HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 12091
City of Palo Alto (ID # 12091)
City Council Staff Report
Meeting Date: 1/10/2022 Report Type: Consent Calendar
City of Palo Alto Page 1
Title: Approval of Contract C22181106 with Universal Site Services Inc. for a
Total Not-to-Exceed Amount of $1,214,373 Over a Five Year Term for
Scheduled and On-Call Steam Cleaning Services at Various City Locations
From: City Manager
Lead Department: Public Works
Recommendation
Staff recommends that Council approve and authorize the City Manager or their designee to
execute a contract with Universal Site Services Inc. (Contract No. C22181106) in the amount of
$1,214,373 over a five-year term for scheduled and on-call steam cleaning services.
Background
To maintain clean and vibrant business districts in Palo Alto, the Public Works Department has
historically contracted for high pressure and steam cleaning services on University Avenue and
California Avenue sidewalks, King Plaza, Lytton Plaza, Mitchell Park Library and Community
Center, Palo Alto Art Center, the Regional Water Quality Control Plant (RWQCP), underpasses,
and parking garages.
The frequency of steam cleaning varies, depending on the location. The sidewalks within the
Downtown University Avenue area are cleaned once a month year-round; the sidewalks on
California Avenue are cleaned once a month for six months out of the year (May-October);
Lytton Plaza is cleaned twice a month year-round; King Plaza and Mitchell Park Library and
Community Center are cleaned four times a year; the RWQCP pathways and loading area are
cleaned six times a year; the underpasses (which include University Ave, Homer Ave,
Embarcadero Rd, and California Ave) are cleaned once a month year-round; and lastly, most
parking garages are cleaned once a year (in June).
Discussion
The work to be performed under this contract is for high pressure and steam cleaning of all the
locations listed above. This contract will also include a complete steam clean of the five parking
garages located within the University Downtown Business District (Civic Center Garage, Lot Q,
Lot S/L, Lot R, and Lot J). The ceilings, walls, stairwells, and floors of these garages will be steam
cleaned once during the contract term. The new California Avenue Parking Garage will receive
similar cleaning twice during the contract term. The Contractor will be required to obtain a
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Recognized Surface Cleaner certification from the Bay Area Stormwater Management Agencies
Association, meet Best Management Practices provided by the RWQCP, and follow
requirements set forth in the City’s Municipal Code. The Contractor is also required to provide a
pollution prevention plan addressing prior to the start of the contract.
The contract with Universal Site Services Inc. is for a five-year term. Work will begin after
contract approval, execution and issuance of a Notice to Proceed by the City’s Project Manager.
All steam cleaning work will be performed between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.,
Thursday through Sunday. The sidewalks located on University Ave that are adjacent to hotels,
apartments, and condominiums will be steam cleaned between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and 7:00
a.m., Thursday through Sunday. Businesses and restaurants in the area will be notified of the
steam cleaning work, and staff will work to accommodate any reasonable concerns, where
feasible.
Bid Process
On May 12, 2021, a Request for Quotations (RFQ) for Steam Cleaning Services for both
Scheduled and On-Call Services was posted on PlanetBids for a bidding period of 28 days. Bids
were received from four contractors on June 9, 2021, as listed on the attached Bid Summary
(Attachment A).
Summary of Bid Process
Bid Name/Number
RFQ #181106: Steam Cleaning Services for
both scheduled and On-Call Services
Proposed Length of Project 5 years
Number of Bids Mailed to Contractors 20
Total Days to Respond to Bid 28
Pre-Bid Meeting? Yes
Number of Companies at Pre-Bid Meeting 9
Number of Bids Received 4
Number of Qualified Bids Received: 4
Bid Price Range From a low of $663,700 to a high of
$3,028,750 for the full 5 year term
Staff reviewed the four bids, and all were deemed responsive. Bids ranged from a low bid of
$663,700 to a high bid of $3,028,750 for the five year term. The two lowest bidders asked to
withdraw their bids in accordance with the Public Contract Code, due to errors in their bids. The
requests to withdraw were reviewed, found to comply with statutory requirements, and were
thus approved. Staff has reviewed the remaining bids that were submitted and recommends
that Universal Site Services Inc. be declared the lowest responsible bidder. The bid is 49 percent
above the engineer's estimate of $737,974 (see below). While the low bid is significantly higher
than the engineer’s estimate, this result is similar to the increase in cost for the street sweeping
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contract approved by Council on April 20, 2020, ID #11012. The recommended contract with
Universal Site Services Inc. contains additional tasks that were not included in the previous
contract, such as $117,200 for the steam cleaning of walls, ceilings, floors, etc. for five parking
garages (Task 8), and $15,800 for the cleaning of the new California Ave Parking Garage (Task
9). The proposed pricing in this new contract accounts for these additional tasks, and the
adjustments needed to reflect the increase in minimum wage, staff retention, job market
competitiveness in the Bay Area, and higher costs to insure and maintain equipment.
Services Location
Previous
Contract
Engineers
Estimate Bid Price
Tasks 1-7 Sidewalks, parking garages (floor only),
underpasses, plazas, and unscheduled Services. $542,125 $623,444 $970,975
Task 8 Parking garages (all interior surfaces, such as
floors, ceilings, walls, etc.) N/A $104,000 $117,200
Task 9 The new California Ave Parking Garage (floor
only). N/A $10,530 $15,800
Total N/A $737,974 $1,103,975
If Council does not approve this contract for steam cleaning, the City will not be able to provide
cleaning services required for maintaining cleanliness within our business districts, community
centers, sidewalks, garages, plazas and underpasses. The City does not have the resources
available to provide these cleaning services itself.
Resource Impact
The contract breakdown according to Funds is provided below. This contract straddles fiscal
years. Funding for Tasks 1-7 of the contract ($194,195) is short by $35,196 in the first year.
Since the second half of the first year falls in Fiscal Year 2023, this $35,196 in funding will be
contingent upon Council approval of the annual budget appropriation for FY 2023. Tasks 1-7 will
be completed each year at the same amount totaling $970,975 for all five years. Task 8
($117,200) and Task 9 ($15,280) of the contract are designated to be completed in the outer
years of the contract and will also be dependent upon Council approval of the annual budget
appropriation.
Dept Location Tasks 1-7 Task 8 Task 9 Fund
PWD
University downtown
sidewalks, garages and
underpass
$121,055 $117,200 University
Parking Fund
PWD California Ave sidewalk,
garages and underpass $10,310 $15,280 California
Parking Fund
CSD Lytton Plaza and King Plaza $31,600 General Fund
PWD
Mitchell Park Library and
Community Center and Art
Center
$8,080 General Fund
PWD Regional Water Quality Control $1,530 Wastewater
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Plant (RWQCP) Treatment
PWD
Homer and Embarcadero
Underpass, Emergency Services
and Unscheduled Services
$21,620 Refuse Fund
The contract’s total not-to-exceed amount of $1,214,373 includes $110,398 for Additional
Services (as defined in the contract) that may be needed during the term of the contract. No
direct funding is available for the $110,398 Additional Services portion of this contract at
present. The intent in granting this Additional Services authority is to make services under this
contract available to other departments or for projects that may arise during the contract term,
with funding to be identified by the department seeking such services. Any use of the
Additional Services provisions is subject to written Task Order approved by the City’s Project
Manager, as detailed in the contract.
Stakeholder Engagement
This contract is for steam cleaning services and community engagement was focused on
prospective contractors. As noted previously, staff will inform potentially impacted businesses
and restaurants in the area when the cleaning are scheduled.
Policy Implications
The recommendation does not represent any changes to existing City policy.
Environmental Review
This project is categorically exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA) under Section 15301 of the CEQA Guidelines as repair, maintenance and/or minor
alteration of existing facilities and no further environmental review is necessary.
Attachments:
• Attachment A: Bid Results PR181106
Steam Cleaning Services for both Scheduled and On-Call Services
RFQ181106
Bid Results:
Bid I Bid II Bid III Total
Superior Pressure Washing $576,000.00 $ 80,700.00 $ 7,000.00 $663,700.00 Withdrawn
Webco $914,135.00 $28,523.00 $7,616.00 $950,274.00 Withdrawn
Universal Site Services $970,975.00 $ 117,200.00 $ 15,800.00 $1,103,975.00
Zero Turn Power Washing $2,843,250.00 $ 164,000.00 $ 21,500.00 $3,028,750.00