City_of_Napa_Tree_Maintenance_Services.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

For

CITY OF NAPA TREE MAINTENANCE SERVICES

Parks & Recreation Department

Issued: September 24, 2026

Proposal Deadline: October 12, 2026, 5:00 pm

CITY OF NAPA

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

I. THE SERVICES

II. SCOPE OF SERVICES

III. REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PROCEDURES

IV. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

V. EVALUATION

VI. SELECTION AND AWARD

VII. MISCELLANEOUS

VIII. PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

Attachments:

A - 2.1.1_Services Agreement (General)

City of Napa Request For Proposals Page 3 of 23

2025-RFP-081

1. ............................................................................................... THE SERVICES

1.1. ...................................................................................................................... Summary

The City requires City of Napa Tree Maintenance Services (“Services”) for The City of Napa Parks

Department is seeking proposals for qualified Contractors to perform ongoing tree work services.

1.2. ....................................................................................................... Form of Agreement

A copy of the City’s standard Services Agreement (General) (“Agreement”), is attached hereto in the

Attachments section and incorporated herein. Respondents are strongly encouraged to have the

Agreement reviewed by their legal counsel and insurance company. Any objections and/or proposed changes to the Agreement must be included in the Respondent’s Proposal pursuant to the Exceptions to

Agreement provision within the Proposal Requirements section and are subject to City approval.

1.3. .......................................................................................................... Scope of Services

The City has prepared a draft Scope of Services, see the Draft Scope Services section (“Draft Scope of

Services”). The final scope of services to be included in the Agreement with the successful Respondent will be based on the Draft Scope of Services as well as the Proposed Scope of Services, provided by the successful Respondent in the Proposal Submittal section and may be the subject of negotiations between the City and the successful Respondent.

1.4. ............................................................................ Project Manager and Decision Maker

For purposes of the Selection and Award section of this RFP, Jeff Gittings, Parks and Urban Forestry

Manager, is the City’s project manager (“Project Manager”), and Breyana Brandt, Parks and Recreation

Services Directoris the City’s decision-maker (“Decision-Maker”).

2. ...................................................................................... SCOPE OF SERVICES

2.1. ........................................................................................... Tree Maintenance Services

Contractor shall furnish all labor, supervision, methods and processes, implements, tools, machinery, equipment, transportation and materials to provide tree pruning and/or removal, stump grinding and tree planting services as required by the City. Contactor will not subcontract tree pruning or removal services but may subcontract for specialty services related to the use of specialty equipment such as stump grinders or cranes.

Services shall be provided on an hourly basis at various locations within the City as required during contract period. Required services may include, but are not limited to, tree trimming, tree and stump removal, tree planting clean up and disposal of trimmings, and emergency/hazardous removals and tree related services.

1. Definitions

City of Napa Request For Proposals Page 4 of 23

1. Aerial Truck – Truck mounted aerial lift, minimum 50’ from bottom of bucket to ground. 360 degree continued rotation, dielectric test is necessary to work within ten feet of energized conductors in excess of 750-volts.

2. Branch Bark Ridge – Raised area of bark in the branch crotch that marks where the branch wood and trunk wood meet.

3. Callus – New growth made by the cambium layer around wounds.

4. Cambium Layer – Growing point between the bark and sapwood (xylem).

5. Chipper – Minimum 12” knives, towed and truck-mounted. Must meet all applicable federal, state and manufacturer’s standards.

6. City Tree – Any tree as designated by the City within the right-of-way of the City. Unless otherwise indicated, the City right-of-way extends from face of curb, eleven feet (11’) to private property line. Other City trees include park trees and trees on other municipal grounds.

7. City's Representative - One or more persons appointed by the City to administer all or a portion of this contract.

City of Napa Request For Proposals Page 5 of 23

8. Contractor’s Representative – representative appointed by Contractor in charge of the contract on a day to day basis.

9. Crown/Canopy – That upper portion of the tree that contains the foliage (leaves) of the tree

– excludes basal suckers or sprouts.

10. Cut – Exposed wood area that remains after the branch or branch part has been removed.

11. Drop Crotch – Older terminology that conveyed severe crown reduction by removal of major branches, typically lowering the height of the tree. This process usually eliminates the natural structure of the tree by typically removing the leader to major scaffold branch.

12. Dormant – A condition of non-active growth. Deciduous trees are considered to be dormant from the time the leaves fall until new foliage begins to appear.

13. Dump Truck – Two ton minimum, 15 cubic yard, hydraulic dump

14. Heading/Cut – The cutting of branch or stem back to a stub, small branch or bud that is not sufficiently large enough to take over the terminal role.

15. Large Trees - Will be determined by size and not to specific species.

16. Lateral Branch – A branch or sub-branch of a tree that arises from the trunk or scaffold branches.

17. Medium Trees - Will be determined by size and not to specific species

18. Raising – The removal of lower branches for clearance between the ground and canopy of the tree.

19. Parent Stem – The main trunk system of the tree. This includes the single or multiple trunks of a single tree.

20. Precut or Precutting – The removal of the branch at least six inches beyond the finished cut, to prevent splitting into parent stem or branch.

21. Private Tree – A tree growing on private property or County, State or Federal right-of-way. Permission from the owning party or agency is required to trim the trees.

City of Napa Request For Proposals Page 6 of 23

22. Sap Flow – The definite course assumed by sap in its movement through a tree.

23. Scaffold Branch(s) – The main (primary) branches that arise for the trunk(s) of the tree that form the basic structure (architecture) of the tree.

24. Scars – Natural or man-made lesions of the bark in which wood is exposed.

25. Suckers – Abnormal growth of small branches usually not following the general pattern of the tree.

26. Terminal Role – Arboricultural term that identifies a branch or main stem (trunk) that is the growing terminal point or points of the tree. Typically the terminal branch will direct new growth throughout the end or terminal buds of the branch.

27. Thinning/Cut – The removal of a branch in its entirety back to its point of origin or branch or stem it arises. Typically thinning cuts allow a tree to redistribute the growth throughout the remaining branch(s) of the tree. This is in contrast to a heading cut that shortens a branch to a point that does not allow the tree to redistribute the growth;

consequently forcing vigorous, typically vertical, growth at the end of the headed branch.

28. Tracing – Cutting of the bark along the lines of sap flow of a wound remove loose bark and to encourage healing around the wound area.

29. Topping – A vernacular term that refers to the indiscriminate removal of a tree’s trunk and main branches back to stubs or small branches to primarily reduce the height of a tree.

30. Water sprouts – Typically a shoot arising from a latent, adventitious bud that has sprouted along a branch in response to a stimulus.

31. Work Records – Information required of Contractor to document tree care records of City trees and contract work.

2. Standards

1. Safety Standards:

a. American National Standard Institute publication – Z133.1-2000, hereinafter referred to as “ANSI-

Z133.1-2006”, incorporated by this reference herein, shall be made a part of and included in the specifications as the safety requirements. In addition to meeting qualified tree worker’s qualifications, all employee and equipment working within a ten-foot proximity of energized conductors in excess of

750 volts shall be qualified line-clearance tree trimmers or qualified line-clearance tree trimmer trainees using approved tools and equipment

b. Contractor shall, prior to commencing work, have the ability to provide the City documented proof that its employees have participated in an appropriate training

City of Napa Request For Proposals Page 7 of 23 programs and copies of certifications that its equipment and tools have passed dielectric tests.

c. All incidental power and hand tools shall have passed dielectric tests, where required.

d. Contractor shall adhere strictly to all OSHA safety requirements.

2. General Tree Maintenance Standards – The general ISA pruning guidelines are to be followed during all pruning assignments.

3. Pruning Standards - Pruning standards shall be in accordance with the American National Standards

Institute Tree Maintenance Standard A300 (2001) and the International Society of Arboriculture Tree-

Pruning Guidelines (1995). No pruning shall involve the removal of more than 25% of bulk material from trees. All work shall be done in complete compliance with the standards, objectives and practices described in this bid invitation.

C. Pruning Requirements

References – The following references shall be included as authoritative references and unless explicitly addressed in these specifications, pruning techniques shall be consistent with said references:

• Arboriculture: Integrated Management of Landscape Trees, Shrubs and Vines, 3rd Edition, R.W.

Harris, James R. Clark, Nelda Matheny, 1999.

• ANSI A300. Standard Practices for Tree, Shrub and Other Woody Plant Maintenance, American

National Standards Institute, Washington D.C., 2001.

• Tree Pruning Guidelines, International Society of Arboriculture, Savoy, IL., 1995

• Tree Pruning: A Worldwide Photo Guide, A.L. Shigo, Durham NH, 1989.

1. General Pruning Objectives – The primary objective of street tree pruning in the City is structural integrity and public safety. Where identifiable, tree hazards are mitigated to reduced liability to the public. Crown thinning, aesthetic or sculptural pruning shall not be performed on any tree unless specifically directed by City's representative. Following are the primary objectives of pruning trees.

City of Napa Request For Proposals Page 8 of 23

a. Crown Cleaning – The removal of dead, dying, diseased, crowded, weakly attached, low-vigor branches from a tree’s crown. Crown cleaning shall be performed on all City trees herein specified. This procedure is specifically intended to remove hazardous or potentially hazardous limbs. It is not intended as a thinning or “opening up” a tree’s canopy.

b. Crown Raising – The raising of lower branches of a tree in order to provide clearance for vehicles, pedestrians, signage or traffic signals. All trees shall be evaluated for crown raising. This is one of the primary functions of City tree pruning. The ideal canopy shall allow for a least ½ of the tree’s foliage in the lower 2/3 of the tree’s height as measured from the soil line to the top of the tree’s canopy. The standard in Napa is to allow a minimum travel way clearance of fourteen (14) feet. This is measured from the street gutter at the curb-line to crown of the tree and sidewalk clearance of seven (7) feet measured from the sidewalk surface. For trees less than 30 feet tall, temporary scaffold branches below the 14 foot or 8 foot height standard shall remain on the tree, especially in areas where such removal either puts less than ½ the foliage in the lower 2/3 of the tree, or removes more than 25% of the leaf area or both. Such branches can be headed back to provide vehicular or pedestrian clearance, as necessary.

c. Crown Thinning – Selective removal of branches to increase light penetration and air movement through the tree of reduce the overall weight of scaffold branches. Thinning shall remove entire primary, secondary or tertiary lateral branches back to their points of origin. All City trees under this agreement shall not be thinned to expose the scaffold branches. “Lion Tailing” or the stripping of interior foliage shall not be permitted. Interior foliage shall remain in the tree; this foliage may be headed back to reduce total branch weight, if necessary.

d. Crown Reduction – Thin out or head back branches of a tree to reduce the tree’s size in either height or spread or both. Long scaffold branches with little taper and excessive end weight shall be reduced in length. Severe crown reduction that requires removal of very large limbs, i.e. greater than 6 inches in diameter shall require written authorization by the City's representative

2. Pruning Requirements

a. All cuts shall be made sufficiently close to the parent stem so that sealing can readily start under normal environmental conditions but not as close to cut below the branch bark ridge.

b. All limbs greater than one inch in diameter (size of a quarter) shall be precut to prevent splitting. All branches that cannot be dropped safely, or cannot be controlled by hand, shall be lowered by proper rope procedure to the ground.

c. Where there is known to be danger of transmitting a disease on tools from trees known to be diseased, tools shall be disinfected with alcohol after each cut and between different trees. City's representative will determine when this should occur

d. On scars or wounds where callus growth is not established, trace to firm cambium tissue unless other treatment is designated by City's representative.

e. All girdling roots visible to the eye, where practicable, shall be reported to City's representative.

City of Napa Request For Proposals Page 9 of 23

f. Any structural weakness, decayed trunk or branches, split crotches, branches, or heavy limbs with potential for limb failure shall be immediately reported to the City representative. The City representative shall determine the course of action.

g. On thin bark trees, such as Magnolia, avoid removing foliage that exposes inner bark to the sun. Where trees have foliage or short shoots along a branch, especially in response to previous exposure to sunlight, such foliage shall remain on the tree. Where waterspouts are greater than twelve inches long, they should be headed back to twelve inches rather than removed

h. Climbing spurs shall not be permitted in climbing any street tree, unless approved. Pruners/climbers shall always use rope and saddle when entering and working a tree under these specifications.

i. Unless heading cuts are required, pruning cuts shall be made so that remaining branch is one-half or less in diameter than the branch from which it arises at the point of attachment

j. No pruning cuts shall be coated with any paint or wound dressing compound.

k. Final pruning cuts shall be made without leaving a stub and in a manner to favor the earliest possible covering of the wound by callus growth. This requires that the wound be as small as practicable; the cut just outside the branch-bark ridge; and that the cambial tissue at the edge of the cut is alive and healthy. Extremely flush cuts, which produce large wounds and weaken the tree at the cut, shall not be made.

D. Contractor Requirements

1. Certifications - It is desired that there be a minimum of one Contractor-employed Arborist or one tree worker certified by the Western Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture on the job at all times. This certification is not required but will be considered when evaluating proposals.

2. Examination of Site – Contractor shall be responsible for examining the job site and comparing it with all specifications and contract documents and satisfying itself as to the conditions under which the work is to be performed before entering into this contract. No allowance shall be made on behalf of the

Contractor on account of an error, negligence or failure to acquaint itself with the conditions of the site or of the streets or roads approaching same.

3. Notification and Relationship with Property Owners

a. Notification – When applicable, Contractor shall notify all affected residents by posting

“No Parking” signs, at least forty-eight hours in advance of all work being done on their frontage, to arrange for removal of vehicles from the work area. Property owners shall be provided access to their property over both walkways and driveways whenever possible. Contractor shall provide all necessary bridges or ramps and/or construct work in stages to allow access. All costs involved in providing access shall be included in the

City of Napa Request For Proposals Page 10 of 23 amount bid for the various bid items, and no additional compensation will be allowed. Door tags and “No Parking” signs shall be furnished by the City.

b. Complaints – Should complaints occur, City's representative may require Contractor to delay pruning until the complaint is resolved by the City. Should this occur, City shall not be liable to Contractor for any additional costs incurred by the need to resolve any such dispute. If objection to the pruning occurs while work is in progress, Contractor shall immediately stop work on tree(s) in question and attempt, to the best of

Contractor’s abilities, to resolve the dispute. If Contractor cannot promptly resolve the complaint, Contractor shall immediately notify City's representative. Work shall not resume on the disputed tree or trees until the complaint is settled. Contractor shall assume and plan for these delays as part of the contract and shall be prepared to move on to the next scheduled tree work.

c. Public Relations –Contractor shall be aware that it is an integral part of a continuing City service to which the citizens are accustomed. All public contact shall be courteous, congenial, and informational only. Discourtesy will NOT BE TOLERATED.

4. Protection of Property – The Contractor shall maintain the work site in as clean and debris free condition as is feasible. Contractor shall not pile up debris or equipment, or otherwise trespass on private property, unless it has obtained specific permission from the property owner. Contractor shall be responsible for the protection of all improvements on both public and private property within and adjacent to the work area and shall take all precautions necessary to prevent damage to such improvements.

a. Contractor shall report all damage to public and private improvements to City's representative on the day upon which any damage occurs. Contractor shall notify the owner, in writing, of damaged private improvements the same day the damage occurs. Contractor shall repair or replace all damaged improvements in a manner satisfactory to City's representative and any private property owner involved. Contractor shall complete the repair or replacement, at the Contractor’s expense, within seventy-two hours from the time the damage occurred. Improvements shall include, but are not limited to, turf, trees, vegetation, pavement, irrigation systems, fences and structures.

5. Disposal and Cleanup

a. At the end of each work day or whenever tree pruning is suspended at a given location, Contractor shall remove all equipment, debris, and any other obstructions from the roadway and public right-of-way to assure the roadway is open and clear for use by public traffic.

City of Napa Request For Proposals Page 11 of 23

b. Contractor must posses a valid Cooperative Light Brown Apple Moth Quarantine Agreement with the Napa County Agricultural Commissioners office.

c. All tree trimmings and debris resulting from tree care work shall be promptly removed from the work site and properly disposed of at Contractor’s expense. City's representative may require that wood chips be deposited at a nearby City site for use by municipal maintenance crews.

d. As a prevention measure for tree diseases, all wood trimmings or wood chips from diseased trees shall be properly disposed of by the contractor

e. Contractor shall not leave cut wood at the tree trimming site unless the property owner(s) have specifically requested it.

f. Upon completion of tree pruning or other tree care work, the area shall be cleaned to a condition at least equal to that which existed when work was started. Undergrowth and adjacent shrubbery or trees sustaining broken branches or other injury resulting from this operation shall receive corrective treatment.

g. All costs for disposal and cleanup shall be included in the bid price for the various bid items, and no special compensation will be allowed in addition of the bid price.

6. Dust and Noise Control – Contractor shall provide a relatively “dust free” project. Equipment shall be operated in a manner which will minimize noise. When trimmings have been chipped, chipper shall be moved to the closest practical proximity of the next tree(s) to be pruned.

7. Equipment – All tools used in the performance of work under this contract shall be clean, sharp, and in proper working order and shall be checked for safety before each job. All trucks, chippers, and other heavy equipment shall be in good operating condition at all times, well maintained, and in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Equipment that is not suitable for producing the quality of work required shall not be used.

8. The following is a list of equipment that the Contractor should possess or have the ability to obtain to perform the work requested.

a. Suggested Equipment List:

b. Lift truck (bucket truck with a minimum of 50’reach)

c. Chipper truck

d. Chipper

e. Stump grinder (small and large size)

f. Crane

g. Skid steer loader

h. Front loader

i. Dump trailer

City of Napa Request For Proposals Page 12 of 23

j. Dump truck

k. Bobtail dump truck

l. Flat bed truck

m. 4X4 truck

n. Chainsaws up to 50” bar

o. Air Compressor

p. All safety equipment

q. Gas/Diesel light towers

r. All required traffic safety (signs, cones etc) s.

9. Public Convenience and Safety – Contractor shall conduct its operations so as to cause the least possible obstruction and inconvenience to public traffic. All traffic shall be permitted to pass through the work area. Contractor shall furnish, erect, and maintain sufficient warning and directional signs, barricades and lights, and furnish sufficient flagmen to give adequate warning to the public at all times when dangerous conditions exist as the result of tree work. Contractor shall obtain approval from the

City representative of any detours required in connection with its work.

10. In general, for minor streets, at least one traffic lane shall be open in each direction. However if only one open lane is maintained, a flagman will be required. For major streets, proposed traffic control shall be approved by the City representative before the work is started; but, in general, at least one traffic lane in each direction shall be kept open, and the moving lanes shall not be closed during the morning and evening peak traffic periods. Contractor shall note that there are high volumes of traffic on some of the streets where trees are located which are part of this contact. Contractor shall perform all work in compliance with these Standard Specifications, OSHA, and State of California Safety Regulations.

a. All costs for traffic control shall be included in the bid price for the various bid items, and no special compensation shall be allowed.

11. Existing Utilities – Contractor shall verify the location of all existing utilities in the areas in which any stump or root removal is to be performed under this contract. Contractor shall coordinate its work with the respective utility companies. Contractor shall call Underground Service Alert (USA Center at (800)

642-2444) forty-eight hours in advance of any excavation activity, so that all existing underground facilities can be located and marked.

12. Coordination of Work – City's representative who shall exercise control of the work during the course of the contract. Contractor shall be responsible for coordinating all tree care work activity with

City's representative. Contractor shall establish a uniform time schedule for performance of its work under this contract. Said time schedule shall be in conformance with general contract work hours or special tree care work requirements.

City of Napa Request For Proposals Page 13 of 23

a. All cost of coordinating work with utility companies, other contractors, and City crews shall be included in bid pricing; no special compensation will be allowed.

13. Inspections – Contractor shall notify City's representative twenty-four (24) hours in advance of completing work in one area and moving to another. Daily work inspections shall be conducted by the

City during normal working hours. In the event that work inspections are required outside of normal working hours due to some failure on the part of Contractor, Contractor shall be responsible for work inspection costs. Contractor shall be billed at the current rate of the Tree Supervisor per hour for these services, and the only exception will be due to changes in the work hour period as mandated by the

City. In the event that work deficiencies are identified during an inspection, Contractor shall immediately rework the area as directed by City's representative at no additional cost to the City.

14. Authority – City's representative shall decide any and all questions which may arise as to the quality or acceptability of work performed and as to the manner of performance and rate of progress of the work. This includes questions on specification interpretation and acceptable fulfillment of the contract on the part of the Contractor.

15. Deviations – Deviations from these specifications, as may be required by unforeseen events or exigencies, will be mutually determined in all cases by City's and Contractor's representatives.

16. Temporary Suspension of Work – City's representative shall have the authority to suspend the work, wholly or in part, for such time as deemed necessary, due to unsuitable weather or to any other conditions considered unfavorable for suitable execution of the work.

17. Suspension of Contract – If, in the opinion of City's representative, Contractor has failed to supply an adequate work force and/or adequate equipment or failed to execute the work with the diligence and force specified by the terms and conditions of the contract, written notice will be served upon

Contractor. Should Contractor neglect or refuse to provide means for satisfactory compliance with the contract within the time frame specified, as directed by City, City's representative shall have the authority to suspend the operation of Contractor and commence termination of the contract.

18. Work Hours – Contractor shall limit its hours of work to eight hours per day, Monday through

Friday, between the hours of 7:30 AM and 4:00 PM. City's representative shall have the authority to change these hours to meet the needs of the City.

19. Response Time – While it is anticipated that most work will be scheduled in advance, some work may require a more immediate response. Please provide average response time. Response time is defined as the amount of time from contact by the City until able to report to the work site.

20. Quality of Work – All work determined by City to be unsatisfactory shall be remedied at no additional cost to the City, in a manner acceptable to City's representative. Any work done beyond City specifications or any extra work done without written authority from City will be considered unauthorized and ineligible for remuneration. Upon failure of the Contractor to comply with specifications or directives for the quality of work contracted, the City reserves the right to remedy the unsatisfactory work by City employees or another contractor and to deduct those costs thereof from any monies due or to become due the Contractor.

City of Napa Request For Proposals Page 14 of 23

21. Weekly Progress Reports – An up-to-date record of all tree care work shall be logged daily and submitted each Friday to City's representative. Work records shall include date, address, type of tree care performed, species, and any other pertinent information or unusual conditions.

22. Superintendence – Contractor must provide adequate supervision and inspection of all work performed under this contract to insure that each City requirement is consistently met. A fully qualified supervisor representing Contractor shall be readily available to meet and effectively communicate with

City's representative, as needed, for the purpose of correcting problems, conflicts, complaints, work schedules, personnel and equipment requirements.

23. Character of Workers – Contractor agrees to remove from service any employee of the Contractor who, in the opinion of the City, is not performing the services in a proper manner or who is incompetent, disorderly, abusive, insubordinate, dangerous, disruptive, or otherwise objectionable.

Contractor shall in NO way interpret such removal to require dismissal or other disciplinary action of the employee. Contractor shall prohibit the use of alcoholic beverages or drugs of any nature, except those for medical purposes, by drivers and crewmembers. Employees shall be properly and neatly clothed and behave in an efficient manner. It shall be the Contractor’s responsibility to communicate to its employees and make them aware of all these requirements and specifications. None but competent workers shall be employed on work requiring special qualifications.

24. Final Acceptance – Notice that the work is ready for final inspection and acceptance shall consist of a written statement from the Contractor to City's representative. Notice shall communicate to City that

Contractor has carefully inspected all portions of the work and has reviewed in detail all specifications and that all conditions of the contract have been fulfilled.

City of Napa Request For Proposals Page 15 of 23

3. ........................................................REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PROCEDURES

3.1. .............................................................................................. Requests for Information

Questions or objections relating to the RFP, the attachments hereto, the RFP procedures, or the required Services must be submitted by 5:00 pm, Wednesday, October 7, 2026 (the “Request for

Information Deadline”) through OpenGov, the City's electronic procurement portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofnapa ("Procurement Portal").

Any questions or objections that are not submitted through the Procurement Portal and by the Request for Information Deadline will be deemed waived. City will not be bound by the oral representations of any City officials, employees, or representatives.

3.2. .................................................................................................. Pre-Submittal Meeting

A Pre-Submittal Meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 1:00 pm, at Virtual meeting with link to be set up prior to meeting and available on OpenGov. Prospective Respondents will have the opportunity to ask questions about the RFP and the required Services. Respondents will be required to sign-in at the Pre-Submittal Meeting. The Pre-Submittal Meeting is NO VALUE.

3.3. ................................................................................................... Submittal Instructions

A. General. Proposals must be received by the City by or before Monday, October 12, 2026 at 5:00 pm

(“Proposal Deadline”). Respondent must submit a proposal through OpenGov, the Procurement Portal, at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofnapa, no later than the Proposal Deadline.

B. Electronic Submission.

1. OpenGov. The Proposal response all required forms and attachments must be submitted in

PDF format via OpenGov at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofnapa.

2. Vendor Registration. To participate in the bidding process, each bidder must register with

OpenGov at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofnapa. Once registered, each bidder must subscribe to the City of Napa portal.

3. For instructions on how to register as a vendor with OpenGov, visit the City’s website at:

http://www.cityofnapa.org/265/Bidding-Information. Please read the instructions carefully and follow all steps, including registration with OpenGov and subscribing to the City of Napa account.

3.4. ................................................................................................... Planned RFP Schedule

The following schedule is provided for planning purposes based on current information. However, all dates are subject to revision, including the Proposal Deadline, and may be amended by addenda to this

RFP:

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofnapa https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofnapa https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofnapa https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofnapa http://www.cityofnapa.org/265/Bidding-Information

City of Napa Request For Proposals Page 16 of 23

RFP Release Date: September 24, 2026

Pre-Submittal Meeting (Non-Mandatory): October 6, 2026, 1:00pm

Virtual meeting with link to be set up prior to meeting and available on OpenGov

Request for Information Deadline: October 7, 2026, 5:00pm

Proposal Submission Deadline: October 12, 2026, 5:00pm

Notice of Selection Date: October 19, 2026

Interviews (If requested by the City): TBD

3.5. ....................................................................................................................... Addenda

City reserves the right to issue addenda to modify the terms and conditions of this RFP, including modifications to the Proposal Deadline or to the Attachments to this RFP. Addenda will be issued through the Procurement Portal. Each Respondent is solely responsible for checking the Procurement

Portal for addenda, and for reviewing any and all addenda before submitting its Proposal.

If the City releases an addendum, it will be posted on the project. Vendors following the project, or bidders who have already submitted will be notified via email. Bidders who have already submitted responses MUST log back in, un-submit your response, acknowledge the new addendum, or risk your response being deemed non-responsive. Bidders should check OpenGov periodically for any addenda or updates on the Project at: https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofnapa.

4. .......................................................................... PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

4.1. ................................................................................................. General Requirements.

Each Proposal must be submitted in compliance with the requirements of this RFP. Each Proposal must respond to the items listed below. Clarity and brevity are preferable to volume. Do not attach brochures or promotional materials to the Proposal. Proposals should not exceed 4 one-sided pages. However, resumes may be included in an appendix and not counted in the total page count.

4.2. ................................................................................................................. Cover Letter.

Provide a brief cover letter that includes all of the following information:

(1) Respondent’s name, address, phone number, and website address;

(2) type of organization (e.g. corporation, partnership, etc.);

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

City of Napa Request For Proposals Page 17 of 23

(3) a summary of general information about Respondent and the types of services it provides in relation to the Services required by the City; and

(4) contact information, including name, title, address, phone number, and email, of

Respondent’s primary representative for purposes of this RFP.

The cover letter must be signed by a representative that is authorized to bind Respondent by contract and must state his or her name, title, and email address.

4.3. ................................................................................................. General Qualifications.

Provide a brief description of the Respondent’s business, including the number of years in business under the current name. Describe the size of the business, including total number of employees and offices, and identify and briefly describe each local office that will be involved in providing the Services if awarded the Agreement. Describe how and why Respondent is qualified to provide the Services.

4.4. ................................................................................................................... Experience.

Identify services Respondent has provided in the last five years that are similar in scope and nature to the Services required by this RFP, particularly with respect to services provided to other cities or public agencies. For each example, provide (1) a brief description of the services provided, (2) an explanation of why this experience is relevant to the required Services, and (3) the name and address of the contracting agency, including contact information for a reference check (name, title, phone number, and email address).

4.5. .......................................................................................... Proposed Scope of Services.

Based upon the Draft Scope of Services, provide a complete description of the scope of services

(“Proposed Scope of Services”) the Respondent proposes to perform to achieve the City’s objectives identified in the Draft Scope of Services. The Proposed Scope of Services may identify services which differ from the services in the Draft Scope of Services if the Respondent believes the changes will assist the City in more efficiently and effectively achieving the City’s objectives. Briefly describe Respondent’s proposed approach to providing the Services and how that approach will offer value to the City. Identify any proposed innovations that may be used to achieve more cost-effective delivery of the Services.

Provide a work plan and proposed schedule for the tasks described in the Draft Scope of Services.

4.6. ........................................................................................................................ Staffing.

Identify by name and title Respondent’s key personnel that will be assigned to provide the Services and for each, include a resume with his or her education, training, and experience. Identify by name, address, and website, each subconsultant or subcontractor, if any, that will be involved with providing the Services, including the proposed role for each such subconsultant or subcontractor. Include all applicable license numbers for any license required to perform the Services.

4.7. ............................................................................................................................ Price.

City of Napa Request For Proposals Page 18 of 23

A. Provide a total “not-to-exceed” cost for performance of all Services included in the Proposed

Scope of Services, including all labor, materials, equipment, supplies, the insurance required under the terms of the Agreement, and all reimbursable charges.

B. Identify whether compensation for performance of the Services will be based on hourly billing rates or a lump sum.

C. If compensation is based on hourly billing rates, attach a copy of hourly billing rates.

D. If compensation is on a lump sum basis rather than hourly, provide a breakdown of the proposed lump sum based on each task to be performed and/or deliverable to be provided.

E. Identify any reimbursable expenses (e.g., travel, supplies) and the proposed rate of reimbursement for each category of expense.

4.8. ............................................................................................. Exceptions to Agreement.

Identify any objections to and/or requested changes to the Agreement.

5. ................................................................................................ EVALUATION

The factors that the City will consider in evaluating Proposals are as follows:

No. Evaluation Criteria Scoring Method Weight (Points)

1. General Qualifications

Provide an overview of the company, including key personnel along with applicable licenses and a list of key equipment that is used to perform tree services. Including 24/7 emergency response overview.

Points Based 15 (15% of Total)

2. Relevant Experience

Provide at least three examples of similar work performed with other agencies within the last

5 years that would make you qualified to perform these services.

Points Based 15 (15% of Total)

3. Proposed Staffing

Provide an overview of key personal including applicable licenses. In addition, provide key staff members that would assist in provide quotes for these services along with key staff who will perform invoicing.

Points Based 15 (15% of Total)

City of Napa Request For Proposals Page 19 of 23

4. Pricing

Provide a schedule of charges, including both personnel and equipment as well as any other applicable fees. In addition to a schedule of charges provide:

• Standard Rate:

o The hourly rate for a three-man crew including a bucket truck, chipper and dump truck.

• Emergency Response Rate:

o The hourly rate for a three-man crew including a bucket truck, chipper and dump truck.

Points Based 15 (15% of Total)

5. Proposed Approach Points Based 10 (10% of Total)

6. Responsiveness Points Based 10 (10% of Total)

7. References

Provide a minimum of three customer references with similar size contracts. With preference of government agencies, cities, counties or districts.

Points Based 10 (10% of Total)

8. Interview (If requested) Points Based 10 (10% of Total)

6. ............................................................................... SELECTION AND AWARD

6.1. ......................................................................................................................... Review

Proposals will be reviewed for responsiveness and evaluated and ranked based on the factors listed in the Evaluation Section. When the evaluation is complete, the Proposals will be ranked based on total scores to identify the relative merits of each Proposal. Acting in its sole discretion, the City may elect to conduct interviews with shortlisted Respondents, and the City may negotiate with shortlisted

Respondents to amend the scope of services in order to best achieve the City’s goals for the Project.

6.2. .......................................................................................................................... Award

The City will award the Agreement, if at all, to the Respondent that is determined by the City’s Decision-

Maker, acting in the Decision-Maker’s sole discretion, to offer the most advantageous Proposal to the

City based on the City’s review, as outlined above. The City’s Project Manager will submit a recommendation to the City’s Decision-Maker for award of the Agreement to the Respondent that the

Project Manager determines to offer the most advantageous Proposal. The Respondents will be notified

City of Napa Request For Proposals Page 20 of 23 of the Project Manager’s recommendation to the Decision-Maker by a Notice of Intended Selection which will be issued through the Procurement Portal.

6.3. ....................................................................................................... Protest Procedures

Any protest challenging the City’s intended selection or the selection process must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m., on the fifth business day following the date of the Notice of Intended Selection. The protest must be submitted in writing via email to Breyana Brandt, Parks & Recreation Director, at bbrandt@cityofnapa.org, and must clearly specify the basis for the protest. The protest will be reviewed by the City’s Decision-Maker, along with the recommendation from the Project Manager and legal advice from the City Attorney’s Office. The determination of the City’s Decision-Maker on the protest is final. No public hearing will be held on the protest. Time being of the essence, the City reserves the right to proceed with award of the Agreement and commencement of the Services notwithstanding any pending protest or legal challenge.

7. .......................................................................................... MISCELLANEOUS

7.1. ........................................................................... Disclaimers and Reservation of Rights

Upon receipt, each Proposal becomes the sole property of City and will not be returned to the

Respondent. Each Respondent is solely responsible for the costs it incurs to prepare and submit its

Proposal. The City reserves, in its sole discretion, the right to reject any and all Proposals, including the right to cancel or postpone the RFP or the Services at any time, or to decline to award the Agreement to any of the Respondents. The City reserves the right to waive any immaterial irregularities in a Proposal or submission of a Proposal. The City reserves the right to reject any Proposal that is determined to contain false or misleading information, or material omissions.

7.2. ........................................................................................................ Conflict of Interest

Respondents must disclose to the City any actual, apparent, direct or indirect, or potential conflicts of interest that may exist with respect to Respondent, any employees of Respondent, or any other person relative to the Services to be provided pursuant to this RFP. This RFP process will be conducted in compliance with all laws regarding political contributions, conflicts of interest, or unlawful activities. City employees are prohibited from participating in the selection process for this RFP if they have any financial or business relationship with any Respondent.

7.3. .............................................................................................................. Public Records

The City is subject to the provisions of the California Public Records Act (Govt. Code § 6250 et seq.) (the

“Act”), and each Proposal submitted to the City is subject to disclosure as a public record, unless the

Proposal or any portion thereof is exempt under the Act.

Exceptions relevant to this RFP that authorize the City to refuse to disclose City records to the public, include (1) the “deliberative process”; and (2) “Confidential – Official Information.”

Deliberative Process: Unless otherwise compelled by a court order, the City will not disclose any

Proposal while the City conducts its “deliberative process” of reviewing the Proposals. However, when the Project Manager submits a recommendation to the City Council to award the Agreement to the preferred Respondent, the City will consider all Proposals to be subject to public disclosure, unless the mailto:bbrandt@cityofnapa.org

City of Napa Request For Proposals Page 21 of 23

Respondent demonstrates to the satisfaction of the City that there is a legal exception to disclosure.

(See, Michaelis v Superior Court (2006) 38 Cal.4th 1065)

Confidential – Official Information: Another potential exception from public disclosure is “official information” submitted to the City in confidence, where the necessity for preserving the confidentiality of the information outweighs the necessity for disclosure in the interests of justice. (See California

Government Code Section 6254(k) and Evidence Code Section 1040.)

If a Respondent asserts that any portion of its Proposal is exempt from disclosure under the Act, it must clearly mark each portion of its Proposal “Confidential”; and for each marked portion, identify the legal basis for the exemption, including citations to specific sections of the Act. Each Respondent bears the burden of proving any claimed exemption under the Act, and by submitting a Proposal, a Respondent agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the City against any third party claim seeking disclosure of the Proposal or any portions thereof. Any blanket confidentiality statement in the Proposal (e.g., regarding entire pages, documents or other non-specific designations) shall not be sufficient and shall not bind the City in any way whatsoever.

If the City receives a request for disclosure of records identified by a Respondent as “Confidential,” the

City will take one of the following actions in its sole and absolute discretion:

1. If the City determines there is a legal basis to withhold the records from disclosure, the City will not disclose those records unless compelled by a court order; provided that, upon request by the City, the Respondent shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the City regarding any claim or litigation by any third party for the public disclosure of the

“Confidential” portion of the Proposal.

2. If the City does not identify a legal basis to withhold the records from disclosure, the City will provide written notice of the request for disclosure to the Respondent, and the

Respondent will be given a reasonable opportunity to seek protection from disclosure by a court of competent jurisdiction prior to the City’s disclosure of the requested information.

8. ................................................................................. PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

Please see the Proposal Requirements section of this RFP.

Each Proposal must be submitted in compliance with the requirements of this RFP. Respondent must respond to the items listed below. Clarity and brevity are preferable to volume. Do not attach brochures or promotional materials to the Proposal.

1. .................................................................................................................. Cover Letter* Provide a brief cover letter that includes all of the following information:

1. Respondent’s name, address, phone number, and website address;

2. Type of organization (e.g.