Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Nicholas J. Calderon, Parks Director
Subject: Agreements with specified contractors for the delivery of on-call professional vegetation management and heavy equipment services to conduct various wildfire fuel reduction projects in County parks
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing:
A) The President of the Board of Supervisors to execute agreements with Arboricultural Specialties, Inc., Bay Area Tree Specialists, Go Native, Inc., and Hanford Applied Restoration & Conservation for the delivery of on-call professional vegetation management and heavy equipment services to conduct various wildfire fuel reduction projects in County parks, for the term of February 23, 2021 to February 22, 2024, and in an amount not to exceed $750,000 per agreement, with a total maximum not-to-exceed amount of $3,000,000; and
B) The Parks Director, or the Parks Director’s designee, to execute amendments to the agreements to modify the maximum fiscal obligation by no more than $25,000 (in aggregate per agreement), and/or modify the agreements’ terms and/or services, so long as the modified term(s) and/or services is/are within the current or revised fiscal provisions.
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BACKGROUND:
The San Mateo County Parks Department (“Department”) manages the County’s 23 parks, approximately 190 miles of trails, over 16,000 acres of land, and one marina. These parklands contain a diversity of vegetation communities with varying degrees of vegetation density and are located within or in proximity to the wildland-urban interface. As a result, they pose a risk for the spread of wildfire if an event of this nature occurs within the County. This was displayed when the CZU Lightning Complex Fire burned through Pescadero Creek County Park.
The Department places a high priority on vegetation management and wildfire fuel reduction in County parks with the goals of improving ecological function and reducing the spread and severity of wildfire. While Department staff conducts a considerable amount of vegetation management and wildfire fuel reduction projects throughout the year, to expedite the completion of high priority fuel reduction projects, the Department also engages qualified contractors to provide various on-call services.
DISCUSSION:
On November 5, 2020, the Department released a Request for Proposals (“RFP”) seeking qualified contractors to provide on-call professional services for vegetation management projects and for high priority wildfire fuel reduction projects. These services were identified as critical based on the amount of fuel present in the parks system and the equipment, training, and certification requirements necessary to conduct this type of work.
The Department released the RFP on publicpurchase.com and complied with all requirements for procuring on-call professional services. After a detailed review of all eight proposals received for the various service categories, the Department selected four firms to provide two of the requested services as summarized below:
|
Firm |
Service |
Agreement Amount |
|
Arboricultural Specialties, Inc. |
Heavy Equipment Operation and Tree Removal |
Up to $750,000 |
|
Bay Area Tree Specialists |
Heavy Equipment Operation and Tree Removal |
Up to $750,000 |
|
Go Native, Inc. |
Vegetation Management |
Up to $750,000 |
|
Hanford Applied Restoration & Conservation |
Vegetation Management |
Up to $750,000 |
|
TOTAL: Not to exceed $3,000,000 |
Should the Board authorize execution of the recommended on-call agreements, the Department will be able to expedite completion of various high priority wildfire fuel reduction projects including, but not limited to, thinning and removal of eucalyptus trees, construction of shaded fuel break, understory thinning, mastication, and herbicide treatment to eliminate regrowth of undesired species. Completion of these projects will mitigate catastrophic wildfire risk, maintain ingress and egress capabilities for first responders and residents, and enhance public safety.
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the resolution as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The term of each of these agreements is from February 23, 2021, through February 22, 2024. The not-to-exceed amount for each agreement is $750,000, with a total maximum not-to-exceed amount of $3,000,000. Funding is included in the Department’s FY 2020-21 budget for fire fuel reduction projects and will be included in future budgets.