HomeMy WebLinkAbout06 - CC-6 - Amend Contract- West Coast Arborists Inc - 1/19/2016 (2)CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: JANUARY 19, 2016 ITEM NUMBER: CC -6
SUBJECT AMEND CONTRACT - WEST COAST ARBORISTS, INC.
DATE: JANUARY 8, 2016
FROM: PUBLIC SERVICES/ MAINTENANCE SERVICES DIVISION
PRESENTATION BY: ERNESTO MUNOZ, PUBLIC SERVICES DIRECTOR
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: BRUCE HARTLEY, MAINTENANCE SERVICES MANAGER
(714) 754-5123
RECOMMENDATION
Approve an amendment, in the amount of $85,000, to the agreement for tree maintenance
services with West Coast Arborists, Inc., 2200 E. Via Burton Street, Anaheim, California 92806.
BACKGROUND
The City of Costa Mesa entered into a five (5) year agreement with West Coast Arborist, Inc.
(WCA) on October 1, 2012, terminating on September 30, 2017. The agreement provided for
comprehensive tree maintenance services. On May 6, 2014, the City Council authorized the
CEO to execute Change Order #1, in the amount of $100,000, for a one-time tree planting
program. That work was completed satisfactorily.
The requested amendment would provide additional annual spending authority to allow for
WCA to provide tree removal, root pruning and tree evaluation services in support of the City's
Parkway Maintenance Capital Improvement projects and would also approve additional
funding and spending authority to continue to provide tree maintenance through the remainder
of FY 15-16 without reducing the service levels of the current program.
ANALYSIS
WCA is the City's current tree maintenance contractor. The company has provided tree
maintenance services to the City for over 16 years. Typically, when the Public Services
Department contracts for concrete replacement (Parkway Maintenance Program) the
services of a Certified Arborist are needed to evaluate and provide recommendations for
any tree that is causing damage to concrete curb, gutters, or sidewalks. Additionally,
following that evaluation process, the removal and replanting of some trees is required, while
others require root pruning. The evaluation, removal and replanting work typically requires
separate bidding processes. To take advantage of the low unit costs of the WCA contract
and to expedite the tree -related portion of the larger concrete replacement projects, staff is
requesting that additional compensation authority be added to the existing WCA contract.
This would allow the Maintenance Services Division to coordinate with WCA to complete all
the advance work necessary and speed the Parkway Maintenance projects.
In the past, the Engineering Division conducted competitive bids for tree services prior to
each project. The pricing was typically higher and the work product of lesser quality than
WCA would provide. By adding spending authority to the current contract, with separate
tracking, the needs of the Engineering Division may be met without impacting the City
Arborist or reducing the funding to the existing maintenance trimming operation.
The second component of the requested amendment is to address the shortage of funding
currently being experienced due to the higher than expected quantities of tree removals;
large tree crown reductions; and the increase in root pruning and barrier installations over
the prior year. Due to the increasing mortality rates of City trees caused by years of drought
and the subsequent attacks by insects, the removal of dead trees in the past year has
increased dramatically. Combined with the higher cost of reducing the size of ficus trees
that are becoming more of a risk for large limb failure, the result has been a unusually rapid
depletion of the funds budgeted annually for regular tree maintenance.
Other areas of the urban forestry program have also contributed to the higher than expected
costs. Increased root pruning and barrier installations to preserve mature trees and reduce
the potential for trip and fall claims and the increased number of new tree planting requests
from residents have each resulted in expenditures well above previous years.
Additional funding and spending authority of $50,000 is requested to ensure that there is
sufficient funding through the winter and spring when winter storms may increase the need
to remove dead trees promptly; require emergency services during or following storms; and
to continue the preventative maintenance pruning schedule, keeping to the 3-5 year cycle.
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Council could decline this contract amendment request. This would result in the
Engineering Division continuing the separate bidding process for tree services with each
project at a greater cost. It would also require the issuance of a Request for Proposals to
obtain the services of a Certified Arborist to evaluate the trees separately from the removal
contractor. Additionally, the current urban forestry program would cease maintenance
trimming and planting, preserving funding only for dead tree removal, urgent special
requests, and emergency responses until July 1, 2016, the start of the new fiscal year.
FISCAL REVIEW
Funding for the Capital Improvement component of this amendment is included in the 2015-16
fiscal year adopted Capital Improvement Program budget, with future years' funding pending
the annual budget review process. The funding is included in the project budget and may be
partially provided through the grants that are utilized for the project.
Funding for the increase in funding for the on-going Urban Forestry Program is requested from
undesignated General Funds.
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LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney's Office prepared the attached amendment and has approved it as to form.
Public Contract Code section 22175 et seq. does not apply to this amendment because it does
not fall within the contract areas specified in Public Contract Code section 22178(a).
CONCLUSION
In order to provide support for and expedite the Parkway Maintenance program; to ensure
proactive preparation for winter storms, and to maintain the current service levels in the tree
maintenance program, it is recommended that the amendment be approved with West Coast
Arborists, Inc. and that additional funding be authorized.
ERNESTO MUNOZ BRUCE HARTLEY
Public Services Director Maintenance Services Manager
ATTACHMENT: 1 First Amendment to Professional Services
Agreement
DISTRIBUTION: Chief Executive Officer
Assistant Chief Executive Officer
City Attorney
Interim Finance Director
City Clerk
Staff
File
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ATTACHMENT #1
FIRST AMENDMENT TO
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT
THIS FIRST AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT
("Amendment") is made and entered into 2016 ("Effective Date"), by and between
the CITY OF COSTA MESA, a municipal corporation (the "City"), and WEST COAST
ARBORISTS, a California corporation ("Consultant").
Recitals
WHEREAS, the City and Consultant entered into a Professional Services Agreement on
October 1, 2012 to provide tree maintenance services, including trimming, pruning, planting and
removal (the "Agreement"); and
WHEREAS, City desires to increase the maximum annual compensation limit to allow
Consultant to provide tree maintenance services to support the City's Parkway Maintenance
Capital Improvement program; and
WHEREAS, City also desires to ensure there is adequate funding for Consultant to
continue to provide tree maintenance services, including prompt removal of dead trees,
emergency services during or following storms, and preventive maintenance, throughout the year;
and
WHEREAS, Consultant is willing to perform such services.
NOW, THEREFORE, for valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is
hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
1. Section 2.1 of the Agreement is hereby amended to add $85,000 to the maximum
annual compensation limit. This amount reflects $35,000 for Consultant's services in support of
the City's Parkway Maintenance Capital Improvement projects and $50,000 to ensure there is
sufficient funding for tree removal, emergency services during or following storms, and
maintaining the preventive maintenance pruning schedule.
2. All other terms and provisions of the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be executed
by and through their respective authorized officers, as of the date first written above.
[Signatures appear on the following page.]
a]
CITY OF COSTA MESA,
A municipal corporation
Date:
Chief Executive Officer
Date:
Interim Finance Director
Date:
Public Services Director
CONSULTANT
Date:
Signature
Name and Title
Social Security or Taxpayer ID Number
ATTEST:
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Date:
City Attorney