262843FB_Solicitation_Documents_(Addendum_1).pdf

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (“RFQ”) – PART I

RFQ Template Revised 4/12/24 Page 1 of 3

RFQ #: 262843FB

RFQ TITLE: NUISANCE PLANT MANAGEMENT SERVICES

1.0 PURPOSE

Sarasota County (“County”), a political subdivision of the State of Florida, will receive proposals on the date indicated in OpenGov Procurement (“OpenGov”), the County’s electronic procurement portal, for the purpose of selecting qualified Contractors to provide nuisance plant management services within County parks, natural areas, trails, and water access sites. Proposers are required to comply with Part II, Scope of Services.

OpenGov is located at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/scgov

2.0 PROPOSER

2.1 For the purpose of this RFQ, the term “Proposer” is defined as the legal entity submitting a proposal.

2.2 Proposers intending to submit a bid as a joint venture with another company must provide documentation attesting to the formation of that joint venture with their submittal. For purposes of this solicitation, all vendors who make up the joint venture will be considered together as the Proposer.

3.0 QUALIFICATIONS

3.1 The Proposer must provide verifiable commercial, industrial, institutional, or governmental references demonstrating experience providing invasive plant management services within the past seven (7) years.

3.2 References shall collectively demonstrate the Proposer’s experience across each of the following types of work requiring compliance with applicable Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) pesticide applicator licensing categories:

3.2.1. Upland invasive plant treatment and removal requiring

compliance with FDACS Category 21 – Natural Areas Weed Management. (Addendum 1)

3.2.2. Wetland and aquatic invasive plant treatment and removal requiring compliance with FDACS Category 5 – Aquatic Pest Control. (Addendum 1)

3.2.3. Invasive vegetation mulching, and

3.3 Work requiring compliance with FDACS Category 6 - Right-of- Way Pest Control. (Addendum 1)

3.4 The County does not require that a single reference demonstrate experience in all work types or license categories. Multiple references may be submitted to demonstrate experience, provided that the https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/scgov

RFQ Template Revised 4/12/24 Page 2 of 3 references collectively demonstrate experience across the full range of services and regulatory conditions in all three types of work described in 3.2 above a minimum of two (2) times. (Addendum 1)

3.5 Responsibility

Proposer shall be required to meet all requirements of Part II, Section 4 prior to award and throughout the term of any resulting Contract.

Following verification of Qualifications, the County will require the apparent responsive and responsible Proposer(s) to provide evidence demonstrating it satisfies all requirements of Part II, Section 4. Failure of Proposer to provide evidence of requirements that demonstrate Proposer's ability to perform a Scope of Services to the County's satisfaction may result in a determination by the County that Proposer is non-responsible.

4.0 MEETINGS & SCHEDULE

An anticipated schedule is provided in the Timeline posted in OpenGov. All meetings will take place at the time, date, and location specified in the solicitation Timeline. Short-listed Proposers should be prepared to attend presentations and/or interviews either in Sarasota, Florida or virtually, at the County’s discretion.

5.0 SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

Refer to Submittal Instructions section in OpenGov for instructions on how to submit a proposal. Proposers are advised to review the General Terms and Conditions of Solicitations which are available in OpenGov.

6.0 VENDOR QUESTIONNAIRE

All proposers must complete the required forms and information included in the Vendor Questionnaire section of OpenGov. Completed forms and other requested documents must be uploaded with proposer’s submittal in OpenGov.

Proposers who fail to complete and upload required forms and documents or fail to provide responses to questions in the Vendor Questionnaire section of OpenGov may be found non-responsive.

7.0 SELECTION PROCESS

7.1 All timely responses meeting the criteria set forth in this RFQ shall be considered by the County.

7.2 Proposers will be evaluated based upon the information provided as requested in this RFQ.

8.0 AWARD

8.1 It is the intent of the County to establish a pre-qualified pool of contractors for future projects. The County intends to award contracts to all responsive and responsible proposer(s).

RFQ Template Revised 4/12/24 Page 3 of 3

8.2 All Projects will be quoted by all Contractor(s) awarded Term Contracts resulting from this RFQ. Each project will be awarded to the Contractor submitting the lowest lump sum quote for that project.

8.3 The County reserves the right to contract for a term less than or greater than the duration indicated in OpenGov.

8.4 The successful Proposer(s) shall be required to submit proof of licenses or certifications as required by the County.

8.5 In the event of a tie, the RFP tie-breaking procedures identified in the Sarasota County Procurement Manual will apply. To be considered, tied Proposers will be required to provide documentation certifying they have implemented a drug-free workplace program meeting the requirements stipulated in Section 287.087, Florida Statutes. Documentation must be provided within the time specified by the County at the time of request.

8.6 Contract

A draft of the contract that the successful Proposer(s) will be expected to sign (a Term Contract) is posted on the Procurement website, shown below. The County may, in its sole discretion, select a different contract type or make revisions to the one referenced above following the recommended award of this solicitation.

https://www.scgov.net/government/procurement/contract-templates

(End of Part I)

Changes to this exhibit are indicated using underlined text to show additions and strikethrough text to show deletions. Changes made pursuant to this Addendum No. 1 are in bold.

https://www.scgov.net/government/procurement/contract-templates

PART II

SCOPE OF SERVICES

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1. OVERVIEW

A. Sarasota County manages invasive plant species within County parks through targeted removal activities to protect natural resources and maintain safe, accessible public spaces.

B. The Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources Department (PRNR) requires the services of licensed herbicide applicators to provide invasive plant management services on an as-needed basis. Services may include upland invasive plant treatment and removal, wetland and aquatic invasive plant treatment and removal, and invasive vegetation mulching.

C. For this solicitation, “invasive plant species” means plant species identified as Florida Invasive Species Council (FISC) Category I or Category II, as well as any additional species identified in a project-specific scope of work.

D. As used in this solicitation, the term “nuisance plant” refers to invasive plant species as defined above and does not include routine turf, ornamental, or landscape weed control activities.

E. A “project-specific scope of work” means written work requirements issued by the County for individual projects following award of this solicitation.

Project-specific scopes of work will be issued using the format provided in Attachment A - Template: Project-Specific Scope of Work.

2. DESCRIPTIONS OF WORK

A. Upland Invasive Plant Treatment and Removal

Provide treatment and removal of designated invasive plant species identified as Florida Invasive Species Council (FISC) Category I and Category II, as well as any additional invasive species identified in the project-specific scope of work.

Services may include, but are not limited to, girdling, cut-stump treatment, foliar application, basal bark application, and other accepted best management practices (BMPs). Manual or mechanical removal of vegetation may also be required, as specified in the project-specific scope of work.

B. Wetland and Aquatic Invasive Plant Treatment and Removal

Provide treatment and removal of designated invasive floating-leaved plants, emergent vegetation, and submerged aquatic vegetation using aquatic herbicides approved by the County, as further described in Section 3, Integrated Pest Management.

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Services may also include manual or mechanical removal of vegetation and may require the use of appropriate watercraft or specialized equipment to access treatment areas, as identified in the project-specific scope of work.

C. Invasive Vegetation Mulching

Provide mulching of invasive vegetation, including logs, trees, and brush, using tracked or wheeled equipment equipped with a front-mounted rotary drum flail cutter head or fixed-tooth cutter head.

Mulching operations may be followed immediately by herbicide treatment, when specified in the project-specific scope of work, to support effective control of target invasive species.

3. INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT

A. Sarasota County utilizes Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices to promote sustainable pest management while minimizing potential health, environmental, and economic risks. Sarasota County Board of County Commissioners Resolution No. 2012-098 affirms the County’s continued adoption of IPM as its standard pest management practice and maintains the IPM Advisory Board. Proof of appropriate licensing is required prior to the application of any herbicides.

B. Contractor shall understand and implement the County’s IPM requirements and shall perform all work in accordance with the Sarasota County Integrated Pest Management Procedural Guidelines, as may be amended, available at:

https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/media/sfylifasufledu/sarasota/documents/pdf/c hems/ipm/IPM-Procedural-Guidelines-2015.pdf

C. Contractor shall adhere to the County’s current list of approved herbicides and pesticides, as identified in Appendix A: List of Approved Pesticides for Use in Sarasota County Government, as may be amended, available at:

https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/media/sfylifasufledu/sarasota/documents/pdf/ch ems/ipm/Appendex-A-Approved-Pesticides-4-12-24.pdf

D. All herbicide applications shall include the use of an indicator or marker dye applied at label rates to visibly identify treated areas.

E. The County may specify or require the use of a particular herbicide for effective control of target invasive plant species and may restrict or prohibit the use of certain herbicides based on mode of action or other County requirements.

F. Contractor shall comply with all herbicide product labels and all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing herbicide use.

Proper handling, storage, and disposal of all chemical containers and residues is required.

https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/media/sfylifasufledu/sarasota/documents/pdf/chems/ipm/IPM-Procedural-Guidelines-2015.pdf https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/media/sfylifasufledu/sarasota/documents/pdf/chems/ipm/IPM-Procedural-Guidelines-2015.pdf https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/media/sfylifasufledu/sarasota/documents/pdf/chems/ipm/Appendex-A-Approved-Pesticides-4-12-24.pdf https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/media/sfylifasufledu/sarasota/documents/pdf/chems/ipm/Appendex-A-Approved-Pesticides-4-12-24.pdf

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G. For all projects involving herbicide application, Contractor shall use only the approved reporting form identified as Attachment B – Sarasota County Pesticide Application Record, to document and report chemical applications.

4. STAFFING, LICENSING, AND COMMUNICATION

A. Staffing and Qualifications

Contractor shall provide crews capable of identifying invasive plant species listed in the most current Florida Invasive Species Council (FISC) Category I and Category II lists, as well as any species identified in the project-specific scope of work. The FISC list is available at:

https://www.floridainvasives.org/plant-list/

B. Licensing

i. Contractor shall hold, and maintain for the duration of the contract, all required Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) pesticide applicator licenses applicable to the work being performed.

ii. Required license categories may include, but are not limited to, the following, as applicable to the project-specific scope of work:

a. Aquatic Pest Control (Category 5) – for treatment of floating-leaved plants, emergent vegetation, and submerged aquatic vegetation;

b. Right-of-Way Pest Control (Category 6) – for treatment of invasive plant species within road rights-of-way, trail corridors, and similar linear areas; and

c. Natural Areas Weed Management (Category 21) – for treatment of invasive plant species within natural areas, preserves, and similar park environments.

iii. During any project involving herbicide application, Contractor shall have a minimum of one (1) crew supervisor on site holding a current FDACS Pesticide Applicator License in the appropriate category or categories required for the work being performed. This requirement shall not be subcontracted.

iv. Proof of required licensure shall be provided to the County upon request.

C. Communication

i. Each Contractor crew shall include at least one individual capable of effectively communicating in English.

https://www.floridainvasives.org/plant-list/

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5. CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES

A. General Responsibilities

i. Contractor shall provide all labor, supervision, equipment, materials, and incidentals necessary to perform the work in accordance with this solicitation and the applicable project-specific scope of work.

ii. Contractor shall maintain work site conditions that reflect good housekeeping and safety practices at all times.

iii. Contractor shall coordinate work with the County to minimize disruption to normal operations.

iv. Contractor shall be responsible for any damage to County or third-party property caused by the Contractor or its employees and shall restore such damage to the County’s satisfaction at no additional cost to the County.

6. SITE CONTROLS, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, AND DECONTAMINATION

A. Environmental Protection

i. Contractor shall exercise care to protect all native vegetation. Unless authorized in writing by the County, any damaged native vegetation shall be restored or replaced at no cost to the County and to the County’s satisfaction.

ii. Contractor shall take all necessary precautions to protect water quality, public safety, wildlife, and native species in accordance with applicable state and federal regulations.

B. Wildlife and Equipment Restrictions

i. No heavy equipment shall be used within designated peninsular wetland treatment areas.

ii. Off-road vehicles (ATVs/UTVs) shall remain on established trails and/or mowed areas.

iii. Vehicle operators shall not operate equipment within 10 feet of known gopher tortoise burrows and shall not travel at speeds that may endanger wildlife.

C. Decontamination

i. To limit the spread of invasive plant species, Contractor shall implement proper decontamination procedures for all equipment, vehicles, and personal protective equipment prior to entering County property and upon completion of work.

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ii. Decontamination shall include removal of mud, sand, soil, muck, seeds, and vegetative debris from all equipment surfaces, including undercarriages and tires. Hand-held equipment shall be cleaned and free of debris.

iii. County staff may inspect equipment for proper decontamination prior to commencement of work.

7. EQUIPMENT AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

A. Equipment

i. Contractor shall provide appropriate equipment to meet project objectives. All equipment shall be in good repair, operating condition, and in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations.

ii. Equipment shall be operated and maintained in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations.

B. Safety

i. All motorized vehicles and equipment shall be equipped with a fire extinguisher rated for Type A, B, and C fires in accordance with National Fire Protection Association standards.

ii. Contractor shall be responsible for mitigating fuel and hydraulic fluid leaks and shall ensure equipment is properly serviced to prevent spills.

8. SIGNAGE AND PUBLIC NOTIFICATION

A. Temporary Signage

i. Contractor shall provide temporary signage at project locations in coordination with designated County staff.

ii. Signage shall include the word “Caution” and notify patrons that the project area is temporarily closed for maintenance activities.

9. ASSIGNMENT OF WORK

A. Requests for project quotes shall be issued in writing through OpenGov and shall include a Project-Specific Scope of Work form and a project map.

B. Contractors shall submit a response to each project quote request in OpenGov by the date and time specified.

C. A response may include submission of a price or an affirmative “No-Bid” response. Submission of a “No-Bid” shall be considered a response for purposes of contract administration.

D. Failure to submit any response in OpenGov by the specified deadline shall be considered a non-response.

E. Contractor shall provide a lump sum price for each project. The County shall not pay additional costs unless expressly authorized in writing by the County.

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F. Site visit requirements, if applicable, shall be identified in the project quote request. Attendance at required site visits shall be mandatory. Failure to attend a required site visit shall be considered a non-response for purposes of contract administration and performance tracking.

G. Failure to respond to more than three (3) project quote requests within any 12-month period may result in contract termination at the sole discretion of the County.

H. Prior to commencement of work, Contractor shall provide the County Project Manager with a minimum of 48 hours’ written notice.

10. UTILITY LOCATING

A. Contractor shall contact Sunshine State One Call of Florida prior to any excavation or earth penetration exceeding 10 inches, in accordance with Florida Statutes Chapter 556.

B. Contractor shall notify both Sunshine State One Call and the County at least 48 hours prior to commencement of such work.

C. Prior to beginning work, Contractor shall familiarize itself with the location of all existing utilities and facilities within the work area and shall protect such utilities from damage.

11. GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION INFORMATION

A. Data Collection

i. When required by the project-specific scope of work, Contractor shall provide geographic location data, which may include maps, shapefiles, track logs, or track point data.

ii. GPS units shall be used for all required data collection. Unless otherwise specified, data shall be submitted in GPS Exchange Format (.gpx).

B. GPS Tracking

i. All Contractor crew members shall carry GPS units with tracking enabled while surveying and treating vegetation.

12. FINAL INSPECTION AND CORRECTION OF WORK

A. For sites receiving chemical application, the County shall conduct one or more inspections no earlier than 14 calendar days and no later than 60 calendar days following completion of the work.

B. Contractor shall notify the County in writing when work is complete and ready for inspection.

C. The County shall notify the Contractor in writing of any deficiencies identified during inspection.

D. Contractor shall acknowledge receipt of the deficiency notice within two

(2) business days and shall correct all identified deficiencies within ten

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(10) business days from the date of the County’s written notification, at no additional cost to the County.

E. The County shall accept the work upon satisfactory correction of all deficiencies and receipt of all required deliverables.

F. Inspection timelines may be adjusted at the County’s discretion based on site conditions or treatment type.

13. INVOICING

A. Projects may be invoiced only after all of the following conditions have been met:

i. The work has been completed to the County’s satisfaction.

ii. All required Integrated Pest Management (IPM) application records have been submitted, if applicable.

iii. All required geographic location data, including GPS data, has been submitted, if applicable.

14. PERMITS

A. Contractor shall obtain all permits required to perform the work.

B. The County shall reimburse only the actual permit fees paid. No markup or administrative fees shall be allowed.

15. SUBCONTRACTING

A. The cost of all subcontracted services shall be included in the project lump sum price. No separate payment shall be made for subcontracted work.

B. Subcontracting to another Contractor awarded under this solicitation is not permitted.

PART III – INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

Insurance Template Adopted 04/19/19 Page 1 of 2

CONTRACTOR’S INSURANCE

Contractor shall, on a primary basis and at its sole expense, maintain in full force and effect, at all times during the life of this Contract, insurance coverage (including endorsements) and limits as described herein. These requirements, as well as the County’s review or acceptance of insurance maintained by Contractor, are not intended to and shall not in any manner limit or qualify the liabilities or obligations assumed by Contractor under this Contract.

Insurance requirements itemized in this Contract and required of the Contractor shall extend to all subcontractors to cover their operations performed under this Contract.

The Contractor shall be responsible for any modifications, deviations, or omissions in these insurance requirements as they apply to subcontractors.

Insurance carriers providing coverage required herein must be licensed to conduct business in the State of Florida and must possess a current A.M. Best’s Financial Strength Rating of A- Class VII or better.

Each insurance policy required by this Contract shall apply separately to each insured against whom claim is made and suit is brought, except with respect to limits of the insurer’s liability.

The Contractor shall be solely responsible for payment of all premiums for insurance contributing to the satisfaction of this Contract and shall be solely responsible for the payment of all deductibles and retentions to which such policies are subject.

Contractor shall furnish Certificates of Insurance to the County Administrative Agent evidencing the types and amounts of coverage, including endorsements, required by this Contract prior to commencement of work and prior to expiration of the insurance contract, when applicable. Such Certificate(s) of Insurance shall, to the extent allowable by the insurer, include a minimum thirty (30) day notice of cancellation (10 days for non-payment of premium) or non-renewal of coverage. Notwithstanding these notification requirements, the Contractor will be required to provide County with 5-day prior written notice of any policy cancellation or non-renewal.

The County reserves the right to review, modify, reject, or accept any required policies of insurance, including limits, coverage, or endorsements, herein from time to time throughout the term of this Contract. County reserves the right, but not the obligation, to review and reject any insurer providing coverage due to its poor financial condition or failure to operate legally.

A. WORKERS’ COMPENSATION: Contractor agrees to maintain Workers’ Compensation insurance in accordance with Florida Statutes, Chapter 440.

Employers Liability to be included with a minimum limit of $500,000.00 per accident/per disease/per employee. If work is to be performed over or adjacent to navigable water and involves maritime exposure, applicable LHWCA, Jones Act, or other maritime law coverage shall be included.

PART III – INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

Insurance Template Adopted 04/19/19 Page 2 of 2

In the event the Contractor has “leased” employees, the Contractor or the employee leasing company must provide evidence of a Workers’ Compensation policy for all personnel on the worksite.

Contractors who are exempt from Florida’s Workers’ Compensation law must provide proof of such exemption issued by the Florida Department of Financial Services, Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.

B. COMMERCIAL GENERAL LIABILITY: Contractor agrees to maintain Commercial General Liability per ISO form CG0001 or its equivalent, including but not limited to coverage for premises and operations, personal injury, products & completed operations, liability assumed under an insured contract, and independent contractors with limits of not less than $1,000,000.00 each occurrence, $2,000,000.00 aggregate covering all work performed under this Contract.

Contractor agrees to endorse Sarasota County Government as an additional insured on the Commercial General Liability coverage.

C. BUSINESS AUTOMOBILE LIABILITY: Contractor agrees to maintain Business Automobile Liability with limits not less than $1,000,000.00 combined single limit for each accident covering all Owned, Non-Owned & Hired automobiles used in the performance of this Contract. In the event Contractor does not own automobiles, Contractor agrees to maintain coverage for Hired & Non-Owned Auto Liability, which may be satisfied by way of endorsement to the Commercial General Liability policy or separate Business Auto Liability policy.

If the Contractor is shipping a product via common carrier, the contractor shall be responsible for any loss or damage sustained in delivery/transit.

D. POLLUTION LIABILITY (PESTICIDES/HERBICIDES): Contractor agrees to maintain Pollution Liability coverage with limits not less than $1,000,000 per claim/occurrence for bodily injury, property damage and environmental damage from sudden and gradual occurrences resulting from pollution conditions arising out of the application of pesticides and/or herbicides as part of the services performed under this contract This requirement may be satisfied via endorsement to Contractor’s Commercial General Liability policy amending the pollution exclusion to include coverage for such exposures. If coverage is written on a claims-made basis: a. Any retroactive date shall precede the effective date of this contract; b. Contractor shall provide certificates of insurance evidencing the required coverage for a period of two years after final payment under this contract is made, or provide evidence showing Contractor has obtained a two year extended reporting period endorsement.

E. MARINE LIABILITY (PROTECTION & INDEMNITY): Contractor agrees to maintain Protection and Indemnity insurance covering any vessels used inperformance of services under this contract with limits not less than $1,000,000 each occurrence. Sarasota County is to be included as an additional insured.