CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA

CITY COUNCIL
Staff Report

September 10, 2018

CONSENT AGENDA

TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members

SUBMITTED BY: Robert M. Harary, P.E., Director of Public Works

APPROVED BY: Chip Rerig, City Administrator

Resolution 2018-091 approving a one-year extension to the Landscape Maintenance

SUBJECT:
Services Contract with Town & Country Gardening for an additional fee of $114,923

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt Resolution 2018-091 approving a one-year extension to the landscape maintenance services contract
with Town & Country Gardening for an additional fee of $114,923, and authorizing the City Administrator to
expend up to 10%, $11,492, as contingency for any additional work that may be required during the extended
Contract term.
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:

On November 7, 2017, the City Council awarded a Contract to Town & Country Gardening to provide landscape
maintenance services at 31 locations throughout the City in the amount of $110,930 plus a 10% contingency of
$11,100. The Contract was awarded to the lowest, responsive, responsible bidder for a one-year term, ending
on November 26, 2018, with the option of extending the contract for up to three (3) additional one-year terms.

In addition to Town & Country's bid proposal, the City received two non-responsive bids and a late bid that was
returned to the bidder unopened. A bid protest was made by the second lowest, but non-responsive, bidder.
Council rejected the bid protest but directed staff to not renew the Contract after the first year.

This contract provides for activities including planting, mowing, weeding, edging, pruning, raking, sweeping,
minor irrigation repairs, and litter pickup. Many tasks have been performed weekly while other tasks have been
performed bi-weekly, monthly, or quarterly. The 31 locations in the Contract include: Scenic Road Steps, Vista
Lobos, First Murphy Park, Sunset Center grounds, Forest Hill Park, tennis courts, Lester Rowntree Native Plant
Garden, Flander’s Mansion grounds, Ocean Avenue paths and medians, Devendorf Park, Harrison Memorial
Library, Park Branch Library, Mountain View entrance into Mission Trail Nature Preserve, Post Office parking
lot/plaza, Six (6) pathways/walkways, Rio Road pathway and medians, Forest Theater grounds, Scout House
grounds, Public Works/Police complex grounds. In a recent Change Order, Piccadilly Park was replaced by the
City Hall grounds for a net annual fee increase of $1,200 (absorbed by the contingency).

Over the past year, Town & Country Gardening has been diligent in completing assigned maintenance activities,
and prompt and responsive in performing additional tasks as requested by the City. Note that there initially was a
learning curve to get up to speed for all 31 sites. A task schedule was maintained which facilitated accountability,
coordination, and oversight between the Contractor and Public Works staff. Overall, Town & Country Gardening
has consistently performed very good quality work.

The Public Works Department is currently managing several complex capital projects and maintenance
initiatives despite a staffing shortage. Thus, if this landscape maintenance contract is not renewed, staff would
have to repeat the time-consuming bidding process to hire a new landscape maintenance contractor, and again
facilitate the learning curve for each site. This may delay other capital improvement projects. Further, repeating
the bidding process for the same services each year often results in bids higher than the Consumer Price Index
increase, or no responsive bids, or even another bid protest.

With Town & Country's good service record over their first year term, and since the original Contract provided
for the option of extending the Contract for up to three (3) one-year renewals pending City Council authorization
each year, staff is requesting Council to reconsider their prior direction and approve this time extension for one
year.
FISCAL IMPACT:

The proposed Contract extension would provide for one additional year of landscape maintenance services at a cost
of $110,930, as bid, multiplied by the current US Department of Labor's Consumer Price Index for the Western
Region, which is a 3.6% increase, bringing the new fee to $114,923. And additional 10%, or $11,492, is recommended
for contingencies. The total not-to-exceed fee would be $126,415, and the Contract would be extended to November
26, 2019.

Sufficient funding is available in the Public Works Department Operating Budget, Contractual Services account #101-
119-45-42001.

PRIOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION:

On November 7, 2017, the City Council awarded a Contract to Town & Country Gardening for landscape
maintenance services for a fee of $110,930 plus a 10% contingency and a one-year term ending on November
26, 2018.
ATTACHMENTS:

Resolution 2018-091
 CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA Attachment 1
CITY COUNCIL

RESOLUTION NO. 2018-091

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA APPROVING A ONE-

YEAR EXTENSION TO THE LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE SERVICES CONTRACT WITH TOWN &
COUNTRY GARDENING FOR A TOTAL ADDITIONAL FEE OF $114,923

WHEREAS, the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea owns and maintains various properties including parks,
shoreline, landscaped medians, open spaces, gardens, public building grounds, and pathways; and

WHEREAS, the City’s Public Works Department relies on qualified contractors to supplement staff’s
capabilities for landscape maintenance and care; and

WHEREAS, in 2017, the City conducted a formal bidding process for landscape maintenance services
at 31 City locations; and

WHEREAS, on November 17, 2017, the City Council awarded the landscape maintenance contract to
the sole responsive and responsible bidder, Town & Country Gardening, in the amount of $110,930 and a one-
year term; and

WHEREAS, the Contract allowed for up to three (3) one-year renewals pending City Council
authorization each year and subject to adjustments by the Consumer Price Index, which is currently 3.6% for
the Western Region; and

WHEREAS, Town &. Country Gardening has provided good quality, responsive, and prompt services
during this first year term; and

WHEREAS, re-bidding this same contract each year may result in higher bids, no bids, or bid protests,
and may defer work on other public works projects.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARMEL-BY-
THE-SEA DOES HEREBY:

Approve a one-year extension, ending November 26, 2019, to the landscape maintenance services
contract with Town & Country Gardening for a fee of $114,923, which includes a Consumer Price Index
adjustment of 3.6%, and authorizes the City Administrator, or his designee, to expend up to 10%, $11,492, as
contingency for any additional work that may be required during the Contract term.

PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA this
10th day of September, 2018, by the following roll call vote:

AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS:

NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS:

ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:

ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS:
 Attachment 1
SIGNED: ATTEST:

_______________________ ___________________________
Steve G. Dallas, Mayor Thomas A. Graves, MMC
City Clerk