TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: Brian Crawford, Municipal Services Director
PREPARED BY: Bryce Wilson, Management Analyst - Municipal Services
SUBJECT:
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Approve an Amendment with CR&R, Inc., to Provide Citywide Street Sweeping Services
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ABSTRACT
The City Council is being asked to approve an amendment with CR&R, Inc. to provide street sweeping services for an additional six (6)month period. During this time, staff will issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for citywide street sweeping services to establish a new five (5)year contract.
This interim agreement will ensure uninterrupted service levels while providing staff with sufficient time to conduct a comprehensive curb-mile audit, update technical exhibits, and develop a modernized RFP package to support a competitive solicitation process.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Approve the first Amendment to the agreement with CR&R, Inc., to provide citywide street sweeping services for an additional six (6) months in an amount not to exceed $175,000; and
Authorize the Mayor to execute the Amendment with CR&R, Inc.
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PRIOR ACTION/VOTE
On June 15, 2021, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 21-4414, approving an agreement with CR&R, Inc. for street sweeping services and amending the fiscal year 2020/2021 operating budget to establish an appropriation for the services (Vote: 5-0).
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT
This item aligns with the City Council goal of: maintaining a high performing organization that values fiscal sustainability, transparency, accountability and organizational efficiency relating to an administrative priority.
DISCUSSION
The City of Murrieta (City) maintains a street sweeping program that sweeps over 800 curb miles of roads per month. The goal of the program is to remove particulate matter, pollutants, and other debris from the roadway to prevent them from entering the storm drain system and local waterways, in addition to providing an aesthetic benefit.
A street sweeping program is also required to maintain compliance with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) best management practices as part of the City's Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System permit obligations. Consistent, uninterrupted street sweeping is therefore both an operational and regulatory necessity.
The City's current street sweeping services agreement is due to expire on June 30, 2026. While the original agreement includes an option to renew for an additional five (5) year period if both parties agree, the current contractor, CR&R, has declined to extend under the terms of the current agreement. CR&R contends that the cost of providing service has far outpaced the agreement’s terms for price increases, which are allowed every other year and tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). CR&R will only agree to a six-month extension to allow the City to issue another Request for Proposal for street sweeping services
To prevent a lapse in service and maintain NPDES compliance, staff recommends approval of an interim agreement with the City’s current vendor, CC&R, effective July 1, 2026, with an expiration date of December 31, 2026.
The interim agreement is necessary to maintain service continuity while staff complete the work required to procure a new long-term contract competitively. Key preparatory tasks include:
• Conducting a comprehensive curb mile inventory to verify and update the City’s street network data;
• Preparing updated coverage maps and supporting exhibits for inclusion in the Request for Proposals (RFP);
• Developing a modernized RFP package that reflects current operational needs, regulatory requirements, and industry’s best practices; and
• Completing the full competitive solicitation process, including proposal evaluation, negotiations, and Council award.
These tasks cannot be completed before the current contract expiration date. The interim agreement with CC&R will ensure uninterrupted service while this work is completed. Staff will also conduct a comprehensive analysis to determine the cost per curb mile if the City internalizes street sweeping, and compare that cost to the rates submitted by contractors responding to the future RFP. Staff will look at capital outlay costs for street sweeping trucks, truck maintenance, replacement of brushes and other equipment, and labor.
For the current term, the City pays $18.67 per curb mile for sweeping, plus an assortment of costs per square foot for sweeping parking lots at City-owned facilities. CR&R negotiated a new rate of $31.06 per curb mile, an increase of over 66%, and the same percentage increase for sweeping parking lots. Staff surveyed local agencies that also outsourced street sweeping and found the new rate was much lower than the rate other agencies were paying, which was more than $50 per curb mile. Many agencies roll street sweeping into a solid waste franchise agreement or have internalized the service to hedge against large increases.
The current agreement was negotiated in early 2021, before a Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) ruling requiring operators to pay the prevailing wage. Also, the costs for equipment, maintenance, and fuel have all increased. The interim agreement will be the scope of services currently in place, with pricing consistent with existing contract rates. The term of the interim agreement is six (6) months, from July 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026, at a total cost not to exceed $175,000.
PUBLIC NOTICING
The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item).
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding is available in GL accounts 1800050-60560 and 4316120-60560, totaling $175,000, for a six (6) month contract extension allocated to these services.
ATTACHMENTS
ATT 1 - Amendment 1 with CR&R, Inc.