Title
AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH CLAUSS BROTHERS, INC., FOR OSAKA GARDEN MAINTENANCE SERVICES
SPECIFICATION P-23014
Body
To the Honorable Board of Commissioners of the Chicago Park District
I. Recommendation
It is recommended that the General Superintendent and CEO or her designee enter into a contract with Clauss Brothers, Inc., for Osaka Garden Maintenance Services. The contractor was selected pursuant to a publicly advertised Request for Proposals (“RFP”). No work may commence and no payment shall be made to vendor prior to the execution of a written agreement.
II. Award Information
Company: Clauss Brothers, Inc.
12N330 Switzer Road
Elgin, Illinois 60124
Company Type: Business Corporation
Majority Interests: Walter H. Clauss 43.76%, Gladys M. Stevenson 35.74%, James A. Stevenson 10.5%, Peter A. Stevenson 8.0%, Patricia Clauss 2.0%.
Contract Term: Two (2) years, with three (3) additional one (1) year extension options.
Contract Amount: $500,000 for the for the initial 2-year term, not to exceed $250,000 annually. Accordingly, the amount expended annually for these services will depend upon requirements and if requested will be in addition to the amount for standard services. If extension options are exercised, funding shall be based upon available annual appropriations.
Scope of Services: To provide landscape maintenance and improvement services for Osaka Garden in Jackson Park. Services include: specialized maintenance of garden elements; maintenance of trees, shrubs herbaceous plant material and turf, including spring clean-up and site preparation; on-going maintenance; fall maintenance, clean-up and winterization, and winter maintenance.
Affirmative
Action Goals: The Minority- and Women-Owned Participation for this contract include: 25% Minority-Owned and 5% Women-Owned.
Authorization: Authorize the General Counsel to include other relevant terms and conditions in the written Agreement. Authorize the General Superintendent to execute the Agreement and the Secretary to attest as to the signing of the Agreement and keep an original copy of the Agreement on file.
III. Budget and Financial Information
Budget Classification: Capital and Operating
Fiscal Year: 2024-2025
Source of Funds: Various
IV. Procurement Information
Specification Number: P-23014
Date Issued: Wednesday, December 27, 2023
Date of Pre-Submittal Meeting: Wednesday, January 10, 2024
Date Proposals Due: Wednesday, January 31, 2024
Number of Proposals Received: One (1)
This contract was publicly advertised as a Request for Proposals (“RFP”). One (1) proposal was received on the due date and was found by the Department of Purchasing (“Purchasing”) to be compliant and responsive. The Evaluation Committee (“EC”) was comprised of five (5) voting members, all CPD staff. The EC began their evaluation of the proposals at their first meeting on February 14. They met again on February 16 to review the financial proposal and decided to request a Best and Final Offer.
V. Explanation
The Osaka Garden, also known as the Garden of the Phoenix, is a traditional Japanese hillside stroll garden consisting of landscape components carefully designed to symbolically represent specific natural landscapes. Located in Jackson Park on the northern end of Wooded Island, south of the Museum of Science and Industry, the Osaka Garden is a popular attraction for both residents and tourists. Visitorship has increased dramatically in the last several years, thanks in part to a robust partnership with the City of Osaka, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Chicago, and the Garden of the Phoenix Foundation. The annual cherry blossom festival in the spring draws thousands of visitors.
The Osaka Garden requires highly specialized pruning and other maintenance services to ensure that the plant material and garden elements continue to correctly conform to the stylistic conventions of this type of traditional Japanese garden. The garden is also in need of repairs due to aging infrastructure, damage from high lake levels in 2020-2021, and impacts from large crowds. Expertise in the specialized techniques detailed in the RFP is critical to the successful and appropriate maintenance of the garden.
Clauss Brothers, Inc., has previously maintained the Osaka Garden with excellent results and as the experience and the demonstrated ability to maintain this specialized landscape to the standards set forth in the RFP. Therefore, it is in the best interest of the CPD to recommend Clauss Brothers, Inc., for award of the Osaka Garden Landscape Maintenance Services contract.
VI. General Conditions
1. Conflicts: No agreement authorized herein shall be legally binding on the Chicago Park District if entered into in violation of the provisions of the Public Officer Prohibited Activities Act, 50 ILCS 105/0.01 et seq.
2. Ethics: The Chicago Park District’s Ethics Code, Chapter III of the Code of the Chicago Park District, shall be incorporated into and made part of all agreements authorized herein.
3. Contingent Liability: Any agreement lawfully entered into for a period of more than one year shall be executory only for the amounts for which the Park District may become liable in succeeding fiscal years pursuant to Section 17(i) of the Chicago Park District Act, 70 ILCS 1505/17(i). All agreements authorized herein shall contain a clause that any expenditure beyond the current fiscal year is subject to appropriation in the subsequent fiscal year budget.
4. Economic Disclosure Statement (“EDS”): Contractor has submitted a full and complete EDS prior to execution of the contract.