Report to Mayor and City Council
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
Consent
SUBJECT:
Title
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT NO. 6 TO THE AGREEMENT (18-097) WITH WEST COAST ARBORISTS, INC., FOR TREE MAINTENANCE SERVICES TO THE CITY AND ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 23-052 AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2022-23 BUDGET IN THE GENERAL FUND (CITY COUNCIL)
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I. SUMMARY
In October 2018, the City Council awarded West Coast Arborists, Inc. (“WCA”) a three-year contract to provide tree maintenance services for the period of October 1, 2018, through September 30, 2021, with optional extensions up to three years, to be exercised either all at once or incrementally at the City’s sole election.
The agreement has been amended five times, most recently after the City Council approved Amendment 5 during its meeting of January 3, 2023. Currently, the contract sum is $4,078,179.03 and contract expiration date is September 30, 2024 after the full allotment of three years’ extension were exercised by the City.
Staff is now submitting Amendment 6 (Exhibit No. 1) to this contract to add $400,000.00 to the contract sum to respond to City Council’s direction for increased tree trimming services to address the significant backlog of work orders stemming from recent weather events. Consequently, staff will work with the contractor to implement an aggressive trimming cycle to attain a safer and more aesthetically pleasing urban forest.
II. RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
TAKE the following actions:
1. APPROVE Amendment No. 6 to the Agreement for Contract Services by and between the City of Carson and West Coast Arborists, Inc. to increase the contract sum by $400,000.00 to provide increased tree maintenance services through the end of the final extension period of September 30, 2024, such that the total cost of the Contract Agreement does not exceed $4,478,179.03.
2. AUTHORIZE the Mayor to execute the amendment after approval as to form by the City Attorney.
3. WAIVE further reading and ADOPT Resolution No. 23-052, “A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF CARSON CITY COUNCIL AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2022‐23 BUDGET IN THE GENERAL FUND”.
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III. ALTERNATIVES
1. DO NOT APPROVE Amendment No. 6 to the Agreement for Contract Services.
2. TAKE another action the City Council deems appropriate, and consistent with the requirements of the law.
IV. BACKGROUND
On December 5, 2017, a Request for Proposals (“RFP”) was published to solicit qualified firms for tree maintenance services. A total of three firms responded and submitted their proposals, which were opened on January 8, 2018. After review and evaluation of the proposals, West Coast Arborists, Inc. (“WCA”) was awarded the contract.
As part of the contract, extensions up to three (3) years were allowed with Council’s approval to be exercised either all at once or incrementally at the City’s sole election. The contract has been amended five times, as follows:
1. Amendment 1 - to add a Tree Planting Project increasing the contract sum from $1,969,764.09 to $2,046,204.09;
2. Amendment 2 - to extend the contract for two additional months extending the expiration date to November 30, 2021;
3. Amendment 3 - to extend the term for thirteen (13) additional months from December 1, 2021, through December 31, 2022 at an additional cost of $656,588.03, resulting in an increased total contract sum of $2,702,792.12 to allow contractor to continue meeting tree service requests for Carson residents and businesses, and finally;
4. Amendment 4 - to extend the contract for (1) one additional month from December 31, 2022 through January 31, 2023, at an additional cost of $199,000.00 bringing the increased contract sum to $2,901,792.12, again to allow contractor to continue meeting tree service requests for Carson residents and businesses while staff prepares to go out to bid for award of a new contract; and
5. Amendment 5 - to adjust for a 7.5% cost of living increase pursuant to Section 3.5 of the Agreement (equivalent to an annual contract sum increase of $49,244.16), effective February 1, 2023 and continuing through expiration of the Agreement term, and to further extend the term for an additional twenty (20) months, from February 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024. The resulting increased contract sum is now $4,078,179.03.
Now, due to a request by the City Council for WCA to significantly intensify the volume of its services to be provided to City through the end of the contract term of September 30, 2024 with the objective of implementing a more aggressive trimming cycle in order to attain a safer and more aesthetically pleasing urban forest, City and WCA seek to enter into Amendment 6 to increase the contract sum by an additional $400,000, which will result in a new contract sum of $4,478,179.03.
V. FISCAL IMPACT
Funds for these additional services were not budgeted in the FY 2022-2023 General Fund budget. Staff requests adoption of Resolution No. 23-052 to transfer budgeted funds from the PW Management & Control Professional Services account no. 101-80-820-100-6004 to PW Tree Maintenance Professional Services account no. 101-80-840-106-6004, in the amount of $400,000.
VI. EXHIBITS
1. West Coast Arborists Contract Amendment No. 6 (pgs. 4-12)
2. Resolution No. 23-052 (pgs. 13-14)
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Prepared by: Freddy Loza, Landscape & Building Maintenance Superintendent