RFP_25-37_Document.pdf

PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

RFP# 25-37

FALL 2025 & SPRING 2026 STREET TREE PURCHASE &

PLANTING

City of Ann Arbor Public Services Area/Public Works Unit

Due Date: August 21, 2025 by 11:00 a.m. (local time)

Issued By:

City of Ann Arbor Procurement Unit

301 E. Huron Street Ann Arbor, MI 48104

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION I: GENERAL INFORMATION ..................................................................... …3

SECTION II: SCOPE OF WORK

SECTION III: MINIMUM INFORMATION REQUIRED

SECTION IV: ATTACHMENTS

SECTION I - GENERAL INFORMATION

A. OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to select a firm to provide all supervision, material, labor, equipment, service operations and expertise required to acquire, deliver, plant, maintain and guarantee for one year, street trees as specified herein. These specifications, including drawings, tree locations, and plant materials lists, apply to those items necessary for and incidental to the execution and completion of tree purchase, deliver, and planting. Contractor has responsibility to:

a) Furnish, transport and plant tree.

b) Contact Miss Dig/local utility for verification of all underground utility lines in the area of the work prior to the planting of any street trees.

c) Exercise reasonable care during excavation, tree delivery, planting, filling, grading, and cleanup, to protect from damage all existing trees, shrubs, vegetation, and other site features, improvements, structures, and utilities.

d) Work safely and adhere to all applicable standards and permit requirements.

Note: Permissible working hours for all activities within this bid are 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM Monday through Friday. Contractor shall notify the City of intended work hours prior to commencement of work. Saturday work will not be permitted unless prior authorization is granted by the City. Sunday or holiday work is not permitted.

e) Take all precautions to ensure the safety of the public.

f) Interact with the public in a professional and courteous manner.

g) Any work incidental to above.

B. QUESTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS / DESIGNATED CITY CONTACTS

All questions regarding this Request for Proposal (RFP) shall be submitted via e-mail.

Questions will be accepted and answered in accordance with the terms and conditions of this RFP.

All questions shall be submitted on or before August 11, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. (local time), and should be addressed as follows:

Scope of Work/Proposal Content questions shall be e-mailed to Nicholas Jacob, Urban and Community Forester - njacob@a2gov.org

RFP Process and Compliance questions shall be e-mailed to Colin Spencer, Buyer

- CSpencer@a2gov.org

Should any prospective bidder be in doubt as to the true meaning of any portion of this RFP, or should the prospective bidder find any ambiguity, inconsistency, or omission therein, the prospective bidder shall make a written request for an official interpretation or correction by the due date for questions above.

All interpretations, corrections, or additions to this RFP will be made only as an official addendum that will be posted to a2gov.org and MITN.info and it shall be the prospective bidder’s responsibility to ensure they have received all addenda before submitting a proposal. Any addendum issued by the City shall become part of the RFP and must be incorporated in the proposal where applicable.

C. PRE-PROPOSAL MEETING

No pre-proposal meeting will be held for this RFP. Please contact staff indicated above with general questions regarding the RFP.

D. PROPOSAL FORMAT

To be considered, each firm must submit a response to this RFP using the format provided in Section III. No other distribution of proposals is to be made by the prospective bidder. An official authorized to bind the bidder to its provisions must sign the proposal. Each proposal must remain valid for at least one hundred and twenty

(120) days from the due date of this RFP.

Proposals should be prepared simply and economically providing a straightforward, concise description of the bidder’s ability to meet the requirements of the RFP. No erasures are permitted. Mistakes may be crossed out and corrected and must be initialed in ink by the person signing the proposal.

E. SELECTION CRITERIA

Responses to this RFP will be evaluated using a point system as shown in Section III.

A selection committee comprised primarily of staff from the City will complete the evaluation.

If interviews are desired by the City, the selected firms will be given the opportunity to discuss their proposal, qualifications, past experience, and their fee proposal in more detail. The City further reserves the right to interview the key personnel assigned by the selected bidder to this project.

All proposals submitted may be subject to clarifications and further negotiation. All agreements resulting from negotiations that differ from what is represented within the RFP or in the proposal response shall be documented and included as part of the final contract.

F. SEALED PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

All proposals are due and must be delivered to the City on or before August 21, 2025 by 11:00 a.m. (local time). Proposals submitted late or via oral, telephonic, telegraphic, electronic mail or facsimile will not be considered or accepted.

Each respondent should submit in a sealed envelope

• one (1) original proposal

• one (1) additional proposal copy

• one (1) digital copy of the proposal preferably on a USB/flash drive as one file in PDF format

Proposals submitted should be clearly marked: “RFP No. 25-37 FALL 2025 & SPRING 2026 STREET TREE PURCHASE & PLANTING” and list the bidder’s name and address.

Proposals must be addressed and delivered to:

City of Ann Arbor c/o Customer Service 301 East Huron Street Ann Arbor, MI 48107

All proposals received on or before the due date will be publicly opened and recorded on the due date. No immediate decisions will be rendered.

Hand delivered proposals may be dropped off in the Purchasing drop box located in the Ann Street (north) vestibule/entrance of City Hall which is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm (except holidays). The City will not be liable to any prospective bidder for any unforeseen circumstances, delivery, or postal delays. Postmarking on the due date will not substitute for receipt of the proposal.

Bidders are responsible for submission of their proposal. Additional time will not be granted to a single prospective bidder. However, additional time may be granted to all prospective bidders at the discretion of the City.

A proposal may be disqualified if the following required forms are not included with the proposal:

• Attachment A – General Declarations

• Attachment C - Prevailing Wage Declaration of Compliance

• Attachment D - Living Wage Declaration of Compliance

• Attachment F - Vendor Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form

• Attachment G - Non-Discrimination Declaration of Compliance

Proposals that fail to provide these forms listed above upon proposal opening may be deemed non-responsive and may not be considered for award.

G. DISCLOSURES

Under the Freedom of Information Act (Public Act 442), the City is obligated to permit review of its files, if requested by others. All information in a proposal is subject to disclosure under this provision. This act also provides for a complete disclosure of contracts and attachments thereto.

H. TYPE OF CONTRACT

A sample of the Construction Agreement is included as Attachment A. Those who wish to submit a proposal to the City are required to review this sample agreement carefully. The City will not entertain changes to its Construction Agreement.

For all construction work, the respondent must further adhere to the City of Ann Arbor General Conditions. The General Conditions are included herein. Retainage will be held as necessary based on individual tasks and not on the total contract value. The Contractor shall provide the required bonds included in the Contract Documents for the duration of the Contract.

The City reserves the right to award the total proposal, to reject any or all proposals in whole or in part, and to waive any informality or technical defects if, in the City’s sole judgment, the best interests of the City will be so served.

This RFP and the selected bidder’s response thereto, shall constitute the basis of the scope of services in the contract by reference.

I. NONDISCRIMINATION

All bidders proposing to do business with the City shall satisfy the contract compliance administrative policy adopted by the City Administrator in accordance with the Section 9:158 of the Ann Arbor City Code. Breach of the obligation not to discriminate as outlined in Attachment G shall be a material breach of the contract. Contractors are required to post a copy of Ann Arbor’s Non-Discrimination Ordinance attached at all work locations where its employees provide services under a contract with the City.

J. WAGE REQUIREMENTS

The Attachments provided herein outline the requirements for payment of prevailing wages or of a “living wage” to employees providing service to the City under this contract. The successful bidder must comply with all applicable requirements and provide documentary proof of compliance when requested.

Pursuant to Resolution R-16-469 all public improvement contractors are subject to prevailing wage and will be required to provide to the City payroll records sufficient to demonstrate compliance with the prevailing wage requirements. Use of Michigan

Department of Transportation Prevailing Wage Forms (sample attached hereto) or a City-approved equivalent will be required along with wage rate interviews.

For laborers whose wage level are subject to federal, state and/or local prevailing wage law the appropriate Davis-Bacon wage rate classification is identified based upon the work including within this contract. The wage determination(s) current on the date 10 days before proposals are due shall apply to this contract. The U.S.

Department of Labor (DOL) has provided explanations to assist with classification in the following resource link: www.sam.gov.

For the purposes of this RFP the Construction Type of Heavy will apply.

K. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURE

The City of Ann Arbor Purchasing Policy requires that the consultant complete a Conflict of Interest Disclosure form. A contract may not be awarded to the selected bidder unless and until the Procurement Unit and the City Administrator have reviewed the Disclosure form and determined that no conflict exists under applicable federal, state, or local law or administrative regulation. Not every relationship or situation disclosed on the Disclosure Form may be a disqualifying conflict. Depending on applicable law and regulations, some contracts may awarded on the recommendation of the City Administrator after full disclosure, where such action is allowed by law, if demonstrated competitive pricing exists and/or it is determined the award is in the best interest of the City. A copy of the Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form is attached.

L. COST LIABILITY

The City of Ann Arbor assumes no responsibility or liability for costs incurred by the bidder prior to the execution of an Agreement. The liability of the City is limited to the terms and conditions outlined in the Agreement. By submitting a proposal, bidder agrees to bear all costs incurred or related to the preparation, submission, and selection process for the proposal.

M. DEBARMENT

Submission of a proposal in response to this RFP is certification that the Respondent is not currently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, and declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any State or Federal departments or agency. Submission is also agreement that the City will be notified of any changes in this status.

N. PROPOSAL PROTEST

All proposal protests must be in writing and filed with the Purchasing Manager within five (5) business days of any notices of intent, including, but not exclusively, divisions on prequalification of bidders, shortlisting of bidders, or a notice of intent to award.

Only bidders who responded to the solicitation may file a bid protest. The bidder must clearly state the reasons for the protest. If any bidder contacts a City Service Area/Unit and indicates a desire to protest an award, the Service Area/Unit shall refer the bidder to the Purchasing Manager. The Purchasing Manager will provide the bidder with the appropriate instructions for filing the protest. The protest shall be reviewed by the City Administrator or designee, whose decision shall be final.

Any inquiries or requests regarding this procurement should be only submitted in writing to the Designated City Contacts provided herein. Attempts by the bidder to initiate contact with anyone other than the Designated City Contacts provided herein that the bidder believes can influence the procurement decision, e.g., Elected Officials, City Administrator, Selection Committee Members, Appointed Committee Members, etc., may lead to immediate elimination from further consideration.

O. SCHEDULE

The following is the schedule for this RFP process.

Activity/Event Anticipated Date Written Question Deadline August 11, 2025, 2:00 p.m. (Local Time) Addenda Published (if needed) Week of August 11, 2025 Proposal Due Date August 21, 2025, 11:00 a.m. (Local Time) Selection/Negotiations August/September 2025 Expected City Council Authorizations September/October 2025

The above schedule is for information purposes only and is subject to change at the City’s discretion.

P. IRS FORM W-9

The selected bidder will be required to provide the City of Ann Arbor an IRS form W- 9.

Q. RESERVATION OF RIGHTS

1. The City reserves the right in its sole and absolute discretion to accept or reject any or all proposals, or alternative proposals, in whole or in part, with or without cause.

2. The City reserves the right to waive, or not waive, informalities or irregularities in terms or conditions of any proposal if determined by the City to be in its best interest.

3. The City reserves the right to request additional information from any or all bidders.

4. The City reserves the right to reject any proposal that it determines to be unresponsive and deficient in any of the information requested within RFP.

5. The City reserves the right to determine whether the scope of the project will be entirely as described in the RFP, a portion of the scope, or a revised scope be implemented.

6. The City reserves the right to select one or more contractors or service providers to perform services.

7. The City reserves the right to retain all proposals submitted and to use any ideas in a proposal regardless of whether that proposal is selected. Submission of a proposal indicates acceptance by the firm of the conditions contained in this RFP, unless clearly and specifically noted in the proposal submitted.

8. The City reserves the right to disqualify proposals that fail to respond to any requirements outlined in the RFP, or failure to enclose copies of the required documents outlined within the RFP.

R. IDLEFREE ORDINANCE

The City of Ann Arbor adopted an idling reduction Ordinance that went into effect July 1, 2017. The full text of the ordinance (including exemptions) can be found at:

www.a2gov.org/idlefree.

Under the ordinance, No Operator of a Commercial Vehicle shall cause or permit the Commercial Vehicle to Idle:

(a) For any period of time while the Commercial Vehicle is unoccupied; or

(b) For more than 5 minutes in any 60-minute period while the Commercial Vehicle is occupied.

In addition, generators and other internal combustion engines are covered

(1) Excluding Motor Vehicle engines, no internal combustion engine shall be operated except when it is providing power or electrical energy to equipment or a tool that is actively in use.

S. ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT

The City of Ann Arbor recognizes its responsibility to minimize negative impacts on human health and the environment while supporting a vibrant community and economy. The City further recognizes that the products and services the City buys have inherent environmental and economic impacts and that the City should make procurement decisions that embody, promote and encourage the City’s commitment to the environment.

The City strongly encourages potential vendors to bring forward tested, emerging, innovative, and environmentally preferable products and services that are best suited to the City’s environmental principles. This includes products and services such as those with lower greenhouse gas emissions, high recycled content, without toxic substances, those with high reusability or recyclability, those that reduce the consumption of virgin materials, and those with low energy intensity.

As part of its environmental commitment, the City reserves the right to award a contract to the most responsive and responsible bidder, which includes bids that bring forward products or services that help advance the City’s environmental commitment.

In addition, the City reserves the right to request that all vendors report their annual greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, miles traveled, or other relevant criteria in order to help the City more fully understand the environmental impact of its procurement decisions.

T. MAJOR SUBCONTRACTORS

The Bidder shall identify each major subcontractor it expects to engage for this Contract if the work to be subcontracted is 15% or more of the bid sum or over $50,000, whichever is less. The Bidder also shall identify the work to be subcontracted to each major subcontractor. The Bidder shall not change or replace a subcontractor without approval by the City.

U. LIQUIDATED DAMAGES

A liquidated damages clause, as given on page C-2, Article III of the Contract, provides that the Contractor shall pay the City as liquidated damages, and not as a penalty, a sum certain per day for each and every day that the Contractor may be in default of completion of the specified work, within the time(s) stated in the Contract, or written extensions.

Liquidated damages clauses, as given in the General Conditions, provide further that the City shall be entitled to impose and recover liquidated damages for breach of the obligations under Chapter 112 of the City Code.

The liquidated damages are for the non-quantifiable aspects of any of the previously identified events and do not cover actual damages that can be shown or quantified nor are they intended to preclude recovery of actual damages in addition to the recovery of liquidated damages.

SECTION II - SCOPE OF WORK

A. Objective

The City of Ann Arbor, Michigan, is requesting proposals from firms able to provide all supervision, material, labor, equipment, service operations, and expertise required to acquire, deliver, plant, maintain, and guarantee for one year, street trees, as specified herein. These specifications, including drawings, tree locations, and plant materials list, apply to those items necessary for and incidental to the execution and completion of tree purchase, delivery, and planting.

B. Contract Implementation

The City will prepare Work Orders through CityWorks. The Contractor shall download the CityWorks app for iPad/Android device. All work will be assigned through CityWorks.

C. Scope of Work

To provide all supervision, material, labor, equipment, service operations and expertise required to acquire, deliver, plant, maintain and guarantee for one year, street trees, as specified herein. These specifications, including drawings, tree locations and plant materials lists, apply to those items necessary for and incidental to the execution and completion of tree purchase, delivery, and planting. Contractor has responsibility to:

A. Furnish, transport and plant trees.

B. Contact Miss Dig/local utility for verification of all underground utility lines in the area of the work prior to the planting of any street trees.

C. Exercise reasonable care during excavation, tree delivery, planting, filling, grading, and cleanup, to protect from damage all existing trees, shrubs, vegetation, and other site features, improvements, structures, and utilities.

D. Work safely and adhere to all applicable standards and permit requirements.

Note: Permissible working hours for all activities within this bid are 7:00 a.m.

to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Contractor shall notify the City of intended work hours prior to commencement of work. Saturday work will not be permitted unless prior authorization is granted by the city. Sunday or holiday work is not permitted.

E. Take all precautions to ensure the safety of the public.

F. Interact with the public in a professional and courteous manner.

G. Any work incidental to above.

Specifications

Section 1: Materials

A complete list of trees, including species and sizes, is included on the Bid Forms.

The Contractor shall furnish a written list of the proposed sources (i.e. grower, not broker) of nursery stock. City may reject a proposed source if their stock is grown in a hardiness zone greater than USDA Zone 5.

Hardiness zones provide the average annual low temperature for the area and are used to assist in plant selection based on a plant’s cold hardiness. The Hardiness Zones in Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina (6b, 7a, 7b and 8a) all have an average low temperature higher than Ann Arbor, which may lead to trees that are unable to tolerate the winter/early spring climate of Ann Arbor. Stock from Tennessee, North Carolina and Kentucky will not be permitted.

All plant material shall conform to American Standard for Nursery Stock. Plants shall be true to species and variety specified and nursery grown in accordance with good horticultural practices under climatic conditions like those in the locality of the project for at least 2 years.

They shall have been freshly dug (during the most recent favorable harvest season). Plants shall be so trained in development and appearance as to be unquestionably superior in form, compactness, and symmetry. They shall be sound, healthy, vigorous, well branched and densely foliated when in leaf, and free of disease and insect adults eggs, pupae or larvae. They shall have healthy, well-developed root systems and shall be free from physical damage or other conditions that would prevent thriving growth.

A. Trees with multiple leaders, unless specified, will be rejected. Trees with a damaged, cut, or crooked leader, included bark, abrasion of bark, sunscald, disfiguring knots, insect damage, mold, prematurely opened buds, or cuts of limbs over 3/4 inch (2 cm) diameter that are not completely callused are cause for rejection.

B. Root collar/trunk flare shall be visible or within the top one-inch (1”) of the soil ball.

Trees may be rejected if root collar/trunk flare is buried and/or not visible.

C. Balled and burlapped trees shall be dug with solid balls of standard size, the balls securely wrapped with non-synthetic, untreated, biodegradable burlap, and tightly bound with non-synthetic, biodegradable rope or twine. Alternatively they may be placed in wire basket lined with non-synthetic, untreated, biodegradable burlap and tightly bound with non-synthetic, biodegradable rope or twine.

D. Bare root trees shall have a healthy, well branched root system characteristic of the species and with adequate spread.

E. Bare root and balled and burlapped trees in full leaf prior to planting may be rejected by the City.

F. Plants shall conform to the measurements specified, except that plants larger than those specified may be used if approved by the City. Use of larger plants shall not increase the contract price nor allow the Contractor to use smaller than specified material on other plants. If larger plants are approved, the root ball, root spread, or container shall be increased in proportion to the size of the plant.

G. Caliper measurements shall be taken on the trunk 6 inches (15 cm) above the root collar for trees up to 4 inches (10 cm) in caliper, and 12 inches (30 cm) above the root collar for trees over 4 inches (10 cm) in caliper. Height and spread dimensions specified refer to the main body of the plant and not from branch tip to branch tip. Plants shall be measured when branches are in their normal position. If a range of size is given, no plant shall be less than the minimum size, and no less than 50 percent of the plants shall be as large as the maximum size specified. Plants that meet measurements but do not possess a normal balance between height and spread shall be rejected.

H. Substitutions of plant materials will not be permitted unless authorized in writing by the

City. If proof is submitted, substantiated in writing, that a plant specified is not obtainable, consideration will be given to the nearest available size or similar variety, with a corresponding adjustment of the contract price.

I. All plants shall be labeled by size and scientific plant name. Labels shall be attached securely to all plants, bundles, and containers of plant materials when delivered. Plant labels shall be durable and legible, with information given in weather-resistant ink or embossed process lettering.

J. Mulching material shall consist of aged or composted wood chips or shredded bark and shall be free of material injurious to plant growth. Mulch will be placed on the soil surface over the rootball of the tree, but not directly adjacent to the tree trunk. The mulch depth is to be no less than 3” and no more than 4”.

K. Water shall be provided by the Contractor and be suitable for irrigation and free from ingredients harmful to plant life. City may provide water filled at the City’s nursery, but there is no guarantee of its availability. Trees shall be thoroughly watered at the time of installation. A minimum of twenty gallons of water shall be applied to installed trees at time of planting and then every-other week throughout growing season. Growing season is approximately mid-April to mid-November.

Based on growing season, it is estimated that trees would be watered 16 times from April- November. Watering schedule shall begin no later than May 15. Exact start and end dates of watering schedule will be dependent on weather conditions and will be determined by City. Watering bags (ex: Gator bags) may be used to accomplish watering; however, they must be removed at the end of the growing season, November 15.

L. No trunk wrapping material shall remain on the tree after planting.

M. Staking and guying materials, if specified, shall be as follows: Stakes shall be 6' to 8' long sections of unflanged metal or 2" x 2" hardwood. Support ties shall be 2-3” wide bands of polypropylene, elasticized or webbed strapping. All staking materials must be removed after one (1) year unless discussed with and authorized by the City.

Section 2: Certification

All plant materials, shipments, and deliveries shall comply with state and federal laws and regulations governing the inspection, shipping, selling, and handling of plant stock. A certificate of inspection, or a copy thereof, for injurious insects, plant diseases, and other plant pests shall accompany each shipment or delivery of plant material. The certificate shall bear the name and address of the source of the stock.

Section 3: Selection and Tagging

Plants shall be subject to inspection for conformity to specification requirements and approval by the City.

Plants shall be inspected by City Forestry Staff upon delivery, and the City reserves the right to reject any plants that do not meet the standards or that have been damaged during shipment. Such approval shall not impair the right of the City to inspect and reject plant material during progress of the work. A Contractor's representative shall be present at all inspections. The City shall be the sole judge of acceptability of stock at any time during the course of this contract.

Section 4: Digging and Handling Plant Materials

Balled-and-burlapped and bareroot stock shall be of sufficient depth to include fibrous and feeding roots. B&B stock shall be dug with firm, natural balls of earth of diameter not less than that recommended in the current edition of American Standard for Nursery Stock. The root collar shall be visible or within the top one-inch (1") of the soil ball. Balled and burlapped plants with manufactured balls or balls that are dry, cracked, or broken before or during planting operation will not be accepted.

Section 5: Transportation, Unloading and Storage of Plant Material

A. Fresh dug material is given preference over plant material held in storage. Plant material held in storage will be rejected if excessive growth or dieback of branches has occurred in storage.

B. Branches shall be tied with rope or twine only, and in such a manner that no damage will occur to the bark or branches.

C. During transportation of plant material, the Contractor shall exercise care to prevent injury and drying out of the trees. Should the roots be dried out, large branches broken, balls of earth broken or loosened, or areas of bark torn, the City may reject the injured tree(s) and order them replaced at no additional cost to the City.

D. The root systems of each load of bare root stock sent from the storage facility shall be adequately covered with wet soil, sawdust, wood chips, moss, peat, straw, hay or other acceptable moisture-holding medium, and shall be covered with an open-mesh tarpaulin or canvas. Shredded newspaper is not an acceptable medium. Loads that are not protected in the above manner may be rejected. Note: tight-woven tarps and canvas can cause a load of trees to overheat on a sunny day, resulting in serious damage.

E. Contractor is responsible for unloading delivered trees using Contractor equipment and labor. Care must be taken to prevent damage to any part of the tree including bark, roots, buds or branches during unloading and storage of trees.

F. Plants must be protected at all times from sun or drying winds. Those that cannot be planted immediately upon delivery shall be kept in the shade, well protected with wood chips or other acceptable material, and kept well watered. Plants shall not be bound with wire or rope at any time so as to damage the bark or break branches. Plants shall be lifted and handled with suitable support of the soil ball to avoid damaging it.

G. Trees and equipment may be staged in the City of Ann Arbor Nursery (1035 Ellsworth Rd, Ann Arbor) as arranged with Contract Administrator, for the duration of the planting project. Water and wood chips for storing trees, but not City equipment, are available for Contractor’s use at this site. The Nursery gate is to remain locked whenever City Staff/Contractors are not present. A lock and chain must be provided by the Contractor.

Section 6: Delivery

A. Bid prices shall include delivery to the City's receiving site located at 1035 Ellsworth

Road, Ann Arbor, MI. All trees shall be delivered to the specified site at least one day before planting.

a. Delivery to the City Nursery at 1035 Ellsworth Road must occur between the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. A City representative and contractor representative must be present at delivery.

A. Plant materials shall not be shipped C.O.D., and any shipment so made will be refused by the City.

B. The Contractor shall give the City notice of delivery time 3 to 5 days prior to delivery.

Section 7: Excavation of Planting Areas

A. Contractor is responsible for contacting Miss Dig/local utility for verification of all underground utility lines in the area of the work prior to the planting of any street trees.

Contractor shall be responsible for all damage resulting from planting operations, neglect or failure to comply with this requirement.

NOTE: Gas lines often are buried under the extension between road and walk. These lines are much deeper than planting operations, with the exception of home service lines. It is the responsibility of the contractor to locate, by hand digging, marked gas lines.

B. The Contractor will be held responsible for the preservation of all public and private property along and adjacent to the work area, and will be required to exercise due caution to avoid and prevent any damage or injury as a consequence of their work. All turf, trees, shrubs, groundcovers, fences, irrigation systems utilities and other site amenities shall be adequately protected.

C. Should any direct or indirect damage or injury result to any public or private property by or on account of any act, omission, neglect or conduct in the execution of the work of the Contractor or any employees or agents, such property shall be restored by, and at the expense of the Contractor, to the condition equivalent to that existing before the damage or injury occurred, by repairing or rebuilding the same or by otherwise making good such damage or injury in an acceptable manner.

D. The Contractor shall excavate planting areas as shown on the City of Ann Arbor Tree

Planting Detail (Appendix B). Excavation may be done by shovel, backhoe, stump grinder or soil auger. The glazing of the sides must be broken up and the surrounding soil loosened. Contractor is required to hand dig planting locations according to Miss Dig requirements.

E. The soil pad on which the soil/root ball or bare root trees will be placed shall be of undisturbed soil. The depth of the pad shall correspond to the distance from the bottom of the soil ball or roots to the root collar, or slightly less. Glazed planting hole surfaces shall be sufficiently roughened prior to backfilling.

Note: The root collar is the area where the roots join the trunk. For most trees in native settings, the root collar is just below the soil surface, though it may be 1-5" lower for oak, hickory and pear. With bare root trees the root collar's location is obvious. With nursery grown B&B trees the root collar is rarely visible often being several inches below the surface of the soil ball. This depth can be determined by checking the depth in the nursery before the trees are harvested; or by using a wire and gently probing the ball to find the major roots; or by estimating, knowing that the roots will likely be about 4" below the swelling at the base of the trunk. This swelling is caused by either a graft union or cutting back of a rooted cutting. See Appendix B.

F. Excavated planting holes that will pose an immediate and considerable hazard to pedestrians or vehicles shall be adequately barricaded with appropriate warning devices. All excavated planting holes must be planted or filled the day they are excavated. No excavated planting hole shall be left open after the work day is complete.

G. The Contractor shall notify the City in writing, of soil conditions or other obstructions the

Contractor considers detrimental to tree growth. Such conditions shall be described, as well as suggestions for correcting them. Proper water drainage must be assured.

H. Where soil conditions or below ground obstructions, which cannot be remedied are encountered, the City shall designate alternate planting locations. The City shall bear any costs associated with such relocation.

Section 8: Planting Operations

A. The City reserves the right to determine the tree species to be planted at each site.

B. Plants must be protected from excessive vibrations. Plants shall not be thrown or bounced off a truck or loader to the ground. Plants shall not be dragged, lifted, or pulled by the trunk or foliage parts in a manner that will loosen the roots in the ball.

C. Plants shall be set with the top of the root collar at or slightly above finished grade.

Plants must be centered in the hole and set plumb. Plants shall be set so that they will be at the same depth 1 year after planting. Note: planting depth is critical to long-term planting success. Research indicates that some species planted too deep will develop trunk diseases, girdling roots or be more susceptible to breakage in wind storms. These problems are not likely to develop until years after planting.

D. Bare root plants shall have their roots spread into a natural position, free of bunching, kinking, or circling. All broken or damaged roots shall be cut back to the point where they are clean and free of rot. No other root pruning shall be done.

E. For plants in plastic, metal or biodegradable containers, the container shall be removed before planting. If roots are crowded or coiled on the bottom, sides, or surface of the root ball, they shall be gently separated from the edges or surface.

F. For all plants moved with a tree spade, all holes and cavities between the ball and the surrounding soil shall be filled. Glazed planting hole surfaces shall be sufficiently roughened prior to backfilling. The ball shall be thoroughly soaked with water after planting.

G. Remove ropes, strings, wire baskets, burlap, and other wrappings from the root balls of B&B plants. After the plant has been set and one half of the backfilling completed to support the ball, ropes, strings, wire baskets, burlap, and other wrappings shall be removed from the top one-half of the ball. The balance of the wrappings may be left intact around the bottom half of the ball. After backfilling is complete, no portion of the ball wrapping shall be left exposed. If ball wrapping is waterproof, water repellant, or non-degradable it must be removed entirely from the ball. All removed ropes, strings, wire baskets, burlap and other materials must be disposed of properly by the Contractor. If the root collar is deep in the ball, remove excess soil away from the trunk using hands to avoid trunk injury.

Planting holes shall be backfilled with excavated soil. If excavated soil is unsuitable (i.e. rocky/gravely, contains construction debris, too clayey or too sandy) clean topsoil may be used to backfill planting holes. When holes are approximately two-thirds full, they shall be thoroughly watered to eliminate air pockets. After this initial watering, excavated soil shall be installed to the top of the hole and watered. Prevent puddled soil conditions by avoiding compaction once the soil is wet.

H. Planting areas shall be finish-graded to conform to drawings (refer to Appendix I- Tree Planting detail) after full settlement has occurred.

I. All plants shall be mulched over the root system with a 3-4-inch layer of aged wood chips or bark immediately after planting. Mulch shall be kept away from the tree’s trunk.

Mulching material shall be pulled back no less than 3" and no more than 6" from the trunk.

J. Plants shall be thoroughly watered immediately after planting.

K. All twine, rope, transit guards or wrappings shall be removed after planting is completed and disposed of properly by the Contractor. Plant labels should remain secured to the tree and will be removed by the City.

Section 9: Guying, Staking, Wrapping, and Pruning

Only those plants designated by the City shall have trunk protection installed or be staked and/or guyed.

Only trees so designated by the City shall have approved trunk protection installed. The trunk protection shall be secured at the top and bottom of the trunk in a manner so as not to restrict or damage the bark). The Contractor will be responsible for removing trunk protection after a one year period.

Only trees so designated shall be staked and guyed. Ties made of approved material shall be attached directly to the stakes or may be attached to stakes by wire. In no case shall the wire extend around the tree trunk. Ties should be attached loosely enough to allow a small amount of play in the trunk. For drooping stems, ties shall be placed at the point on the stem at which the top can stand up on its own. Stakes shall be driven outside the root ball. The Contractor will be responsible for removing all stakes and straps after a one year period. These stakes and straps will be the property of the Contractor and should be figured into the bid.

Double leaders, dead branches and any branches damaged or broken during the planting process shall be the pruned. This shall be the only pruning allowed at planting. Pruning shall conform to American National Standard for Tree Care Operations, ANSI A300.

Section 10: Cleanup

Soil, sod, branches, binding and wrapping material, rejected plants, or other debris resulting from any tree planting activities shall be promptly cleaned up and removed from the City street or right-of-way and disposed of properly. The work area shall be kept safe and neat at all times until the cleanup operation is completed. Under no condition shall the accumulation of soil, branches, or other debris be allowed upon a public or private property in such a manner as to result in a public hazard.

Section 11: Guarantee Period, Replacement and Maintenance

A. The Contractor shall guarantee all plants to be healthy and in flourishing condition for one year from the date of acceptance. Acceptable trees shall be sound, healthy, vigorous, with full crowns free of dead or dying branches and branch tips, and shall bear foliage of a normal density, size and color.

B. The Contractor shall remove and replace, without cost, and as soon as weather conditions permit, and within the first two months of the following growing season, all trees determined by the City to be unacceptable at any time during the guarantee period.

Replacements shall be subject to all requirements stated in this specification.

C. The guarantee does not include vandalism, storm damage, or animal damage unrelated to contractor activities.

D. The Contractor shall be responsible for all maintenance of the trees during the guarantee period. Maintenance shall begin immediately after each tree is planted and shall continue until Final Inspection and Acceptance.

E. Maintenance shall consist of necessary watering, mulching, resetting of plants to proper grades or upright position, pruning or other items as are necessary to keep the plantings in thriving condition

Section 12: Planting Season and Work Hours

Planting shall be done within the following dates:

Fall planting: October 1 to December 1 or until ground freezes

Spring planting: April 1 to June 15

If special conditions exist that warrant a variance in the above planting dates, a written request shall be submitted by the Contractor to the City stating the special conditions and the proposed variance. Permission for the variance will be granted at the discretion of the City.

Permissible working hours are 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Contractor shall notify the City of intended work hours prior to the commencement of work. No weekend or holiday work will be permitted unless prior authorization is granted by the City.

Work on State Trunklines (Washtenaw Ave., Huron St., Jackson Ave, and Main Street) and major roads (including, Geddes, Stadium and Packard) must occur between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.; work is not permitted on these roads outside of these times. No work is to be conducted near the University of Michigan Football Stadium on football game Saturdays, or during other major stadium events.

D. Requirements

1. Ability to work effectively with the City’s Public Works Unit staff with respect to any of the tree planting services required by the City.

2. Provide all supervision, material, labor, equipment, service operations, and expertise required to acquire, deliver, plant, maintain, and guarantee for one year, street trees.

E. Standard Specifications

All work performed under this Contract shall be performed in accordance with the Public Services Department Standard Specifications in effect at the date of availability of the contract documents stipulated in the Advertisement. All work under this Contract which is not included in these Standard Specifications, or which is performed using modifications to these Standard Specifications, shall be performed in accordance with the Detailed Specifications provided during the implementation of individual tasks under this Contract.

Copies of the Standard Specifications can be downloaded from the following web link.

https://www.a2gov.org/departments/engineering/Pages/Engineering-and-Contractor- Resources.aspx

SECTION III - MINIMUM INFORMATION REQUIRED

PROPOSAL FORMAT

The following describes the elements that should be included in each of the proposal sections and the weighted point system that will be used for evaluation of the proposals.

Bidders should organize Proposals into the following Sections:

A. Qualifications, Experience and Accountability B. Workplace Safety C. Workforce Development D. Social Equity and Sustainability E. Schedule of Pricing/Cost F. Authorized Negotiator G. Attachments

Bidders are strongly encouraged to provided details for all of the information requested below within initial proposals. Backup documentation may be requested at the sole discretion of the City to validate all of the responses provided herein by bidders. False statements by bidders to any of the criteria provided herein will result in the proposal being considered non-responsive and will not be considered for award.

Pursuant to Sec 1:325 of the City Code which sets forth requirements for evaluating public improvement bids, Bidders should submit the following:

A. Qualifications, Experience and Accountability - 20 Points

1. Qualifications and experience of the bidder and of key persons, management, and supervisory personnel to be assigned by the bidder.

2. References from individuals or entities the bidder has worked for within the last five (5) years including information regarding records of performance and job site cooperation.

3. A statement from the bidder as to any major subcontractors it expects to engage including the name, work, and amount.

B. Workplace Safety – 20 Points

1. Provide evidence of a bidder's safety program (link to information on bidder's publicly available web-site preferred) and evidence of a safety-training program for employees addressing potential hazards of the proposed job site. Bidders must identify a designated qualified safety representative responsible for bidder's safety program who serves as a contact for safety related matters.

2. Provide the bidder’s Experience Modification Rating (“EMR”) for the last three consecutive years. Preference within this criterion will be given to an EMR of 1.0 or less based on a three-year average.

3. Evidence that all craft labor that will be employed by the bidder for the project has, or will have prior to project commencement, completed at least an authorized 10-hour OSHA Construction Safety Course.

4. For the last three years provide a copy of any documented violations and the bidder’s corrective actions as a result of inspections conducted by the Michigan Occupational Safety & Health Administration (MIOSHA), U.S. Department of Labor – Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), or any other applicable safety agency.

C. Workforce Development – 20 Points

1. Documentation as to bidder’s pay rates, health insurance, pension or other retirement benefits, paid leave, or other fringe benefits to its employees.

2.. Documentation that the bidder participates in a Registered Apprenticeship

Program that is registered with the United States Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship or by a State Apprenticeship Agency recognized by the USDOL Office of Apprenticeship. USDOL apprenticeship agreements shall be disclosed to the City in the solicitation response.

3. Bidders shall disclose the number of non-craft employees who will work on the project on a 1099 basis, and the bidders shall be awarded points based on their relative reliance on 1099 work arrangements with more points assigned to companies with fewer 1099 arrangements. Bidders will acknowledge that the City may ask them to produce payroll records at points during the project to verify compliance with this section.

D. Social Equity and Sustainability – 20 Points

1. A statement from the bidder as to what percentage of its workforce resides in the

City of Ann Arbor and in Washtenaw County, Michigan. The City will consider in evaluating which bids best serve its interests, the extent to which responsible and qualified bidders employ individuals in either the city or the county.

Washtenaw County is prioritized for evaluation purposes for this solicitation.

2. Evidence of Equal Employment Opportunity Programs for minorities, women, veterans, returning citizens, and small businesses.

3. Evidence that the bidder is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, pregnancy, age, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, height, weight, or disability.

4. The bidder’s environmental record, including findings of violations and penalties imposed by government agencies.

E. Schedule of Pricing/Cost – 20 Points

City-Wide Tree Planting, City of Ann Arbor, Michigan Fall 2025 (500 trees)

Provide pricing (unit price per tree planted) and quantities for all tree species bidder can acquire, which may total more than 500 trees for the season. The City will choose the species and quantities, based on the bid, for an estimated total of 600 trees for the fall planting season. Pricing provided shall be valid for the length of the contract.

Bid must include a minimum of 20 different species for the spring (2026) planting season, including, those specified as “required to bid” on bid sheet. Note: This Agreement may be extended by the City Administrator for two (2) additional one-year periods on the same terms and conditions provided both parties agree to the extension and subject to the annual appropriation of funds.

PRICING FOR AT LEAST 60% OF SPECIES ARE REQURED TO BID

Company:

Unit Price Bid –

Common Name Latin Name Mature Size # B&B Available

B&B Price per Tree Planted

Paperbark maple Acer griseum Small Miyabei maple Acer miyabei Medium Red maple Acer rubrum Large Ohio buckeye Aesculus glabra Medium Horse chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum Large Yellow buckeye Aesculus octandra Large

Serviceberry Amelanchier spp.

(Specify sp/cultivar below)

Small

Pawpaw Asimina triloba Small River birch Betula nigra Large American hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana Medium Bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis Large Pignut hickory Carya glabra Large Hackberry Celtis occidentalis Large…