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DATE: |
November 18, 2025 |
08 |
SUBJECT
Title
GENERAL SERVICES - AUTHORIZATION TO ADVERTISE AND AWARD FIVE CONTRACTS FOR LANDSCAPING SERVICES AT VARIOUS COUNTY FACILITIES (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
The County of San Diego (County) provides landscaping services at over 75 County facilities. These services maintain our facilities in a safe, visually aesthetic, and orderly condition for the benefit of our County staff and the public. The current landscaping service contracts expire on March 31, 2026.
Five new contracts are needed to ensure service is not interrupted. The scope of these contracts will include all County landscaping services, including airport sites previously managed by the Department of Public Works, into a single procurement managed by the Department of General Services. A contract will be awarded for each facility operating region, including North, North Inland, Central, South, and East.
Today’s action requests the San Diego County Board of Supervisors to authorize the Director of the Department of Purchasing and Contracting to advertise and award five contracts for landscaping services. These contracts will align with Board Policy B-74 contracting standards and ensure consistency under a unified scope of services.
If approved, the five new contracts are expected to be awarded by March 2026.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
1. Find that the proposed action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Article 5, section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines because it is not a project as defined by section 15378.
2. In accordance with Board Policy A-87, authorize the Director of the Department of Purchasing and Contracting to issue a Competitive Negotiated Procurement for landscaping services, and upon successful negotiations and determination of a fair and reasonable price, award five contracts, one for each county facility operating region, for an initial term of one year, with four one-year option periods, and up to an additional six months if needed; and to amend the contracts to reflect changes to services and funding.
EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT
Authorizing the procurement and award of new landscaping services contracts will improve County facilities for staff and the public. Compliance with Board Policy B-74 will ensure that security, janitorial, and landscaping contractors provide competitive pay, health and welfare benefits, and a wage theft retention fund.
SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT
The authorization to procure and award five new landscaping services contracts will contribute to the County of San Diego’s Sustainability Goals by promoting economic sustainability, supporting resilient communities, and maintaining safe, environmentally responsible landscapes at County facilities.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funds for this request are included in the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Operational Plan for the Department of General Services Facilities Management Internal Service Fund (ISF). If approved, this request will result in the establishment of five contracts with a combined average annual spend for the County’s landscaping services of approximately $8,300,000, for a total contract value of $41.7 million. The funding source is ISF charges to client departments for services. There will be no change in net General Fund cost and no additional staff years.
BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT
This action will generate private-sector jobs and economic opportunities for local businesses throughout San Diego County.
Details
ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT
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BACKGROUND
The Department of General Services (DGS) provides landscaping services for over 75 permanent facilities and numerous temporary sites, servicing multiple County of San Diego (County) departments. Three contracts are currently awarded for each facility operating region, including North, Central, and South.
These services create welcoming, safe, and functional areas that benefit the public and County staff. Attractive landscapes create a welcoming environment for residents, businesses, and visitors. Landscaping services keep public properties safe, sustainable, attractive, and functional, benefiting both the environment and the community.
Proper landscaping helps manage stormwater, reduces soil erosion, and prevents flooding. Well-kept grounds prevent safety and fire hazards, such as overgrown vegetation that may block walkways, attract pests, or obscure traffic signs. Landscaping services also include emergency tree removal and clearing debris from stormwater drains-both essential during severe weather.
On February 7, 2023 (22), the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) directed the Department of Purchasing and Contracting (DPC) and DGS to implement the requirements of Board Policy B-74, Contracting Standards for Janitorial, Landscaping, and Security Services Contracts into the County’s janitorial, landscaping, and security services contracts at the first available time operationally and contractually feasible. On October 22, 2024 (19), the Board took action to expand the scope and definition of landscaping services.
Board Policy B-74 ensures that County property services contractors provide a living wage, benefits (e.g., health and vacation), and training to their employees. It also enhances employment protections for property services contract workers through the establishment of a wage theft fund, promotes labor peace, and ensures compliance with local, State, and federal laws. The implementation of these requirements into the countywide janitorial and security guard contracts has been completed.
Board Policy B-74 requirements were also successfully amended into the existing landscaping services contract on August 11, 2023. The last option year on the current contract expires March 31, 2026, and a competitive solicitation is needed to award new contracts for landscaping services. This competitive solicitation will continue to incorporate the requirements of Board Policy B-74 and is in line with the timeframe laid out in prior updates and memoranda to the Board.
Today’s action requests the Board to authorize the Director of the Department of Purchasing and Contracting to advertise and award five contracts for landscaping services. The five new contracts will replace the existing three landscaping contracts, bringing the service areas into alignment with other contracted services, such as janitorial services. These contracts align with Board Policy B-74 contracting standards and ensure consistency under a unified scope of services.
If approved, the five new contracts are expected to be awarded by March 2026.
ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT
The proposed Board action is not subject to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review under Section 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because it is not a project as defined by Section 15378. Authorizing the Director, Department of Purchasing and Contracting, to advertise and award five contracts for landscaping services has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. This proposed action does not authorize work at any particular site or facility. Therefore, there is no project to analyze under CEQA at this time. At the time that specific task orders under the landscape contracts are identified, staff will perform the necessary environmental review before issuing a task order. For task orders issued under these landscape contracts it is anticipated that the work will be exempt from CEQA pursuant to Sections 15301(h) involving maintenance of existing landscaping and Section 15304(b) involving new landscaping.
LINKAGE TO THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO STRATEGIC PLAN
Today’s proposed actions support Sustainability and Equity initiatives in the County’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan by advancing environmental justice. This is achieved through preserving the environment, increasing access to green jobs, and improving the quality of life. The landscaping services create welcoming, safe, and functional spaces that benefit the public and staff. Beyond aesthetics, proper landscaping improves stormwater management, reduces erosion, mitigates flooding, and prevents safety hazards such as overgrown vegetation and emergency tree branch removal during severe weather.
Respectfully submitted,
ebony n. shelton
Chief Administrative Officer
ATTACHMENT(S)
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