GGV_Irrigation_RFP_Final1_Walkthrough_QandA_08.24.2026.pdf

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GOLDEN GATE VILLAGE LANDSCAPE/DRAINAGE

MAINTENANCE RFP

WALKTHROUGH QUESTIONS AND MHA RESPONSES

The following written responses clarify questions raised in connection with the August 20, 2026 Golden Gate Village site walkthrough. These responses shall be read together with RFP 2026-01, the Scope of Work, attachments, and all addenda. Proposers shall rely on the written solicitation documents, addenda, and written clarifications issued through OpenGov. To the extent any oral statement made during the site walkthrough differs from a subsequently issued written clarification or addendum, the written clarification or addendum controls.

1. Herbicide Use

Q: Are there any restrictions on the use of herbicides at Golden Gate Village, and must the selected Contractor obtain MHA approval before application? If so, what information must be submitted for approval?

MHA Response:

MHA does not currently maintain a property-specific approved or prohibited herbicide product list for Golden Gate Village.

The Scope requires manual and nonchemical methods to be used whenever feasible, and herbicide use requires MHA's prior written authorization. Before application, the Contractor shall identify the proposed product, application location, purpose, and proposed method of application and provide the applicable product label, Safety Data Sheet, and any other information reasonably requested by MHA.

MHA will review proposed applications on a case-by-case basis. Herbicide use should not be assumed as a substitute for the labor necessary to meet the Scope's weed-control requirements.

All applications must comply with applicable federal, State, and local requirements, including licensing, product labeling, safety requirements, and any legally required notification, posting, recordkeeping, or re-entry requirements.

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2. Section 3 Requirements

Q: Does Section 3 apply to this solicitation and resulting Contract? If so, please identify the applicable Section 3 requirements.

MHA Response:

Yes. Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, as amended, and HUD's implementing regulations at 24 CFR Part 75 apply to this solicitation and the resulting Contract.

The selected Contractor and applicable subcontractors will be required to comply with Section 3 requirements applicable to public housing financial assistance, including requirements concerning employment and training opportunities, prioritization of Section 3 Workers and Targeted Section 3 Workers, recordkeeping, and provision of information necessary for MHA to satisfy its Section 3 reporting obligations.

Under HUD's Section 3 framework for public housing financial assistance, MHA and its contractors and subcontractors must make best efforts to provide employment and training opportunities generated by the assistance in the applicable order of priority.

HUD's Section 3 benchmarks for public housing financial assistance include:

• Section 3 Worker Labor Hours: 25% or more of the total labor hours worked by all workers funded by the applicable public housing financial assistance; and

• Targeted Section 3 Worker Labor Hours: 5% or more of the total labor hours worked by all workers funded by the applicable public housing financial assistance.

The selected Contractor will be required to maintain and provide MHA with documentation reasonably necessary for MHA to monitor and report Section 3 compliance, including applicable total labor hours, Section 3 Worker labor hours, Targeted Section 3 Worker labor hours, and documentation of Section 3 efforts.

MHA will incorporate the applicable Section 3 requirements and reporting provisions into the solicitation and resulting Contract by addendum.

3. Current Landscaping and Irrigation Maps

Q: Are the landscaping and irrigation maps provided with the solicitation the most current maps available?

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MHA Response:

The maps provided through the solicitation and subsequent addenda represent the most current maps and reference information currently available to MHA for purposes of this procurement.

The irrigation maps are operational/reference maps and should not be interpreted as certified as-built drawings or as a complete inventory of all irrigation-system components.

4. Updated or Corrected Maps

Q: Will MHA provide updated maps if the existing maps do not accurately show the areas included in the Scope of Work?

MHA Response:

If MHA identifies materially updated or corrected service-area information before the proposal deadline, MHA will make that information available to all Proposers through OpenGov.

During Contract performance, material changes to service boundaries resulting from redevelopment will be addressed in accordance with the Scope of Work and Contract modification provisions.

5. Landscape Service-Area Boundaries

Q: Do the landscaping maps identify all areas the Contractor will be responsible for maintaining?

MHA Response:

The Phase 2 service-area maps identify the areas intended to be covered by the recurring Contract.

The maps should be read together with the Scope of Work, drainage exhibits, irrigation reference maps, and written OpenGov clarifications. MHA does not represent that every individual landscape feature or physical boundary is separately depicted on the maps.

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6. Walls, Fences, and Other Physical Boundaries

Q: Where a wall, fence, or similar physical boundary exists, does the Contractor's maintenance responsibility end at that physical boundary or extend beyond it? How far beyond the uphill walls behind the high-rises is the Contractor responsible for maintaining?

MHA Response:

Maintenance responsibility is determined by the designated service areas shown in the solicitation maps and Scope of Work, and not solely by the presence of a retaining wall, fence, or similar physical feature.

MHA has not established a separate fixed distance or measurement above or beyond the uphill retaining walls that supersedes the designated service-area boundaries.

Proposers should rely on the Scope of Work, applicable service-area maps, solicitation exhibits, written clarifications, and reasonably observable site conditions in determining the work included within the designated service areas.

Where a specific physical boundary creates uncertainty during Contract performance, the Contractor shall obtain direction from MHA before performing work outside the clearly designated service area.

7. Fenced or Enclosed Utility Areas

Q: Are fenced or enclosed utility areas containing weeds or vegetation included in the landscaping Scope of Work?

MHA Response:

Yes. Unlocked fenced or enclosed utility areas located within the designated Contract service area are included to the extent necessary for routine weed control, vegetation management, litter/debris removal, and related landscape maintenance required by the Scope of Work.

The Contractor is expected to enter reasonably accessible, unlocked utility enclosures as necessary to maintain vegetation and weeds and to prevent vegetation from interfering with access to utility equipment or creating unsafe or unsightly conditions.

The Contractor's responsibility within these areas is limited to applicable landscape and cleanup requirements. The Contractor is not responsible for operating, servicing, repairing, R F P 2 0 2 6 - 0 1 P r o p e r t y W a l k t h r o u g h Q & A P a g e 5 | 15 modifying, or otherwise performing work on utility equipment, cabinets, meters, electrical components, or other utility infrastructure unless separately authorized by MHA.

If an enclosure is locked, unsafe to enter, contains exposed or damaged utility equipment, or presents another condition that prevents safe access, the Contractor shall notify MHA.

8. Private or Enclosed Resident Areas and Covered Drainage/Irrigation Facilities

Q: Are private or enclosed resident patios, yards, or garden areas included in the Scope of Work? Where drainage swales, drains, irrigation components, or other Contract-covered facilities are located within resident-fenced or exclusive-use areas, will the Contractor be required to enter those areas to perform the required work, and who is responsible for maintaining those facilities?

MHA Response:

Private or enclosed resident patios, yards, or garden areas are not generally included as recurring landscape-maintenance areas.

However, certain drainage swales, drains, inlets, irrigation components, or other Contract-covered facilities may be located within resident-fenced, enclosed, or exclusive-use areas.

Where such a feature is within the applicable Contract service area, the Contractor remains responsible for the inspection, cleaning, maintenance, or other work required by the Scope for that feature.

This does not make the resident's entire patio, yard, garden, or other exclusive-use area part of the Contractor's recurring landscaping or cleanup responsibility.

MHA will coordinate reasonable access with affected residents. The Contractor shall not independently enter private or enclosed resident areas without appropriate MHA coordination. If scheduled access cannot be obtained, the Contractor shall document the unsuccessful access attempt and promptly notify MHA.

A documented inability to obtain resident access will not, by itself, be treated as a Contractor performance deficiency where the Contractor has complied with applicable coordination and documentation requirements.

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9. Shared Resident Garden Project Areas

Q: Are shared resident garden project areas included in the Contractor's Scope of Work?

MHA Response:

No. Shared resident garden project areas are not included in the Contractor's recurring base Scope of Work and should not be included in the Contractor's base monthly pricing.

If MHA requests landscaping, cleanup, vegetation removal, or other services within a shared resident garden project area, such work will be considered outside the recurring base Scope and shall be performed only upon MHA's prior written authorization.

Separately authorized work will be handled in accordance with the Contract provisions governing additional work and applicable pricing.

Exclusion of a shared resident garden area from routine landscaping does not exclude a drainage, irrigation, or other specific facility located within or accessible through the area if that facility is otherwise included within the Contract Scope.

10. Difficult or Labor-Intensive Areas

Q: Are there specific areas within the Contract service area that MHA considers particularly difficult to access or maintain, or that are known to require additional labor, equipment, or specialized maintenance due to conditions such as steep slopes, dense vegetation, drainage conditions, restricted access, or other site characteristics? If so, please identify those areas.

MHA Response:

Golden Gate Village includes hillside and steep-slope areas, mature and dense vegetation, retaining-wall areas, resident-fenced areas containing drainage facilities, established drainage and irrigation systems, constrained-access locations, and areas affected by ongoing redevelopment.

MHA does not maintain a comprehensive verified inventory separately identifying or quantifying every difficult or labor-intensive location.

Proposers have been provided opportunities to observe existing conditions through self-guided site visits and the August 20 MHA-led walkthrough and should account for

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11. HydroPoint Irrigation-Management System

Q: Is a HydroPoint irrigation-management system installed at Golden Gate Village?

MHA Response:

Yes. A HydroPoint irrigation-management system is installed at Golden Gate Village, including within the Phase 2 areas applicable to this Contract.

12. HydroPoint Operational Status

Q: Is the HydroPoint irrigation-management system currently operational within the Phase 2 Contract service area?

MHA Response:

Yes. The HydroPoint irrigation-management system serving the Phase 2 portions of Golden Gate Village applicable to this Contract is operational.

13. HydroPoint Contract and Landscaping Contractor Access

Q: Is the HydroPoint irrigation-management system covered under a separate MHA contract? If so, how will that contract interface with the landscaping Contractor's irrigation responsibilities, and will the landscaping Contractor be provided access to the irrigation controllers or HydroPoint system?

MHA Response:

Yes. MHA currently maintains the HydroPoint irrigation-management system under a separate MHA contract.

The separate HydroPoint contract does not eliminate or replace the landscaping Contractor's irrigation inspection, monitoring, testing, adjustment, reporting, and other irrigation responsibilities established by the Scope of Work.

As necessary for Contract performance, the selected Contractor may be provided appropriate access to irrigation controllers and related HydroPoint system functions, subject to MHA approval and coordination. The level and method of access will be established by MHA based on operational needs and the Contractor's responsibilities.

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The Contractor shall coordinate proposed controller programming, material scheduling changes, or other system changes with MHA and shall not modify HydroPoint system settings or controls beyond the authority granted by MHA.

Services remaining under MHA's separate HydroPoint contract will be coordinated by MHA as necessary.

14. Existing Irrigation-System Condition

Q: Are there known problems with the existing Phase 2 irrigation system, including damaged equipment, inadequate coverage, leaks, nonfunctioning controllers, valves, or other components?

MHA Response:

MHA has recently completed a comprehensive evaluation of the irrigation system serving the Phase 2 Contract service area and is currently completing identified repairs and corrective work.

MHA anticipates that the Phase 2 irrigation system will be fully operational at commencement of the new landscaping Contract.

The selected Contractor will nevertheless participate in the initial baseline inspection and perform the irrigation inspection, operational testing, monitoring, adjustment, reporting, and routine maintenance requirements established by the Scope throughout the Contract term.

Any irrigation deficiencies identified during the initial baseline inspection will be documented and addressed in accordance with the Contract provisions governing baseline conditions, routine maintenance, and separately authorized repairs.

15. Existing Irrigation Deficiencies

Q: Who is responsible for repairing existing irrigation deficiencies?

MHA Response:

Routine irrigation inspection, adjustment, monitoring, and minor component replacement expressly required by Section 5 are included in the Contractor's base responsibilities.

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Major system repairs, including controller replacement, significant wiring repairs, mainline/lateral repairs, system modifications, and new infrastructure, require prior MHA authorization and are not included as routine base maintenance.

Pre-existing deficiencies identified during the baseline inspection will be reviewed by MHA in accordance with the Scope and Contract to determine the appropriate responsibility and treatment.

16. Irrigation Repairs During the Contract Term

Q: Who is responsible for irrigation-system repairs that become necessary during the Contract term?

MHA Response:

The Contractor is responsible for routine irrigation inspection, adjustment, monitoring, and minor component replacement required by Section 5.

Major irrigation repairs require prior MHA authorization and will be handled under the Contract's provisions governing additional or separately authorized work.

17. Irrigation Scheduling

Q: Who is responsible for establishing and adjusting irrigation schedules?

MHA Response:

The Contractor shall monitor irrigation performance and recommend appropriate seasonal or operational scheduling adjustments. MHA retains overall authority over irrigation-system operating parameters and may direct scheduling changes. Responsibilities involving the HydroPoint system or MHA's separate HydroPoint contractor will be coordinated by MHA as necessary.

18. Approval of Irrigation Schedule Changes

Q: Must proposed irrigation schedules or material scheduling changes receive MHA approval?

MHA Response:

Yes. Material changes to irrigation schedules or controller programming shall be coordinated with and approved by MHA.

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The Contractor shall monitor irrigation performance and recommend appropriate seasonal or operational scheduling adjustments. Material changes to irrigation schedules, controller programming, or HydroPoint system settings require MHA approval.

Routine field adjustments within the Contractor's Scope that do not materially alter controller programming may be made as necessary to correct coverage or prevent water waste and shall be documented as appropriate.

19. Routine Litter and Debris Removal

Q: Is trash and litter pickup included in the Scope of Work, and how frequently must it be performed?

MHA Response:

Yes. Routine litter and debris removal is included in the Scope.

Routine litter and debris removal within landscaped areas and adjacent areas required by the Scope shall occur as part of each scheduled landscape service cycle and as otherwise necessary to maintain the required cleanliness and performance standards.

20. Large Discarded Items and Illegal Dumping

Q: Does routine trash removal include larger discarded items such as furniture, mattresses, appliances, illegal dumping, hazardous materials, or materials requiring special handling?

MHA Response:

No. Routine litter and debris removal does not include unusually large discarded items, appliances, mattresses, furniture, illegal dumping, hazardous materials, or materials requiring special handling unless specifically authorized by MHA.

21. Removal of Large or Illegally Dumped Items

Q: If larger discarded items or illegal dumping are not included in the routine landscaping Scope, who will be responsible for removal?

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MHA Response:

MHA or another party designated by MHA will address such items unless MHA specifically directs the Contractor to perform the work as separately authorized additional service.

22. Existing Piles of Weeds, Green Waste, Trash, and Debris

Q: Are existing piles of weeds, green waste, mixed trash, or larger debris currently located on the property included in the Contractor's Scope, and will MHA remove such existing accumulations before the new Contract begins?

MHA Response:

Existing conditions will be documented as part of the joint baseline inspection.

Ordinary green waste, weeds, litter, and routine cleanup reasonably contemplated by the Scope are included in the Contractor's base services.

Substantial pre-existing accumulations, illegal dumping, unusually large debris, or other conditions requiring extraordinary catch-up or restoration work will be reviewed by MHA during the baseline process to determine whether the work is included in routine base maintenance or requires separate written authorization.

MHA is not representing that all existing accumulations will be removed before Notice to Proceed.

23. Hardscape and Adjacent Surface Cleanup

Q: What are the Contractor's ongoing trash-abatement and cleanup responsibilities for hardscape areas, walkways, and other non-landscaped surfaces?

MHA Response:

The Contractor is responsible for cleanup of adjacent paved and hardscape areas within the applicable Contract service area where required as part of landscape operations and for routine litter/debris abatement to the extent required by the Scope.

This includes applicable sidewalks, curbs, walkways, drainage areas, and other immediately adjacent surfaces. As clarified in Response No. 8, private or exclusive-use resident patios are not generally included as recurring landscape-maintenance or cleanup areas merely because they are located within the property.

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24. Frequency of Hardscape Cleanup

Q: How frequently must the Contractor inspect and clean applicable hardscape, walkways, and other non-landscaped surfaces?

MHA Response:

Cleanup of adjacent hardscape shall occur during each applicable service cycle and as needed to meet the Scope's cleanliness and performance standards.

The RFP does not establish a separate fixed inspection frequency for every non-landscaped surface.

25. Areas Behind the High-Rise Buildings

Q: What are the Contractor's landscaping, cleanup, irrigation, drainage, and trash-abatement responsibilities in the areas behind the high-rise buildings, and how frequently must those areas be maintained?

MHA Response:

Areas behind the high-rise buildings are included to the extent they fall within the designated Phase 2 landscape and/or drainage service areas shown in the solicitation exhibits.

Within included areas, the Contractor shall perform the applicable landscape, litter, irrigation, drainage, vegetation-clearance, and cleanup requirements established by the Scope.

There is no separate maintenance standard applicable solely because an area is located behind a high-rise building. Service frequency is governed by the applicable Scope requirements and performance standards.

26. Initial and Ongoing Drainage Maintenance

Q: Based on the current condition of MHA's drains, drainage swales, inlets, collectors, and related drainage features, how should the initial cleaning and ongoing maintenance requirements be addressed under the Contract?

MHA Response:

The Scope requires the Contractor to provide ongoing inspection, cleaning, and maintenance of drainage features within the designated Drainage Maintenance Service

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Area throughout the Contract term. Drainage cleaning is therefore a recurring Contract responsibility and is not limited to a one-time initial cleaning.

At commencement of the Contract, MHA and the selected Contractor will conduct a joint baseline inspection. The inspection will document existing drainage conditions, including observable blockages, accumulated vegetation or debris, sediment accumulation, erosion, access constraints, and other material deficiencies.

Ordinary initial cleaning and routine catch-up work reasonably associated with assuming responsibility for the recurring drainage Scope shall be included in the Contractor's base Contract services.

If the baseline inspection identifies substantial pre-existing sediment accumulation, major blockages, extraordinary debris accumulation, significant erosion, structural drainage deficiencies, or other conditions requiring work materially beyond routine drainage maintenance, MHA will review and document those conditions and determine whether the required work is included in routine base maintenance or constitutes separately authorized additional work.

No separately compensated drainage work may proceed without MHA's prior written authorization.

Proposers were provided an opportunity during the August 20 MHA-led site walkthrough to observe representative existing drainage conditions and may also rely on the drainage maps and other reference information provided with the solicitation in developing their staffing and pricing.

27. Drainage Condition Photographs

Q: Will MHA provide photographs or other documentation showing the current condition of drains, drainage swales, drain inlets, and collectors?

MHA Response:

MHA does not currently maintain a comprehensive photographic condition inventory of all drainage facilities. If MHA identifies additional material drainage-condition information before the proposal deadline that is reasonably necessary for proposal preparation, MHA will make that information available to all Proposers through OpenGov.

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28. Bidder Inspection and Photography of Drainage Areas

Q: May prospective Proposers inspect and photograph drains and drainage areas so they can evaluate existing conditions before submitting proposals?

MHA Response:

Yes. Prospective Proposers may observe and photograph reasonably accessible drainage and site conditions during authorized site visits, provided they do not enter restricted or private areas without permission, interfere with residents or property operations, or unnecessarily photograph residents.

29. Contractor Working Hours

Q: What are the permitted working days and hours for the landscaping Contractor?

Please confirm whether the anticipated working hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

MHA Response:

MHA has not established 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. as a mandatory Contract work schedule.

Routine work shall generally be performed during normal daytime working hours and in a manner that minimizes unreasonable disruption to residents and property operations. The regular work schedule will be coordinated with and approved by MHA during mobilization.

Routine after-hours, weekend, or holiday work shall not be performed without MHA approval, except where emergency response is required or otherwise authorized under the Contract.

30. Age of Golden Gate Village

Q: When was Golden Gate Village constructed?

MHA Response:

Golden Gate Village was designed and constructed between approximately 1958 and 1961, with construction completed in approximately 1961.

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31. Additional Property Information

Q: Will MHA provide any additional available information regarding the age, layout, or condition of Golden Gate Village that may materially affect performance of the landscaping, irrigation, drainage, or cleanup work?

MHA Response:

MHA has provided the Scope of Work, Phase 2 service-area maps, drainage exhibits, irrigation reference maps, and opportunities for site inspection.

Golden Gate Village is an existing property with mature landscaping, hillside areas, established irrigation and drainage infrastructure, resident-use areas, and ongoing redevelopment activity.

MHA does not currently have additional verified property-condition information to provide beyond the solicitation materials, addenda, written clarifications, maps/reference materials, and information made available through the site-visit process. If MHA subsequently identifies material information reasonably necessary for proposal preparation before the proposal deadline, it will be provided to all Proposers through OpenGov.