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Department of Procurement
Reference: Award of Formal Bid Lawn Care & Landscape Maintenance Service Bid #15-009
To: Mayor Richard N. McLean and Members of City Council
Through: Manuel Esquibel, City Manager
Prepared By: Pam Roeding, Assistant Procurement & Contracts Manager
Through: Dan Frelund, Finance Director, Gary Wardle, Parks and Recreation Director and Kyle Sylvester, Interim Parks Manager/City Forester
Date Prepared: March 17, 2015
PURPOSE
Requesting City Council approval of a formal bid for the Lawn Care and Landscape Maintenance Services to the lowest most responsive and responsible bidder, and approving the resolution giving the Mayor authority to sign the contract. Municipal Code Section 3.08.090, ". . . . All bids and proposals in excess of $50,000 shall be awarded through formal written procedures by the city council."
BACKGROUND/HISTORY
The Division of Parks and Open Space manages over 220 irrigated acres of turf grass and 100's of various sized landscape beds. Due to limited staff and equipment the city has for over 10 years contracted out a portion of the maintenance of the grass and the landscape beds. The work to be completed includes turf mowing, trimming, trash pickup and landscape bed maintenance which consists of weed control by means of chemical or mechanical control. As additional parks and landscape beds are added it is anticipated that the number of contracted acres will continue to increase. With in-house staff, The Division of Parks and Open Space maintains approximately 2/3's of the 220 acres of turf grass and the majority of the existing landscape beds. By contracting these services out, cost savings are realized by not having to hire additional city personnel and not having to purchase additional equipment.
The bid was prepared to be awarded on the per acre cost. By using the per acre, cost the City can make adjustments easily without negotiation. In the event adverse weather conditions affect the mowing frequency, the bid and contract have been prepared so that locations can be removed and/or added at the discretion of the Parks and Open Space Manager.
Additionally, this bid was prepared to utilize a multi-term contract. After completion of the first year of service, the contract may be extended up to a possible four, one-year extensions based on acceptable performance and annual appropriation. Performance will be reviewed during the contract season and at the completion of each year's contract with a decision made to continue or cancel the existing contract. Each year's renewal would be subject to annual appropriation.
Last year, this bid was awarded to Designscapes Colorado. Designscapes Colorado requested in writing an early termination of the contract due to unforeseen difficulties.
A formal bid was received on March 16, 2015 at 11:00 AM; seven (7) firms attended the mandatory pre-bid conference with six (6) firms submitting a bid for this project. All bids received were opened and read into record by the Assistant Procurement & Contracts Manager at a public bid opening.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Funding was approved in the 2015 budget in the Parks and Open Space Professional Services fund. The bid from Vargas Property Services, Inc. is within the budgeted amount.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
In completing the review and evaluation of this bid, the recommendation is to award to the lowest most responsive and responsible bid of Vargas Property Services, Inc., in the amount of Sixty three Thousand Eight Hundred Forty Three Dollars and 50/100 ($63,843.50). Vargas Property Services, Inc. is in good standing with the State of Colorado.
OPTIONS FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION
Ø Approval as presented
Ø Reject
Ø Require new bids be prepared
Attachments:
Ø Resolution