REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director Public Works Department BY: BRIAN E. RUSSELL, Assistant Director Public Works Department, Streets, Landscape, and Graffiti Divisions CARLA GONZALEZ, Management Analyst II Public Works Department, Streets, Landscape, and Graffiti Divisions SUBJECT ..Title Award a Requirements Contract to Elite Maintenance & Tree Services (EMTS) Inc., of Fresno, California to provide 30/60/90 day landscape maintenance services to Community Facilities Districts (CFDs) within the City of Fresno, east of Freeway 41 for one year with nine optional one-year extensions in an amount not to exceed $530,932.02 per year plus an annual 20% contingency (RFP No. 12600433) ..Body RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the City Council award a Requirements Contract for one year with nine optional one-year extensions in an amount not to exceed $530,932.02 per year plus an annual 20% contingency to Elite Maintenance & Tree Services (EMTS) Inc., of Fresno California as the best value for 30/60/90 day landscape maintenance services and to authorize the Public Works Director or designee to sign the contract on the City's behalf. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Landscape Maintenance Division of Public Works is seeking a Requirements Contract to provide 30/60/90 day landscape maintenance services for Community Facilities Districts (CFDs) located east of Freeway 41. The division is responsible for maintaining the landscaping within these CFDs throughout the City of Fresno and is committed to ensuring provided services that uphold the City's established landscape maintenance standards. The Request for Proposal (RFP) was publicly advertised and evaluated by an Evaluation Committee with the objective of awarding a contract that would deliver the best value to the City. Following the evaluation process, including interviews and a Best and Final Offer, Elite Maintenance & Tree Services (EMTS) Inc., of Fresno, California, was determined to provide the best value for the City. BACKGROUND The Landscape Maintenance Division of Public Works is responsible for landscape maintenance services for all CFD funded landscapes City-wide. Historically, this service has been performed by one City-wide contract, however as the City has grown and more tracts with landscapes are added, this inventory needed to be divided and awarded to two separate contractors in order to maintain a high level of service, competitive pricing, and allow the City to more effectively manage service levels across both geographic zones. This structure also provides a practical advantage: if performance in one area becomes substandard, the City can terminate and rebid only that specific contract without disrupting services in other areas. This targeted approach enhances oversight, improves responsiveness, and supports consistent, high-quality landscape maintenance throughout the City. Moving forward, CFD landscape maintenance will be separated into two contracts - one contract covering areas east of Freeway 41, and one contract west of Freeway 41. This contract award is for the CFD's east of Freeway 41, and a separate contract will be brought to Council for award for CFD's west of Freeway 41. On February 6, 2026, the City advertised this RFP on Planet Bids. There were 1008 proposers automatically notified by Planet Bids, 16 of which downloaded the RFP documents. At the conclusion of the RFP opening on March 24, 2026, 6 proposers submitted proposals. To ensure a fair and thorough evaluation, an Evaluation Committee was formed with representatives from the Department of Public Works, PARCS Department, and Planning & Development with the Purchasing Division of the General Services Department serving as the procurement facilitator. Proposals were evaluated based on the following criteria: 1. Cost as shown on the Cost Proposal Worksheet 2. Ability to meet the stated service requirements 3. Past performance and experience based on references and experience 4. Conformance to the terms and conditions of the RFP 5. Other related information Each committee member independently scored the proposals. Committee evaluations occurred on April 21 and May 6, 2026. Proposer interviews were held on April 29-30, 2026, and the process concluded with a final committee selection on May 20, 2026. The evaluation process included detailed reviews of all proposals, discussions regarding the current level of service, additional requests for information, best and final offer request, and a vetting process, which included reference checks. As part of the evaluation process the Committee ultimately narrowed the field down to four finalists, which were not only deemed to possess their resources capable of servicing the City's needs, but to also have submitted cost proposals within the Division's budget parameters. Following the final interview, EMTS Inc., Inc. was invited to submit a Best and Final Offer (BAFO). After consideration, EMTS determined they had made the best offer to the City and elected not to submit a BAFO. They requested to remain in consideration based on their initial cost proposal of $530,932.02, which represented the lowest overall cost amongst the finalists. The committee unanimously agreed that EMTS Inc. offers the best value and fit for the City. After a comprehensive evaluation of all proposers including written submissions, interviews, past performance, responsiveness, and final pricing, Elite Maintenance & Tree Service emerged as the best value and most advantageous choice for the City. Staff recommends that the City Council award a Requirements Contract for one year with nine optional one-year extensions in an amount not to exceed $530,932.02 per year plus an annual 20% contingency to Elite Maintenance & Tree Services (EMTS) Inc. of Fresno, California as the best value for 30/60/90 day landscape maintenance services for Community Facility Districts (CFDs) located east of Freeway 41 as outlined in the RFP and to authorize the Public Works Director or designee to sign the contract on the City's behalf. The City Attorney Office has reviewed the specifications outlined in the RFP as well as this report to Council and approved as to form. ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS Pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378, awarding of this contract is not a project for the purposes of CEQA. LOCAL PREFERENCE Local preference was not implemented in this contract; however Elite Maintenance & Tree Services (EMTS) Inc. is a local business as defined by the Fresno Municipal Code (FMC). FISCAL IMPACT This contract uses Community Facility District funding. No General Funds are used and there is no impact to the General Fund. Attachments: Procurement Evaluation Form