TITLE
Recommendation to adopt Specifications No. RFP PR17-022 and authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to enter into agreements with Azteca Landscape, of Corona, CA, and Parkwood Landscape Maintenance, Inc., of Van Nuys, CA, for the provision of grounds maintenance services, in an annual aggregate contract amount of $4,713,871, with a 10 percent annual contingency of $471,388, for a total annual aggregate amount not to exceed $5,185,259, for a period of three years with two one-year extension options and a subsequent three-year term with two one-year extension options, for a total aggregate contract term not to exceed ten years, at the discretion of the City Manager; and, authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute any documents or amendments necessary to amend the term, adjust the individual scopes of work and/or individual contract amounts within the total aggregate contract amount as necessary to meet the needs of the City. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is requested to enter into contracts with Azteca Landscape (Azteca) and Parkwood Landscape Maintenance, Inc. (Parkwood), to provide grounds maintenance services to City of Long Beach (City) parks, open spaces, street medians, other City facilities, MTA Blue Line, parking lots, and marina contract areas for the Departments of Parks, Recreation and Marine (PRM) and Public Works (PW), for the following service areas:
North/West Parks and Streets (Area 1-PRM): Azteca $ 993,113
North/East Parks and Streets (Area 2-PRM): Azteca $ 1,426,260
South/West Parks and Streets (Area 3-PRM): Parkwood $ 708,726
South/East Parks and Streets (Area 4-PRM): Azteca $ 776,520
Marinas (Area 5-PRM): Parkwood $ 82,955
MTA Blue Line (Area 6 - PW): Parkwood $ 111,444
Additional Work for Repairs and Requests: $ 614,853
Sub-total Base Contracts $4,713,871
Annual Contingency for increases to scope of work $471,388
(e.g. new or altered parks or services)
Total Authorization Requested $5,185,259
The Request for Proposals (RFP) was advertised in the Long Beach Press-Telegram on January 5, 2018, and 810 potential proposers specializing in landscaping and gardening products and services were notified of the RFP opportunity. Of those proposers, 37 downloaded the RFP via the City’s electronic bid system. The RFP document was made available from the Purchasing Division, located on the seventh floor of City Hall, and the Division’s website at www.longbeach.gov/purchasing. A bid announcement was also included in the Purchasing Division’s weekly update of Open Bid Opportunities, which is sent to 22 local, minority and women-owned business groups. Five proposals were received on February 6, 2018. Of those five proposers, one was a Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE), none were Women-owned Business Enterprises (WBEs), one was a certified Small Business Enterprise (SBE), and none were Long Beach businesses (Local).
An RFP was utilized for this process to allow the prospective candidates an enhanced interaction with a complex scope of work, newly instituted work management and monitoring system, and an augmented section elaborating the consequences (deductions) for failure to deliver services per contractual obligations. The RFP was developed to more precisely define service levels by location, as well as specified irrigation work, weed control strategies, and athletic field maintenance. Contractors were encouraged to respond to any or all six contract areas.
A five-member Selection Committee (Committee), comprised of representatives from PRM and an outside consultant, reviewed the proposals in accordance with the published evaluation criteria, including:
• Approach: Operational approach and management, schedule, staffing levels related to contract requirements, and equipment;
• Experience: Regulatory compliance, performance on like-sized and similarly-scoped contracts, financial stability, and staff expertise and availability; and,
• Price: Reasonableness of cost.
After a thorough evaluation process, the Committee selected Azteca and Parkwood based on the combination of their overall approach to delivering services, reasonableness of cost for the value delivered, conformance with the terms of the RFP, and proven successful track record with comparable engagements. Azteca has been in business since 1975 and has approximately 30 contracts for similar services in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, and Ventura counties. Parkwood has been providing professional landscape services since 1967. Parkwood’s history and experience extends to many other agencies in the region including the City of Irvine, Los Angeles County, City of Los Angeles, and the Port of Long Beach.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Linda T. Vu on July 26, 2018 and by Revenue Management Officer Geraldine Alejo on July 27, 2018.
Local Business Outreach
In an effort to align with the City's outreach goal, Long Beach businesses are encouraged to submit proposals for City contracts. The Purchasing Division also assists businesses with registering on the Bids Online database to download the RFP specifications. Through outreach, 102 Long Beach vendors were notified to submit proposals, of which six downloaded, and none submitted a proposal. The Purchasing Division is committed to continuing to perform outreach to local vendors to expand the bidder pool.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action to adopt Specifications No. RFP PR17-022 and award contracts concurrently is requested on August 14, 2018, to maintain continuity of services.
FISCAL IMPACT
The annual aggregate contract amount will not exceed $5,185,259, including contingency, and is an increase of close to $1,000,000 over the current grounds maintenance budget. This increase is the result of contractor personnel and equipment cost increases to address the level of service that has been set as the horticultural standard in the City's greenscape, as well as to capture newly developed park lands, such as the DeForest Wetlands and Red Car Greenbelt, just to name a few, expanded investment into the MTA Blue Line maintenance, the addition of new bike boulevards and improved medians. This increase was anticipated and is requested as part of the FY 19 Proposed Budget.
In FY 18, additional costs resulting from the new contracts are estimated at $93,000. The Parks, Recreation, and Marine and Public Works Departments are anticipating to address the cost increase within current appropriations in the General Fund (GF), Tidelands Operations Fund (TF 401), Marina Fund (TF 403), Special Grants Fund (SR 120), and Transportation Fund (SR 182). However, if needed, the Departments will return to the City Council with a request for appropriation. The award of these contracts will provide continued support to our local economy by assisting in the preservation of 40 full-time employees residing within Long Beach.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
GERARDO MOUET
DIRECTOR OF PARKS, RECREATION AND MARINE
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER