REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 07/07/2021
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Community Services Department
SUBJECT:
Title
Award of Contract to Tropical Plaza Nursery, Inc. for Landscape Maintenance District 84-2 in Zones 10 and 15.
End
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The City of Corona was notified by Greentech Landscape Inc. that it is cancelling its contract for landscape maintenance services in Landscape Maintenance District (LMD) 84-2 in zones 10 and 15 areas for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 through FY 2026, had they continued to exercise all of their terms. Greentech Landscape Inc. was awarded a contact to serve these areas a year ago. In an effort to ensure that these zones are promptly and appropriately served, the Community Services Department and Purchasing Division collaboratively worked together to award a contract to the next responsible bidder. Tropical Plaza Nursery, Inc. was the next responsible bidder after Greentech Landscape from NIB 20-061SB. Awarding this contract will provide regular landscape and irrigation maintenance for the residents in the Green River area.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council:
a. Approve the cancellation and contract award to Greentech Landscape, Inc. for bid No. Notice Inviting Bid 20-061SB Landscaping Maintenance for Area 2 in the City of Corona.
b. Award contract for Notice Inviting Bid 20-061SB to Tropical Plaza Nursery, Inc. for landscape maintenance services for Area 2 for a one-year initial contract period in the amount of $456,460; and waive any and all minor irregularities in the bidding documents as submitted by said bidder.
c. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute the Maintenance and General Services Agreement with Tropical Plaza Nursery, Inc., and to approve any necessary non-substantive change orders or amendments and unencumbered contingencies up to $25,000.
d. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to negotiate and execute four one-year agreement renewals under the terms provided for in this report and the Agreement and in a form approved by the City Attorney.
e. Authorize the Purchasing Agent to issue yearly purchase orders in accordance with the duly authorized and executed agreements, change orders, amendments, and renewals.
f. Authorize an appropriation of $40,000 ($35,000 in LMD 84-2, Zone 10 Fund 460, $4,000 in LMD 84-2, Zone 15 Fund 462 and $1,000 in the General Fund) to the Community Services’ operating budget for the additional landscape maintenance costs.
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BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
The Landscape Maintenance District (LMD) zones 10 and 15 are situated in the gateway into Corona, right off the exit of the 91 freeway from Green River Road. Communities such as Sierra Bella, Sierra Del Oro, and Deer Valley are situated in this LMD. This LMD, like all the LMDs throughout the City, should be maintained to the Corona Standard. Tropical Plaza Nursery, Inc. has more than 10 years of experience maintaining this area and staff is confident that the LMD maintenance will meet residents’ expectations.
In 2020, City staff issued a Notice Inviting Bid for the landscape maintenance services for the LMDs for zones 10 and 15. The result of the Notice of Invitation to Bid (NIB) was awarded to Greentech Landscape, a new company based out in Whitter, California. Although Tropical Plaza Nursery, Inc. had been maintaining this area for many years and was familiar with Corona, Greentech Landscaping was awarded the contract because they had the lowest bid amount.
On July 1, 2020, Greentech Landscape started their services, and it was evident that the vendor had significantly underestimated the scope of work required to conduct the landscape maintenance. Staff worked diligently with the vendor to keep the areas maintained to a standard that was appropriate. Staff also provided many punch lists to the contractor with deadlines to ensure the residents in the Green River area were receiving the services they deserve. However, City staff has received several complaints from residents about the quality of landscape maintenance services. It was clear that the vendor was unable to meet the expectations and the scope of work required to ensure the quality of service that is expected.
This continued throughout the last fiscal year, and as the end of FY 2021 approached, Greentech Landscape expressed to the City that they no longer wished to continue the contract. The departure of Greentech Landscape leaves a vacancy in zones 10 and 15. After strategic evaluation, staff would like to award the bid to Tropical Plaza Nursery, Inc.
Tropical Plaza Nursery, Inc. has a proven track record in Corona and understand the quality expectations of the City of Corona. Any interruption to service in these highly visible LMDs would impact the Community Services staff significantly. Additionally, in this high fire season, there are significant risks in not maintaining the multiple fire breaks in the area and conducting regular fuel modifications along the slopes in this LMD. The Community Services Department worked with the Purchasing division to explore options to contract with a new vendor in time for the new FY 2022. However, as staff evaluated the relationship that the City has had with Tropical Plaza Nursery, Inc. for more than 10 years, as well as the knowledge that the vendor has of Corona’s standards and expectations, the recommendation was to award the contract to Tropical Plaza Nursery, Inc.
The vendor agreed to honor their bid pricing, which will allow for the City to get award a contract at the proper amount to execute the scope of work for landscaping maintenance in LMD zones 10 and 15. As such, staff is recommending to the City Council to appropriate approximately $40,000 which will meet the true costs of the amount needed to execute the scope of work that is required to meet the Corona Standard.
ANALYSIS:
A Notice Inviting Bids (NIB) was issued by the Purchasing division on behalf of the Maintenance Services Department for landscape maintenance including miscellaneous as needed services for Landscape Maintenance District 2. Bid No. NIB 20-061SB was advertised in the Corona local newspaper, Sentinel Weekly on April 29, 2020, and posted on PlanetBids on May 1, 2020. The Purchasing Division directly solicited four landscape contractors with a copy of the bid. Twenty-five vendors downloaded the bid. The City received nine bids on the bid due date of May 20, 2020.
The following is a summary of the bid results:
Staff reviewed the bid submitted by Tropical Plaza Nursery, Inc. and recommends awarding a contract to Tropical Plaza Nursery, Inc. as the 2nd lowest responsive, responsible bidder. All licenses and references for Tropical Plaza Nursery, Inc. have been reviewed and verified by City staff, and all other documentation is in order. The contract amount of $456,460, includes the bid amount of $431,460 and an additional $25,000 for any contingencies.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Most of the funding for the recommended action is included in the Fiscal Year 2022 Community Services’ operating budget, in the General Fund and LMD Zone 10 and 15 Landscape Maintenance District Funds. An additional appropriation of $40,000 is needed for the new contract with Tropical Plaza Nursery, Inc.
Approval of the recommended action will result in an appropriation of $40,000 ($35,000 in LMD 84-2, Zone 10 Fund 460, $4,000 in LMD 84-2, Zone 15 Fund 462 and $1,000 in the General Fund) to the Community Services’ operating budget.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action is for landscaping and irrigation services; therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: MOSES CORTEZ, PARKS SUPERINTENDENT & VIOLA VAN, MANAGEMENT ANALYST II
REVIEWED BY: ANNE K. TURNER, COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR
Attachments:
1. Exhibit 1 - Maintenance/General Services Agreement- Tropical Plaza Nursery, Inc.
2. Exhibit 2 - Notice of Invitation to Bid (NIB) NIB 20-061SB
3. Exhibit 3 - Tropical Plaza Nursery, Inc. Bid Proposal