Item 21 - Amend Agreement for Tree Maintenance Services

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Public Works Agency www.santa-ana.org/pw Item # 21 City of Santa Ana 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701 Staff Report March 15, 2022 TOPIC: Amend Agreement for Tree Maintenance Services AGENDA TITLE Amend the Agreement with West Coast Arborists, Inc. for Tree Maintenance Services, Increasing the Annual Amount by $145,000 for the Remaining Term of the Agreement (General and Non-General Fund) RECOMMENDED ACTION Authorize the City Manager to execute an amendment to the agreement with West Coast Arborists, Inc., for tree maintenance services, increasing the annual amount by $145,000, for a total amount not to exceed $2,164,100, for the remaining term of the agreement ending on December 31, 2022, with six one-year renewal options exercisable by the City Manager, for a total agreement amount not to exceed $16,230,750, subject to non- substantive changes approved by the City Manager and City Attorney. DISCUSSION The Public Works Agency’s Maintenance Services Division is responsible for the maintenance of approximately 50,000 parkway and street median trees, with the primary goal of preserving the integrity and health of the Santa Ana Urban Forest. Street tree pruning services have been performed by contract for over 25 years, in partnership with City staff. Performing proper and timely tree trimming extends the life cycle of the urban forest by decreasing the likelihood of limb failures, preventing safety hazards to the public and reducing the City’s liability. On November 17, 2020, the City entered into an agreement with West Coast Arborist, Inc., (WCA), the current tree maintenance provider, in the amount of $3,028,650 for the first 18 months and $2,109,100 annually to exercise any of the six one-year renewal options. WCA has served the community's urban forest needs by pruning approximately 15,000 trees a year. They have also implemented an inventory system utilizing Global Positioning System (GPS) technology for all City street trees and prepared an inventory for the City's use. This GPS inventory has led to more efficient tree inspections and pruning, improved accuracy in record-keeping, and timely production of information relevant to service requests and liability claim investigations. On January 18, 2022, during the General Fund First Quarter Budget Update presentation, the City Council authorized a spending plan to improve service levels for the public. As