Battle Creek Lawn Services RFP Scope 2 and 3 .docx.pdf

BATTLE CREEK PUBLIC SCHOOLS

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

DISTRICT WIDE

LANDSCAPING/ LAWNCARE SERVICES

PROJECT NUMBER 26.002

Battle Creek Public Schools Facilities and Operations

315 W. Goodale Ave Battle Creek, MI 49037

PART 1 – GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

1. Instructions

Firms are invited to submit proposals to Battle Creek Public Schools (the “District”) for lawncare and Landscaping Maintenance Services during the growing season (April to November with Initial Year beginning 5/4/2026).

Landscaping Maintenance Services are to be provided at the District’s nineteen (19) facilities/sites listed in Attachment “B1”.

The District reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and to make any award that it considers to be in the best interest of the District.

Bids will be accepted for each individual scope (Scope 2 and Scope 3) and bidders may bid on multiple scopes if they choose.

2. Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting

The District will hold a mandatory pre-bid meeting on Thursday, March 12, 2026, beginning promptly at 9:00 a.m.

The meeting will be held in the second floor assembly room of the Miller Stone Building, which is in downtown Battle Creek and located at 77 Capital Avenue, Battle Creek, Michigan, 49017 on the Northwest corner of the intersection of W.

Van Buren Avenue and Capital Ave. Please enter via the North entrance on North Ave. and park in the lot West of the building.

Before the meeting, all bidding firms must email an Intent to Respond (Attachment A1) to Josh Bowman, the Director of Facilities, at jbowman@battle-creek.k12.mi.us by 12:00 pm on March 11, 2026 to confirm their intention to attend the pre-bid meeting, and reserve how many seats they will require; also this will insure adequate documents.

Each bidder will be asked to sign-in at the pre-bid. The pre-bid meeting is mandatory.

At the pre-bid meeting, all bidders will be required to sign a prebid meeting attendance sheet containing the name, phone number, and email address of the employee who is representing the bidder in this project proposal. Any adds, deletions, and changes prior to the bid open date will be communicated to all bidders only via email. The District is not responsible for any “performance or reliability” of the bidder’s email service.

3. Questions Concerning this RFP

Following the mandatory pre-bid meeting, inquiries may be made by submitting the RFI form (Attachment A2) to Mr.

Josh Bowman at the email address listed above. Information about the District is available during business hours, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Please make sure you label your email subject: LANDSCAPING MAINTENANCE SERVICES. The deadline for submitting RFI’s is 3/16/2026 at 4:00 pm while the deadline for an RFI response from BCPS is 3/18/2026 at 4:00pm.

JANUARY 20, 2026

mailto:jbowman@battle-creek.k12.mi.us

4. Site Visits

Bidders are strongly encouraged to personally inspect the site locations additionally, if needed, after the pre-bid meeting and prior to bid submission to become thoroughly acquainted with the requirements of this bid. The District will not accept responsibility for a bidder’s failure to inspect the facilities/sites.

If additional site visits are needed following the pre-bid meeting, those site visits must be arranged with the district 48 hours in advance. These site visits can be arranged by emailing jbowman@battle-creek.k12.mi.us

5. Proposal Submission

To be considered by the District,three (3) copies of the complete proposal must be received no later than 10:00 a.m., March 30, 2026.

Proposals must be addressed to:

Battle Creek Public Schools c/o Josh Bowman 3 Van Buren St

Battle Creek, MI 49017

The lower left corner of the submittal envelope should be marked: PROPOSAL FOR LANDSCAPING MAINTENANCE

SERVICES.

Bid can be submitted to the Second Floor Business Office. Enter through the Northeast door of the building off of VanBuren Street.

Submitted proposals will become the property of the District and will not be returned.

Proposals will be gathered at 10:00am on March 30, 2026 from the addressed location above. The bid opening will take place across the street in the Miller Stone Building immediately following the submission deadline and bid gathering.

6. Late Proposals

Any proposal received by the District after the time specified above will not be considered. The party submitting a proposal shall bear full and total responsibility for ensuring timely receipt of that proposal.

7. Withdrawal of Proposals

Proposals may be withdrawn by written notice received at any time prior to the submission deadline. Proposals may be withdrawn in person, provided that the firm's representative signs a receipt for the proposal prior to the submission deadline.

8. Economy of Preparation

Proposals should be prepared simply, providing a concise description of the firm's ability to meet the requirements of this RFP. Please limit your proposal to the information requested in Part 3 - Proposal Details

9. Official Signature Page

Official Signature Page (Attachment A7), should be signed and submitted with the bid by the person responsible for the decision as to services and costs being offered. In the case of a joint proposal, each party should certify as to services and costs being offered by its own firm in connection with this proposal.

10.Proposal Preparation Costs

All costs incurred for proposal preparation, presentation, or contract negotiation are the responsibility of the firm. The District shall not be responsible for, and will not pay, the cost for any information solicited or received.

11.Acceptance of Proposal Contents

The contents of the proposal of the selected firm will become contractual obligations when a contract is issued, except with regard to particular contents that are rejected by the District or excluded from the bid via (Attachment A6- Bid Proposal Exception) in written agreement with the district. Failure of the successful firm to abide by such obligations will result in cancellation of the award.

12.Collusive Bidding and Relationship Disclosure

The Proposer certifies that their Proposal is made without any previous understanding, agreement or connection with any person, firm, or company making a Proposal for the same project and is in all respects fair and without outside control, collusion, fraud, or other illegal action.

The Proposer shall submit a Non-Collusion Affidavit in substantially the form attached hereto as Attachment “A5”.

The Proposer shall submit a Familial Relationship Disclosure in substantially the form attached hereto as Attachment “A3”.

The Proposer shall submit an Iran Economic Sanctions Act Certification in substantially the form attached hereto as Attachment “A4”.

13.Proposed Work Schedule

Lawncare/ Landscaping

Services are to be provided during the “growing season” (typically defined as April 1 through November of that calendar year) but initially, from May 4, 2026 through November 2026.

All work must be completed so as to not interfere with daily operations of the district and its students. This may include night and weekend work to satisfy scope.

14.Scope of Services

It is assumed that any proposal submitted will include, but shall not necessarily be limited to, the performance of all of the activities listed in Attachments B2 (Landscaping Maintenance) and B3 (Athletic Field Maintenance) (collectively, the “Services”).

The Services for Scope 2 Landscaping Maintenance shall be performed at the eighteen (18) facilities/sites listed in Attachment “B1”.

**The Services for Scope 3 Athletic Field Maintenance shall be performed at the one (1) facilities/sites listed and highlighted in Attachment “B1”.**

15.Reporting and Meetings:

a. The Contractor shall be responsible for submitting reports on a monthly basis in an electronic PDF or EXCEL format regarding this project to the Facilities Director. The Contractor shall be required to communicate weekly to the Contract Administrator regarding the current status and any recommendations regarding the project. The Contractor shall be required to provide the following:

i. Pre-Existing Conditions Report prior to contract execution noting any existing damage needing recording.

ii. Safety Data Sheets (SDS) at contract execution and thereafter upon planned utilization of new chemicals not originally listed.

iii. A damage report shall be submitted immediately upon incident to the Facilities Director and punch list identified and implemented.

iv. The Contractor shall be responsible for all services under this contract. Any tasks or services not completed or partially completed will be listed on a punch list. The Contractor will remedy the situation by completing the tasks in a time specified by the Facilities Director.

16. Additions and Deletions:

a. The District, by written notice to the Contractor, at any time during the term of this contract, may add or delete like or similar locations and/or services to the list of locations and/or services to be performed. Any such written notice shall take effect on the date stated in the notice from the District. The Contractor will be requested to provide a monthly fee/ or removal of fee equal to their normal and customary charges or rates for the equipment, locations and/or services requested.

b. The District may request additional service at any time within the contract period at the discretion of the Director Facilities or designee.

17.Estimated Quantities Not Guaranteed:

a. The estimated quantities specified herein are not a guarantee of actual quantities, as District does not guarantee any particular quantity of landscaping and grounds maintenance services during the term of this contract. The quantities may vary depending upon the actual needs of the user Department. The quantities specified herein are good faith estimates of usage during the term of this contract. Therefore, the District shall not be liable for any contractual agreements/obligations the Contractor enters into based on all the quantities specified herein.

18.Payment of Fees

The District will make payments to the selected firm in monthly installments of the annual fee. The specific day of the month on which invoices are to be received and checks released will be determined during contract negotiations with the selected firm.

19.Drugs, Alcohol, Tobacco in the Workplace

The District, its facilities, and grounds are an alcohol- and drug-free workplace.

Use of tobacco products or possession/consumption of marijuana on school property is a violation of Michigan law. MCL 750.473, 333.27954.

20.Background Checks

Pursuant to the requirements of Sections 1230 and 1230a-h of the Revised School Code, the District shall perform a criminal history check through the Michigan State Police, as well as a criminal records check through the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with regard to all persons assigned by contractor to regularly and continuously work in any of the

District’s facilities or at program sites where the District delivers educational programs and services.

Contractor agrees that it shall not assign any of its employees, agents or other individuals to perform any Services where such individuals would regularly and continuously work in the District’s facilities or program sites if such person has been convicted of any of the following offenses:

A. Any “listed offense” as defined under Section 2 of the Sex Offenders Registration Act, MCL 28.722; or

B. Any offense enumerated in Sections MCL 380.1535a or 380.1539b of the Revised School Code, MCL

380.1535a; 380,1539b; or

C. Any felony. Provided, that with prior written approval of the Superintendent of the District and of its

Board of Education, an individual who has been convicted of a felony (other than a “listed offense” as defined above) and who is regularly and continuously providing services under the awarded contract at the District facilities or program sites may be permitted to perform such services when, in the judgment of the Superintendent and Board of Education of the District, that individual’s presence will not pose a danger to the safety or security of the District students or employees; or

D. Any misdemeanor conviction involving sexual or physical abuse as those terms are defined in Sections

1230(10) and 1230a(8) of the Revised School Code; or

E. Any offense of a substantially similar enactment (to those enumerated in A-D, above) of the United

States or another State; or

F. Any other offense that would, in the judgment of the District, create a potential risk to the safety and security of students serviced by the District or to employees of the District.

The District reserves the right to refuse contractor’s assignment of any individual, agent or employee of contractor to render services under the awarded contract where the criminal record history of that individual (including any pending criminal charges) indicate, in the District’s judgment, unfitness to perform Services due to the risk posed by the individual to the safety and security of the District's students, staff, guests, and facilities.

The District’s right of refusal shall have no effect on the employment status between contractor and its employee or agent. Further, the contractor retains the sole right to reassign, hire, fire, discipline, or discharge the employee or agents in service to the District.

The District’s exercise of its rights shall not impact contractor’s decisions related to its employees and shall relate solely to the exercise of control over its facilities. Upon request of contractor, and on the condition that contractor’s agent or employee has given written consent, the District will provide to contractor a copy of the criminal history check and criminal records check pertaining to the employee or agent of Contractor giving such written consent, pursuant to the authorization set forth in Sections 1230(10) and 1230a(8) of the Revised School Code.

The awarded contract shall stipulate that the District shall not be responsible for the costs associated with the criminal history checks and criminal records checks required in order to comply with Sections 1230 and 1230a of the Revised

School Code with respect to contractor’s employees and agents.

21. Insurance Coverage

Prior to beginning work and for the duration of the contract, the selected firm will be required to provide a copy of insurance certificates for the following insurance types and amounts:

1. Contractual liability, advertising and personal injury, products and completed operations, and an installation floater, showing limits of $2,000,000 per occurrence, and a general aggregate limit of $4,000,000.

2. Comprehensive Automobile Liability, which includes coverage for any auto, hired autos, and non-owned autos with a combined single limit of $2,000,000.

3. Bodily and personal injury of $1,000,000 per accident and $500,000 per person.

4. Property damage of $1,000,000.

5. Combined single limit of $2,000,000.

Such insurance shall be secured from an insurance company authorized by law to transact the business of insurance in the State of Michigan.

All applicable insurances shall name as additional insureds the School District and its elected and appointed officials, employees, and volunteers.

The policy shall include a minimum of thirty (30) days’ notification to certificate holders of cancellation, nonrenewal, reduction or change in the policy.

It shall be the contractor’s responsibility to provide similar insurance for each subcontractor or to provide evidence that each subcontractor carries such insurance in like amount prior to the time such subcontractor proceeds to perform under the contract.

22. Indemnification

If the acts or omissions of the contractor or its employees, agents or officers, cause injury to person or property, the contractor shall defend, indemnify and save harmless the District, its agents, officials, and employees against all claims, judgments, losses, damages, demands, and payments of any kind to persons or property to the extent occasioned from any claim or demand arising there from, to the extent allowed by law.

23.Default/Termination

The District may terminate the awarded contract, and shall provide written notice to contractor of same, in any of the following instances:

1. Conducting work in the proximity of District students or staff.

2. Failure to provide up-to-date certificate of insurance within the time specified and at the beginning of each contract year.

3. Failure to make delivery of the supplies, or to perform the Services within the time specified herein, or any extension thereof.

4. Failure to make progress if such failure endangers performance of the contract in accordance with its terms.

5. Failure to perform in compliance with any provision of the specification.

6. Contractor guarantees the performance of Services in accordance with the highest standards of the landscaping maintenance profession. Upon written notice by the District of Contractor’s failure to comply with such standards or to otherwise be in default of this contract in any manner following the Notice to Proceed via Purchase Order, contractor shall immediately remedy said defective performance in a manner acceptable to the District. Should the District consider the contractor failing to immediately correct said defective performance, said failure is a breach of this contract and provide grounds for termination of the same.

7. For convenience upon providing sixty (60) days’ written notice to the contractor.

The District shall be responsible for making payments for Services provided until the date of termination. However, in the event of any contractor breach, the contractor shall pay any cost to the District caused by said breach including but not limited to the replacement cost of such goods or services from another Contractor. The District reserves the right to withhold any or all payments until any defects in performance have been satisfactorily corrected.

PART 2 – PROPOSAL REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

A. Proposal Schedule

It is the intent of the District to select a contractor for Landscaping Maintenance Services (Scope 2) and Athletic Field Maintenance Services (Scope 3) according to the following schedule:

Task Date

RFP Posted March 2, 2026

Intent to Respond Due 12:00 pm on March 11, 2026

Pre-Bid Meeting 9:00 am on March 12, 2026

Request for Information (RFI) Due 4:00 pm on March 16, 2026

Request for Information (RFI) Response Due 4:00 pm on March 18, 2026

Bid Opening 10:00 am on March 30, 2026

Presentation to BOE for Consideration April 13, 2026

Board of Education Vote April 27, 2026

Contracts Signed and Firms Begin Work May 4, 2026

The District may modify or eliminate any of the above schedule in its sole discretion.

B. Review and Selection Process

The District reserves the right to reject any or all proposals that are determined not to be in the best interests of the District. The District will not necessarily select the lowest cost proposal.

C. Interviews

The District may invite firms to participate in Post Bid Interviews with the Board of Education (and/or, if applicable, any Selection Committee) and to answer any questions that may exist about their proposal.

D. Evaluation Criteria

The District will evaluate proposals considering all of the information provided in response to this RFP, including but not necessarily limited to the following:

Adherence to RFP: To merit evaluation, submittals must conform, in both content and presentation, to the parameters established in this request.

Relevant Experience: Relevant experience of the firm with landscaping maintenance of K-12 public schools, particularly those of comparable size and number of facilities.

Qualifications: Qualifications and experience of staffing to be assigned.

Timeliness: Ability of the firm to complete work tasks specified in this RFP in a timely fashion.

Responsiveness: The ability to meet quickly with District officials, contractors, etc. when necessary.

Team Compatibility: The ability of the firm to work with District employees based on references and interviews.

Fee Proposal: The total fees for Landscaping Maintenance Services.

E. Awarding of the Contract

All proposals received shall be subject to evaluation by district Administration for the purpose of recommending a firm or firms with whom a contract will be signed. Authorization for execution of a contract will be approved by the District's Board of Education after it has had an opportunity to review the recommendations of the Administration.

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the District shall have the ability, in its sole discretion, to negotiate any term of the Contract. The award of a Contract shall be contingent upon the successful negotiation of the same.

PART 3- PROPOSAL DETAILS

(PROVIDE RESPONSES ON SEPARATE SHEETS)

NAME OF FIRM: ADDRESS OF FIRM:

BUSINESS ORGANIZATION

- INDIVIDUAL ⃞

- PARTNERSHIP ⃞

- LLC ⃞

- CORPORATION ⃞

LIST PRINCIPALS AND OFFICERS OF THE FIRM

DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE SERVICING K-12 SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF SIMILAR SIZE AND COMPLEXITY. INCLUDE

NUMBER OF SITES, ACREAGE MAINTAINED, STAFFING LEVELS, AND SUPERVISORY STRUCTURE.

PROVIDE DETAILED SERVICE SPECIFICATIONS FOR SEASONAL CLEANUPS, WEED CONTROL, BED EDGING, AND

BED MAINTENANCE. DESCRIBE YOUR QUALITY ASSURANCE PROCESS AND HOW PERFORMANCE IS

MONITORED AND DOCUMENTED.

LIST THE STAFFING LEVELS AND EQUIPMENT DEDICATED TO THIS CONTRACT AND INCLUDE CONTINGENCY

PLANS FOR STAFFING SHORTAGES AND EQUIPMENT BREAKDOWNS.

DESCRIBE YOU EMPLOYEES SCREENING PROCESS, SAFETY TRAINING PROGRAM, AND COMPLIANCE WITH STATE AND OSHA REQUIREMENTS. INCLUDE PROCEDURES FOR WORKING ON OCCUPIED SCHOOL CAMPUSES.