INVITATION FOR BIDS (“IFB”) - PART I

IFB Part I Revised 10/6/25 Page 1 of 6

IFB #: 262882AMS

IFB TITLE: Right of Way Mowing & Median Maintenance for Zone 7, Celery Fields

1.0 PURPOSE

Sarasota County (“County”), a political subdivision of the State of Florida, will receive bids on the date indicated in OpenGov Procurement (“OpenGov”), the County’s electronic procurement portal, for the purpose of selecting a contractor to provide Right of Way Mowing & Median Maintenance for Zone 7, Celery Fields as stated herein.

Bidders are required to comply with Part II, Scope of Services.

OpenGov is located at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/scgov

2.0 BIDDER

2.1 For the purpose of this IFB, the term “Bidder” (also identified as “Offeror”) is defined as the legal entity submitting a bid and/or identified on the electronic bid submittal.

2.2 Bidders intending to submit a bid as a joint venture with another company must provide documentation attesting to the formation of that joint venture with their bid submittal. For purposes of this solicitation, all vendors who make up the joint venture will be considered together as the Bidder.

2.2.1. Bidders proposing to engage in construction contracting as a joint venture or partnership must apply for registration with the State of Florida, Department of Business and Professional Regulation and any other state or local licensing agencies, as required by Florida State Statute 489.119, prior to the date bids are due.

3.0 QUALIFICATIONS

3.1 Required Experience

3.1.1. Bidder must provide a minimum of 2 verifiable governmental, commercial, institutional, or industrial references demonstrating their experience providing mowing services within the past seven (7) years preceding the submission deadline in OpenGov. The references must demonstrate experience providing mowing services that included:

a. Maintenance of Traffic (MOT),

b. Litter removal and disposal,

c. Trimming, edging and clean up, and

d. Contract service coverage of 100 acres or greater per month.

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

IFB Part I Revised 10/6/25 Page 2 of 6

3.1.2. Only references submitted at the time of bid submittal in the format specified by the County will be used to verify qualifications have been met.

3.1.3. Bidder shall be required to meet all requirements of Part II, Section 2 prior to award and throughout the term of any resulting Contract. Following verification of Qualifications, the County may require the apparent low responsive and responsible Bidder(s) to provide evidence demonstrating it satisfies all requirements of Part II, Section 2. Failure of the Bidder to provide evidence of required licenses/certifications, and equipment/labor requirements that demonstrate the Bidder’s ability to perform the Scope of Services to the County’s satisfaction may result in a determination by the County that the Bidder is non-responsible.

4.0 ALTERNATES

4.1 Unless otherwise specifically provided in Part II of this IFB, reference to any equipment, material, article or patented process, by trade name, brand name, make or catalog number, shall be regarded as establishing a minimum standard of quality and shall not be construed as limiting competition.

4.2 If a bidder wishes to make a substitution in the specifications, the bidder shall furnish to the County the name of the manufacturer, the model number, and other identifying data and information necessary to aid the County in evaluating the substitution. Any such substitution shall be subject to County approval. Substitutions shall be approved only if determined by the County to be equivalent to the prescribed specifications.

4.3 To be considered, substitutions must be submitted to the Procurement Contact listed in OpenGov no later than the Question Submission deadline listed in OpenGov. Substitutions must be identified by brand name, number, manufacturer and model, and shall include full descriptive information, brochures, and appropriate attachments. The County shall respond via addendum in OpenGov indicating whether the substitution has been approved or denied.

4.4 A bid containing a substitution that has not been approved by the County shall be disqualified

5.0 PRE-BID MEETINGS

In the event a meeting and/or site visit is scheduled it will take place at the time, date, and location specified in the Solicitation Timeline posted in OpenGov.

6.0 SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

Refer to the Submittal Instructions section in OpenGov for instructions on how

IFB Part I Revised 10/6/25 Page 3 of 6 to submit a bid. Bidders are advised to review the General Terms and Conditions of Solicitations which are available in OpenGov.

7.0 SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS

7.1 Vendor Questionnaire

All bidders must complete the required forms and information included in the Vendor Questionnaire section of OpenGov. Completed forms and other requested documents must be uploaded with bidder’s response in OpenGov. Bidders who fail to complete and upload required forms and documents or fail to provide responses to questions in the Vendor Questionnaire section of OpenGov may be found non-responsive.

7.2 Pricing

All bidders must complete the Pricing Table provided in OpenGov.

Bidders who fail to fully complete the pricing table in OpenGov may be found non-responsive.

8.0 AWARD

8.1 It is the intent of the County to award a contract to the responsive and responsible bidder submitting the lowest total bid price for Table 1.

Unless otherwise noted, bidders must submit a unit cost for every line item in Table 1 to be considered for award.

8.1.1. Table 2 contains optional line items and will not be used in determination of award.

8.1.2. Bidder is not required to submit unit costs for any line items in Table 2 to be considered for award of Table 1.

8.2 In the event of a tie, the IFB tie-breaking procedures identified in the Sarasota County Procurement Manual will apply.

8.2.1. To be considered, tied bidders will be required to provide documentation certifying they have implemented a drug-free workplace program meeting the requirements stipulated in Section 287.087, Florida Statutes. Documentation must be provided within the time specified by the County at the time of request.

8.3 Preferences

Bidders wishing to be considered for Local Business Preference or American Business Preference must complete and submit a Local & American Business Certification Form with their submittal. The Local & American Business Certification Form can be found in the Vendor Questionnaire section of OpenGov.

IFB Part I Revised 10/6/25 Page 4 of 6

In awarding this bid, preference shall be given to local businesses and American businesses in accordance with Section 2-215 of the Sarasota County Procurement Code.

Local and American business preferences do not apply in the award of this bid due to grant funding requirements

8.4 Contract

A draft of the contract that the successful bidder(s) will be expected to sign (a Term Contract) is posted on the Procurement website shown below. The County may, at its sole discretion, select a different contract type or make revisions to the one referenced above following the recommended award of this solicitation.

https://www.scgov.net/government/procurement/contract-templates

9.0 PRICING

9.1 As applicable, all trip charges, mileage, vehicle charges, travel time and labor are to be included in the hourly rate. Only time on the job site may be charged.

9.2 As applicable, estimated usage for each item is listed in the bid. This is an estimated figure only and no guarantee is made or implied as to the actual quantities that will be acquired under resulting contracts.

Quantities listed herein are subject to increase or decrease during the term of the contract. In either occurrence, the Offeror will perform the work at the unit price as bid. The County, at its discretion, may authorize an initial contract for a greater not-to-exceed amount than that submitted by the Bidder.

10.0 COUNTY WORKPLACE COMPLIANCE

10.1 Smoking – Smoking is not permitted inside any County facility. Smoking is restricted to designated smoking areas outside a facility.

10.2 Parking – The Bidder’s representatives shall abide by all parking restrictions. The Bidder’s vehicles are subject to the same restrictions, limitations, fines and tickets as posted for any other vehicle. Where time limit restrictions exceed the required time to provide services, arrangements shall be made in advance.

10.3 Alcohol/Drugs – Service personnel under the influence of alcohol and/or non-prescription drugs are not permitted to work in County facilities.

Any person known or thought to be under these influences will be escorted off County property.

10.4 Security - The Bidder must adhere to all Sarasota County security procedures. The Bidder’s work force shall be made up of persons legally authorized to perform work in the United States. The Bidder shall, at the County’s request, submit the following information for each of their https://www.scgov.net/government/procurement/contract-templates

IFB Part I Revised 10/6/25 Page 5 of 6 employees: name, date of birth, social security number and green card (if applicable).

10.5 Identification - The Bidder shall require all employees to visibly wear identification while on County property. Said identification shall contain a color photograph of the employee, the name of the employee and the name of the company. The Bidder shall require all employees to wear a company uniform, which shall include the name of the employee and the company. Persons not conforming to this requirement may be denied access to the building. Denial of access does not alleviate the Bidder’s responsibilities herein.

11.0 CONTINGENCY

Only applicable if this box is checked

If during the performance of construction or repair work, an unforeseen circumstance occurs that triggers an additional expense, a contingency of up to 10% may be allowed. Any use of contingency funds is subject to the written approval of the County project manager, and any unused contingency shall not be paid out as a part of any final payment.

12.0 PERFORMANCE AND PAYMENT BOND

Only applicable if this box is checked

12.1 The awarded bidder will be required to obtain a performance and payment bond equal to $50,000. Any bonding company submitting a performance and payment bond to Sarasota County Government must be licensed to transact a fidelity and surety business in the State of Florida, and shall have an A.M. Best rating of: if bond is under $500,000 “B+” (very good) or better, and over $500,000 “A-” (excellent) or better, and a “T” Underwriting Limitation not exceeded by this project’s bond.

12.2 Execution of Bonds and Power of Attorney

12.2.1. If the successful Bidder is a partnership, each bond should be signed by each of the individuals who are partners; if a corporation, the bonds should be signed in the correct corporate name by a duly authorized officer, agent or attorney-in-fact. The appropriate number of bonds should be executed to correspond to the number of signatories to the contract. Each executed bond should be accompanied by (a) appropriate acknowledgment of the respective parties; (b) appropriate duly certified copy of power-of-attorney or other certification of authority where bond is executed by agent, officer or other representative of successful Bidder or surety;

(c) duly certified extract from by-laws or resolutions of Surety under which power-of-attorney or other certificate of authority of its agent, officer or representative was issued.

IFB Part I Revised 10/6/25 Page 6 of 6

12.2.2. Attorneys-in-fact who sign bid bonds or performance and payment bonds must file with such bond a certified copy of their power-of-attorney to sign such bonds. Attorneys-in-fact must place name, address, and telephone number on this certificate.

(End of Part I)

PART II

SCOPE OF SERVICES

Prepared by Transportation Department Part II - Page 1 of 35

1. GENERAL

Contractor shall provide mowing and maintenance of Sarasota County right-of-way assets, including, but not limited to, maintenance of traffic, litter removal and disposal, mowing, string trimming, mechanical edging and daily clean-up. For purposes of this Scope of Services, an “asset” is defined as a specific location to be maintained by the Contractor.

2. REQUIREMENTS OF CONTRACTOR

A. Required Licenses/Certifications

i. Contractor must have at least one employee licensed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) in Category 6 – Right of Way Pest Control. License(s) must be in active status.

ii. Contractor must have at least one employee who holds a Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Intermediate Maintenance of Traffic (IMOT) or Intermediate Temporary Traffic Control (ITTC) certification. License(s) must be in active status.

iii. Contractor must have at least one employee who holds a Certificate of Completion in the Sarasota County approved training program, Florida Green Industries Best Management Practices for Protection of Water Resources in Florida.

iv. Contractor must submit proof of required licenses or certification within three (3) business days after request from the County.

B. Equipment and Labor Requirements

i. Contractor must have sufficient equipment and labor to satisfactorily perform the services described in this Scope of Services.

ii. To demonstrate compliance with the equipment and labor requirements, the County shall require Contractor to submit the information listed below, using County-provided forms, within ten (10) business days following a request from the County.

a. Equipment Plan listing all the equipment (whether owned, leased or sub-contracted) that Contractor will employ to perform the services described herein.

b. Staffing Plan including organizational chart outlining the labor force and supervision provided by Contractor to complete the services described herein.

c. Maintenance Cycle Schedule Plan detailing the cycle schedule for each zone asset to be maintained for a specified cycle, including the following:

Prepared by Transportation Department Part II - Page 2 of 35

1. The list of assets to be maintained in a logical and repeatable order within the cycle frequency timeframes listed herein.

Depending on the work zone, Contractor may be required to provide a 15-day, 30-day, and 60-day cycle schedule.

2. Assign each asset a specific day of the cycle when anticipated services will be provided, per the dictated cycle time frame.

3. Identify the specific work crews anticipated to maintain each asset as identified in the Staffing Plan.

iii. The table below is an example of estimated coverage rates, equipment, and labor for zone classifications. The County may accept alternate equipment and staffing levels subject to County’s determination that the Scope of Services can be performed for the zone.

ZONE

CLASSIFICATION

TYPICAL

COVERAGE

ACRES/DAY/CREW

TYPICAL EQUIPMENT & LABORERS

PER CREW

CELERY FIELDS 30-60

Zero Turn Mower (1-2); Boom Mower (1); Deck Mower (1-2);

String Trimmer (2-3); Edger (2- 3); Blower (2-3); Utility Cart (1- 2); Equipment Truck (1-2);

Equipment Trailer (1-2). 4-7 laborers per crew.

C. The County may conduct a site visit at Contractor’s business location(s) to inspect available equipment. Equipment shall match Contractor’s Equipment Report and be equipped with all required safety appurtenances including strobes, flashers, signs, and similar safety devices. Contractor shall make equipment and a list of staff available for County inspection and verification within one business days’ notice.

3. RIGHT-OF-WAY MOWING AND MEDIAN ASSETS

A. Right-of-way assets to be maintained include roadsides and medians, vacant and public lands, stormwater conveyances, shoulders and slopes, ditches and swales, easements, bridge abutments and embankments, select lift station locations, select stormwater facilities and retention ponds, and other County-maintained accesses and conveyances.

B. Assets to be maintained are listed on Attachment A – Zone 7 Celery Fields

Asset List (Attachment A), attached hereto for informational purposes.

i. Attachment A contains estimates of geographic and/or physical data for each asset based on available County data.

Prepared by Transportation Department Part II - Page 3 of 35

ii. This data is provided to assist Contractor in becoming familiar with the work to be performed. Any inaccurate, incomplete, or missing information shall not be grounds for Contractor claims for additional payment or time to perform.

iii. Individual maps of assets to be maintained are available on the County’s site at:

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=6d93f1b3430f4c078c9 bda65e6cfd56e

iv. In the event of a discrepancy between Attachment A and the Individual Asset Maps, Contractor shall rely upon Attachment A. The order of precedence for information on assets to be maintained is:

a. Attachment A: Zone 7 Celery Fields Asset List

b. Individual Asset Maps

C. The County reserves the right to add or remove locations or temporarily add or suspend services at a location.

D. Asset Conditions

i. Contractor shall examine the sites of work and become fully informed of existing conditions, including actual site conditions and any obstructions that may be encountered; the character, quality, and estimated quantities of work to be performed; the materials, equipment, and labor to be furnished; and all requirements of the bid documents.

ii. Failure to examine the sites of work does not relieve Contractor of its obligation to furnish all materials, labor, and equipment necessary to perform the requirements of the Term Contract and to complete the contemplated work set forth in this Scope of Services.

iii. Tree basal maintenance is not included in this Scope of Services and is being maintained through another contract or by the County.

iv. Edging of uncurbed roadways has been performed under previous maintenance contracts. Due to the timing of contract commencement, existing conditions may include areas of overgrowth. Contractor shall evaluate existing conditions and perform all edging necessary to meet the requirements of this Scope of Services.

v. The County may consider payment of an additional amount up to 10% of the per-acre rate, to be added to the per-acre rate on the fee schedule if the previous maintenance cycle occurred one or more cycles before Contractor begins work.

a. Additional payment will not be considered for edging of uncurbed roadways or tree basal area maintenance.

https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=6d93f1b3430f4c078c9bda65e6cfd56e https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=6d93f1b3430f4c078c9bda65e6cfd56e

Prepared by Transportation Department Part II - Page 4 of 35

4. GENERAL MAINTENANCE SPECIFICATIONS

Unless otherwise specified, the following general maintenance specifications are applicable to all work in all zones. Contractor compliance with these specifications shall be included in the prices on the Contract Fee Schedule (Fee Schedule), unless noted otherwise. Attachment B - Illustrative Guide to Maintenance Performance Criteria is attached hereto and incorporated herein.

A. Work Tasks:

i. Roadside, median, and stormwater facility grasses and other ground cover vegetation shall be generally mowed at a height of four (4) inches, with a tolerance of plus or minus one (1) inch.

ii. Maintenance shall include all ground cover and ditch bottoms, including slopes beginning at the edge of the paved portion of the roadway, stopping at the terminus of the County right-of-way or the beginning of private property, whichever is more clearly discernible as measured from a point drawn perpendicular to the pavement.

iii. Clippings shall be in the form of finely mulched and evenly distributed, with minimal clumping.

B. Temporary Traffic Control (TTC), also referred to as Maintenance of Traffic

(MOT):

i. Contractor shall be required to comply with applicable FDOT TTC/MOT Methods and Guidelines.

ii. County staff may observe the Contractor’s implementation of TTC/MOT requirements. Such observations shall not relieve Contractor of its responsibility or liability for compliance with TTC/MOT requirements or for injury to persons or damage to property resulting from the Contractor’s operations.

iii. Non-compliance with necessary TTC/MOT methods, guidelines, and/or best practices may result in the shutdown of Contractor operations by law enforcement personnel or County staff.

C. Litter Removal and Disposal: Litter is defined as all non-permanent vegetative and non-vegetative matter existing within the work limits.

i. Contractor must remove existing litter from the entire asset area immediately before scheduled mowing and disposed of according to state and local laws. This includes all:

a. Public sidewalk areas

b. Tree basal areas

c. Landscaped medians

d. County side of fence lines

e. Ditches

Prepared by Transportation Department Part II - Page 5 of 35

f. Curb lines

ii. Vegetative Litter includes:

a. Piles of existing vegetation, leaves, fronds, or grass.

b. Individual limbs, branches, fronds, and sticks with a thickness or diameter of one inch or greater that cannot be adequately mulched by mowing equipment in use. Frond thickness shall be measured on the narrowest dimension of the petiole.

iii. Non-Vegetative Litter includes:

a. White goods or appliances

b. Wood, glass, plastic, metal, and paper products

c. Tires

d. Other materials which are deposited within the boundaries of the assets to be maintained under this Scope of Services.

e. Upon completion of an asset, the estimated pounds of removed litter must be submitted on the work order.

iv. Contractor shall be required to immediately remove any litter caused by the inadvertent cutting or mulching of unseen litter.

v. Contractor may request the County to inspect litter amounts Contractor believes to be unreasonable.

a. Generally, unreasonableness shall be defined as excessive quantities of large vegetative or non-vegetative litter and/or material which cannot be safely lifted by the personnel on site or transported by the vehicles and equipment normally utilized during daily service and litter removal activities.

b. If Contractor determines that litter, debris, or other obstructions are unreasonable and prevent safe or complete mowing of an asset or portion of an asset, Contractor shall immediately notify the County’s Administrative Agent(AA)/Contract Manager(CM) in writing prior to reporting the asset as complete. The notification shall identify the asset, location, condition encountered, the specific area affected, and shall include photographs. Contractor shall mow all unaffected portions of the asset during the scheduled cycle unless otherwise directed by the County.

c. The County will make the final determination as to excessiveness.

1. The County’s determination that an amount of litter is excessive shall not relieve Contractor from completing litter removal and disposal, including repetitive disposal trips, when directed by the County.

2. Unreasonable litter or debris shall not be used as a basis to leave an asset, or portions of an asset, unmowed for multiple cycles without County review and direction.

Prepared by Transportation Department Part II - Page 6 of 35

vi. The County shall be contacted immediately if hazardous materials are encountered.

a. The County will determine how these materials are to be handled.

b. If the County’s AA or CM is not immediately available, the Sarasota County Call Center should be contacted at (941) 861-5000.

vii. The disposal of all litter shall be performed pursuant to Sarasota County Code of Ordinances Sections 106-31 through 106-62.

viii. Additional Litter Removal and Disposal

a. The County may require litter removal and disposal in addition to that provided in the prescribed cycle frequency.

b. This work shall be ordered by the County and be performed by Contractor within 7 business days. Work shall be performed in accordance with Section 4.C with the exception that additional litter removal and disposal shall only be required on road rights of way within the specified zone.

c. No additional litter removal and disposal shall be required on pond, parcel, lift station, and canal assets.

D. Trimming: Trimming around structures shall be accomplished to match the height of the mowed grass, ground cover, or hardscape.

i. Structures include all permanent objects, decorative or functional, within the County right-of-way.

ii. Transition from trimmed areas to mowed areas shall be smooth and uniform.

iii. All vegetative growth shall be removed by hand or with mechanical equipment.

iv. Chemicals shall not be used to control or remove existing vegetative growth around structures.

v. Trimming shall be performed to remove vegetation from all cracks, joints, and seams of sidewalks, medians, bullnoses, tapers, median tips, edges of pavement, and curbs.

E. Edging: Mechanical edging shall be performed to prevent the encroachment of vegetation onto any roadway edge of pavement, curbing, and one or both edges of sidewalks (if applicable).

i. Edging along hardscape (sidewalks, curbs, etc.) shall leave a clean vertical grass edge between the turf and adjacent surface.

ii. The use of herbicide may be authorized to control crack weeds;

however, regardless of whether an herbicide is used, all surface weeds

Prepared by Transportation Department Part II - Page 7 of 35 in these locations must be removed by either mechanical means or by hand at the completion of the asset.

iii. Edging of Uncurbed Roadways

a. Edges of uncurbed roadways with striping and/or bike lanes shall be progressively edged and cleared of vegetation growing over and into the adjacent pavement surface.

b. Contractor shall clean up all loose material generated from their activities to leave a clean roadway edge.

c. Mechanical edging of uncurbed roadways may be performed by Contractor but will only be inspected for general compliance with Term Contract Scope of Services during the months of April and November and evaluated along with the entire asset per Work Evaluation.

d. Assets requiring edging of uncurbed roadways are indicated in Attachment A.

iv. Contractor may request permission to use herbicides to kill existing vegetation grown over or into pavement surfaces prior to mechanical removal.

a. All requests to use herbicides for uncurbed edging shall be made in writing to the AA or CM. Use of herbicides shall not start before receiving written authorization to proceed.

b. All chemical applications shall adhere to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Guidelines and List of Approved Pesticides, available on the County’s webpage:

https://www.scgov.net/home/showdocument?id=26014

F. Site Clean-Up:

i. Clean-up of all mowed, trimmed, or loose vegetative or non-organic material or debris is required immediately following any daily work function. For example, if Contractor mows on day one but trims on day two, Contractor shall clean up all material or debris after mowing on day one and after trimming on day two.

ii. No litter, clippings, material, or debris resulting from Contractor’s work shall be left in the County rights of way overnight.

G. Fertilizer & Landscape Management Ordinance: Although no fertilizer applications are required under this Scope of Services, Sarasota County Code of Ordinances, Article XXXII, Sections 54-1020 through 54-1038, as it relates to debris control, shall apply during mowing, trimming, and edging work. Specifically, Contractor shall comply with Section 54-1031 regarding Management of Grass Clippings and Vegetative Material.

https://www.scgov.net/home/showdocument?id=26014

Prepared by Transportation Department Part II - Page 8 of 35 https://library.municode.com/fl/sarasota_county/codes/code_of_ordinanc es?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH54ENNARE_ARTXXXIIFELAMA

i. “In no case shall grass clippings, vegetative material and/or vegetative debris either intentionally or accidentally, be washed, swept, or blown off into storm water drains, ditches, conveyances, water bodies or roadways.”

H. Drainage Facilities:

i. Drainage facilities (ditches, swales, etc.) must be mowed or otherwise cut to meet the same maintenance specifications established for the zone in which they are located.

ii. Wet Conditions: Wet areas shall be maintained by cutting without damage to the underlying or adjacent turf.

iii. Standing Water

a. Areas with standing water are to be maintained by cutting vegetation above the water’s edge without damage to the adjacent turf.

b. Vegetation growing above the water surface shall be cut down to the water surface.

c. Specialized equipment may be required for those areas that retain standing water year-round.

iv. Inundation

a. Contractor shall, while on site at the time of maintenance, notify the County by email, with pictures included, if drainage facilities are inundated by wet conditions or standing water making maintenance of vegetation impractical or impossible.

b. The County shall evaluate each instance and may provide a written waiver of maintenance for the drainage facility during each cycle when such conditions exist.

c. Waivers shall only be granted for special circumstances and shall not be granted due to Contractor’s inability to employ appropriate equipment or labor to complete the work.

d. The County will make the final judgment as to when or if a waiver shall be issued.

e. Waiver requests shall be indicated on the associated Contractor’s daily work report.

f. The County will inspect the requested waiver area and either grant or deny such on the resulting inspection report.

g. Payment of maintained assets with an approved waiver shall be reduced in an amount proportional to the acreage not maintained pursuant to the waiver.

https://library.municode.com/fl/sarasota_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH54ENNARE_ARTXXXIIFELAMA https://library.municode.com/fl/sarasota_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH54ENNARE_ARTXXXIIFELAMA

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I. Slope Maintenance:

i. Slopes are defined as rising or falling surfaces not necessarily associated with ditches.

ii. Slopes may be found intermittently within all maintenance zones.

iii. Slopes shall be maintained according to the same maintenance specification established for the zone in which they are located.

iv. Slopes having a grade steeper than 3:1 or inundated with water may require specialized equipment for proper and safe mowing or may be done using hand-held equipment.

v. Use of specialized equipment shall be included in Contractor’s prices and shall be used when necessary to perform the work.

J. Ponds and All Other Water Bodies: These assets are designed to either retain or detain stormwater.

i. Normal design specifications call for a slope of 4:1 (rise: run) or less for easier maintenance.

ii. Some parcel sizes, especially those adjacent to roadways, may have forced a steeper slope requiring specialized equipment or technique.

iii. Maintenance of such assets shall be performed to the same maintenance specifications established for the zone in which they are located.

iv. Detention ponds are normally empty (dry) recessions lacking a littoral area and having sloped edges. Lighter equipment may be required to properly maintain vegetation at the bottom of detention ponds, depending on the firmness of the pond bottom.

v. Retention ponds usually retain water except during significant drought periods.

a. Contractor shall maintain up to the three (3) foot wide buffer established by the high-water flow line, except for littoral areas intentionally planted with wetland vegetation around pond(s). These littoral and/or buffer areas shall not be maintained or damaged by Contractor.

1. This buffer area shall vary with the water level existing at the time of each maintenance cycle.

b. The County may provide specific direction to ensure appropriate protection of wetland plantings within these areas.

vi. All water bodies shall be maintained to the waterline existing at the time of maintenance except for littoral areas intentionally planted with wetland vegetation around the water body. Maintenance of water bodies require a three (3) foot wide buffer at the water’s edge with vegetation heights no less than 12 inches and no higher than 18 inches.

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vii. Litter removal must be accomplished in the manner as described in Section 4.C.

viii. Litter caught in or attached to fences adjacent to the asset shall be removed.

K. Median Maintenance: Median maintenance constitutes those areas on roads that divide traffic ways into two specific directions or uses.

i. Medians include those isolated areas sometimes referred to as islands and those areas where decorative structures may be displayed.

ii. Unless otherwise specified, median maintenance shall be performed to the same roadway maintenance specifications established for the zone in which they are located.

L. Tree Protection and Basal Area Maintenance:

i. Contractor shall apply special maintenance within a three-foot radius around trees in the right-of-way.

ii. No riding mowing devices shall be used within three feet of any tree.

iii. Contractor shall remove all litter within the tree protection radius.

iv. Tree Basal Spraying and Sucker Removal

a. The County provides herbicide spraying and trunk-attached sucker removal within tree basal areas through a separate contract at an interval of three to four times annually.

b. No herbicide spraying or removal of suckers attached to trunks within tree basal areas is required under this Scope of Services.

c. Contractor shall maintain vegetation within the three-foot tree protection radius that is not effectively suppressed by the County’s herbicide treatment. During each maintenance cycle, vegetation shall be trimmed to the height of the adjacent mowed turf, except within six inches of the tree trunk base.

1. Vegetation growth within six inches of the tree trunk base shall be removed manually.

2. String trimmers shall not be used within six inches of the tree trunk base.

3. Contractor shall not make contact with or damage tree trunk bases or root systems with any mechanical trimming equipment.

4. If permanent damage by trimming is identified, Contractor shall be required to remove the tree, grind the stump to ground level, remove chips, then plant and establish a replacement tree of comparable magnitude, to the County’s satisfaction.

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M. Turf Management:

i. Clippings

a. Contractor may be required to remove or re-mow areas with clippings or clumping which do not comply with specifications.

b. Wet grass is not an acceptable excuse for clumping or piles of grass left within the mowing area.

c. Cut grass can only be placed on grassed areas. Shooting or leaving grass clippings in planted and mulched median areas is not authorized.

ii. Scalping

a. Scalping occurs when the vegetation is cut too close to the ground and is not acceptable.

b. Scalping shall be repaired by the placement of sod at Contractor’s expense.

c. Sod shall be properly established by Contractor to ensure survival.

d. Seeding may be authorized in lieu of sod at the County's discretion.

iii. Rutting

a. Rutting occurs when the soil is too soft to disperse the weight of the maintenance equipment.

b. Rutting is unacceptable and shall be repaired at Contractor’s expense as follows:

1. Ruts must be repaired with a combination of clean soil placed to create an even surface and finished with sod that matches the surrounding turf.

2. Sod shall be properly installed, watered, and maintained by Contractor until it is established and actively growing and provides continuous coverage consistent with surrounding turf.

N. Herbicide Use

i. Contractor shall adhere to IPM Guidelines and List of Approved Pesticides and the Fertilizer and Landscape Management Ordinance when applying herbicides or pesticides.

https://www.scgov.net/government/stormwater/water-quality-for-creeks-bays/fertilizer-management#docaccess-e5b8d690a4acebdd0298b4d0a166c629

ii. Copies of licenses and certificates shall be provided to the County before the application of any pesticide or herbicide.

a. All persons who apply or supervise the application of pesticides and herbicides must be licensed in accordance with regulations established by the FDACS, specifically in Category 6—Right-of-Way Pest Control.

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b. If application is done under supervision, applicator and supervisor must follow FDACS requirements.

c. All persons who apply or supervise the application of pesticides or herbicides must provide a Certificate of Completion of the Sarasota County-approved Best Management Practices training program, “Florida Green Industries Best Management Practices for Protection of Water Resources in Florida,” as specified in Sarasota County Code Ordinance No. Section 54-1034.

iii. Contractor shall properly apply herbicides and pesticides in accordance with applicable requirements and manufacturer instructions to prevent damage to County assets and adjacent desirable vegetation.

iv. Contractor may be authorized limited use of chemicals, herbicides, or pesticides to control vegetation in lieu of hand or mechanical means as defined in this Scope of Services.

a. Additional payment shall not be made for Contractor’s choice to utilize this means of completing the required work.

b. Payment for use of chemicals, herbicides, or pesticides shall be considered incidental to the work item for which it is required.

c. All requests to use herbicides must be made in writing to the County’s AA or CM, including copies of required applicator and/or supervisor licenses and certificates. Use of herbicides shall not commence prior to receiving written authorization to proceed. All chemical applications shall adhere to IPM Guidelines and List of Approved Pesticides.

v. If herbicides or pesticides are improperly applied and result in damage to County assets or adjacent desirable vegetation, Contractor shall repair the damage to County specifications or, at the County’s discretion, reimburse the County for any repairs performed by the County.

vi. Proper IPM reporting is required. IPM reporting shall be included in the daily work order reporting.

5. MAINTENANCE ZONES

The PRIMARY ZONE for this Scope of Services is Zone 7 Celery Fields. However, there are six (6) other zones for possible asset maintenance in situations as described in Section 13.

A. Zone 7 – Celery Fields - PRIMARY ZONE

i. Location: East of Interstate I-75 near Exit 210, north and south of Palmer Boulevard between Tatum Road and Porter Road.

ii. Description: Celery Fields Regional Stormwater Facility is an expansive area with many purposes. Several stormwater retention and/or detention areas are connected via a system of canals, outfalls, siphons, Prepared by Transportation Department Part II - Page 13 of 35 weirs, berms, raised areas, flat travel ways, stormwater control structures, fences, and gates. The facility also coexists as a wildlife refuge and park. Special care and sensitivities have refined the tasks performed for care and maintenance.

iii. Frequency of Contract Services: The anticipated frequency of contract maintenance cycles to be performed in this zone is distributed as follows:

a. Flat and Right of Way Areas - 18 maintenance cycles per calendar year distributed as follows:

1. Two cycles per month, May through October, performed on flat mowing area assets in repeatable sequence as follows:

a) Cycle 1: Performed during the first – 15th day of the month.

b) Cycle 2: Performed during the 16th – last day of the month.

2. One cycle per month, November through April, performed on assets in repeatable sequence during the first – last day of the month.

b. Slope area - 12 maintenance cycles per calendar year distributed as follows:

1. One cycle per month performed on assets in repeatable sequence during the first – last day of each month.

iv. Work Tasks: In addition to the work described in Section 4., the following work tasks shall be completed by Contractor within the Celery Fields area property to fulfill a complete maintenance cycle. The Celery Fields require specialized, careful mowing and may be accomplished using large mowing machinery, such as a tractor-drawn mowing deck.

a. Celery Fields grasses and other ground cover vegetation shall generally be mowed at a height of four inches with a ± one-inch tolerance, with smooth flowing transitions and no streaks or scalping.

Maintenance shall include all ground cover and ditch bottoms, including slopes within the areas detailed.

b. Right of way maintenance shall include roadsides and medians, vacant and public land, stormwater conveyances, shoulders and slopes, ditches and swales, certain easements, bridge abutments and embankments, select stormwater facilities, retention ponds, and other County-maintained accesses and conveyances. Edgers, string trimmers, and backpack blowers shall be required on some of these sites.

c. Slope areas extend from the top of bank down to the toe of slope.

Slope maintenance of the Observation Mound includes trimming around all trees without damage to the trunk or tree base.

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d. Flat areas extend across the travel ways from one side of the top of bank to the horizontal opposite side of the top of bank. The entire top grass surface of the Observation Mound and shell trail shoulders and trailside drainage swales/structures around the Observation Mound shall be considered flat areas.

e. Trimming around structures at the Celery Fields shall include, but is not limited to, all gates, fences, and stormwater structures. There are significant distances of gates and fencing to be maintained under this item, including approximately 7,500 linear feet south of Palmer Boulevard and 5,500 linear feet north of Palmer Boulevard. Both sides of gates and fences shall be maintained by trimming.

f. So as to not transport undesirable and exotic, invasive plant species into the Celery Fields Regional Stormwater Facility, all equipment used during the performance of the Term Contract shall be inspected and cleaned by Contractor before entering the job site, to ensure the removal of any exotic vegetation and seeds to prevent contamination from that equipment.

g. The Celery Fields is a significant bird nesting habitat. As such, two specific areas shall have reduced maintenance during bird nesting season, April 1 – May 31. These areas are 1) the west slope of the Observation Mound; and 2) the top open turf areas of the Observation Mound. During the months of April and May, the only maintenance to be performed in these areas is trailside shoulder maintenance (including swales and drainage features) and a five-foot mowed perimeter around the remaining areas. The remainder of these areas shall be left unmaintained until June 1. Full payment shall be made for these areas in the months of April and May.

v. Optional—The County reserves the right to request up to three additional cycles during each fiscal year (October 1 to September 30).

If requested, the County will notify Contractor of the cycle schedule required for that month.

B. Zone 1 – North Urban - (Interim Zone Service)

i. Location: Generally, west of Interstate 75, north of Blackburn Point Road and south of the north Sarasota County Boundary.

ii. Description: Longer length roadway and adjacent stormwater facilities with wide right of way serving as north-south and east-west connectors within the northwest portions of Sarasota County. Generally paved rights of way with curbed and uncurbed edges, medians, sidewalks on one or both sides, closed drainage systems, narrow shoulders, traffic speeds normally 45 mph or less, and high traffic volumes during and outside peak traffic hours. Ponds within this zone are frequently adjacent to private residences.

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iii. Frequency of Contract Services: The anticipated frequency of contract maintenance cycles to be performed in this zone is 17 maintenance cycles per calendar year distributed as follows:

a. Two cycles per month, June through October, performed on assets in repeatable sequence as follows:

1. Cycle 1: Performed during the first – 15th day of the month.

2. Cycle 2: Performed during the 16th – last day of the month.

b. One cycle per month, November through May, performed on assets in repeatable sequence during the first through the last day of the month.

iv. Optional—The County reserves the right to request up to three additional cycles during each fiscal year (October 1 to September 30).

If requested, the County will notify Contractor of the cycle schedule required for that month.

C. Zone 2 – North Residential – (Interim Zone Service)

i. Location: North of Blackburn Point Road and south of the north Sarasota County boundary.

ii. Description: County-owned residential lots, shorter-length roadway sections and stormwater facilities typically located within residential single-family home neighborhoods. Generally paved and unpaved rights of way with curbed and uncurbed edges, open drainage systems with frequent driveway culverts, occasional sidewalks and handrails, narrow shoulders, traffic speeds normally 45 mph or less, and low traffic volumes. Residential rights of way generally do not have medians. Ponds within this zone are frequently adjacent to private residences.

iii. Frequency of Contract Services: The anticipated frequency of contract maintenance cycles to be performed in this zone is 8 maintenance cycles per calendar year distributed as follows:

a. Eight annual maintenance cycles are anticipated to be performed on assets. These assets are generally roadway medians, stormwater facilities, or other County-owned rights of way.

1. One cycle per month, June through September, performed on assets in repeatable sequence during the first - last day of the month.

2. One cycle per two months, October through May, performed on assets in repeatable sequence during the first day of month one through the last day of month two.

D. Zone 3 – North Rural – (Interim Zone Service)

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i. Location: Generally, east of Interstate 75, north of the imaginary easterly extension of Blackburn Point Road and south of the north Sarasota County boundary.

ii. Description: Longer length roadways and adjacent stormwater facilities with wide rights of way serving eastern portions of Sarasota County.

Generally paved and unpaved rights of way with uncurbed edges, open drainage systems, wide shoulders, traffic speeds normally 45 mph or greater, and low traffic volumes outside of peak traffic hours. Rural right of way may but generally does not have medians.

iii. Frequency of Contract Services: The anticipated frequency of contract maintenance cycles to be performed in this zone is 13 maintenance cycles per calendar year distributed as follows:

a. Two cycles per month, June through September, performed on assets in repeatable sequence as follows.

1. Cycle 1: Performed during the first – 15th day of the month.

2. Cycle 2: Performed during the 16th – last day of each month.

b. One cycle per month, April and May, during the first – last day of each month.

c. One cycle per two months, October through March, performed on assets in repeatable sequence during the first day of month one through the last day of month two.

iv. Optional—The County reserves the right to request up to three additional cycles during each fiscal year (October 1 to September 30).

E. Zone 4 – South Urban – (Interim Zone Service)

i. Location: Generally, west and south of Interstate 75, south of Blackburn Point Road and north of the south Sarasota County Boundary.

ii. Description: County-owned residential lots, shorter-length roadway sections and stormwater facilities typically located within residential single-family home neighborhoods. Generally paved and unpaved rights of way with curbed and uncurbed edges, open drainage systems with frequent driveway culverts, occasional sidewalks and handrails, narrow shoulders, traffic speeds normally 45 mph or less, and low traffic volumes. Residential rights of way generally do not have medians. Ponds within this zone are frequently adjacent to private residences.

iii. Frequency of Contract Services: The anticipated frequency of contract maintenance cycles to be performed in this zone is 17 maintenance cycles per calendar year distributed as follows:

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a. Two cycles per month, June through October, performed on assets in repeatable sequence as follows:

1. Cycle 1: Performed during the first – 15th day of the month.

2. Cycle 2: Performed during the 16th – last day of the month.

b. One cycle per month, November through May, performed on assets in repeatable sequence during the first through the last day of the month.

iv. Optional—The County reserves the right to request up to three additional cycles during each fiscal year (October 1 to September 30).

F. Zone 5 – South Residential – (Interim Zone Service)

i. Location: South of Blackburn Point Road and its easterly imaginary extension and north of the south Sarasota County boundary, including Warm Mineral Springs.

ii. Description: County-owned residential lots, shorter-length roadway sections and stormwater facilities typically located within residential single-family home neighborhoods. Generally paved and unpaved rights of way with curbed and uncurbed edges, open drainage systems with frequent driveway culverts, infrequent sidewalks, narrow shoulders, traffic speeds normally 45 mph or less, and low traffic volumes.

Residential rights of way generally do not have medians. Ponds within this zone are frequently adjacent to private residences.

iii. Frequency of Contract Services: The anticipated frequency of contract maintenance cycles to be performed in this zone is 8 maintenance cycles per calendar year distributed as follows:

a. Eight annual maintenance cycles are anticipated to be performed on assets. These assets are generally roadway medians or other County-owned rights of way.

1. One cycle per month, June through September, performed on…