L.A. Supervisors approve landscape maintenance contract for Marina del Rey

MARINA DEL REY—A landscape services contract to maintain the public grounds throughout Marina del Rey was approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Feb. 4. The contract is for three years but can be extended for another 30 months, making the maximum length of the agreement 5.5 years. LandCare USA, the company who was awarded the contract, will receive $569,515 per year.

The contract could be worth $3,445,566 if all options and extensions are picked up, and is inclusive of a 10 percent annual fee for unforeseen services.

County staff said the new landscape maintenance services contract would allow the Department of Beaches and Harbors “to continue to maintain landscaping on the public grounds in Marina del Rey using the services of a private contractor.”

“Landscape maintenance services have been contracted out since 1984. LandCare is the current contractor for these services. The current contract with LandCare was approved by your Board on August 19, 2014 and will expire on February 29, 2020. After an evaluation of proposals in response to a Request for Proposals (RFP) for landscape maintenance services, the Department has determined that LandCare is the most responsible proposer.”

“Through quality landscape maintenance, the Department ensures visitors enjoyment of parks, bike paths and other public areas, while also effectively setting a standard for the upkeep of landscape in Marina del Rey on privately-maintained and operated leaseholds,” county staff continued in its report to supervisors.

The county has contracted out its landscape maintenance services to a private contractor since 1984. LandCare USA is the incumbent service provider and has been under contract with the county since Aug. 19, 2014. The county’s contract with LandCare USA was set to expire on Feb. 29.

County staff said the LandCare USA contract would not adversely affect its employee relations.

The county issued a request for proposals in August 2019. Six attended a proposer’s conference; four of the six attendees formally submitted a bid, but one of the bidders was disqualified for not meeting the minimum requirements stated in the request for proposals.

The Department of Beaches and Harbors budgeted $432,601 for landscape maintenance services in its 2019-2020 fiscal year budget – which is $136,914 short of the annual $569,515 cost awarded to LandCare USA.

“The excess amount of $136,914 will be funded from the department’s Operating Budget within budgetary resources, as will any additional or unforeseen services within the scope of the contract,” county staff stated in their report to supervisors. “Ongoing appropriation of $136,914 will be requested in the department’s fiscal year 2020-21 Final Changes Budget at no additional net county cost.”

LandCare USA beat out the other two bidders, based upon its quality control plan, living wage compliance, experience, organizational resources and approach to contract requirements.

The contract, which goes into effect on March 1, will initially run for three years; the county has the option to extend the agreement to five years with two one-year options. A six-month extension is available to both parties after the initial five years have been exhausted.