14-RFP 2026-03 On-Call Small Landscaping Services.pdf

Town of Hilton Head Island

Request for Proposals (RFP)

Solicitation Number: 2026-03

Project Name: On-Call Small Landscaping Services

Date Advertised: January 29, 2026

Note: This public body does not discriminate against faith-based organizations, nor does it discriminate against a bidder or offeror because of race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis prohibited by the laws of the State of South Carolina, including the South Carolina Human Affairs Law (S.C. Code Ann. § 1-13-80) and applicable provisions of the South Carolina Consolidated Procurement Code (S.C. Code Ann. Title 11, Chapter 35).

TOWN OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND

Proposal Transmittal Page

Page | 1

Vendors shall complete all information requested on this page and submit it with their Proposal: RFP 2026-03 On-Call Small Landscaping Services

Submission:

Proposals will ONLY be accepted electronically via the Town’s Procurement Portal which can be accessed using the link below: hiltonheadislandsc.bonfirehub.com/portal

Date Advertised: January 29, 2026

Solicitation Number: 2026-03

Description/Title: On-Call Small Landscaping Services

Submittal Deadline: 5:00 pm Eastern Time on February 26, 2026

* Proposals will not be accepted after the stated time and date.

Proposals will be publicly opened via virtual conference at 9:30 am Eastern Time on

February 27, 2026. The link to participate in the virtual opening is provided in Section I of this RFP.

Deadline for Questions: 5:00 pm Eastern Time on February 18, 2026

Questions should be submitted through the Town’s Procurement Portal using the “Ask a question” button.

Town Contact:

Jessica Cummings/Contracts Administrator/ jessicac@hiltonheadislandsc.gov/ (843) 384-5104

Vendor Name: Vendor Contact Name:

Vendor Mailing Address: Vendor Contact Phone:

City-State-Zip-Code: Vendor Contact Email Address:

By signature below, I certify that this bid is submitted in all respects fairly and without collusion or fraud. I agree that this bid shall be good and held open for a period of at least sixty (60) days from the Submittal Deadline. I agree to abide by all conditions of this solicitation and certify that I am authorized to sign this bid on behalf of the bidder.

Vendor Authorized Signature:

Signature Date

Name and Title of Signatory:

Name:

Title:

https://hiltonheadislandsc.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities mailto:jessicac@hiltonheadislandsc.gov

ON-CALL SMALL LANDSCAPING SERVICES

RFP 2026-03

Table of Contents

PROPOSAL TRANSMITTAL PAGE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL INFORMATION AND SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

SCOPE OF SERVICES

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS AND FORMATTING

EVALUATION CRITERIA AND CONTRACT AWARD

STANDARD CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

ATTACHMENTS

EXHIBIT A: CHECKLIST OF SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

EXHIBIT B: SCOPE OF SERVICES

EXHIBIT C: SC ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION ACT AFFIDAVIT

EXHIBIT D: SAMPLE TOWN AGREEMENT

EXHIBIT E: INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM) POLICY

EXHIBIT F: FEMA CONTRACT PROVISIONS

EXHIBIT G: REFERENCE FORM

EXHIBIT H: JOB ORDER PROCEDURES

EXHIBIT I: PROPOSAL QUESTIONAIRE

EXHIBIT J: PRICING SHEET

EXHIBIT K: SMALL & MINORITY BUSINESS GOOD FAITH PACKET

RFP 2026-03

On-Call Small Landscaping Services

I. GENERAL INFORMATION AND SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

The Town of Hilton Head Island (“Town”) is soliciting sealed proposals from qualified contractors (“Offerors” or “Contractors”) to provide On-Call Small Landscaping Services within the limits of the Town of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

Proposals must be submitted by the Proposal Submittal Deadline shown on the Transmittal Page. Proposals will ONLY be accepted electronically via the Town’s Procurement Portal which can be accessed using the following link hiltonheadislandsc.bonfirehub.com. If electronic submittal poses a hardship, please notify the Town Contact person identified on the Transmittal Page.

Proposals will be publicly opened via virtual conference at the date and time indicated on the Transmittal Page. Only the names of firms submitting proposals will be shared at that time, no other information will be made available. To participate, please use the following meeting link and information.

Virtual Proposal Opening Link and Information

9:30 am Eastern Time on February 26, 2026

Microsoft Teams meeting Join:

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/22976660847922?p=SqpvjW99yd4LjplFE v

Meeting ID: 229 766 608 479 22 Passcode: G5U68Un6

All questions regarding this solicitation must be submitted in writing via the Town’s Procurement Portal using the “Ask a question” button. Questions will be publicly answered via the Procurement Portal as well. PLEASE NOTE THAT SINCE VENDOR Q&A

WILL BE PUBLICLY POSTED ON THE PROCUREMENT PORTAL, THE TOWN WILL NOT BE

ISSUING ANY ADDENDUMS RELATED TO VENDOR Q&A. It is Offeror’s responsibility to check the “Public Q&A” tab under the “Messages” section on the procurement portal to access and review all vendor Q&A. Addendums may still be issued for other information, https://hiltonheadislandsc.bonfirehub.com/portal https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/22976660847922?p=SqpvjW99yd4LjplFEv https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/22976660847922?p=SqpvjW99yd4LjplFEv and although addendums are sent to all Offerors via public notice, it is still the Offeror’s responsibility to check the procurement portal for any issued addendums.

The Town reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals received as a result of this solicitation, to negotiate with all qualified Offerors, to award multiple contracts for all or part of the scope of work, or to cancel in part or in whole this solicitation, if in the best interests of the Town. The Town reserves the right to refuse any and all proposals and to waive any technicalities and formalities. The Town reserves the right to waive any requirement in this solicitation, including material requirements, if such requirement is unmet by all Offerors, and, such a waiver is determined to be in the best interests of the Town.

This solicitation does not commit the Town to award a contract or to procure for any articles of goods or services. The Town shall not incur or pay for any costs associated with the preparation of Offeror proposals.

Proposals must be signed by an official of Offeror authorized to bind Offeror. Electronic signature using secure signature software is acceptable. By submitting a proposal, Offeror agrees that its proposal shall be good and held open for a period of at least ninety (90) days from the Proposal Submittal Deadline.

The Town does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex [including pregnancy and childbirth (or related medical conditions)], religion, age or disability in employment or in the provision of goods and services.

The Town is committed to providing opportunities for disadvantaged businesses (small, women-owned, and minority-owned, etc.) to fully and fairly compete for contracts and to supply goods and services to the Town of Hilton Head Island. In the event of a tied bid, a certified disadvantaged business will be awarded the contract over a non-disadvantaged business. Ties between two businesses of the same status will be settled by a random selection. To be considered, disadvantaged businesses must submit proof of current government certification with their proposal.

The Town offers a Local Vendor Certification. Certified local vendors will receive a 5% price reduction, up to a maximum of $10,000, for bid evaluation purposes. This preference only applies to the evaluation, not the final contract price. To be eligible, vendors must be certified by the Town before the bid submission deadline and include a copy of the certification with their proposal.

A copy of the Local Vendor Certification Form can be found in the Public Files Tab of this solicitation and can also be found on the Town’s

Website: Https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/business/vendorpreference/

The Town is required under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, to upon request, make public and disclose all documents of, and documents incidental to, executed contractual https://hiltonheadislandsc.gov/business/vendorpreference/ arrangements. Therefore, Offerors, by submitting a proposal in response to this solicitation, are acknowledging that all materials submitted in their response may be subject to such disclosure, regardless of any labeling of materials as “confidential” or “proprietary” or other similar notations.

II. SCOPE OF SERVICES

The selected Contractor shall provide on-call small landscaping services within the limits of the Town. This will be an indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with no guaranteed minimum or maximum dollar amount for the resulting contract (“Contract”).

All work will be performed in accordance with the specifications provided in this RFP.

Individual projects will vary in size, length, location, condition, value, and duration. Each project will be facilitated using a project-specific Job Order. The Offeror shall provide unit costs for all of the items listed in Exhibit J. These unit costs shall be the basis for Contract unit prices and will be used in the development of project Job Orders. The Town does not warrant that the actual quantities of work will correspond with those estimates. The Town reserves the right to increase or decrease any of the quantities shown without adjusting the Contract unit prices by Amended Job Order (Change Order).

All subcontracted work for items not listed in Exhibit J shall be paid for by the Town at the Subcontractor’s Cost of Work plus a fee. Any proposed subcontracted work must be submitted to the Town via an estimate provided by the Subcontractor prior to the subcontracted work being approved in writing by the Town. The Subcontractor costs in the estimate must be inclusive of all direct and indirect costs associated with completing the work, including, but not limited to, mobilization, equipment, labor, and fuel costs.

There shall be no guaranteed minimum or maximum limitations on the services required.

The Contract will require the Contractor to provide a Designated Representative (i.e.

Contract project manager) and the ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously.

The primary Contractor must perform a majority of the work under this Contract;

Subcontractors may not perform more than 50% of the total annual work contracted dollar amount.

The time for completion of the work under this Contract will be Job Order specific based on the date specified in written notice to the Contractor to proceed with the work.

Liquidated damages will be Job Order specific and may be assessed for each day required to complete the work past the Substantial Completion deadline.

The Town anticipates grouping smaller planned projects together to minimize mobilization for the Contractor, as well as allowing the Contractor longer performance periods to complete these grouped projects.

If the proposed project cost exceeds One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000), the Contractor shall deliver to the Town the following bonds which shall become binding on the parties and must be in place before a Notice to Proceed is issued:

• A performance bond satisfactory to the Town, executed by a surety company authorized to do business in South Carolina, for the faithful performance of the contract in strict conformity with the plans, specifications and conditions of the project. The bond shall be in an amount equal to 100% of the price specified in the Job Order; and

• A payment bond satisfactory to the Town, executed by a surety company authorized to do business in South Carolina, for the protection of all persons supplying labor and material to the Contractor for the performance of the work provided for in the Job Order. Labor and materials shall include public utility services and reasonable rentals of equipment, but only for the periods when the equipment rented is actually used at the site. The bond shall be in an amount equal to 100% of the price specified in the Job Order.

Upon completion of a Job Order and prior to final payment, the Contractor shall furnish to the Town a Contractor's Affidavit to the effect that all bills for labor, materials and services in connection with said Contract have been paid in full.

Prior to commencement of work, the selected Contractor and any associated Subcontractors will be required to obtain a Town of Hilton Head Island Business License to operate within Town limits.

Town, State and Federal permits may apply to the work and will be obtained by the Town of Hilton Head Island, and made part of the Job Order to which it pertains.

III. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS AND FORMATTING

Offerors shall submit all requested information and/or documentation outlined in this section of the solicitation. Any Offeror failing to do so may have their proposal rejected as being non-responsive, making them ineligible for contract award. All proposals must be submitted in the format requested and on the forms provided. Costs must be inclusive of all materials, labor and work called for in the specifications.

Offerors shall provide the following in their proposals:

A. Pricing Breakdown:

The Contractor shall complete the Pricing Sheet (Exhibit J). Only the provided Pricing Breakdown Form in typed format will be accepted. The Contactor shall not delete or modify any line items.

B. Proposal Questionnaire The Contractor shall complete the accompanying Proposal Questionnaire (Exhibit I) in a manner that provides a detailed, comprehensive history of its work experience with similar types of projects, sufficient qualifications of Key Personnel, and resources/equipment to perform Contract requirements, including the following information:

1. List at least three (3) pertinent projects of similar small landscaping services within the last 5 years, including (client information, project completion date/term, and location):

a. Name of project, type of work and project description, Key Personnel involved;

b. Contract amount for each project;

c. State whether the Contractor was the Primary Contractor or

Subcontractor for the project;

d. Project Contact Information (name, organization/company, phone number, e-mail) for each project (confirm that reference contact information is valid and up to date); and

e. List any similar work done for the Town.

2. List all Subcontractors to be utilized in this Contract;

3. Resumes and qualifications of all Key Personnel (i.e. Designated Representative and Job Superintendent/Project Managers) to be assigned to this Contract;

4. Workload availability and experience of Designated Representative;

5. List all operational equipment owned or leased to be utilized in this Contract;

6. Whether the Offeror involved:

a. Maintains a permanent place of business;

b. Has adequate equipment to do the work properly and expeditiously;

c. Has suitable financial status to meet obligations incident to the work;

and

d. Has appropriate technical experience.

The Contractor shall list any Subcontractors that will be utilized in support of this Contract, if applicable. Subcontractors anticipated to be utilized in this contract could be arborist or tree removal companies. The Contractor shall provide the Subcontractor(s) company name, address, phone, email, trade, years in business, and number of projects worked on together.

C. Reference Form:

The Contractor shall complete the Reference Form (Exhibit G). Provide a minimum of three (3) references that have contracted with the Offeror within the past five (5) years for similar small landscaping services. A minimum of three (3) references is required for similar work done in the past five years for each Subcontractor that will be utilized under this Contract.

IV. EVALUATION CRITERIA AND CONTRACT AWARD

The Town reserves the right to award multiple contracts for all or part of the scope of work, or to cancel in part or in whole this solicitation, if in the best interests of the Town.

Contract award shall be made to the responsive and responsible Offeror(s) with the highest rated proposal based on the stated evaluation criteria. Contract award, as well as contract continuation of the contract in subsequent fiscal periods, is subject to availability of Town funds. In the event that contract negotiations with the highest rated Offeror(s) are unsuccessful, the Town reserves the right to begin contract negotiations with next highest rated Offeror(s).

Proposals will be evaluated using the following criteria:

A. 40% Pricing Sheet (Exhibit J) B. 20% References and Experience on Similar Projects C. 30% Qualifications of Key Personnel and Resources Available to Meet Contract

Requirements (e.g. Resumes, Staff, Equipment) D. 10% Designated Representative Qualifications, Experience and Availability

After initial scoring of the above criteria, the Town reserves the right to select a short list of finalists to participate in a presentation/interview. This process may be onsite or virtual at the discretion of the Town. After the interview process, the selection committee shall finalize the scoring.

V. STANDARD CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Offeror acknowledges it has read and understands the terms and conditions provided in the Town’s standard contract clauses attached hereto as Exhibit D shall substantially form the basis for a contract between Offeror and Town. Offeror also acknowledges that other terms and conditions provided in this RFP, either in their entirety or relevant portions thereof, may be included and become part of any resulting contract.

The Town may award a contract, or contracts, to the most qualified respondent(s) to perform these services on an as required basis for an initial period of one (1) year with the option to extend the contract four (4) additional one (1) year terms. The Town will not be obligated to quantities beyond actual requirements reflected in individual Job Orders. There is no minimum or maximum amount of work guaranteed throughout the life of the contract.