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CITY OF WEST CHICAGO
INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE
AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
ITEM TITLE: a
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER: 6.2
2021 Forestry Maintenance Program — Rejection of Bids
COMMITTEE AGENDA DATE: November 5, 2020
COUNCIL AGENDA DATE: November 16, 2020
STAFF REVIEW: Timothy Wilcox, Assistant Director of Public Works SIGNATURE SOE the
APPROVED BY CITY ADMINISTRATOR: Michael L. Guttman SIGNATURE.
ITEM SUMMARY:
The Forestry Maintenance Program typically covers contractual trimming and removal of parkway trees. The
program is funded to enable completion of a five-year trimming cycle for the whole City, which is the recommended
procedure by Arborists. This would have been the fifth year of the five-year trimming cycle. The area targeted for
tree trimming this year included: Cornerstone Lakes Subdivision and selected streets west of Joliet Street and
south of Washington Street.
On September 9, 2020, the City advertised the 2021 Forestry Maintenance Program in the Daily Herald and sealed
bids were opened on Wednesday, October 14, 2020. There were two bids received with Trees "R" Us, Inc. of
Wauconda, Illinois, submitting the lowest bid proposal of $125,454.00. The second bidder was Landscape
Concepts Management, Inc. of Grayslake, Illinois, with a bid of $187,167.00 (see attached bid tab sheet for
additional clarification). Nels Johnson of Evanston, Illinois, submitted a “No Bid” letter, Steve Piper & Sons of
Naperville, Illinois, who had previously provided services, did not submit a bid stating current commitments
prohibited such.
It is staff's opinion that lack of bidders and the higher costs received are attributed to 1) current
workload/commitments of contractors, 2) requirement of a Certified Arborist to oversee work, and 3) trimming trees
is labor intensive work for little income return (e.g., contractor can make more money removing whole trees than
trimming them).
Given the fact that the two bids received are well over the budgeted amount of $70,000.00 for the 2021 Forestry
Maintenance Program, staff recommends rejecting all bids.
As a result, Public Works will attempt to complete tree trimming operations this winter in-house as time and
weather allows. In addition, staff will separate and rebid the tree removal portion of the program, to be completed
in 2021, which is estimated to be under $20,000.00.
ACTIONS PROPOSED:
Reject all bids for the 2021 Forestry Maintenance Program.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
The Infrastructure Committee voted 5-0 for approval.