city of aurora Tree_Trimming_and_Removal_Services_(Addendum__1_Revision).pdf

For more information, please visit our online supplier portal, located at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/aurorail

City of Aurora, IL

TREE TRIMMING AND REMOVAL SERVICES

26-064

RELEASE DATE: July 29, 2026

DEADLINE FOR QUESTIONS: August 4, 2026

RESPONSE DEADLINE: August 12, 2026, 11:00 am

Please refer to the project timeline in this document for all important deadlines.

RESPONSES MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY TO:

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/aurorail

Request For Proposal #26-064

Title: Tree Trimming and Removal Services

Table Of Contents

1. INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS

2. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

3. SCOPE OF WORK

4. SUBMITTAL CONTENT

5. PRICING TABLE

6. EVALUATION CRITERIA

7. VENDOR SUBMISSIONS

Attachments:

A - UGA_24-DG-11094200-181

B - Trees for Trimming

C - Trees for Removal

D - City of Aurora Prior Tree Trimming RFP 18-56 Bid Tabulation

INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS

1. ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSALS

a. Proposers intending to respond to this opportunity must create a FREE account with OpenGov by signing up at https://procurement.opengov.com/signup. This step is necessary to establish a communication link with the

City. The Proposer, not the City, is responsible for obtaining any addenda to the original specification. Addenda and other relevant information will be posted on the City’s E Procurement System. Addenda notifications will be emailed to all persons on record as following this Bid Proposal. Failure of any Proposer to receive any such addenda or interpretation shall not relieve such Proposer from any obligation under their bid proposal as submitted. All addenda so issued shall become part of the contract documents. Paper submissions will not be accepted.

b. Proposals may be received up to, but no later than the designated date and time as specified via the City’s

E Procurement System, OpenGov. The City’s E Procurement System Clock is the official clock for the determination of all deadline dates and times. Without exception, responses will not be accepted after the submission deadline regardless of any technical difficulties such as poor internet connections. The City of

Aurora strongly recommends completing your responses well ahead of time. All Proposals shall have provided all requested information, and submitted all appropriate forms, certificates, affidavits and addendum acknowledgements in order to be considered responsive.

• Pricing shall not be mentioned anywhere in the body of the proposal.

c. The City reserves the right to reject any and all proposals or parts thereof and to waive any technicalities and irregularities in the proposals and to disregard all nonconforming or conditional proposals or counter-proposals and to hold the proposals for ninety (90) days from the opening date set forth above. Proposer agrees to accept a notice of award, if selected, based on the terms of this Proposal in the event that a notification of award is received on or before expiration of the 90-day time period. The City reserves the right to cancel the Proposal at any time, without liability for any loss, damage, cost or expense incurred or suffered by any Proposer as a result of that cancellation. Each Proposer is solely responsible for the risk and cost of preparing and submitting a

Proposal.

d. Although price is a major consideration, product quality, references, service, delivery time and past experience, if applicable, will also be considered. No Proposal will be considered unless the Proposer shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the City that he has the necessary facilities, abilities, experience, equipment, and financial and physical resources available to fulfill the conditions of the contract and execute the Work should the contract be awarded to him. Proposal documents which are not responsive to the requirements herein may not be considered by the City for an award of the contract.

The contract will be awarded to the lowest responsible Proposer. In determining the responsibility of any

Proposer, the City may take into account other factors in addition to financial responsibility, such as past records of its or other entities transactions with the Proposer, experience, ability to work cooperatively with the

City and its staff, adequacy of equipment, ability to complete performance within necessary time limits, and other pertinent considerations such as, but not limited to, reliability, reputation, competency, skill, efficiency, facilities and resources.

The Proposal will be awarded in the City’s best interests based on these and other legally-allowable considerations. The City and its representatives and agents may make any investigations deemed necessary to determine the ability of the Proposer to perform the Work. The Proposer shall furnish any information and data requested by the City for this purpose.

2. RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS

a. Proposals must be submitted electronically, up to, but no later than the designated date and time as specified via the City’s E Procurement System, OpenGov. It is the sole responsibility of the Proposer to see that their Proposal is received in the proper time.

b. Proposals must be submitted electronically via the City’s E Procurement System. There will be no exceptions!

3. WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSALS

Proposals may be withdrawn prior to the submission deadline through the City’s e-Procurement System by having the responding Proposer “un-submit” its Proposal in OpenGov.

Proposers are cautioned to carefully review their Proposal prior to submission. Negligence on the part of the

Proposer in preparing the Proposal shall not confer the right to withdraw or modify the Proposal after it has been opened. No Proposal may be withdrawn after the opening without the approval of the Director of

Purchasing. Requests to withdraw a Proposal must be submitted in writing and properly signed by an authorized representative.

No Proposal received after the date and time specified for receipt of Proposals will be opened or considered.

4. QUESTIONS

All inquiries regarding this RFP must be submitted through the City’s e-Procurement System, OpenGov, no later than the date and time specified in the solicitation.

Responses to all inquiries will be posted in the City’s e-Procurement System. Proposers may select “Follow” within the solicitation to receive email notifications when responses or addenda are posted.

Questions will not be accepted or answered verbally. No inquiries will be accepted after the established deadline.

It is the sole responsibility of each interested Proposer to monitor the City’s e-Procurement System and ensure receipt of all addenda, if any are issued.

5. INVESTIGATION

It shall be the responsibility of each Proposer to make all investigations necessary to become fully informed of the requirements and conditions specified in the Proposal. No plea of ignorance by a Proposer regarding conditions that exist or may hereafter exist due to failure or omission to conduct such investigations will be accepted as a basis for modifying the City’s requirements or compensation.

Each Proposer is responsible for examining the complete Proposal Package and all Addenda and for becoming fully informed of all conditions that may in any way affect the cost or performance of the Work. Failure to do so shall be at the Proposer’s sole risk, and no relief shall be granted for errors or omissions. If awarded the

Contract, the Proposer shall not be entitled to additional compensation for matters that reasonably should have been identified prior to submission of the Proposal.

Submission of a Proposal shall constitute conclusive evidence that the Proposer has examined the required documents, is familiar with local conditions, applicable federal, state, and local laws and codes, and prevailing labor and material markets, and has accounted for all contingencies in its Proposal.

Prior to award, the City may request that a Proposer submit information regarding its performance history and ability to complete the Work in a timely and satisfactory manner.

6. PROPOSAL QUALIFICATION

The City reserves the right to require of the Proposer proof of his/her capability to perform as required by the specifications. However, prequalification of the Proposer shall not be required. The City may, at its option, disqualify a Proposer and reject his Proposal for cause. Reasons deemed to be sufficient for this action shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Evidence of collusion among Proposers.

• Receipt of more than one Proposal on any project from an individual, or from a corporation. This restriction does not apply to subcontractors.

• Default on any previous contract.

• For unreasonable failure to complete a previous contract within the specified time or for being in arrears on an existing contract without reasonable cause for being in arrears.

• Inability to perform as revealed by an investigation of the Proposer's financial statement, experience and/or plant and equipment.

• Any Proposer who owes the City money may be disqualified at the City’s discretion.

7. EVALUATION PROCESS

Step #1: Initial Screening

Minimum Qualifications and Responsiveness: City will review proposals for initial decisions on responsiveness and responsibility. Those proposals initially determined to be responsive and submitted by responsible proposers will proceed to Step 2.

Step #2: Proposal Evaluation

The Project Evaluation Team, comprised of members of the cooperating City Departments, will evaluate proposals. Proposal responses will be evaluated on, but not limited to, organization, personnel and staffing, company qualifications and experience (including reference checks), project approach, price, and availability and capacity of the company to perform the work.

Step #3: Interviews

The Project Evaluation Team reserves the right to interview top-ranked firms that are considered most competitive. The purpose of the interviews would be to allow for expansion upon the written responses. If interviews are conducted, rankings of firms shall be determined by combining results of interviews and proposal submittals.

Step #4: Selection

The City will select the vendors that are evaluated to be most competitive. When evaluation of the responses produces ratings that are equivalent, the Project Evaluation Team will recommend award of the contract to the vendor(s) whose response is deemed to be in the best interests of the City. The highest ranked firm may be invited to enter into final negotiations with the City of Aurora for the purposes of contract awarding. If an agreement cannot be reached with the highest ranked firm, the City may start negotiations with the next highest ranked firm. Any contract resulting from this RFP will be subject to approval by the Aurora City Council.

8. Bid Deposit

Each Bidder shall deposit with Bid a Bid guarantee consisting of a bank draft, Bid bond, cashier’s check, or certified check drawn on a good and solvent National or State Bank and payable to the order of the City, in an amount not less than ten percent (10%) of the total amount of the Bid submitted, as a guaranty that in case the

Bidder’s Bid is accepted, the Bidder shall within one day after the date of such acceptance and notification thereof, deliver to the City a contract signed and executed by the Bidder, proper insurance certificates and a

Performance and Payment Bond in one hundred percent (100%) of the contract sum furnished by a responsible bonding company acceptable to and written upon forms prepared or approved by the City as security for payment of labor and materials and for the faithful performance of the contract and compliance with the provisions of law relating to the payment of prevailing rate of wages. Bid Deposit MUST be uploaded electronically with submission through the City’s E Procurement System, OpenGov. Upon notification from the City, Bidder’s must deliver

ORIGINAL Bid Deposit within three (3) business days. All Bid deposits will be retained by the City until a Bid award is made, at which time the Bid deposit will be promptly returned to the unsuccessful Bidders. The Bid deposit of the successful Bidder will be retained until the equipment, goods or services have been received or completed and found to be in compliance with the specifications. Performance by the Bidder shall not be considered complete, until final inspection and acceptance by the City of the Bidder’s Work. Final inspection shall occur within 30 days after the actual completion of the Work. Execution of the contract is contingent upon receipt of an acceptable Performance and Payment Bond and any required certificates of insurance. Upon failure to meet the requirements of this paragraph, the Bidder shall forfeit the amount deposited as liquidated damages and no mistakes or errors on the part of the Bidder shall excuse the Bidder or entitle him to a return of the aforementioned amount.

9. PROPOSAL AWARD

Except as otherwise stated in the Specifications, award shall be made to the most responsible Proposer whose

Proposal is determined to be in the best interest of the City and who meets the requirements of the

Specifications. Evaluation shall be based on the criteria set forth in this solicitation, including price and other applicable factors.

A Proposal that contains modifications, conditions, limitations, or exceptions that materially alter the requirements of the Specifications shall be considered non-responsive and may be rejected.

The City reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals, to waive informalities in the procurement process, and to delete any item or portion of the Proposal Package when deemed to be in the best interest of the City and in accordance with applicable law.

10. PRICES

Unit prices shall exclude all applicable local, state, and federal taxes unless otherwise required by law. In the event of a discrepancy between the unit price and the extended total, the unit price shall govern, and the total shall be corrected accordingly.

11. INTERPRETATION OR CORRECTION OF PROPOSAL DOCUMENTS

Proposers shall promptly notify the City of any ambiguity, inconsistency, or error discovered during review of the Proposal Documents. Interpretations, corrections, and changes will be issued by addendum.

Each Proposer is responsible for ensuring, prior to submitting a Proposal, that all addenda have been received and properly acknowledged in the Proposal submission.

12. SIGNATURES

Each Proposal must be signed by the Proposer with his/her usual signature. Proposals by partnerships must be signed with the partnership name by all members of the partnership, or an authorized representative, followed by the signature and title of the person signing. Proposals by corporations must be signed with the name of the corporation, followed by the signature and title of the person authorized to bind it in the matter.

When a corporation submits a Proposal, its agent must present legal evidence that he has lawful authority to sign said Proposal and that the corporation has a legal existence. In the event that any corporation organized and doing business under the laws of any foreign state is the successful Proposer, such corporation must present evidence before any contract is executed that it is authorized to do business in the State of Illinois. Proposals by corporations must be executed in the corporate name by the President or a Vice President (or other corporate officer accompanied by evidence of authority to sign), and the signature must be attested by the Secretary or an

Assistant Secretary, along with the corporate seal. The corporate address and state of incorporation must be shown below the signature. Proposals by partnerships must be executed in the partnership name and signed by a partner whose title must appear under the signature, and the official address of the partnership must be shown below the signature. Any corrections to entries made on the Proposal forms shall be initialed by the person signing the Proposal. When requested by the City, satisfactory evidence of the authority of any signature on behalf of the Proposer shall be furnished.

13. ILLINOIS FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

Illinois Freedom of Information Act. The Contractor acknowledges the requirements of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and agrees to comply with all requests made by the City of Aurora for public records (as that term is defined by Section 2(c) of FOIA in the undersigned’s possession and to provide the requested public records to the City of Aurora within two (2) business days of the request being made by the

City of Aurora. The undersigned agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the City of Aurora from all claims, costs, penalty, losses and injuries (including but not limited to, attorney’s fees, other professional fees, court costs and/or arbitration or other dispute resolution costs) arising out of or relating to its failure to provide the public records to the City of Aurora under this agreement.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

1. REQUIREMENTS OF PROPOSER

The successful Proposer may be required to (a) enter into a fully signed contract in writing with the City of

Aurora covering matters and things as are set forth in the Proposal Package; and (b) carry insurance acceptable to the City covering public liability, property damage and workers compensation.

2. BONDS AND INSURANCE

The Proposer awarded the contract will be required to furnish a 100% Performance Bond, a Payment Bond will be required should the vendor sublet any of the requested services, Public Liability Insurance, and Workers

Compensation Insurance; all of which shall be acceptable to the City of Aurora.

3. CITY'S AGENT

The Purchasing Director, or their authorized designee, shall represent and act on behalf of the City in all matters relating to this Proposal and any resulting contract. This authority includes, but is not limited to, the issuance of addenda, interpretation of solicitation requirements, receipt and evaluation of proposals, requests for clarifications, determination of responsiveness and responsibility, recommendation of award, execution of administrative actions permitted under the contract, and resolution of procedural matters throughout the procurement process. The Purchasing Director or designee shall serve as the City's primary point of contact for all procurement-related communications unless otherwise specified in the solicitation.

4. PAYMENTS

Payment shall be made for services rendered. The City, after inspection and acceptance, and in consideration of the faithful performance by the Proposer, agrees to pay for the completion of the work embraced in this contract, payment shall be made in accordance with the Illinois Local Government Prompt Payment Act (50

ILCS 505/1, et. seq.)

Time, in connection with any discount offered, will be computed from the date of delivery to the City or from the date a correct invoice is received by the City of Aurora Purchasing Division, if the latter date is later than the date of delivery.

Prices will be considered NET, if no payment discount is shown.

All invoices MUST contain a valid City of Aurora issued purchase order.

The successful Proposer shall submit invoices via e-mail to:

PurchasingDL@aurora.il.us or Mail to the following address:

City of Aurora Attn: Purchasing Division 44 E. Downer Place Aurora, IL 60507

The City of Aurora offers electronic funds transfer (EFT) payment to our vendors. EFT is fast, simple, safe and secure and is our preferred method of payment!

5. TAXES

The City of Aurora is exempt, by law, from paying State and City Retailer’s Occupation Tax, State Service

Occupation Tax, State Use Tax and Federal Excise Tax (per Illinois Revised Statutes, Chapter 120, Paragraph

44) upon City works and purchases. The City of Aurora’s Sales Tax Exemption Number is E9996-0842-07.

6. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND REGULATIONS

The Proposer shall at all times observe and comply with all Federal, State, Municipal and other local laws, ordinances, regulations, and requirements which in any manner affect the conduct of the Work, and with all

Federal, State and local laws and policies of non-discrimination, sexual harassment, and others applicable thereto; and all such orders or decrees as exist at the present and which may be enacted later, of bodies or tribunals having jurisdiction or authority over the Work, and no plea of misunderstanding or ignorance thereof will be considered. He shall indemnify and save harmless the City and all its officers, agents, employees and servants against any requirement, claim or liability arising from or based on the violation of any such law, ordinance, regulation, order or decree, whether by himself or his employees.

7. DEFAULT

Time is of the essence of this Proposal and if delivery of acceptable items or rendering of services is not completed by the time promised, the City reserves the right, without liability, in addition to its other rights and remedies, to terminate the Proposal by notice effective when received by Proposer, as to stated items not yet shipped or services not yet rendered. The City will procure articles or service from other sources and hold the

Proposer responsible for any excess cost incurred as provided for in Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code.

8. CANCELLATION

The City reserves the right to cancel the whole or any part of the contract if the Proposer fails to perform any of the provisions in the contract or fails to make delivery within the time stated. The Proposer will not be liable to perform if situations arise by reason of strikes, acts of God or public enemy, acts of the City, fires or floods.

9. INSURANCE AND HOLD HARMLESS PROVISION

At the Bidder’s expense, the Bidder shall secure and maintain in effect throughout the duration of this Bid, insurance of the following kinds and limits to cover all locations of the Bidder’s operations. The Bidder shall furnish Certificates of Insurance to the City before starting or within ten (10) days after the execution of the Bid, whichever date is reached first. All insurance policies shall be written with insurance companies approved by the City of Aurora and licensed to do business in the State of Illinois and having a rating of not less than A:VII, according to the latest edition of the A.M. Best Company; and shall include a provision preventing cancellation of the insurance policy unless thirty (30) days prior written notice is given to the City. This provision shall also be stated on each Certificate of Insurance as: “Should any of the above-described policies be canceled before the expiration date thereof, the issuing company will endeavor to mail 30 days written notice to the certificate holder named to the left”. Upon requested, the awardee of this Bid will give the City a copy of the insurance policies. The policies must be delivered to the City within two weeks of the request. The limits of liability for the insurance required shall provide coverage for not less than the following amount, or greater where required by law:

(1) Worker’s Compensation Insurance - Statutory amount.

(2) General Liability Insurance:

(a) $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 general aggregate (combined single limit)

(b) $1,000,000 per occurrence for Personal Injury

(3) Auto Liability Insurance:

(a) combined single limit not less than $1,000,000

(4) Umbrella excess liability of $4,000,000 per occurrence, $4,000,000 aggregate

The Bidder shall include the City as a primary, non-contributory additional named insured on the General, Auto

Liability, and Umbrella insurance policies and indicate said status on any Certificates of Insurance provided to the City pursuant to this project. All insurance premiums shall be paid without cost to the City.

The Bidder agrees to indemnify and save harmless the City of Aurora, their elected officials, employees, agents and volunteers from and against all loss and expenses (including costs and attorneys' fees) by reason of liability imposed by law or claims made upon the City of Aurora for damages because of bodily injury, including death at any time resulting therefrom sustained by any person or persons or on account of damage to property, including loss of use thereof, arising out of or in consequence of the performance of this project work, whether such claims or injuries to persons or damage to property be due to the negligence of the Bidder or his

Subcontractors. The Bidder shall assume total risk and shall be responsible for any and all damages or losses caused by or in any way resulting from the work and provide all insurance necessary to protect and save harmless the City of Aurora and its employees.

The Bidder agrees to a waiver of subrogation. Neither the Bidder nor its insurers shall have the right to pursue the City to recover its costs associated with a claim arising out of the provision of the services required.

WORKERS COMPENSATION ACT

The Bidder further agrees to insure his employees and their beneficiaries and to the employees and the beneficiaries of any subcontractor employed from time to time by him on said Work, the necessary first-aid, medical, surgical, and hospital services and any compensation provided for in the Workers Compensation Act of the State of Illinois that is or may be in force in the State.

Such insurance shall be placed by said Bidder in a company or association (to be approved by the City and to be accepted by the Council thereof) authorized under the laws of the State of Illinois to insure the liability above specified.

Said Bidder hereby further agrees to indemnify, keep and save harmless said City from all action, proceedings, claims, judgments, awards, and costs, loss, damages, expenses, and attorney’s fees which may in any way come against said City by reason of any accidental injuries or death suffered by any of his employees or the employees of any subcontractor employed by him in and about the performance of the Work provided for in the

Bid, and any and all liability resulting thereupon; and said Bidder, in case of any suit, action, or proceeding on account of any or all of the foregoing shall defend the same for and on behalf of said City and indemnify the

City therefore, and pay the amount of any and all awards and final judgments and orders rendered and entered therein, together with all loss, costs, damages, attorney’s fees, and expenses incurred therein. Said Bidder shall be the sole employer of its employees and workers, and in no way shall the City be considered a joint employer of same under any circumstance.

PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT

The Bidder shall provide an adequate number of competently trained personnel with sufficient supervision to provide the services required, and the Bidder shall provide identification of its personnel if requested by the

City.

Any Bidder’s employee whose employment is reasonably detrimental or objectionable to the City shall be immediately transferred from the premises upon the City’s request. The exercise of the option shall not be construed as placing the City in charge of the Work or making the City responsible for safety.

All on the road vehicles or equipment shall be identified by the Bidder’s name for purpose of identification.

All tools or equipment required to carry out the operations within the scope of the contract shall be provided by the Bidder, and shall meet the standards of the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Act and State of Illinois safety codes as may be required by law. The City reserves the right to inspect the equipment that will be used prior to award of Bid.

10. SUBLETTING OR ASSIGNMENT OF WORK

If the Proposer sublets the whole or any part of the Work to be done under the contract, with or without the written consent of the City, he shall not, under any circumstances, be relieved of his liabilities and obligations.

A Payment Bond will be required if the Proposer sublets any of the requested services. All transactions of the City shall be with the Proposer; subcontractors shall be recognized only in the capacity of employees or workmen and shall be subject to the same requirements as to character and competence. In case any party or parties, to whom any work under the contract shall have been sublet, shall disregard the directions of the City or his duly authorized representatives, or shall furnish any unsatisfactory Work or shall fail or refuse in any way to conform to any of the provisions or conditions of the contract, then in that case, upon the written order of the

City, the Proposer shall require said party or parties in default to discontinue Work under the contract. Said

Work shall be corrected or made good and shall be continued and completed by the said Proposer or by such other party or parties as are approved by the City, in the manner and subject to all of the requirements specified in the contract.

11. MINORITY PARTICIPATION

The City of Aurora is committed to providing equitable contracting opportunities and encourages participation by minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, and other diverse business enterprises in its procurement activities. The City strongly encourages all qualified firms to submit proposals in response to this solicitation and encourages the successful Proposer to make good faith efforts to utilize qualified minority and other diverse business enterprises as subcontractors, suppliers, and service providers whenever practical. Such participation is intended to promote economic opportunity, foster inclusive business partnerships, and support the continued growth of diverse businesses within the community.

Participation by diverse business enterprises will be considered in accordance with the requirements set forth in this solicitation and all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and City policies.

12. PROSECUTION OF WORK

The Proposer shall begin the Work to be performed under the Proposal as specified in the specifications after the execution and acceptance of the Proposal, unless otherwise provided. The Work shall be conducted in such a manner and with sufficient materials, equipment and labor as is considered necessary to ensure its completion within the time specified in the Proposal.

13. TIME

Proposer shall schedule its Work to meet the requirement of the City. Proposer shall perform the Work expeditiously in cooperation with the City’s agent, employees, contractors and subcontractors. Proposer shall make no claim against the City and no claim shall be allowed for any damages which may arise out of any delay caused by City, its agents, employees, contractor or subcontractors. Proposer’s sole remedy for delay shall be an extension in the contract time.

14. ILLINOIS NON-APPROPRIATION CLAUSE

A forfeit clause is provided pursuant to the Illinois Non-Appropriation Clause of funds for government entities that if funds or budgets are not approved, service may be cancelled. No early cancellation penalties will be assessed, but the customer must be given 30-day notice of intent to cancel.

15. TERMINATION FOR CAUSE

This Proposal may be terminated by the City at any time upon thirty (30) days written notice, or by either party in the event of substantial failure to perform in accordance with the terms hereof by the other party through no fault of the terminating party. This Proposal is also subject to termination by either party if either party is restrained by state or federal law of a court of competent jurisdiction from performing the provisions of this

Agreement.

Upon such termination, the liabilities of the parties to this RFP shall cease, but they shall not be relieved of the duty to perform their obligations up to the date of termination. Mailing of such notice, as and when above provided, shall be equivalent to personal notice and shall be deemed to have been given at the time of mailing.

If this RFP is terminated due to the City's substantial failure to perform, the Proposer shall be paid for labor and expenses incurred to date, subject to offset of any damages, losses or claims against the City resulting from or relating to Proposer's performance or failure to perform under this agreement.

In the event of termination by the City upon notice and without cause, upon completion of any phase of the

Basic Services, fees due the Proposer for services rendered through such phase shall constitute total payment for services. In the event of such termination by the City during any phase of the Basic Services, the Proposer will be paid for services rendered during the phase on the basis of the proportion of work completed on the phase as of the date of termination to the total work required for that phase.

16. CONTRACT TERMS

The Contract shall commence on the Effective Date and shall remain in effect for an initial term of one (1) year.

The City of Aurora reserves the right to renew the Contract under the same terms and conditions as the original

Contract. The Contract shall not renew automatically, nor shall renewal occur solely at the option of the

Proposer.

The City reserves the right to renew the Contract for up to three (3) additional one-year term, exercisable at the sole discretion of the City.

SCOPE OF WORK

1. BACKGROUND

The City of Aurora was recently awarded a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture Forest

Service for "Improving Aurora's Urban Forest". As part of the scope of services reimbursed by grant, the City has completed an inventory of approximately 7,833 publicly managed street trees located within public rights-of-way throughout designated areas within the City. The inventory was conducted by certified arborists from

Great Lakes Urban Forestry (GLUF) and serves as one of the City's tools for the management, maintenance, and preservation of its urban forest. The inventory and supporting documentation are being provided to proposers for informational and planning purposes only through paper and/or electronic shared databases. While the information represents the findings and professional recommendations of certified arborists at the time of the inventory, the City does not guarantee the current condition, size, or status of any tree identified within the database.

The successful contractor(s) shall independently verify any field conditions, tree locations, dimensions, accessibility, site constraints, utility conflicts, quantities, or other information necessary to accurately prepare pricing and perform the work. Contractors are encouraged to conduct site inspections prior to submitting proposals and shall not rely solely on the inventory for estimating purposes.

The City anticipates utilizing this contract to support its Urban Forestry Program by preserving the health and safety of the City's public tree inventory, mitigating risks to residents and infrastructure, enhancing the community's urban canopy, and ensuring efficient response to routine maintenance needs and emergency events.

2. SCOPE OF WORK

The City of Aurora is seeking proposals from qualified, experienced, and licensed arboricultural contractors to provide routine and corrective pruning, hazard tree mitigation, complete tree removals, stump grinding, brush and debris removal, on-call emergency response services following storm events or other public safety incidents, and related arboricultural services. The successful contractor(s) shall furnish all labor, supervision, equipment, materials, tools, traffic control, transportation, and incidentals necessary to safely and efficiently perform all work associated with the maintenance and removal of trees located within public rights-of-way, parks, municipal facilities, and other City-owned properties.

Work will be performed on an as-needed basis, primarily through individual work orders issued by the City, and no guarantee is made regarding the volume or value of services to be performed under the resulting contract.

Upon issuance of a work order, the City will provide the most recent and available inventory information for the trees to be addressed (either electronically or hard/paper copy), including, but not limited to:

• Tree Status

• Street Address

• Street Name

• Relative Location

• GPS Coordinates (X and Y)

• Species

• Diameter at Breast Height (DBH)

• Overall Condition

• Arborist Recommendation

• Utility/Wire Conflicts

• Risk Level

• General Comments

The successful contractor will be asked to communicate (digitally or otherwise) to City Public Works and/or

GIS staff any required corrections or updates to the provided inventory information that are observed for any given tree being addressed in a work order in accordance with the reporting requirements of the USDA grant.

Trees shall not be topped unless specifically authorized.

All work shall be performed in accordance with current ANSI A300 Tree Care Standards, ANSI Z133 Safety

Requirements, applicable OSHA regulations, and all federal, state, and local laws and ordinances.

The City of Aurora reserves the right to prioritize work based on public safety and operational needs.

3. TREE PRUNING

This work shall consist of any combination of pruning services listed below in accordance with industry standards and the specifications contained herein:

• Crown cleaning

• Crown thinning

• Crown reduction

• Crown raising

• Structural pruning

• Clearance pruning

• Deadwood removal

• Vista pruning

• Weight reduction

• Hazard mitigation pruning

This work shall be paid for per vertical foot (FT) for TREE PRUNING at various tree heights (in feet) for which the price shall include all labor, equipment and materials required to provide the required services.

4. TREE REMOVAL

This work shall consist of the complete removal and disposal of dead, diseased, hazardous, storm-damaged, and/or fallen trees as well as trees interfering with infrastructure or otherwise identified by a city arborist for removal. Trees may be located adjacent to homes, parks, schools, utility areas, streets, sidewalks, and retention ponds. All trees shall be removed to the approximate surrounding ground elevation (to grade) and removals shall be performed in accordance with industry standards and specifications contained herein.

This work shall be paid for per vertical foot (FT) for TREE REMOVAL at various tree diameters (in inches) for which the price shall include all labor, equipment and materials required to provide the required services.

5. STUMP GRINDING

This work shall consist of the removal of all visible surface roots (as directed) and grinding the specified tree stumps to a minimum of 8-12 inches below ground elevation (grade). The removed area shall then be backfilled with clean topsoil and planted with an approved sunny/shade mix grass seed applied with starter fertilizer and hay/straw matting. Contractor shall also restore any turf disturbed and remove any excess debris generated during grinding operations. All services shall be performed in accordance with industry standards and the specifications contained herein.

This work shall be paid for per vertical inch (IN) for STUMP GRINDING at various tree diameters (in inches) for which the price shall include all labor, equipment and materials required to provide the required services.

6. EMERGENCY RESPONSE PREMIUM

These items are included to cover premiums to be charged for expedited (emergency) service requests.

Emergency response capabilities are an essential component of this contract, and the contractor must be available to respond to all Emergency Response Authorizations from the city to address hazardous tree situations on a 24-hour, 365-day basis within the response times established by the City.

This work shall be paid for each response (EA) for EMERGENCY (RESPONSE WITHIN 2 HOURS), IMMEDIATE (RESPONSE WITHIN 4 HOURS), and TIMELY (RESPONSE WITHIN 8 HOURS) for which the price shall reflect additional costs incurred by the contractor to provide the service within the specified response time.

7. INDEX TO SPECIAL PROVISIONS

Provision Number Title

ADMINISTRATION

SP A.1 – ALTERATIONS TO PROJECT BY ENGINEER

SP A.2 – RESPONSIBILITY OF WORK

SP A.3 – PUBLIC SAFETY AND CONVENIENCE

SP A.4 – CONTRACT EXECUTION

SP A.5 – PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE OF WORK

SP A.6 – WORK DAYS AND HOURS

SP A.7 – INCIDENTAL WORK

SP A.8 – CONTROL OF MATERIALS

SAFTEY

SP S.1 – TRAFFIC CONTROL AND PROTECTION

SP S.2 – RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONSTRUCTION SAFETY, SHORING AND CONSTRUCTION

METHODS

SP S.3 – LOCATION OF UTILITIES

HOUSEKEEPING/SOIL EROSION & SEDIMENT CONTROL

SP H.1 – DUST CONTROL AND DIRT ON PAVEMENT

SP H.2 – CLEANING ALL STRUCTURES

SP H.3 – DISPOSAL OF DEBRIS AND EXCAVATED MATERIAL

SP H.4 – HAZARDOUS SPILL REMEDIATION

GENERAL

SP G.1 – MOBILIZATION

SP G.2 – WATER FOR CONSTRUCTION PURPOSES

SP G.3 – SURFACE RESTORATION

8. SPECIAL PROVISIONS - Administration

Revised 01/2026

The following Special Provisions supplement the Instruction to Bidders, the City of Aurora General

Specifications, the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Standard Specifications For Road and Bridge

Construction (herein after called the Standard Specifications), the City of Aurora’s Standard Specifications for

Improvements, the Supplemental Specifications and Recurring Special Provisions, the Standard Specifications for Water And Sewer Main Construction in Illinois, Seventh Edition, the Standard Specifications for Traffic

Control Items, Part 890 of the Illinois Plumbing Code (77 IL Admin Code 890.1150) and the latest edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways and the Illinois Supplement to the

National Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices in effect on the date of invitation for proposals. These special provisions apply to and govern the proposed improvement designated as the Project Name and in case of conflict with any part or parts of said specifications; these Special Provisions shall take precedence and shall govern.

SP A.1 – ALTERATIONS TO PROJECT BY ENGINEER

The Engineer reserves the right to alter the Plans and details, extend or shorten the improvement, add such work as deemed necessary, increase or decrease the quantities of work to be performed, and/or eliminate entire pay items all in accordance with Section 104 of the Standard Specifications, except that the Contractor shall not be entitled to additional compensation or lost profits in the event that quantities are reduced below the original contract quantities, or in the event pay items are deleted entirely.

SP A.2 – RESPONSIBILITY OF WORK

During the progress of the work the Contractor shall assume total risk and liability, and will be responsible for any and all damages to the work, or to persons, or to public or private property caused by, or in any way resulting from doing the work, including actions of Subcontractors or Material Suppliers.

SP A.3 – PUBLIC SAFETY AND CONVENIENCE

The Contractor shall maintain driveways, entrances, and side roads along the proposed improvement to allow emergency and local vehicle access to all adjacent properties. Interference with traffic movements and inconvenience to abutting property owners and the public shall be kept to a minimum. The Contractor shall also keep the sidewalk and curb ramps clear of debris and equipment whenever possible. The Contractor shall maintain at least one lane open to traffic at all times for emergency vehicles on all streets affected by services being provided. Adequate use of flaggers and other traffic control devices shall be used to permit such arrangements during working hours.

This work shall not be paid for separately but shall be considered incidental to the unit prices provided for the various services.

The contractor shall be responsible for protecting public and private property, maintaining safe work zones through appropriate traffic and pedestrian control measures, coordinating with utility providers when necessary, and restoring all work areas to a clean and safe condition upon completion.

SP A.4 – CONTRACT EXECUTION

The Contractor agrees to execute a Contract and a contract bond satisfactory to and in the form prescribed by the City in the penal sum of the full amount of the contract, guaranteeing the faithful performance of the work in accordance with the terms of the contract within fifteen (15) days after Notice of Award of the Contract.

SP A.5 – PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE OF WORK

If after the approval of final payment for each class of work and prior to the expiration of 1 year after the date of approval of said final payment, or such longer period of time as may be prescribed by law or by terms of any applicable special guarantee required by the Contract Documents, any work is found to be defective, the

Contractor shall promptly, without cost to the City and in accordance with written directions of the City, remove it from the site and replace it with non-defective work to the satisfaction of the Engineer.

Failure of the Contractor to complete or to remedy defective work within a reasonable time (not to exceed 30 days of notice to Contractor in any event) shall be deemed a default and the City may take steps as it deems necessary to complete or remedy said work and charge the cost thereof to the Contractor.

SP A.6 – WORK DAYS AND HOURS

The Contractor shall not perform any work on City holidays (MLK Day, Juneteenth, & Veterans Day), Saturdays, or outside of regular working hours without prior written approval from the City. No work shall be done on Sundays or federal Holidays.

Regular working hours are between 7:00 AM and 3:30 PM, Monday through Friday.

If work is approved after regular working hours and Saturdays, the allowed working hours need to be agreed upon but shall be between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM, Monday through Friday and between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM on Saturdays

Equipment shall not be started before 6:45 AM.

SP A.7 – INCIDENTAL WORK

All work required to perform the services identified in this contract shall be incidental to the various bid items in the proposal even though a specific item is not shown, and no additional compensation shall be made to the

Contractor, unless it is indicated that additional payment will be allowed or a unit price is provided for said work in the Contract.

SP A.8 – CONTROL OF MATERIALS

All material used shall meet the requirements of the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Standard

Specifications for Water and Sewer Main Construction in Illinois, the City of Aurora Standard Specifications for Improvements, and as outlined in these specifications.

All materials will be inspected, tested, and approved by the Engineer before incorporation into the work. The

Contractor shall provide the City with letters of certification from each supplier when requested.

Any work in which untested and unacceptable materials are used without approval or written permission from the Engineer shall be performed at the Contractor's risk and may be considered unacceptable and unauthorized and will not be paid for.

9. SAFTEY

SP S.1 – TRAFFIC CONTROL AND PROTECTION

Traffic control shall be in accordance with the applicable sections of the Standard Specifications for Road and

Bridge Construction, the Recurring Special Provisions and Supplemental Specifications, the Manual on

Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways and the Illinois Supplement to the National Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, and any special details and Highway Standards contained herein and in the

Traffic Specifications or Highway Specifications. Special attention is called to Article 107.09 of the Standard

Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction.

All orange signs used shall be fluorescent orange in color. Deteriorated, damaged, or signs with non-original material on the front surface will not be allowed.

Prior to the start of work the Contractor shall have a sufficient number of barricades, signs, and flaggers at the jobsite for the scheduled work. If satisfactory traffic control as determined by the Engineer is not in place, the

Engineer shall order the work to be halted. Traffic control devices shall not be removed without prior written notice and approval of the Engineer.

The Contractor shall obtain, erect, maintain, and remove all signs, barricades, flaggers, and other traffic control devices as may be necessary for the purposes of regulating, warning, or guiding traffic. The supplying, installation, and maintenance of traffic control and protection shall not be paid for separately but shall be considered incidental to the unit prices provided for the various services.

SP S.2 – RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONSTRUCTION SAFETY, SHORING AND CONSTRUCTION

METHODS

The Contractor shall be responsible for initiating, maintaining, and supervising all safety precautions for the safety of; and shall provide the necessary protection to prevent damage, injury or loss to:

1. All employees on the work and other persons who may be affected thereby.

2. All work and materials or equipment to be incorporated therein, whether in storage on or off the site.

3. Other property at the site or adjacent thereto, including trees, shrubs, lawns, walks, pavements, roadways, structures, and utilities not designated for removal, relocation, or replacement during construction.

The Contractor shall be responsible for complying with all applicable laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, and orders of any public body having jurisdiction for the safety of persons or property or to protect them from damage, injury, or loss. The Contractor shall be responsible for erecting and maintaining, as required by the conditions and progress of the work, all necessary safeguards for its safety and protection, including tight sheeting or shoring of the trench. He shall notify owners of adjacent utilities when prosecution of the work may affect them. All damage, injury, or loss to any property referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, by any Contractor or Subcontractor or anyone directly or indirectly employed by any of them, or anyone for whose acts any of them may be liable, shall be remedied by the Contractor. The

Contractor's duties and responsibilities for the safety and protection of all work shall continue until such time as all the work is completed and acceptable. Any damages shall be repaired in a timely manner.