DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES

Support Services Division

INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB)

988-0812-26

For

PALM TREE PRUNING SERVICES

RELEASE DATE: December 29, 2025

RESPONSE DUE: February 13, 2026, 5:00 pm

SUBMIT PROPOSAL TO: IFB COORDINATOR

Solano County digitally via OpenGov Solano County

Portal website at:

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

Justine Jackson

Phone: (707) 784-6976 jmjackson@solanocounty.gov

Any bidder participating in this solicitation is required to have a vendor application on file with the

County. This application may be downloaded from the Solano County website at www.solanocounty.com . Include the application with your proposal. The County will post any changes and information relating to this IFB digitally via OpenGov. Bidders are responsible for frequently checking OpenGov at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/solanocounty for any changes or information relating to this IFB.

“Smoking is not permitted in County Buildings or around Solano County campuses. Thank you in advance for your compliance.”

ANTHONY L. TAVE, P.E.

Director General Services ALTave@SolanoCounty.gov

(707) 784-7902

DUSTIN D. LENO, MBA, A.A.E.

Assistant Director ddleno@solanocounty.com

(707) 784-2781

LORRAINE C. TANG

Support Services Manager lctang@solanocounty.com

(707) 784-3426

675 Texas Street, Suite 2500

Fairfield, CA 94533-6342

Fax (707) 784-6320 www.solanocounty.com https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/solanocounty http://www.solanocounty.com/ mailto:ALTave@SolanoCounty.gov mailto:ddleno@solanocounty.com mailto:lctang@solanocounty.com http://www.solanocounty.com/

Solano County

INVITATION FOR BIDS

PALM TREE PRUNING SERVICES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

2. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

3. CONTRACT TYPE AND DURATION

4. DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

5. INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS

6. PRICING PROPOSAL

7. ELECTRONIC BID SUBMITTAL

8. STANDARD TERMS & CONDITIONS

Attachments:

A - GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS (EXHIBIT C)

B - NEW TREE AND PALM CLASSIFICATION STANDARD: CSLB

C - PALM TREE STREET LOCATIONS

Invitation For Bids #988-0812-26 Title: PALM TREE PRUNING SERVICES

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Summary

The County of Solano, on behalf of the Facilities Department, hereinafter referred to as the “County,” is soliciting bids for Palm Tree Pruning Services. This contract will require “pineapple” pruning and trunk skinning of 86 palm trees located throughout the downtown Fairfield campus. This is inclusive of forty-two (42) Mexican

Fan Palms, thirty-five (35) Canary Island Date Palms, and nine (9) Windmill Palms. Prior to commencement, the contractor must obtain a city permit and implement approved traffic control plans. The contractor shall furnish all personnel, labor, equipment, and materials necessary to complete the pruning operations in accordance with the specifications of this contract.

1.2. Contact Information

Justine Jackson Buyer 675 Texas Street Fairfield, CA 94533 Email: jmjackson@solanocounty.gov Phone: (707) 784-6976

Department:

General Services

1.3. Timeline

Release Project Date December 29, 2025

Pre-Proposal Meeting (Non-

Mandatory)

January 16, 2026, 10:00am

General Services Agency 675 Texas St, Ste. 2500 Fairfield, CA 94533 (Initial meeting location prior to site walk)

Question Submission Deadline January 21, 2026, 5:00pm

Question Response Deadline January 30, 2026, 5:00pm

Proposal Submission Deadline February 13, 2026, 5:00pm

Contractor Selection Date February 27, 2026

2. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

2.1. Statement of Purpose

mailto:jmjackson@solanocounty.gov tel:(707)784-6976

A. The purpose of this Invitation for Bid (IFB) is to define the County’s minimum requirements and gain adequate information by which the County may evaluate services offered by contractors or vendors. As used herein, the term contractor or vendor shall mean the contractor, its employees, or agents.

B. The County of Solano, on behalf of the General Services, hereinafter referred to as the “County,” is soliciting bids to procure PALM TREE PRUNING SERVICES .

C. The County of Solano exclusively reserves the sole and independent rights to make an award in whole or in part or any varying combination (split bid) if deemed will be in the best interest of the County. The award may not necessarily be to the lowest bidder but to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder able to render services and perform the associated work in support of the County and fulfill all contract requirements.

D. Moreover, the County reserves the sole and independent right to award all bid items to more than one vendor (multiple award contracts), if deemed in the best interest of the County. If and where multiple award contracts are made, County department/agencies may purchase goods from one or more awarded vendors.

E. Services and/or commodities to be rendered as specified within guidelines as provided by this IFB in its entirety. This IFB, details deliverables and terms and conditions as required by the County.

F. Contractor to submit with bid one copy of descriptive literature, including any pictures or drawings and a specification sheet.

G. Bidders are responsible for checking the County's eProcurement Portal frequently for any current information and documents pertained to this IFB.

H. Bid shall be valid at least for (90) days after IFB closing date.

I. Questions regarding this solicitation shall be submitted via the County's eProcurement Portal Q&A feature no later than 5:00 pm on Wednesday, January 21, 2026. Response to written questions will be posted via the County's eProcurement Portal no later than 5:00 pm on Friday, January 30, 2026. If there is a delay in posting responses, the bid submission due date may be extended commensurate.

The County cannot assure any response to questions/inquiries received after this date.

3. CONTRACT TYPE AND DURATION

3.1. Firm Fixed Price Contract

This is a Firm-Fixed-Price contract that shall be issued in the form of a Purchase Order, and all requirements, terms, and conditions of this solicitation shall be incorporated therein by reference to Exhibit C – General

Terms and Conditions

3.2. Period of Performance

Period of performance for this contract is Three (3) years with the option to renew for two (2) additional one-year periods The County reserves the right to award a three-year (3) contract through this IFB, which may be renegotiated and/or renewed/extended, subject to contractor performance and continued funding, for two additional one-year terms without a competitive bid process, representing a total contract term of no more than five (5) years at the sole discretion of the County, provided the County notifies the Contractor in writing of its intention to do so at least thirty (30) days prior to the contract expiration date

3.3. Price Adjustments

Price adjustment may be negotiated prior to the beginning of a contract extension year. Any proposed price adjustment shall be submitted to the County in writing at least ninety (90) days prior to contract anniversary date and if approved, will be effective on that date for the subsequent contract period

4. DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

4.1. SCOPE OF WORK

The County has approximately 86 palm trees around the downtown Fairfield campus that require professional pruning in order to maintain their health, ensure public safety, and preserve the overall aesthetics.

A. The Contractor shall provide all labor, equipment, tools, materials, traffic control, and supervision required to perform palm tree pruning services.

B. All work shall comply with ANSI A300 pruning standards, and the Contractor must maintain all required certifications. ANSI A300 Tree Care Standards - Tree Care Industry Association, LLC.

C. The Contractor shall notify the County’s Groundskeeper Supervisor within 24 hours via email of any diseased, defective, or weakened trunks, branches, structural issues, or hazardous conditions observed.

D. All tools used on trees known to be infected with a tree disease must be properly disinfected immediately before and after completing work, in accordance with current industry standards or as directed by the County. Any major pest infestations shall also be reported to the County and

Groundskeeper Supervisor within 24 hours.

4.2. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

A. Contractors who already hold a C-61/D-49 Tree Service license issued before January 1, 2024 can continue to prune palm trees under that license; however, new contractors applying after January 1, 2024 must obtain a C-49 Tree and Palm license to perform this work.

B. All pruning and related work shall comply with ANSI A300 (Tree Care Standards) and ANSI Z133

(Safety Standards for Arboricultural Operations).

C. Contractor must employ a permanent ISA Certified Arborist for the duration of the contract.

D. An ISA Certified Arborist must:

1. Be present on the work site at all times.

2. Supervise contractor crews to ensure compliance with the scope of work.

3. Communicate effectively in written and oral English.

E. Tree pruning shall be performed at the most appropriate time of year for each species, unless otherwise directed by the County.

F. Any order or communication provided to the Contractor’s designated Representative will be considered as delivered to the Contractor.

4.3. EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES

A. Contractor must own or lease the necessary equipment to perform pruning services.

https://treecareindustryassociation.org/business-support/ansi-a300-standards/

B. Contractor is responsible for storage of all vehicles and equipment during the performance of the contract. Contractor is responsible for adhering to all County parking and traffic ordinances at all times.

C. The lowest apparent bidder may be subject to an inspection by County personnel (or designee) to verify equipment and staffing prior to award.

D. The Contractor shall immediately clean up any fluid leaks or spills from vehicles and/or equipment in accordance with industry standards and shall notify the County Groundskeeper Supervisor by email within 24 hours of the incident.

4.4. HANDLING OF DISEASED/INFECTED TREES

A. Contractor shall notify the County Groundskeeper Supervisor within 24 hours (via email) of:

1. Diseased, defective, or weakened trunks/branches.

2. Any structural problems or hazardous conditions.

3. Major pest infestations.

B. Tools used on infected trees must be properly disinfected before and after work, following industry standards or County instructions.

4.5. SPECIES AND SIZE

The palm trees scheduled for pruning range in height from 40 to 120 feet.

The species include:

A. Mexican Fan Palms (Washingtonia robusta) – Qty 42

B. Canary Island Date Palms (Phoenix canariensis) – Qty 35

C. Windmill Palms (Trachycarpus fortunei) – Qty 9

4.6. PALM PRUNING SPECIFICATIONS

In order to prevent the spread of Fusariam wilt, a fatal disease affecting Phoenix canariensis. All tools are to be disinfected by dipping cutting tools in a solution of one part bleach and one part water for five minutes between each tree, unless otherwise directed by County Groundskeeper Supervisor.

Contractor shall notify the County Groundskeeper Supervisor of any palm showing signs of Fusariam wilt within 24 hours via email.

A. Remove all dead fronds or chlorotic lower leaves. Dead fronds are those with less than 50% green tissue. Care should be taken to not damage remaining live fronds.

B. Prune live green fronds so that the canopy is set at a 35-degree angle. Removal of additional live green fronds is prohibited unless instructed by the County Groundskeeper Supervisor.

C. Remove all flowers and fruit.

D. Remove all fallen fronds, including fronds on the street level, non-high voltage utility lines, and surrounding tree canopies after each completed job.

E. Contractor must notify the County Grounds Supervisor of any fallen fronds on high voltage power lines.

F. Remove all vines and sucker growth on the palm at the time of pruning.

G. Perform hand-inspection (tools prohibited) of any loose joint attachments (husks) shall be removed at the time of pruning.

H. The final clearance for the Palm should leave only full green fronds on the palm, if fronds are nicked and fall below the 35-degree angle within thirty (30) days; the contractor shall remove them at no additional cost.

4.7. UNACCEPTABLE PRUNING

The Contractor shall not perform any of the following procedures or others that will result in tree decline, unless specified by the County:

A. Use of spikes or climbing spurs.

B. Use of any tools or methods that cause injury to the trunk.

C. Using un-sterilized tools or chainsaws.

4.8. POWER LINE CLEARANCE

If needed, Contractor shall have on site at all times a Certified Utility Arborist and Certified Line Clearance worker, trained to work around primary electrical lines when performing work in trees underneath primary power lines if power line clearance is to be performed.

The Contractor shall comply with the “Electrical Safety Orders” of the State of California, including all amendments and revisions.

California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Section 2951. Line Clearance (Tree Trimming) Operations.

4.9. TRAFFIC CONTROL

A. The Contractor shall conform to all County traffic safety requirements and operating rules at all times.

The Contractor will be responsible for supplying and using all safety equipment necessary to close or delineate traffic lanes to vehicle or pedestrian traffic as applicable.

B. Lane closures, including parking lanes, require notification to the Fairfield City’s Traffic Management

Division of the Transportation Department and posting of notices on site 48 hours prior to closure.

C. Pedestrian and vehicular traffic shall be allowed to pass through the work areas only under conditions of safety and with as little inconvenience and delay as possible. Unless the work area is totally barricaded or otherwise kept safe, at least one representative of the Contractor shall serve to coordinate safe operations on the ground at all times when work operations are in progress.

4.10. PUBLIC RELATIONS, SAFETY, AND COOPERATION

All tree work shall be conducted in a manner as to cause the least possible interference or annoyance to others.

A. The Contractor shall endeavor to maintain good public relations at all times. The Contractor is required to identify the name of their company, confirm that they are a contracted vendor with the County of

Solano, and identity the Foreman on duty if asked by a member of the public.

B. Any follow up communication or inquiries from the public are to be directed and handled by the County

Groundskeeper Supervisor.

https://www.dir.ca.gov/title8/2951.html

C. The contractor shall ensure that all fire hydrants, meter vaults, water and gas shut-off valves, and similar facilities remain accessible throughout the duration of the work. Clear passage must be maintained at all times, minimizing disruption to public and private roadways, businesses, and residences.

D. Contractor shall strive to keep noise levels to a minimum, at all times. Additionally, the Contractor shall abide by the City’s Noise Ordinance.

E. The Contractor shall maintain all work sites in a safe, clean, neat, and orderly condition at all times.

Sites must be kept free of trash, debris, excess materials, and any other objectionable items.

Compliance will be subject to the satisfaction of the County Groundskeeper Supervisor.

4.11. DAMAGE TO PRIVATE PROPERTY

Contractor shall contact the County Groundskeeper Supervisor immediately via email upon discovery of damage caused by the Contractor.

A. The Contractor shall repair any damage it causes to private or City property within 48 hours.

B. Damage to utility lines shall be repaired on the same working day.

C. The Contractor shall exercise special care to avoid damage to sprinkler systems.

D. Repairs on private property shall be made in accordance with the appropriate building code under permits issued by the City of Fairfield, Department of Planning and Community Development.

The Contractor shall, at its own expense, repair or restore any damage it causes to a condition equal to or better than that which existed prior to the damage, in a manner acceptable to the County.

4.12. INSPECTION AND REVIEW

Upon bid award and during the contract period, the County may inspect the work performed by the Contractor to verify that Palm tree prunes are performed in accordance with the description of services identified within this IFB. If the Contractor perform prunes not within the pruning specifications, the Contractor will be required to complete the work at no additional cost to the County in order to meet the pruning specifications.

4.13. DISPOSAL OF TREE MATERIAL

A. All tree material produced as a result of the Contractor’s operations under this contract will be reduced, reused, recycled, and/or transformed at Contractor’s expense.

B. Reducing or recycling includes, but is not limited to:

1. Chipping, grinding, and/or shredding operations.

2. Disposal at a landfill for use in a cover program or production of compost is acceptable.

C. All tree materials and debris are to be removed from each work site daily to the satisfaction of the

County Groundskeeper Supervisor.

4.14. WILDLIFE PROTECTION

Contractor shall abide by all State and Federal wildlife protection regulations. State and Federal law prohibits disturbing eggs, active nests or nesting birds. The majority of nesting activity occurs in the late winter, spring, and can continue into early summer.

Nests can also occur in cavities of trees. If birds or nests are found, report to the County Groundskeeper

Supervisor.

The Contractor shall leave undisturbed any/or all trees scheduled for pruning or removal if active nesting birds or eggs occupy the tree(s).

4.15. CONTRACT TERMINATION

The County shall have the right to terminate this contract or any part thereof before the work is completed in the event of the following:

A. Previous unknown circumstances arise making it desirable in the public interest to void the contract.

B. The Contractor is not adequately complying with specifications.

C. The Contractor is not following proper arboricultural techniques after notification by the County

Groundskeeper Supervisor.

D. The Contractor refuses, neglects, or fails to supply properly trained, competent and skilled supervisory personnel and workers or proper equipment to complete the job to the County’s specifications and satisfaction.

E. The Contractor, in the judgment of the County, is unnecessarily or willfully delaying the performance and completion of the work.

F. The Contractor refuses to proceed with work when and as directed by the County.

4.16. ADDITIONAL WORK

A. No additional work shall be performed by the Contractor without written authorization from the County.

B. Any additional work authorized shall be subject to all terms and conditions of the final contract.

C. Additional work shall be billed as extra and submitted on a separate invoice at the contract rate.

4.17. COMMENCEMENT OF WORK

Work shall commence at the direction of the County Groundskeeper Supervisor. Direction to begin services may be issued via email or by phone. The Contractor shall perform all work in a timely manner, in accordance with the schedule provided by the County, or as otherwise instructed by the County.

4.18. COMMUNICATION

A. The Contractor shall be accessible for communication by cellular phone during all hours that Contractor is conducting work within the County and during the County’s normal working hours.

B. The Contractor shall have the ability to contact its field crews within 30 minutes of notification by the

County.

C. The Contractor shall call the County daily at a time specified to discuss crew locations and work schedules.

D. The Contractor shall post notice of tree pruning activities at and around all locations where work will be conducted at least 48 hours prior to commencement of work, as specified and approved by the County.

4.19. WORKING HOURS

A. Workdays are Monday through Friday.

Working hours shall be no earlier than 7:00 a.m. and no later than 5:00 p.m. on these days.

B. Weekend Work:

The Contractor may choose to perform work on Saturday and/or Sunday but must obtain written authorization from the County Groundskeeper Supervisor at least 24 hours in advance of the scheduled work. Work performed on weekends under this arrangement shall be paid at the regular contract price.

C. Weekend Working Hours:

1. Saturday: No earlier than 8:00 a.m. and no later than 5:00 p.m.

2. Sunday: No earlier than 8:00 a.m. and no later than 5:00 p.m.

4.20. CONTRACT REPRESENTATIVE

Contractor shall designate a specific contract representative who will be authorized to make decisions on behalf of the Contractor.

The designee shall serve as point of contact for the County, ensuring that the contract implementation, billing, corrections, and day-to-day operation are as specified.

5. INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS

5.1. INFORMED BIDDERS.

Before submitting bids, bidders must fully inform themselves of the conditions, requirements and specifications of the products or materials to be furnished. Failure to do so will be at bidder’s own risk and they cannot secure relief on the plea of error.

5.2. BID FORMS.

Bid must be submitted via electronic submission via the County's eProcurement Portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/solanocounty

5.3. PRICES, NOTATIONS, AND MISTAKES.

All prices and notations must be ink or typewritten. Mistakes may be crossed out and corrections typed or printed adjacent to the mistake and initialed in ink by the person who signs bid. Prices shall be stated in units and quotations made separately on each item. In case of conflict, unit prices will govern. Where there is a conflict between words and figures, words will govern.

5.4. OFFERS OF MORE THAN ONE PRICE.

Bidders are allowed to submit more than one bid but not more than two bids. Bidders may submit one base bid and one alternate bid. Where bidder submits more than one bid, one bid shall be marked “base bid” and the other shall be marked “alternate bid.” Base bid and the alternate bid shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this bid solicitation. The County reserves the sole right to accept or reject any alternate offer, in whole or part. Any such acceptance, in whole or in part, shall be in the best interest of the County.

5.5. TERMS OF THE OFFER.

Solano County’s acceptance of bidder’s offer shall be limited to the terms herein unless expressly agreed in writing by Solano County. Bids offering terms other than those shown herein will be declared non-responsive and will not be considered.

5.6. BIDDER AGREEMENT TO TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

Submission of a bid through the County's eProcurement Portal will be interpreted to mean bidder has agreed to all the terms and conditions set forth in the pages of this solicitation.

5.7. CANCELLATION OF CONTRACT.

The County of Solano may cancel this contract without cause at any time by giving thirty (30) days written notice to the supplier/vendor. The County of Solano may cancel this contract with cause at any time by giving ten (10) days written notice to the vendor. Cancellation for cause shall be at the discretion of the County of

Solano and shall be, but is not limited to, failure to supply the service specified within the time allowed or within the terms, conditions, or provisions of this contract. The successful bidder may not cancel this contract without prior written consent of Purchasing Services.

5.8. COMPLIANCE OR DEVIATION TO SPECIFICATIONS.

Bidder hereby agrees that the services offered will meet all the requirements of the specifications in this solicitation unless deviations from them are clearly indicated in the bidder’s response. Bidder may submit an attachment entitled “Exception to Specifications,” which must be signed by bidder’s authorized representative. An explanation must be made for each item to which an exception is taken, giving in detail the extent of the exception and the reason for which it is taken. Bids failing to comply with this requirement will be considered non-responsive. Submittal of brochure or other manufacturer literature is desirable but shall not be an acceptable substitution for the requirement. The County reserves the sole and independent right to accept or reject any exception or deviation in whole or part. Any such acceptance, in whole or in part, shall be in the best interest of the County.

5.9. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS.

All bids shall comply with current federal, state, local and other laws relative thereto.

5.10. FORCE MAJEURE.

If execution of this contract shall be delayed or suspended and if such failure arises out of causes beyond the control of and without fault or negligence of the Vendor, the vendor shall notify the County of Solano, in writing, within twenty-four (24) hours, after the delay. Such causes may include but are not limited to acts of God, war, acts of public enemy, acts of any governmental entity in its sovereign or contractual capacity, fires, floods, epidemics, strikes and unusually severe weather.

5.11. FORMATION OF CONTRACT.

Bidder’s bid submittal and Solano County’s written acceptance shall constitute a binding contract.

5.12. LAWS GOVERNING CONTRACT.

This contract shall be in accordance with the laws of the State of California. The parties stipulate that this contract was entered into in the County of Solano, in the State of California. The parties further stipulate that the County of Solano, California, is the only appropriate forum for any litigation resulting from a breach hereof or any questions risen here from.

5.13. NOMENCLATURES.

The terms successful bidder, supplier, vendor, and contractor may be used interchangeably in this solicitation and shall refer exclusively to the person, company, or corporation with whom the County of Solano enters into a contract as a result of this solicitation.

5.14. SELL OR ASSIGN.

The successful bidder shall not have the right to sell, assign, or transfer, any rights or duties under this contract without the specific written consent of the County of Solano.

5.15. SEVERABILITY.

If any provisions, or portions of any provisions, of this contract are held invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, they shall be severed from the contract and the remaining provisions shall be valid and enforceable.

5.16. BID PREPARATION.

Solano County shall not pay for any information herein requested, or is it liable for any costs incurred by prospective bidders.

5.17. PROMPT PAYMENT TERMS.

Discounts for payments made twenty (20) days or more from receipt of invoice will be considered in award of bid. Payment discounts must be clearly shown on the Bid Form. Normal payment terms are net 30-45 days, after receipt of invoice and equipment acceptance.

5.18. TAXES-SALES.

California sales tax should be shown separately on the bid form, when and where indicated (if not indicated on bid sheet do not include in your bid).

5.19. TAXES, FEDERAL EXCISE.

The County of Solano is exempt from federal excise tax.

5.20. DEADLINE FOR BID SUBMITTALS.

Unless otherwise specified, the time of day for the following events shall be between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time.

5.21. BIDS MUST BE SUBMITTED ON OR BEFORE THE SUBMISSION DATE AND TIME.

Contractors shall respond to the IFB and any exhibits, attachments, or amendments. A contractor's failure to submit a bid as required on or before the deadline shall cause the bid to be disqualified.

5.22. BID SUBMITTALS.

An electronic submission of Bids via the County's eProcurement Portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/solanocounty are due no later than Friday, February 13, 2026 and

5:00 pm(PST). Late submittals will not be accepted. The County will not pay any costs associated with the preparation, submittal, or presentation of any bid. Please register as a Vendor on the County's eProcurement

Portal for uninterrupted notification and access to County bidding opportunities. The County will only accept submission of all bids via the County's eProcurement Portal. Any hard copy submission, any other submission method (email, fax, etc.) will be retained in the file unopened and will be considered disqualified from consideration in further bidding process.

5.23. BID AMENDMENT.

The County shall not accept any amendments, revisions, or alterations to bids after the deadline for submittal.

5.24. BID WITHDRAWAL.

To withdraw a bid, contractor must submit a written request, signed by an authorized representative, to the Bid

Coordinator prior to the official deadline / submittal date and time. After withdrawing a previously submitted bid, the contractor may submit another at any time up to the deadline for submittals.

5.25. BIDS FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICES.

If a contractor indicates an offer of services in addition to those required by and described in this IFB, these additional services may be added to the contract before, or at any time during an agreed to contract period, at the sole discretion of the County.

5.26. BID ERRORS.

Contractors are liable for all errors or omissions contained in their bids. Contractors will not be allowed to alter documents after the deadline for submitting bids.

5.27. CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

By submitting a bid, the contractor certifies that no amount shall be paid directly or indirectly to an employee or official of the County of Solano as wages, compensation, or gifts in exchange for acting as an officer, agent, employee, subcontractor, or consultant to the Contractor in connection with the procurement under this IFB.

5.28. NON-DISCRIMINATION.

No person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, be discriminated against in the admission or access to, or be discriminated against in treatment or employment in the County’s contracted programs or activities on the grounds of disability, age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other classification protected by federal or California State Constitutional or statutory law; nor shall they be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination in the performance of contracts with the County or in the employment practices of the County’s contractors. Accordingly, all vendors entering into contracts with the County shall, upon request, be required to show proof of such nondiscrimination and to post in conspicuous places.

5.29. RIGHT TO REFUSE PERSONNEL.

Any personnel involved in this service shall submit to a criminal history screening during the contract period, if directed by the County at contractor's sole expense. The County reserves the right to refuse, at its sole discretion, any subcontractors or any personnel provided by the prime contractor or its subcontractors that fails to submit to screening or for any other reason that is in the best interest of the County.

5.30. LICENSURE.

The contractor must hold all necessary and applicable insurance, as well as all business and professional licenses. The County may require any or all contractors to submit evidence of proper documents.

5.31. PROTESTS.

Any actual or prospective bidder, offeror, or contractor who is aggrieved in connection with the solicitation or award of a contract may protest to the Director of General Services. The protest shall be submitted in writing to the Director of General Services within seven (7) calendar days after such aggrieved person or company knows or should have known of the facts giving rise thereto. The protesting contractor/vendor shall file a detailed statement specifying the grounds for the protest. The protest letter must be mailed to the Director of

General Services, 675 Texas Street, Suite 2500, Fairfield, CA 94533.

5.32. CONTRACT AWARD.

The awarded bidder(s) will be issued a purchase order(s) by the County for the duration of each contract year.

5.33. CONTRACT MONITORING.

The contractor shall be responsible for the completion of all work services set out in the contract. All work services are subject to inspection, evaluation, and acceptance by the County. The County may employ all reasonable means to ensure that the work is progressing and being performed in compliance with the contract. At reasonable times, the County may inspect those areas of the contractor's place of business that are related to the performance of the contract. If the County requires such an inspection, the contractor shall provide reasonable access and assistance.

5.34. CONTRACT AMENDMENT.

If during the course of this contract, additions to and/or deletions from services provided are required as a result of changes to any statute, bylaw or regulation, the County shall notify the contractor. Added work shall be within the general scope of this IFB. In such instances, the County shall provide the contractor a written description of the additional work, and the contractor shall submit a time schedule for accomplishing the additional work and a price for the additional work based on the rates included in the contractor’s bid. If the

County and the contractor reach an agreement regarding work services and associated compensation, said agreement shall become effective by means of a contract amendment. Any such amendment requiring additional work must be mutually agreed upon by the parties and signed by the contractor and must be approved by other County officials as required by County laws and regulations. The contractor shall not commence additional work until the County has issued a written contract amendment and secured all required approvals.

5.35. LOCAL VENDOR PREFERENCE.

A. In order to address the competitive disadvantage faced by local businesses that seek to enter into contracts with the County because of the higher costs of doing business in the County, and to encourage businesses to locate and remain in the County, the County has implemented a local preference policy.

B. Definition of Local Business

1. For purposes of this section, a “local business” means a business enterprise, including but not limited to a sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation, which has the following:

2. a valid business license issued from the County or a political subdivision within the County; and

3. its principal business office, or a satellite office with at least one full-time employee, located in the

County.

C. Preference

1. Where the lowest responsible bidder is not a local business, the purchasing agent shall provide the lowest responsible local business bidder, should one exist and its bid is within five percent (5%) of the lowest responsible bidder, with notice and an opportunity to reduce its bid to match that of the lowest responsible bidder. Notice shall be by telephone and either facsimile or electronic mail. The local business shall have five (5) business days after the date of such notice to match the lowest bid, in writing. Should the local business so match, it shall be deemed the lowest responsible bidder and receive the award.

2. Should the lowest responsible local business bidder decline to match as set forth above, the purchasing agent shall provide the next lowest responsible local business bidder, should one exist, and its bid is within five percent (5%) of the lowest responsible bidder, with the same notice and opportunity to match the bid of the lowest responsible bidder as above. This process shall continue as necessary, until an award is made either to a responsible local business bidder within five percent (5%) of the lowest responsible bidder, or the lowest responsible bidder itself.

3. In instances where a local business and a non-local business submit equivalent, lowest responsible bids, the purchasing agent shall give preference to the local business.

4. No contract awarded to a local business under this section shall be assigned or subcontracted in any manner that permits more than fifty (50) percent or more of the dollar value of the contract to be performed by an entity that is not a local business.

D. Declaration of Compliance

1. In submitting a bid subject to this section, a local business shall affirm its compliance with Sections

22-24 of the Solano County Code, on a form to be provided by the purchasing agent (Declaration form included in this bid).

E. Notice

1. The purchasing agent shall provide adequate notice of the provisions of this section to prospective bidders.

F. Exceptions

1. The exceptions provided for in section 1.1.11 of the County’s Purchasing & Contracting Policy

Manual shall apply to this section. Furthermore, this section is made expressly inapplicable to public works or other projects to the extent the application would be prohibited by state or federal law.

5.36. BIDDER REGISTRATION.

The County of Solano, Purchasing Services is now partnering with OPEN GOV to create an electronic procurement portal that will allow you to receive notifications of County business opportunities and submit bids and proposals to Solano County digitally. All Vendors who wish to compete for County work, must register on the County's eProcurement Portal.

BIDDER REGISTRATION PROCEDURE: Register as a Vendor at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/solanocounty

When registration is completed, vendors will receive email notifications of bidding opportunities that match the commodity/services listed in the vendor profile. It is critical to list the National Institute of Purchasing (NIGP) codes related to the services and/or commodities offered by the vendors/contractors.

Remember that all vendors are also required to be register with the County of Solano. The vendor applications may be obtained here: (Solano County Vendor Application).

For further information on registration, please contact Solano County Purchasing Services at

Purchasing@solanocounty.com or (707) 784-6320.

6. PRICING PROPOSAL

BIDDER OFFERS AND AGREES TO FURNISH THE ABOVE ARTICLE(S) AT THE PRICES AND TERMS STATED SUBJECT TO

THE INSTRUCTIONS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS IFB.

Note: For complete details, delivery terms and other requirements, please refer to the details in this IFB.

SPECIES OF PALM TREES

Palm trees to be pruned range in height from 40 to 120 feet tall. The price per unit shall be all-inclusive of the total amount the County will pay for each Palm Tree Pruning, including all labor, equipment, disposal/dump https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/solanocounty https://www.solanocounty.com/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=43060 mailto:Purchasing@solanocounty.com fees, and any other costs associated with the services outlined in this IFB. No additional or outside costs will be considered

Line Item Description Quantity Unit of

Measure Unit Cost Total No Bid

1 Mexican Fan Palm 42 each

2 Canary Island Date

Palm 35 each

3 Windmill Palm 9 each

TOTAL

7. ELECTRONIC BID SUBMITTAL

7.1. Do you agree to all of the terms and conditions of this IFB?*

THE UNDERSIGNED OFFERS AND AGREES TO FURNISH THE ABOVE ARTICLE(S) AT THE PRICES

AND TERMS STATED SUBJECT TO THE INSTRUCTIONS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS IFB

☐ Yes

☐ No

*Response required

7.2. Bid Validity Period - 90 Days: *

Bidder confirms that its bid shall be valid for a period of 90 days after IFB closing date.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

7.3. Subcontractor Listing:

If the Bidder will use subcontractors to assist with providing the goods/services requested in this solicitation, the Bidder must upload details of said subcontractors here. Note - The County reserves the right to deny or accept subcontractors and subcontracting.

7.4. Certification of valid Contractor License *

Bidder shall attach its current C-49 Tree and Palm Contractor License here.

*Response required

7.5. Public Works Reforms (Sb 854) Fact Sheet:*

Check for updates at: https://www.dir.ca.gov/default.html

Public works reforms (SB 854) were signed into law on June 20, 2014. The reforms made several significant changes to the administration and enforcement of prevailing wage requirements by the Department of Industrial

Relations (DIR). Among other things, SB 854 established a public works contractor registration program to replace prior Compliance Monitoring Unit (CMU) and Labor Compliance Program (LCP) requirements for bond-funded and other specified public works projects. The fees collected through the program established by SB 854 are used to fund DIR’s public works activities.

https://www.dir.ca.gov/default.html

Essentials of public works contractor registration program:

• Contractors are subject to a registration and annual renewal fee set initially at $400. The fee is non-refundable and applies to all contractors and subcontractors who intend to bid or perform work on public works projects (as defined under the Labor Code).

• Contractors apply and pay the fee online and must meet minimum qualifications to be registered as eligible to bid and work on public works projects:

o Must have workers’ compensation coverage for any employees and only use subcontractors who are registered public works contractors.

o Must have Contractors State License Board license if applicable to trade.

o Must not have any delinquent unpaid wage or penalty assessments owed to any employee or enforcement agency.

o Must not be under federal or state debarment.

o Must not be in prior violation of this registration requirement once it becomes effective. However, for the first violation in a 12-month period, a contractor may still qualify for registration by paying an additional penalty.

• The registration fee is not related to any project. It is more like a license that enables the registrant to bid on and perform public works.

• DIR provides a searchable database of registered contractors and subcontractors on its website, so that awarding bodies and contractors can comply with the requirement to only use registered contractors and subcontractors.

• Various protections are built in so that o A contractor won’t be in violation for working on a private job that is later determined to be public work;

o The inadvertent listing of an unregistered subcontractor on a bid doesn’t necessarily invalidate that bid;

o A contract with an unregistered contractor or subcontractor is subject to cancellation but is not void as to past work;

o An unregistered contractor or subcontractor can be replaced with one who is registered;

o A contractor whose registration lapses will have a 90-day grace period within which to pay a late fee and renew.

• Contractors and subcontractors register online. The preferred method of payment is by credit card.

• The requirement to list only registered contractors and subcontractors on bids became effective on

March 1, 2015. The requirement to only use registered contractors and subcontractors on public works projects applies to all projects awarded on or after April 1, 2015.

Essentials of Public Works Enforcement Fund:

All contractor registration fees go into the State Public Works Enforcement Fund and are used to fund the following items:

• Administration of contractor registration requirement;

• All DIR costs for administering and enforcing public works laws;

• Labor Commissioner’s enforcement of other Labor Code violations on monitored public works projects.

DIR no longer charges awarding bodies for prevailing wage compliance monitoring and enforcement on legacy

CMU projects.

Related changes in DIR’s administration and enforcement of public works requirements:

• Requirements to use CMU or specified alternative (labor compliance program or project labor agreement) for state bond-funded and other specified projects were eliminated and replaced by requirements that apply to all public works projects (as defined under the Labor Code).

• Awarding bodies are required to submit PWC-100 (contract award notice) for all public works projects.

• Contractors and subcontractors on all public works projects are required to submit certified payroll records (CPRs) to the Labor Commissioner unless excused from this requirement.

o CPRs are furnished to the Labor Commissioner online o This requirement phases in as follows:

▪ Applied to public works projects that had been under CMU monitoring;

▪ Applies to any new projects awarded on or after April 1, 2015;

▪ May apply to other projects as determined by Labor Commissioner;

▪ Applies to all public works projects, (except those listed under Exemptions just below), on and after

January 1, 2016.

o Exemptions: As of April 1, 2015, and even after January 1, 2016, the following projects are exempt from the requirement to have contractors and subcontractors furnish certified payroll records (CPRs) to the

Labor Commissioner:

Any projects monitored and enforced by the following legacy LCPs:

▪ California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)

▪ City of Los Angeles

▪ Los Angeles Unified School District

▪ County of Sacramento

Projects covered by qualifying project labor agreements, at the Labor Commissioner’s discretion.

• Requirements for awarding bodies to adopt and enforce a DIR-approved LCP are now limited to: (1) ongoing public works projects awarded prior to January 1, 2012, that were under a pre-existing LCP requirement (see the four legacy LCPs listed above) and (2) projects funded in whole or in part by Proposition

84.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

7.6. Non-Collusion Declaration Pursuant to Public Contract Code Sec. 7106:* The undersigned declares: I am the authorized representative of the party making the foregoing bid.

The bid is not made in the interest of, or on behalf of, any undisclosed person, partnership, company, association, organization, or corporation. The bid is genuine and not collusive or sham. The bidder has not directly or indirectly induced or solicited any other bidder to put in a false or sham bid. The bidder has not directly or indirectly colluded, conspired, connived, or agreed with any bidder or anyone else to put in a sham bid, or to refrain from bidding. The bidder has not in any manner, directly or indirectly, sought by agreement, communication, or conference with anyone to fix the bid price of the bidder or any other bidder, or to fix any overhead, profit, or cost element of the bid price, or of that of any other bidder. All statements contained in the bid are true. The bidder has not, directly or indirectly, submitted his or her bid price or any breakdown thereof, or the contents thereof, or divulged information or data relative thereto, to any corporation, partnership, company association, organization, bid depository, or to any member or agent thereof to effectuate a collusive or sham bid, and has not paid, and will not pay, any person or entity for such purpose.

Any person executing this declaration on behalf of a bidder that is a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or any other entity, hereby represents that he or she has full power to execute, and does execute, this declaration on behalf of the bidder.

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct, and that this declaration is executed.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

7.7. Agency References: *

Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

The bidder shall provide the (3) references of government agencies and or firms for whom they have provided similar services during the last three (3) years.

THESE REFERENCES SHOULD BE FROM DIFFERENT ENTITIES AND NOT FROM SOLANO COUNTY.

• Agency_Reference_Form_IFB_O...

*Response required

7.8. Key Team Member References:*

Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

Supply three (3) References from Government Agencies and/or Firms of similar size as Solano County for whom the Key Team Member has provided similar services during the last three (3) years.

• Key_Team_Member_Reference_F...

*Response required

7.9. Certification of Compliance:*

The bidder does hereby make certification and assurance of the Proposer’s compliance with:

The laws of the County of Solano:

http://www.codepublishing.com/CA/SolanoCounty/ https://government-project.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/51662/40a24baa-9ed9-4b5c-be3b-900778e4e4ba_Agency_Reference_Form_IFB_OG.pdf https://government-project.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/51662/454b88dc-d7e7-4472-a761-0d4d60e41e4f_Key_Team_Member_Reference_Form_-IFB_OG.pdf http://www.codepublishing.com/CA/SolanoCounty/

Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964:

https://www.justice.gov/crt/fcs/TitleVI-Overview

Title IX of the federal Education Amendments Act of 1972:

https://www.justice.gov/crt/title-ix-education-amendments-1972

The Equal Employment Opportunity Act and the regulations issued thereunder by the federal government:

https://www.justice.gov/jmd/hr-order-doj12001-part-4-equal-employment-opportunity

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the regulations issued thereunder by the federal government:

https://www.ada.gov/pubs/adastatute08.htm

All contract employees performing services and/or work as a result of this solicitation must have documented legal authority to work in the United States of America, The condition that the submitted proposal was independently arrived at, without collusion, under penalty of perjury; and, The condition that no amount shall be paid directly or indirectly to an employee or official of the County of

Solano as wages, compensation, or gifts in exchange for acting as an officer, agent, employee, subcontractor, or consultant to the Proposer in connection with the Procurement under this IFB for PALM TREE PRUNING

SERVICES.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

7.10. County of Solano Hereby Reserves the Following Rights:* The County of Solano reserves the right to make an award in whole or in part or any varying combination of the following requirements that will be in the best interest of the County, and not necessarily to the lowest

Contractor. The intended award of Contract shall be made to the highest rated Proposer based on the evaluation Criteria stated within the IFB.

Right of Rejection

The County reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, or to cancel this IFB in part or in its entirety.

The County reserves the right to waive any variances in proposals provided such action is in the best interest of the County.

The County reserves the right to amend this IFB at any time. The County also reserves the right to cancel or reissue the IFB at its sole discretion.

Any proposal received which does not meet the stated pre-requisites of this IFB for PALM TREE PRUNING

SERVICES, may be considered to be non-responsive,…