Title
Report regarding a resolution awarding a landscape maintenance services agreement to Gothic Landscaping of San Jose, California for Common Greens Landscape Maintenance Services in an amount not to exceed $794,262.32 and for Right-of-Way Landscape Maintenance Services in an amount not to exceed $752,017.32, for a total not to exceed amount of $1,546,279.64 for a twenty-four month term beginning September 1, 2026 and authorizing the City Manager or authorized designee to execute the agreement on behalf of the City. (Joshua Richardson, Parks Division Manager)
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution awarding a landscape maintenance services agreement to Gothic Landscaping of San Jose, California for Common Greens Landscape Maintenance Services (RFP number PR-CGLM-0726) in an amount not to exceed $794,262.32 and for Right-of-Way Landscape Maintenance Services (RFP number PR-LMROW-0726) in an amount not to exceed $752,017.32, for a total not to exceed amount of $1,546,279.64 for a twenty-four month term beginning September 1, 2026 and authorizing the City Manager or designee to execute the agreement on behalf of the City.
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BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The City of South San Francisco (“City”) contracts out for certain specialized landscape maintenance services throughout the city. These specialized contracted services are necessary to keep up with the extensive and varied landscape maintenance responsibilities of the City in order to maintain the City’s safety and aesthetic objectives.
The current landscape maintenance contracts are split by service areas: one encompassing right-of-way (ROW) areas consisting of medians, roadway shoulders, green spots, and trails, and the other contract encompassing Common Greens areas, which consist of landscaped areas located between homes in various neighborhoods throughout the city. These maintenance agreements were entered into in July 2021 for a duration of two fiscal years with an option of extending the agreements three times for an additional fiscal year each occurrence. Currently, Frank and Grossman Landscape Services holds the Right-of-Way contract, and Gothic Landscaping holds the Common Greens contract. These current contracts have reached the end of their extension periods.
Project Scope
The project scope includes all specialized labor, materials and tools necessary to maintain all ornamental planting, including, but not limited to, lawns, groundcovers, and shrubs (trees are excluded). Within these areas, the contractors are also responsible for maintaining drainage facilities, weed control, irrigation sprinkler heads, lateral lines up to the valves (not including valves or water mains downstream of the water meter), controllers, and public walkways. Contracts include the cost of necessary repairs, replacements, care, supervision, and any and all other items necessary for the proper maintenance and operation thereof. The work does not include repairs and maintenance of lighting systems, gates, benches, railings, homeowner fences, walls, sidewalks, and curb and gutter (except weed control).
The City’s objectives for these contracts include the following:
• Provide high-quality professional landscape maintenance services for various medians, islands, right-of-way, and Common Greens areas within the City.
• Work in collaboration with the City to identify areas where reduction of maintenance, energy, and water can result in overall cost savings and environmental benefits for the City.
• Help achieve priorities identified in the City Council’s Priorities Action Plan.
On May 15, 2026, separate RFPs were issued for the Right-of-Way and Common Greens maintenance contracts. The bidding period concluded on June 5, 2026. At the end of the bid period, five proposals had been submitted for the Common Greens project, and four proposals had been submitted for the Right-of-Way project.
A panel of three Parks and Recreation Department staff reviewed the proposals, including the Parks and Recreation Director, Parks Program Manager, and Parks Maintenance Supervisor. Because of the nature of the services sought, and the specialized knowledge required for plant maintenance, sustainable landscape maintenance practices, integrated pest management, and irrigation system design and analysis, the projects are subject to a professional services agreement. Accordingly, the RFP did not state that it would award the contract based solely on the price of proposal, but rather on a number of factors, including the firm’s overall expertise, experience, ability to complete the project within the stated schedule, size of labor force allocated to the project, and ability to achieve the project’s objectives. Specifically, the RFP stated that value and skill and ability of the entity or persons performing the landscaping maintenance services were key components of the selection criteria and that the City would select a consultant on the basis of demonstrated competence and on the professional qualifications necessary for the satisfactory performance of the landscaping maintenance services required. Cost was only one factor in determining the selection.
As such, bids were evaluated based on cost of services, projected maintenance schedule, demonstrated experience with projects of comparable scope and size, knowledge of current trends and practices, and size/allocation of labor force dedicated to the project area.
The results of these bids are listed below, along with the review panel’s scores.
Landscape Maintenance: Right-of-Way (ROW)
|
Contractor |
Base Bid Price |
Aggregate Score (Max 100) |
|
Frank and Grossman |
$393,456.35 |
58.33 |
|
Gothic Landscape |
$422,843.30 |
89.67 |
|
Living Roots |
$390,300.00 |
56.33 |
|
New Image Landscape Company |
$452,348.00 |
82.00 |
Landscape Maintenance: Common Greens
|
ContractorBase Bid PriceAggregate Score (Max 100) |
|
|
|
Frank and Grossman |
$376,317.95 |
57.33 |
|
Gothic Landscape |
$357,131.16 |
89.67 |
|
K&K JL Services, Inc. |
$372,001.20 |
83.00 |
|
Landscape Pros ML Inc. |
$460,720.00 |
42.33 |
|
New Image Landscape Company |
$349,440.00 |
80.50 |
At the conclusion of the review, staff agreed that Gothic Landscape put forward the most comprehensive and price-conscientious bid for both the Common Greens and Right-of-Way contracts. Their proposals had the most appropriate number of staff and type of staff allocated to each project to accomplish the goals of the Parks and Recreation Department and City.
After the preferred contractor was identified, staff further negotiated with Gothic’s management team for the Right-of-Way contract price, which was lowered with the City’s provision of green waste hauling. Staff also negotiated the pricing of bid item 34, Centennial Way Trail, as their proposal included maintenance of the new Centennial Way Park South. This area should not have been included in their bid as this area is maintained by City staff. In total, staff were able to negotiate down the total base amount of the Right-of-Way contract from $422,843.30 to a revised total of $336,008.66 annually.
Furthermore, staff recommend a contract contingency of $40,000 annually for each project to help address emergency responses and deferred maintenance projects in the service areas as done in past years. Like in past years, funding for any additional projects would be funded by the operating budget.
The total price for the initial two-year period plus contingency is $794,262.32 for the Common Greens maintenance project and $752,017.32 for the Right-of-Way maintenance project.
FISCAL IMPACT
Currently, adequate funding for the contract is included within the existing Parks and Recreation Department Operating Budget. Additional funding for the Right-of-Way Landscape Maintenance Services project to cover the costs of maintenance at the Water Quality Control Plant (WQCP) will be funded by the WQCP Operating Budget in the amount of $31,055 annually.
RELATIONSHIP TO CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES ACTION PLAN
Awarding the contract to Gothic Landscaping will help achieve the City Council major focus areas of “Quality of Life” and “Infrastructure and the Environment” by maintaining and enhancing sustainable landscaped areas in the City, benefiting residents and the environment.
CONCLUSION
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager or designee to enter into a services agreement with Gothic Landscaping of San Jose, California for the Common Greens Landscape Maintenance Services project and for the Right-of-Way Landscape Maintenance Services project for a twenty-four month term beginning September 1, 2026, with the option for three additional one-year extensions with City Council’s approval.