this RFP. Any questions and requests for clarification/additional information shall be submitted via the online bid portal on OpenGov.com.

The proposals shall also include the information listed below:

1. Introductory Letter
The introductory (or transmittal) letter shall be addressed to:

Upon award, price quoted will be in effect for the term of the agreement.

2. Contractor Information, Qualifications, and Experience Contractor shall provide at least three references from recent Landscape Maintenance Service clients on the form attached here in Attachment D. In addition, Contractor shall provide information demonstrating the following:
a. A Contract Labor Summary showing the number of full-time positions and hour allocation provided by the Contractor to perform services for the areas. b. An identification of Sub-contractors stating the Contractor’s proposed percentages and scope of work for each sub-contractor who will contribute toward completion of the contract Scope of Services.

5. Attachment A Proposal Sheet
Contract price paid as listed in AttachmentA shall include labor, materials, and equipment, meeting all the requirements in this RFP and all incidental work. Specifically, payments shall include, but are not limited to, the following:
a. Labor to maintain Litter Pickup Frequencies as outlined in Service Areas and Litter Pickup Frequency Schedule (Attachment A); and
b. Labor to maintain all Service Areas to the Standards outlined in the Standard of Services (Attachment B); and
c. Equipment as required to maintain all Service Areas; and d. Materials to be included per the Standard of Services (Attachment B).

NOTICE OF

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
FOR

LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE SERVICES

RIGHT-OF-WAYS
FOR

THE CITY OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO
Issued By:

Joshua Richardson, Parks Manager
South San Francisco Corporation Yard,
550 North Canal Street,
South San Francisco, CA 94080

I. BACKGROUND
The City contracts out for certain specialized landscape maintenance services throughout the City.

II. OBJECTIVES
The City’s objectives for this Project include the following:
• The ideal Contractor would provide high-quality landscape maintenance services for certain areas within the City. These areas include, but are not limited to, medians, roadway shoulders, green spaces, park-like spaces, and easements for which the City desires theContractor to provide services. The ideal Contractor would also work in collaboration with the City to identify areas where reduction of maintenance, energy and water can result in an overall cost savings for the City.
• The ideal Contractor would work in collaboration with the City to implement these identified strategies within the Service Areas. Implementation of such strategies which fall outside of the identified Scope of Work would be negotiated as Additional Services to the Contract.

III. SCOPE OF WORK

The Proposer shall accept the site as he/she finds it, and if awarded the contract, proceed with the work stated under the contract and identified in this RFP.

The proposals shall also include the information listed below:

1. Introductory Letter
The introductory (or transmittal) letter shall be addressed to:

Upon award, price quoted will be in effect for the term of the agreement.

VI. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

The above criteria should be addressed by the Proposer in its response to this RFP.

2. Evaluation Process
Representatives from the City will review and evaluate the proposals. All proposals will be evaluated based on the following scoring system:

Evaluation Criteria
Maximum
Points Available
a. Cost of providing the entire scope of work. 15
b. Ability to demonstrate completion of a satisfactory schedule complete the project based off scope of services in Attachment A and B. .
20 c. Contractor’s demonstrated experience, reliability and qualifications in completing projects of a similar type. 20
d. Demonstration of knowledge pertaining to current trends, laws, and maintenance techniques to promote sustainable landscapes. 20 e. Size of labor force allocated to this project. 25
f. Total Maximum Points Available 100
Once the evaluations of proposals are completed, the City, at its sole discretion, may choose to conduct interviews with a number of the highest ranked proposers. The City reserves the right to select a proposal without conducting interviews. Proposers may be asked to submit additional documentation at or after the interview stage. If the City chooses to conduct interviews, the review panel members will score the interviews based on the previously listed evaluation criteria chart above.

X. ATTACHMENTS
The following attachments are incorporated herein and made part of this RFP:

ATTACHMENT A

SERVICE AREAS AND LITTER PICKUP FREQUENCIES
Perform the scope of work for LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE SERVICES in place, and in accordance with the Service Areas and Litter Pickup Frequencies below, and with the Standard of Services (Attachment C). See key below for notes. In the event of a conflict in or inconsistency between the terms of this Attachment and the Standard of Services (Attachment B), the Standard of Services shall prevail.

BID
ITEM

DESCRIPTION FROM TO LITTER
PICKUP

SERVICE
FREQ.

IRRIG.

TYPE

NOTES MONTHLY
RATE
ANNUAL
COST
1 Callan
Boulevard
Carter Drive Westborough
Boulevard
26 M $503.75 $6,044.94
2 Capay Circle /
Lomitas Ave.

Cuesta Drive Verano Drive 26 M $503.75 $6,044.94
3 Chestnut Avenue El Camino
Real
Mission Road 26 A $143.78 $1,725.30
4 Chestnut Avenue Hillside
Boulevard
Grand
Avenue/Aldengate
Dr.
26 A A $92.66 $1,111.86
5 East Grand
Avenue
Airport
Boulevard
Gateway
Boulevard
26 A B $309.92 $3,718.98
6 El Camino Real
medians &
shoulders
Hickey
Boulevard
Noor Avenue 52 A C $2,534.70 $30,416.40
7 Gellert
Boulevard
King Drive Westborough
Boulevard
26 A $836.03 $10,032.30
8 Gellert
Boulevard
Westborough
Boulevard
Shannon Drive 26 A,M D $445.17 $5,342.04
9 Mission Road Chestnut
Avenue
Oak Avenue 26 A E $407.90 $4,894.74
10 Mitchell Avenue South
Airport
Boulevard
W/O S.P.R.R. 26 M F $124.61 $1,495.26
11 South Airport
Blvd. medians
S.P.R.R.

Underpass
Beacon Street
southern most
intersection
26 N G $105.44 $1,265.22
12 Westborough
Boulevard
Median
800' E/O
Junipero
Serra Blvd.

Olympic Drive 52 A $1,347.23 $16,166.70
13 Westborough
Boulevard
Median
Olympic
Drive
Skyline Boulevard 52 N H $915.90 $10,990.80
14 Westborough
Boulevard
Median
515’ W/O
Camaritas
Avenue
El Camino Real 52 A I $269.45 $3,233.34
15 Elm Court Tamarack
Ln.

Park Way 12 M J $124.61 $1,495.26
([KLELW%
16 Forbes
Boulevard
Medians
E. Grand
Ave.

Allerton 26 M $466.47 $5,597.64
17 East Grand Ave.

Medians
Gateway
Blvd.

Littlefield Ave. 26 A,M $288.62 $3,463.38
18 Hillside Blvd. Chestnut
Ave.

Dolores Way 12 A K $92.66 $1,111.86
19 Willow Avenue Dolores Way Estate Ct. 26 A $124.61 $1,495.26 20 Gateway
Boulevard
E. Grand
Ave.

Mitchell Ave. 26 A $429.20 $5,150.34
21 Airport Blvd.
medians,
shoulders and
hook ramps
Sister Cities
Blvd.

Brisbane City
limits
12 A,N $429.20 $5,150.34
22 Airport Blvd.
median,
sidewalks, and
tree wells
Sister Cities
Blvd.

South to S.P.R.R.
underpass
26 A $225.78 $2,709.36
23 Slopes on
Airport Blvd.
2nd Lane
(including
south side)
South Airport
Blvd.
12 N L $364.23 $4,370.76
24 Hillside
Blvd/Sister
Cities Blvd
Lincoln St. Airport Blvd 26 A M $1,749.80 $20,997.54
25 Industrial Way 101 Grand
Ave Exit
Planted area at
end of Industrial
Way
26 N N $843.48 $10,121.76
26 Hillside Blvd. N. Slope at
end of
school fence
East to backflow
control valve
12 N $227.91 $2,734.92
27 Randolph Ave
slope/valley
gutter
Highland
Ave.

Airport Blvd. 12 A,N O $250.28 $3,003.30
28 Beech St.
median
Spruce Ave. Larch Ave. 12 N P $53.25 $639.00
29 Spruce Ave.
median
Maple Ave. Park Way 12 N Q $107.57 $1,290.78
30 Hickey Blvd. El Camino
Real
Daly City limits 12 A R $92.66 $1,111.86
31 Oyster Pt. Blvd.
median
Airport Blvd. Marina Blvd. 26 A $639.00 $7,668.00
32 Jack Drago Park E. Grand
Ave.

Gateway
Boulevard
26 A S $404.70 $4,856.40
33 “Gus' Islands”
on Airport Blvd.

Grand Ave. Miller Ave. 26 A $248.15 $2,977.74
34 Centennial Way
/ Trail
San Bruno
BART
South San
Francisco BART
26 A, N T $8,438.00 $101,255.94
35 Junipero Serra Hwy-280
Avalon
entrance
SSF Sign approx..
90’ Northwest of
Hickey Island
12 N U $316.31 $3,795.66
36 Gull Drive Oyster Point
Blvd
End of culvert
approximately
220’ before
Forbes Blvd
2 N V $78.81 $945.72
37 Appian Way
Median
Westborough
Boulevard
Shannon Dr. 12 A $830.70 $9,968.40
38 SSF Drive
Shoulder
Mandalay
Place
120’ before
Woods Circle
4 N W $140.58 $1,686.96
39 East Grand Ave
Medians
Allerton
Avenue
DNA Way 26 A & N X $348.26 $4,179.06
40 Oyster Point
Landscaping
Oyster Point
Blvd
Beach and Harbor
Master Spit
2 A Y $1,361.07 $16,332.84
41 Hickey and
Longford
Corners/Slopes
Longford
Drive
Overpass 4 N $85.20 $1,022.40
42 Alta Loma
Walkway
Alta Loma
Drive
Crown Circle 4 N $85.20 $1,022.40
43 N. Canal & S.

Canal Shoulder
Walls
Linden Ave Across from 550
N. Canal Street
12 N $368.62 $4,423.41
44 Hillside Blvd &
Linden Ave
Hillside Blvd Linden Ave 12 N $482.45 $5,789.34
45 Olympic
Greenspot
Olympic
Drive
Dublin Drive 12 A $184.85 $2,218.22
46 Sister Cities Park Orange Ave Spruce Ave 26 A $1,548.48 $18,581.74 47 Irish Town
Greens
Linden Ave Airport Blvd 52 A $1,116.12 $13,393.44
48 Sculpture
Garden
Tennis Drive Eucalyptus Ave 52 A Z $1,082.75 $12,993.04 49 BART Plaza El Camino
Real
BART Station
Drop Area
52 A AA $479.25 $5,751.00
50 WQCP 195 Belle Air
Road
4 A & N BB $1,278.00 $15,336.00
51 Pump Station 2 Gateway
Blvd
Oyster Point Blvd 4 N $69.23 $830.70
52 Pump Station 3 Kimball Way Swift Ave 4 N $85.20 $1,022.40 53 Pump Station 4 Harbor Way Mitchell Ave 4 N $127.80 $1,533.60 54 Pump Station 5 S. Airport
Blvd
Belle Air Road 4 N $85.20 $1,022.40
55 Pump Station 6 160 Utah
Ave
4 N $69.23 $830.70
56 Pump Station 7 220
Littlefield
Ave
4 N $69.23 $830.70
57 Pump Station 8 701 Forbes
Blvd
4 N $127.80 $1,533.60
58 Pump Station 9 1479 San
Mateo Ave
4 N $127.80 $1,533.60
59 Pump Station 10 572 Forbes
Blvd
4 N $69.23 $830.70
60 Pump Station 11 235 Shaw
Road
4 N $127.80 $1,533.60
61 Pump Station 14 1191
Veterans
Blvd
4 N $85.20 $1,022.40
62 Stormwater
Station 5
27 S. Linden
Ave
4 N $266.25 $3,195.00
TOTAL BID PRICE $35,236.94 $422,843.30
Key to Service Area Notes:

Service Frequency: Minimum frequency of litter removal. 2 Biannual Service (2 times per year)
4 Quarterly Service (4 times per year)
12 Monthly Service (12 times per year)
26 Bi-weekly Service (26 times per year)
52 Weekly Service (52 times per year)
Irrigation Type: Type of control system.

A Automatic.

Irrigation schedule shall be coordinated with the City.

M Manual.

Contractor shall be responsible for turning system on and off as required for proper irrigation.

N No irrigation system.

City will provide water wagon service as requested by contractor.

Other Notes:

A. Side median landscaping on west side (adjacent to subdivision boundary wall) from Hillside to Livingston Place to Street Light #3550; side median landscaping on east side (adjacent to subdivision boundary wall) from easement gate (near Street Light #4234) to Treeside Court to Street Light #4230; west roadside landscaping from Street Light #4229 to Grand Avenue (adjacent to subdivision boundary wall), which continues along Grand Avenue to Aldengate and includes both east and west roadside landscapes at the Aldengate entrance. Includes eastern hillside from Sunset Ave to Hillside Blvd from roadside to header board below homes.

B. Area includes median islands and roadside landscaping; includes “bomanite” concrete side median along Dubuque which extends along E. Grand Avenue for 200 feet. (area is adjacent to 101 highway boundary fence)
C. Area includes median islands, intersection islands at Hickey Blvd., and weed abatement along a 10’ wide easement from shopping center driveway on west side of El Camino Real extending 525’ to grey retaining wall; west side of El Camino Real from El Camino Real staircase across from Bart Way to Arroyo Drive, including triangular area between El Camino Real and Del Paso Drive. Also includes west side shoulder from Brentwood to San Bruno City limits (along wooden retaining wall).

Also includes planters and bioswales on northeast side of road extending from BART Drive to Arroyo Drive.

D. Area includes median islands plus roadside landscaping on east side, adjacent to subdivision boundary wall.

E. Area includes median islands and park-like area between Mission Rd. and Colma Creek including shrubs extending to Mission Road entrance of Centennial Trail.

F. Roadside landscaping adjacent to Colma Creek as well as medians at South Airport Blvd.

G. Area includes median and hardscape islands and intersection islands at Produce and San Mateo Avenues.

H. Area includes median islands as well as shoulders on southern side of Westborough Blvd from Oakmont Drive to Olympic Drive
I. Area includes median landscaping from end of guard rail west of Camaritas Avenue to El Camino Real. Also includes two (2) triangular islands on north side of Westborough Blvd. at Camaritas Avenue.

J. Includes median on Elm Court as well as easement extending from Elm Court to Palm Ave. Between addresses 505 and 509 on Elm Court; 569 and 573 on Palm Ave.

K. Area includes roadside landscaping on south side adjacent to subdivision boundary wall.

L. Area contains slope on west side of Airport Blvd from 2nd Lane to S.P.R.R. underpass also contains walk way between Village way and Airport Blvd; includes slope on south side of Airport Blvd from S.P.R.R. underpass to South Airport Blvd. Maintenance includes weeds in sidewalks on both sides.

M. Area includes center and side medians for entirety of road from Lincoln Blvd. to Airport Blvd.

Includes an 8’ easement on north shoulder from Airport Blvd to SSF Drive past bus stop across from Jefferson Street. Includes weed abatement and shrub clearance adjacent to sidewalks and roadway.

Includes median on SSF Drive between Sister Cities Blvd and Mandalay Place N. Area includes full length of Industrial Way from Grand Ave to end of road at parking lot. Includes land on northwest side of road between railroad fence and curb, as well as southeast side of road approximately 10’ into landscaping as measured from curb edge.

O. Area includes upslope towards Sister Cities Blvd guard rail and sound wall to keep valley gutter clear; includes round-about landscape area at the corner of Sister Cities and Airport Blvd; requires weed abatement 3 times per year and/or additional as requested for fire prevention. Larger debris removal required as needed throughout this area.

P. Entire median extending from Spruce Ave to Larch Ave.

Q. Two (2) ivy covered medians between Maple Ave and Park way R. Area includes center median islands from Hilton Ave. to Daly City border, as well as two porkchops at intersection of Hickey and Junipero Serra. Includes south side of road from Crown Circle to Junipero Serra as well as north side of road from Hilton Ave through bend till backflow along Junipero Serra Blvd. Areas extend from road edge to residents back fence S. Large park like area on E. Grand Ave. between Grand Ave and Gateway Blvd. Includes small “pork chop” island at Grand Ave and E. Grand Ave.

T. Area excludes the new park between Spruce Ave and Huntington Ave, the Civic Campus frontage on Civic Campus Drive, and a considerable portion of the large space off Mission Road Ave. All other plazas, pathways, and adjacent open space are part of this scope.

U. Area includes east and west sides of road extending to resident’s fence line where brush does not impeded access. Also includes median islands at JS & King Drive, all hardscape island tips, small concrete islands on east side of JS at Westborough. Includes all median islands and corners at Avalon Drive and JS as well as medians on Avalon Drive from Valverde Drive to Waverly Court. Also includes east side of off-ramp from Avalon Drive to end of turn out area. Weed abatement required in this area 2-3 times per year. Application of herbicide and pre-emergent is required for these areas.

V. Weed abatement and litter pick up on west side of road from end of culvert, north to Oyster Point Blvd. Area extends to top of ridge and clearance around vent tubes at top of hill.

W. Area includes median island between Sister Cities Blvd and SSF Drive near Mandalay Place.

X. Medians on East Grand. Item number also includes two medians on East Jamie Court and trash pickup at end of Jamie Court.

Y. Site includes medians and shoulders on Oyster Point Blvd starting at Gull Drive, extending down the road to the north till end of the beach and south to the Harbor Master Building on the spit. Work includes a bi-annual cutting of all grasses, weeding, and dead heading. Site includes one annual mowing of the large hill to the east of 352 Oyster Point Blvd.

Z. Scope includes pressure washing all pathways every six (6) months.

AA. Scope includes pressure washing every six (6) months of the entire plaza area.

BB. Areas around retention pond are to be serviced two (2) times per year and weed abatement work shall not be conducted in that area during nesting season which is March through September.

June 17, 2026
Joshua Richardson, Parks Manager
South San Francisco Corporation Yard
550 North Canal Street,
South San Francisco, CA 94080
RE: RFP for LANDSCAPE & RIGHT OF WAY MAINTENANCE SERVICES-FY26 Dear Joshua and City of South San Francisco:

Thank you for the opportunity to provide our professional proposal for Landscape Management Services for the Landscape and Right of Way Maintenance areas within the City of So. San Francisco.

Upon further review of our originally proposed numbers, we would like to amend our maintenance numbers for:

A. LINE ITEM #34 “Centennial Way / Trail”

BID ITEM DESCRIPTION FROM TO
LITTER
PICKUP

SERVICE
FREQ.

IRRIG.

TYPE NOTES
2026
Monthly
Pricing
2026 Annual
Pricing
34 Centennial
Way / Trail
San
Bruno
BART
South San
Francisco
BART
26 A, N T $3,188.00 $38,256.00
**Please see update pricing sheet for Right of Way for final totals, all sites** B. In Lieu of: We would like to offer the following sites in lieu of, use of a common laydown yard with the City of SFF & green waste services:

BID

ITEM DESCRIPTION FROM TO
LITTER
PICKUP

SERVICE
FREQ.

IRRIG.

TYPE NOTES
2026
Monthly
Pricing
2026
Annual
Pricing
31 Oyster Pt.

Blvd. median
Airport
Blvd. Marina Blvd. 26 A $639.00 $7,668.00
40 Oyster Point
Landscaping
Oyster
Point
Blvd
Beach and
Harbor
Master Spit
2 A Y $1,361.07 $16,332.84
$2,000.07 $24,000.84
We appreciate you considering Gothic Landscape for this opportunity and look forward to the potential of partnering with you and the City of South San Francisco as your landscape service provider. If you should have any questions, please feel free to contact any of us.

Sincerely,
Ryan Ferrara
Strategic Growth Manager-CA
Gothic Landscape Maintenance
M 408.332.3545
[email protected]
Ryan Ferrara
&YIJCJU#1.1
&YIJCJU#2
Exhibit E

South San Francisco City CouncilAugust 12, 2026

South San Francisco City Council
August 12, 2026