To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: GREG KAPOVICH, WATERFRONT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
TITLE
title
APPROVE AN AGREEMENT WITH ON THE WING FALCONRY, INC. FOR PEST BIRD ABATEMENT IN KING HARBOR FOR AN ANNUAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $124,800, WITH 3% INCREASES IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS, AND THE TERM AUGUST 16, 2022 THROUGH AUGUST 15, 2027
end
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Pest birds (pigeons and seagulls) are the source of several problems within the Redondo Beach waterfront. They create maintenance issues for the City and local businesses; they are a public health concern based on the bacteria they carry; they are aggressive and affect the quality of the visitor experience; and they have a negative impact on the quality of the water within the harbor. As a sustainable means to address the pest bird population, the City enlisted the services of On the Wing Falconry, Inc. (“OTW”) in December 2015 to fly raptors over the waterfront and encourage the pest birds to leave the area. This effort has led to a significant decrease in the pest bird population and an improvement in the waterfront’s overall cleanliness.
In March 2020, the program was temporarily suspended due to COVID-19 related budget concerns. On July 20, 2021 the City Council approved an amendment to the agreement with OTW to restore flying service for three days each week through June 30, 2022. Additionally, the City Council gave staff direction to staff to conduct a Request for Proposal (RFP) process for falconry services for a subsequent five-year contract. In June, the Waterfront & Economic Development Department (“WED”) worked closely with the Finance Department to solicit proposals for falconry services. WED received two responses, one from On the Wing Falconry and one from Hawk Pros Bird Control, LLC. The proposal from Hawk Pros was disqualified because it was submitted past the RFP deadline. The recommended contract with OTW carries a not-to-exceed cost of $124,800 for the first year, and includes 3% annual increases each year thereafter.
BACKGROUND
The falconry program initially focused on addressing the pervasive issues of pigeons at the Pier by removing the nesting pigeon population and assessing the health of the birds. Once that assessment was complete, a licensed Master Falconer began the process of flying trained hawks at the Pier and in the Harbor area for three full days per week to deter the pigeons from returning. This resulted in cleaner boats, restaurants, businesses and pier areas from the Redondo Landing and Fisherman’s Wharf to the South and The Chart House to the North. The program was eventually expanded to increase the number of flying days from three to four and the increased falcon presence brought additional benefits to the waterfront, such as significantly reducing the night time seagull population that would rest and bathe in the Seaside Lagoon.
Due to the budget deficit in FY 2020-2021, the Waterfront and Economic Development department proposed cuts to its core budget for the Harbor Uplands and Harbor Tidelands Contract and Professional Services accounts, which included the OTW contract. As a result, and at the request of the Harbor Commission and City Council, a Fourth amendment was entered into, reducing the number of flying days to two days/week at a not to exceed daily rate of $600. The Fourth amendment also extended the term to June 30, 2021 and increased the contract by $57,600 for a not to exceed amount of $426,000.
As part of the FY 2021-2022 City budget, the one-time reduction to the OTW contract was removed and the budget was restored for this professional service. At the time, the WED Department conducted outreach to falconry service providers and received three proposals to provide the service. Of the three proposals, OTW provided the best value for service. This resulted in the Fifth Amendment to the agreement and provided an increase in service from two to three days/week of flying time that helped to better manage the pest bird population and avoid the return of nesting birds under the pier. This amendment brought the total amended contract amount to $519,583. The amendment also extended the term to June 30, 2022 which corresponded with the end of the 2021-2022 fiscal year. At the conclusion of the term the City Council asked that the WED conduct a RFP for falconry services for new a five-year contract period.
As part of the FY 2022-2023 budget, the City Council approved a Decision Package to restore full ongoing funding for the falconry program. Per Council direction, staff conducted a new RFP for the falconry services and, in June of 2022, directly contacted the three contractors that submitted proposals in 2021 and posted the RFP on DemandStar, the City’s RFP and bid listing service, and the City’s website. Two proposals were received, one from OTW, and another from Hawk Pros Bird Control, LLC., which was disqualified for being submitted following the close of the submission deadline.
The Scope of Services in the RFP included a flying schedule averaging 4.5 days per week. Based on this specification, OTW submitted an initial rate of $660 per day with an annual amount of $142,560 for each year of the contract. After further discussion with OTW, it was determined that an increase of flying time from 3 days per week to 4 days per week would be sufficient to maintain a strong falconry program in the pier and harbor area. OTW submitted a revised RFP to reflect the 4 day per week flying schedule and reduced the daily rate of $660 to the existing daily rate of $600. The proposed contract amount for the first year is therefore $124,800 and includes an annual 3% increase for years two through five. Also included in the contract is the City’s responsibility to provide OTW with an area to temporarily store their utility vehicle when providing service and a rest area location for the birds.
COORDINATION
The City Attorney’s Office has approved the agreement as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT
The continuation of efforts to reduce the number of pest birds, and the waste they generate, helps lower overall maintenance costs within the greater waterfront area. The $124,800 cost associated with the first year of the proposed contract will be split evenly between the Harbor Tidelands and Harbor Uplands Funds. The proposed contract also includes an annual increase of 3% for years two through five that will result in a total operating expense of approximately $662,579 for the five-year contract period. The cost of the contract has been included in the FY 2022-2023 Waterfront and Economic Development Contracts and Professional Services budget.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
• On the Wing Falconry Contract 2022 - 2027
• On the Wing Falconry Revised Submittal
• Falconry Services RFP
• Fifth Amendment - OTW
• On the Wing Falconry Contract and Amendments 1-4 - OTW