Bid Notice.pdf

CITY OF TULARE

General Services Department

RFQ-27-010

Request for Qualifications

City of Tulare Abatement Services – Reissued RFQ

Tulare, California

Released/Issued: October 9, 2026

Closing/Proposals Due: September 23, 2026

(City Clerk must receive by 2:00 p.m.)

City of Tulare Code Enforcement

411 E. Kern Ave.

Tulare, California 93274

Hours:

Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

CITY OF TULARE

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

FOR CONTRACTOR/CONSULTANT

TO PROVIDE

ABATEMENT SERVICES

Release Date: October 9, 2026

Closing Date: October 23, 2026

RFQ Number: RFQ-27-010 City of Tulare Abatement Services – Reissued RFQ

CONTACT PERSON: James Ussery

Code Enforcement Officer

General Services Department

City of Tulare

411 E. Kern Ave., Tulare, CA 93274

(559) 366-1851

Proposals must be received on BidNet.com or by the City Clerk no later than 2:00 p.m. on October 23, 2026, at the address listed above.

I. INTRODUCTION

The City of Tulare (“City”) is soliciting proposals from qualified contractors to provide abatement services in cooperation with the City’s Code Enforcement, Fire, Community Maintenance, and other departments within the City, as needed.

Abatement services include, but are not limited to, mowing, weed abatement, site clean-up, trash and debris removal. The City is requesting proposals from qualified contractors to enter into a four (2) year service agreement, with an option to extend the agreement annually for two (2) years at the discretion of the City. The successful contractor(s) will be placed on a list of vendors to provide on-call abatement services at the request of the City when the City needs to perform an abatement of a nuisance property and/or emergency abatement.

The City will select the most qualified Contractor to perform the work. The City reserves the right to award the contract(s) for performance of the required services based on the cost, terms, and conditions. The City hereby reserves the right to reject all proposals and circulate another RFQ or to contract with multiple contractors.

II. QUALIFICATIONS

The following qualifications are the minimum qualification requirements for this RFQ.

Proposals that fail to meet these requirements will be rejected.

• Contractor shall have the ability to provide services within twenty-four (24) hours of a request from the City.

• Contractor shall be licensed in the state of California and have previous experience in performing similar work.

• Contractor shall have trained and qualified staff to perform the requested work in a professional manner.

• Contractor shall furnish all material, tools, equipment, transportation, incidentals and labor specified to complete the scope of work.

• Contractor must be able to provide proof of the minimum insurance requirements required by the City.

III. SCOPE OF WORK

The City’s objective in this RFQ is to have an approved list of contractors available to abate public nuisances and emergency abatements on behalf of the City. The properties upon which abatement shall be done consist of privately owned property, both undeveloped and developed, upon which combustible material, hazardous vegetation, trash, junk, debris, and/or abandoned vehicles may be present. The specific needs of the City will vary in complexity and scope, depending on the details of a particular job. For example, the City may have one project where solid waste needs to be removed from a property and another project where overgrown unmaintained weeds may need to be remedied. There will likely be several abatement projects per year, and such projects will be rotated among the successful contractors based on scope of work and qualifications of the contractor to perform the required work. A professional services agreement in substantially the same format as Attachment A attached hereto, shall be executed with the successful contractors. Any objections to the terms and conditions not made prior to or with submission of the proposal will be considered waived.

The scope of work will include the following:

A. Compliance with applicable laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations:

Contractor shall comply with all federal, state, local and other applicable laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations affecting or bearing on the performance of the services.

B. Services to be performed (Contractor does not need to be able to provide all services to submit a proposal. Contractor must indicate which services contractor/consultant is qualified to provide):

• Abatement of vacant lots with nuisance weeds and junk or debris.

▪ Discing of the lot. If disced, the lot shall be substantially turned under so not to promote the spread of fire.

▪ Mowing of the lot. All vegetation must be cut to a height of not more than three inches (3”) if mowing and/or spraying application is used.

▪ Trimming of trees, shrubs, and other landscaping, as necessary.

▪ The removal and disposal of all weeds or grasses along fence lines, parkways, sidewalks, streets, alleyways, curbs, and gutters is required. All mowed grasses shall be removed and disposed of so not to constitute a fire hazard.

▪ The removal of junk, trash, debris, appliances, household items, and/or building debris/demolition rubble (i.e. dirt, concrete, lumber, etc.) may be required to be removed and disposed of.

▪ Trimming of trees, shrubs, bushes, and other landscaping as necessary.

▪ Grading and/or scraping of lots, as necessary.

• Abatement of overgrown yards and landscaping

▪ Mowing of lawns, trimming of borders, trimming of hedges/bushes, pruning of trees, cutting of weeds, and removal of all clippings, trimmings, and or refuse associated with yard maintenance.

Trimming must match or be below the adjacent grass or structure.

• Securing vacant, fire damaged, or damaged structures.

▪ Boarding up of windows, doors, and other openings in structures to secure against entry in accordance with standards as provided by the Code Enforcement Division.

▪ Fencing of lots so not to become an attractive nuisance.

▪ As unsecured structures pose an immediate threat to the health and safety of the public, all securing work orders shall be completed within forty-eight (48) hours of receipt unless the City approves other arrangements.

• Removal and proper disposal of solid waste

▪ Removal and hauling of junk, trash, debris, building construction debris, discarded metal, appliances, furniture, etc.

▪ Demolition of makeshift shelters and any other unlawfully constructed shelters.

• Arborist/Tree removal

▪ Tree health assessment.

▪ Tree trimming/pruning.

▪ Removal of fallen trees.

▪ Removal of dead/diseased trees.

▪ Stump removal/grinding.

• Demolition of structures and removal of all demolition debris.

▪ Demolition and disposal of all debris including but not limited to foundations. slab material, walkways, walls, subflooring, roofing, etc.

▪ Removal of trees, shrubs, and other landscaping.

▪ Entire earth surface of the parcel shall be graded smooth and free of dry/dead vegetation. Land must be left in a condition that prevents erosion and runoff of water and soil onto adjacent properties, the public right-of-way, and roadway.

▪ All underground utilities shall be capped at the property line.

• Grading/scraping

▪ Entire earth surface of the parcel shall be graded smooth and free of dry/dead vegetation. Land must be left in a condition that prevents erosion and runoff of water and soil onto adjacent properties, the public right-of-way, and roadway.

• Pressure washing

▪ Biohazard removal, collection, and disposal.

• Removal, transportation, and disposal of hazardous waste materials.

• Testing and/or removal, transportation, and disposal of materials containing lead, asbestos and mold.

C. Obtaining necessary permits: Contractor is responsible for obtaining all necessary permits and licenses to complete the scope of work. These permits may include, but are not limited to, building permits, demo permits, road closure permits, air pollution control permits/approvals, and/or tree removal permits.

D. Documentation of work: Prior to beginning any work order, Contractor shall take digital color photographs of the work location. Photographs shall be taken in the manner prescribed by the City. The photographs shall be date and time stamped. The photographs shall include the property condition before the abatement. Contractor shall take digital color photographs of the work location after all work is completed in the manner prescribed by the City, including loaded vehicles showing the trash/junk debris was removed. The photographs shall be dated, and time stamped. Failure to submit proper “before” and “after” photographs will result in termination of the Agreement.

E. Licensing: The contractor(s) selected shall be appropriately licensed under California Contractor License Law and will maintain such license throughout the duration of services with the City. The contractor(s) SHALL obtain/maintain a City of Tulare business license. Failure to obtain/maintain the required license(s) will result in termination of the Agreement.

F. Equipment and/or materials: Contractor shall furnish, at its own expense, all equipment and materials needed for abatement services including but not limited to:

• Mowers, weed trimmers, brush hogs, saw blades, chain saws, and loaders.

• Caution tape, orange fencing, framing materials, and other materials necessary to secure the site to ensure the health and safety of the public.

• Any other equipment and/or materials required to address each specific circumstance in a work order.

G. Execution of work:

• Work orders: Contractor shall provide an itemized work order and invoice in a timely manner upon completion of work. No work shall commence without having first obtained a work order from the City unless there is an emergency situation.

• A Notice to Abate a Nuisance provided by the City is the primary authority for a nuisance abatement. Contractor shall not perform any abatement work until a Notice to Abate Nuisance has been received. In case of an emergency situation, the Notice to Abate a Nuisance shall include a case number, site address, and services requested.

▪ In a regular abatement situation, Contractor will receive written or verbal notification from the City requesting an estimate to perform specified work at a specific location. The estimate must be performed within twenty-four (24) hours of the date of notification.

▪ In emergency situations, contractor(s)/consultant(s) may receive verbal notification by the City, followed by a text message or email, as the City’s authorization to proceed immediately. The City shall issue a work order as soon as possible for proper invoicing.

IV. PROPOSAL FORMAT

All requirements in the section are mandatory. The City reserves the right to waive any non-material variation. To ensure the fair and accurate consideration of all submissions, proposals, must contain the following information.

A. Cover Letter: Describe your business and summarize your qualifications and experience with the services listed in the Scope of Work. Indicate which services you are qualified for and licensed to perform. The cover letter shall not exceed two (2) pages in length and must designate a primary point of contact authorized to answer questions about the proposal. Please provide this individual’s name, title, contact information, and qualifications for acting in this capacity.

B. Authorized Signature: The cover letter attached to the submittal shall be signed by an authorized employee to receive consideration by including a Signature Affidavit (Attachment B).

C. Company Experience: Describe the experience your company has delivering the described scope of work and standard lead time your company requires prior to starting a new project.

D. References: Provide three (3) client references with contact information, illustrating similar and relevant experiences with services provided to organizations, communities, or agencies, indicating the description of services rendered. References should be able to validate experience;

demonstrating successful experience with public agencies is highly desired.

Proposers may use the reference data sheet (Attachment C) or present the information in their own format.

E. Staff Experience: Provide resumes of the key staff that would be assigned to this job.

F. Rates: Provide an itemized schedule of charges for labor and expenses that you propose to charge the City for services, including basic fee structure and break-down of any other charges and hourly compensation rates related to the proposal. Be specific, if there are different rates for different services and whether the rates are for personnel, equipment, or expenditures. If the rate is for a piece of equipment (i.e. loader, skid steer, stump grinder, etc.) the rate for that equipment should reflect the rate for the operator in it.

G. Insurance Requirements: The Contractor will provide evidence of coverage specified by the City, set forth in the Professional Services Agreement attached hereto as Attachment A.

Sealed envelope: All responses shall be submitted in a sealed envelope which is clearly marked with “RFQ-27-010 City of Tulare Abatement Services-Reissued RFQ” prior to the closing date and time.

Late submittals will not be accepted. Cost of preparation of the submittal shall be borne by the proposer. All proposals, whether the submitting Contractor is selected to perform the services or not, shall be property of the City.

V. SELECTION CRITERIA AND PROCESS

The City will award contracts to the Contractor whose overall submittal is in the best interest of the City, wherein the experience of each proposer is evaluated as it relates to the Scope of Work. Submittals that do not meet the requirements or deadline will not be considered. The City reserves the right to request additional information or materials from bidding parties, if necessary, to determine the winning proposal. The City of Tulare General Services Department, along with Fire and Building Department staff will review the submittals and select a vendor(s) to perform the work based on the following selection criteria:

A. Demonstrated knowledge of and ability to comply with all laws, rules, and regulations.

B. Clearly specify in the proposal the type of work(s) to be performed, i.e. junk removal, discing, demolition, etc.

C. General Company and individual experience.

D. Capacity to perform the scope of work.

E. Cost to perform the scope of work.

F. Possession of licenses and insurance certificates to perform the work.

G. Ability to complete the task in a timely manner.

H. Ability to work cooperatively with City staff and/or Contractors/Consultants.

I. Capacity and ability to respond to time-sensitive needs associated with summary/emergency abatements to mitigate existing threats to public health and safety.

The City may require proposers to participate in additional rounds of discussions, negotiations, or more refined submittals before the ultimate selection of a contractor/consultant is made. These rounds could encompass revisions of the submittal criteria response to the nature of the initial qualifications.

The City will conduct a pre-submission meeting to answer any questions proposers may have prior to submitting proposals to provide services.

TIMELINE DATES

RELEASE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL October 9, 2026

PRE-SUBMISSION MEETING Call for an appointment (559)366-1851

DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS TO BE

RECEIVED

October 23, 2026

RFQ EVALUATION PROCESS

CONTRACT FINALIZATION

NEW CONTRACT START DATE

THE FOLLOWING DATES ARE

TENTATIVE AND MAY BE SUBJECT TO

CHANGE:

October 26 – November 9, 2026

TBD

TBD

City staff will notify each respondent of the final selection(s) of the review team. Proposals received from non-selected proposals will be retained on file by the City for two (2) years in the event the selected firm or individual is unable to fulfill the services.

VI. RESERVATION OF RIGHTS

The City reserves the right to do any of the following:

1. Cancel the RFQ process at any time.

2. Amend or modify the Scope of Work prior to the submission of proposals as necessity may dictate.

3. Cancel the RFQ after opening but prior to the award, if the City determines that cancellation is in the best interest of the City for the reasons, but not limited to:

a. The service(s) are no longer required.

b. Services in the proposal received are at an unreasonable cost.

c. Proposals did not independently arrive in open competition, were collusive, or were not submitted in good faith.

d. The City determines, after analysis of the statements, that needs can be satisfied through an alternative method.

4. To negotiate contract terms and conditions with any qualified proposer.

5. Reject any response, which is in any way not in compliance with the RFQ.

6. Decline award of the contract.

VII. CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The successful proposer shall enter into a contract with substantially the same terms and conditions as the Professional Services Agreement attached hereto as Attachment A and comply with the terms and conditions required by the City. The professional services agreement between the vendor and the City is subject to approval by the City Attorney, Risk Manager, and City Council. Proposers shall identify in writing, any requested exceptions to the specified terms. Objections to the terms and conditions not made prior to submission of the response are deemed waived.

VIII. PUBLIC RECORDS AND TRADE SECRETS

All proposals and materials submitted become the property of the City and are subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act (Government Code §7920.000 et seq.). However, if prior to the award of a contract further negotiations are contemplated, the City must discern whether public disclosure should await the completion of the negotiations. In these circumstances the City must establish that the public interest in nondisclosure clearly outweighs the public’s interest in disclosure (Government Code §§ 7929.000 & 7922.540(a); Michaelis, Montanari and Johnson v. Superior Court (Los Angeles) (2006) 38 Cal.4th 1065).

This RFQ and all responses are considered public information with the exception noted above and for trade secrets specifically identified, which will be handled according to state statutes or other laws. Any information that contains trade secrets shall be communicated to City by the proposer. Any page of the proposal that is deemed to be a trade secret by the respondent shall be clearly marked “PROPRIETARY INFORMATION” at the top of the page in at least one-half inch (1/2”) size letters.

In the event that the City receives a request for disclosure of any such specifically identified information, prior to release of any such specifically identified information, the City will contact the proposer and will not release the specifically identified information if the proposer agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the City in any action brought to disclose such information. The proposer, by submitting such information, agrees that the failure of City to contact the proposer prior to the release of such information will not be a basis for liability by the City or any City employee to proposer.

IX. CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Proposer warrants and covenants that no official or employee of the City, nor any business entity in which an official of the City has an interest, has been employed or retained to solicit or assist in the procuring of the resulting contract, nor that any such person will be employed in the performance of such contract without immediate divulgence of such fact to the City.

X. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

The successful proposer shall meet the insurance requirements set forth in the Professional Services Agreement attached hereto as Attachment A.

XI. INDEMNIFICATION

Contractor shall hold harmless, defend and indemnify City and its officers, officials, employees and volunteers from and against any and all liability, loss, damage, expense, costs (including without limitation costs and fees of litigation) of every nature arising out of or in connection with Contractor’s performance of work hereunder or its failure to comply with any of its obligations contained in the agreement, except such loss or damage which was caused by the sole negligence or willful misconduct of the City.

XII. ASSIGNMENT

Any contract resulting from a response to this RFQ and any amendments or supplements thereto shall not be assignable by the successful candidate firm(s) or individual(s) either voluntarily or by operation of law, without the written approval of the City, and shall not become an asset in any bankruptcy, receivership, or guardianship proceedings.

XIII. INQUIRY

Direct all inquiries regarding RFQ-27-010 City of Tulare Abatement Services-

Reissued RFQ to:

James Ussery Code Enforcement Officer General Services Department City of Tulare 411 E. Kern Ave, Tulare, CA 93274

(559) 366-1851

Attachments:

Attachment A – Example of City of Tulare Professional Services Agreement Attachment B – RFQ Signature Affidavit Attachment C – Reference Data Sheet