AGENDA TITLE:
title
Adopt a Resolution Rejecting Protest and Awarding Contract for 2026-2028 Tree Maintenance Project to Elite Maintenance & Tree Service, of Ceres ($616,700), and Execute Change Orders ($100,000) (PW)
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MEETING DATE:
August 5, 2026
PREPARED BY:
Sean Nathan, Interim Public Works Director
recommendation
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt a resolution rejecting protest and awarding contract for 2026-2028 Tree Maintenance to Elite Maintenance & Tree Service, of Ceres, in the amount of $616,700 and authorizing City Manager to execute change orders in an amount not-to-exceed $100,000.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
This on-call contract provides for the structural pruning, maintenance trimming, stump grinding, emergency calls, removal of City trees, pest control, and tree planting at various locations throughout the City for Fiscal Years 2026/27 and 2027/28. The main objective of this contract is to provide a safe and healthy urban forest and to reduce costs associated with this effort. The initial contract term is two years and includes two optional, one-year extensions, for a total of four years, if all extensions are executed. If the extensions are utilized, staff will bring the contract back to council to identify the source of the additional funding and to authorize the associated increase in change order authority.
The bid opening was held on May 8, 2026. There were 6 bids received and 4 of them were responsive. The responsive bids are summarized below.
Bidder Location Bid Above/(Below)
Estimate
Engineer's Estimate $ 784,700.00
Elite Maintenance & Tree Ceres $ 616,700.00 $(168,000.00)
West Coast Arborists, Inc. Anaheim $ 684,920.00 $(99,780.00)
Professional Tree Care Comp Berkeley $ 999,750.00 $ 215,050.00
New Image Landscape Comp Fremont $ 1,155,050.00 $ 370,350.00
The City received a protest letter (Exhibit A) from the second lowest bidder, West Coast Arborists, Inc. (WCA), dated May 8, 2026, claiming t...
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