Posting Language
Title
Authorize three contracts for vegetation management for wildland fire fuel mitigation for all City departments with William Edward Maas d/b/a Maas Verde Landscape Restoration LLC, Summitt Forests, Inc., and Heritage Tree Care LLC d/b/a Heritage Tree Care, for an initial term of three years, with two 1-year extension options, for a total contract amount not to exceed $5,600,000 divided among the contractors or staff may choose any contractor that has the available services. Funding: $500,000 is available in the Operating Budgets of various City departments.
Body
Lead Department
Financial Services Department.
Client Department(s)
All City Departments.
Fiscal Note
Funding in the amount of $500,000 is available in the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Operating Budget of various City departments.
Funding for the remaining contract term is contingent upon available funding in future budgets.
Purchasing Language:
The Financial Services Department issued an Invitation for Bids IFB 2200 BYS1041 for these services. The solicitation was issued on December 30, 2024, and closed on January 30, 2025. Of the six offers received, the recommended contractors submitted the lowest responsive offers. A complete solicitation package, including a tabulation of the bids received, is available for viewing on the City’s website. This information can currently be found at https://financeonline.austintexas.gov/afo/account_services/solicitation/solicitation_details.cfm?sid=141811.
MBE/WBE:
This solicitation was reviewed for subcontracting opportunities in accordance with City Code Chapter 2-9B (Minority-Owned and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Procurement Program). For the services required for this solicitation, there were no subcontracting opportunities; therefore, no subcontracting goals were established.
For More Information:
Direct questions regarding this Recommendation for Council Action to the Financial Services Department - Central Procurement at: FSDCentralProcurementRCAs@austintexas.gov or 512-974-2500. Respondents to the solicitation and their Agents should direct all questions to the Authorized Contact Person identified in the solicitation.
Additional Backup Information:
The contracts will provide vegetation management services at various Austin Water Wildland Conservation Division properties, Parks and Recreation Department land, and other City properties. The services include vegetation cutting, disposal, and all related activities in order to reduce the risk and harmful effects of potential wildfires on the City Balcones Canyonlands Preserve, the City Water Quality Protection Lands, and City parkland in Travis, Hays, and Williamson counties.
These contracts replace contracts expiring December 2, 2026. The City resolicited early due to additions to the scope of work. Requested authorization is based on historical spending and departmental estimates of future needs. The recommended contractors are not the current providers for these services.
If the contracts are not secured, the City would be unable to accomplish adequate fuel mitigation activities to reduce the risk and harmful effects of potential wildfires on the lands, facilities, and infrastructure they manage, to their critical operations, and to adjacent life and property.