094-25_Bid_Document.pdf

ITB 094 District 11 Lawncare Services

REQUIREMENTS/SPECIFICATIONS

Section 1: Intent

The purpose of this request is to establish pricing for lawn care, landscaping services and identified project materials and services for approximately 11 acres of property at the sites indicated below, all in accordance with the enclosed terms, conditions, and specifications. Vendor shall provide all labor, equipment, material, and incidental items necessary to perform the contracted services.

Section 2: Contract Duration

The effective duration of this agreement shall be from the date of award through December 31, 2025.

Section 3: Ohio Buys Contracting

Vendors are advised that ODOT is now conducting contracts through the Ohio Buys system.

Prospective bidders are required to complete the necessary steps in Ohio Buys before they will be permitted to bid on this invitation. Vendors can find additional information on Ohio Buys at the link below:

Accessing OhioBuys | State of Ohio Procurement

Section 4: Award

Award will be made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder based on the lump sum cost for the two (2) year contract term.

Section 5: Service Location

Lawn care and landscaping services will be performed at the following locations and unit pricing shall include freight charges on all items required:

SITE #1

Ohio Department of Transportation District 11 Headquarters Facility 2201 Reiser Avenue S.E.

New Philadelphia, OH 44663-3333

SITE #2

District 11 Old Tuscarawas County Garage 384 Stonecreek Road SW New Philadelphia, OH 44663

Vendors are encouraged to visit the site to fully understand all the requirements of this Invitation.

Those interested may contact:

District 11 Facilities Program Administrator Shannon Blocker 2201 Reiser Avenue S.E.

New Philadelphia, OH 44663-3333 shannon.blocker@dot.ohio.gov 330-308-3910 https://procure.ohio.gov/bidders-and-suppliers/resources/02_Accessing+OhioBuys mailto:shannon.blocker@dot.ohio.gov

Section 6: General Requirements

All work must be performed in compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act and any revisions thereto. Any citations issued by OSHA shall be the responsibility of the Vendor.

• The vendor shall bring all tools, chemicals, and materials, etc., with them to each site visit and take all items with them when finished. No on-site storage shall be provided by ODOT.

• All work shall be performed to not interfere with building operation or if such interference is kept to a minimum. The vendor shall leave all areas neat and clean when finished.

• It shall be understood that, from time to time, sites may be opened or closed during the life of the contract. Any potential changes in service locations and revised pricing, where applicable, shall be mutually agreed upon by the District Facilities Program Administrator or their designated representative, the awarded vendor and the Department and shall be included in or removed from the contract.

• The Vendor shall always provide and utilize Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for their employees as appropriate. PPE includes but is not limited to substantial footwear, eye and face protection, hearing protection, and gloves

Section 7: Scope of Service

Lawn care and landscaping services for the approximately 11 acres of property maintained shall take place between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM Monday through Friday, excluding state observed holidays. Work outside of these timeframes shall require a forty-eight (48) hour advance approval of the District Facilities Program Administrator or their designated representative. A site plan identifying the areas to be maintained follows these specifications.

7.1: Site #1 Services

7.1.1: Pre-Season Cleanup

Execute a pre-season cleanup of each site in preparation for the growing season between March 1 and April 30. The cleanup may be done by manual raking, vacuuming, or equipment mounted devices used for this type of cleanup. Minimum services required are as follows:

• Cleaning/Raking of lawn area to remove leaves and debris. The contractor is responsible for removing leaves, limbs, twigs, and debris from site.

• Trimming/pruning of bushes, shrubs, hedges, ornamental trees, ornamental grasses and or brush. The contractor is responsible for removing leaves, limbs, twigs, and debris from site.

• Spot thatch apply topsoil and seeding of lawn as needed.

• Level out, rake, and reseed area around roadways or parking area, as needed, which were damaged by snow removal operations the prior winter.

7.1.2: Edging

All sidewalks, curb lines, concrete slabs and planting bed edges shall be mechanically edged to maintain a neat, clean appearance. Plant beds and tree rings shall be edged two times between April 1 and August 31 of each year. Sidewalks curb lines and concrete slabs shall be edged once per month from April to October each year.

All edging debris shall be swept or blown clean and or otherwise disposed of. This shall be reflected in your unit price for edging.

7.1.3: Install Dark Hardwood Mulch

Vendors shall provide a labor only quote to install hardwood mulch, applied at a depth of 2-3 inches in all beds and tree rings on the property between April 15 and June 30 Annually. An allowance is indicated on the pricing spreadsheet to cover the material costs. Vendors shall present samples of mulch to the District Facilities Program Administrator or their designated representative for final selection prior to installation of hardwood mulch at the sites. Vendor will provide the Department with actual invoices for the product purchased to verify markup percentage. If the product selected by the Department is expected to exceed the allowance in the contract, the vendor shall provide a quote for the mulch materials to the District Facilities Program Administrator or their designated representative for approval prior to commencing work.

At the end of mulch installation, walks and curbs adjacent to work areas that are used for bulk storage are to be swept or blown clean.

7.1.4: Pesticide Application to Plant Materials, Trees, and Shrubs

Prior to initiation of service, the contractor shall conduct a thorough initial inspection of each site and submit to the District Facilities Program Administrator or their designated representative, a written, systematic, and comprehensive Pest Control Plan for each site following the initial inspection. Upon receipt of the Pest Control Plan, the District Facilities Program Administrator or their designated representative will render a decision. If aspects of the Pest Control Plan are incomplete or disapproved, the Contractor shall submit revisions in a timely manner. The Contractor shall initiate services outlined in the terms and conditions of the contract following notice of approval.

The Pest Control Plan shall, at a minimum, include:

• Proposed methods for control, including labels and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for all pesticides to be used

• A proposed pest population level referred to as a predetermined tolerance threshold, if thresholds exist for the targeted pest

• A service schedule for each site

• A copy of the Pesticide Applicator Certification for every Contractor's representative who will be performing on-site service under contract

• Cost per recommended service including labor and materials

The Contractor shall not apply any pesticide product that has not been included in the Pest Control Plan or approved in writing by the District Facilities Program Administrator or their designated representative. Pesticide application shall be according to need and not by schedule. As a rule, application of pesticides shall not occur unless visual inspections or monitoring devices indicate the presence of pests in that specific area.

Preventive pesticide treatments of areas determined to be at high risk for infestation by weeds, insects, or disease, through inspection at the onset of the program or as part of a maintenance program, are acceptable.

Products are to be applied by an applicator licensed by the Ohio Department of Agriculture in the appropriate category and in accordance with all applicable rules and regulations.

7.1.5: Weeding

Vendors shall remove all weeds in flower beds, tree rings, artwork, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, and islands in the parking lot weekly or as the weeds emerge between April 1 and November 30 annually.

Dispose of weeds off-site. Pre and post-emergent herbicides may be used at the vendor's option.

Plant material, other than weeds, killed by application of herbicides will be replaced at the vendor’s expense. The cost of all weed control work shall be included in the Pest Control Plan pricing. This task will only be considered complete when weeds from all beds, tree rings, artwork, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, and islands in the parking lot are removed. Inspections by the District Facilities Program

Administrator or their designated representative will be performed to determine if this task has been completed in accordance with the Pest Control Plan.

7.1.6: Turf Management

7.1.6.1: Fertilizer Application to Turf

Upon request by the District Facilities Program Administrator or their designated representative, and prior to any application of fertilizer, contractor shall take representative soil samples from each site and have them professionally analyzed to establish baseline soil conditions. From the baseline soil condition reports, the vendor shall develop a written, systematic, comprehensive turf fertilization program that results in a hearty, weed, insect and disease-free lawn. Contractors shall submit the same to the District Facilities Program Administrator or their designated representative for review and approval.

The program shall, at a minimum, include:

• Soil analysis reports for each site

• Recommended soil amendment(s) frequency and schedule

• Recommended fertilization frequency and schedule

• Recommended fertilizer composition for each application

• Cost per application including labor and fertilizer required based on the bid hourly rates and material markup percentage

Turf shall be fertilized at all sites as recommended by the results of the soil analysis and vendor experience and applied in accordance with all applicable rules and regulations, utilizing industry best practices by an applicator certified by the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

7.1.6.2: Aeration

Vendor shall perform Aeration of turf surfaces to remove turf soil plugs to a depth of 2 to 4 inches over the entire lawn using a piston driven aerator with 5/8-inch diameter core cutters. Aerator shall have up and down coring motion leaving clearly defined holes by pulling the cores from the soil.

This task is to be performed during the early fall.

7.1.6.3: Repair Grass Areas

At the direction of the District Facilities Program Administrator or their designated representative, the vendor shall provide and apply topsoil and seed to damaged areas of the lawn as needed.

These areas may be the result of tree removals, unplanned excavations, vehicle damage, drought, etc. Repairs provided under this section are separate from those services provided in other sections of these specifications.

7.1.6.4: Mowing and Trimming

Vendor shall mow and trim lawn areas at all sites, at frequencies determined by vendor experience and actual turf growth, to assure the grass is maintained between three (3) and four (4) inches in height for approximately thirty (30) cuts per season between April 1 and November 30 annually. If conditions require more than the base thirty (30) seasonal cuts, the vendor shall provide additional cuts at the same bid rate upon prior approval from the District Facilities Program Administrator or their designated representative to provide the necessary service.

Keep all walkways, parking lots, entryways, courtyards, and heliport areas free of grass cuttings and debris. Mow in direction to avoid blowing cuttings onto parked cars. (Notify District Facilities Program Administrator or their designated representative of mowing schedule so cars can be moved if necessary).

Trimming of grass shall take place within two (2) days of mowing and as needed to keep a neat edge between the buildings, fences, and the lawn. Fence line trimming may require the application of chemical treatment to control growth.

Vendors shall remove prior to and during mowing all litter, fallen leaves and branches weekly during the period from April 1 to November 30 annually.

Rake leaves from all walkways, parking lots, entryways, and courtyards weekly during the period of April 1 to November 30. The contractor is responsible for removing leaves, limbs, twigs, and debris from site.

Note: Mowing shall not be performed when it is raining or if the grass is still wet. Not more than 1/3 of the total blade shall be removed during any single mowing event. During droughts, lawns will not be mowed unless requested by the appropriate district Facilities Maintenance Supervisor or their designated representative.

7.1.7: Plantings Management

The Contractor shall utilize best management practices for the management of all plantings on site.

A licensed Arborist employed by the company will be expected to annually assess soil conditions to identify any potential problems that may cause harm to plantings such as soil compaction, contamination, trenching or digging near the plantings.

The Contractor shall develop a schedule of monitoring and maintaining plants, using appropriate monitoring and maintenance techniques. Visual inspections should also be conducted during routine maintenance activities.

The Contractor will be responsible for removing pruned and/or fallen branches from the site.

The licensed Arborist shall be responsible for developing and implementing a written, systematic, comprehensive planting management program of pruning, hazard management, cabling, bracing and treatment of wounds that is appropriate for the long-term goals of the facility and consistent with accepted arboriculture practices that results in visually appealing, healthy, physically manageable, appropriately sized, insect and disease-free plantings. Prior to initiation of service, the contractor shall submit same to the District Facilities Program Administrator or their designated representative for review and approval. Pricing for management of plants shall be bid and paid per month. All monthly required services as outlined in the program shall be executed to receive approval for payment.

7.1.7.1: Perennial Plantings

Planting of Perennial flowers shall be performed in the fall of each year and completed no later than October 10 annually. A list of all perennials shall be provided to the District Facilities Program Administrator or their designated representative for pre-approval before purchasing. Contract allowance of up to $1000 per year.

7.1.7.2: Annual Plantings

Planting of Annual flowers shall be performed in the spring of each year; no later than May 20 annually. A list of all annual plants shall be provided to the District Facilities Program Administrator or their designated representative for pre-approval before purchasing. Contract allowance of up to $1000 per year.

7.1.7.3: Shrub and Tree Removal/Replacement

Removal of existing dead trees and shrubs shall be completed on an as needed basis with replacement being minimum 2” caliber trees and 3-5-gallon shrubs. All replacement trees and shrubs shall be pre-approved by the District Facilities Program Administrator or their designated representative before purchasing and replacement. Contract allowance of $500 per year when needed.

7.1.8: End of Season Cleanup

Execute end of season cleanup of each site in preparation for winter between November 15 and December 15. The cleanup may be done by manual raking, vacuuming, or equipment mounted devices used for this type of cleanup. Minimum services required are as follows:

• Cleaning/Raking of lawn area to remove leaves and debris. The contractor is responsible for removing leaves, limbs, twigs, and debris from site.

• Trimming/pruning of bushes, shrubs, hedges, ornamental trees, ornamental grasses and or brush. The contractor is responsible for removing leaves, limbs, twigs, and debris from site.

• Spot thatch apply topsoil and seeding of lawn as needed.

• Level out, rake, and reseed area around roadways or parking area, as needed, which were damaged by snow removal operations the prior winter.

7.2: Site #2 Services

7.2.1: Mowing and Trimming

Vendor shall mow and trim lawn areas at all sites, at frequencies determined by vendor experience and actual turf growth, to assure the grass is maintained between three (3) and four (4) inches in height for approximately thirty (30) cuts per season between April 1 and November 30 annually. If conditions require more than the base thirty (30) seasonal cuts, the vendor shall provide additional cuts at the same bid rate upon prior approval from the District Facilities Program Administrator or their designated representative to provide the necessary service.

Keep all walkways, parking lots, entryways, courtyards, and heliport areas free of grass cuttings and debris. Mow in direction to avoid blowing cuttings onto parked cars. (Notify District Facilities Program Administrator or their designated representative of mowing schedule so cars can be moved if necessary).

Trimming of grass shall take place within two (2) days of mowing and as needed to keep a neat edge between the buildings, fences, and the lawn. Fence line trimming may require the application of chemical treatment to control growth.

Vendors shall remove prior to and during mowing all litter, fallen leaves and branches weekly during the period from April 1 to November 30 annually.

Rake leaves from all walkways, parking lots, entryways, and courtyards weekly during the period of April 1 to November 30. The contractor is responsible for removing leaves, limbs, twigs, and debris from site.

Note: Mowing shall not be performed when it is raining or if the grass is still wet. Not more than 1/3 of the total blade shall be removed during any single mowing event. During droughts, lawns will not be mowed unless requested by the appropriate district Facilities Maintenance Supervisor or their designated representative.

7.3: Vendor Coordination of Services

ODOT requires a single contact point for scheduling, contract administration and billing to eliminate confusion for questions to responsible parties after the award. All bidders shall specify on the pricing documents, Vendor Contacts tab, a list including name, position/function, email address, phone number and alternate contact number for each office that will service facilities covered by this contract. Vendor staffing may require that the contact(s) for scheduling, contract administration and billing be three different people. The awarded vendor(s) shall update this contact list whenever changes are made during the term of this contract.

7.4: Sign in and Sign Out

Vendor personnel must sign in upon arrival at the Facility and must sign out upon departing. It shall be the responsibility of the Vendor to coordinate with the District Facilities Program Administrator or designated representative on a procedure for the Vendor’s personnel to follow when entering or leaving the District facilities. The Vendor’s personnel shall leave a copy of the work/service ticket with the District Facilities Program Administrator or designated representative which identifies work performed for the visit.

The sign in and sign out records may be used in the verification process for approval of any invoices for payment.

Section 8: Outside Scope of Service

Any work outside the scope of service of these specifications found to be necessary for the safety, operation and/or regulatory compliance of the systems and associated components of this contract shall be brought to the attention of the District Facilities Program Administrator or their designated representative immediately. The vendor shall submit a proposal detailing the work required and listing the labor, material and other charges or items necessary to perform the work in accordance with these specifications. The approved proposal shall then constitute a quote for the performance of the work. An approved quote for work shall be paid by approved methods and timeframes after receipt of a properly formatted invoice. Written approval must be given by ODOT prior to repairs being made. Non-contract work performed without the approval of ODOT will be at the vendors’ expense.

The Department reserves the right to the following without affecting the terms and conditions of this contract:

• Perform any work not covered by this contract with Department personnel

• Place any work not covered by this contract out for bid

Section 9: Uniforms

All vendor personnel working in or around buildings designated for service under this contract are required to wear distinctive clothing/uniforms. Employees of the vendor shall wear at least one clothing item with the vendor’s name and/or other identifying wording to provide their identification to anyone entering facilities or properties where they are providing services pursuant to these specifications.

Section 10: Subcontracting

The awarded bidder(s) will perform work amounting to not less than ninety (90) percent of the Contract price with its own organization, unless otherwise approved by the Department. The phrase “its own organization” includes only workers employed and paid directly, inclusive of employees who are employed by a lease agreement acceptable to the Department, and equipment owned or rented with or without operators by the Vendor. The phrase does not include employees or equipment of a subcontractor, assignee, or agent of the Vendor.

The Vendor’s percentage of the total Contract Price includes the cost of materials and manufactured products purchased by the Vendor, but not the cost of materials and manufactured products purchased by subcontractors.

Vendor shall not subcontract more than ten (10) percent of the work covered by the contract unless specifically authorized to do so by ODOT. All subcontracting will be supplied to ODOT at cost with no vendor markup. The vendor will be required to submit copies of invoices from subcontractor(s) as proof of costs. Vendor will be fully responsible for making all subcontractor payments and ensuring that subcontractors follow all laws, rules, safety procedures and ODOT requirements as though they were the Vendor.

Section 11: Permits

Any permits required for work executed in accordance with this contract by the authority having jurisdiction shall be obtained by the vendor and will be reimbursed by the Department at cost.

Section 12: Vendor References

Each bidder must have a minimum of five (5) years’ experience in performing the services required by this contract. Therefore, each bidder shall submit with their bid, the name, email address, organization, address, and telephone number of at least three (3) references with whom they have provided like services to for at least five (5) years.

It is a requirement of the contract that the vendor and its employees must have performed like services required by this contract to be considered a responsible bidder.

Section 13: Workmanship and Responsibility

The Vendor shall always provide and utilize Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as appropriate.

PPE includes but is not limited to substantial footwear, eye and face protection, hearing protection, and gloves. The Vendor shall wear, at a minimum, a shirt that covers the torso with half sleeves, full-length pants, and protective footwear. Light footwear such as, but not limited to, tennis shoes, sandals, etc. shall NOT be worn.

The awarded vendor(s) shall be responsible for any act or neglect of their employees when performing work under this contract. The contractor’s employees shall observe the rules and regulations of the facility when engaged in work under this contract on the facility’s premises and those adjacent private or public properties.

In accordance with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200 Hazard Communication Standard a chemical inventory listing all products used, manufacturers name, and copies of Material Safety Data Sheets/Safety Data Sheets (MSDS/SDS) used in performing work outlined in these specifications shall be maintained by the vendor and available when work is being performed. In case of an emergency both the inventory and MSDS/SDS must be readily accessible. All chemical product containers must be properly labeled.

Removal and proper disposal of all material, including, but not limited to, oil, fluids, materials, and supplies, shall be the responsibility of the vendor and must be done in compliance with all State laws and regulations. The vendor will be required to provide a manifest to show oils and fluids were disposed of in accordance with State requirements when applicable.

Section 14: Invoicing Requirements

All work performed in conjunction with this contract shall be subject to the invoicing requirements contained herein.

If satisfactory work is performed, the vendor shall receive monthly payments within thirty (30) days for work completed and accepted as satisfactory and in accordance with these specifications.

Payment shall be based on the per occurrence rate bid times the number of occurrences performed in the month, as noted on purchase order. The bid rate shall be the total cost for each occurrence of services provided as specified.

Two (2) copies of each invoice are to be sent to the Ohio Department of Transportation, District 11 at the address below. Vendors must provide on each invoice the purchase order number for the work performed, a description of the work performed, and date(s) performed.

ODOT District 11 Facilities Attn: Shannon Blocker 2201 Reiser Avenue S.E.

New Philadelphia, OH 44663-3333 shannon.blocker@dot.ohio.gov 330-308-3910

The vendor shall be notified within five (5) business days of any work deemed unsatisfactory. The vendor is expected to return to site to remedy such areas prior to acceptance of invoice for services.

In the event of contract termination, payment in full for services rendered shall be based on each occurrence where work performed and accepted as complete and satisfactory in accordance with these specifications.

To ensure timely invoice processing, the vendor shall submit an original, proper invoice by standard mail or electronically to the office designated on the purchase order as the “bill to” address for work paid by purchase order. If payment is made by purchasing card, the vendor shall submit an original, proper invoice by standard mail or electronically to the contact listed above. To be a proper invoice, the invoice must include the following information:

• Vendor name, address and contact information

• The ODOT purchase order number authorizing the delivery of products and/or services

• Contract number pursuant to the deliverable

• A description of what the Vendor delivered, including, as applicable, the time, unit price, quantity, and total price of the products and/or services

Vendors shall not charge for any items outside of the contract including but not limited to shop supplies, driving time and per diem. The Department will not pay any additional charges for such items.

Section 15: Right to Audit

The Ohio Department of Transportation reserves the right to audit all invoices submitted by a Vendor. In addition, when discrepancies arise, the vendor will be required to pay the difference of the amount quoted in the contract and the amount charged on the invoice, plus the twenty percent (20%) of the amount invoiced or fifty dollars ($50.00), whichever is less.

Section 16: Public Liability Insurance

The bidder shall furnish with their bid, proof that they carry public liability insurance with limits of not less than three hundred thousand ($300,000) dollars for any one person and one million ($1,000,000) dollars for any one occurrence.

mailto:shannon.blocker@dot.ohio.gov

All insurance policies required under this section shall include an endorsement requiring the insurance company to give thirty (30) days prior written notice to ODOT before any change of cancellation becomes effective. All insurance policies shall be through insurance companies licensed to conduct business in the State.

Section 17: Pricing

Vendors shall submit pricing F.O.B. the locations provided, all in accordance with the specifications, terms, and conditions. Pricing shall be guaranteed firmly for the contract’s duration.

• Vendors shall enter individual unit pricing for each service requested. The unit price will automatically be multiplied by the Maximum Quantity to give a Line Item Total cost. All Line Item Total costs will be added together to determine the lump sum price for all services to be completed during the term of the contract.

DISTRICT 11 HEADQUARTERS SITE PLAN

DISTRICT 11 OLD TUSCARAWAS COUNTY GARAGE SITE PLAN