1-250336 Solicitation Documentation.pdf

(______________) Published on the City’s Website wichita.gov/legalnotices, Monday, November 10, 2025

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO. – 250336

Sealed Request for Proposal will be received in the office of the City Purchasing Manager, 12th Floor, City Hall, 455 North Main, Wichita, Kansas, prior to 10:00 O'CLOCK A. M., FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 2026. One

(1) electronic copy of the proposal is required. Proposals are to be submitted electronically through the City’s Procurement Portal (wichita.gov/procurementportal) using secure login/password for:

PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT/MAINTENANCE

DIVISION

Grounds Maintenance Services

AS PER SPECIFICATIONS

F.O.B.: Wichita, KS

Specifications for the sealed proposals are on file in the office of the City Purchasing Manager, 12th Floor, City Hall, 455 North Main, Wichita, Kansas, (316) 268-4636. This information is also available on the City of Wichita Web Site at wichita.gov/procurementportal.

A PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE will be held in the 1201 S. McLean Blvd, Forestry Maintenance Conference Room, Wichita, Kansas,67213 on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. The purpose of the meeting will be to answer questions from vendors regarding the specifications and proposal procedure.

Sealed proposals shall be received (electronically as stated) in the office of the City Purchasing Manager prior to 10:00 o’clock a.m., Friday, January 2, 2026.

The review and evaluation of the submitted Proposals will take estimated 60 to 90 days before notification from the City of Wichita that a contract has been approved by City Council. If the Purchasing Division may be of further assistance, please contact us at (316) 268-4636.

Dated at Wichita, Kansas, on the 10th day of November, 2025.

Josh L. Lauber, MBA, CPSM Purchasing Manager https://www.wichita.gov/legalnotices https://wichita.gov/procurementportal

Our Mission as an exceptionally well-run city, we will: Keep Wichita safe; Grow our economy; build dependable infrastructure; Provide conditions for living well.

City of Wichita 1 RFP #250336

CITY OF WICHITA

FINANCE DEPARTMENT/PURCHASING DIVISION

455 N. MAIN ST, 12TH FLOOR, WICHITA, KS 67202

PHONE: (316) 268-4636

PURCHASING@WICHITA.GOV

WICHITA.GOV/PURCHASING

WICHITA.GOV/PROCUREMENTPORTAL

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL #250336

Ground Maintenance Services – Park and Recreation Department City of Wichita

November 10, 2025

PROJECT DEFINITION

The City of Wichita, Kansas is seeking qualified licensed contractors to provide Grounds Maintenance Services for various locations around the city

The City began outsourcing grounds maintenance services to the private sector in 2010. The city currently has approximately 5,000 acres of land including parks, medians and rights-of-way that require comprehensive grounds maintenance services in order to maintain appropriate healthy vegetation and safe and appealing landscaping per best practice commercial industry standards. Approximately 4,000 of those acres are maintained through contracted services.

The selection of the contractor by the City’s Staff Screening and Selection Committee will be based on several factors, including: (1) Methodology in meeting scope of work/performance statement requirements, (2) Verified/proven successful contracts comparable in size/scope, (3) Meeting all proposal requirements and instructions, submitting clear, detailed information and providing all requested documents, and (4) overall cost of solution.

Any questions regarding this document must be submitted via the procurement portal’s “Ask a Question” functionality or by email to Jason Brogden (jbrogden@wichita.gov) no later than 2:00 p.m. December 18, 2025. Questions must be submitted via email or procurement portal, and they will be answered through an addendum made available to all interested parties.

Tentative Schedule RFP Released November 10, 2025 Pre-Proposal Meeting located at 1201 S. McLean Blvd, Forestry Maintenance Conference Room, Wichita, Ks December 10, 2025 1:30 p.m.

Questions Due Via Email December 18, 2025 2:00 p.m.

Questions Answered Via Addendum December 29, 2025 Proposals Due January 2, 2026 10:00 a.m.

Evaluation Week of January 9, 2026 Project Awarded (tentative) February 2026 mailto:purchasing@wichita.gov https://wichita.gov/PURCHASING

Our Mission as an exceptionally well-run city, we will: Keep Wichita safe; Grow our economy; build dependable

City of Wichita 2 RFP #250336

Table of Contents

I. OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY

II. PROJECT OBJECTIVES

III. SCOPE OF SERVICES

IV. PROPOSAL TERMS

A. Questions and Contact Information:

B. Proposal Submission:

C. Evaluation Criteria:

D. Tentative Schedule:

E. Minimum Respondent Qualifications:

F. Mandatory Elements:

G. City of Wichita Responsibilities:

H. Debriefing:

I. Challenges and Protests:

V. CONTRACT PERIOD AND PAYMENT TERMS

VI. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

VII. GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS:

VIII. REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL CONDITIONS CERTIFICATION (SUBMITTAL LETTER)

IX. ATTACHMENT A – SERVICE LEVEL DEFINITIONS

X. ATTACHMENT B – ADDITIONAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SELECT LOCATIONS

XI. ATTACHMENT C – PRICING SHEET

XII. ATTACHMENT D – CITY CONTRACT

Our Mission as an exceptionally well-run city, we will: Keep Wichita safe; Grow our economy; build dependable

City of Wichita 3 RFP #250336

I. OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY

The City of Wichita is the largest city in Kansas with a population of approximately 397,000 and is the seat of Sedgwick County. As of May 2024, the City’s total land area was approximately 167 square miles. Major highways, including the Kansas Turnpike (I-35), Interstate 135 and U.S. 54 (Kellogg Avenue) link the City with a large trade area that encompasses a population of more than 1.1 million people within a 100-mile radius. The City of Wichita employs approximately 3,100 employees providing a full range of municipal services, including police and fire protection, parks and recreation programs, libraries, public housing, municipal transportation, airports, water and sewer utilities, general administration, and other services.

Information regarding the City of Wichita can be found at wichita.gov. The legislative body of the City consists of a six-member City Council, elected by district, and a full-time Mayor elected from the City-at-large. The Council members and the Mayor serve four-year terms overlapping. The Council and Mayor establish general policies, which are executed by the City Manager.

The intent of this Proposal is to award multiple Contractors one or more “groups” dependent upon multiple factors as described within this document. Please be advised that Contractors may provide a proposal on ONE or MULTIPLE groups. Groups as listed in this document shall be proposed as such and will not be split. The city reserves the right to negotiate changes to proposed group awards based on evaluation of Proposer’s responses to this RFP.

Awarded contracts WILL NOT allow the utilization of subcontractors. The Contractor may not employ, engage or contract with any person or company other than a direct employee to do, perform or execute any work under this contract. The verified use of sub-contractors shall result in the following consequences:

loss of incentive payment for the group AND liquidated damages of no less than 35% of the value of the group, or revocation of the contract for the group.

This document is a Request for Proposal. It differs from a Request for Bid or Quotation in that the city is seeking a solution, as described on the cover page and in the following Project Background section, not a bid or quotation meeting firm specifications for the lowest price. As such, the lowest price proposed will not guarantee an award recommendation. As indicated herein, Competitive Sealed Proposals will be evaluated based upon criteria formulated around the most important features of the product(s) and/or service(s), of which quality, testing, references, service, availability or capability, may be overriding factors, and price may not be determinative in the issuance of a contract or award. The proposal evaluation criteria should be viewed as standards that measure how well a contractor’s approach meets the desired requirements and needs of the city. Criteria that will be used and considered in evaluation for award are set forth in this document. The city will thoroughly review all proposals received. The city will also utilize its best judgment when determining whether to schedule a pre-proposal conference, before proposals are accepted, or meetings with Contractors, after receipt of all proposals. A Purchase Order/Contract will be awarded to a qualified Contractor(s) submitting the best proposal. The City of Wichita reserves the right to select, and subsequently recommend for award, the proposed service(s) and/or product(s) which best meets its required needs, quality levels and budget constraints.

The nature of this work is for a public entity and will require the expenditure of public funds and/or use of public facilities, therefore the successful proposer will understand that portions (potentially all) of their proposal may become public record at any time after receipt of proposals. Proposal responses, purchase orders and final contracts are subject to public disclosure after award. All confidential or proprietary information should be clearly denoted in proposal responses and responders should understand this information will be considered prior to release, however no guarantee is made that information will be withheld from public view.

https://www.wichita.gov/

Our Mission as an exceptionally well-run city, we will: Keep Wichita safe; Grow our economy; build dependable

City of Wichita 4 RFP #250336

II. PROJECT OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the proposal is to demonstrate the qualifications, competence and capacity of firms seeking to provide services specified herein for the City of Wichita, in conformity with the requirements of this Request for Proposal. The proposal should demonstrate the qualifications of the firm and the staff to undertake this project. It should also specify the proposed approach that best meets the Request for Proposal requirements.

The proposer must address each of the service specifications under the Scope of Services.

III. SCOPE OF SERVICES

Optional Site Inspection: Prior to proposal submission, a site visit can be scheduled with Park and Recreation Staff, at (316) 350-3171. The site visit will provide Contractors an additional opportunity to ask questions and visit the sites. It is unlikely that all sites in a project area will be visited due to time constraints, so Contractors should make every effort to familiarize themselves with the areas they plan to propose. Contractors are urged to use online mapping services and/or to call or e-mail Park and Recreation staff prior to the schedule of site visits in order to determine the area of required grounds maintenance services.

Maps of all groups and individual sites within each group are available using the publicly accessible GIS dashboard at:

https://cityofwichita.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/886bf3afe89c4c088b75a5baa6d068a3

Service Level Definitions are attached in Attachment A

Probationary Period The city reserves the right to require a test period to determine if the contractor can perform in accordance with the requirements of the contract, and to the city’s satisfaction. Such a test period can be from thirty

(30) to ninety (90) days beginning with the start date of the first work order, and will be conducted under all specifications, terms and conditions contained in the contract. A performance evaluation will be conducted prior to the end of the test period and that evaluation will be the basis for the city’s decision to continue with the contractor or to select another Contractor. The contractor will be paid according to contract pricing during this period.

Performance Standards and Expectations Contracts resulting from awards of this RFP will be Performance-Based Contracts. As such, contractors are eligible for incentive payments twice per season, according to the general guidelines listed below:

The City shall, within a reasonable time period following the end of June and November, pay the Contractor 5% as an Incentive Payment for each location successfully completed from the beginning of season through June and July through the end of season, respectfully.

Incentive pay-out criteria is listed below. Lack in any or all areas of the criteria may affect incentive pay out.

• Timely notification (Not to exceed four (4) days following completion of group/two (2) days on a seven

(7) day cycle group) of work being completed will be required so that appropriate inspections can be completed to close out the work order. Appropriate notification should be in the form of an https://cityofwichita.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/886bf3afe89c4c088b75a5baa6d068a3

Our Mission as an exceptionally well-run city, we will: Keep Wichita safe; Grow our economy; build dependable

City of Wichita 5 RFP #250336 email to both inspectors. Frequency of inspections will correlate to the Service Level being assigned to each property (see pages 16-18). Therefore, communication could be required daily for contractors that secure multiple properties. It will be the contractor’s responsibility to keep inspectors informed.

• Number of citizen complaints - each Contractor is to have less than two (2) verified complaints per property per maintenance cycle. Repetitive citizen complaints will affect incentive payout.

*A maintenance cycle is defined as all work specified/assigned to each property as described in the service level description – pages 16-18)

• Work orders completed that meet the service level requirements (pages 16-18), completed within assigned timeframe and are free of deficiencies. Contractors will be given five (5) business days to correct deficiencies. If the deficiencies are not correct within the five (5) day grace period, the contractor will not receive the incentive payment for that maintenance cycle.

Mandatory Requirements

Work Orders and Documentation Work Orders will be issued from the Park Operations Facility, 1245 S. McLean Boulevard approximately one week prior to work commencing and emailed to the Contractor. No work will start without a Work Order or prior to the start date. When work is completed, the Contractor must notify both Park Inspectors of completion thru e-mail. Completed locations should be turned in upon completion of the work.

After the work order is reported complete as per the appropriate service level and the appropriate site inspection is completed by the Park Inspector, the inspector will submit the work order for payment. A notice will be forwarded to the Vender noting any deficiencies that needs to be addressed. Contractor will have five (5) business days to address deficiencies.

Work Schedule

All work shall be performed during daylight hours only

Upon issuance of a Work Order, the Contractor shall perform the work between the stated start and end dates. The Contractor will be required to maintain all areas assigned to him/her in the time allowed for each Grounds Maintenance Cycle for each area. If environmental factors beyond the control of the Contractor will prevent completion of work within the period stated on the Work Order, the Contractor may request a time extension prior to the end date of the work order. Such a request will be made in email to Park and Recreation staff, and a written determination will be made at his/her discretion to allow or disallow the extension, given the circumstances. Final assessment of each area shall be made by the Park Inspector following the end of each Grounds Maintenance Cycle. Project designation of “Levels 2 and 3”, “Levels 4 and 5” and “Level 6” will be used for issuing work orders, billing, payment and time to complete the work:

Service Levels

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City of Wichita 6 RFP #250336

Project designation “Levels 2 and 3”, 7- & 14-day cycles – completed within 7 days Project designation “Levels 4 and 5”, 21- & 28-day cycles – completed within 14 days Project designation “Level 6”, 50-day cycles & 70-day cycles – completed within 28 days

Work Orders will generally be assigned start dates on a Monday and an end date for the appropriate following Sunday.

Communication Requirements As part of the City’s ground maintenance operations, it is vital that appropriate lines of communication occur between the Contractors and City staff. Grounds maintenance Contractors are seen as extension of the City’s workforce. It is expected that effective communication will be established between the Contractor and City staff.

Lack of regular and effective communication ultimately impacts the Contractors’ work order being processed, which in turn affects payments being processed in a timely manner. Regular communication with Park Inspectors assists the City and Contractor in successful completion of assigned work. Habitual failure to contact the assigned Park Inspector will constitute a breach of contract and may be cause for termination. If at all possible, Park Inspectors should only be contacted during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., unless certain circumstances arise which require communication outside of the regular work hours. If communication is necessary during non-business hours, Contractors can contact Warren McCoskey at (316) 260-0119 and/or Gary Farris at (316) 941-6506.

*Regular communication will include email and/or phone calls if necessary. Depending on the time of day, emails and/or phone calls might not be returned until the next day.

Inspection Each site will be inspected upon completion of the first maintenance cycle each season. Service Levels 2 and 3 sites will be inspected each maintenance cycle. Service Levels 4 and 5 sites will be inspected every other maintenance cycle. All sites will be inspected upon citizen complaint. The City reserves the right to inspect any site on an as needed basis throughout the season.

Equipment All equipment must be maintained in good working condition and must be properly registered and equipped in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Costs for all equipment and apparatus required in the performance of the work shall be borne by the Contractor. All equipment must be operated in a manner consistent with manufacturer’s recommendations.

Mowers shall be of an appropriate size and type for the area being mowed. Blades shall be sharp as to give a fine, clean cut. Mower decks shall be leveled so as to give an even, level cut. The equipment shall be operated at a speed and in a manner that poses no danger to the public and achieves the desired appearance.

Our Mission as an exceptionally well-run city, we will: Keep Wichita safe; Grow our economy; build dependable

City of Wichita 7 RFP #250336

Contractor’s vehicles, tractors and mowers (60” deck or larger) are to be clearly identified in a visible contrasting color with the name of the Contractor’s company, using minimum two (2”) inch (height) letters.

The Contractor’s company name is to be permanently placed on the equipment in a location that is highly visible to the general public. The City shall approve the equipment identification.

The Contractor shall not leave any equipment or materials on site overnight unless prior arrangements and approval has been granted in writing from the Park Inspector.

Application of Pesticides and other Chemicals The Contractor’s applicators shall follow all Federal, State and product label regulations and directions for the chemicals used, which includes providing Written Statement for Services to Customer on all applications according to State of Kansas regulation. Written Statements for Services to Customer will be provided to 1245 S. McLean Blvd within the application business week. Contractors can obtain licensing information from the Sedgwick County Extension Service located at 7001 W. 21st North, Wichita, KS 67205- 1759, (316) 660-0100, fax (316) 722-1432, sedgwickinfo@list.oznet.ksu.edu

The Contractor will provide a copy of the Safety Data Sheet and product label for all chemicals intended to be applied to any bid property at the beginning of each maintenance season and before application is made for pesticide/herbicide approval. This information will be maintained by Park and Recreation staff at 1245 S.

McLean Blvd for reference during each maintenance season.

Use of blue dye in herbicide mixtures is PROHIBITED on any paved surface, in playgrounds, or in cemeteries.

Extreme Care: Extreme care shall be taken to safeguard all existing facilities, site amenities, sprinkler systems, turf-grass, trees, shrubs, plant material, windows, and all vehicles on or around the job site.

Damage to public and/or private property shall be the responsibility of the Contractor and shall be replaced or repaired by the Contractor at no additional cost to the City, and in a manner acceptable to the City. In the event any damage is done to City and/or private property, caused by Contractor’s personnel, the Contractor shall notify the Park Inspector no later than the next working day. If the Contractor has not repaired/replaced/made arrangement for replacement of damaged property within 48 hours, the City reserves the right to correct the situation and deduct all charges from the Contractor’s invoice(s).

The Contractor must exercise caution and good judgment when operating equipment or vehicles near pedestrians and when maneuvering through crowds when present. The Contractor shall adhere to Kansas Department of Transportation regulations for marking and operating within maintenance work zones as stated in the ‘Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices’.

Personnel: Management or supervisory personnel must be available at all times when the crews are working. The Contractor shall provide a list of all supervisory personnel assigned to this contract. This list shall include the names and emergency telephone or cellular numbers of each supervisor. The Contractor shall be responsible for keeping this list up to date during the term of this contract. If management or mailto:sedgwickinfo@list.oznet.ksu.edu

Our Mission as an exceptionally well-run city, we will: Keep Wichita safe; Grow our economy; build dependable

City of Wichita 8 RFP #250336 supervisory personnel are habitually unavailable and unresponsive to communication efforts, the contract may be terminated.

The Contractor shall have its crew supervised by a qualified foreman. Every foreman shall have oral and written fluency in the English language to facilitate communication with City staff. As a fully authorized agent of the Contractor, the foreman must be capable of making on-site decisions to perform and approve the work in accordance with specifications.

Work under this Contract will be performed on public property in full view of the general public. Citizen’s impressions of the Contractor’s employees, equipment, work procedures, and finished product will reflect on both the Contractor and the City of Wichita. The Contractor’s employees shall present a neat, clean, well-groomed appearance and shall conduct themselves in a respectable manner while performing the duties of this bid and while on City property.

The City may request that the Contractor remove any employee if it is determined that services are not being performed in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract, or if an employee is conducting himself/herself in an inappropriate manner on City property.

Personnel Safety: When the Contractor’s employees are working within fifteen (15) feet of a street and/or within any rights of way, they must be wearing Type III safety vests or garments. Employees must also wear all appropriate PPE (personal protective equipment) as recommended by equipment manufacturers for the equipment they are operating, or as required by pesticide labels for the chemicals they are applying.

The Contractor shall adhere to all applicable Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations.

Fuel Surcharge: On the day the RFP is due, the City of Wichita will monitor the diesel fuel price and record that price. If the price of fuel goes $2.00 above the recorded price on RFP due date, a 3% surcharge will be added to the original bid amount on the invoices for each group issued when fuel prices are above this benchmark. The City of Wichita will base the surcharges on the AAA Kansas diesel fuel price for Wichita.

Website located at https://gasprices.aaa.com/?state=KS

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS APPLICABLE TO ALL GROUPS

All work shall be performed during daylight hours only

Mowing: All grass shall be cut at a height not to exceed 3 inches with the exception of Service Level 6 locations. Areas requiring maintenance of “one mower width” shall be defined as 72”. Removal of cut grass from the ground surface where growth occurred will not be required; however, the area shall be free of clumped grass and tire tracks, or ruts left by equipment. Cut grass and debris which falls on or is thrown by equipment upon the pavement, streets, sidewalks, parking lots, driveways, park amenities or adjacent properties through the action of the work crew, must be removed from said surfaces prior to crew leaving the work site. No grass or debris shall be blown into streets or gutters. Grass clippings and lawn debris https://gasprices.aaa.com/?state=KS

Our Mission as an exceptionally well-run city, we will: Keep Wichita safe; Grow our economy; build dependable

City of Wichita 9 RFP #250336 shall be cleaned up in accordance with Storm Water Regulation Code 16.32.30C(5) that reads: “No person shall dump, spill, leak, pump, pour, emit, empty, discharge, leach, dispose, or otherwise introduce or cause, allow, or permit to be introduced, the following substances into the MS4 (Storm Water System) … Any garbage, rubbish, or yard waste.” By signing this contract, the Contractor has agreed this paragraph shall serve as notice and the Contractor as well as His/her employees are subject to a citation for improper clean-up of said grass clippings and lawn debris. Clippings/debris shall be blown back onto the grass area that was cut, trimmed or edged, or removed from the work site. Turf shall be cut in a professional manner so as not to scalp turf or leave areas of uncut grass. Mowing patterns shall be varied each cycle, where practical, in order to avoid repetitive rutting or turf wear. In order to safely provide the optimal desired cut designated by the Park Inspector, consideration should be given to equipment operator speed, mower deck size and overall weight of the equipment. In low lying areas or areas that tend to hold water, if turf areas are too wet or ground is too soft to utilize mowers during the current cycle, string trimmers shall be used to cut vegetation.

Trimming: The Contractor shall trim all vegetation that cannot be reached with a mower. Trimming shall be done around all buildings, structures, posts, signs, utility boxes, shrub beds, trees, fences, and any other objects within the turf areas being mowed. Care must be taken in the operation of string trimmers around people and vehicles. If volunteer tree seedlings cannot be pulled, then they shall be cut and treated with herbicide.

**Exception: The use of string trimmers within 6” of tree trunks is not allowed. The Contractor may use herbicides to maintain a “vegetation free zone” of 6”-12” radius around all trees within turf areas. Damage to trees from string trimmers will not be tolerated. Note: Herbicides may be used under the supervision of a Certified Commercial Pesticide Applicator to reduce string trimming around posts, signs, utility poles, utility boxes, fence lines, and concrete/masonry walls; locations must be approved by the Park Inspector. The use of soil sterilant is forbidden.

Edging: All sidewalks, drives, curbs, steps, playing courts, concrete bike paths or concrete pads within the entire site’s footprint shall be mechanically edged to a one-inch (1”) depth and quarter inch (1/4”) width, where they exist bordering or within turf areas. All debris dislodged by edging must be removed from the site or blown or placed back within the turf areas.

Litter, Trash and Waste Removal: The Contractor shall, at the beginning of each cycle, remove all trash and litter from the entire site (mowable and non-mowable areas) prior to initiating any mowing. Trash is defined as any unwanted material including but not limited to bottles, cans, cigarette butts, glass, broken or otherwise, paper, food, food wrappers, party supplies and all other debris. This does not include annual flower beds and athletic fields that are maintained by City. Non-mowable areas include but are not limited to shrub beds, sidewalks, paved and unpaved pathways, parking lots, athletic courts, playground safety surfacing, etc. Trash and litter removal is also performed each cycle on locations that contain no turf. Any trash that gets mowed over will be removed promptly by the Contractor. All trash and litter shall be removed from the site by the Contractor; disposal in on-site City dumpsters or trash containers is prohibited.

Our Mission as an exceptionally well-run city, we will: Keep Wichita safe; Grow our economy; build dependable

City of Wichita 10 RFP #250336

Animal or human feces found on sidewalks, steps, on or around any amenity or playground surface will be removed and disposed of properly. If feces are placed in closed disposable bags, it may be placed in park refuse containers. Park Inspectors may also identify high traffic areas where any feces will also require removal during each maintenance cycle.

Dog Parks: Prior to maintenance, any feces located in designated dog park locations will be removed and disposed of properly. Feces found in and around dog park entrances will also be removed and disposed of properly. If feces are placed in closed disposable bags, it may be placed in park refuse containers.

Illegal dumping will be determined by the Park Inspector. Illegal dumping of trash will be considered as large quantities of tires, piles of household waste, construction waste or other dumped trash. The Contractor must notify the Park Inspector as soon as he/she knows of such dumping so that removal of the trash can be promptly initiated, and mowing can be completed in a timely manner. The Contractor may be required to go back and mow an area where debris has been removed.

Note: The Contractor should expect a greater amount of trash/litter cleanup during the first maintenance cycle of the season due to litter, leaves and plant debris that may have accumulated during the winter and after Holidays. This will include as example: all fence lines, shrub beds, tennis courts and all other areas within the location’s boundaries.

Playground Safety Surface Maintenance: During each cycle, the Contractor is responsible for removing all trash and debris including pieces of glass and other objects from the safety surface and the immediate area surrounding the playground that may cause injury to the public using the playground. Rubber safety surfacing shall be cleaned off with a blower. Playgrounds using loose safety surface materials such as sand or mulch will require blowing or sweeping of these materials off of the surrounding paved areas back into the containment area. Playground safety surfaces are to be kept vegetation-free, including the crack or space between the rubber safety surfacing material and the concrete edge and all sand play areas including volleyball courts. The Contractor is required to rototill all sand playground surfaces at least (at the inspector’s direction) once each season by request in a work order to remove vegetation and loosen the sand surface. The City will maintain all playground equipment and be responsible for removing all graffiti.

Use of blue dye in herbicide mixtures is PROHIBITED in playground areas. Contractors will take extra care not to discharge clippings towards playground surfaces. Absolutely no powered equipment shall be used on playground surfaces with the exception of rototillers for tilling sand and leaf blowers for removing loose debris or grass clippings.

Downed Tree Branches: Each maintenance cycle the Contractor shall remove and dispose of all downed tree branches and debris smaller than twelve (12”) inches in diameter. Branches larger than twelve (12”) inches in diameter shall be reported immediately to the Park Inspector for City Forestry staff to remove.

Hanging limbs or broken limbs still attached to the tree will be reported to Park and Recreation staff to remove. All downed limbs under twelve (12”) inches caused by Storm Damage will remain the responsibility of the Contractor.

Our Mission as an exceptionally well-run city, we will: Keep Wichita safe; Grow our economy; build dependable

City of Wichita 11 RFP #250336

Cracks, Joints, and Seams: All plant growth in cracks, seams and/or expansion joints of paved areas such as sidewalks, curbs including curb gutters and catch basins, parking lots, and driveways throughout the entire site shall be maintained vegetation free. Use of blue dye in herbicide mixtures is PROHIBITED on any paved surface.

Note: The O.J. Watson Park Railroad Ballast shall be maintained vegetation free at all times.

Shrub Removal: Dead, dying and/or diseased shrubs and vegetation will be removed as identified by the Park Inspector during regular maintenance cycles. Only vegetation identified by the Park Inspector will be approved for removal. Removal will require ground level clean cut and chemical application if necessary to prevent regrowth. Removal will not include the root ball. Debris disposal will be the responsibility of the Contractor. This removal will be completed as part of the regular maintenance cycle and without additional compensation.

Shrub, Perennial, Groundcover Bed Maintenance: Shrub beds containing shrubs, perennials, and/or groundcover are hereafter referred to as “shrub beds”. All shrub beds shall be weeded each maintenance cycle to completely remove all plants not intentionally placed within the bed. Weeding can be accomplished using physical or chemical means or a combination of the two. Chemical weeding must not endanger surrounding desirable plants and will require the approval of the Park Inspector. Chemical weeding and removal will be completed during the same maintenance cycle. Chemical application will be made at least thirty-six (36) hours prior to removal for adequate control. Woody foreign growth like, but not limited to, seedling trees, wild grape or Virginia Creeper vines, poison ivy, etc. shall be cut flush with the ground and the stumps treated with herbicide to kill the stump. The Contractor will be expected to cut and treat poison ivy as it occurs.

Exception: City maintenance staff will retain full maintenance responsibilities for all beds containing annual bedding plants. Some beds may be totally dedicated to annual bedding plants, and some beds may contain bedding plants in addition to shrubs, perennials and/or groundcover. The City will be responsible for maintenance of the entire planting bed.

“Volunteer” trees shall be removed as they occur as part of the contractor’s regular maintenance duties.

Volunteer trees shall be cut flush with the ground and stumps treated with herbicide to prevent regrowth.

Removal of “advertisement yard signs”: Each maintenance cycle, the Contractor shall remove and dispose of all signs or bulletins of a temporary nature advertising items such as open houses, garage sales, lost pets, sale notices, services for hire, political elections, etc., located on City grounds including parks, public facilities, lots, medians and rights-of-way. This includes all signs of such nature that may be stuck in the ground or posted on utility poles, utility boxes, or other objects at the contract location. The Contractor shall remove such items from the work site and dispose of them. Disposal in on-site City trash containers or

Our Mission as an exceptionally well-run city, we will: Keep Wichita safe; Grow our economy; build dependable

City of Wichita 12 RFP #250336 dumpsters is not allowed. The exceptions are any signs listing a city sponsored event or a recreation center posting signs for classes. If the Contractor is uncertain of the removal of specific signs, he/she is to check with the Park Inspector. Realtor signs of steel construction shall also be removed but will be returned to the City.

Replacement of Damaged and Non-Functioning Irrigation Heads: Each maintenance cycle, the Contractor shall be responsible for replacing damaged and non-functioning irrigation heads, as a result of the contractor’s actions. Replacement heads will be with the same make and model as directed by the Park Inspector. City staff will test irrigation systems when pressuring up at the beginning of the season and replace any non-functioning heads found at that time. After that initial replacement, City staff will periodically check the systems for proper operation and notify the Contractor of any heads need to be replaced. Head replacement shall be completed within five (5) business days of notification.

Graffiti Reporting: Each maintenance cycle, the Contractor will promptly report any graffiti noticed during maintenance activities to the Park Inspector.

Sidewalk Special Circumstances: Due to excessive rain, flooding and/or other causes, sidewalks can become covered with dirt and debris causing a safety hazard to pedestrians and bicyclists. When identified by a Park Inspector, the Contractor will clear the identified sidewalk and/or area clean of all dirt and debris.

Disposal of removed material will be the responsibility of the Contractor or as directed by a Park Inspector.

This maintenance will be performed as part of the normal maintenance rotation without additional compensation and is subsidiary to the contract.

Note: It should be expected for the Contractor to remove street sand from Sidewalks, parking lots and driveways that has been applied over the winter during inclement weather. Removal and disposal is the responsibility of the Contractor and without further compensation subsidiary to the contract.

Please Review Attachment B for additional requirements for select locations.

Additional or Cancelled Cycles: The City reserves the right to request additional cycles outside of the mowing season as well as within the mowing season. Additional cycles will be performed by the Contractor at the price bid per cycle per site. The City also reserves the right to cancel a cycle or modify service levels for any site. Reasons for cancellation or modification may include but are not limited to unusually wet conditions, fire, drought conditions (turf has not grown enough to warrant a mowing), Ozone Alert (equipment that does not emit exhaust fumes/gasses may be used during an Ozone Alert), budget constraints, or special events.

EXCLUDED CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Certain maintenance tasks are not the Contractor’s responsibility even though they may be located within locations being maintained by the Contractor. The following grounds maintenance activities will be performed by City staff:

• planting & maintenance of annual floral display beds

Our Mission as an exceptionally well-run city, we will: Keep Wichita safe; Grow our economy; build dependable

City of Wichita 13 RFP #250336

• noxious weed control, and weed control in turf & natural areas

• fertilization and insect/disease control in turf and shrub/perennial beds except noted for Old Town maintenance

• shrub pruning except noted for Old Town maintenance

• tree maintenance, with the exception of suckers and sprout removal

• maintenance & programming of all irrigation systems which includes backflow devices and valves

• refuse pick-up and disposal service of containers including illegal dumping

• turf and landscape renovations

• maintenance of all park infrastructure including playground system equipment maintenance

• graffiti removal

IV. PROPOSAL TERMS

A. Questions and Contact Information:

Any questions regarding this document must be submitted via the procurement portal’s “Ask a Question” functionality or by email to Jason Brogden, jbrogden@wichita.gov in accordance with the dates and times stipulated for questions. Any questions of a substantive nature will be addressed in written form as a posted addendum on the City’s Procurement Portal (wichita.gov/procurementportal) within the “Open Public Opportunities” tab under the associated solicitation number’s “Supporting Documentation.”

Respondents are responsible for checking the City’s Procurement Portal and acknowledging any addenda electronically as a part of the Procurement Portal submission’s electronic acknowledgment for all stipulated response forms and addendum acknowledgments.

To ensure interested parties receive notification of any published addendum by the City, respondents need to verify the selection of “Real Time” on their Procurement Portal - Notification Center settings:

• Accept Invites from Agencies (to receive invitations for new solicitation opportunities)

• Accept Messages (to receive notifications for any published addendum)

Failure to select “Real Time” notification settings will impact your Procurement Portal profile’s ability to receive notifications and messages by the City of Wichita Purchasing Division.

To view your Procurement Portal’s Notification Center settings, log into your account and select Settings, Global Vendor Record, Manage my Organization, and Notifications to view this settings screen. If further assistance is needed, please contact the Purchasing Office directly at purchasing@wichita.gov or by phone at 316-268-4636.

B. Proposal Submission:

Proposals will be received (electronically as stated) in the office of the City Purchasing Manager, 12th Floor, City Hall, 455 North Main, Wichita, Kansas 67202, prior to 10:00 O'CLOCK A.M., Friday, JANUARY 2, 2026. Proposals are to be submitted electronically through the City’s Procurement Portal (wichita.gov/procurementportal) using a secure login/password.

If a Bonfire registration for system access has not been completed, please visit wichita.gov/purchasing for assistance. On the Purchasing website page, a video tutorial (Bonfire Registration Video) walkthrough and registration resources are available to help in the completion of the registration process. If further https://wichita.gov/procurementportal mailto:purchasing@wichita.gov https://www.wichita.gov/purchasing

Our Mission as an exceptionally well-run city, we will: Keep Wichita safe; Grow our economy; build dependable

City of Wichita 14 RFP #250336 assistance is needed, please contact the Purchasing Office directly at purchasing@wichita.gov or by phone at 316-268-4636.

All cost incurred in the preparation and presentation of a proposal shall be wholly absorbed by the respondent.

All proposals, including supporting documentation/manuals, shall become the property of the City.

C. Evaluation Criteria:

A Screening and Selection Committee composed of City staff from various departments, and in requested instances, community members will evaluate received proposals. At the discretion of the Selection Committee, respondents may be asked to make an oral presentation to clarify information in their submittal. The Selection Committee will make recommendations regarding the selection to the City Council and request authorization to enter into a contract with the approved firm.

The Staff Screening and Selection Committee will evaluate proposals submitted. Proposal responses will be evaluated on the following but not limited criteria*:

1) Methodology in meeting Scope of Work/Performance Work Statement requirements (15%)

2) Verified/Proven successful contracts comparable in size/scope, History of work with Park and

Recreation, if appliable. (35%)

• List of projects including type, acreage and complexity of work performed in the past five (5) consecutive years of business ownership and operation that are similar in size and scope to services described in this RFP. (Label as Attachment A).

• The names of the staff members who will be available for work on the contract, including a listing of their work experience (Label as Attachment B).

3)Meeting all Proposal requirements and instructions, submitting clear, detailed information and providing all requested documentation. (20%)

• If available at time of submittal, Copy of current Commercial Pesticide Applicator’s Certification

(Categories 3A, 3B and 6).

• If available at time of submittal, Copy of current Pesticide Business License

4)Overall Cost of Solution (30%)

• Completed pricing spreadsheet as provided in this RFP. (Label as Attachment C)

*As of August 1, 2025, the City will temporarily suspend use of its E/DBE scoring criteria in non-Federally funded contracts while the E/DBE programs undergo review and modification. Any additional information may be found on the City’s Federal Compliance page found at wichita.gov/transparency.

The Staff Screening and Selection Committee at their discretion may or may not conduct interviews. If interviews are conducted, the Committee may interview part or all of the respondents. The City reserves the right to make an award based on the greatest benefit to the City and not necessarily on the lowest fee proposal.

mailto:purchasing@wichita.gov https://www.wichita.gov/transparency

Our Mission as an exceptionally well-run city, we will: Keep Wichita safe; Grow our economy; build dependable

City of Wichita 15 RFP #250336

Following selection by the Staff Screening and Selection Committee, the highest ranked firm(s) will be recommended. The City Council reviews and approves or disapproves the selection and authorizes the necessary signatures.

Staff screening and selection committee reserves the right to determine the acreage award and locations in the best interest of the City of Wichita and the Department of Park and Recreation.

The City reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals and reserves the right to modify the scope of services during negotiation of the contract. Submission of a proposal indicates acceptance of the conditions contained in the Request for Proposal (RFP) and an agreement to negotiate a contract for services. The City reserves the right to make an award on the basis of greatest benefit to the City and is not obligated to select the lowest cost option.

The City, through its Purchasing Manager, reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals and any part or parts of any proposal, and to waive formalities therein to determine which is the most beneficial proposal.

D. Tentative Schedule:

The tentative schedule will apply to this Request for Proposal (RFP) and may change according to with the City’s needs or unforeseen circumstances. All dates and times will be in Central Standard Time (CST;

CDT) and can be confirmed through the Purchasing Office located at 455 N. Main 12th Floor Wichita, KS 67202, calling (316) 268-4636, or by contacting the buyer listed on the solicitation document.

Questions of a substantive nature will be reviewed and answered in written form as an addendum and posted to the City’s Procurement Portal at wichita.gov/procurementportal.

Vendors are encouraged to complete vendor registration by visiting the City of Wichita’s Procurement Portal found at wichita.gov/procurementportal, then follow the link to the Bonfire vendor registration page to register your company. Please check our website, wichita.gov/purchasing for upcoming registration opportunities, training dates & locations, and information as it is updated in the near future.

The review and evaluation of the submitted proposals historically takes an estimated 60 to 90 days before notification from the City of Wichita that a contract has been approved by City Council.

Event Date Solicitation Advertised November 10, 2025 Pre-Proposal Meeting December 10, 2025 @ 1:30 p.m.

Last Day for Written Question December 18, 2025 @ 2:00 p.m.

Addendum Posting December 29, 2025 Proposal Due January 2, 2026 @ 10:00 a.m.

Evaluation/Optional Oral Presentations Week of January 9, 2026 City Council Approval (tentative) February, 2026

E. Minimum Respondent Qualifications:

This section lists the criteria to be considered in evaluating the ability of firms interested in providing the goods and/or service(s) specified in this Request for Proposal. Firms should meet or exceed these qualifications to be considered for award. Any exceptions to the requirements listed should be clearly detailed in the proposer’s response. Proposers shall:

1. Have a minimum of # 5 years’ experience in providing similar services specified in this RFP.

2. Understanding of industry standards and best practices.

https://wichita.gov/procurementportal

Our Mission as an exceptionally well-run city, we will: Keep Wichita safe; Grow our economy; build dependable

City of Wichita 16 RFP #250336

3. Have experience, at least two (2) contracts, in providing goods and/or services of comparable size and complexity to that being requested.

4. Have knowledge of and comply with all currently applicable, and as they become enacted during the contract term, federal, state and local laws, statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations. All laws of the State of Kansas, whether substantive or procedural, shall apply to the contract, and all statutory, charter, and ordinance provisions that are applicable to public contracts in the city shall be followed with respect to the contract.

5. Registration with the Kanas Secretary of State’s Office before contract execution.

6. Having Municipal government experience is preferable; however, the City will make the final determination based on responses received and the evaluation process.

7. Have the capacity to acquire all bonds, escrows or insurances as outlined in the terms of this RFP.

8. Provide project supervision (as required) and quality control procedures.

9. Have appropriate material, equipment and labor to perform specified services.

10. Ensure parking occurs only…