25-8393_Solicitation.pdf

Procurement Services Division

COLLIER COUNTY

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

INVITATION FOR QUALIFICATION (IFQ)

FOR

Tree Maintenance and Arborist Services for Parks and Recreation

SOLICITATION NO.: 25-8393

DANIA GUERRERO, PROCUREMENT STRATEGIST

PROCUREMENT SERVICES DIVISION

3295 TAMIAMI TRAIL EAST, BLDG C-2

NAPLES, FLORIDA 34112

TELEPHONE: (239) 252-7989

dania.guerrero@colliercountyfl.gov (Email)

This solicitation document is prepared in a Microsoft Word format (Rev 8/7/2017). Any alterations to this document made by the Vendor may be grounds for rejection of the proposal, cancellation of any subsequent award, or any other legal remedies available to the Collier County Government.

mailto:dania.guerrero@colliercountyfl.gov

SOLICITATION PUBLIC NOTICE

INVITATION FOR QUALIFICATION

(IFQ) NUMBER:

25-8393

PROJECT TITLE: Tree Maintenance and Arborist Services for Parks and Recreation

PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE: N/A

LOCATION: PROCUREMENT SERVICES DIVISION, CONFERENCE ROOM A, 3295

TAMIAMI TRAIL EAST, BLDG C-2, NAPLES, FLORIDA 34112

IFQ OPENING DAY/DATE/TIME: June 9, 2025 @ 3:00 PM (EST)

PLACE OF IFQ OPENING: PROCUREMENT SERVICES DIVISION

3295 TAMIAMI TRAIL EAST, BLDG C-2

NAPLES, FL 34112

All proposals shall be submitted online via the Collier County Procurement Services Division Online Bidding System:

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/collier-county-fl.

INTRODUCTION

As requested by the Parks and Recreation Division (hereinafter, the “Division or Department”), the Collier County Board of County Commissioners Procurement Services Division (hereinafter, “County”) has issued this Invitation for Qualification (hereinafter, “IFQ”) with the intent of obtaining proposals from interested and qualified vendors in accordance with the terms, conditions and specifications stated or attached. The vendor, at a minimum, must achieve the requirements of the Specifications or Scope of Work stated.

The results of this solicitation may be used by other County departments once awarded according to the Board of County Commissioners Procurement Ordinance.

Historically, County departments have spent approximately $200,000 annually; however, this may not be indicative of future buying patterns.

BACKGROUND

Collier County Parks and Recreation is responsible for various County-owned Regional, Community, & Neighborhood Parks throughout Collier County. To maintain operations of these facilities, the County intends to qualify a pool of vendors to complete various tree maintenance projects.

Service Intervals

Services shall be performed on an “as-needed basis” for service locations unless otherwise specified by the Division Project Manager or designee.

TERM OF CONTRACT

The contract term, if an award(s) is/are made, is intended to be for three (3) years with two (2) one (1) year renewal options. Prices shall remain firm for the initial term of this contract.

Surcharges will not be accepted in conjunction with this contract, and such charges should be incorporated into the pricing structure.

The intent of this solicitation is to qualify between three (3) and five (5) vendors to complete various tree maintenance projects in Regional, Community, & Neighborhood Parks. All projects will be quoted to the qualified vendors using lump sum pricing. Quotes must be received within seven (7) business days or within the timeframe dictated by the project manager for non-urgent work requests.

The County reserves the right to issue a formal contract or standard County Purchase Order for the award of this solicitation.

The County Manager, or designee, may, at her discretion, extend the Agreement under all the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement for up to one hundred eighty (180) days. The County Manager, or designee, shall give the Contractor written notice of the County's intention to extend the Agreement term not less than ten (10) days prior to the end of the Agreement term then in effect.

DETAILED SCOPE OF WORK

Contractors must have knowledge and experience in hardwood canopy and palm pruning. They must adhere to the American National https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/collier-county-fl

Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited Standards A300 policies and standards, current edition, for pruning, fertilization, supports systems, and other aspects of tree care and International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Best Management Practices, and the ability to recognize, diagnose and report tree defects caused by pest, tree and/or root structure, and various diseases.

• Contractors shall have a certified arborist on staff to supervise and direct field personnel to ensure that all work is completed per specifications for hardwood tree maintenance services.

• Contractor shall hold valid Collier County Tree Removal and Trimming Licenses

• The services performed herein shall consist of the contractor furnishing all equipment, materials, tools, transportation, traffic controls, insurance, labor, and supervision for the Division.

Tree and Palm Maintenance is divided into the following categories:

• Basic Tree Pruning

• Structural Tree Pruning

• Palm Pruning

• Stump and Root Grinding

• De-boot (clean) Palm Trees

• Tree removal

1. Basic Tree Pruning

Following ISA Best Management Practices, this category is divided into four (4) primary pruning methods, which include: a.

Cleaning, b. Thinning, c. Raising, and d. Reducing.

1.1 Cleaning

Cleaning trees is the selective removal of dead, diseased, cracked, stubbed, hanging, and broken branches. This service can be performed on a tree of any age, but is most common in middle-aged to mature trees. Cleaning is the preferred method for mature trees as it does not remove live branches unnecessarily. The location of the branches to be removed should be reviewed with the Division Project Manager or designee.

1.2 Thinning

Pruning to thin is the selective removal of small live branches to reduce crown density. Proper thinning retains the crown shape and size and should provide an even distribution of foliage throughout the crown.

1.3 Raising

Pruning to raise, elevate, or lift a canopy is the selective removal of branches to provide vertical clearance. An 8-foot height clearance is required for trees within planting beds, or as directed by the Division Project Manager or designee.

1.4 Reducing

Pruning to reduce is the selective removal of branches and stems to decrease the height and/or spread of a tree or shrub.

2. Structural Tree Pruning

Structural tree pruning is the removal of live branches and stems to influence orientation, spacing, growth rate, strength of attachment, and ultimate size of branches and stems. The removal percentage is between 25 – 50 percent, depending on the tree type. The structural pruning includes all basic tree pruning techniques listed.

3. Palm Pruning Removal of fronds, flowers, fruit, stems, or loose petioles that may create a hazardous condition. Palms may be pruned aesthetic reasons to eliminate sprouts and stems or dead fronds and seedpods.

• Live healthy fronds should not be removed. If they must be removed, avoid removing those that initiate above the horizontal.

Fronds removed should be severed close to the petiole base without damaging living trunk tissue.

• Only those fronds with petioles drooping below the horizontal 9:00-3:00 position should be removed. All seed pods should be removed, including those originating among remaining fronds. When removing fronds and seedpods, care should be taken so that those fronds that are to remain are not nicked or wounded.

• Climbing spikes shall not be used to climb palms for pruning.

5. Stump and Root Grinding Contractors must have the technical knowledge, ability, and experience in grinding stumps and roots to remove the root system and stump.

6. Deboot (Clean) Palm Trees

De-booting or slicking of palm trees is the removal of the boot along the trunk of a palm. Complete boot removal and disposal of debris.

7. Tree Removal

Tree removal may be requested for various reasons, including but not limited to safety concerns, disease, invasive species, and space clearance. An evaluation of the tree and the surrounding area should be conducted to determine the best removal approach.

8. Crew

• Crew Leader shall be familiar with all phases of tree trimming, rigging, and removals with knowledge of the standards as outlined by the ISA and the National Arborist Association.

• Crews shall have the appropriate certifications and experience to perform services in the specifications.

9. Crew Communication

Contractors shall provide a qualified English-speaking crew leader/supervisor who must be present and readily available to Division personnel during business hours of operation at the worksite.

• The Contractor's Project Manager or designee shall be a singular point of contact with cellular phone and e-mail for on-site and off-site communication.

• They must be able to meet on-site when requested and must be able to answer any questions regarding the work.

10. Work Area Preparation/Inspection When preparing the work area, the Contractor must protect ground cover and any landscape material within the work area. If plants, shrubs, trees, grass, or foliage die due to neglect or damage by the Contractor, Contractor's employees, or Subcontractor, as determined by the Division Project Manager or designee, they shall be replaced at the Contractor's expense. Replacement materials should be like-for-like. Otherwise, substitutions will need to be approved in writing by the Division Project Manager or designee.

• Contractors shall perform inspections on all trees and palms for disease or insect infestation during the site visit or service to the site. Contractors shall immediately notify the Division Project Manager or designee should a disease or infestation be found and recommend the appropriate treatment.

o If a harmful pest is identified and needs treatment, quotes are required to be approved by a Parks Field Supervisor or designee before any treatments.

• Contractors shall provide ramps or other devices to gain access over the curb in all parks. The curb or turf areas shall not be damaged due to gaining access, and they will be furnished and replaced at the Contractor’s expense.

11. Utilities Contractor shall exercise caution around all utilities. The Contractor will be liable for any damage to utilities caused by negligence.

The County acknowledges that unmarked or incorrectly marked utilities are not the Contractor’s responsibility, provided the Contractor follows proper notification procedures including contacting Sunshine 811 before any excavation.

12. Repairs/Damages

Contractor shall be responsible for promptly repairing damages caused by Contractor’s employees. All expenses incurred shall be the Contractor’s responsibility.

13. Maintenance of Traffic (MOT)

MOT may be requested on an “as-needed basis.” Contractor shall comply with the requirements of the County’s Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) Policy.

• Upon approval of a MOT Plan and proper placement of lane closed signs, pre-warning signs, arrow boards, traffic cones, etc., the lane may be restricted from traffic.

14. Equipment Requirements The equipment utilized shall be in good working condition, properly maintained, and designed and manufactured for the work required in the specifications. It shall be equipped with all safety devices available and must be properly maintained. The crews must be trained to safely use the equipment.

• Equipment List: Provide a list of all company-owned and leased equipment for the resultant agreement.

15. Uniforms and Identification Badges:

The Contractor’s employees shall be attired in distinctive, clean, and identifiable uniforms furnished by the Contractor. They shall be neat and clean in appearance. The uniform shall consist of a logo shirt and matching long pants.

The contractor’s employees shall also wear an identification badge, provided by Collier County, in plain sight and at all times.

No employee or supervisor shall be allowed to work in a County facility without a proper uniform and a County identification badge.

The front of the employee identification badge shall have the employee’s photo, the employee’s name, and the Contractor’s company name.

INVITATION FOR QUALIFICATION (IFQ) PROCESS

1.1 The Proposers will submit a qualifications proposal, which will be scored based on the criteria in Grading Criteria for Development of Shortlist, which will be the basis for short-listing firms.

The Proposers will need to meet the minimum requirements outlined herein in order for their proposal to be evaluated and scored by the COUNTY. The COUNTY will then grade and rank the firms and recommend multiple firms to establish a library for services needed. The COUNTY reserves the right to issue an invitation for oral presentations to obtain additional information after grading and before the final ranking. A contract will be developed with the selected firms, based on their qualifications and scope of services, and submitted for approval by the Board of County Commissioners.

1.2 The COUNTY will use a Selection Committee in the Invitation for Qualification selection process.

1.3 The intent of the scoring of the proposal is for respondents to indicate their interest, relevant experience, financial capability, staffing, and organizational structure.

1.4 The intent of the oral presentations, if deemed necessary, is to provide the vendors with a venue where they can conduct discussions with the Selection Committee to clarify questions and concerns before providing a final rank.

1.5 Based upon a review of these proposals, the COUNTY will rank the Proposers based on the qualifications, discussion, and clarifying questions, and recommend multiple firms in a library for quoting services.

GRADING CRITERIA FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SHORTLIST:

1.6 For the development of a shortlist, this evaluation criterion will be utilized by the County’s Selection Committee to score each proposal. Proposers are encouraged to keep their submittals concise and to include a minimum of marketing materials.

Proposals must address the following criteria:

Evaluation Criteria Maximum Points

1. Cover Letter / Management Summary 5 Points

2. Certified Minority Business Enterprise 5 Points

3. Business Plan 25 Points

4. Experience and Capacity of the Firm 30 Points

5. Specialized Expertise of Team Members 25 Points

6. Local Vendor Preference 10 Points

TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS 100 Points

Tie Breaker: In the event of a tie at final ranking, the award shall be made to the proposer with the lower volume of work previously awarded. Volume of work shall be calculated based upon total dollars paid to the proposer in the twenty-four

(24) months prior to the IFQ submittal deadline. Payment information will be retrieved from the County’s financial system of record. The tie-breaking procedure is only applied in the final ranking step of the selection process and is invoked by the Procurement Services Division Director or designee. In the event a tie still exists, selection will be determined based on random selection by the Procurement Services Director or designee, before at least three (3) witnesses.

Each criterion and methodology for scoring is further described below.

EVALUATION CRITERIA NO. 1: COVER LETTER/MANAGEMENT SUMMARY (5 Total Points Available)

Provide a cover letter, signed by an authorized officer of the firm, indicating the underlying philosophy of the firm in providing the services stated herein. Include the name(s), telephone number(s), and email(s) of the authorized contact person(s) concerning the proposal. Submission of a signed Proposal is the Vendor's certification that the Vendor will accept any awards as a result of this IFQ.

EVALUATION CRITERIA NO. 2: CERTIFIED WOMAN AND/OR MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (5 Total Points Available)

Submit certification with the Florida Department of Management Services, Office of Supplier Diversity as a Certified

Woman and/or Minority Business Enterprise.

EVALUATION CRITERIA NO. 3: BUSINESS PLAN (25 Total Points Available)

In this criteria, include but not limited to:

• Detailed plan of approach (including major tasks and sub-tasks).

• Include with the Business Plan or as an attachment, a copy of a report as an example of work product. This should be for one of the projects listed as a reference.

• Provide a list of company-owned leased equipment that will be required for this agreement.

EVALUATION CRITERIA NO. 4: EXPERIENCE AND CAPACITY OF THE FIRM (30 Total Points Available)

• Provide information that documents your firm’s and subcontractors’ qualifications to produce the required deliverables, including abilities, capacity, skill, and financial strength, and a number of years of experience in providing the required services.

• Availability of designated staff to complete work in a timely manner.

• Describe the various team members’ successful experience in working with one another on previous projects.

The County requests that the vendor submit five (5) completed reference forms from clients during the past three (3) years whose projects are of a similar nature to this solicitation as a part of their proposal. Provide information on the projects completed by the Proposer that best represent projects of similar size, scope, and complexity to this project using Form 5 provided. Proposers may include two (2) additional pages for each project to illustrate aspects of the completed project that provide the information to assess the experience of the Proposer on relevant project work.

EVALUATION CRITERIA NO. 5: SPECIALIZED EXPERTISE OF TEAM MEMBERS (25 Total Points Available)

• Description of the proposed contract team and the role to be played by each member of the team.

• Attach brief resumes of all proposed project team members who will be involved in the management of the total package of services, as well as the delivery of specific services.

• Attach evidence of Arborist Certification held by a member of the proposed contract team.

• Attach resumes of any sub-vendors, and letters of intent from stated sub-vendors must be included with the proposal submission.

EVALUATION CRITERIA NO. 6: LOCAL VENDOR PREFERENCE (10 Total Points Available)

Local business is defined as the vendor having a current Business Tax Receipt issued by the Collier or Lee County Tax Collector prior to proposal submission to do business within Collier County, and that identifies the business with a permanent physical business address located within the limits of Collier or Lee County from which the vendor’s staff operates and performs business in an area zoned for the conduct of such business.

VENDOR CHECKLIST

***Vendor should check off each of the following items as the necessary action is completed (please see Vendor Check List)***

The Solicitation Submittal has been signed.

The Solicitation Pricing Document (Bid Schedule/Quote Schedule/Proposal Pricing/etc.) has been completed and attached.

All applicable forms have been signed and included, along with licenses to complete the requirements of the project.

Any addenda have been signed and included.

Affidavit for Claiming Status as a Local Business, if applicable.

Division of Corporations - Florida Department of State – http://dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz/ (If work performed in the State).

E-Verify/Immigration Affidavit (Company Profile or Memorandum of Understanding).

http://dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz/