Posting Language
Title
Authorize four contracts for vegetation management for wildfire mitigation at natural areas managed by the Parks and Recreation Department with Mike Vaughn Pasture & Range Mgt LLC; Summit Forest, Inc.; TerraSol LLC d/b/a TerraSol; and William Edward Maas d/b/a Maas Verde Landscape Restoration LLC, each for an initial term of two years with up to three one-year extension options, for total contract amounts not to exceed $7,500,000, divided equally among the contractors or the department may choose any contractor that has the available product. Funding: $200,000 is available in the Parks and Recreation Department’s Operating Budget. Funding for the remaining contract term is contingent upon available funding in future budgets.
Body
Lead Department
Financial Services Department.
Client Department(s)
Parks and Recreation Department.
Fiscal Note
Funding in the amount of $200,000 is available in the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Operating Budget of the Parks and Recreation Department.
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 solicitation IFB 8600 PAT1065REBID for these services. The solicitation was issued on July 22, 2024, and closed on August 27, 2024. Of the ten 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=141091.
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:
These contracts will provide vegetation management services at various natural areas managed by the Parks and Recreation Department (PARD), including lands in the Recommended Land Management Strategies and Climate Vulnerability Analysis approved by Council in September 2023. The services include vegetation cutting and all related activities to reduce wildfire risk, improve climate resilience, and provide ecosystem services to Austin’s natural lands in perpetuity. These services will be planned and closely supervised by PARD Land Management staff.
PARD manages over 12,500 acres of parkland natural area in nature preserves, greenbelts, district parks, metro parks, and other park types. According to the PARD Land Management Plan, the ecological condition of most PARD natural areas has been classified as ‘moderate’ to ‘very poor’ due to issues such as invasive species, loss of biodiversity, and hazardous wildfire fuel conditions. Poor ecological condition contributes to elevated likelihood of tree mortality and intense wildfire. Active ecological restorations and hazardous wildfire fuel mitigation through vegetation management is needed to reduce risk and prepare natural areas for future climate change.
These are new contracts. The requested authorization amount was determined using future estimated spend.
A delay in contract could impact the City’s ability to properly maintain these natural areas increasing the risk of wildfire.