14-25 Mowing - Facilities Boulevards Right of Ways.pdf

Request for Proposal

Issued By

CITY OF PEORIA

PURCHASING DIVISION

PEORIA CITY HALL

419 FULTON ST * ROOM 108

PEORIA, ILLINOIS 61602

PHONE (309) 494-8507 * FAX (309) 494-8510

Sealed proposals will be received at the Purchasing Office, Peoria City Hall - Peoria, Illinois until

March 18, 2025 at 2:00 PM for the goods or services described herein.

RFP 14-25 Mowing - Facilities, Boulevards & Right of Ways

Company Name ______________________________

City of Peoria

Finance Department – Purchasing

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards

& Right of Ways

RFP # 14-25

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1: LEGAL NOTICE………………………………………………………………. ..2

SECTION 2: GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS….………...…………………..3

SECTION 3: CONTRACT TERMS…………………………………………………………

SECTION 4: SCOPE OF WORK/SPECIFICATIONS…………...…………………………..13

SECTION 5: RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS…………………......………………………

SECTION 6: EVALUATION OF RESPONSES…………...……………………………...….22

ATTACHMENT A: PROPOSAL SIGNATURE PAGE

ATTACHMENT B: REFERENCES FORM

ATTACHMENT C: PRICE SHEET

ATTACHMENT D: MOWING ROUTE LIST

ATTACHMENT E: MOWING ROUTE MAPS

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards

SECTION 1

LEGAL NOTICE

The City of Peoria is currently accepting proposals for the following goods or services:

Mowing – Vacant Lots.

RFP # 13-25

1.1 OVERVIEW– The City of Peoria is requesting Proposals from lawn care professionals to mow and maintain the City and County Trustee-owned vacant lots in the City of Peoria.

1.2 PRE-BID MEETING – A Pre-Bid meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at

10:00 AM at Peoria City Hall – 419 Fulton St. Room 400, Peoria, IL 61602

1.3 BID OPENING – The City of Peoria will accept sealed bids at City Hall – Purchasing Division:

419 Fulton St. RM 108, Peoria, IL 61602, or electronically submitted bids until 2:00 PM, March

18, 2025. The public is allowed to attend the opening in person. To view the Bid Opening remotely a link will be provided through the BidNet portal shortly before the scheduled bid opening.

1.4 BID DOCUMENTS – In order to view the bid documents, you must register on the City of Peoria online bid portal (BIDNET) at www.bidnet.com/cityofpeoria. For instructions on how to register you can click here.

http://www.bidnet.com/cityofpeoria.%20Fo https://www.peoriagov.org/DocumentCenter/View/1438/Vendor-Registration-Guide---City-of-Peoria-PDF?bidId=

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards

SECTION 2

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS

2.1 RFP SUBMISSION INFORMATION - There are two (2) options for RFP submittal.

2.1.1 Hardcopy Option - Sealed bids – one (1) original and three (3) copies – will be accepted by the City of Peoria at the Peoria City Hall – Purchasing Division: 419 Fulton St. RM 108, Peoria, IL 61602, until 2:00 p.m. on March 18, 2025. Bids shall be mailed/dropped off in a sealed envelope or package with the bid title and bid number marked on the outside.

Please include your company name and return address on the outside of the envelope.

2.1.2 Electronic Option - Bids can also be submitted electronically through BidNet. Only one copy is needed. Please see Electronic Bid Submission Guidelines attached separately for additional information and instructions.

2.1.3 Bids received after the stated date and time will not be considered. Faxed bids will not be accepted. Bids will be opened and publicly recorded immediately following the closing time set for the receipt of bids.

2.2 ENVELOPE IDENTIFICATION - Proposers shall submit their response in a sealed envelope which shall be clearly labeled with the organization/individual name and address. Proposers should also indicate (RFP# and RFP Title) in the LOWER LEFT- HAND CORNER OF THEIR

ENVELOPE.

2.3 AWARD OF RFP - The RFP will be awarded to the proposal that is in the best interest of the

City, based on the given requirements and specifications. Responses will be scored according to the given scoring matrix and awarded based on that scoring model. The City of Peoria reserves the right to award to either a single or multiple vendors. The City reserves the right to waive technicalities and accept the proposal that best suits its needs.

2.4 QUESTIONS - All questions regarding this solicitation must be submitted in writing. Questions should be submitted through BidNet. Proposers will receive notifications from BidNet when answers are posted through issuing addenda. Vendors may not contact any other City Departments or Staff with inquiries regarding this RFP.

2.5 ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSALS - The right is reserved, as the interest of the City may require, to reject any or all proposals and to waive any non-material informality or irregularity in the

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards proposals received. All proposals will be in English. The City will award the proposals as described below or reject all bids within sixty (60) calendar days from the bid opening date.

2.6 ADDITIONAL COPIES OF SPECIFICATIONS - Proposers may secure additional copies of the RFP from the City of Peoria Online Bid Portal.

2.7 BIDNET DIRECT - Proposers must register as a vendor on the City of Peoria’s Online Bid Portal to access RFP Documents. There is no charge to register. To complete registration, go to www.bidnetdirect.com/cityofpeoria - click on “VendorRegistration” in the upper right corner of the page. Enter your company information, and when prompted, select the “Limited Access” option. If you have questions of problems while registering, please call the BidNet Support Team at 800- 835- 4603 for direct assistance.

2.8 CLOSING TIME - The RFP closing time will be based upon Central Standard Time or Central

Daylight Time, whichever is in effect on the date the RFP is due.

2.9 WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSALS - Proposers may withdraw their responses at any time prior to the RFP closing time by telephone, fax, or written request. A telephone request must be confirmed in writing within 24 hours of the call and prior to closing time. No proposer shall withdraw their response for a period of sixty (60) calendar days from the RFP opening date.

Negligence on the part of the proposer in preparing a response to the RFP confers no right of withdrawal or modification of a proposal after it has been opened. No proposal will be opened which has been received after the closing time specified in the RFP and it will be returned unopened to the proposer.

2.10 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS - The specifications describe the supplies and/or service, which the

City feels are necessary to meet the performance requirements of the City. Proposers desiring to submit a proposal on items which deviate from these specifications, but which they believe to be equivalent, are requested to submit alternate proposals. However, ALTERNATE TENDERS MUST

BE CLEARLY INDICATED AS SUCH AND DEVIATIONS FROM THE APPLICABLE

SPECIFICATIONS PLAINLY NOTED. The proposal must be accompanied by complete specifications of the items offered.

2.11 AWARD - An award will be made to the (responsive and responsible) proposal that is determined to be in the best interest of the City. Responses will be scored according to the given scoring matrix and awarded based on that scoring model. The quality of the articles to be supplied, their conformity with specifications/scoring matrix and their suitability to the requirements of the City and the delivery terms will be taken into consideration in making the award.

http://www.bidnetdirect.com/illinois/cityofpeoria http://www.bidnetdirect.com/cityofpeoria

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards

2.11.1 The City of Peoria reserves the right to award to either a single or multiple vendors.

2.11.2 The City reserves the right to waive technicalities and accept the proposal that best suits its needs.

2.12 PRICES - Unit prices shall be shown for each unit on which there is a bid and shall include all packing, crating freight and shipping charges and cost of unloading supplies at destination unless otherwise stated in the bid response. All prices shall be stated in U.S. dollars. Unit prices shall not include any local, state, or federal taxes. In case of mistake in extension of price, unit price shall govern. All prices must be typewritten or written in ink. No erasures are permitted. Mistakes must be crossed out and corrections typewritten or written in ink adjacent there to and initialed in ink by the party signing the proposal or his authorized representative.

2.13 SIGNATURES - Each proposal must be signed by the proposal with their usual signature. Bids by partnerships must be signed with the partnership name by one of the members of the partnership, or by an authorized representative, followed by the signature and title of the person signing. Bid responses by corporations must be signed with the name of the corporation, followed by the signature and title of person authorized to bind it on the matter. All signatures must be in ink.

2.13.1 By signing and submitting the response to this document, the Vendor/Contractor/

Consultant is certifying they have not been barred from bidding by Federal, State or

Local governments and have not been suspended or debarred from receiving federal funding.

2.14 INVESTIGATION - Proposers shall make all investigations necessary to thoroughly inform themselves regarding the supplies and/or service to be furnished in accordance with the proposal.

No plea of ignorance by the proposal, of conditions that exist or that may hereafter exist because of failure or omission on the part of the proposal to make the necessary examinations and investigations, will be accepted as a basis for varying the requirements of the City or the compensation to the proposal.

2.15 SAMPLES - Samples of items, when required, must be submitted within the time specified and at no expense to the City; and if not destroyed in testing, they will be returned at the proposer's request and expense. Samples, which are not requested for return within thirty (30) days, will become the property of the City.

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards

2.16 RESPONSES – A response is requested of all proposers even if it is a “no bid.” Do not include any personal information such as social security numbers that the proposer wishes to keep confidential.

2.17 RFP PROCESS – This process does not obligate the City to award a contract, or pay any cost incurred by the Vendor/Contractor/Consultant responding to this request. The City reserves the right to accept or reject any or all statements received because of this request. All information submitted in response to this request will become the property of the City. Please be aware that it is the City’s policy to not compensate a proposer for any time or expenses incurred during the selection and negotiation process.

2.18 GOOD FAITH EFFORTS REQUIREMENTS (projects exceeding $50,000) -Minority/Women

Business Enterprise (M/WBE) Utilization – Bidders must demonstrate that they made good faith efforts to meet participation goals. Documentation supportive of their good faith efforts to utilize

M/WBEs must be submitted at the time of bid.

2.19 LOCAL PURCHASING ORDINANCE- For purchases of $10,000.00 or greater, if:

2.19.1 The lowest bidding local vendor is a responsible bidder; and The lower-bidding responsible bidders are not local vendors; and The lowest bidding local vendor’s bid is higher than the non-local vendor by no more than three (3) percent, then that local vendor should be considered the lowest responsible bidder.

2.19.2 In case of a dispute regarding the application of this provision, the decision of the City

Manager or the Purchasing Agent acting for him/her shall be final.

2.19.3 For purposes of this subsection, a local vendor shall be one that sells goods or services to the public, either retail or wholesale, and owns or leases a physical, commercial business location, with on-site staffing and regular business hours, within the corporate limits of the

City of Peoria, Illinois. The provisions of this subsection shall not be applied to a contract if the funding source prohibits local preference by law.

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards

2.20 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS -

RFP Issued.........................................................................................................February 28, 2025

Pre-Bid Meeting......................................................................................................March 11, 2025

RFP Opening...........................................................................................................March 18, 2025

Recommended Vendors Presented to City Council for Approval………………...March 25, 2025

Anticipated Project Start Date……………………………Within 30 days after Council approval

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards

SECTION 3

CONTRACT TERMS

3.1 TAXES - The City is exempt, by law, from paying State and City Retailers Occupation Tax, State

Service Occupation Tax, State Use Tax and Federal Excise Tax. The City will execute tax exemption certificates whenever required. The unit prices should be exclusive of all taxes. In the event the unit price includes taxes, the bidder must show the amount of tax included in the unit price.

3.2 LENGTH OF CONTRACT – The contract will begin on the contract execution date and will terminate February 28, 2026, with a one (1) year renewal option at the City’s discretion based on performance.

3.3 PAYMENT BOND (For Construction Contracts) – A payment bond will not be required for this

RFP.

3.4 CITY’S AGENT- The City of Peoria’s Purchasing Manager or his designee shall represent and act for the City in all matters pertaining to the RFP and contracts in conjunction thereto.

3.5 PATENTS - The successful bidder agrees to protect, defend, and save the City harmless against any demand for payment for the use of any patented material process, article or device that may involve the manufacturer, construction or form a part of the work covered by the contract.

3.6 HUMAN RIGHTS ACT - The contract will be subject to and governed by the rules and regulations of the Illinois Human Rights Act 775 ILCS 5/1-101 et seq. and as amended. And the provision of

Chapter 775 of the Illinois Compiled Statutes 5/2-105 on Sexual Harassment policies.

3.7 NON-COLLUSION - With the executing of this bid the Bidder is certifying to non- collusion in the preparation and submittal. The bid must be properly executed upon submission, or it may not be considered for acceptance.

3.8 DEFAULT - In case of default by the contractor, the City will procure the articles services from other sources and hold the contractor responsible for any excess cost incurred.

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards

3.9 CANCELLATION - The City reserves the right to cancel the whole or any part of the contract, if the contractor fails to perform any of the provisions in the contract or fails to make delivery within the time stated. The cancellation notice will be written and delivered by certified mail to contractors address on record. In the event the contract is canceled, the vendor may be declared an irresponsible vendor by the City Manager and as a result may be disqualified from doing business with the City for the period of one year in accordance with Section 10-102 of the Peoria City Code.

The contractor will not be liable to perform if situations arise by reason of strikes, acts of God or the public enemy, acts of the City, fires, or floods.

3.10 BID-RIGGING OR BID-ROTATING - By the signing of this bid, the Bidder is certifying that the company is not barred from bidding because of a conviction for the violation of State of Illinois laws prohibiting bid-rigging or bid-rotating per Public Act 720ILCS, Section 5- 33E- 3 and5/33E-

4.

3.11 PRICES SPECIFIED – The successful bidder agrees to furnish the material or services according to the City’s plans, specifications, and conditions and at prices specified.

3.12 DELINQUENT PAYMENT - By signing this bid, the Bidder is certifying that the company is not delinquent in the payment of any indebtedness, tax, fee, liens, fines owed or accruing to the

City of Peoria or in the payment of any tax administered by the Illinois Department of Revenue and is in compliance with the terms and conditions of Section 10-109 of the Peoria City Code; and

Chapter 65 of the Illinois Compiled Statutes, Section5/11-42.1-1.

3.13 INSURANCE – The successful Bidder shall obtain, at its own expense, all necessary insurance regarding its fiduciary responsibility to the City of Peoria. Said Bidder shall indemnify and hold harmless the City of Peoria, its officials, officers, directors, employees, heirs and assigns from all actions, claims, demands or suits at law or equity for damages, costs, loss or other injury as a result of the contract. The City does not assume any liability for acts or omissions of contractor and such liability rests solely with contractor. The contractor and all subcontractors shall secure and maintain such insurance policies as will protect the contractor or subcontractors from claims for bodily injuries, death or property damage which may arise from operations under this Contract whether such operations be by contractor, or anyone employed by contractor directly or indirectly.

The following insurance policies are required:

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards

3.14.1 Commercial General Liability –$1,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence for bodily injury, and property damage and $1,000,000 per occurrence for personal injury.

• The City of Peoria, and its officers, officials, employees, agents, and volunteers, are to be named and covered as additional insureds as respects: liability arising out of the contractor’s work, including activities performed by or on behalf of the contractor;

products and completed operations of the contractor; premises owned, leased, or used by the contractor, or automobiles owned, leased, hired, or borrowed by the contractor.

The coverage shall contain no special limitations on the scope of protection afforded to the City of Peoria and its officers, officials, employees, agents and/or volunteers.

• The contractor’s insurance coverage shall be primary and non- contributory as respects the City of Peoria and its officers, officials, employees, agents, and volunteers. Any insurance or self-insurance maintained by the City of Peoria and/or on behalf of its officers, officials, employees, agents and/or volunteers shall be excess of contractor’s insurance and shall not contribute with it.

3.14.2 Workers Compensation Insurance – Such coverage as required by the Workers’

Compensation Act of the State of Illinois with coverage of statutory limits and Employers’

Liability Insurance with limits of $500,000 per accident.

3.14.3 Commercial Auto Insurance - $1,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence for bodily injury, and property damage and $1,000,000 per occurrence for personal injury.

3.14.4 Certificates of Insurance – Certificates of insurance acceptable to the City indicating insurance required by the Contract is in force shall be filed with the City prior to contract approval by the City. These certificates shall contain a provision that coverage afforded under the policies will not be canceled until at least thirty (30) days prior written notice has been given to the City.

3.14 PRECEDENCE - Where special conditions are written in the specifications, these conditions shall take precedence over any conditions listed under the “General Instructions to Proposers.”

3.15 GOVERNING – This contract will be governed by the laws of the State of Illinois. The

Contractor/Vendor agrees that Chapter 10 of the Code of the City of Peoria is hereby incorporated by reference, as if set out verbatim.

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards

3.16 AFFIRMATIVE ACTION REQUIREMENTS - “The Contractor/Vendor will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual harassment, ancestry, national origin, place of birth, age or physical or mental handicap(s) which would not interfere with the efficient performance of the job in question. The Contractor/Vendor will take affirmative action to comply with the provision of this division and will require any

Subcontractor to submit to the City written commitment to comply with this division. The

Contractor/Vendor will distribute copies of this commitment to all persons who participate in recruitment, screening, referral and selection of job applicants, prospective job applicants, member, or prospective Subcontractors. The Contractor/Vendor agrees that the provision of

Division 4 of Article III of Chapter 17 of the Code of the City of Peoria is hereby incorporated by reference, as if set out verbatim.”

3.17 EMPLOYEE EMPLOYMENT RESTRICTIONS - The Contractor agrees, as a condition of accepting this contract with the City of Peoria, that, for a period of one (1) year following completion of this contract, it shall be prohibited from hiring, directly or indirectly, any City employee or official who was involved, directly or indirectly in: (1) the selection and/or recommendation to select the Contractor for performance of this contract; (2) coordinating the efforts of the Contractor in the consummation or completion of this contract; or (3) monitoring or determining the performance of the Contractor. The Contractor further acknowledges and agrees that, upon the City’s determination that a violation of this provision has occurred, the penalty imposed, at the sole discretion of the City, may include one or more of the following:

3.17.1 Cancellation of any other contract(s) between the City of Peoria and the Contractor.

3.17.2 Disqualification of the Contractor from bidding or being awarded future contracts with the

City of Peoria for a period of two (2) years.

3.17.3 Payment of liquidated damages to the City of Peoria in the amount of Twenty-Five

Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00).

3.18 REFERENCE - All the contract terms shall be incorporated by reference into any written contract, purchase order or work order, along with items specified in the “General Instructions to

Proposers.”

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards

3.19 EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (EEO) – To be awarded a contract all Suppliers, Vendors and Contractors to the City of Peoria must be registered in the City of Peoria’s Contract

Compliance Program and have a current EEO Certification number. This program is unrelated to any State and Federal program.

3.19.1 EEO certification is secured by completing and submitting, under notary seal, an Employer

Report Form CC-1 (with required sexual harassment policy attached) to the City’s Equal

Opportunity Office. Please note the Certificate of Compliance is valid for one (1) year and must be renewed annually. The CC-1 form can be downloaded from the City’s website at https://www.peoriagov.org/DocumentCenter/View/6004/Employer-Report-CC-1-PDF

3.19.2 In accordance with Chapter 17 of the Peoria Municipal Code, a fifty-dollar ($50.00) processing fee will be charged with each original submission of the Employer Report Form

CC-1 that results in an approved certificate as well as the Annual Renewal Application.

The only exception to payment of the processing fee is neighborhood associations.

3.19.3 Although all vendors are encouraged to obtain Equal Employment Opportunity

Certification, vendors do not need an Equal Opportunity Certification to respond to a bid.

The EEO Certification Number is only required prior to the award of the contract.

https://www.peoriagov.org/DocumentCenter/View/6004/Employer-Report-CC-1-PDF

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards

SECTION 4:

SCOPE OF WORK/SPECIFICATIONS

4.1 PROJECT DESCRIPTION – The City of Peoria is requesting Proposals from lawn care professionals to mow and maintain the facilities, boulevards, and rights-of-way in the City of Peoria.

4.1.1 The City of Peoria is committed to maintaining the facilities, boulevards, and rights-of-way to the City of Peoria requirements. The city understands that it is essential that the boulevards and rights-of-way are mowed and trimmed to maintain the beauty of the neighborhood.

4.1.2 The City of Peoria is responsible for lawn mowing and maintaining over 130 locations of boulevards and rights-of-way that consist of approximately 85 acres. City staff is looking for Contractors to provide these services.

4.1.3 Contractor shall provide all labor, tools, and equipment to mow, trim, and remove litter and planting at select facilities, boulevards, and rights-of-way within a designated route as assigned by the City of Peoria.

4.2 ROUTES – The City is requesting proposals on eight (8) mowing routes. [Maps and/or Lists for route information will be available at or following the Pre-Bid meeting.] The selected

Contractor(s) will be required to mow and maintain all of the facilities, boulevards, and rights-of-way in their selected route. Each route must be mowed, trimmed, and landscaped to the requirements set forth in this document and as discussed with the selected Contractors, not to exceed eighteen (18) mows unless otherwise specified by the Contract Supervisor.

4.2.1 Route 8 will be mowed and trimmed 22x a year/1x a week and billed separately.

4.2.2 The City reserves the right to add or remove locations from the routes at any time during the duration of the Contract at its discretion. Any additional facilities, boulevards and rights-of-way will be mowed and trimmed at the route cost submitted with this Proposal.

4.2.3 Proposers may choose to bid on only one route or several routes. The City reserves the right to limit the number of routes awarded, based on the capacity of the Contractors.

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards

4.3 WORK TO BE COMPLETED – The scope of services sought by the City of Peoria shall include the provision for all required labor, tools, materials, equipment, and expertise related to lawn mowing and trimming on publicly-owned properties. The following should be included in the scope of services:

4.3.1 Facilities, boulevards, and rights-of-way shall be mowed at regular intervals. All vegetation

(grass and weeds, etc.) will be mowed when it is between a minimum of six (6”) inches and a maximum of (8”) inches tall.

4.3.2 String trim all weeds and grasses that are on or near any median, island or boulevard that is adjacent to facilities, boulevard or right-of-way.

4.3.3 ***Important*** Do not drive lawn mower into the trunks of the trees and the mulch ring.

You will be responsible for replacement of the tree. All vegetation will be cut to a height of less than six (6”) inches and shall be neat in appearance.

4.3.4 All vegetation will be cut to a height of less than six (6”) inches and shall be neat in appearance.

4.3.5 Vegetation shall not exceed eight (8”) inches in height at any time.

4.3.6 Trimming is required around utility poles, fence lines (at least two feet on both sides), trees, sidewalks, signs, shrubs, ground cover growth, flower beds, hydrants and all other obstructions that cannot be cut with mowers must be trimmed with hand-held equipment.

4.3.7 Trimming must be completed during every mowing cycle to ensure a neat appearance of the lawn.

4.3.8 Strips of vegetation left between cuts and areas mashed down by equipment tires and left unmown will not be acceptable and will require re-mowing at no additional charge. When mowing along one side of a sidewalk, the Contractor must mow a 12”-wide strip on the opposite side of the sidewalk.

4.3.9 Grass clippings must be blown into the yard; GRASS CLIPPINGS ARE NOT TO BE

BLOWN INTO THE STREET OR ONTO THE SIDEWALK. [City Code 1957, § 36-23

Sec. 26-25]

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards

4.3.10 Sweeping of sidewalk, streets and other areas affected by the cutting is required.

4.3.11 All debris sticks and litter (garbage) must be removed from the property before mowing.

Litter pickup and removal prior to mowing is included in the unit price of mowing of each parcel at no additional charge. If litter is mowed over, the Contractor shall be responsible for cleaning up the mowed litter. All tree limbs that are three (3”) inches in diameter or smaller will be removed before mowing and disposed of properly.

4.3.12 All tree limbs that are three (3”) inches in diameter or smaller will be removed before mowing and disposed of properly.

4.3.13 If tree limbs are larger than three (3”) inches in diameter, the Contractor will notify the

Contract Supervisor to have the limbs removed via email.

4.3.14 All scrub trees less than three (3”) inches in diameter will be cut and removed.

4.3.15 All work on facilities, boulevards & right of ways must be completed before the Contractor proceeds to the next job on the route. This includes, but is not limited to, litter cleanup and trimming.

4.3.16 ANIMAL CARCASSES WEIGHING LESS THAN 50 POUNDS (<50 lbs.) ARE

INCLUDED AS LITTER. Immediately notify the City’s Contract Supervisor of any animal carcasses weighing more than 50 pounds (>50 lbs.).

4.3.17 Immediately notify the City’s Contract Supervisor of any animal carcasses weighing more than 50 pounds (>50 lbs.).

4.3.18 If there has been illegal dumping of furniture, appliances, electronics, building materials, brush or abandoned tires on a lot, the Contractor shall immediately notify the City’s

Contract Supervisor.

4.3.19 If a Contractor observes damage, hazards or unsafe conditions on the property, the contractor shall report it to the City’s Contract Supervisor immediately.

4.3.20 Many of the parcels have an irregular shape. The dimensions listed are approximate and not exact.

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards

4.3.21 The City will not be responsible for any damages or repairs to equipment caused in the performance of the contract.

4.3.22 The Contractor shall not cause any damage to a property, personal property or adjoining properties, and will be responsible for repairs or replacement of any damage.

4.3.23 If the Contractor knowingly does damage to a property, personal property or adjoining properties, they shall report it to the City’s Contract Supervisor immediately.

4.3.24 The Contractor will not be paid for facilities, boulevards and/or right of ways mowed by others.

4.3.25 The City reserves the right to add or eliminate facilities, boulevards and/or right of ways.

Any additional facilities, boulevards and right of ways will be mowed at the same contract unit price.

4.3.26 After notification by the Contract Supervisor that a facility, boulevard or right of way has not been mowed under the terms of the scope of services, the Contractor will have two (2) hours to correct the issues or parcels will be re-assigned to another Contractor. Contractor must immediately notify the Contract Supervisor they have been corrected via email with a photo. If Contractor has two (2) incidents of not mowing per contract terms within the current contract, the City retains the right to immediately terminate Contractor/Vendor for

365 days.

4.3.27 Failure to comply with the expectations of this contract can lead to the contract being revoked.

4.4 COMMUNICATION – Preferred method of contacting the Contract Supervisor is via email at sdjohnson@peoriagov.org or voicemail (309/494-8866). Please reserve calling the Contract

Supervisor’s cell phone for emergencies only. (309/417-6730). His hours are Monday through

Friday 6:30a.m. to 3:30p.m.

4.5 CONTRACT PRICE – Contractor will be paid a flat rate per facilities, boulevards, and right of way for mowing and trimming performed.

mailto:sdjohnson@peoriagov.org

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards

4.6 MOWING SEQUENCE – Prior to commencing work, the Contractor shall submit to the Contract

Supervisor an approximate mowing sequence for his/her respective route(s). Contractor must use all reasonable efforts to complete the mowing cycle within seven (7) days of beginning a cycle.

Contract Supervisor must be notified if a mowing cycle cannot be completed within the seven (7) days. Failure to notify the Contract Supervisor of a delay in completing a mowing cycle within seven (7) days will result in the remaining properties in cycle being assigned to another

Contractor/Vendor.

4.7 EQUIPMENT REQUIRED – Contractor will be required to provide all necessary equipment for performing this work (truck, commercial riding mower, rotary mower, trimmers, edger’s, digital camera, and all necessary hand tools to satisfactorily perform the work). All Contractor equipment will be equipped with proper safety and noise limiting devices and will always be maintained in a safe operating condition according to OSHA standards. Only trained operators will be permitted to operate equipment. Failure of equipment to perform properly and causing delay of the required work within the specified time will not alleviate the demand of meeting the requirements of this contract.

4.7.1 The City will inspect the proposer’s equipment before making an award to make sure of availability and quality and to evaluate the Contractors’ capabilities. The Contractor will provide the Public Works Department a business telephone number which will be answered between 6:30 A.M. and 3:30 P.M., Monday through Friday, and will be in ready contact, or know the whereabouts of the Contractor and a telephone number and/or pager which will provide evening and weekend access to the Contractor.

4.8 SAFETY PRECAUTIONS –The Contractor/Vendor is responsible for instructing his/her employees or subcontractors on accident prevention and safety. Particular emphasis will be placed on the operation of equipment near populated and congested buildings. Contractor shall provide protective safety gear including, but not limited to, eye, foot, hearing, and other protection as necessary. Employees/subcontractors are required to use protective gear as required by their employer. Rotary mowers, trimmers and other hazardous equipment shall not be operated without proper safety guards. All equipment is subject to safety inspections and must meet criteria set forth by the City of Peoria’s safety officers.

4.9 DEBRIS REMOVAL – The Contractor will be required to remove minor debris on each parcel.

This includes trash, sticks, limbs, etc., as defined in the Scope of Services section. If litter is mowed, the Contractor is responsible for cleanup of the mowed litter within 2 hours after being notified. If there has been illegal dumping of immediately notify the Contract Supervisor to have the property cleaned.

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards

4.10 DISPOSAL OF MATERIALS – The Contractor will dispose of the litter from assigned publicly-owned properties at an authorized EPA- approved landfill or by other approved methods (i.e., dumpsters). The Contractor will pay for all dumping fees. The Contractor may not use City of

Peoria facilities for disposal. Tires will be disposed of in accordance with IEPA-approved methods.

Verification of proper disposal will be required.

4.11 ADDITIONAL WORK – Occasionally the City may request the Contractor to complete additional work. This work will be authorized by a City-issued WORK ORDER. The Contractor will not complete any extra work without an approved WORK ORDER.

4.12 BILLING - The billing shall be for actual work performed to date. Billing should include documentation of the date, address where the mowing and trimming were performed, and a description of any incidental work that was performed, as well as any other information requested by the City, including sequential invoice numbers. Invoices shall also include information on debris removal including the location (description or address), a description of the debris removed, the date it was removed and photos. The invoice and documentation shall be in a format approved by the City. [Hard copy of Invoice template available from Contract Supervisor upon request.]

4.12.1 Route 8- please invoice on a separate invoice.

4.12.2 Billing shall not include any downtime due to equipment failure or other adverse conditions, nor shall it include any travel time to, from or on-the-job sites and/or the landfill site. Invoices must be submitted within three (3) days after the completion of the mowing cycle.

4.12.3 Invoices must be submitted within three (3) days after the completion of the mowing cycle.

4.12.4 Invoices submitted after three (3) days will be subject to a 10% processing fee that will be deducted from the invoice paid and Contractor/Vendor will be considered in default and put on notice. If Contractor/Vendor has two (2) defaults of not billing per contract terms within the current contract, the City retains the right to immediately terminate

Contractor/Vendor for 365 days.

4.12.5 If a parcel (facilities, boulevard or right of way) is not mowed under the terms of this contract, payment will be held until the issue has been corrected to the satisfaction of the

City. If Contractor/Vendor has two (2) incidents of not mowing per contract terms within the current contract, the City retains the right to immediately terminate Contractor/Vendor for 365 days.

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards

4.12.6 Invoices will not be processed until any damage to property, personal property or adjoining properties has been repaired or replaced.

4.12.7 The Contractor shall submit invoices to the City’s Contract Supervisor, Shawn Johnson, at

350N. Dries Lane, Peoria, IL 61604-1210, or email to sdjohnson@peoriagov.org or fax to the attention of Shawn Johnson at 309/494-8855.

4.13 OMISSION OF SCOPE – Please indicate if you believe a major item(s) is/are missing from the scope of services outlined in this RFP.

4.14 PROVISIONS BY THE CITY OF PEORIA – The City of Peoria will provide the following information to the selected team:

4.14.1 ROW information available through City of Peoria records, including recent acquisitions

4.14.2 Vacant lot address

4.14.3 Parcel Identification Number

4.14.4 Parcel size and area

4.14.5 Parcel location Route

mailto:sdjohnson@peoriagov.org

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards

SECTION 5:

RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS

5.1 BID RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS – The submittal should be as concise as possible. The

Proposal response should be a maximum of ten (10) pages. Additionally, promotional information should be avoided. Submit five (5) hard copies of the required items (or submit them electronically). This section serves as a check list for the expected format of Responses to the RFP.

Any other documentation should be included in an Appendix or as an attachment.

5.1.1 COVER LETTER – A letter of introduction, including names and address of the

Contractor submitting the Proposal, and contact person(s) who will be authorized to represent the Contractor and bind to all commitments made in the Response, including name, address, email address and phone numbers (including mobile number) of a contact person responsible for and knowledgeable of the submittal.

• Include names, the size, and a brief description of the team, including the same information for any proposed subcontractors. If subcontractors are anticipated, describe the role proposed for each team or consultant involved in the project and the approximate percentage of work assigned to each.

• Include location of offices for the team and for proposed subcontractors, and the office location which has the responsibility for managing the contract.

5.1.2 PROJECT APPROACH - Describe your understanding of the project including, but not limited to, when mowing is required, critical elements and goals. Describe your capacity to do the work, specifically addressing how you would handle routes, the equipment you would use, and the number of workers that would be hired, etc. Include a description of equipment owned by or accessible and available to the Contractor to be used for this project.

5.1.3 PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE - Include a brief history of your firm as well as a detailed description of related project experience and client name for each project for each company or subcontractor proposed for this project.

• Also include a brief summary of any specialized experience, qualifications, or unique capabilities applicable to this project that you feel are important to the success of the project.

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards

5.1.4 PROJECT COST – Submit one flat rate to be paid per lot mowed and trimmed within each route on the attached Pricing Sheet (Attachment C). Contractor may submit on a single or multiple routes. Please complete every line in the Pricing Sheet. Use “not applicable”

(N/A) or “no response” for any routes for which you do not want to be considered.

5.1.5 NON-PROFIT – Describe your non-profit program, if applicable.

5.1.6 MBE/WBE PARTICIPATION – Describe your firm’s efforts to achieve a diverse workforce and its ability to staff the project locally.

Division 419 Fulton St. Peoria, IL 61602

RFP Title: Mowing – Facilities, Boulevards

SECTION 6:

EVALUATION OF RESPONSES

6.1 SELECTION PROCEDURE – The City will review and analyze each Proposal and reserves the right to select the Proposer who offers the best value. The City shall select the Contractor which, in the City’s opinion, has made a proposal best suited to the needs and goals of the City and deemed to be in compliance with the terms of this RFP both responsive and responsible.

6.1.1 The Selection Committee consisting of City staff shall review each Proposal to obtain scores. Scoring will be based on the points listed in the “Evaluation Criteria” section below.

6.1.2 An award will be made to the most qualified (responsive and responsible) Proposer that complies with the terms and conditions of the specifications provided. Awards will be made on a Per Route basis.

6.1.3 The City of Peoria reserves the right to interview Contractors, hold a field test, or inspect the Contractor’s available equipment, if deemed necessary by the Selection Committee.

6.1.4 The Selection Committee will determine the best qualified Contractors by consensus. The

City reserves the right to waive all technicalities and to reject any or all Statements of

Interest and Qualifications.

6.2 EVALUATION CRITERIA – Each criterion in the evaluation will be ranked on a scale of 1 to

10, where 10 equals the highest ranking of submittals received. A rank of 10 for any criterion indicates the most qualified team for that criterion. Each numerical ranking will be multiplied by the weighted value below. A total point value for each response will be determined by the composite evaluation of the Selection Committee. The team with the highest overall point total will be ranked first.

Criteria Weight Rank Total

Project Cost 40 10 400

Project Approach 20 10 200

Experience 20 10 200

Nonprofit 15 10 150

MBE/WBE 5 10 50

NOTE: Total Maximum Points Possible assumes that a team receives a best rank of 10 on all criteria

ATTACHMENT A

SIGNATURE PAGE

CITY OF PEORIA

P R O P O S A L

The executing of this form certifies understanding and compliance with the total bid package.

PROPOSAL SUBMITTED BY:

Respondent

Address

City State Zip Daytime Telephone #

Contact Person Email Address

Name of Authorized Agent or Officer Title

Signature of Authorized Agent or Officer

Date

ATTACHMENT B

REFERENCES FORM

List below businesses or other organizations for whom you have provided comparable services within the last three year:

Offeror’s Name: ___________________________

1. Organization: _______________________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip Code: _________________________________________________

Telephone Number: __________________________________________________

Contact Person: _____________________________________________________

Date of Project: _____________________________________________________

E-Mail Address: _____________________________________________________

2. Organization: _______________________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip Code: _________________________________________________

Telephone Number: __________________________________________________

Contact Person: _____________________________________________________

Date of Project: _____________________________________________________

E-Mail Address: _____________________________________________________

3. Organization: _______________________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip Code: _________________________________________________

Telephone Number: __________________________________________________

Contact Person: _____________________________________________________

Date of Project: _____________________________________________________

E-Mail Address: _____________________________________________________

4. Organization: _______________________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip Code: _________________________________________________

Telephone Number: __________________________________________________

Contact Person: _____________________________________________________

Date of Project: _____________________________________________________

E-Mail Address: _____________________________________________________

REFERENCES

ATTACHMENT C

PRICE SHEET

CITY OF PEORIA

PROPOSAL

Date: _

Pricing Sheet (40 Points)

Submission Requirements

On separate sheet(s) of paper (maximum of 10 pages) provide the following:

A. Cover letter

B. Approach to the project (20 Points)

C. Previous experience (20 Points)

D. Nonprofit description (15 Points)

E. Minority/Women Business Enterprise participation (5 Points)

Execution of this form certifies understanding and compliance with the total bid/proposal package.

RATE FOR THE DURATION OF THE CONTRACT

Route 1 $ per facility, boulevard and right-of-way mowed

Route 2 $ per facility, boulevard and right-of-way mowed

Route 3 $ per facility, boulevard and right-of-way mowed

Route 4 $ per facility, boulevard and right -of-way mowed

Route 5 $ per facility, boulevard and right -of-way mowed

Route 6 $ per facility, boulevard and right-of-way mowed

Please complete all routes on this form. Complete with "not applicable" (N/A) or "no response" for any routes for which you do not want to be considered.

$ per facility, boulevard and right-of-way mowed

Route 7

Route 8 $ per facility, boulevard and right-of-way mowed

ATTACHMENT D

MOWING ROUTES LIST

2025 FACILITIES, BOULEVARDS & ROW MOWING ROUTES

LOCATION Description Area S.F. Acres

ROUTE 1:

3000 block of W. Ann Unopened ROW 9,437 0.22

3000 block of W. Ann St (South)

SW Adams Street Oregon to Washington ROW 53,131 1.22

3500 SW Adams Abandoned junkyard ROW 5,065 0.12

4300 SW Adams Southern Gateway-4300 SW Adams

1600 SW Washington City Facilities ROW 615 0.01

Lincoln Library 1312 Lincoln Ave. 146,548 3.364

MacArthur Greenway ML King to Jefferson 215,194 4.94

Spring Grove Subdivision R.B. Garrett 39,747 0.91

100 S. Richard Pryor PL Area between PHA and Kirby Risk

Richard Allen, E side Garrett to ML King ROW curb to fence 7,800 0.179

700 block ML King ML King to Spring Grove 113,690 2.61

Sheridan/ML King 700 ML King 8,391 0.19

MacArthur Hill ROW both sides of street 8,209 0.19

Dr. Martin Luther King Drive Carriage house to first driveway near Union Hill.

MLK Jr. Dr and RB Garrett Avenue Corner of W Dr. MLK Jr. Drive and RB Garret.

901 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Drive ROW in front of 901 W. Dr MLK Drive

TOTAL: 13.95

LOCATION Description Area S.F. Acres

ROUTE 2:

Elm & Reed NW corner of intersection 78,753 1.81

DuSable Park 201 N. Richard Pryor Pl 18,236 0.42

Carver Center Medians on Richard Pryor

Median in front of Geroge Washington Carver Center

South town 400 Hightower 49,080 1.13

ML King Wm. Kumpf to Shipman 8,601 0.20

Hightower shoulder E side John Gwynn to SW Jefferson 46,751 1.07

City Center storm retention basin Behind Busey Bank 22,220 0.51

Bob Michel Bridge Landscaped area 18,552 0.43

Kumpf, MLK and Perry Median at the intersection of MLK and Perry

Hamilton Blvd. North to Monroe 16,063 0.37

Knoxville & Pennsylvania Grass medians @ ramps 40,702 0.93

I-74 exchanges I-74 Downtown exchanges 45,118 1.04

101 Irving Street Vacant lot near RiverPlex 31,286 0.72

Spring Street greenway Perry to Madison 55,000 1.26

Railroad ROW 1600-1700 Adams to Abington 62,678 1.44

Glendale 1631-1633 Around cul-de-sac 6,554 0.15

Vine & Fairholm Old railroad ROW 2,214 0.05

TOTAL: 11.52

LOCATION Description Area S.F. Acres

ROUTE 3:

Fire Training Academy 7130 N. Galena Road 188,318 4.323

Fire Station 17 7051 NE Skyline Drive

Bigelow War Memorial Drive to Corrington 48,121 1.10

Hanssler Place Sheridan to Knoxville 16,860 0.39

Briarwood Court Briarwood & Knoxville 753 0.02

McClure Branch Library McClure & North 9,263 0.213

North Street from McClure S 680 ft. ROW on W side of the street 6,160 0.14

Isabelle between Willcox and Hanssler Weeds/Grass near the drainage ditch Mow 4 times a year

Eleanor & Meadows boulevard-Do not mow the Eleanor boulevards

Sheridan to W end- Do Not Mow Eleanor BLVD-Maintained by Todd Davis

36,986 0.85

Heart of Illinois Park 307 W. Nebraska 8,897 0.20

Woodruff boulevard Nebraska to Sheridan 10,991 0.25

Richmond, Sheridan to Ellis N side of street 3,793 0.087

Richmond, Sheridan to Douglas S side of street 23,152 0.531

Sheridan @ Richmond ROW on W side of Sheridan 4,234 0.097

Chester St. N side Amber to Ellis Edge of pavement to wall 11,431 0.262

Colfax Court Colfax & Chester 486 0.01

Armstrong Sheridan to North 11,998 0.28

Bannon Park-Do not mow Sheridan & Columbia Terrace 8.137 0.19

Cole Court At University 4,435…