OPERATIONS, SAFETY, AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
JUNE 15, 2023
Subject
SUBJECT: TRASH AND OVERGROWN VEGETATION REMOVAL SERVICES FOR REGIONS 1 THROUGH 3
Action
ACTION: APPROVE CONTRACT AWARDS
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
AUTHORIZE the Chief Executive Officer to:
A. AWARD a firm fixed unit rate Contract No. OP911660008370, for Region 1 to Urban Graffiti Enterprises Inc., to provide trash and overgrown vegetation removal services in the not-to-exceed (NTE) amount of $2,653,488 for the three-year base, and $1,556,296 for the one, two-year option, for a total combined NTE amount of $4,209,784, effective August 1, 2023, subject to resolution of timely protest(s), if any;
B. AWARD a firm fixed unit rate Contract No. OP911660018370, for Regions 2 and 3 to Parkwood Landscape Maintenance, Inc., to provide trash and overgrown vegetation removal services in the NTE amount of $32,708,116 for the three-year base, and $21,762,707 for the one, two-year option, for a combined not-to-exceed amount of $54,470,823, effective August 1, 2023, subject to resolution of timely protest(s), if any; and
C. EXECUTE individual contract modifications within the Board approved contract modification authority.
Issue
ISSUE
The existing four (4) regional contracts provide combined services for graffiti abatement, landscape and irrigation maintenance, and trash and overgrown vegetation removal services per region.
To ensure continuity of maintenance services, two (2) new contract awards are required effective August 1, 2023, for trash and vegetation removal services throughout Metro’s service area, restructured and split geographically into three (3) regions (Attachment C). One contract will provide services for Region 1, while the other contract will provide services for Regions 2 and 3 combined.
Background
BACKGROUND
On September 17, 2015, the Metro Board of Directors awarded four (4) contracts for regions 1 through 4, to maintain Metro’s service area split geographically into four (4) regions. Each contract provided combined services for graffiti abatement, landscape and irrigation maintenance, and trash and overgrown vegetation removal services.
On May 20, 2021, in lieu of new contract awards, Metro Operations, Safety, and Customer Experience Committee directed staff to extend the existing four (4) regional contracts on a month-to-month basis with the required additional authority to continue providing the critical maintenance services, survey small businesses to solicit feedback related to doing business with Metro and re-evaluate Metro’s service area to further enhance competition and increase small business participation.
On June 24, 2021, the Metro Board of Directors approved recommendations for a new enhanced Medium-Size Business Enterprise (MSZ) Program and Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Program.
Based on staff’s evaluation of Metro’s service area and frequency levels, the input received from the small businesses survey conducted, and the new enhanced MSZ and SBE programs policy, revised solicitations were issued splitting Metro’s service area into three (3) geographical regions. Each region will be maintained by three (3) service specific contracts for graffiti abatement, landscape and irrigation maintenance, and trash and overgrown vegetation removal services. These new contracts will replace the existing combined services contracts and will incorporate the addition of the Metro K line (Crenshaw/LAX) as well as the future stations, facilities, and locations for the Regional Connector, Rail to Rail, D line (Purple) Westside Extension, and L Line (Gold) Foothill Extension Phase 2B construction projects, as they become operational.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Under these new trash and overgrown vegetation removal services contracts, the contractor is required to provide general maintenance and clean-up services for Metro Rights-Of-Way (ROWs), facilities, parking lots, and parcel properties, clearing trash, illegal dumping, and removing overgrown vegetation.
Regular trash, bulky item, and overgrown vegetation removal services are essential for Metro facilities to ensure maintaining smooth operations, compliance with CPUC guidelines, providing safe and clean facilities, and enhancing customer experience systemwide. On a monthly basis, approximately 123 tons of trash and overgrown vegetation is removed from Metro ROWs, facilities, parking lots, and parcel properties, including approximately 15 tons of trash removed from an average of four (4) cleared homeless encampments.
While homelessness continues to pose a challenge to the Los Angeles region, Metro has taken a human-centered approach to addressing homelessness by dedicating resources to connect individuals to services and housing. Under these new contracts, following Metro’s homeless encampment clearing protocol, additional labor hours are included to ensure safe operations, timely response, and clean-up of homeless encampment sites.
The service frequencies for the new contracts have been adjusted, reflecting service increases from monthly to weekly for all stations, monthly to twice per month for parking lots and Caltrans P&R lots, and quarterly to every two months for active and inactive ROWs. Also, service levels have been evaluated and aligned based on site specific needs for Metro’s divisions, terminals, and locations to ensure providing a clean and safe environment for Metro’s patrons and staff.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
The approval of this item will ensure the continuity of maintenance services, meeting Metro maintenance standards while providing a proactive approach to maintenance needs and ensuring delivery of safe, clean, on-time, and reliable services systemwide.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Upon Board approval of the FY24 budget, funding in the amount of $11,625,779 for trash and overgrown vegetation removal services is included under cost center 8370 - Facilities Contracted Maintenance Services, account 50308, Service Contract Maintenance, under various projects.
Since these are multi-year contracts, the cost center manager, Deputy Chief Operations Officer, Shared Mobility will be accountable for budgeting the cost in future years.
Impact to Budget
The current source of funds for this action includes operating eligible sales tax funding, including Propositions A/C, Measures R/M, and Transportation Development Act. These fund sources are eligible for bus and rail operations.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
Regularly scheduled and as-needed trash and overgrown vegetation removal services contribute to improving bus and rail stations’ cleanliness and providing a safe environment for Metro’s patrons. Bus and Rail stations’ cleanliness was identified as one of the top areas of concern in the 2020 Customer Experience survey conducted to develop the Metro Customer Experience Plan 2022 and the FY23 Metro Budget and assist with funds allocation for the FY23 budget.
Metro customers, Metro staff, and Transit Ambassadors can report cleanliness and maintenance issues through the Customer Relations numbers posted throughout the rail and bus system. Customers have the option of communicating with Metro in nine (9) different languages using our translation service. Metro also ensures translated signage is posted for those reporting cleanliness and maintenance issues on the Metro system.
As part of these solicitations, five (5) Systemwide Metro Connect Industry Forum Outreach events were conducted; three (3) events were held in 2021 on October 20, October 27, and November 3, and two (2) in 2022 on July 13 and 27. During the outreach events, staff provided an overview detailing the new enhanced MSZ and SBE Programs policy for competitively negotiated procurements.
The Diversity and Economic Opportunity Department (DEOD) applied the Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Set Aside Program for Region 1 and established a 22% SBE goal and a 3% DVBE goal for Regions 2 and 3 under DEOD Medium Size Business Tier 2 Program. Urban Graffiti Enterprises, Inc is a Metro certified SBE firm and made a 100% SBE commitment as the Prime for Region 1, and Parkwood Landscape Maintenance, Inc. made a 24% SBE and a 3% DVBE commitment for Regions 2 and 3.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
This Board action supports Strategic Goal 5: Provide responsive, accountable, and trustworthy governance within the Metro organization. Performing ongoing scheduled and as-needed trash and overgrown vegetation removal services will ensure providing a safe and clean environment to our patrons along with accessibility, service reliability, and enhancing customers’ overall experience.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board may elect not to approve the recommendation to award the contracts. This is not recommended because the average hourly rate for the two (2) new contracts recommended for award is comparable to the existing trash and overgrown vegetation removal service hourly rate within the combined services contracts and is 9% below the independent cost estimate (ICE), therefore the recommended contract pricing is deemed fair and reasonable.
With the completion of a financial based insourcing/outsourcing study based on a quantitative and qualitative assessment, staff has analyzed insourcing/outsourcing options for trash and overgrown vegetation removal among other services. Based on the findings, trash and overgrown vegetation removal services are being considered for insourcing. Approving this recommendation to award the contracts will allow staff the time during the three-year base contract term to take the necessary steps for the planning, allocation of resources, training, acquisition of equipment and materials and the execution to bring the trash and overgrown vegetation removal services in-house.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon approval by the Board, staff will execute Contract No. OP911660008370 for Region 1 to Urban Graffiti Enterprises, Inc., and Contract No. OP911660018370 for Regions 2 and 3 to Parkwood Landscape Maintenance, Inc., to provide trash and overgrown vegetation removal services systemwide, effective August 1, 2023.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Procurement Summary
Attachment B - DEOD Summary
Attachment C - Three (3) Regions’ Maps
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Lena Babayan, Executive Officer, Operations Administration (Interim), (213) 922-6765
Carlos Martinez, Director, Facilities Contracted Maintenance Services, (213) 922-6761
Shahrzad Amiri, Deputy Chief Operations Officer, Shared Mobility, (213) 922-3061
Debra Avila, Deputy Chief Vendor/Contract Management Officer (213) 418-3051
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Conan Cheung, Chief Operations Officer, Transit Operations,
(213) 418-3034
