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CC - (1) Amendment to the Existing Professional Services Agreement with West Coast Arborists to Extend the Current Five-Year Term for an Additional One Year to Provide Citywide Tree Maintenance Services in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $691,685; and (2) Waive the Requirements of Culver City Municipal Code Section 3.07.050, relating to Multi-Year Contracts, to Allow for such One-Year Extension.
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Contact Person/Dept: Eric Mirzaian/Public Works
Phone Number: 310-253-6444
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date:
Commission Name:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (05/03/16);
Department Approval: Charles D. Herbertson, Public Works Director/City Engineer (04/20/16)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) approve an amendment to the existing professional services agreement with West Coast Arborists (WCA) to extend the current five-year term an additional one year for citywide tree trimming services in an amount not-to-exceed $691,685; and (2) waive the requirements of Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) Section 3.07.050, relating to multi-year contracts, to allow for such one-year extension.
BACKGROUND
On May 23, 2011, the City Council approved a new five-year professional services agreement with WCA in which they agreed to keep prices current for the first three years of the new term and apply a cost adjustment for the final two years of the term. Additionally, as part of the new agreement, WCA completed a GPS street and parkway tree inventory to update Arbor Access, a database utilized by City staff on a regular basis to view the City’s urban forest inventory and work history, as well as a planning tool to determine annual pruning schedules. WCA also assisted the City in updating its urban forest website to allow residents and property owners to review maintenance/trimming schedules for their areas.
DISCUSSION
The current agreement with WCA is set to expire on June 30, 2016. WCA has agreed to extend the existing five-year term for an additional one year (through June 30, 2017) while maintaining current rates, with the exception of an increase in the rates for tree removals (increased from $15.10 to $20.00 per diameter inch for tree and stump removal). The not-to-exceed contract amount of $691,685 does not include costs for potential tree removals during the year, as tree removals only occur as needed. Therefore, staff recommends the City Council authorize the Public Works Director/City Engineer to approve administrative amendments to the contract amount in an amount not-to-exceed 5% ($34,584.25), if necessary to cover the costs for potential tree removals.
This one-year additional term is being proposed as an interim measure until either a Request for Proposal process can be conducted, or depending on the circumstances, staff obtains City Council’s authorization to negotiate another long-term agreement between the City and WCA.
CCMC Section 3.07.050, relating to multi-year contracts, requires that the competitive bidding procedures be followed after a contractor or consultant has been utilized for a period of five years. Staff recommends the City Council waive this requirement and allow for the one-year extension of the existing agreement with WCA, in order to give staff an opportunity to evaluate these services before returning to City Council with an appropriate recommendation on a going forward basis.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Under the current agreement with WCA, the annual compensation for Fiscal Year 2015-16 is $691,685.00, plus, if approved, a 5% contingency to cover the costs of potential tree removals during the year. Funding has been requested as part of the City Manager’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2016-17 in the Tree Maintenance-Other Contractual Services account (10160220.619800) to cover the current annual compensation plus increase in the rates for tree removal. Additionally, as part of the budget process, funding has been requested for Capital Improvement Project Fund PZ-754 (Ficus Tree Removal) to cover the costs for removal of Ficus Trees since they generate the highest removal cost compared to other species of trees in the City.
ATTACHMENTS
1. WCA proposed pricing schedule for Fiscal Year 2016-17
RECOMMENDED MOTIONS
That the City Council:
1. Approve an amendment to the existing professional services agreement with West Coast Arborists to extend the current five-year term for one additional year (through June 30, 2017) in the amount of $691,685.00; and,
2. Authorize the Public Works Director/City Engineer to approve amendments in an amount not to-exceed $34,584.25, if necessary, to cover the costs of potential tree removals during the year; and,
3. Waive the requirements of CCMC Section 3.07.050, relating to multi-year contracts, to allow for such one-year extension; and,
4. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and,
5. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.