Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute a First Amendment to Agreement with Rojas Flores Landscaping, Inc. to include Additional Services for Newly Landscaped Areas for a Total Five-Year Compensation Not-to-Exceed Amount of $1,277,726.
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), this project is 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 City of Alameda (City) Public Works Department manages more than sixty acres of landscaped areas including open spaces, medians, parking lots, and facility grounds. Public Works uses contract services to maintain these landscaped areas and the supporting irrigation systems. Staff completed a Request for Bid process and on January 3, 2023, City Council awarded a five-year agreement to Rojas Flores Landscaping, Inc. (Rojas) for landscape services for a total not-to-exceed $825,369. Since award of that contract, new landscaped areas in Alameda Point’s Adaptive Reuse Area, along Clement Avenue, in Alameda Landing and other locations were constructed and require ongoing landscape services. In addition, another agreement for landscape services of certain medians on Bay Farm Island expired June 20, 2024. Staff recommends amending the agreement with Rojas to add the facilities now needing landscape maintenance services. The amended not-to-exceed five-year total is $1,277,726.
BACKGROUND
The Public Works Department uses contract services to maintain public landscaped areas throughout the City. On October 27, 2022, the Public Works Department issued a Request for Bid for Landscape Maintenance Services at Various Locations. On January 3, 2023, City Council awarded a five-year agreement with Rojas for a total not-to-exceed $825,369. The scope of work includes median strips and special areas, and includes general landscaping maintenance, irrigation repairs, and weed abatement at locations throughout the City. In addition, the agreement includes seasonal mulching for the new bioswales in the right-of-way that filter stormwater runoff.
DISCUSSION
Rojas’s quality of work and responsiveness to issues that arise meet and/or exceed the standards in their existing agreement. New landscape areas in Alameda Point’s Adaptive Reuse Area, Alameda Landing, along Clement Avenue and other special areas have come online and require ongoing landscape services. In addition, the term expired on a separate Rojas agreement related to the landscaping of medians on Island Drive, Mecartney Road, Robert Davey Jr. Drive and other areas on Bay Farm Island. Staff recommends amending the existing five-year agreement with Rojas, awarded January 3, 2023, to add the new sites and sites under the expired contract.
Exhibit 1 includes the contract amendment, which details the added sites and unit costs. The amended not-to-exceed five-year total is $1,277,726.
ALTERNATIVES
• Authorize the City Manager to execute the five-year agreement with Rojas to include the additional landscape maintenance services.
• Do not authorize the amendment and direct staff to conduct a solicitation for the additional areas.
• Have this work performed in-house by Public Works personnel. The Public Works Department does not currently have staffing to provide this service so hiring additional full-time staff would be necessary to fulfill the scope of work.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Landscape maintenance services for the proposed amended contract are budgeted in the Urban Forest, Alameda Point Community Facilities District, Alameda Landing Community Facilities District and Facilities Maintenance operating budgets. The original yearly authorized amount added cost and total amended authorized amount is noted below. Fiscal Year 2024-25 appropriations were approved in the respective operating budget. Future years are pending City Council approval.
|
Contract |
Original Authorized Amount |
Additional Sites |
Amended Authorized Amount |
|
FY 22-23 |
$97,185 (6 months) |
NA |
$97,185 (6 months) |
|
FY 23-24 |
$200,201 |
NA |
$200,201 |
|
FY 24-25 |
$206,207 |
$156,870 |
$363,077 |
|
FY 25-26 |
$212,393 |
$195,041 |
$407,434 |
|
FY 26-27 |
$109,383 (6 months) |
$100,446 (6 months) |
$209,829 (6 months) |
|
5-Year Total |
$825,369 |
|
$1,277,726 |
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with the Alameda Municipal Code.
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 IMPACTS
The continued and prompt maintenance of landscaped areas and irrigation systems can prevent unnecessary water usage and support City and State water conservation and drought response goals. The removal and prevention of landscaping debris from public areas will assist in maintenance of the municipal storm drainage system by providing better storm drainage and decreasing the risk of local flooding, results that improve local resiliency to potential climate change.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager to execute a first amendment to the agreement with Rojas Flores Landscaping, Inc. to include additional services for newly landscaped areas a total five-year compensation not-to-exceed amount of $1,277,726.
Respectfully submitted,
Erin Smith, Public Works Director
By,
Erin Smith, Public Works Director
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret L. O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Agreement
2. First Amendment