Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute a First Amendment to Agreement with West Coast Arborists for Urban Forest Tree Maintenance Services, Citywide, for an Additional Not-To-Exceed $2,073,070 for a Total Five-Year Compensation Not-to-Exceed Amount of $15,192,875.
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), this action is categorically exempt from further environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Maintenance of Existing Facilities). (Public Works 26941570)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Public Works Department oversees the City of Alameda (City) Urban Forest Program. The program consists of managing the City’s public trees and landscaping. The City manages 25,962 park and street trees, consisting of 353 different species. Much of the care for these trees is provided under service provider agreements. The City’s existing agreement for Urban Forest Maintenance Services is with West Coast Arborists (WCA) and has a term through June 30, 2027. In addition to tree maintenance in the public right of way, this agreement also includes maintenance of trees in Alameda’s parks, Landscape and Lighting District, and underneath utility lines. Additional contracting capacity is needed to plant more trees in Alameda parks, increase tree maintenance for safety under utility lines, address tree maintenance in the Harbor Bay Zone of the Landscape and Lighting District, as well as additional tree maintenance work at Alameda Point. Staff recommends amending the agreement with WCA to complete this work that is important to keep the urban forest healthy. The First Amendment not-to-exceed amount is $2,073,070 for an amended not-to-exceed five-year total is $15,192,875.
BACKGROUND
The City’s existing agreement for Urban Forest Maintenance Services is with WCA and has a term through June 30, 2027. This agreement includes maintenance of trees in the public right of way, Alameda’s parks, special financing districts, and underneath utility lines. Additional tree maintenance needs were identified this fiscal year and additional contracting capacity is necessary to address these needs. As WCA has successfully performed under the existing agreement, Public Works staff worked with Alameda Municipal Power (AMP), Alameda Recreation and Parks Department (ARPD), Base Reuse and Economic Development (BRED) to prepare this First Amendment to address these needs. Staff recommends amending the agreement with WCA to add this additional scope of work with an amended not-to-exceed five-year total of $15,192,875.
DISCUSSION
The First Amendment with WCA increases the existing annual expenditures on AMP tree trimming from $400,000 to $1,490,800 to address increased need for safety through vegetation control. So far, WCA trimmed about 900 trees under utility lines in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25, leaving approximately 1,500 relevant trees still to be trimmed. The additional cost for this remaining work is estimated at $1,090,800 and AMP has sufficient budget for this increased tree maintenance. An increase of $50,000 for FY 2025-26 from AMP’s annual operating budget is also proposed to provide for additional trimming needs as AMP works to secure a separate contract for utility tree trimming needs in subsequent years.
This First Amendment will also increase the existing annual expenditures for other areas of tree maintenance in Alameda. It includes planting trees at various parks throughout Alameda, additional tree pruning and response to various service requests in the Harbor Bay Zone of the City’s Landscape and Lighting District. These needs were identified over the course of the current Fiscal Year work plan and include ongoing needs as presented in the table below. Budget for this additional scope of work is included in the FY 2024-25 ARPD and Public Works annual operating budgets.
Finally, staff proposes this First Amendment establish contracting capacity for ongoing urban forest maintenance needs at Alameda Point. Public Works staff met and discussed with Base Reuse and Economic Development (BRED) staff how to best deliver this necessary ongoing maintenance work. Based on satisfactory performance by WCA, staff recommends that the most efficient delivery of services for Alameda Point is to include those urban forest needs in the WCA agreement. Budget for this work is included in the BRED annual operating budget.
The total additional cost of the First Amendment presented is $2,073,070 as outlined below. If approved, the amended not-to-exceed five-year total is $15,192,875.
|
WCA First Amendment (New Costs Summary) |
|
|
FY24-25 |
FY25-26 |
FY26-27 |
|
ARPD |
$85,000 |
$85,000 |
$85,000 |
|
AMP |
$1,090,800 |
$50,000 |
$ - |
|
Harbor Bay Landscape & Lighting |
$60,000 |
$206,570 |
$210,700 |
|
Alameda Point |
$ - |
$100,000 |
$100,000 |
|
Total Amendment by Fiscal Year |
$745,000 |
$441,570 |
$395,700 |
|
Total First Amendment |
$2,073,070 |
|
|
ALTERNATIVES
• Authorize the City Manager to execute First Amendment with WCA to increase contracting capacity under the five-year agreement for tree planting and maintenance services for Alameda’s Urban Forest Program.
• Do not authorize the agreement and direct staff to pursuit an alternative solicitation.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Budget for the proposed agreement is appropriated in the FY 2024-25 operating budget for Urban Forest (26941570), Alameda Recreation and Parks (1005145), Base Reuse and Economic Development (29061822) and Alameda Municipal Power. Funding for subsequent years in the agreement is subject to future City Council appropriations approval.
|
WCA Agreement (Total by FY) |
|
|
Original |
First Amendment |
|
FY22-23 |
$ 2,471,175 |
$ - |
|
FY23-24 |
$ 2,545,310 |
$ - |
|
FY24-25 |
$ 2,621,670 |
$ 3,857,470 |
|
FY25-26 |
$ 2,700,320 |
$ 3,141,890 |
|
FY26-27 |
$ 2,781,330 |
$ 3,177,030 |
|
Agreement Total |
$ 13,119,805 |
$ 15,192,875 |
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with the Alameda Municipal Code. This action is consistent with the Alameda Municipal Code. The work in this agreement is consistent with the Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (CARP, 2019), and the City’s Strategic Plan priority to Build Resilience to Climate Change and Water Level Rise.
This action is subject to the Levine Act.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
In accordance with CEQA, this project is exempt from further environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15301 (Maintenance of Existing Facilities).
CLIMATE IMPACT
Research has shown that Urban Forests provide a variety of environmental, social, health and economic benefits to residents, including Improved air quality, reducing energy required for cooling, reduced storm-water runoff and improved water quality, and preservation of wildlife.
The continued and prompt replacement of trees in Alameda’s Urban Forest ensures these environmental benefits and improves local resiliency to potential climate change.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager to execute a First Amendment to agreement with West Coast Arborists for Urban Forest Tree Maintenance Services, Citywide, for an additional not-to-exceed $2,073,070 for a total five-year compensation not-to-exceed amount of $15,192,875.
Respectfully submitted,
Erin Smith, Public Works Director
By,
Jesse Barajas, Project Manager
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Ross McCarthy, Acting Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Agreement
2. First Amendment