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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-01-14 - AGENDA REPORTS - ENCAMPMENT CLEAN UP CONTRAgenda Item• 15 CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AGENDA REPORT CONSENT CALENDAR CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: Li ` DATE: January 14, 2025 SUBJECT: ENCAMPMENT CLEAN-UP SERVICES CONTRACT DEPARTMENT: Community Development PRESENTER: Tracy Sullivan RECOMMENDED ACTION City Council: 1. Award a two-year contract for encampment clean-up services to Woods Maintenance Services, Inc., in the annual amount not to exceed $200,000. 2. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute up to three additional one-year renewal options for an annual amount not to exceed $200,000. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all contracts and associated documents, and modify the awards in the event impossibility of performance arises, and execute all documents subject to City Attorney approval. BACKGROUND The City of Santa Clarita (City) contracts on an as -needed basis for homeless encampment clean- up and abatement services to address sites throughout the City. Clean-ups typically occur on a bimonthly basis, although the frequency may change depending on activity levels, resident complaints, and health and safety concerns. In 2024, approximately 150 encampments were abated throughout the City using a third -party contractor and/or City staff. The City's Community Preservation Division serves as the contract administrator and works directly with the contractor for needed services. Encampments are posted by City staff with a "Notice to Vacate Illegal Campsite" prior to any scheduled clean-up. The contractor is then accompanied during the clean-up by City staff and law enforcement personnel, as needed. The City conducted a Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit proposals from qualified contractors to provide clean-up services to remove all junk, trash, debris, refuse, and miscellaneous items from previously identified homeless encampment sites Citywide. The RFP was published and Page 1 Packet Pg. 103 circulated via the City's e-procurement system, BidNet, on October 24, 2024. The City transmitted the solicitation to 325 vendors on BidNet, of which 38 vendors downloaded the RFP. A total of four companies provided proposals for consideration. These proposals were reviewed and evaluated based on each company's ability to meet the specific needs of the City. An evaluation panel, comprised of staff from the Community Development Department, scored the responses using the following categories of criteria: • Contractor qualifications and experience with similar services • Thoroughness of proposal, approach to providing sound services, and ability to provide services to meet objectives and standards • Staffing and equipment capabilities that allow the contractor to complete projects within an appropriate and acceptable timeframe • Cost of services provided, as well as discounts offered The evaluation panel scored the responses based on a 100-point scale, with the results outlined below: COMPANY LOCATION SCORE Woods Maintenance Services, Inc. North Hollywood, CA 97.33 American Integrated Services, Inc. Wilmington, CA 90.67 GrayMar Environmental Services, LLC Moses Lake, WA 73.00 Clean Harbors Environmental Services, Inc. Compton, CA 72.00 In reviewing the proposals, the evaluation panel awarded the highest score to Woods Maintenance Services, Inc. (WMS). Woods Maintenance Services, Inc. demonstrated recent experience in successfully delivering similar projects and provided a detailed proposal that aligns with the project scope. Their proposed team and resources are well -qualified, and their understanding of key development items reflects a thorough grasp of project requirements. All vendors submitted detailed cost proposals, including wage rates, equipment fees, and material and vehicle costs. WMS demonstrated the most competitive pricing while meeting all project requirements, ensuring the City obtains high -quality services at the best overall value. WMS has a track record of performing homeless encampment clean-ups for over eight years and has managed 1,000 clean-ups for public agencies such as Metro, the City of Riverside, the City of Ventura, and the County of Los Angeles Public Works. WMS has additionally provided encampment clean-ups for the City of Santa Clarita for the last three years. Based on the completeness of their proposal for this project, staff recommends awarding the contract to WMS. Their proposal is available in the City Clerk's Reading File. ALTERNATIVE ACTION Other action as determined by the City Council. Page 2 Packet Pg. 104 FISCAL IMPACT The resources required to implement the recommended action are contained within the City of Santa Clarita's adopted Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget, Expenditure Account 1003200-516131 (Community Preservation/Litter & Debris Removal). ATTACHMENTS Woods Maintenance Services, Inc.'s Proposal (available in City Clerk's Reading File) Page 3 Packet Pg. 105 Proposal # CD-24-25-14 Encampment Clean -Up Contractor 1.1 Response File 1.1.1 Introduction Woods Maintenance Services, Inc. started out under its original corporate name of D & B Maintenance, Inc. as a janitorial maintenance contractor in 1975, reorganizing under its current name in 1997. When the company was created, we knew immediately that in order to have a successful business, we would need to not only work harder than everyone, but we would also need to work better. To that end WMS has always thought about how we can provide the most value to the client, while also anticipating our clients' future needs and requirements. In 1975, our emphasis was on the daily and nightly maintenance of apartment buildings, condominiums, industrial parks, and office buildings, with a minor workload of graffiti removal and landscaping services. As we became more and more experienced and skilled, the future needs of our clients came sooner than we thought. However, because we always have adhered to the edict that our most important assets are our staff and our clients, we were quickly able to adapt to what our clients' work needs required and what services our staff could provide. This way of thinking and operating continues to this day and is the primary reason we have continued to be successful as we approach our 50th Anniversary. In 1976, as the company became more established and began to earn its stellar reputation, we became licensed to perform high pressure washing and steam cleaning work for hard surfaces, as well as masonry cleaning. It was during this period, while we were members of the Chamber of Commerce, when we helped to develop the Westwood Village Sidewalk Maintenance District, a program funded through property owners' taxes, to clean and maintain specific business districts. Ironically, the work we performed on this contract, during the nascent days of our firm, have become the backbone of our current workload: graffiti removal, weed, vegetation, trash, and debris removal, pressure washing and steam cleaning, and routine landscape maintenance. As graffiti increased throughout Los Angeles and the country in the early 1980's, a new division —Graffiti Control Systems (GCS) —was formed to specifically address this out -of - control problem. Through trial and error, and a great deal of research and beta testing, GCS became the first graffiti contractor in the nation to utilize portable spectrophotometers in the field to computer color match paint, thereby setting a new standard for quality and timeliness. GCS was also the first graffiti abatement contractor to test and use "green" graffiti removal chemicals in the field, chemicals which are still part and parcel to our "non -painting" removal repertoire. Not wanting the future to pass us by, we have created our own web and smartphone application for graffiti removal, tracking, and reporting services —Write On, Right Off" —which is available for free for all contract cities and agencies. The app has been further developed and refined to include accurate and complete reporting for all of our contracts, with workloads capable of being seen in real time so contract managers can get an immediate visual picture of the work being carried out. Woods Maintenance Services, Inc. was one of the first private contractors to provide weed, trash, vegetation, and debris removal from active and inactive railroad right of ways, as well as on freeways and the Los Angeles County flood control channels. In fact, we were the first contractor to employ the use of street sweepers in the channels to assist crews with trash removal. We have performed these services for major Southern California transit authorities including LACMTA, Metrolink, OCTA, SCRRA, and for other public agencies including CalTrans and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works. WMS has provided landscape and irrigation maintenance services beginning in the early 1990's. Returning to our roots, we contracted and worked for some of the same agencies and companies that started our robust early growth. Originally done as ancillary services on other contracts, and on an as needed basis, we worked closely with these groups on many projects around Southern California. Beginning in 2007, WMS moved fully into providing these services, as a prime contractor utilizing subcontractors as well, for private land and property developers, property management companies, and then eventually for public agencies, including Metro since 2012. As the homeless situation has become more acute in the State, particularly in Southern California, Woods Maintenance Services created a division, Homeless Encampment Services (HES) to help bring dignity to clean-ups. Over the past 8 years Woods' laborers have performed over a thousand clean-ups of homeless encampments for Metro, the City of Santa Clarita, the City of Riverside, the City of Ventura, the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, the City of Culver City, and we continue to perform this work as an ongoing venture. These clean-ups have ranged from small encampments that take 3 to 4 crew members a couple hours to clean, all the way up to large encampments that require 15 crew members, utilizing bobcats, over 1 week to clean up. Each of these encampment projects are assigned to Woods by its public agency client, where we then work with the appropriate law enforcement agency to ensure that all postings are made in accordance with applicable laws and that regulations are adhered to. We have worked with the LAPD Hope Teams, the LASD, Riverside PD, and Ventura PD to perform these clean-ups safely, with compassion and dignity. When necessary, personal items that are left behind at the encampment, shall be bagged, tagged, and delivered to law enforcement for safe and proper storage. Because the City will assign each of the locations to be cleaned, and the type of work that will be needed, Woods will know which crew members to assign, and how many, based on the type of work required by the request. Again, having performed this type of work for public agencies (and this exact work for Santa Clarita for the past —3 years), we understand the need for keeping proper records for the weekly certified payroll and DIR reporting, making requests for apprentices, and choosing the correct payroll determination based on the actual work performed and not misclassifying laborers as landscape maintenance laborers in order to have a lower bid price. Each of these steps is integral to successfully performing on a prevailing wage contract, and not subjecting either the contractor or the awarding body to costly labor compliance audits and potential penalties for misclassifying workers on the project. At present, Woods is licensed (741322) with the CSLB for the following classifications: B, C27, C33, C61-D38, C61-D63, and HAZ, among others, and we are registered with the DIR for Public Works, 1000003177. 1.1.2 References: See attached reference form 1.1.3 Plan of Study/Scope of Work Upon notification of the clean-up locations for a particular work order request, our field supervisor and/or project manager for this project, Alfredo Munoz and Josh Woods, will head out to the sites to determine the manpower requirements, as well as the tools/equipment that shall be required for the work. Additionally, they will decide whether traffic control will need to be implemented. In consultation with the City, we will provide an estimated timeframe and cost structure regarding each of the encampments and our expectations for the completion date(s) of the clean-up. After performing the site inspections, Woods will construct a crew that is best suited to perform the work. Should the work require the removal of a lot of hazardous material, we shall supply workers who have been HAZWOPER certified and have been trained in OSHA Bloodborne pathogen safety. Proper containers for bio-hazard waste, electronic waste, sharps, and the like will be available at all clean-ups and these containers will be properly secured for safe disposal. At all times, while on site, crews are outfitted in appropriate PPE. At a minimum, crews will be outfitted with hard hats, work boots, Tyvek suits, gloves, eye protection, and masks. "Cut" gloves are always available should the need arise for their use. Our crews have multiple years of experience in performing homeless encampment clean-ups, and have come across nearly every type of temporary structure— lea n-tos, tents, canvas tarps, woodsheds, metal sheds, and even dug -outs. Additionally, in the City of Santa Clarita, we have also encountered sites that have been made with poured concrete and rebar, requiring light demolition work and appropriate power tools. Alfredo Munoz, who will be our working supervisor on this project, has led our Encampment Cleanup team for the entirety of its 8 years, and has supervised hundreds of cleanups over the years. Miguel Bautista, our proposed lead worker, has worked under Alfredo's direct supervision for the past 4 years, and has been one of Woods' lead workers on scores of encampment clean-ups during that time frame. Both crew members have significant experience operating bobcats and skid -steers, should the need for their use be required, and both have extensive experience in coordinating with law enforcement to ensure that the clean-ups go smoothly and safely. By contracting with an experienced firm like Woods, the City will benefit knowing that it can be confident that not only will the work be done to the specifications in the contract, but that we will treat all people experiencing homelessness with the respect and dignity that they deserve as a human being. We recognize our role in providing professional services in an environment that requires care, safety, and diligence. Additionally, by contracting with Woods, the City benefits by working with a firm that has crews working 7 days per week, year-round, and a headquarters only 18 miles from the City. With a full-time staff of over 75 qualified and dedicated workers, Woods can provide an emergency crew at a moment's notice, should there an immediate clean-up required. Our experienced staff has provided 100's of homeless encampment clean-ups over the past few years, and we know how to perform this work, keeping in mind the needs of all interested parties. In order to have a better and more comprehensive understanding of what is we do when performing homeless encampment clean-ups, we have provided our detailed approach, which we call "The 360' and 3 Program." The 3600&3 Site Evaluation & Encampment Abatement System Scope of Services When arriving on -site for an encampment abatement, our Site Supervisor and Trained Biohazard Technicians perform a 360° site assessment, prior to the Three -Pass cleanup. By identifying the various areas/sections and overall layout characteristic of an encampment, we evaluate the inherent risks of a given site prior to deploying teams to abate and maintain the site safely. Prior to any abatement the site is digitally photographed, through multiple angles of the entire encampment, of each individual/joint site, and the various sections characteristic of an active encampment. These photographs are used not only for before & after documentation, but are used when People Experiencing Homelessness (PEH) later seek to recover their property from the City's possession. Crews can group and reference where personal items originated when C! we tag and bag personal belongings, if so required. PEH can then easily identify their property at the determined location within the City with the aid of these photographs used for our cataloging system. With our extensive knowledge and experience cleaning encampments for Santa Clarita, Riverside, Ventura, Metro, Culver City, and LA County, our encampment abatement experts quickly assess where we will likely encounter the greatest concentrations of biohazardous waste, human excrement, drug paraphernalia, and hazardous materials/chemicals used for heating and cooking. Once the site is surveyed using our 360' approach, where paths of travel and settlement areas are examined from all directions, an abatement work plan is constructed by the Site Supervisor, Biohazard Technicians, Laborers, and Demolition Laborer crews. Using the "Three -Pass System," our crews outline how to approach the abatement to ensure safety and expediency for all crews, working on different areas of the abatement. See below for the details of each Pass, including the Prevailing Wage determinations for each crew, which items are abated and secured for proper removal and disposal. 1st Pass Three -Pass System of Homeless Encampment Abatement Biohazardous Waste (Crew 1: Laborer Group 5) Load: Contained in 40-gallon drums w/ biohazard labels, delivered to Efficient Environmental Services Inc., the following items: 1. SHARPS in red -plastic, puncture -proof, secure container 2. soiled/contaminated items - biohazard/red bags 3. soiled clothing, sheets, towels - biohazard/red bags 4. feces --less than 10 Ibs: set aside and dumped with Pass 3 waste/debris at local dump more than 10 Ibs: requires immediate burial, prior approval from dump required Household Hazardous Waste (Crew 2: Laborer Group 5) Load: separated, secured, placed in spill -proof containers, hauled to Office for CESQG program 61 1. Paints and Solvents 2. Household Batteries (taped terminals w/clear tape) 3. fluorescent lightbulbs 4. cleaning products 5. used motor oil & filters 6. anti -freeze & other vehicle fluids 7. car batteries 8. pool/garden chemicals 9. aerosolcans Weapons, Controlled Substances, Medications (Crews 1, 2, and Site Supervisor) 1. Weapons - Site Supervisor notifies Local Police Department immediately 2. Controlled Substances - bagged and secured for delivery to Local Police Department 3. Prescribed Medications - bagged in Hi -Viz storage and set aside for inclusion with Personal Items during Pass 2 2nd Pass Personal Items (Crew 2: Supervisor & Laborer Group 1) Process: Personal items (specified below) are bagged and tagged, color -coded and labelled with the date, location/site ID, and unique individual ID, for deposit at City -specified location a. ID/Social Security cards b. Medications c. Birth Certificates d. Tents e. Pots & Pans f. Radios & Electronics g. Photos/Photo Albums h. Tax/medical records i. Intact Bicycles j. Jewelry k. Purses/backpacks/briefcases I. Eyeglasses m. Books n. Tools o. Stoves & Generators eWaste (Crew 1: Laborer Group 1) AI Load: GOOD REPAIR - bagged and tagged as personal items, for transfer to City -specified location Load: DAMAGED/STRIPPED items - separated, secured, prepared for local recycling OR haul to office a. Computers b. Monitors c. Printers d. network equipment e. cables f. telephones g. televisions h. microwaves i. videogames j. cell phones k. radios I. stereos m. VCRs 3rd Pass Encampment Trash, Debris & Vegetation Removal (Site Supervisor, Crews 1 & 2: Laborers) Process: 1. While the two first Passes of abatement require more detail, caution, and care while dismantling an encampment, the Third Pass is quick and efficient, our crews having performed this scope of work for many years in the LA County Flood Control Channels along LACMTA property, in Santa Clarita, Culver City, Riverside, and Ventura. 2. Once all items from the first two passes are removed, secured, and prepared for hauling to their respective facilities, the final abatement phase is the safe and swift removal of any remaining debris, temporary structures, and overgrown vegetation causing a public nuisance. 3. While trained laborers utilize various power tools to cut back brush, hedges, overgrown areas obscuring views, and weeds, another crew of Laborers work to dismantle structures and prepare the waste for hauling in our dump trucks. This is primarily done with hand tools, though, if necessary, we can employ the use of a skid loader or bobcat. This would only be done if there was substantial heavy debris. All staff that will be working on site will be properly trained and prepared for the work at hand. Depending on the work being performed, Woods has multiple employees who are certified in OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Training as well as in OSHA HAZWOPER Training. If heavy equipment is required, Woods shall get permission from the City before beginning that clean-up and said equipment will be operated by experienced and certified operators. Should additional work be required at adjacent sites, we shall inform rA City staff and then proceed as directed. At all times, crews shall perform their duties in a professional and workmanlike manner and shall limit their contact with the people experiencing homelessness. Upon completion of the work for each site, a report shall be prepared that encompasses the following information: approximate square footage, number of sites cleaned, hours worked at each site with the appropriate labor determination, dump information, equipment usage. Additionally, because Woods is licensed by the CSLB for both the C-33 (Painting) and C61-D38 (Pressure washing) licenses, we can, if the City deems it necessary, provide graffiti removal or power washing of any areas within the space of the encampment where these services can be beneficial. 1.1.4 Schedule As we have shown over the past 3 years while contracting with the City of Santa Clarita, Woods can be available with any size crew within hours, if necessary, to provide service for emergency clean-ups, regardless of the posting notification timing. Per the description in the Scope of Work and based on the last 3 years of our service in the City, we understand that the typical cleanup schedule will have cleanups every two months, and that these cleanups typically take a total of 3 days. Working together with Santa Clarita's Code Enforcement team, we will determine which 3-4-day period of the month is best suited for the work, based on the City's needs, the availability of the LASD, and even sometimes based on expected weather patterns. We know full well that things come up that are beyond anyone's control and we understand that best laid plans often need to be adjusted —we are more than capable of making changes on the fly. That said, we have proven that should the need arise, we can have a crew to the City with little to no advanced notice for cleanings of any type, including the cleaning of homes with hoarder situations. We look forward to continuing to work with the City to create the best encampment clean-up program and schedule as possible. 1.1.5 Program Management The City will be provided with 2 cell phone numbers for the primary point -of -contacts, if Woods is awarded this contract. For the purposes of privacy, Woods will provide the name, title, and office contact information in this proposal: Alfredo Munoz —Senior Field Supervisor-818-764-2515 Josh Woods—COO/Project Manager-818-764-2515 As mentioned earlier in the proposal, Alfredo Munoz, our Senior Field Supervisor, has led our dedicated Encampment Cleanup Team since its inception about 8 years ago, though he has worked for Woods Maintenance Services for over 23 years. He has worked closely with the Santa Clarita code enforcement team on dozens of cleanups E: and over 100 unique locations over the past 3 years and has been a tireless and dedicated supervisor, proving his worth to both the City and to Woods on the current contract. Josh Woods, the COO, takes a hands-on approach with all contracts. On the current contract with Santa Clarita, Josh is the initial point of contact to determine cleanup dates and is provided with a list of sites to be cleaned. After discussing the sites with Alfredo, they inform Santa Clarita staff whether or not a preview of the sites is required or if our knowledge of the terrain is sufficient from previous cleanups. Together, Josh and Alfredo choose the proper staff members for each day of the encampment cleanup, based on the demands of the day's work. By having two seasoned encampment professionals managing this project, work gets performed in a safer and more efficient manner, as we send the right crews for the job. When we were required to hike over 1.5 miles into the foothills for a cleanup in Santa Clarita in 2023, it did not make sense to bring our biggest, strongest crew members. We needed crew members who could handle the toll of multiple hikes up and down the slopes carrying out the trash, waste, and debris. Similarly, when we have sites that have illegal construction waste dumping, we want our strongest crew members, who can easily lift 1000's of pounds over the course of the day and safely operate the necessary tools. Understanding the client's needs is something Woods Maintenance Services, Inc. excels at and is typified by the way Josh and Alfredo work together and manage this contract. 1.1.6 Equipment • Ford Ranger or similar model for supervisor • Multiple Ford F350, F450, F550 or similar dump trucks with auto -dumping capability for crews • 4x4 Stake Bed Truck to ferry staff and loads in and out of the river bottoms • Rental Bobcat/Skid Steer/Skip Loader (if necessary) • Weed Whackers • Trimmers • Loppers • Chainsaws • Jackhammer • Sawzall • Shovels • Rakes • Brooms • Sledgehammers • Garbage Bags • Storage Bags • Sharps Containers • Hazardous Material Containers 0 • Bio-Hazard Containers • PPE 1.17 Sub -Consultants N/A. Woods does not anticipate using subcontractors on this contract. 1.2 Cost File See separate attachment for pricing components. K$]