Bid Notice.pdf

BID NO. 26-27-02

LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE OF QUADRANT D

CITY OF VISALIA, CALIFORNIA

REQUEST FOR BIDS (RFB) 26-27-02

(Annual Contract)

Bid Submittal Deadline: Thursday, August 6, 2026, at 3:00pm

Bids received after the time and date stated above shall be returned unopened to the bidder.

A non-mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting has been scheduled for this project The Meeting will be held in the City Council Chambers at Visalia City Hall, 707 W. Acequia Avenue, Visalia beginning at 9:00am on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. Time will be set aside for interested bidders to ask questions about the scope of work and contract requirements.

The City of Visalia expressly reserves the right to modify, or withdraw from, the process initiated and described herein. No rights shall be vested in any party, individual or entity by virtue of its preparation to participate in, or its participation in, such process. The City expressly reserves the right to modify, for any reason, the schedule and any provision contained herein.

The City reserves to itself the selection of winning respondent(s), if any, in the exercise of its sole discretion. No binding commitment shall arise on the part of the City to any respondent under this Request for Bid until and unless the parties sign documents of agreement that become effective in accordance with their terms. Responses to this RFB, however, shall be held firm by Bidder for at least ninety (90) days.

Contract resulting from this bid process is considered a Public Works Maintenance Contract, subject to registration with the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), Payment of State Prevailing Wages, Monitoring by the Labor Commissioner and other requirements listed in the City’s Labor Compliance Manual (attached). All Bidders and Subcontractors (if any) must be registered with the DIR to be eligible to bid on, be listed as a subcontractor, or perform work under this contract.

Direct inquiries regarding clarification of this bid document to the Purchasing Division (559) 713-4334. To prevent misinterpretation, especially questions regarding contract requirements or regarding the scope of services, the Purchasing Division prefers that all questions be submitted in writing via email to purchasing@visalia.gov.

All questions must be received by 4:00pm on Friday, July 31, 2026.

Ads 7/22/26 & 7/28/26 mailto:purchasing@visalia.gov

TITLE TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGES

I. Definitions II. Introduction III. Instructions to Bidders IV. Contract Acceptance After Award V. Scope of Work/Services

A. Standard Requirements B. Landscape Maintenance C. Important Notice D. Department of Industrial Relations Requirements E. City of Visalia Labor Compliance Manual

VI. General Conditions A. Contracting Agency B. Term of Contract C. Pricing D. Approximate Estimate E. Examination of Specifications and Site(s) of Work F. Discrepancies and Misunderstandings G. Bid Forms H. Withdrawal of Bids I. Disqualification of Bidders J. Opening of Bids K. Incurring Costs

VII. Protests and Appeals VIII. Award and Execution of Contract

A. Evaluation and Award of Contract B. Basis of Bid Award C. References D. Cooperative Agreements E. Contract Bonds F. Failure to Execute Contract

IX. Control of Work A. City-Contractor Relations B. Care of Existing Structures C. Existing Utilities D. Labor E. Use of City Personnel and Equipment F. Materials

X. Measurement and Payment A. Billing and Payments B. Measurement and Payment C. City’s Right to Withhold Certain Amounts D. Extra Work

XI. Legal Responsibilities & Special Provisions A. Assignment B. Termination of Contract C. Rights and Remedies of City for Default D. Permits and Licenses E. Equal Employment Opportunity F. Ethics in Public Contracting G. Disclosure of Independence and Relationship H. Prevailing Wages and Labor Laws I. Insurance and Indemnification J. Public Convenience and Safety K. Safety Orders

L. Hazardous Waste M. Dust Abatement N. Noise Levels O. Personnel Protective Equipment P. Right to Require Performance Q. Compliance with Laws R. Venue S. Firearms T. Executive Order N-6-22 – Russia Sanctions

Exhibits (Exhibits A through B-9 are to be completed and submitted with Bid)

Exhibit A Bid Form ............................................................................................... 40-43 Exhibit B-1 E.E.O. Compliance Certification (To accompany bid form)

Exhibit B-2 Certificate of Non-Segregated Facilities Exhibit B-3 Bid Guarantee Exhibit B-4 Non-Collusion Affidavit Exhibit B-5 Certificate concerning Workers Compensation Insurance Exhibit B-6 Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance Certificate Exhibit B-7 Ownership Disclosure Form Exhibit B-8 Drug-Free Workplace Certification Exhibit B-9 Iran Contracting Act Certification

Exhibit C Sample Contract (for information only, do not submit with bid) Attachment 1, General Contract Provisions Attachment 2, Standard Insurance Requirements

Exhibit D-1 Locations Listing and Square Footages Exhibit D-2 Locations Map (3 pages) plus additional map (1) of Willow Springs Exhibit D-3 Water Conservation Ordinance

Exhibit D-4 City of Visalia Labor Compliance Manual Exhibit D-5 Applicable State Prevailing Wages Exhibit D-6 Monthly Irrigation Report Template Exhibit D-7 Water Schedule Worksheet

I. DEFINITIONS

For the purposes of RFB NO. 26-27-02, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

1. “City” means the City of Visalia

2. “City Council” means the Council of the City of Visalia

3. "Bidder", "Vendor", "Supplier", “Consultant”, “Contractor” and “Subrecipient” are used interchangeably throughout this invitation to mean the person, firm, or corporation or other entity submitting a Bid in response to the Request for Bid.

4. “Bid” and “Proposal” are used interchangeably to mean an individual’s or entity’s offer in response to this Request for Bid.

5. “RFB” means Request for Bid No. 26-27-02.

II. INTRODUCTION

The City of Visalia is requesting bids for landscape maintenance of an area identified as Quadrant D.

Maintenance of areas must include if applicable, but not be limited to, pruning, shaping and training of trees, shrubs and ground covers; fertilization; weed control; litter control; control of all plant diseases and pests; mowing;

maintenance of irrigation system; and all other duties required to keep the area(s) in safe, attractive, usable condition and maintain plant and turf condition with horticulturally acceptable growth and color and as otherwise described herein. Landscape Maintenance for the City of Visalia must be "priority work" for the successful contractor. Contractor must have sufficient equipment and employees to complete the work in accordance with the specifications and requirements of this Invitation to Bid.

This contract is for the maintenance of approximately 864,209 sq. ft. (19.84 acres), This area consists of 350,056 sq. ft. of turf and 514,153 sq. ft. of planter areas.

Refer to Attachment D-1 and D-2 of this RFB for square footage and location details.

The initial contract term shall be for a twelve (12) month period and shall, at the City’s option and with the consent of the CONTRACTOR, be extended annually thereafter for four (4) consecutive one-year periods. Award will be made to the lowest bidder whose proposal is deemed both responsive and responsible and meets the requirements and criteria set forth in this RFB.

A non-mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting has been scheduled for this project. Interested bidders are encouraged to attend as time will be set aside for Contractors to ask questions about the contract specifications and requirements. It shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to have acquired full knowledge of the job sites, scope of work and any problems or difficulties that may affect the work proposed. The Meeting will be held in the City Council Chambers at Visalia City Hall, 707 W. Acequia Avenue, Visalia beginning at 9:00am on Wednesday, July 29, 2026.

This Request for Bids is being issued by the City of Visalia Purchasing Division. Unless otherwise directed, all communications regarding this regarding this RFB should be directed to the Purchasing Division at (559) 713- 4334. To prevent misinterpretations, the Purchasing Division prefers that all questions be sent by e-mail to purchasing@visalia.gov.

Any revisions to the Invitation to Bid will be issued and distributed as addenda. Bidders are specifically directed not to contact any other City personnel for meetings, conferences, or technical discussions related to this Invitation to Bid. Failure to adhere to this policy may be grounds for rejection of Bids.

Local Vendor Preference: In an effort to encourage local businesses to provide goods and services to the City, Council has enacted a local preference. The local preference will apply to any business that has a business address within Tulare County for a minimum of six months. A Post Office Box will not be accepted as a business address. The City reserves the right to request proof of Tulare County address.

The local preference for bids consists of a match preference in which a local vendor whose bid is within 5% of the apparent low bidder will be given three (3) business days, from date notified, to match or beat the low bid. If there is more than one local vendor that is within the 5% range, the offer goes to the local vendor that is closest to the low bid.

Public Works Maintenance contract: Notice is hereby given that this is a Public Works Maintenance Contract.

In compliance with SB854 and Labor Code Section 1725.5, all contractors and subcontractors bidding and performing work on Public Works Projects must:

• Be currently registered with the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR),

• Furnish electronic payroll records for new projects to the Labor Commissioner.

Prevailing Wages: Awarded Contractor must comply with State Regulations that apply to this contract, including payment of prevailing wages. Pursuant to Sections 1770, et. seq., of the California Labor Code, the selected firm will be required to pay not less than the prevailing wage of per diem wages as determined by the Director of the California Department of Industrial Relations. The prevailing wages associated with this work are attached to this

RFB.

The City of Visalia affirmatively ensures that Minority Business Enterprises and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) will be afforded full opportunity to submit proposals in response to this notice. Individuals and/or entities submitting bids/proposals to the City of Visalia will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, religion, creed, age, color, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or military and veteran status in any consideration leading to the award of contract.

Executive Order N-6-22 – Russia Sanctions On March 4, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-6-22 (the EO) regarding Economic Sanctions against Russia and Russian entities and individuals. “Economic Sanctions” refers to sanctions imposed by the U.S. government in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine, as well as any sanctions imposed under state law. By submitting a bid or proposal, Contractor represents that it is not a target of Economic Sanctions. Should the State determine Contractor is a target of Economic Sanctions or is conducting prohibited transactions with sanctioned individuals or entities, that shall be grounds for rejection of the Contractor’s bid/proposal any time prior to contract execution, or, if determined after contract execution, shall be grounds for termination by the State.

The City of Visalia reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

III. INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS

1. Fill out attached Bid Form (Exhibit “A”) in ink or typewriting completely.

2. Cross out and initial mistakes in ink and place the correct response next to same.

3. Timely submit Bid in a sealed envelope addressed and marked as follows:

To: City of Visalia Purchasing Division

707 W. Acequia Avenue Visalia, California 93291

From: Bidders Name & Mailing Address

Marked: Landscape Maintenance Quadrant D

RFB NO. 26-27-02

4. Submit a security deposit of no less than 10% of the Bid amount to the City with the sealed Bid to guarantee the Bid. City will not consider Bids which are not accompanied by the required security. Security may be made by certified check, cashier’s check, or Bidder’s bond. Forfeiture of Bid security shall be governed by California Contract Code Section 20172-20174.

5. Submit each of the required Certifications, Affidavits, Assurances, Statements and

Questionnaires as well as optional waiver(s) to the City with the sealed Bid. The city will not consider Bids which are not accompanied by the required completed forms.

Bids/RFP’s must be received prior to the date and time stated. Bids received after the Bid Deadline will be rejected. Bids may be shipped via Fed Ex or UPS or may be hand-delivered during normal business hours.

Delivery of Bid: When sending a bid via Fed Ex, UPS, etc., it is the responsibility of the Bidder to ensure that Bid is received during open office hours. Office Hours are 7:30am – 5:00pm Monday through Thursday. We are closed on Fridays and major holidays. Bids are not delivered or received when office is closed.

The City utilizes an outside service for delivery and sorting incoming mail, and therefore, mailing a bid via U.S. Mail is not recommended as there could be a delay in receiving bids by the deadline. Bids must be received prior to the deadline. The City will not accept a postmark as evidence of delivery.

Night Drop Box: If delivering a bid after hours, a Night Drop Box is located at Visalia City Hall, 707 W. Acequia Avenue, Visalia, CA 93291. Enter the west parking lot of the building off of Stevenson Street. The Drop Box is labeled “Night Drop” and is located on the building across from the bicycle racks. The Night Drop Box should only be utilized if City Offices are Closed. The Night Drop Box is checked prior to the bid deadline.

6. Inquiries regarding this Request for Bids may be directed to the Visalia Purchasing Division, at

(559) 713-4334. However, to prevent misinterpretations, the Purchasing Department requests that all questions be submitted in writing via email purchasing@visalia.gov.

Questions regarding this RFB are due no later than 4:00pm on Friday, July 31, 2026.

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Contract Acceptance: After award of the contract, the Contractor will inspect and review current landscape and irrigation conditions of the project areas. The Contractor must provide a statement summarizing the status of the current landscape conditions and irrigation system along with a cost estimate to make the necessary corrections and present them to the Project Manager for review. The Project Manager will schedule a meeting with the Contractor to review the current landscape and irrigation conditions of the project work areas and agree to a resolution and approval of the project areas. The Project Manager will provide a statement summarizing the resolution of the current landscape conditions and irrigation system and must be executed by the Contractor as stated below.

Acceptance of contract will be done in phases:

Phase 1: 10 acres or less the contractor will have (30) thirty days to inspect all areas and provide summery of conditions to the Project Manager for a resolution. Once the resolution is agreed upon the contract will accept the conditions and complete the resolutions within (4) four months of contract providing all material receipts and labor costs as agreed.

Phase 2: 10 to 20 acres the contractor will have (60) sixty days to inspect all areas and provide summery of conditions to the Project Manager for a resolution. Once the resolution is agreed upon the contract will accept the conditions and complete the resolutions within (5) five months of contract providing all material receipts and labor costs as agreed.

Phase 3: 30 or more acres the contractor will have (90) ninety days to inspect all areas and provide summery of conditions to the Project Manager for a resolution. Once the resolution is agreed upon the contract will accept the conditions and complete the resolutions within (6) six months of contract providing all material receipts and labor costs as agreed.

At least sixty (60) days prior to the renewal of the contract a revised statement summarizing the landscape conditions and irrigation system of the project work area must be prepared by the City’s project manager and executed by the Contractor.

The City will conduct regular inspections of the landscaping work by the Contractor and issue observed “Out of Compliance” reports to the Contractor. The Contractor will be required to review and remedy the observed “Out of Compliance” issues of those observed areas of the inspection reports by the City. This does not relinquish the contractor of any responsibility to inspect and ensure that all areas maintained by the contractor are compliant as outlined in the contract.

Sixty (60) Days prior to annual contract renewal or termination of contract, all landscape repairs and replanting requested by the City’s Project Manager must be complete. Any work left in an unacceptable condition will be cause for delay of final payment to Contractor until such time as the City has repairs and replanting completed.

Final payment will be reduced by the cost of these repairs and replanting.

mailto:puchasing@visalia.city

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A. STANDARD REQUIREMENTS AND LEVEL OF SERVICE

Maintenance of areas must include if applicable, but not be limited to, pruning, shaping and training of trees, shrubs and ground covers; fertilization; weed control; litter control; control of all plant diseases and pests; mowing; maintenance of irrigation system; and all other duties required to keep the area(s) in safe, attractive, usable condition and maintain plant and turf condition with horticulturally acceptable growth and color and as otherwise described herein. Landscape Maintenance for the City of Visalia must be "priority work" for the successful contractor. Contractor must have sufficient equipment and employees to complete the work in accordance with the specifications and requirements of this Invitation to Bid.

LEVELS OF SERVICE

The City of Visalia prefers the highest level of service for all areas of the Quadrant, however the City reserves the right to determine which level of service (frequency of service) will be assigned to each area in every Quadrant. Available funding in each Quadrant will determine the level of service assigned to each particular area of the Quadrant. The City of Visalia may find it necessary to assign a service level of less frequency (Level B or Level C Service) to specific areas of a Quadrant. Thus, the Bidder shall provide pricing for all Levels of Service where indicated on bid form.

Service Level

Frequency of Service Number of Services Annually

A Once per week intervals 52

B

• Two-week interval for four months (November - February)

• One-week interval for eight months (March - October)

C

Two-week intervals

1. Standards. Contractor must perform services in a manner commensurate with the highest quality professional standards of the landscape maintenance profession, using qualified and experienced personnel and high-quality equipment and materials.

The specifications and standards must be met by Contractor at all times regardless of

Contractor’s employees’ absence or established staffing pattern and levels.

2. Working Day. The contractor's activities must be confined to the hours between 6:00 a.m. PST and 6:00 p.m. PST, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Deviation from these hours will not be permitted without the prior written consent of the City, except in emergencies involving immediate hazard to persons or property.

• No normal and routine maintenance operations that cause excessive noise shall be performed before 7:00 a.m.

• All or some locations may require blowing of parking lots and other hardscape areas prior to normal business hours of 8 a.m. PST to avoid materials being blown onto private vehicles and customers, i.e., Civic Center, and other customer-based facilities.

Contractor shall comply with the City of Visalia’s Municipal Code, Title 8 Health and Safety, Chapter

8.36 Noise. The City of Visalia Municipal Code can be found at www.visalia.city.

3. Work Schedule Submission

Within thirty (30) calendar days following the effective start date of the Contract, the Contractor shall submit to the City a written work schedule identifying the anticipated days, hours, locations, and general types of maintenance activities to be performed under this Agreement. The schedule shall demonstrate the Contractor’s ability to meet all Contract specifications, performance standards, applicable working hour restrictions, noise requirements, and operational requirements established by the City.

The Contractor shall update and resubmit the work schedule whenever there are material changes to the planned work activities, staffing, equipment, or operational approach. Submission and acceptance of the work schedule by the City shall not relieve the Contractor of its obligation to perform all services in accordance with the Contract Documents, specifications, applicable laws, and City requirements. The City reserves the right to request modifications to the work schedule as necessary to ensure compliance with Contract requirements, minimize disruptions to the public, and protect public health, safety, and welfare.

4. Company Identification.

• All employees must wear uniforms or other identifying clothing, to make clear to all observers that they are employed by the contractor.

• All vehicles (trucks, etc.) used in the course of fulfilling this contract shall have appropriate company identification, visible to all observers, to identify vehicles as being owned by the contractor.

5. Professional Conduct. Contractor and contractor’s employees must conduct themselves professionally at all times in public and when dealing with City staff and/or Visalia citizens. This will include but not be limited to refraining from using profane or vulgar language in public areas while performing work under this agreement. Contractor and contractor’s employees will also afford residents and citizens the utmost courtesy and respect at all times.

6. Property Owner Concerns. Contractor must make every attempt to satisfactorily address concerns and issues presented by residents of the district. As soon as the contractor is aware of a resident concern either directly or indirectly, the contractor shall immediately inform the Project Manager of the concern (including the resident’s name and phone number if possible), and what action was taken or will be taken by the contractor to address the concern.

Failure of the Contractor to abide by these terms and meet addressed concerns of the Quadrant’s residents will result in a $100 liquidated damages assessment or contract termination. The amount of damages for these types of issues is difficult to estimate, therefore a $100 liquidated damages assessment (per incident) shall represent costs incurred by the City in responding to complaints concerning the Contractor.

7. Mowing All Turf areas covered by this contract shall be mowed at the intervals established by the

Level of Service assigned to the area (Level A, Level B or Level C Service).

8. Watering. Irrigation systems must be maintained, repaired, and adjusted to prevent wetting of adjacent streets and water waste during the irrigation cycle.

Contractor shall follow the City’s and State’s water regulations. There will be a liquidated damage assessment of $100 per incident or termination of contract if multiple or gross violations occur in recognition of the importance of water conservation. The amount of damage for these types of issues is difficult to estimate and therefore, $100 shall represent costs incurred by the City in responding to complaints concerning the Contractor.

9. Signage. All regulatory park, street, and traffic signs, trail head signs, city information signs, botanical garden signs, donation monuments or stones, individual plant placards, etc., must be kept clean and clear of plant materials, dirt and dust, graffiti, and animal and bird excrements.

10. Chemicals. The City reserves the right to reject any chemicals Contractor and/or their subcontractors propose to use, prior to or during actual use. Safety Data Sheets (S.D.S.) shall be provided to City prior to award of contract and in case of changes after award of contract at least thirty (30) days prior to usage by Contractor for any chemicals while performing this contract.

Materials shall be non-staining, non-corrosive, and shall not leave a flammable residue. Contractor shall not use pesticides in Category 1 (no chemicals with LD50 levels lower than 500 mg/km).

These would include, but not be limited to, several organophosphate and carbamate possessing high mammalian toxicity due to their intense anticholinesterase activity.

Pesticides in Category II may be used with the authorization of the Project Manager.

Contractor shall, as part of the required monthly report to the City, prepare a Chemical Use and Proposed Work Report to indicate in writing the amount, type, and location of all chemicals used. If no chemicals are used, then the report must still be submitted indicating to the City that no chemicals were used.

11. Fertilizer. Short release fertilizer: Only commercial fertilizer containing ten percent (10%) or more nitrogen (N), available phosphoric acid (P205) or eight percent (8%) soluble potash (K2O), singly or collectively may be used. Generally, 16-6-8 would be nitrogen coming from an ammonic or nitrogen source. A slow-release fertilizer shall have at least half of the nitrogen coming from a coated slow-release nitrogen source.

Fertilizer will be put down according to the following schedule (dates are approximate due to weather fluctuations). Contractor to advise the Urban Forestry Supervisor or designated representative of planned fertilizer applications at least ten (10) days before they take place.

• March-April - Slow-release fertilizer shall be applied in early spring.

• June - Quick release shall be applied in early summer.

• Early September - Quick release shall be applied a second time in summer.

• Mid-October - Slow-release fertilizer shall be applied in early fall.

12. Clean-up. All areas covered by the contract must be kept free of debris and potential safety hazards generated by but not limited to, leaves, grass clippings, pruning, weeding, trimming, and other operations of the contractor, as well as bottles, cans, trash and paper and other yard waste.

All trash and debris are to be removed and disposed of at intervals established by the Level of Service assigned to the area and at the contractor’s expense.

13. Emergency Response. Emergency Response. Contractors shall maintain the capability to respond to emergency situations on a twenty-four (24) hour, seven (7) day per week basis. An emergency is generally defined as any condition that, in the sole judgment of City staff, presents an immediate danger or hazard to persons or property, requires immediate action to prevent significant damage, or constitutes a significant violation of applicable water conservation requirements.

Emergency work shall require a response time of no more than two (2) hours from notification, unless the City specifies a shorter or longer response time based on the nature and severity of the emergency. If the emergency condition is identified and the Contractor is notified during normal working hours, the Contractor shall respond within two (2) hours. For emergencies occurring outside normal working hours, the Contractor shall provide the same level of emergency response through its on-call personnel.

The Contractor and any approved subcontractors shall maintain sufficient qualified personnel, equipment, materials, communication capabilities, and call-out procedures to ensure that staffing is available at all times to perform unplanned emergency repairs or maintenance.

The Contractor shall designate and maintain a twenty-four (24) hour on-call representative who is authorized to receive emergency notifications and coordinate response activities. The Contractor shall provide the City with current daytime and after-hours contact information, including cell phone numbers and any other emergency contact methods, and shall promptly notify the City of any changes to such information.

The Contractor shall also maintain an acceptable method for receiving non-emergency communications during normal business hours, including, but not limited to, telephone, voicemail, and email.

The Urban Forestry Supervisor and the Contractor shall work cooperatively to establish and periodically update procedures for reporting, responding to, and documenting landscape maintenance emergencies.

14. Reporting and Inspections

Status Reports

a. A written report is to be prepared by the Contractor and given to the Project Manager monthly. The report shall include a description of unusual circumstances, locations of any homeless encampments that are found in areas being maintained by the Contractor, lighting that is inoperable, major irrigation breaks, safety hazards, etc. For emergencies and safety hazards, the Project Manager is to be called immediately. Failure to provide a report may result in a a $100 penalty per incident or termination of contract if multiple incidents are noted. The reports are important especially if they are safety hazards. Amount of damages for these types of issues are difficult to estimate. Therefore, $100 per incident shall represent costs incurred by the City in responding to complaints concerning the Contractor.

b. The Contractor must schedule a meeting with the Project Manager no less than once per month to review the work site to ensure compliance with the contract specifications and standards. At this meeting, Contractor or Contractor’s supervisor shall sign the meeting attendance and inspection reports prepared by the City, provide all chemical use and proposed use reports, irrigation inspection and schedule changes, and usage and/or proposed fertilizer usage reports and discuss major accomplishments for the previous month, notable problems, schedule changes and goals and deadlines for the coming month. The Project Manager shall discuss areas out of compliance and options to bring areas back into compliance with contractor. Project Managers shall discuss any penalties to the contractor and/or intensions to withhold payment of invoices. Project Manager shall document these meetings. Failure to attend these meetings may be cause for a $100 penalty per incident or termination of contract if Contractor has failed to meet with City staff after multiple attempts to discuss gross breaches of duty.

c. The Project Manager shall report any maintenance deficiencies to Contractor.

Contractor must correct any deficiencies at Contractor’s cost within five (5) working days of written notification. Unusual horticultural problems such as pests, disease, and damages that are beyond the scope of Contractor’s responsibility shall be brought to the attention of Project Manager.

d. A Chemical Use and Proposed Work Report must be completed for each chemical application and proposed application. These reports shall be submitted each month during contractor’s monthly meeting with City’s Project Manager. Failure to submit reports may delay the City’s payment to Contractor and be cause for a liquidated damage assessment of $100 per incident. The amount of damage and costs to the City for these types of issues is difficult to estimate and therefore, $100 shall represent costs incurred by the City in responding to incidents where the City was unsure of what chemicals were applied by the Contractor. The Contractor is responsible for submitting chemical usage reports to the County Agricultural Department. Copies are to be sent to the Project Manager as part of the Contractor’s monthly report.

e. Monthly Irrigation Inspection reports (described below), irrigation schedule changes, and contractor signed landscape inspections from the City must be submitted with monthly invoice before payment will be made. Failure to submit all reports may delay the City’s payment to Contractor.

f. Monthly Joint Site Inspection

The Contractor's designated representative shall participate in a monthly site inspection with the City's Urban Forestry Supervisor and/or the Supervisor's designee, in addition to the monthly meeting required under Section (b). For liability and safety reasons, the inspection shall be conducted using separate vehicles, with the Contractor's representative traveling in the Contractor's vehicle and the City's representative traveling in a City vehicle. The purpose of the site inspection is to jointly evaluate the condition of the maintenance districts, identify maintenance deficiencies, verify compliance with the Contract specifications and performance standards, and discuss corrective actions for any deficiencies observed.

The Contractor shall coordinate the date and time of the site inspection with the City's Urban Forestry Supervisor or designee. During the inspection, the parties shall travel through the maintenance districts concurrently, stopping as necessary to identify areas requiring corrective action, discuss ongoing maintenance concerns, and review the overall condition of the districts. Deficiencies identified during the inspection shall be documented by the City and provided to the Contractor. Unless otherwise specified by the Project Manager, deficiencies within the Contractor's scope of work shall be corrected in accordance with the timeframes established in this Agreement, including the requirements of Section (c).

Attendance by both the Contractor's designated representative and the City's Urban Forestry Supervisor and/or designee is mandatory unless otherwise approved by the Project Manager.

Failure of the Contractor to participate in the monthly site inspection without prior approval may result in a liquidated damages assessment of $100 per incident or, after repeated failures to participate, may constitute grounds for termination of the Contract in accordance with this Agreement.

The City shall maintain written documentation of each site inspection, including identified deficiencies, corrective actions, and follow-up items. Such documentation may be used to evaluate the Contractor's performance and verify compliance with the Contract.

B. LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE – SPECIFICATIONS

1. Irrigation. Irrigation must be done with the use of automatic or manual sprinkler systems where available and operable, unless outlined in the initial acceptance inspections for repairs. These areas will be addressed with Contractor during initial inspection and noted for regular monthly inspections. Failure of an existing system to provide full and adequate coverage after Contractor signs Notice of Acceptance shall not relieve the contractor of the responsibility to provide proper coverage of all areas. Providing any supplementary hoses, sprinklers, nozzles, etc. necessary to accomplish proper coverage shall be the contractor's responsibility. Exclusions will be identified in description of areas and will be addressed with Contractor during initial inspection.

Original brand and size of heads and nozzles will be used in replacement of vandalized or faulty heads in turf and planter areas.

Contractor is responsible for all repairs to the irrigation system starting at the City side of the water meter, with the exception of the testing of the back flow and repair/replacement of the irrigation controller. Original, or equivalent, brand and size of heads and nozzles will be used in replacement of vandalized or faulty heads in turf and planter areas.

a. Maintenance. At all times, Contractor must maintain all sprinkler systems in such a way as to give proper coverage and full working capacity, making whatever adjustments or repairs necessary to maintain healthy turf, plant growth, prevent dry spots in turf, plants, and shrubs, and prevent excessive run-off into streets or other areas not intended to be irrigated. Care must be taken to prevent wasting water, causing soil erosion, or allowing seepage into existing underground improvements or structures.

The contractor shall keep controllers and valve boxes free of dirt and debris; repair, replace, clean, adjust, straighten, raise, or lower the following sprinkler system components:

• Sprinkler heads

• Sprinkler risers

• Quick coupler valve boxes

• Hose bib boxes

• Remote control valves

• Remote control valve boxes and covers

• Maintain and replace batteries in battery operated controllers on a continual basis

• All irrigation wiring should be maintained to City standards including proper splices using DBR/Y-6 splice kits

• Proper solenoid replacement should be completed with dry and tight connections

• Minor graffiti removal from irrigation controllers

• Controllers to be kept free of all plant materials, spiders and webs, and any other material that could cause the controller to be non-accessible or damaging to the controller

If contractor fails to keep sprinkler nozzles properly adjusted/aligned to prevent water waste, repair or replace malfunctioning, broken or missing sprinkler heads and/or sprinkler head risers and water waste results, the City of Visalia reserves the right to bill contractor for excess amount of water in addition to assessing a liquidated damage assessment of $100 per incident. Because It is difficult to estimate the potential losses in water and the costs for City response time to complaints from residents, $100 has been established as a reasonable assessment.

The Contractor shall prepare a written Irrigation Inspection Report (a report template has been included with this RFB, as a sample for Contractor). The report shall describe any irrigation schedule changes, malfunctions, and necessary repairs. The Irrigation Inspection Report must be submitted with monthly invoice before payment will be made.

b. Inspection. The contractor must inspect all irrigation systems for any malfunction on an interval established by Level of Service assigned for the area. This must be accomplished by utilizing a remote-control receiver to place the controller in test mode and visually inspecting sprinkler operation. This includes, but is not limited to breaks in irrigation lines, irrigation valves, heads, leaks and washouts, saturated areas or dry spots.

Contractor must notify Project Manager within twenty-four (24) hours of any malfunctions.

Failure to provide notice to the Project Manager may be cause for liquidated damage assessments of $100 per incident or termination of contract. Because It is difficult to estimate the potential losses in water and the costs for City response time to investigate complaints from residents, $100 has been established as a reasonable assessment.

Contractor is to track all irrigation locations where plants are missing and maintain irrigation heads until plants are replaced.

Excessive water run off or overflow onto hard surface areas must be kept to an absolute minimum so as not to cause waste of water, pedestrian and/or vehicular liabilities.

Problems reported to Project Manager or designated representative will be repaired within twenty-four (24) hours. Failure to complete repair or notify Project Manager of any delay to repairs may be cause for liquidated damage assessment of $100 per incident or termination of contract if multiple breaches occur.

Water leaks or stations must be turned off within two hours (2 hrs.) on the day reported to save water. Repairs must be made within twenty-four (24) hours or sooner if City classifies the necessary repairs as requiring an Emergency Response as stated in this Agreement.

Twenty-four (24) hour fixit notices will be sent to contractor via email. Failure to comply may result in liquidated damage assessments to the Contractor of $100 per incident, unless the Project Manager is contacted, and an agreed time frame modification is made between the contractor and the Project Manager in writing.

All irrigation controllers shall be adjusted seasonally and turned off during periods of rain.

Contractor shall turn on and program controllers at the completion of each rainy period.

Each time the schedule is changed, due to seasons or any other reason, a revised schedule shall be provided to the Urban Forestry Supervisor and/or his designee.

Contractor shall conduct periodic irrigation system tests throughout the year, including during the winter months, to verify that all irrigation systems are operating efficiently, distributing water properly, and applying water within the intended target areas. Winter inspections and testing shall be performed to identify and correct deficiencies, including but not limited to misaligned sprinkler heads, damaged components, leaks, overspray, inadequate coverage, and other conditions that may impact plant health or irrigation efficiency.

The Contractor’s proactive testing and maintenance of irrigation systems during the winter season is intended to ensure irrigation systems are properly functioning prior to increased watering demands during the spring and summer months, minimize water waste, and prevent avoidable plant loss due to irrigation deficiencies. Failure to perform required inspections, identify system deficiencies, or complete necessary corrective actions within the timeframes established in this Agreement may result in liquidated damage assessments, deductions, or other remedies available to the City under the Contract.

Approximately sixty (60) days prior to the conclusion of the contract, a comprehensive test of all irrigation systems shall be made by a Public Works Department representative. Any repairs deemed the contractor's responsibility must be made by the contractor prior to the end of the contract period.

If the repairs made are not to the Project Manager's satisfaction, deductions shall be made in the final contract payment to cover the cost of eliminating the discrepancies determined by the Project Manager.

c. Repairs. Irrigation systems which are damaged by vandalism or in any way as a result of work performed under this contract must be repaired or replaced in kind and in an approved manner by the contractor. Repairs must be made immediately after damage occurs, unless otherwise directed. Vandalism will be documented by the contractor with the use of digital photos or video tape and supplied to the Project Manager as proof of vandalism. The preferred method of transmission of photos would be digital photos transmitted via email. Failure to provide such documentation may be cause for no reimbursement of corrective expenses to Contractor.

The contractor shall keep an itemized list of material(s) used to repair vandalism damage and submit to Project Manager for reimbursement of materials only.

• Normal Repairs = Contractor is responsible for all normal repairs (i.e. Main line (including from water service meter to the back flow), valves, control wires, sprinklers, nozzles, lateral lines, etc.) The City is not responsible for any repairs needed past the irrigation controller. The backflow devices annual maintenance/testing will be the responsibility of the City of Visalia. All normal repairs are the sole responsibility of the contractor except for repairs needed due to vandalism. Repairs not made within twenty-four

(24) hours of notification or not completed to the satisfaction of the Project Manager may be assessed a liquidated damage assessment of $100 per incident.

• Major Repairs = City is responsible for funding major repairs, which include repairs to Irrigation Controllers, Booster Pumps, or Backflow Devices. All major repairs are the responsibility of the contractor to repair and make operable but must be authorized by Project Manager in writing prior to repairs being made. Hourly rate plus materials for major repairs to be authorized by Project Manager prior to any work being done. Contractor is responsible to report in writing any issues with these devises to the Project Manager for authorization to repair or replace.

Failure to complete repairs in the allotted time on a repeated basis will cause the Contractor to have the full costs of repairs deducted from monthly billing and may be grounds for termination of contract. Contractor will be responsible for any fines applicable under state law, public utility billing, or local ordinance, due to continuous running water.

d. Turf Watering All turf areas must be watered based on 85-95% of daily evapotranspiration rate and need to maintain a uniform, green, healthy growth pattern and promote deep root growth. (If City water restrictions are imposed to conserve water, they will supersede the previous statement). Water shall be applied in short repeat cycles of 3 - 5 minutes each to prevent water run-off into street. Care shall be taken to not over water or waterlog any soil. Contractor shall turn off irrigation system during the wet season and adjust the controller seasonally. Each time the schedule is changed due to seasons or any other reason, a revised schedule shall be provided to the Project Manager.

Water applications on turf and ground cover areas shall generally be applied between 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. where possible, to lower the risk of fungus in turf. Drip stations may be operated during daytime hours.

e. Water Schedule. Turf and landscape watering shall be scheduled in accordance with prevailing water conservation requirements, and unless otherwise specified shall be scheduled Tuesday through Sunday. No watering shall be allowed on Monday without prior approval of Project Manager. Irrigation program shall be set up so that no water is applied to turf 48 hours prior to mowing. Overhead systems shall not be operated between 8:00 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Contractor will be responsible for any fines associated with not following the City’s Water Conservation Rules and Regulations.

A proposed quarterly schedule of watering shall be provided to the Project Manager one (1) month after award of contract. Each time the schedule is changed a new updated schedule must be provided to the PM.

f. Ground Cover. Sufficient amounts of water shall be applied to ground cover areas to maintain a healthy growth pattern and promote deep rooting. Care shall be taken to not over water or waterlog soil.

g. Banks and Slopes. Sloped landscape areas shall be irrigated in short cycles as required to prevent water runoff, and to maintain horticulturally acceptable growth and color.

Irrigation practice is to promote deep root growth with a minimum of run-off.

h. Shrub and Trees. All shrubs and trees shall be watered as needed to maintain healthy growth and promote deep rooting. Care shall be taken to not over water.

Irrigation rates shall be adjusted according to shrubs or tree types and seasonal weather conditions. Deep watering for root growth is encouraged and surface run-off is to be kept at a minimum.

i. Newly Planted Trees, Shrubs, and Groundcover. All newly planted areas are to receive special attention until plants are established. Adequate water shall be applied to promote normal, healthy growth. Watering basins around newly planted shrubs and trees to be used during establishment period. It is the contractor’s responsibility to contact the City’s Natural Resource and Conservation Department to get a twenty-one (21) day establishment permit for any additional irrigation that will be needed for newly planted plant materials.

j. Remote Control Receiver: Upon contract commencement, the contractor is required to have a radio-frequency ready remote-control receiver that is compatible with all major irrigation systems. It is the responsibility of the contractor to obtain and purchase these devices unless it is a Toro Sentinel controller. The City of Visalia will supply the contractor with the Toro Sentinel remote control to use for the duration of the contract. The Toro Sentinel controller(s) shall be returned to the City at the conclusion of the contract.

Continuous activation of valves by manual solenoid or bleeding valve stem can be damaging to the fragile irrigation mechanisms. The remote control allows the contractor to inspect the irrigation system effectively by utilizing the technology currently in place.

2. Weed Control.

a. Weed control clarification. For the purpose of this specification, a weed shall be considered to be any undesirable plant or plant growing out of place.

• Maintenance shall include the removal and chemical abatement of weeds growing on all paved and unpaved surfaces of all maintenance areas of contract. All landscaping within the specified maintenance areas including lawns, planter areas, median islands, and tree wells shall be kept weed free at all times.

• Complete removal of all weed growth is to be accomplished by the Level of Service assigned to the area. Weeds may be controlled by mechanical methods, or chemical methods at the discretion of the contractor.

• Weeds reaching height or width of four inches (4") shall be physically removed from landscaped areas.

• Seedlings growing out of desired landscape plants shall be removed and chemically treated to terminate the growth of the undesirable seedling.

b. Use of Chemical Herbicides. The contractor shall abide by all rules and regulations of the

California State Department of Food and Agriculture, Department of Health, and Department of Industrial Relations regarding the safe application of herbicides under this contract. Care shall be taken to ensure the safety of the public and the contractor's employees during chemical weed control operations. The Project Manager may restrict the use of chemical weed control in certain areas.