To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: GREG KAPOVICH, WATERFRONT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
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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
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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...
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