California_Native_Container_Plant_Supply_and_Services_(Addendum_#2_Revision).pdf

COUNTY OF ORANGE

OC COMMUNITY RESOURCES

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

FOR

CALIFORNIA NATIVE CONTAINER PLANT SUPPLY AND SERVICES

RFP NO. 012-2949801-ST

RESPONSES MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY TO:

https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/ocgov https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/%7bproject.government.code%7d

County of Orange RFP

OC Community Resources - California Native Container Plant Supply and Services, 012-2949801-ST

County of Orange

OC Community Resources

Procurement and Contract Services

601 North Ross Street 6th Floor

Santa Ana, CA

92701

SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES

Release of RFP Solicitation December 18, 2025

Question Submission Deadline January 14, 2026, 2:00pm

RFP Submittal Closing January 27, 2026, 2:00pm

PROPOSALS MUST BE RECEIVED ON

OR BEFORE

Tuesday, January 27, 2026

2:00 pm

SECTIONS

SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION AND INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS

SECTION 2. PROTEST PROCEDURES

SECTION 3. SCOPE OF WORK

SECTION 4. PROPOSAL SCORING CRITERIA

SECTION 5. PRICING PROPOSAL

SECTION 6. OCLSB AND DVBE PREFERENCE POLICIES CERTIFICATION

REQUIREMENTS

SECTION 7. VENDOR RESPONSES

Attachments:

A - Model Contract-RFP-012-2949801-ST-California Native Container Plant Supply and

Services-01-21-2026

SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION AND INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS

1.1 INTRODUCTION

The County intends that the successful Respondent shall provide California Native Container Plant

Supply and Services proposed in accordance with contract requirements set forth in the solicitation and Model Contract.

1.2 INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS AND PROCEDURES FOR SUBMITTAL

A. Proposals are to be uploaded via the County's eProcurement Portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/ocgov. For assistance on uploading proposals via County’s eProcurement Portal, please contact procurement-support@opengov.com or https://help.procurement.opengov.com/en/

B. Examine the Contract Documents and the site of the proposed work carefully before submitting a Proposal for the work contemplated. Investigate the conditions to be encountered, as to the character, quality, and quantities of work to be performed and materials to be furnished and as to the requirements of all Contract Documents.

The County has attempted to provide all information available. It is the responsibility of each Respondent to review, evaluate, and, where necessary, request any clarification prior to submission of a Proposal. If any person contemplating submitting a response to this

Request for Proposals is in doubt as to the true meaning of any part of the solicitation documents attached hereto or finds discrepancies in or omissions from the specifications, they may submit a written request for clarification/interpretation to the County Deputy

Purchasing Agent (DPA) via the County’s eProcurement Portal under the bid page for this solicitation.

If clarification or interpretation of this solicitation is considered necessary by County, an addendum shall be issued, and the information will be posted via the County’s eProcurement Portal. Any interpretation of, or correction to, this solicitation shall be issued by the DPA. It is the responsibility of each Respondent to periodically check the County’s eProcurement Portal to ensure that they have received and reviewed any and all addenda to this solicitation.

The County will not be responsible for any other explanations, corrections to, or interpretations of the documents, including any oral information. If an addendum is issued, proposers must acknowledge the addendum via the County’s eProcurement Portal.

All questions or requests for interpretations must be received within this solicitation by Wednesday, January 14, 2026, before 2:00 pm. The DPA will provide all official communication concerning this solicitation. Any County response relevant to this solicitation other than through or approved by the DPA is unauthorized and will be considered invalid.

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/ocgov https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/ocgov mailto:procurement-support@opengov.com https://help.procurement.opengov.com/en/

C. Proposals must be valid for a period of at least three hundred sixty-five (365) calendar days from the closing date and time of receipt. No Proposal may be withdrawn after the submission date.

D. Each Respondent must submit their proposal electronically via the County’s eProcurement

Portal.

E. All pages must be numbered and identified sequentially by section. Proposals must be tabbed and indexed in accordance with the information requested in the Proposal Response

Requirements Section. It is imperative that all Respondents comply, exactly and completely, with the instructions set forth herein. All responses to this solicitation shall be type written or word-processed (except where otherwise provided or noted), concise, straightforward, and must fully address each requirement and question. Although not as a substitute for a complete written response, additional material, such as technical documents, may be referenced in any response if the material is included in the same section as additional information.

F. Proposals are not to be marked as confidential or proprietary. The County may refuse to consider any Proposal so marked. All Proposals and supporting documents will be subject to the provisions of the California Public Records Act (California Code

Government Code 7920.000 et seq.) (PRA) and will be disclosed or withheld in accordance therewith. The County shall not be liable in any way for disclosure of any such records.

Additionally, all Proposals shall become the property of the County.

Respondents should not request that certain information be treated as exempt, and statements in the Proposals should not be marked as confidential or proprietary. In the event that any information is marked as confidential or proprietary, as it may be absolutely necessary, Respondents have the sole responsibility of obtaining any applicable injunctive reliefs to prevent the disclosure of such confidential proprietary information in connection with any request made to County pursuant to PRA or a subpoena for disclosure of such information.

G. Each Respondent shall exercise reasonable care and diligence to avoid submitting a

Proposal that could result in a conflict of interest if Respondent were to be selected. This obligation shall apply to the Respondent, the Respondent’s employees, agents, and relatives, sub-contractors, and third parties associated with accomplishing work and services in Proposal. In the event Respondent has done work for the County on this Project in the past or has reason to believe that a conflict of interest may exist for Respondent in regard to this Project, Respondent should consult with its legal counsel prior to responding to this solicitation. Any Respondent who is found to have an actual conflict of interest may have its Proposal rejected on that ground.

Respondent, its employees and/or consultants may be subject to the provisions of the

California Political Reform Act of 1974 (the “Act”), which (1) requires such persons to disclose any financial interest that may be materially affected by services provided under this Contract, (2) prohibits such persons from making, or participating in making, decisions that could reasonably affect such interest; and (3) may require the filing a Statement of

Economic Interest (Form 700).

If subject to the Act, Respondent shall conform to all requirements of the Act. Failure to do so shall constitute a material breach and is grounds for immediate termination of the

Contract by County. Respondent shall indemnify and hold harmless County for any and all claims for damages resulting from Respondent’s violation of this Section.

H. By submitting a Proposal, the Respondent represents that it thoroughly examined the

County’s requirements, is familiar with the services required under this solicitation and is qualified and capable of providing the services to achieve the County’s objectives.

I. Each Respondent must submit its Proposal in strict accordance with all requirements of this solicitation and compliance must be stated in the Proposal. Deviations, clarifications and/or exceptions must be clearly identified and listed separately as alternative items on additional information section for the County’s consideration as specified in the

Proposal Response Requirements Section, “Statement of Compliance.”

Note: Allow sufficient time to upload all required files. The County’s eProcurement Portal will not allow any uploads after the due date and time specified herein, e.g., if Part 1 and 2 uploaded successfully at 1:58:38 P.M. and Part 3 is in progress of being uploaded at 2:00:01

P.M., Part 3 will not upload successfully.

J. Pre-contractual expenses are not to be included in the Cost Proposal, Attachment B, Pricing and Compensation. Pre-contractual expenses are defined as including, but not limited to, expenses incurred by the Respondent in: a) preparing its Proposal in response to this solicitation; b) submitting that Proposal to the County; c) negotiating with the County any matter related to the Respondent’s Proposal; and d) any other expenses incurred by the

Respondent prior to the date of award and execution, if any, of the Contract.

K. Any Proposal may be construed as non-responsive and ineligible for consideration if it does not comply with the requirements of the solicitation. Failure to comply with the technical features and acknowledgment of receipt of addenda are common causes for holding a Proposal nonresponsive.

L. Where two or more Respondents desire to submit a single Proposal in response to this solicitation, they must do so on a prime/subcontractor basis rather than as a joint venture.

The County intends to contract with a single firm that may subcontract with multiple firms

(team) but not with multiple firms doing business as a joint venture.

M. County does not require and neither encourages nor discourages the use of lobbyists or other consultants for the purpose of securing business.

N. The County requires a valid D-U-N-S number prior to Contract Award. If needed, your company may obtain one at no cost at www.dnb.com. If you are unable to provide/obtain a D-U-N-S number, please indicate so in your proposal/bid submission response.

O. The County requires a valid UEI number and full registration prior to Contract

Award. Your company must obtain one at no cost at www.usfcr.com. If you are unable to provide/obtain a UEI number, please indicate so in your proposal submission response.

P. Effective from the issuance date of this solicitation until a Contract is awarded or the solicitation is withdrawn, all individuals or entities responding—including their employees, agents, representatives, proposed partners, subcontractors, members, lobbyists, or attorneys (collectively "Respondents")—are prohibited from engaging in any direct or indirect communication with County personnel involved in the selection process, except with the designated Deputy Purchasing Agent (DPA). Respondents may continue conducting business with the County on matters unrelated to this solicitation and may communicate with County staff, provided the solicitation is not discussed. Any attempt to engage in discussion regarding this solicitation with anyone other than the designated DPA will be presumed to create an unfair competitive advantage and may result in disqualification.

Q. After the closing date and time for receipt of proposals, evaluation, and if requested by the

County, interviews will commence. Respondents who submit proposals most responsive to the County’s requirements may be asked to give a presentation of their proposal to

County staff. The County makes no guarantee as to the number of Respondents selected for interviews. Selected Respondents should be prepared to make its presentation within five (5) business days after notification and be prepared to discuss all aspects of its proposal in detail, including technical questions regarding the proposal. Respondents shall not be allowed to alter or amend its proposal through the use of the presentation process.

1.3 MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS

Respondent’s Proposal shall meet the following minimum requirements and qualifications to proceed to the evaluation process. Failure to have the ability to, upon County request, provide any of the items requested below may result in disqualification of your Proposal. These qualifications must be maintained during the term of any resultant Contract.

A. Must have the ability to do business in Orange County, California;

B. Complete all required Vendor Response questions of the solicitation.

http://www.dnb.com/ http://www.usfcr.com/

1.4 EVALUATION PROCESS

Proposals deemed to meet all minimum solicitation requirements will be scored based on the established evaluation criteria, and will be assigned points that measure the responsiveness to each identified criterion. The total number of points earned will be tallied for each Proposal, based upon the Respondent(s) submitted written materials.

Proposals shall be evaluated by an Evaluation Panel of job knowledge experts on the basis of the responsiveness to the requirements in this RFP. The County may request clarifications, or otherwise verify the contents of the Proposal, including information about the Respondent, Contractors and sub-contractors.

The scoring is based on evaluation of the Proposal as measured against the Proposal Scoring

Criteria, which includes County of Orange Procurement Preference Policy, in accordance with

Sections 1.8-103 and 4.3-112 of the 2024 County Contract Policy Manual (CPM). A copy of the

2024 CPM can be found at https://cpo.ocgov.com/cpm. Proposals will be evaluated from the most advantageous to the least advantageous to the County.

1.5 SELECTION/AWARD PROCEDURES

Upon the completion of the evaluation process, the Evaluation Committee will make a recommendation for an award to the County’s DPA. Final award determination shall be subject to reference checks and past performance.

The Model Contract contained herein this RFP is the Contract proposed for execution. It may be modified to incorporate negotiated items and other pertinent terms and conditions set forth in this

RFP, including special conditions and requirements and those added by addendum, necessary attachments and/or exhibits, and to reflect Respondent’s Proposal and qualifications. Any additional exceptions to the terms and conditions made by any Respondent after submission of its

Proposal may result in its elimination from further consideration.

Exceptions to the terms and conditions of the proposed Contract or the statements regarding

Respondent’s inability to comply with any of the provisions thereof are to be declared in the response to the RFP in VENDOR RESPONSES - Statement of Compliance.

Negotiations may or may not be conducted with the finalist(s); therefore, the Proposal submitted should contain Respondent(s) most favorable terms and conditions, since the selection and award may be made without further discussion or need for clarification. Any additional exceptions to the terms and conditions made by any Respondent(s) after submission of its proposal may result in elimination from further consideration.

The County will enter into negotiations with the selected Respondent and award a contract upon completion of negotiation of fees and contract terms. The award may be subject to approvals by the County Board of Supervisors.

If a satisfactory Contract cannot be negotiated in a timely manner, County, in its sole discretion, may terminate negotiations with the selected Respondent and begin negotiations with the next

Respondent.

https://cpo.ocgov.com/cpm

1.6 RIGHTS RESERVED TO COUNTY

The County reserves the right to:

A. Make use of any information or ideas in the Proposals submitted.

B. Request proposal revisions and hold discussions and negotiations with any Respondent as necessary to serve the best interests of the County.

C. Seek publicly available information about the Respondents.

D. Conduct, or not to conduct, oral interviews and/or presentations with the highest-ranked

Respondent(s) and additional Respondents.

E. Waive, at its discretion, any procedural, non-material defects, irregularity, or informality, which County deems correctable or otherwise not warranting rejection of the proposal that do not result in any unfair competitive advantage. Any waiver will not excuse a proponent from full compliance.

F. Verify and validate any information prior to Contract Award and during the entire term of the Contract.

G. Negotiate the final Contract with any Respondent(s), including pricing/fee schedule, as necessary to serve the best interests of the County;

H. Withdraw or cancel in part or in its entirety this solicitation at any time without prior notice and furthermore makes no representations that any Contract will be awarded to any Respondent responding to this solicitation;

I. Award its total requirements to one Respondent or to apportion those requirements among two or more Respondents as the County may deem to be in its best interests;

J. Reject any Proposal if it is conditional, incomplete or deviates significantly from the services requested in this solicitation; and/or

K. Request Best and Final Offer from any Respondent determined to be within the competitive range. Unless requested by the County, late Best and Final Offers will not be accepted by the County for any reason. In addition, negotiations may or may not be conducted with Respondents.

L. Make multiple awards to Respondent(s) for services requested in this solicitation, at its sole discretion, to serve the best interests of the County.

M. Defer award of this Contract for a period of 180 days after the solicitation opening.

During this period of time, Respondent shall guarantee the prices quoted in their

Proposals. County and the lowest responsive, responsible Respondent may mutually agree in writing to a longer deferral period.

Therefore, Proposals submitted shall contain the Respondent’s most favorable terms and conditions, since the selection and award may be made without discussion with any Respondent.

1.7 TITLE VI SOLICITATION NOTICE

The County of Orange, in accordance with the provisions of the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 USC §§ 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all

Respondents that it will affirmatively ensure that any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit proposals in response to this solicitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award.

1.8 DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY, INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE FORM

W-9/W-8 REQUIREMENTS

Effective June 3, 2006, all Contractors, entering into a Contract with County, who are not already established in Countywide ERP System as an Auditor-Controller vendor, will be required to submit to County a federal Form W-9, or form W-8 for foreign vendors. County will inform

Contractor, at the time of award, if the Form W-9 or W-8 will be required.

In order to comply with this County requirement, within ten (10) days of notification of selection of award of Contract but prior to official award of Contract, the selected Contractor agrees to furnish to Contract administrator, DPA, or the agency/department deputy purchasing agent the required W-9 or W-8.

1.9 LEVINE ACT REQUIREMENT

Effective January 1, 2023, all contractors entering into a contract with the County, will be required to submit the Campaign Contribution Disclosure Form for any contributions made on or after

January 1, 2023. In order to comply with this requirement, Respondent agrees to furnish the required Campaign Contribution Disclosure Information form as a required submittal with its

Proposal. Failure to include the form as required will render the Proposal nonresponsive.

SECTION 2. PROTEST PROCEDURES

PROTEST PROCESS

All protests shall be typed under the protestor’s letterhead and submitted in accordance with the provisions stated herein. All protests shall include at a minimum the following information:

A. The name, address, and telephone number of the protestor;

B. The signature of the protestor or the protestor’s representative;

C. The solicitation or contract number;

D. A detailed statement of the legal and/or factual grounds for the protest; and, E. The form of relief requested.

Protest of Solicitation Specifications:

A. All protests related to solicitation specifications must be submitted to the Deputy

Procurement Agent (DPA), Shannon Thoene at shannon.thoene@occr.ocgov.com, no later than five (5) business days prior to the Closing Date of the solicitation. Protests received after the five (5) business-day deadline will not be considered by the County.

B. In the event the protest of specifications is denied, and the protestor wishes to continue in the solicitation process, the protestor must still submit a bid/response prior to the close of the solicitation in accordance with the solicitation submittal procedures provided in this solicitation.

Protest of Award of Contract:

A. Protests related to the award of a contract must be submitted to the Deputy Procurement

Agent, Shannon Thoene at shannon.thoene@occr.ocgov.com, no later than five (5) business days after the Notice of Intent to Award is provided by the DPA.

B. Protests relating to a proposed contract award received after the five (5) business day deadline will not be considered by the County.

Protest Process

A. In the event of a timely protest, the County shall not proceed with the solicitation or award of the contract until the DPA issues a decision on the protest.

B. Upon receipt of a timely protest, the DPA will, within ten (10) business days of receipt of the protest, issue a decision in writing which shall state the reasons for the actions taken.

C. The County may, after providing written justification, make the determination that an immediate award of the contract is necessary to protect the substantial interests of the

County. The award of a contract shall in no way compromise the protester’s right to the protest procedures outlined herein.

D. If the protestor disagrees with the decision of the DPA, the protestor may submit a written appeal to the County Procurement Officer requesting an appeal to the

Procurement Appeals Board, in accordance with the process stated below.

APPEALS PROCESS

A. If the protestor wishes to appeal the protest decision of the Deputy Procurement Agent, the protestor must submit, within three (3) business days from receipt of the Deputy

Procurement Agent’s decision, a written appeal to the Office of the County Procurement

Officer.

Written appeals must be sent by mail to the address below with a courtesy copy by email;

County of Orange/County Executive Office

County Procurement Office

400 W. Civic Center Drive, 5th Floor

Santa Ana, CA 92701

Attn: County Procurement Officer

CPOAppeals@ceo.oc.gov

B. Within fifteen (15) business days, the County Procurement Officer will review all materials in connection with the appeal, assess the merits of the protest and provide a written determination that shall contain his or her decision on whether the appeal shall be forwarded to the Procurement Appeals Board.

C. The decision of the County Procurement Officer on whether to allow the appeal to go forward will be final and there shall be no right to any administrative appeals of this decision.

SECTION 3. SCOPE OF WORK

3.1 INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

A. The purpose of this contract is to provide County with native plant container stock for both ecological restoration and ornamental landscaping projects. Services will include contract growing of container plants from County sourced seed and propagules, off-the-shelf purchases from nursery inventory, and sourcing of regionally available native plants from other nurseries.

B. This contract aims to ensure a reliable, flexible, and responsive supply of high-quality native plants by supporting:

• Restoration Projects: Custom-grown container plants derived from locally collected or County-supplied native seed and propagules.

• Ornamental Projects: California native plants and cultivars appropriate for designed landscapes and public-facing sites.

C. Additionally, Contractor may provide propagation support, plant material collection, delivery services, inventory management, technical guidance, and educational services to support County’ annual planting program.

D. Any part of the required services may be provided using subcontractors; however all subcontractors must comply with the County’s contracting requirements and be disclosed in accordance with Section 29. Subcontracting.

E. Contractor will prepare guidelines and best management practices, lead trainings, and develop educational materials for Southern California native plants.

mailto:CPOAppeals@ocgov.com

3.2 CUSTOM CONTAINER PLANT PRODUCTION

A. At minimum, the Contractor shall establish and maintain an annually recurring custom order. The annual custom order shall be determined at the beginning of each contract year. Additional orders may occur throughout the year.

B. Contractor shall grow native plants in new plastic containers from County-supplied seed and custom-collected propagules. Contractor will receive delivery of shipped seed and/or custom -collected non-seed propagules. Alternatively, Contractor may be directed to collect cuttings and other non-seed propagules. Contractor will grow plants using the plant materials including but not limited to the following plant types: geophytes, annuals, perennial herbs, grasses, shrubs, trees.

C. Container sizes are as follows:

• 2" rose pots

• 4" pots

• Anderson Tree Band (3”x3”x6” with tray)

• 1-gallon

• 5-gallon

• Additional sizes may be requested as needed

D. County has first right of refusal on excess plants and focused coordination will occur as needed to make this determination. County will have the option to upsize and continue growing and/or to use excess plants as propagation stock for future lots. Discussion of excess plants between Contractor and County will occur as part of bi-monthly coordination meetings.

3.3 PLANT INSPECTIONS

A. Plants shall be inspected by the County personnel who will inspect plant health and moisture status as typical for the species, plants shall be healthy and vigorous, as indicated by an inspection. County reserves the right to inspect all materials upon delivery and prior to acceptance.

B. Contractor shall ensure plants are relatively free of pests (insects, pathogens, nematodes, or other injurious organisms).

C. County shall inspect the plant for the following characteristics: the sizes, color, and appearance of leaves are typical for the time of year and stage of growth of the species.

Leaves are not stunted, misshapen, tattered, discolored (chlorotic or necrotic), or otherwise atypical.

D. County shall inspect the plant crown. The plant crown shall have the form or shape as typical for a young specimen of the species and the crown shall not be significantly deformed by wind, pruning practices, pests, or other factors. The shoot growth (length and diameter) throughout the crown shall be typical for the age/size of the species/cultivar. Plants will not have dead, diseased, broken, distorted, or other serious branch injuries.

E. County shall inspect the trunk/stem. The trunk/stem diameter and taper shall be sufficient so that the plant will remain vertical without the support of a nursery stake. The trunk/stem shall be straight, vertical, and free of wounds (except properly made pruning cuts), sunburned areas, conks (fungal fruiting bodies), wood cracks, bleeding areas, signs of boring insects, galls, cankers/lesions, and girdling ties. Plant height and trunk/stem diameter shall be typical for the age, species and container size., F. County shall inspect the roots. The root collar and large roots shall be free of circling and/or kinked roots. Soil removal near the root collar may be necessary to inspect for circling and/or kinked roots. Plants shall be well-rooted in the soil mix. When the container is removed, the root ball shall remain intact. When the trunk/stem is carefully lifted, both the trunk/stem and the root system shall move as one. The upper-most roots or root collar shall be within one (1) inch above or below the soil surface. The root ball periphery should be free of large circling peripheral roots, depending on species and size of root ball. The maximum acceptable size should be indicated for the species (if necessary). The root system shall be free of injury from biotic (insects, pathogens, etc.)

and abiotic agents (herbicide toxicity, salt injury, excess irrigation, etc.). Root distribution shall be uniform throughout the soil mix or growth media and growth must be typical for the species. The root ball shall be moist throughout. The crown shall show no signs of moisture stress as indicated by wilted, shriveled, or dead leaves or branch dieback. The roots shall show no signs of excess soil moisture conditions as indicated by poor root growth, root discoloration, distortion, death, or foul odor.

G. County reserves the right to inspect all materials upon delivery and prior to acceptance.

Material unfit for planting may be refused; this includes, but is not limited to, containers with weeds and materials with insect infestations, disease, wounds, defects, or severe water stress. The County shall have no liability for any costs associated with such refusal and removal of plant material from the delivery site. Contractor shall promptly replace any materials deemed unacceptable with products that fully comply with contract specifications. Delivery fees associated with replacing any rejected plant materials shall be incurred by the Contractor.

3.4 MAINTENANCE OF CUSTOM ORDERS PAST PLANNED DELIVERY DATE

A. If County orders plants but does not request for them to be delivered within 30 days after the agreed upon date, Contractor will maintain the plants for an additional weekly charge until delivery is scheduled. If delayed plants will be maintained over the summer months, County may request that they be stored on raised tables to reduce the potential for fungal pathogens. Alternatively, County may request that the plants are transplanted to a larger container size and no delay charges would be incurred.

3.5 NON-SEED PROPAGULE COLLECTION AND PROCESSING

A. Contractor shall collect and process cuttings (e.g., willow branches, rhizomatous plants) and other non-seed propagules, as needed.

3.6 DEVELOPMENT OF BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

A. Contractor shall develop Southern California native plant guidelines and/or best management practices at the direction of County including but not limited to:

o Native plant installation and maintenance guidelines o Quick-reference tables specifying the amount of PLS lbs of seed needed for 100 transplants o The best propagule material to use for different plants o Container plant production timelines by species and container size

3.7 MANAGEMENT SERVICES:

A. Management services shall include but not be limited to the following:

• Create and maintain accessible inventory database of County orders (must include growth stages, health status, and surplus plants).

• Provide Bimonthly (every two months) Reports to County that are also accessible on demand.

• Any additional plants produced beyond requested amounts must be reported to County and tracked in the Quarterly Reports.

• Excess seed not needed for producing transplants must be returned to County and tracked in the Quarterly Reports.

• Generate a list of regional availability of native plants in the Southern California region to be submitted with each Bimonthly (every two months) Report as well as at any time it is requested by County. The Southern California region includes nurseries within Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego Counties and within 25 geographic miles of the coastline.

• Search for and coordinate delivery of other desired plants on behalf of County based on custom orders submitted by County.

• Submit bimonthly Excess Plants Report to County.

• Six virtual meetings per year including: one kickoff, one closeout, and four other meetings per year.

• Use of Microsoft Teams to coordinate contract activity, including written correspondence and virtual meetings.

B. All coordination and administrative work related to California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) quarantine restrictions, and compliance with all relevant plant health, biosecurity, and local propagation standards will be completed by the Contractor at no extra charge (e.g., importing plants to Orange County from other Counties in southern California).

3.8 GENERAL ANNUAL TIMELINE

A. Late Winter (e.g., February):

• Virtual annual kickoff meeting (beginning of contract year)

• Contractor (i.e., the nursery) sends an initial email to gather planting requests for the next fall

B. Spring (e.g., March): Annual order placement for fall of same year:

• Additional orders on a rolling basis

C. Summer (e.g., June): Contractor sends status update email on all orders for the Fall.

D. Fall (e.g., September): Confirmation email to finalize orders and schedule delivery.

E. Early Winter (e.g., December/January):

• Virtual closeout meeting (end of contract year).

3.9 EDUCATIONAL SERVICES

A. Contractor shall develop curriculums for and lead educational events or trainings related to native plants in Southern California at the direction of County. Training events will be both virtual and in-person. The target audience for training events will be County staff, volunteers, and partners. Events may include but not be limited to the following training sessions:

o Developing a Seeding and Planting Palette o Container Plant Installation o Native Garden and Restoration Project Maintenance o Landscaping for Fire o Native Wildflowers (Site Prep and Seed Installation) o California Native Plant Landscaper Certification Program (CNPLC) o Community-Oriented Practices

B. Contractor shall develop content and coordinate training sessions.

3.10 ON-DEMAND PICKUP AND DELIVERY

A. Free delivery shall be applied to all orders above $5,000.00. Any orders below $5,000 shall include a delivery fee that is all-inclusive of labor and vehicle (see Attachment C, Table 4).

B. Deliveries may be scheduled on specific days and times during normal business hours, determined in coordination with County staff.

C. Pick-up from various locations may also be needed.

D. If Contractor delivers container plants from its own growing grounds or coordinates delivery from another nursery directly to County, County may reject any plant material of unacceptable quality. If Contractor receives or picks up plants from another nursery and delivers them to County, Contractor shall reject any plant material of unacceptable quality on behalf of County.

E. County does not guarantee any minimum order quantity.

3.11 ADDITIONAL WORK

A. Upon County request, Contractor shall submit supplemental proposals for Plant Broker Services.

The Contractor shall identify current regional availability in the Southern California region for a defined list of native plants as requested by the County. The Contractor shall coordinate procurement and delivery of the desired plants within the Southern California Region.

B. Upon County request, Contractor shall submit supplemental proposals for Pathogen Testing Services. The Contractor shall test plants for the presence of pathogens. Testing services include collecting samples, coordinating with a laboratory, and submitting the pathogen test report to County.

C. Upon County request, Contractor shall submit supplemental proposals for delivering container plants to a delivery location within the Southern California region.

D. Contractor must obtain County Project Manager’s written approval prior to commencing any additional work. Upon mutual acceptance of additional work, Contractor shall not be relieved of any other responsibilities within the Contract.

3.12 MISCELLANEOUS CLAUSE

A. Miscellaneous commodities may be obtained at County’s request. County requests may include, but are not limited to, off-the-shelf container plants from Contractor’s standing inventory, off-the-shelf container plants from other regional nurseries re-sold to County, and soil products. Contractor shall provide a written quote for such commodities and obtain authorized County approval prior to purchase. Under no circumstances shall Contractor provide any commodities and/or services without prior written authorized County approval. Additional delivery locations may be added or deleted at any time with no penalty to County. Contractor shall provide a written quote and obtain authorized County approval. Contractor under no circumstance shall provide any commodities without prior written authorized County approval. Additional delivery locations may be added or deleted at any time with no penalty to County.

B. County may elect to accept substitute like commodities, commodities of equal or better quality and/or brand, costing equal or less than the original contracted commodities as set forth in this Contract with written authorized County approval. Substitute like commodities that cost more will require prior authorized approval from County before any substitution will take place.

3.13 PROJECT CLOSEOUT PROCESS

A. Materials and documents delivered by the Contractor for County shall become property owned by County without restriction or limitation on their use. Contractor remains responsible for fulfilling orders placed for materials and services ordered prior to the date of expiration, completion or termination of the Contract and shall be fully compensated for those orders delivered to County. Contractor shall not be entitled to compensation for any surplus property, inventory, or services not ordered or requested by County.

B. County maintains ownership of seeds and living plant materials developed from seeds provided to Contractor and shall be returned to County upon expiration, completion or termination of the Contract in a manner that protects their continued growth and/or viability. If Contractor fails to timely return any remaining seeds or living plant materials upon expiration, completion or termination of the Contract, then the Contractor shall be liable to fully reimburse the County for any seeds or living plant materials not returned, and/or for reimbursement of any costs associated with the County retrieving its property unless County exercises its first right of refusal on excess plants pursuant to Section 2, Custom Container Plant Production, Paragraph D above. If Contractor closes for business or otherwise fails to perform pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Contract prior to the date of expiration, completion or termination of Contract, then County may choose to deem ordered and undelivered plants as excess plants and County shall exercise its first right of refusal on excess plants pursuant to Section 2, Custom Container Plant

Production, Paragraph D. If the Contractor closes for business or otherwise fails to perform pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Contract prior to the date of expiration, completion or termination of the Contract, and County agrees to accept any partially-grown ordered and undelivered plants, then County shall be invoiced at a discounted rate based on percent growth progress. Contractor shall invoice County for delivery of accepted plants to delivery location.

SECTION 4. PROPOSAL SCORING CRITERIA

The pricing proposal will be evaluated in accordance with the proposal scoring criteria described below.

4.1 PHASE 1

No. Evaluation Criteria Scoring Method Weight (Points)

1. Qualifications and Related

Experience/Technical Expertise

This section of the Proposal will establish the ability of Respondent to satisfactorily perform the required work by reasons of experience in performing services of a similar nature, demonstrated competence in the services to be provided, strength and stability of the team, staffing capability, workload, record of meeting schedules on similar projects, and supportive client reference. As part of its response to the following, Respondent should justify how the minimum qualifications/requirements of

Scope of Services have been satisfied.

A. The proposer shall demonstrate at least five years of experience as an active California native plant nursery.

Proposers shall submit California state records or nursery business license documenting active nursery operations for the last five years.

B. The proposer shall demonstrate they maintain at least one acre of nursery production space located in Los

Angeles, Orange, or San Diego

Counties, and within 25 geographic miles of the coastline. The proposer shall submit an aerial view, location, and photos of the nursery production space documenting one acre of nursery production space in Los

Angeles, Orange, and/or San Diego

Counties and within 25 miles of the coast.

C. The proposer shall be capable of growing a minimum of 40 southern

California native container plants species, including at least four geophyte species. Proposers shall submit a list of all plant species they produced showing a minimum of 40 different southern California native species of container plants. At least four of these species must be geophytes (and should be identified on the list as geophytes).

D. The proposer shall be capable of fulfilling annual orders of at least

Points Based 300 (37.5% of Total)

5,000 Southern California native container plants. The proposer shall submit a table documenting one project example with more than 5000 southern California native container plants.

E. The proposer or its subcontractors shall have experience in collecting and processing non-seed propagules within Southern California wildlands.

Proposer shall submit tables documenting three non-seed propagule collection and processing projects in southern California. Each project table shall list all native

California plant species and the method of collection.

F. The proposer shall have experience obtaining collection permits from relevant agencies (e.g., CDFW, USFWS) for the collection and propagation of rare or special-status plant species. The proposer shall submit written authorization for collection and propagation of at least two rare or special status plant species. The written authorization submitted is not included in the proposal response page limit.

G. The proposer shall have experience leading and coordinating educational events or trainings related to native plants in southern California. The proposer must demonstrate a minimum of two (2) years of experience within the past five (5) years leading or coordinating educational events or trainings related to native plants in Southern

California. Bidders shall provide the date(s), location(s), topic(s), and client/agency contacts for at least two such events or trainings.

H. The proposer shall have experience developing guidelines for California native plant propagation, installation, maintenance, or garden design. The proposer shall submit at least one guideline document they have developed for California native plant propagation, installation, maintenance, or garden design. The guideline document submitted is not included in the proposal response page limit.

I. The proposer shall certify they do not commercially produce the following non-native, invasive species:

o African sumac (Searsia lancea) o Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana) o Fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum) o Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima) o Mexican fan palm

(Washingtonia robusta) o Canary Island date palm

(Phoenix canariensis) o Pride of madeira (Echium candicans) o Coastal wattle (Acacia cyclops) o Bank catclaw (Acacia redolens) o European sea lavender

(Limonium duriusculum) o Algerian sea lavender

(Limonium ramosissimum) o Canarian sea lavender

(Limonium perezii) o Statice (Limonium sinuatum) o Peruvian pepper (Schinus molle) o Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius) o Garden nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) o Vinca (Vinca major) o Oleander (Nerium oleander) o Gazania (Gazania linearis) o American century plant (Agave americana) o Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) o Iceplant (Carpobrotus edulis) o Siberian elm (Ulmus parviflora)

2. Key Personnel/Proposed Staffing

This section of the Proposal should establish the qualifications of the proposed staff to provide the services noted in the Scope of

Work. Proposer shall provide a complete staffing plan.

A. Provide a list of key staff (including name, title, years of related experience, length of time with the firm, relevant licenses and certifications) detailing their technical expertise which qualifies them for proposed work. Summarize each key staff's experience directly related to proposed work (identify similar projects). Describe each key staff's function and responsibility related to proposed work.

B. Identify subcontractors (if any) that will be assigned to perform services listed in the Scope of Services, by company name, address, contact person, telephone number and project function.

C. Organizational Structure: An organizational chart shall depict the overall organization as it relates to this project and the placement of key staff within that organization. The

County shall expect key staff responsible for work and services will be available for consultations/meetings with the

County throughout the project.

Points Based 150 (18.8% of Total)

3. Work Plan Approach

Respondent shall provide a brief narrative that addresses the Scope of Work and demonstrates the Respondent’s understanding of the

County’s needs and requirements for California

Native Container Plant Supply and Services.

A. Describe the approach to completing each required objective specified within the Scope of Work. In addition, provide an approach structured to ensure the following:

o Quality performance;

o Cost control;

o Responsiveness to County staff and service location(s) requirements; and, o Coordination between

Respondent and County staff.

B. Respondent may also propose efficiencies or procedural innovations to the Scope of Work that are in the best interest of the County. Please provide information on how your firm intends to creatively, effectively, and efficiently achieve the scope of work required.

C. Additional Information: Respondent shall describe additional relevant information concerning the services offered in this RFP that it considers important in evaluating its services.

Points Based 220 (27.5% of Total)

4. Organization/Completeness of Response

A. Proposal demonstrates understanding of project and objectives as it relates to the scope of work.

B. Proposal demonstrates requirements are addressed and adhered to.

C. Proposal is complete, comprehensive, and well-organized.

Points Based 80 (10% of Total)

5. Compliance with the County Model

Contract

*Note: Respondents submitting exceptions to the County Model Contract of this RFP, will receive a score of “0” for this criterion.

Points Based 50 (6.3% of Total)

4.2 PHASE 2

No. Evaluation Criteria Scoring Method Weight (Points)

1. Cost Proposal

Respondent shall provide a sealed Cost

Proposal for both Respondent and, if applicable, any subcontractors, at the time of interview. The Cost Proposal will be evaluated as follows:

A. Lowest price receives the full score.

B. Other scores are proportional to the lowest price.

If County elects not to conduct interviews for this solicitation, Deputy Purchasing Agent will contact Respondents to coordinate the submission of the Cost Proposal.

Should any Preference Policies apply, the

Preference Policy Applicable to Cost Proposal criteria will be scored.

Points Based 200 (100% of Total)

SECTION 5. PRICING PROPOSAL

Respondents offering the lowest price proposal for the items in Table 1 (Custom Grown 1-

Gallon Container Plants) will receive the full points available under the cost evaluation criterion using the Ratio Method. All other proposals will receive proportionally lower points based on their total proposed project cost.

Ratio Method: In this method the proposal with the lowest cost receives the maximum points allowed for this criterion (200 points). All other proposals receive a percentage of the points available based on their cost relationship to the lowest proposal. This is determined by applying the following formula:

Formula: Lowest Pricing Proposal/Next Lowest Price Proposal X Maximum Points

Available = Awarded Points

TABLE 1: CUSTOM GROWN 1-GALLON CONTAINER PLANTS

This table shall be used for price proposal scoring purposes only. The price proposal score will be calculated based on 1-Gallon pricing. The quantities are an estimated annual order amount.

The County is under no obligation whatsoever to make any orders or purchase a minimum quantity of goods. If a proposer cannot provide a line item, then the proposer must select no bid.

Line Item Botanical Name Common

Name Estimated

Quantity Unit of

Measure 1-Gallon Total No Bid

1 Acmispon Glaber Deerweed 250 Each

2 Adenostoma Fasciculatum Var.

Fasciculatum Chamise 1 Each

3 Allium Haematochiton Redskin Onion 1 Each

4 Alnus Rhombifolia White Alder 1 Each

5 Anemopsis Californica Yerba Mansa 1 Each

6 Artemisia Californica Coastal

Sagebrush 1 Each

7 Artemisia Douglasiana California

Mugwort 100 Each

8 Asclepias Eriocarpa Woolypod

Milkweed 100 Each

9 Asclepias Fascicularis Narrow-Leaved

Milkweed 100 Each

10 Atriplex Canescens Fourwing

Saltbush 1 Each

11 Atriplex Lentiformus Big Saltbush 1 Each

12 Baccharis Pilularis Coyote Brush 1 Each

13 Baccharis Salicifolia Mulefat 1 Each

14 Bloomeria Crocea Goldenstar 1 Each

15 Calochortus Weedii Var. Intermedius Intermediate

Mariposa Lily 1 Each

16 Camissoniopsis Cheiranthifolia Beach Evening

Primrose 1 Each

17 Carex Praegracilis Clustered Field

Sedge 1 Each

Line Item Botanical Name Common

Name Estimated

Quantity Unit of

Measure 1-Gallon Total No Bid

18 Carex Spissa San Diego

Sedge 1 Each

19 Ceanothus Crassifolius Var. Crassifolius Thick-Leaved

Lilac 1 Each

20 Ceanothus Megacarpus Subsp.

Megacarpus Bigpod Lilac 1 Each

21 Chlorogalum Pomeridianum Soap Plant 1 Each

22 Cleome Isomeris Bladderpod 1 Each

23 Cylindropuntia Prolifera Coastal Cholla 20 Each

24 Diplacus Australis…