COUNTY OF ORANGE

OC COMMUNITY RESOURCES

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

FOR

INVASIVE PLANT CONTROL SERVICES

RFP NO. RFP-012-3090502-ST

RESPONSES MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY TO:

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

County of Orange RFP # RFP-012-3090502-ST

OC Community Resources Invasive Plant Control Services Page 1 of 54

County of Orange

OC Community Resources

Procurement and Contract Services

601 North Ross Street 6th Floor

Santa Ana, CA

92701

SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES

Release of RFP Solicitation November 10, 2026

Question Submission Deadline November 24, 2026, 2:00pm

RFP Submittal Closing December 8, 2026, 2:00pm

PROPOSALS MUST BE RECEIVED ON

OR BEFORE

Tuesday, December 8, 2026

2:00 pm

OC Community Resources Invasive Plant Control Services Page 2 of 54

SECTIONS

SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION AND INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS

SECTION 2. PROTEST PROCEDURES

SECTION 3. SCOPE OF WORK

SECTION 4. SCORING CRITERIA

SECTION 5. OCLSB AND DVBE PREFERENCE POLICIES CERTIFICATION

REQUIREMENTS

SECTION 6. VENDOR RESPONSES

SECTION 7. COST PROPOSAL

Attachments:

A - Model Contract 012-3090502-ST Invasive Plant Control Services 2026.11.10

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SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION AND INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS

1.1 INTRODUCTION

The County intends that the successful Respondent shall provide Invasive Plant Control Services proposed in accordance with contract requirements set forth in the solicitation and Model Contract, including Attachments.

1.2 COUNTY HOLIDAYS DURING SOLICITATION PERIOD

During this solicitation period, the OC Community Resources will be closed on the following

County holidays - https://hrs.oc.gov/employee-relations/employee-resources

1.3 INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS AND PROCEDURES FOR SUBMITTAL

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All questions or requests for interpretations must be received within this solicitation by Tuesday, November 24, 2026, before 2:00 pm. The DPA will provide all official communication concerning this solicitation. Any County response relevant to this https://hrs.oc.gov/employee-relations/employee-resources https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/ocgov https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/ocgov mailto:procurement-support@opengov.com https://help.procurement.opengov.com/en/

OC Community Resources Invasive Plant Control Services Page 4 of 54 solicitation other than through or approved by the DPA is unauthorized and will be considered invalid.

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

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

Portal.

E. All pages must be submitted on standard 8.5 x 11-inch paper, numbered and identified sequentially by section. Responses must be organized and indexed as outlined in the

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

OC Community Resources Invasive Plant Control Services Page 5 of 54 to this solicitation. Any Respondent who is found to have an actual conflict of interest may have its response rejected on that ground.

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

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

Economic Interest (Form 700).

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

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

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

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

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

Response Requirements Section, “Statement of Compliance.”

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

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

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

K. Any response may be construed as non-responsive and ineligible for consideration if it does not comply with the requirements of the solicitation, including but not limited to technical features, acknowledgment of receipt of addenda, and page number limits, etc. These are common causes for deeming a response non-responsive.

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

OC Community Resources Invasive Plant Control Services Page 6 of 54 to contract with a single firm that may subcontract with multiple firms (team) but not with multiple firms doing business as a joint venture.

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

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

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

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

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

Q. After the closing date and time for receipt of Responses, evaluation, and if requested by the County, interviews will commence. Respondents who submit Responses most responsive to the County’s requirements may be asked to give a presentation of their response to County staff. The County makes no guarantee as to the number of Respondents selected for interviews. Selected Respondents should be prepared to make its presentation within five (5) business days after notification and be prepared to discuss all aspects of its response in detail, including technical questions regarding the response. Respondents shall not be allowed to alter or amend its response through the use of the presentation process.

1.4 OPTIONAL PRE-SUBMITTAL MEETING AND SITE VISIT

Attendance of Pre-Submittal Meeting and Site Visit is not required and will be held on NO VALUE at NO VALUE local time, no one will be admitted 10 minutes after meeting has started. The meeting will be located at NO VALUE. At this meeting, County staff will discuss the scope of work, general contract issues, and respond to questions from the attendees. The Pre-Submittal

Meeting and Site Visit will be conducted one time only. All questions will need to be submitted in writing through the County’s online eProcurement system at http://www.dnb.com/ http://www.usfcr.com/

OC Community Resources Invasive Plant Control Services Page 7 of 54 https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/ocgov. The Respondent will have until Tuesday, November 24, 2026 before 2:00 pm to submit questions.

• Please confirm your attendance by replying via the RSVP feature in the County's eProcurement Portal.

• Respondents are responsible for securing parking and payment of parking fees (if applicable)

• Respondents are encouraged to arrive early to ensure a parking space

1.5 MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS

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

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

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

1.6 EVALUATION PROCESS

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

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

The scoring is based on evaluation of the response as measured against the Scoring Criteria, which includes County of Orange Procurement Preference Policy, in accordance with Sections 1.8-103 and 4.3-112 of the 2026 County Contract Policy Manual (CPM). A copy of the 2026 CPM can be found at https://cpo.oc.gov/cpm. Responses will be evaluated from the most advantageous to the least advantageous to the County.

1.7 SELECTION/AWARD PROCEDURES

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

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

RFP, including special conditions and requirements and those added by addendum, necessary attachments and/or exhibits, and to reflect Respondent’s response and qualifications. Any https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/ocgov https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/ocgov https://cpo.oc.gov/cpm

OC Community Resources Invasive Plant Control Services Page 8 of 54 additional exceptions to the terms and conditions made by any Respondent after submission of its response may result in its elimination from further consideration.

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

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

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

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

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

Respondent.

1.8 RIGHTS RESERVED TO COUNTY

The County reserves the right to:

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

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

C. Seek publicly available information about the Respondents.

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

Respondent(s) and additional Respondents.

E. Waive, at its discretion, any procedural, non-material defects, irregularity, or informality, which

County deems correctable or otherwise not warranting rejection of the response that do not result in any unfair competitive advantage. Any waiver will not excuse a proponent from full compliance.

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

Contract.

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

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

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

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

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K. Request Best and Final Offer from any Respondent determined to be within the competitive range.

Unless requested by the County, late Best and Final Offers will not be accepted by the County for any reason. In addition, negotiations may or may not be conducted with Respondents.

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

M. Defer award of this Contract for a period of 180 days after the solicitation opening. During this period, Respondent shall guarantee the prices and terms quoted in their responses. The County and the responsive, responsible Respondent may mutually agree in writing to extend this deferral period.

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

1.9 TITLE VI SOLICITATION NOTICE

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

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

1.10 DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY, INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE FORM

W-9/W-8 REQUIREMENTS

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

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

In order to comply with this County requirement, within ten (10) days of notification of selection of award of Contract but prior to official award of Contract, the selected Contractor agrees to furnish to Contract administrator, or the Deputy Procurement Agent (DPA) the required W-9 or

W-8.

1.11 LEVINE ACT REQUIREMENT

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

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

SECTION 2. PROTEST PROCEDURES

Any actual or prospective bidder or respondent who alleges an error or impropriety in the solicitation or award of a contract may submit a grievance or protest to Shannon Thoene at shannon.thoene@occr.ocgov.com, as set forth herein.

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PROTEST PROCEDURES

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

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

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

C. The solicitation or contract number;

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

Protest of Solicitation Specifications:

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

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

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

Protest of Solicitation Results:

A. Protests related to solicitation results must be submitted to the Deputy Procurement

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

B. Protests relating to solicitation results received after the five (5) business day deadline will not be considered by the County.

C. If the five (5) business day period expires without the receipt of a protest, the department may move forward with contract negotiation and award or if necessary, file the item for approval by the Board of Supervisors.

Protest Process

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

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

OC Community Resources Invasive Plant Control Services Page 11 of 54

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

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

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

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

APPEALS PROCESS

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

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

Officer.

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

County of Orange/County Executive Office

County Procurement Office

400 W. Civic Center Drive, 5th Floor

Santa Ana, CA 92701

Attn: County Procurement Officer

CPOAppeals@ceo.oc.gov

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

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

SECTION 3. SCOPE OF WORK

3.1 DEFINITIONS

“County”: means the County of Orange.

mailto:CPOAppeals@ocgov.com

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“Project Manager” (PM): means the County representative, or designee, that is assigned to administer this contract.

“Contractor”: means the individual, partnership, corporation, joint venture, or other legal entity entering into a contract with County to perform work.

“Contractor Project Manager” (CPM): means the Contractor’s assigned representative to oversee

Contractor’s employees in the performance of the work under this contract, and the primary point of contact to communicate with County’s representative and coordinate work.

“OC Parks” or “Orange County Parks”: means the department within OC Community Resources responsible for management and operation of County regional parks, recreational areas, and nature areas.

“Park” or “Park Facilities”: means all developed and undeveloped areas of the listed County regional park.

3.2 INTRODUCTION

Orange County Parks (OC Parks) facilities provide vital habitat to wildlife as well as recreational benefits to the public. Non-native, invasive plant species are widely cited as a leading threat to native habitat, biodiversity and ecological function. To protect and enhance habitat for wildlife, an invasive plant control program has been established that requires Contractor support to implement. The plant control program consists of treating non-native species, primarily in wildland settings, across up to 20 facilities annually.

The following list of exhibits supplement the scope of work:

Exhibit 1 – Project Maps

1.1. Portfolio Map

1.2. Park Facility Maps

1.3. Emergency Access Maps

Exhibit 2 – Estimate of Annual Work Schedule

Exhibit 3 – OC Parks Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Plan

Exhibit 4 – 2023-27 Weed Priority List

Exhibit 5 – County Best Management Practices (BMPs)

Exhibit 6 – OC Parks Herbicide Application Request Form (HARF)

3.3 SCOPE OF SERVICES

For purposes of this contract, all OC Parks facilities have been divided into two separate regions, each of which corresponds to an OC Parks Project Manager (PM) area of responsibility (see

Section 12: List of All OC Parks Facilities by Contract Area and Exhibit 1 – Project Maps).

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As part of the Invasive Plant Control Program for OC Parks, Contractor shall perform targeted invasive weed control as directed by PM. Work shall occur year-round, with a majority of work performed from January 1 to June 30 of each year (see Exhibit 2 – Estimate of Annual Work

Schedule).

Contractor shall coordinate with PM on the method and timing of weed control, and type and rate of products or chemicals recommended for treating weeds. OC Parks prioritizes weed control using the Weed Priority List, subregional Invasive Plant Management Plans (IPMPs), and the OC Parks Invasive Plant Control Guidelines (Control Guidelines); and uses the Orange

County Coordinating Group’s Calflora User Guide (Calflora User Guide) for mapping.

Subregional IPMPs, the Control Guidelines, and the Calflora User Guide will all be provided to the awardees at the kickoff meeting. Upon approval by PM, Contractor shall treat targeted weed species and if applicable, apply chemicals at rates in accordance with related product labels and regulations using the lowest effective label rate. All weed control activities shall comply with the

OC Parks Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Plan (Exhibit 3) and current OC Parks policy and practices. The OC Parks IPM plan may be updated, and Contractor shall be provided with the most current version. All proposed chemical treatment (herbicide application) will require review

(via submission of a HARF) and approval by OC Parks prior to application. Please note, submittal of an herbicide request does not guarantee approval of the proposed application.

Requests shall be submitted at least 10 business days in advance of the requested herbicide application date.

Control efforts shall involve manual, mechanical, and chemical treatment of targeted non-native weed species within all management units of OC Parks. The primary targets for invasive control shall be Natural Communities Coalition Category 1 and Category 2 priority weeds, as listed in

Exhibit 4 – 2023-27 Weed Priority List. Additional non-native species or sites may be added depending on detection, prioritization and scheduling. Under this Contract, Contractor shall be responsible for searching and treating up to 20,000 acres for the above invasive weed species using the most effective method based on species, timing, and site conditions. Work shall be charged on a time and materials basis not to exceed the total contract amount.

Contractor shall be compensated for the actual number of hours worked in each Park surveying and treating weeds and for time spent learning and utilizing work reporting software, attending specified trainings and check-in meetings, preparing work estimates, preparing HARFs, preparing PCA recommendations if requested, and other coordination activities as directed by the County. Estimates are provided to assist Contractor in projecting typical work. Actual acres, hours, target weeds, cover, and specific locations may vary at time of treatment in response to actual field conditions and Contractor must be able to adjust as needed and in coordination with

PM. Contractor shall monitor status of the remaining weed control contract budget at all times in order to plan and coordinate prioritization of treatment with PM.

3.4 CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications:

OC Community Resources Invasive Plant Control Services Page 14 of 54

Contractor shall be able to provide personnel who have been fully trained in all aspects of weed identification and abatement for the duration of the contract.

• Contractor and field staff must hold applicable and current licenses to apply pesticides for weed control in the State of California.

• Contractor must have familiarity with all weed control methods including manual removal, mechanical weed removal, herbicide application, as well as related tools and equipment and chemical handling procedures.

• Contractor shall designate a Contractor PM (CPM) with experience in weed abatement supervision to oversee weed management activities under this contract. CPM must be able to receive and carry out verbal and/or written instructions in English provided by

PM. CPM shall be the primary point of contact for PM for weed management requests.

• Contractor shall conduct annual herbicide application training for all field staff.

• Contractor shall provide crews of 3-6 people for invasive plant control.

• Contractor must be able to identify target weeds species in varying stages of growth.

• Contractor shall provide and utilize smartphone(s) or tablet(s) with Calflora Weed

Manager software loaded at no extra charge.

License Requirements:

Contractor must hold a valid pest control business license for the duration of the contract.

Contractor shall include at least two staff members holding current Qualified Applicators

Licenses; it is beneficial if a Pest Control Advisor is on staff. All licenses must be current, issued by the State of California and be registered in Orange County. Contractor is responsible for retaining all appropriate government licenses required to complete the scope of work at no additional cost to the County. At all times during the term of the Contract, Contractor shall have in full force and effect all licenses required by law for the performance of the services described in this Contract. Copies of the licensing information shall be made available to the County upon request.

3.5 WORK SPECIFICATIONS

Coordination:

Contractor shall designate a CPM to oversee weed management activities under this contract.

CPM shall be the primary point of contact for PM for weed management requests, and shall utilize the County’s Microsoft Teams platform and attend monthly coordination meetings, other meetings and trainings (e.g., Calflora training) as needed. Contractor shall maintain a telephonic communications system such that calls are answered within four business hours, five days a week, 8 a.m. through 4 p.m.

OC Community Resources Invasive Plant Control Services Page 15 of 54

CPM shall meet and coordinate with PM virtually and in-person throughout the weed season. Prior to start of the weed season (late summer or early fall), a pre-season meeting shall be held with CPM at OC Parks Headquarters or virtually to discuss the upcoming work plan.

CPM shall also meet with PM and Operations Staff at each Park prior to initiation of field work.

Refer to Exhibit 2 – Estimate of Annual Work Schedule for approximate pre-season meeting dates.

CPM shall coordinate weed control, generate reports, and oversee invoicing under this Contract.

Weed control coordination and reporting includes (1) Microsoft Teams Schedule Forecasting, (2)

Herbicide Application Request Form submittals, (3) Email notifications to Supervising Rangers,

(4) Calflora Weed Manager, and (5) OC Parks Herbicide Tracking Tool (Trax). These reports are described in more detail below in Coordination, Reporting, and Documentation. When CPM is unavailable, a backup contact shall be furnished to PM for submitting weed treatment reports.

Target Species:

Exhibit 4 – 2023-27 Weed Priority List is the list of target weed species vetted by OC Parks, California State Parks, The Nature Conservancy, Natural Communities Coalition, California

Invasive Plant Council and other OC Parks partners. This list is reviewed and updated annually and shall be provided to Contractor upon each revision. Contractor staff shall notify PM when unfamiliar with a target emergent weed species and identification training shall be provided at no cost to Contractor.

Coordination, Reporting, and Documentation:

All control efforts shall be monitored and coordinated by PM and/or designee.

Record-keeping is a critical aspect of invasive plant management. Contractor shall provide the following to PM:

1. Projected Two-week Outlook Schedule

Every week the CPM shall submit to PM via Microsoft Teams post a projected two-week work schedule that identifies target species and treatment areas. The following information shall be included in the two-week outlook:

o Date(s) of proposed work o Park(s) and Park sub-unit(s) where work shall occur o Anticipated crew size(s) o Anticipated method(s) for removal, including herbicide chemicals if applicable o Anticipated invasive species to be controlled

2. Calflora Reporting

Contractor is responsible for reporting work completed within a week of the treatment event via Calflora (www.calflora.org). Calflora experience is not necessary and training

OC Community Resources Invasive Plant Control Services Page 16 of 54 shall be provided to Contractor by PM at no cost to Contractor. Use of the Calflora app, Calflora Pro, requires an IOS or Android device; an external GPS receiver is required for sites under tree canopy. A login and password shall be provided to Contractor. The

Contractor shall follow the reporting guidelines outlined in the Calflora User Guide. At minimum, the following data must be entered for each weed treatment completed:

o Treatment polygons o Scientific name of target species o Distribution o Number of plants o Percent cover of target species o Treatment method o Percent of area treated

3. OC Parks Pesticide and Fertilizer Tracking Application

OC Parks has a centralized system for tracking herbicide use. Contractor shall electronically submit a detailed record of all herbicides used for the past month at trax.ocparks.com by the 10th of the following month. A login and password shall be provided to Contractor.

Failure to complete the required reporting will cause delays in County’s acceptance of work and delay payment for services rendered.

3.6 TREATMENT

Utilizing Calflora Weed Manager, PM shall provide Contractor with digital maps of treatment areas in fall prior to the beginning of the weed season. Maps are for high-level guidance and general understanding of project needs, however specific targeted invasive plants populations to be controlled shall be dictated by conditions on the ground during the active growing season.

Treatment approach shall be determined in coordination with and at direction of PM.

Contractor shall specify treatment methods intended to be implemented in the two-week outlook schedule. Treatment methods shall comply with all specifications in Exhibit 3 – OC Parks IPM

Plan and Exhibit 5 – County Best Management Practices (BMPs).

Contractor shall furnish all hand tools, power equipment, fire extinguishers and safety equipment necessary to accomplish specified work.

Contractor shall provide a schedule of fees inclusive of labor, equipment, transportation, dumping, and materials associated with each of the following:

Manual Treatment Methods:

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Manual treatment includes physical removal of invasive plants and/or flower or seed heads using non-mechanical tools such as hands, shovels, picks, axes, hand-saws, loppers and machetes.

Treatment includes removal and disposal of excess biomass and any fruiting bodies/seeds.

Tarping and/or solarization may also be implemented to contain populations of high priority species. Other novel invasive plant control methods may be employed over the term of the contract.

Mechanical Treatment Methods:

Mechanical treatment includes physical removal of invasive plants using mechanized tools such as mowers, brush-cutters, line trimmers, and chainsaws. All internal combustion equipment must be equipped with an approved spark arrester and sufficient noise control devices when not equipped with turbo charger; included but not limited to tractors, weed eaters, chain saws.

Skilled removal, followed by chipping and/or disposal of large trees (e.g., Eucalyptus) may be required. Treatment includes removal and disposal of excess biomass and any fruiting bodies/seeds. Other novel invasive plant control methods may be employed over the term of the contract.

To assist with invasive species control, all hand tools, and power or driven equipment, including vehicles, shall be cleaned to remove vegetation before leaving a work area or entering a new work area.

Herbicide Treatment Methods:

OC Parks requires Contractor follow specifications outlined in Exhibit 3 – OC Parks IPM Plan and Exhibit 5 – County BMPs when selecting and applying appropriate chemicals for weed treatment, and that Contractor staff is qualified to conduct herbicide application work.

• All herbicide applications will require an approved HARF.

• All herbicide must be applied directly to individual targeted plants using the lowest effective label rates (e.g., spot-spray, cut-stump, basal bark spray, etc.).

• Contractor shall coordinate with PM on the type and amount of products or chemicals recommended for controlling vegetations. Upon approval by PM, Contractor shall apply herbicide products at rates within applicable product labeled rates and current California

Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) regulations.

• Contractor must be able to provide written wildland PCA recommendations to PM.

• Contractor is responsible for recording herbicide quantities applied onsite, as detailed in the Coordination, Reporting and Documentation section.

• Herbicide preparation shall only be allowed in approved staging areas identified by PM.

All herbicide mixing shall be more than 100 feet from a stream course or body of water.

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• Contractor shall comply with all herbicide application requirements as set forth by the

CDPR, County of Orange Agricultural Commissioner, Federal Environmental Protection

Agency, California State Water Resource’s Control Board, and all manufacturer instructions provided on product labels and Material Safety Data sheets.

• All equipment used for herbicide applications shall comply with all applicable State, Federal, and Cal OSHA Regulations.

• Contractor is responsible for all personal protective equipment (PPEs) and safety devices used by Contractor personnel engaged in the handling, formulation, transfer, application, and disposal of herbicide protects. Contractor must use all PPEs identified on the various product labels which may include but not be limited to face mask, respirator, goggles, caps or hats, protective clothing, gloves, etc. All clothing and protective gear used in the performance of herbicide applications shall be in conformance with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

• Work to be performed shall consist of furnishing all labor, equipment, and materials necessary to complete all spraying by means of backpack sprayer or spray rig truck.

• All applicators must have current, documented herbicide application training that is available for submittal to OC Parks.

Expected Results:

PM shall inspect sites where work has been performed following weed treatment. Ninety (90) percent of treated plant populations showing obvious signs of decline is acceptable within two weeks following original herbicide application. Any deficiencies or deviations from the expected results shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to cure unless Contractor can prove deficiencies and/or deviations were caused by County negligence or omission.

Marking:

A brightly colored, non-toxic dye shall be used during all herbicide applications to aid the applicator in achieving adequate coverage of the target species. The dye shall be a non-toxic material such as Blazon, Turfmark or an equivalent. Dye application rate to be determined in concurrence with PM.

Weather Restrictions:

Herbicide treatment shall only be conducted when weather conditions are conducive to effective uptake of herbicide by the target species (e.g., sunny and dry with ambient temperatures ≥65° F, when plants are at the specified growing stage) and when wind conditions are such that herbicide drift is minimized (5 mph or less). Contractor shall check the weather forecast and for facility closures at assigned work locations, and shall cancel work if it is determined conditions shall be muddy and damage might be caused to facility roads. If work has begun onsite and inclement

OC Community Resources Invasive Plant Control Services Page 19 of 54 weather causes cessation of work, Contractor shall be paid for a minimum of two hours.

Contractor shall notify PM in all instances of work cancellation.

Signage:

Contractor may be required to install and remove temporary signage. If required, a sign template shall be provided by OC Parks Contract Manager.

Restrictions Related to Protection of Birds During Bird Nesting Season:

Contractor agrees to avoid/minimize impacts to nesting birds in compliance with federal and state laws including the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Endangered Species Acts, and California

Department of Fish and Game Code.

Locations and invasive species to be treated shall be provided by PM upon initiation of contract.

Treatment may include, but is not limited to, the OC Parks facilities identified in Exhibit 1 –

Project Maps. A majority of weed control efforts shall occur in wilderness settings. OC Parks wilderness settings are characterized by certain inherent dangers such as mountain lions, rattlesnakes, poison oak and rugged terrain. Additional sites and species may be added if funding permits.

3.7 ACCESS AND COOPERATION

Site access varies by location. A four-wheel drive truck is required for many locations. Hiking to treat target species with backpack sprayers is required in many locations. Requests for

ATV/UTV access must be reviewed and approved by PM. All access and treatment activities must avoid damage to native vegetation. All Park facilities are subject to closure during wet and muddy conditions. Exhibit 1.3 identifies access points and roads.

Contractor shall cooperate with OC Parks staff in scheduling work around Park operations.

Contractor shall provide notice to operations staff at each facility prior to work, at least 48 hours prior to work or as otherwise directed by County. All Park facilities have posted operating hours, and Contractor shall abide by these hours. No additional compensation or adjustment of allotted working schedule shall be granted for compliance with these requirements.

3.8 PERFORMANCE

Working Hours:

Work shall generally be performed between 7:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.

There shall be no work on Holidays.

Contractor shall provide uniforms or other professional means of employee identification for all personnel. All Contractor personnel shall present a neat, clean appearance. All contractor vehicles shall be clearly marked with the name of the Contractor.

Contractor is responsible for all PPE and safety devices used by personnel engaged in the handling, formulation, transfer, application and disposal of weed treatment products and tools.

Such items may include, but are not limited to, face masks, respirators, goggles, caps or hats, protective clothing, gloves, equipment, etc. All clothing, protective gear and equipment used in

OC Community Resources Invasive Plant Control Services Page 20 of 54 the performance of weed treatment shall be in conformance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

Work may be required in multiple Park facilities concurrently. Contractor must be able to provide multiple crews as needed to accomplish work in a timely fashion. Contractor shall work with PM to coordinate crews and prioritize workload when necessary.

Invasive plants individuals and populations targeted for treatment must exhibit symptoms of effective control (e.g., removed, cut, wilted, dead, etc.) within a week of treatment. If segments of targeted populations and/or individual targeted invasive plants show no signs of treatment upon inspection by the PM or designee, Contractor shall return to complete the work and no additional compensation shall be allowed for this task.

3.9 NPDES REQUIREMENTS AND BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

The Santa Ana and San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Boards (RWQCB) have issued permits which govern stormwater and non-stormwater discharges to the storm drain system from areas owned and operated by the County of Orange, Orange County Flood Control District and incorporated cities of Orange County (collectively referred to as Permittees). RWQCB Permits are National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permits Numbers R8-2026-0034 and R9-2013-0001, as amended by Order No. R9-2015-0001 and R9-2015-011, respectively.

Copies of the RWQCB Permits are available for review upon request.

Contractor shall perform all work in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, permits, pesticide label requirements, and other regulatory requirements.

3.10 SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS/RESTRICTIONS

Contractor shall provide at least one English-speaking person who shall be present at all times during the execution of this Contract, be thoroughly familiar with the types of materials and equipment used during the execution of the services, and direct and supervise all services performed as specified herein. Furthermore, Contractor shall provide adequate labor to provide services in accordance with these specifications. Services shall be accepted by PM upon satisfactory completion of all specifications described herein. All personnel shall be informed of and shall abide by the following responsibilities and restrictions:

• Access into project areas for this contract shall be limited to weekdays unless otherwise specified by PM or designee.

• Contract crews shall only utilize access roads approved by PM or designee.

• The vehicle speed limit shall not exceed 10 mph.

• Vehicles shall park off the roads on pre-designated areas identified by PM or designee.

• All staging of equipment and materials shall be conducted within areas identified by PM or designee.

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• No litter, including tobacco debris, food packaging, and construction materials shall be allowed on the job site.

• All litter shall be collected at the end of each day and shall be disposed of off-site.

• No smoking shall be permitted within OC Parks facility boundaries, including staging areas.

• No toxic materials, including hydrocarbons, fuel,…