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Agreement for Municipal Tree Management • Page 2
<br />DISCUSSION:
<br />In recent years, the City's grid trimming schedule was on an eight to nine year cycle and the
<br />schedule had become increasingly difficult to meet due to budgetary constraints. With the addition
<br />of $1,000,000 in Measure Z funds in 2017, the Public Works Department has been working toward
<br />a six year grid trimming cycle within a three year timeframe.
<br />On February 14, 2018, Request for Proposal 1775 (RFP 1775) was issued to solicit proposals
<br />from qualified tree maintenance contractors to provide tree maintenance services for the City of
<br />Riverside, including optional pricing to service Parks, Recreation & Community Services 35,000
<br />park trees.
<br />On March 19, 2018, the City received three proposals in response to RFP 1775. In order to
<br />identify the most qualified service provider, a selection committee consisting of representatives
<br />from the Public Works Department and the Parks, Recreation and Community Services
<br />Department evaluated all proposals based on the criteria set forth in the RFP which included
<br />experience, qualified personnel, ability to meet time frames, safety plans, financial resources,
<br />approach and methodology, proposed cost of services, and service enhancements that included
<br />a Citywide inventory with global positioning (GPS) coordinate locations for all trees that have been
<br />trimmed, removed, planted and worked on by the contractor.
<br />After an extensive evaluation of each proposal based on the criteria listed above, West Coast
<br />Arborists, Inc. (WCA) was selected as the most qualified company to perform the requirements of
<br />the RFP. WCA is a family owned and operated company that has been in business since 1972
<br />and employs over 850 full-time employees.
<br />While Parks, Recreation and Community Services opted to continue with its current tree trimming
<br />contract with WCA, this proposal affords them several options as they near their current contract
<br />expiration date of December 31, 2018: 1) follow onto this proposal and enter into a new
<br />agreement; 2) amend this agreement; or 3) exercise the final option to extend on their current
<br />agreement with WCA for an additional two years — with City Council approval where required.
<br />Public Works staff negotiated the scope of services with WCA to obtain best and final pricing for
<br />a total contract price of $6,679,536 through June 30, 2021 for its 150,000 street trees. The current
<br />proposal is approximately 17% higher than the existing contract, which was bid in 2011 during the
<br />Great Recession. Since 2011, labor and operating costs have increased due in part to increasing
<br />prevailing wage rates, increased fuel costs, increased dumping fees, and additional air quality
<br />mandates.
<br />Based on pricing received in 2016, proposal costs are within anticipated ranges. Contract
<br />services include but are not limited to emergency and scheduled tree removals, palm tree
<br />skinning, root pruning, young tree care and watering and grid trimming. The following are relevant
<br />items for consideration under the proposed contract.
<br />Grid Trimming Cycle:
<br />In 2017, with implementation of the Measure Z spending priorities, the City established a target
<br />grid trimming cycle of approximately 6 years (down from eight to nine years). It is the goal of the
<br />City to trim approximately 25,000 trees per year to meet the goal of a six year grid trimming cycle.
<br />WCA has provided a realistic and attainable approach to work toward this goal. However, given
<br />the increase in proposed contract costs and existing funding levels, staff is currently projecting a
<br />trimming cycle of approximately six to seven years (21,000-23,000 trees per year). The City is
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