5-25-0128 Specifications.pdf

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CommuniTree Program - Tree Acquisition and Planting Services Bid Request No. 25-0128

1.0 Intent and Project Description

The City is seeking bids from qualified proposers to plant approximately 3,000 trees within the street Right-of-Way throughout qualified census tracts in Sioux Falls. The work shall consist of furnishing, delivering, and planting trees, and all operations incidental thereto, in conformance with these specifications.

The work will begin durring the 2026 spring planting season. There will be upto three planting seasons – Spring 2026, Fall 2026, and Spring 2027.

The trees planted will be divided between six different species:

1) New Horizon Elm,

2) Northern Catalpa,

3) Bur Oak,

4) Honeylocust,

5) Kentucky Coffeetree,

6) Common Hackberry.

Cultivars of the individual species listed will be accepted so long as they are thornless and fruitless where applicable. No tree species level substitutions will be allowed.

A current quatity breakdown of the six species is availible in Exhibit A. Additional planting locations may be added though out the durration of the contract.

Trees must be a minimum of 1.5” caliper and be container-grown or B&B stock only.

Trees planted shall include two stakes per tree, support ties, a three-foot mulch ring, and a 20-gallon water bag attached to the tree. The City will provide tree tags to be hung on a support stake and care instructions to be hung on the abutting property door.

Once the trees are planted, the Contractor shall perform regular maintenance and watering during the first full growing season after installation. This 'establishment period' is intended to ensure tree survival, with a mortality rate not to exceed 5%.

Planting locations will be furnished to the Contractor, along with a list of tree species to be planted at those locations. The seasonal VueWorks and/or ArcGIS Online will be utilized to monitor, document, and track progress throughout the project. The City will provide access, training, and support in the use of this software for the duration of the project. The Contractor is responsible for furnishing their own mobile devices capable of running VueWorks and/or ArcGIS Online in the field with Wi-Fi capability.

Any pruning performed on newly planted trees shall conform to ANSI A300 pruning standards, and all arboricultural operations shall conform to ANSI Z133 safety

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2.0 Operating Experience/Minimum Qualifications

The bidder must be an established firm engaged in the business of planting trees for a minimum of two years. Upon request, the bidder shall furnish all information necessary to demonstrate that they possess the required experience, expertise, qualified personnel, and adequate equipment to meet all project requirements if awarded. Upon request, the bidder must provide a minimum of three references for similar work performed.

3.0 Quality Assurance

All plant material shall conform to the American Standard for Nursery Stock (ANSI Z60.1-2004 or most current edition).

Trees must be healthy, vigorous stock grown in a recognized nursery, in conformance with accepted horticultural practices, and free of disease, insects, eggs, larvae, and defects such as knots, sunscald, injuries, abrasions, or disfigurement.

The City’s Project Manager may inspect trees, either at their place of growth or at the project site before planting, for compliance with requirements for genus, species, variety, caliper, quality, size, and condition of root balls and root systems, insects, injuries, and latent defects. The City’s Project Manager may reject unsatisfactory or defective material at any time during progress of the Work. Rejected plant material shall be immediately removed from the project site.

Plant material should originate from USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 6a to 1a.

4.0 General Plant Material Requirements

1. All plant material shall conform to the American Standard for Nursery Stock (ANSI

Z60.1 2004 or most current)

2. All plant material shall comply with all applicable State and Federal laws, including inspection certifications which shall include the project number and the plant material that the certification covers. All plant material is subject to inspection by representatives of the City, State and Federal Governments.

3. All plant material furnished shall be true to name and type and legible labels shall be furnished to ensure that all species, varieties, boxes, bundles, bales or other containers are identified. The information on the label shall cover the botanical genus, species, and common name, size or age of each species or variety.

4. All plant material shall be sound, healthy specimens and first-class representatives of their species or variety, having well-formed tops and healthy root systems.

5. Plant materials lacking proper proportions or displaying serious injuries, including, but not limited to: the bark or roots, broken branches, objectionable disfigurements, S:\AS\Pur\2025\14 - Parks and Recreation\25-0128 CommuniTree Planting\25-0128 Specifications.docx 3 shriveled dry roots, broken balls, pests and disease, which are not found to comply with these specifications in any way shall be rejected. Rejected plant material shall be removed from the project as soon as practical.

6. Plant materials which are planted and later discovered to be not true to name, may be allowed to remain in place without payment being made, therefore.

7. A representative sample of all container-grown and/or pot-grown material shall be submitted to the City’s Project Manager for approval prior to planting if requested.

8. All balled and bur lapped (B & B) and container grown plant material is subject to internal examination at any time to ascertain condition of the roots and surrounding soil ball as well as the location of the root collar/trunk flare(s) in relation to the top of the soil ball/container. (See American Standard for Nursery Stock - ANZI Z 60.1 - 2004 or most current; Standard 1.6.3. Root ball depth)

9. Plant material which is planted and fails to meet the specified minimum size prior to pruning, shall be rejected or allowed to remain in place, without payment being made therefore.

10. Should a Contractor be unable to locate sufficient plant material in specified sizes, negotiation for unit price reduction shall be concluded prior to planting.

11. All plant materials shall be of normal growth and uniform height, according to species, with straight established trunks and developed leaders, roots, and crowns.

Heeled in stock is not acceptable. Plants cut from larger sizes to meet bid Specifications will not be accepted.

12. All plant material shall be true to species, variety specific, and nursery grown in conformance with good horticultural practices. Plant material collected from wild or native stands, or which has been sheared, will not be accepted.

13. All plant material shall be sound, healthy, vigorous, well branched and densely foliated if in leaf, free of disease, insects, eggs or larvae and shall have healthy, well developed root systems. They shall be free from physical or mechanical damage or conditions that would prevent thriving growth.

14. The bark of woody plant material shall be healthy and firm with no indications of fungus, cankers or galls, insect bores, die back, frost cracks, sun scald or mechanical injury. Any of these defects shall be reason for rejection.

15. All plant material shall exhibit adequate and healthy twig growth and have well-formed, live buds. Branches shall diverge from the trunk at a wide angle, except in those varieties that normally grow in narrow, upright forms. Plants shall have normal, well-developed branches, be uniformly and fully branched, as seen from all sides, and have good branch angles with a vigorous root system. All plants shall be first class representatives of their species or variety.

16. Trees with multiple leaders, unless specified, will be rejected.

17. Plants that meet specified sizes, but do not possess a normal balance representative of the species, between height, spread, and roots will be rejected.

Rejection of this material will be at the discretion of the City’s Project Manager.

18. Plant material with a damaged or crooked leader or those having pruning cuts over 3/4" in diameter which are not completely callused, will be rejected.

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19. All plant material is subject to visual inspection by the City’s Project Manager prior to installation. All plant material shall be assembled in one location to permit inspection, upon request. The supplier of plant materials shall notify the City’s Project Manager at least five business days prior to delivery for which coordination of a mutually convenient inspection time can be arranged.

20. Substitution of specified plant material shall not be permitted unless pre-authorized by the City’s Project Manager in writing.

21. Plants shall conform to the measurements specified. Plants larger than specification may be used if pre-approved by the City’s Project Manager. Use of larger plants will not be cause for claims of additional payment. Should larger plants be approved, the root system, container and/or root ball shall be increased in proportion to the size of plant.

22. Caliper measurements shall be taken on the trunk 6" above the natural ground line for trees up to 4" in caliper and 12" above the natural ground line for trees over 4" in caliper. Height and spread dimensions specified refer to the main body of the plant and not from branch tip to branch tip. Plants shall be measured when branches are in their typical, un-bound position.

23. If a range of size is given, no plants shall be less than the minimum size and no less than 50% of the plants shall be as large as the maximum specified. Measurements specified are minimum size acceptable after pruning, where pruning is required.

Plants that meet height and spread but do not possess a normal balance between height and spread will be rejected.

24. Specifications for trees may establish the height to which trees should be free of branching. Branching height shall be proportional to the size, species, and variety of trees so that the crown of the tree will be balanced with the trunk (i.e. _ 1/3 the total height of the tree is a trunk free of branching and the remaining 2/3 is a well branched tree crown). Refer to Section 1, ANSI Z60-2004 or most current.

Branching height for specified plant materials will be noted on the bid proposal and all bidders shall heed this specification. Plant material not meeting this specification will be rejected by the City’s Project Manager.

5.0 Nursery Grown Plant Materials

1. All plant materials shall be “nursery grown” by established, reputable commercial nurseries and sold to and installed by licensed and certified nurseries and/or landscape Contractors.

2. Fresh dug material is given preference over plant material held in storage. Plant material held in storage may be rejected if excessive growth occurred while in storage.

3. Unnecessary injury to or removal of fibrous roots from the plant material is cause for rejection of the plant materials. The soil for balled material shall be in such condition so as to ensure no crumbling or cracking. Balls shall be wrapped with burlap prior to removal from the ground. The burlap shall be held in place with cord and pinning nails. Handling of balled and bur lapped material shall be in such a manner as to

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4. Balled plant material shall have a solid ball of soil of adequate size held in place securely and wrapped with burlap and tightly bound with twine or rope. Soil balls may also be secured with wire baskets.

5. Bare root plant material shall have abundant root growth and fibrous feeder roots with good color and moisture. Kinked, circling and/or girding roots are not acceptable and plant material having such root systems will be rejected.

6. Container grown plant material shall be well established in their containers.

Container plant material which shows evidence of being root bound, overgrown, recently canned or which has girdling roots will be rejected unless determined to be correctable at the time of planting. The City’s Project Manager shall determine if the condition is correctable and what measures must be taken at the time of correction.

7. A processed, balled shade or flowering tree (i.e., a tree dug bare root, while dormant, to which a growing medium is added around the roots to form a ball) shall not be acceptable.

6.0 Mulch

After trees are planted, mulch shall be applied at a minimum depth of 3 inches, not to exceed 4 inches. The area to be mulched shall extend from the trunk to a radius of one and one-half feet. Mulch shall not be touching the trunk of the newly planted tree.

Additionally, mulch shall consist of shredded native hardwood not larger than 4" in length, 1/2" in width, and be free of dyes.

7.0 Stakes

Two stakes shall be installed after the tree is planted to stabilize the root system. The dimensions for square stakes shall be two inches by two inches (2” X 2”). A diameter of two inches shall be used for round wooden stakes. Suitable length shall be used to adequately support the plant material. Typically, stakes will be a minimum of six feet in length. Stakes shall be driven at least twelve inches into the soil for secure support outside of the planting ball but within the mulch circle.

8.0 Support Ties

Trees should be secured to stakes using a non-abrasive, fabric tree tie (i.e. Arbor Tie) or rubber cinch tie. The support shall be tied in a figure 8 loop between the tree and the stakes to allow flexibility. Additionally, trees shall be tied in a manner which provides stability yet does not overly limit movement. No metal wire or rubber hose shall be used in supporting trees.

9.0 Tree Water Bag

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A tree water bag shall be installed at the base of the trunk after the tree has been planted, staked, and mulched. Water bags shall be capable of holding 20 gallons of water per fill and designed to slowly release the water allowing it to percolate through the mulch and soil to the root system of the tree.

10.0 Receiving and Storing of Plant Materials

Storage facilities for plant material must receive approval of the City’s Project Manager prior to delivery of the plant material. The storage facility shall have an adequate water supply, shade, humidity, ventilation, and protection from drying winds. Plant material that cannot be planted immediately on delivery shall be kept in storage, and well protected with wet soil, sawdust, wood chips, shingle tow, moss, peat, straw, hay, or other acceptable moisture holding media. Plant material stored in the above manner shall be kept well-watered.

11.0 Transporting Plants to the Planting Site

Delivery and/or the planting of street trees shall be coordinated with the City’s Project Manager at least 24 hours prior to planting or delivery. The successful bidder(s) shall notify the City’s Project Manager as soon as possible when specified plant materials have been received so coordination of deliveries and/or plantings can be made. Plants are subject to inspection for conformity to specification requirements and approval by the City’s Project Manager upon delivery and/or at time of planting, unless a request has been made for inspection prior to delivery.

1. LOADING

Care shall be taken to protect the trunk, branches and roots from abrasions and breakage when loading, transporting, unloading and/or planting. Plants too tall to be transported in an upright position must be transported in a horizontal position.

Branches must be tied prior to tipping to prevent breaking branches and bruising of the bark. The trunk and top must be supported when plants are tilted to a horizontal position. The trunk must be blocked near the ball and tied secure for support. Trunks shall be padded to prevent bruising and tops tied securely to the bed of the truck or trailers.

2. TRANSPORTING

Plants are to be transported by truck or low trailer. Exposed roots shall be covered with moist peat moss, sphagnum, sawdust, straw or wood chips before transporting. Plants shall have their tops tied in and be packed tightly on the truck to prevent shifting, which may cause breaking of the soil ball and branches.

Excessive bending of branches must be avoided when tops are tied in or down.

All plants with leaves and/or transported long distances shall be transported in an enclosed truck or covered with heavy canvas to prevent wind whipping and drying out while in transit. Leafed out trees shall be covered just prior to being

S:\AS\Pur\2025\14 - Parks and Recreation\25-0128 CommuniTree Planting\25-0128 Specifications.docx 7 transported and the cover shall be removed immediately upon arriving at the planting site to avoid high temperatures which can severely injure the plants.

3. UNLOADING

Hand push carts shall be used to move balled and bur lapped plants to the planting hole when unloaded from the truck. Plant material set off at the planting site shall be protected from freezing, drying, breaking, overheating and other injuries. Prevention of mechanical damage to plant material (i.e., crown, trunk or roots) and protection of root systems and crowns from drying during transportation, delivering and/or planting shall be the responsibility of the successful bidder(s). Plant materials shall not be removed from storage prior to complete preparation of the planting site for immediate planting.

12.0 Location of Planting Sites

A list of designated locations (i.e., addresses) for street trees will be provided by the City’s Project Manager when bid(s) has been awarded. The awarded contractor will also be provided with a login to access VueWorks where the planting sites will be mapped in the planting area. Planting locations will be marked by the City with white paint and flags. The Contractor will update VueWorks each day logging which trees have been planted. Access to the planting sites will be restricted to streets for all vehicles.

Permission to travel with any equipment anywhere other than the established streets must be obtained from the City’s Project Manager.

13.0 Site Preparation

The Contractor will be responsible for having all underground utilities properly located prior to digging/planting. Any utility relocates that are necessary will also be the responsibility of the Contractor including any costs associated with them. Planting sites located directly on top of major underground utility lines (i.e. electric, gas, water, etc.)

shall be planted 1-2’ off the line as spacing allows in the parking strip. Hand excavate near underground utilities.

14.0 Planting Of Trees

Make excavations equal to the depth of the root system, and diameter at least twice as wide as the root systems to allow enough space to permit loose backfill to be worked down and around the roots. Tree pits may either be dug manually or mechanically using an auger or tree spade. Glazing of the sides of the planting pits dug with shovels, mechanical augers, or tree spades shall be minimized by scarifying or roughening the sides and bottom before backfilling to provide for easier lateral outward growth of the developing roots. All tree pits shall be backfilled manually. Planting pits shall be backfilled the same day they are dug. If any planting pits are to be left open when Work is not in process or create a safety hazard to the public, they shall be covered over or properly barricaded.

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Plants shall be lifted and handled with suitable support to avoid damage. Container and balled and bur lapped plant material shall be lifted, carried and/ or lowered by the root ball, never by the trunk. Plants shall be set so that the root flare is level with or 1" to 2" above the existing soil grade. Plants must be plumb (straight) and centered in the planting hole before backfilling and after planting is complete. If the plant is in a container or pot, the plant shall be carefully removed from the container or pot and the exterior of the root ball manually loosened to encourage roots to grow out into the surrounding soil prior to setting the plant in the planting hole. If there are encircling roots that extent more than ¼ of the circumference of the ball, those roots shall be shaved off or “box cut” prior to planting. If a cap has formed on the bottom of the root ball this shall also be shaved off prior to planting.

If the plant is balled and bur lapped all rope, strings, twine, wire and wrapping shall be removed entirely from the ball. The ball must be excavated to locate the root flare and ensure it is planted level with or 1” to 2” above soil grade.

Planting pits are to be backfilled with the same soil that is excavated from them. Topsoil and subgrade soil shall be loosened and mixed to a depth of 12" before backfilling.

Topsoil shall be gently firmed, but not tightly packed, around the plant to hold it in place and eliminate air pockets. When pits are approximately 2/3 full, they are to be thoroughly watered to also eliminate air pockets. After this initial watering, topsoil is to be added to the top of pit and watered. Puddled soil conditions resulting from over watering are to be avoided. After the planting pit has been completely backfilled, make a ridge of soil two to four inches high around the outside margin of the pit to create a reservoir for watering.

Plants are to be thoroughly watered immediately after planting. Over watering is to be avoided. Contractor must supply water and equipment needed (e.g., water truck, hose, buckets, etc.) to water trees. Under no circumstances shall water from homes be used by the Contractor to water trees. Watering from fire hydrants may be used only after securing a permit and meter from the City Water Department. When conditions detrimental to plant growth are encountered, such as rubble fill or adverse drainage conditions, notify the City’s Project Manager.

Wrapping of trunks with tree wrap is not required. All existing tree wrap, if any, shall be removed from trunks immediately after planting. Staking of all upright deciduous trees is required.

15.0 Pruning of Plant Material

Pruning shall only be done at the time of planting if necessary and conform to the ANSI A300 pruning standard. All broken, weak, and interfering (i.e., crossing or rubbing) branches shall be properly removed by the Contractor after the tree has been planted.

Drop crotch pruning shall be done and pruning cuts properly made so that the branch collar and/or branch bark ridge are not cut. All other sound and healthy branches shall be left intact to provide maximum leaf surface for photosynthesis.

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16.0 Care Instructions for Street Trees

Instructions on the care of street trees will be provided by the City for the Contractor to distribute immediately at each planting location. The Contractor is to leave the instructions in the form of a “door hanger” at the door of the adjoining residence or commercial property. Door hangers are NOT to be placed in mailboxes. Tree tags will also be provided by the City for the Contractor to hang on one of the support stakes of the newly planted tree. Tree tags shall not be attached to the tree to avoid the risk of girdling.

17.0 Acceptance Period

The acceptance period is the duration of time between the contractor planting the tree, and the City’s Project Manager certifying that all work has been completed per the specifications outlined above. The Contractor is responsible for the care and maintenance of trees during the acceptance period.

• For all deciduous trees planted in the Fall, the Contractor is responsible for the care and maintenance until the trees lose their leaves and go dormant for the season regardless of the acceptance period.

Upon completion of planting each tree the Contractor will update VueWorks. The City’s Project Manager will inspect the tree(s) once the status is updated by the contractor. All items of Work as required above shall have been performed prior to this inspection. Any item not completed may render a tree non-compliant. If a tree is found to be non-compliant the contractor will be notified and have 30 days after the initial inspection to correct the issue(s).

Once all items of work have been completed and there are no compliance issues the date of acceptance will be documented as the “date created” by the City’s Project Manager. After the acceptance date has been documented an invoice can be submitted for payment to the City’s Project Manager.

Non-compliant trees that are not corrected may be allowed to remain in place without payment.

18.0 Guarantee Period

The Contractor shall guarantee all trees to be in healthy and flourishing condition for a period of 1 year from date of acceptance. The Contractor shall replace, without additional cost to the City, as soon as weather conditions permit, within a specific planting period, all plants determined by the City’s Project Manager to be dead during or at the end of the guarantee period.

Replacement plants shall be free of dead or dying branches and branch tips shall bear foliage of normal density, size and color if in leaf. Replacements shall closely match adjacent specimens of the same species that have been planted. Replacements shall

S:\AS\Pur\2025\14 - Parks and Recreation\25-0128 CommuniTree Planting\25-0128 Specifications.docx 10 be subject to all requirements and specifications stated herein. The guarantee of all replacement plants shall extend for an additional period of 1 year from the date of their acceptance and installation. If replacement plants are not acceptable during or at the end of the said extended guarantee period, the City’s Project Manager may elect subsequent replacement or credit (refund) for them.

19.0 Establishment Period

The Contractor is responsible for maintaining the trees during an establishment period of one full growing season after the trees have been planted and accepted by the City’s Project Manager. The “growing season” is defined as the period of time when deciduous trees are actively growing. In a calendar year one full growing season will encompass six full months, or May through October.

• SPRING PLANTED TREES (March 1 to June 15)

If trees were planted in the spring, the establishment period will occur the same year as the tree was planted. beginning at the date of acceptance and concluding at the end of October.

• FALL PLANTED TREES (September 15 to December 1)

For all trees planted in the fall, the Contractor who planted the tree is responsible for the care and maintenance beginning at the date of acceptance until the trees lose their leaves and go dormant for the year. The establishment period will occur the year following the tree planting beginning in May, 2027 and concluding at the end of October, 2027.

During the establishment period, the Contractor, at a minimum, shall visit each site twice monthly with a period of 10-20 days between visits within a given month. The Contractor shall notify the City’s Project Manager 2 days in advance of any given visit.

At the end of each month the Contractor will provide the City’s Project Manager with a detailed report that outlines the specific dates, maintenance items performed, soil moisture observations, mortality, and tree condition. This report shall also include any recommendations from the Contractor which may be needed to ensure plant health.

Maintenance items shall include additional pruning as needed, protective measures against pests and diseases, cultivating, repairing dams to the watering basins, replacing mulch which becomes displaced, keeping the stakes firm and the guys adjusted, weeding with a pre-emergent weed control or other approved means, and other establishment procedures as deemed necessary by the City’s Project Manager, including the removal of any dead trees.

The Contractor is responsible for watering all plant material as necessary during the establishment period. Wilting plants can be a sign of either overly dry or overly wet soil conditions. The Contractor will check soil moisture by pulling back the mulch from around the plants and inserting a soil recovery probe to a 12 inch depth. Soil conditions must be assessed and watered accordingly to ensure favorable growing conditions.

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Under drought conditions the Contractor will coordinate with the City’s Project Manager to determine a water schedule adequate to ensure the health and well-being of the trees.

20.0 Replacement Exemptions

Trees damaged as a result of vandalism, vehicular accidents, and other extenuating circumstances, as determined by the City’s Project Manager, are not required to be replaced as a part of this contract and will not be included when determining the rate of mortality at the end of the establishment period. Damage due to vandalism or vehicular accidents must be reported to the Sioux Falls Police Department and the case number must be given to the City ‘s Project Manager.

21.0 Planting Area

The contractor may review the planting area at the link below:

https://cityofsfgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html?appid=320d98a93f4d 47feb07d1a78d8bdd72a

22.0 Safety and Quality Control

A. The Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring the safety of their employees, City employees, and the general public during performance of all https://cityofsfgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html?appid=320d98a93f4d47feb07d1a78d8bdd72a https://cityofsfgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html?appid=320d98a93f4d47feb07d1a78d8bdd72a

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B. All Contractor personnel assigned to provide services under the contract shall wear a uniform and necessary safety equipment.

C. If the City notifies the Contractor that any employee(s) or representative of Contractor is (while providing services on City property or at City facilities) incompetent, disorderly, abusive, or disobedient, has knowingly or repeatedly violated safety regulations, or has possessed or was under the influence of alcohol or drugs on the job, the Contractor shall immediately remove such employee or representative from the City property or facilities.

Furthermore, the Contractor shall not assign such employee to a City work order/job without the City’s prior written consent. Contractor shall at all times maintain good discipline while performing services for the City.

D. The Contractor shall use safety procedures and protective devices that will conform to OSHA standards and ANSI Z133 safety requirements. Streets will be clearly marked with signs stating there is tree work ahead. Traffic control devices such as cones or barricades shall be used where appropriate.

23.0 Equipment

The Bidder shall provide all needed supplies, permits/licenses, and equipment needed.

All equipment shall be in good working order.

24.0 Planting Season

The contractor shall work with the City Project Manager to establish a planting plan.

Acceptable planting date windows:

Spring: March 1 – June 15 Fall: September 15 – December 1

Planting operations shall be performed only during these windows, except when prior written permission is obtained from the City’s Project Manager. Actual planting shall be performed during dates considered normal for such work, as determined by weather conditions.

25.0 Kickoff Meeting

The awarded bidder shall attend a project kickoff meeting with the City.

26.0 Subcontractors

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The successful Bidder shall clearly state if it is proposing to subcontract any of the work herein. List any subcontracting disciplines needed to provide any and all requirements of this proposal and identify all subcontractors and describe what portions of the requirements they would perform along with their experience, qualifications, and capabilities to provide the specified services. The successful Bidder assumes full liability for the performance of all subcontractors. All subcontractors shall be approved in writing by the City.

The City reserves the right to require the successful Bidder and any third party (sub) contractors to also indemnify and hold harmless other federal, state, and local governmental entities, and where required at no additional cost. All subcontractors assigned to this project shall adhere to and deliver required Certificates of Insurance.

27.0 Financial Proposal

A price per planted tree shall be submitted. The cost shall include all expenses as specified. The City may withhold up to 20% of the current “Planting Season” invoice until the establishment period is complete.

28.0 Omissions

It is the intention of these specifications to provide complete tree acquisition and planting services. Any items/services that have been omitted from these specifications that are clearly necessary for the services shall be considered to be a requirement of the contract, although not directly specified or called for in these specifications.

29.0 Single Bid Response

If only one bid is received in response to the invitation for bids, a detailed cost proposal may be requested of the single offeror. A cost/price analysis and evaluation and/or audit may be performed of the cost proposal in order to determine if the price is fair and reasonable.

30.0 Interpretations

In order to be fair to all bidders, no oral interpretations will be given to any bidder as to the meaning of these specification documents or any part thereof. A pre-bid meeting will be held on Monday, November 3, 2025, at 10 a.m. in the City Center Conference Room 110, 231 North Dakota Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57104. Virtual options will be made available upon request. All other requests for interpretation shall be made in writing to the City Purchasing Division. Based upon such inquiry, the City may choose to issue an addendum.

31.0 Tobacco-Free Workplace

The use of tobacco products is prohibited in all City-owned and City-shared buildings, facilities, vehicles, equipment, and worksites. Tobacco is defined as any product made

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32.0 Nonperformance

Contractor shall furnish all necessary labor, tools, equipment, and supplies to perform the required services at the City facilities. The City’s authorized representative will decide all questions that may arise as to the quality and acceptability of any work performed under this contract. If, in the opinion of the City’s authorized representative, performance becomes unacceptable, the City shall notify the Contractor.

The Contractor will have one day from that time to correct any specific instances of unsatisfactory performance. In the event the unsatisfactory performance is not corrected within the specified period, the City shall have the immediate right to complete the work to its satisfaction and shall deduct the cost to cover from any balances due or to become due the Contractor. Repeated incidences of unsatisfactory performance may result in cancellation of the contract for default.

33.0 Funding Out Clause – Loss of Grant or Appropriated Funds

This contract is contingent upon the continued availability of funding through the City of Sioux Falls’ budget and/or applicable grant funds. In the event that the funding source is reduced, discontinued, or withdrawn by any federal, state, or local agency, or if funds are not otherwise available to support continuation of this contract, the City reserves the right to terminate the contract in whole or in part without penalty or further obligation.

If such termination occurs, the City will provide the Contractor written notice specifying the effective date of termination. Payment will be made only for goods and services delivered and accepted prior to the effective date of termination. The Contractor shall have no right of action against the City for damages arising from termination under this clause, including claims for lost profits, overhead, or other consequential damages.

34.0 Invoices

Invoices for work requested for all City buildings and properties are to be emailed to financeap@siouxfalls.gov, and clearly state the following:

A. Name of department and department contact person.

B. Date and location where work was performed and product used.

C. Purchase order number.

D. Unit, extended, and total price.

E. Invoice number and date.