Landscape Maintenance - Town Grounds.pdf

Invitation to Bid

Landscape Maintenance Contract Town Grounds FY27

Qualified organizations are invited to respond to the Invitation to Bid (ITB) entitled:

“Landscape Maintenance Contract - Town Grounds FY27”

Submittals must be received by November 20, 2026, no later than 12:00 p.m.

(Eastern Standard Time) and should be sent in digital PDF format to:

bids@morrisvillenc.gov

DATE ISSUED

November 3, 2026

QUESTIONS DUE DATE

November 9, 2026, by 12:00 PM EST

BID DUE DATE

November 20, 2026, at 12:00 PM EST mailto:bids@morrisvillenc.gov

I. Introduction

The Town of Morrisville, NC (hereinafter referred to as the “Town”) is soliciting proposals from qualified vendors for the purpose as described below:

• Landscape Maintenance Contract- Town Grounds FY27

• Contract Term: January 4, 2027, to June 30, 2027

• One initial term with 2 optional one-year extensions (July 1 to June 30)

• Extension price increases shall be based on:

Consumer Price Index - Gardening and Lawncare Services February report.

Cost per visit from 11/20/26 Bid Forms

II. Background The Town of Morrisville is in Wake County, an equal distance from Raleigh and Durham.

The Town has an estimated population of 33,000 and growing. Development in the Town consists of a variety of residential, commercial, industrial, and mixed-use Developments. With a population of just 1,022 in 1990, much of Morrisville’s development has occurred in the last 35 years.

III. Scope of Work The Contractor shall provide all materials, equipment, labor, and supervision for mowing, trimming, blowing, edging, and spraying of turf and landscaped areas on Town .

• Work shall be performed at various locations in the Town of Morrisville.

• The Town reserves the right to add, suspend, or subtract sites as needed to compensate for additional properties or changes in responsibilities or funding. Agreements will be updated as needed.

The Town will provide the Contractor with a list of locations to be addressed.

Services covered under this contract include:

• All services outlined in Appendix A.

• Weekly, biweekly, and monthly service visits to maintain all the locations outlined in

Appendix B

• The successful bidder will be required to show proof of insurance as outlined in the General Insurance Requirements below. The Town must be named as additional insured. Work shall not begin until this provision has been satisfied and a Purchase Order issued.

• The cost proposals shall be submitted on the form contained in “Appendix B.”

• Contractor agrees that pricing shall be good for 90 days from the date of the submittal.

• A sample contract will be posted with the advertisement online.

IV. Coordination with Town Staff

The Public Works Operations Analyst will be responsible for managing the project and overseeing the selected consultant’s contract. The Grounds Maintenance Supervisor will be involved throughout the project in a variety of capacities. Frequent coordination with the Public

Works Operations Analyst is anticipated.

Map of Landscape Sites: https://arcg.is/mn4vv0 https://arcg.is/1nGST44 https://arcg.is/1nGST44

V. Questions and Clarifications

Questions related to this ITB should be sent to bids@morrisvillenc.gov no later than

November 9, 2026 at 12:00 PM EST.

VI. Deadline and Submittal Details

Submittals are due no later than November 20, 2026, at 12:00 PM EST. No submittals will be accepted after this time. Submittals should be in PDF format, sent to:

bids@morrisvillenc.gov

Disclaimers

1. The Town of Morrisville reserves the right to reject any responses to this ITB that do not meet the selection criteria, to waive minor irregularities, and to conduct discussions with any or all respondents. The Town accepts no financial responsibility for any costs or expenses incurred by any entity in responding to this ITB. All submissions may be kept by the Town and may be disclosed to third parties at the Town’s discretion.

2. All proposal packages and materials submitted hereunder become the exclusive property of the Town of Morrisville.

3. Firms submitting proposals shall have no association with elected officials or appointed officials that could be considered a conflict of interest. Any such relationship will subject the firm to immediate disqualification in consideration for this project. A selection committee of Town staff will evaluate the submittals and may elect to select the most qualified firm based on the responses as submitted or elect to conduct interviews prior to recommending a firm.

4. No submittal will be accepted from, nor will a contract be awarded to, any respondent who is in arrears to the Town upon any debt or contract, or who is in default, as surety or otherwise, upon any obligation to the Town, or is deemed to be irresponsible or unreliable by the Town.

5. The selected firm must have an adequate accounting system to identify costs chargeable to the project.

6. If you have received this solicitation from a source other than the Town of Morrisville, it is the respondent’s responsibility to ensure that all addenda have been received. For the most current information, please visit: https://www.morrisvillenc.gov/Our-Community/Business- Development/Bid-and-Proposal-Opportunities mailto:bids@morrisvillenc.gov mailto:bids@morrisvillenc.gov https://www.morrisvillenc.gov/Our-Community/Business-Development/Bid-and-Proposal-Opportunities https://www.morrisvillenc.gov/Our-Community/Business-Development/Bid-and-Proposal-Opportunities https://www.morrisvillenc.gov/Our-Community/Business-Development/Bid-and-Proposal-Opportunities https://www.morrisvillenc.gov/Our-Community/Business-https://www.morrisvillenc.gov/Our-Community/Business-https://www.morrisvillenc.gov/Our-Community/Business-Development/Bid-and-Proposal-Opportunities

APPENDIX A

Statement of Work/Standards for Grounds and Right of Way Landscape Maintenance

Site Visits for Partial Year Contract January 4, 2027, to June 30, 2027

Class 1 -Weekly

□ 22 Site visits for the partial year

• 18 weekly service visits from March 1 to June 30

• 4 every other week service visits from January 4 to February 28

Class 2 – Bi-weekly

□ 11 Site Visits for the Partial Year

• 9 bi-weekly service visits from March 1 to June 30

• 2 monthly service visits from January to February 28

Site Visits for Full Fiscal Year Extensions

July 2027 and beyond

Class 1 -Weekly

□ 42 Weekly Site Visits per Year

• 35 weekly service visits from March 1 to October 31

• 8 every other week service visits from November 1 to February 28

Class 2 - Bi-Weekly

□ 21 every other week Site Visits per Year

• 17 biweekly service visits from March 1 to October 31

• 4 monthly service visits from November 1 to February 28

Specifications

1. Schedules

a. Work shall be performed Monday to Friday between the hours of 7:00 am and 6:00 pm

EST

b. Saturday work shall be allowed under special circumstances with the permission of Town

Staff.

c. Service schedule modifications/deferments for inclement weather will be discussed with

Town staff.

d. The contractor may choose which holidays they observe.

e. The contractor shall supply the Town with an estimated service visit schedule at the beginning of each month.

2. Inspections/Quality Control

a. Town staff will verify the completion of site service visits by the combination of contractor reports and site inspections on a regular basis.

b. Sites will be judged on a pass/fail basis - Sites that meet 50% or less of the quality standards or areas that have not been serviced at all will be marked as failed.

c. Only work performed will be authorized for payment. Verified site failures will be deducted from the monthly invoice.

3. Safety

a. All crews working in or near roadways will follow the NCDOT policies and the MUTCD standards for work zone sign and cone placement, vehicle locations, etc.

b. All individuals working in or near the road shall wear proper PPE and an approved traffic safety vest at all times.

c. All equipment shall have all safety switches and deflectors in good working order to prevent injury to nearby persons or property.

d. All injuries or property damage must be reported to Town Staff as soon as possible.

4. Debris Removal

a. Litter and debris shall be removed during every site visit before mowing.

b. No debris, grass, or mud shall be left on curbs, sidewalks, or paved surfaces.

c. The contractor shall remove and dispose of all debris.

d. Where possible, recyclable materials shall be separated and disposed of in the proper containers.

e. Any items that may be hazardous to the crew’s health, such as dead animals, biohazards, weapons, chemicals, etc., shall be reported to the Public Works Staff.

f. Large amounts of debris caused by natural events are not included in this contract and shall be reported to the Public Works Staff.

5. Mowing

a. Mowing height shall be determined by species –maintained to an average height of 4” on cool-season and an average of 2” on warm-season grasses.

b. All areas shall be cut in their entirety – no areas missed.

c. No more than 1/3 of the grass shall be removed at any mowing.

d. All areas within the right-of-way shall be mowed and maintained.

e. Sharp mower blades will be used to prevent damage to the turf.

f. Any excessive clippings or clumps produced by mowing shall be broken up and/or removed.

6. Edging

a. All edges along sidewalks, driveways, curbs, planting beds, and other hardscapes shall be edged during every service visit or as needed to maintain a clearly defined edge.

b. All debris from the edging operation shall be removed by blowing or sweeping clean.

c. Planting beds and trees shall be bed-edged before mulch application.

7. String Trimming

a. All turf that is higher than the required mowing height shall be string trimmed after each mowing or as needed to maintain the required height.

b. Herbicides should be used to prevent trimmer damage to tree trunks, signs, fences, building foundations, etc

8. Planting Bed Maintenance

a. Beds and tree rings shall be kept as weed-free as possible.

b. Hand weeding, string trimming, and pre/post-emergent herbicides shall be used to control weeds.

c. Weeds larger than 3” must be removed after spraying.

d. All mulch displaced by rain or mowing operations shall be returned to its original locations.

e. Ornamental Flowers will be maintained by Town staff.

9. Blowing

a. All debris from maintenance operations shall be blown off as needed after every service visit.

b. The contractor shall remove large piles of debris.

c. No debris shall be blown into stormwater ponds or storm sewers.

d. Special care shall be taken on permeable paved surfaces to prevent damage, such as at the Historic Church or Fire Station parking areas.

10. Hardscapes

a. All sidewalks, patios, parking lots, paths, curbs, and slabs will be sprayed and weeded as needed.

b. All areas will be blown clean during every site visit.

c. Extra caution will be taken when blowing around cars and buildings so as not to cause damage.

11. Concrete Medians

a. Large debris and litter shall be collected and removed from the concrete islands.

b. Smaller debris shall be blown or swept off the islands.

c. Weeds shall be sprayed and removed as needed.

d. Stormwater drainage grates or inlets shall be kept clean and free of debris.

e. Any damaged or missing signs shall be reported to Public Works Staff.

f. Debris shall not be blown into storm drains.

12. Insect Treatments

a. Fire ant mounds shall be treated with the appropriate insecticide bait such as Amdro or

Advion.

b. Dead ant mounds will be knocked down and raked out.

c. Large infestations or immediate threats need to be reported to the Public Works staff upon discovery.

d. Any large-scale damage by insects or disease needs to be reported to the Town staff.

13. Irrigation Systems

a. All irrigation system maintenance and operations will be done by town staff or an irrigation contractor.

b. Turf around sprinkler heads shall be trimmed so that the grass does not interfere with the head's operation.

c. All mower damage to irrigation components shall be reported to the Public Works Staff via phone immediately.

d. The contractor shall notify the Public Works Staff of any irrigation system malfunctions that interfere with maintenance operations.

14. Special Areas

a. Bridges will be blown off and treated with herbicides regularly to keep weeds and debris from accumulating on the bridge.

b. All utility poles, streetlights, fire hydrants, signs, guard rails, access boxes, and wires within the street right-of-way will be trimmed during every service visit or sprayed as needed to maintain proper turf height.

c. Stormwater pond areas are not maintained as part of this contract.

d. Snow and ice removal are not included in this contract

15. Shrub Pruning

a. Formal shrubs shall be sheared 2 to 4 times a year to maintain shape.

• Shrubs in formal plantings will be kept to a pre-existing shape by removing new growth.

b. Informal shrubs shall be pruned to maintain shape in the Spring and Fall.

c. Flowing shrubs shall be pruned after they bloom.

d. All dead, damaged, deranged, dying, or diseased shrubs shall be pruned to improve health or removed during site visits.

e. The Town will be notified when plants are removed so arrangements can be made to replace them.

f. Groundcovers shall be pruned to keep them within their borders.

g. Perennials shall be pruned at the appropriate time.

h. Ornamental grasses will be cut back in the winter.

i. All branches, leaves, and debris from pruning operations shall be removed by the contractor.

j. Plant reshaping or regeneration shall be performed at additional cost to the Town, with an agreed-upon proposal.

16. Tree Pruning

a. All deciduous trees shall be limbed up to at least 8’ clearance to assist with mowing operations and to maintain sight line distances.

b. Evergreen trees shall be pruned to maintain shape and size

c. Trees and shrubs within the road right-of-way shall be pruned back along sidewalks and greenways to 8’ high and 8’ wide clearance where possible to prevent pedestrian injury.

d. Dead, dying, diseased, crossing, and broken limbs shall be removed using proper pruning techniques.

e. All debris shall be removed from the site by the contractor.

f. Any hazardous trees observed in maintenance operations shall be reported to Public Works

Staff.

g. Insect and disease infestations, such as gloomy scale, will be reported to Public Works Staff.

17. Aeration

a. Turf areas shall be core aerated once a year based on turf type.

(1) Warm-season grasses shall be cored in May

(2) Cool-season grasses shall be cored in October.

b. All sprinkler heads shall be flagged before the coring operation.

c. Plugs that are produced shall be allowed to dry and broken up by a mower or a drag mat.

18. Over Seeding

a. Only high-visibility bare areas need to be over-seeded.

b. Bare spots larger than 12” in cool-season grasses shall be seeded with a perennial tall fescue blend after core aeration in mid-October.

c. Bare spots larger than 12” in warm-season grasses shall be overseeded with Bermuda after core aeration in May.

d. Seeded areas shall be treated with a starter fertilizer and be covered with wheat straw.

19. Mulching

a. All planting beds and tree rings shall be bed-edged before mulching.

b. All existing tree rings and planting beds shall be mulched with brown dyed shredded pallet mulch to maintain a uniform depth of 3-4” once every other year in January. (Mulch to be applied in the first year: January 2027)

c. All existing pine straw beds shall be re-strawed once a year in January to maintain even coverage.

d. All grass clippings blown into mulch beds shall be raked in or blown off after every mowing to return the bed back to mulch.

e. Mulched areas shall be maintained to a clean and neat appearance that is free of sticks, rocks, pinecones, clippings, etc.

f. Mulch must be kept at least 6” away from the base of the tree to prevent volcano mulching

20. Leaf Removal

a. Starting in October, all leaves shall be removed during regular site visits.

b. Leaves shall be removed from all areas by the end of January.

c. Leaves shall not be blown into areas that may cause drainage issues.

d. Leaves in natural areas will be left in place.

e. The use of mower recycling deck kits is encouraged to return the leaves to the turf rather than picking up and removing them.

21. Turf Program

a. The contractor shall provide a program of fertilizers and herbicides to encourage turf growth and effectively control weed growth in the Class 1 turf areas.

b. Based on the application, a combination of granular or liquid products may be used.

c. All chemicals will be applied according to the manufacturer's label instructions.

d. All pesticide applications will be done by, or under the supervision of, an NC-licensed pesticide applicator.

e. All NC pesticide license regulations will be followed.

f. The Public Works office must be notified of an application 24 hours in advance of the application of a restricted-use herbicide.

g. The contractor shall have all SDS sheets for the chemicals being applied, and the sheets need to be readily available if questions about the treatment arise.

h. The contractor shall perform a soil test to determine the overall needs of the turf and meet with Public Works staff to agree on a treatment plan.

i. Based on the results of the soil test, the applications will be tailored to the needs of each area.

j. The materials, calendars, application rates, and dates outlined in the NC State Turf Files documents will be referenced to supply additional information for the fertilization program.

k. It is the contractor’s responsibility to properly calibrate and maintain their equipment to prevent damage to the turf or landscape.

l. During spraying operations, the contractor must exercise caution regarding drift, weather conditions, and proper chemical dilution to ensure the safe and effective application of all chemicals.

m. The contractor will supply the Town with an estimated application schedule for the properties.

n. The contractor will supply the Town with a summary of the treated locations and the product applied within one day after the treatment date.

o. Timing of the applications may be adjusted to meet horticultural and environmental conditions.

p. Town programs, rentals, and special events take precedence over the application schedule.

Town staff and the contractor will meet on an as-needed basis to agree on an application schedule change.

q. The application of lime, horticultural oil, insecticides, or fungicides will be deemed as additional services. Upon request of the Town, the contractor can submit a proposal to do the extra work if desired.

r. The Contractor shall always provide a competent on-site supervisor for its employees/agents. The on-site supervisor shall be capable of communicating in and understanding the English language.

Application Program for Cool Season Turf Areas (3 App Program)

a. A combination of pre-emergent, post-emergent, and fertilizer shall be applied in the early spring (February) based on soil temperature to prevent crabgrass and kill winter weeds.

b. A combination of post-emergent and an iron-based fertilizer shall be applied in late spring (April).

c. A combination of pre-emergent, post-emergent, and winter fertilizer shall be applied in the late fall (October).

Application Program for Warm Season Turf Areas (4 app program)

a) A combination of pre-emergent and fertilizer shall be applied when the grass turns green in the early spring (March).

b) A combination of post-emergent and an iron-based fertilizer shall be applied in late spring (May).

c) A nitrogen-based fertilizer shall be applied in mid-summer (July).

d) A combination of pre-emergent, post-emergent, and slow-release fertilizer shall be applied in the early fall about a month before the first frost (Octt)

Appendix B – Bid Form

Bidder Company Name:

The undersigned bidder affirms and declares that he/she has carefully examined the Specifications that are acknowledged to be a part of this bid and agrees to provide all labor, materials, equipment, supervision, insurance, and permits, as well as abide by all local, state, and federal codes, rules, laws, regulations, and ordinances.

The undersigned certifies that they have read and understood all the bid documents provided, the specifications, and agree to the terms and conditions stated herein.

The undersigned further certifies that this proposal is made in good faith and without collusion or in connection with any other person bidding on the same work, nor will any official or employee of the Town of Morrisville be admitted to any share or part of this contract should an award be made to the undersigned.

All bidders MUST submit with their bid the enclosed Non-Collusion Affidavit of Prime Bidder. This bid must be signed by a responsible official of the bidding organization.

Date

Authorized Signature (required) Company

Typed or Print Name and Title

Street Mailing Address

City, State, Zip Code

Email Address

Telephone Number

Landscape Maintenance Contract - Town Grounds FY27

Class 1 Grounds -Weekly Service

ID

No. Name Location

Total Visits (Jan to June)

Cost per Visit

Total Contract

Cost

100 Aquatics and Fitness Center 1301 Morrisville Parkway 22

102 Christian Church 222 Church Street 22

104 Connector Building 240 Town Hall Drive 22

105 Fire Station 1 102 Town Hall Drive 22

106 Fire Station 2 10632 Chapel Hill Road 22

107 Fire Station 3 1021 Harris Mill Road 22

108 Google Hut 1001 Foxglove Drive 22

109 Parks/Public Safety Building 260 Town Hall Drive 22

110 Pugh House 103 South Page Street 22

111 Town Hall 100 Town Hall Drive 22

Class 1 Total Bid

Class 2 Grounds- Bi-Weekly Service

ID

No. Name Location

Total Visits (Jan to June)

Cost per Visit

Total Contract

Cost

202 Church Street Properties 101 to 105 Church Street 11

203 Grace Park Greenway From Morr. Carp. to Lake Grove Blvd 11

205 Mill Springs Greenway Carrington Mill Blvd 11

206 Fire Admin/ Ruritan 100 Morrisville Carpenter Road 11

207 Park West Greenway Village Market Drive behind Target 11

208 914-16 Church St 914 & 916 Church St 11

209 Fiona Circle Fiona Circle cul de sac 11

210 Scoggins Ave Properties 103,111, 114 Scoggins Ave 11

213 Upchurch Property 219 Church Street 11

214 104 Marcom Drive 104 Marcom Drive 11

215 119 Marcom Drive 119 Marcom Drive 11

Class 2 Total Bid

Total Bid for All Areas Bidder Company Name: ________________________________