Title
Asplundh Tree Expert Company Contract (B)
Explanation
On September 27, 1999, the Commission approved an extension to the term of this contract of forty-five (45) days, in order to further consider the other commercial changes to the agreement. That process is complete and the remainder of the twelve month extension to the term of the agreement is being recommended.
On September 22, 1997, the City Commission approved staff's recommendation to award the contract for line clearance and tree trimming services to Asplundh Tree Expert Company. On September 28, 1998, the City Commission approved the first of three, twelve-month extensions available under the contract. This extension did not provide for an increase in either labor or equipment.
The primary objective of GRU's Vegetation Maintenance program is to ensure the delivery of safe, reliable, and cost effective transmission and distribution services to our customers. The means to achieve this objective include the use of recommended arboricultural standards and standard industry practices for the trimming and removal of vegetation around power lines. In addition, the Vegetation Maintenance program has also focused on customer satisfaction and professionalism through various training programs conducted by the contractors and GRU. The program has also maintained a stance of being proactive with community groups, as well as both public and private agencies. GRU's Vegetation Maintenance program has realized a 63% reduction in cost on a per mile basis over the past nine years. This fact is attributable to our vegetation maintenance practices and by the quality and productivity of our contract crews. In addition, electric system outages related to trees (preventable) have been reduced from over 12% of all outages in 1995 to 3.7% in 1999 (year to date, July).
An increase in the labor (not equipment) rates has been negotiated which will result in a total contract increase of 5.04%. This comp...
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