Sacramento_County_Water_Agency_Landscaping_Services_(Addendum_#2_Revision).pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

2026-RFP-0094

SACRAMENTO COUNTY WATER AGENCY LANDSCAPING

SERVICES

County of Sacramento

9660 Ecology Lane

Sacramento, CA 95827

RELEASE DATE: September 4, 2026

DEADLINE FOR QUESTIONS: September 25, 2026

RESPONSE DEADLINE: October 7, 2026, 2:00 pm

RESPONSES MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY TO:

https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/saccounty https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/%7bproject.government.code%7d

County of Sacramento

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Sacramento County Water Agency Landscaping Services

1. Definitions

2. Introduction

3. Proposer's Instructions

4. Basis for Award

5. Final Acceptance

6. Scope of Services

7. Vendor Submissions

8. Pricing Table

9. Sacramento County Standard Terms and Conditions

10. Additional Terms and Conditions

11. Environmental Purchasing Policy

12. Environmental Purchasing Policy With SB1383

13. Insurance Requirements for Contractors

14. Good Neighbor Policy

15. Prevailing Wage

Attachments:

A - SCWA Site List - Area 1 - 09-23-2026

B - SCWA Site List - Area 2 - 09-23-2026

C - Task Frequency Sheet - Area 1 - 9-23-2026

D - Task Frequency Sheet - Area 2 - 8-26-2026

E - County Standards - Section 20 Landscaping

F - FRWA Color Coded Landscape Exhibit map - REVISED 8-11-21

G - FRWA Landscape Requirements - Revised 8-11-21

H - Site Key Plan VSWTP Final 5-26-2021

Request for Proposal #2026-RFP-0094 Title: Sacramento County Water Agency Landscaping Services

1. Definitions

Response: The written, signed and sealed complete document(s) submitted according to the proposal instructions. Response does not include any verbal or documentary interaction apart from submittal of a formal Response.

Request/Proposal/Bid: The completed and released solicitation, including all subsequent addenda, made publicly available to all prospective proposers.

We/Us/Our: Terms that refer to the County of Sacramento, a duly organized public entity. They may also be used as pronouns for various subsets of the County organization, including, as the context will indicate:

• Purchasing - the Contracts and Purchasing Services Division of the Department of General

Services.

• Department/Division – The department or division requesting the goods or services contained in this request, for which this Proposal is prepared and which will be the end user of the requested goods or services.

• Constituency – the client base or County population which may benefit from the procurement of goods and/or services requested herein.

You/Your: Terms that refer to businesses/individuals submitting a response. The term may apply differently as the context will indicate.

• Supplier - A business entity engaged in the business of providing services.

• Proposer - A business entity submitting a Response to this proposal. Suppliers which may express interest in this proposal, but who do not submit a Response, have no obligations with respect to the proposal requirements.

• Contractor - The Proposer(s) whose Response to this proposal is evaluated as meeting the needs of the County. Contractor(s) will be selected for award, and will enter into a contract(s) for provision of the services described in this proposal.

• Contractor’s Employee - All persons who can be offered to provide the services described in the proposal. All employees of the Contractor shall be covered by the insurance programs normally provided to persons employed by a company (ex: Worker’s Comp, SDI, etc.).

Mandatory: A required element of this request/proposal/bid. Failure to satisfy any element of this request/proposal/bid defined as “mandatory” will disqualify the particular response.

Default: A failure to act as required by any contract resulting from this request, which may trigger the right to sue or may excuse the other party's obligation to perform under the contract.

Cancellation/Termination: A unilateral or mutual decision to not complete an exchange or perform an obligation under any contract resulting from this request.

“Or Equal”: A statement used for reference to indicate the character or quality desired in a requested product or service. When specified in a proposal document, equal items will be considered, provided the response clearly describes the article. Offers of equal items must state the brand and number, or level of quality. When brand, number, or level of quality is not stated by proposer, the offer will be considered exactly as specified. The determination of the Purchasing Agent as to what items are equal is final and conclusive.

2. Introduction

2.1. Summary

The Sacramento County Water Agency (SCWA) is soliciting proposals from qualified contractors to provide comprehensive landscape, irrigation, vegetation management, and facility-adjacent maintenance services across a diverse portfolio of Water Agency operational sites. These locations include groundwater wells, booster stations, water treatment plants, surface water facilities, storage tanks, access easements, and undeveloped parcels distributed throughout Sacramento County.

This Request for Proposal (RFP) encompasses a broad range of site care and vegetation control activities essential to supporting the Water Agency’s infrastructure and operational reliability. Required services include turf and native plant maintenance, pruning, weed and invasive species abatement, erosion control, fertilization, litter and debris removal, irrigation system management, and upkeep of grounds surrounding well houses, tank sites, pump stations, treatment facilities, and access ways.

Work performed under these contracts will include scheduled Monthly Maintenance Tasks as well as responsive Unscheduled Work. Maintenance needs will vary by site type, seasonal requirements, and operational priorities, and may involve drought-tolerant landscape management, vegetation clearance around critical infrastructure, pest and disease mitigation, stormwater-related site management, and maintenance of driveways, walkways, and secure perimeter areas. All work must comply with Water

Agency operational standards, environmental stewardship practices, and established safety protocols.

Contracts will be awarded to the top two scoring Contractors. Contractors must demonstrate the expertise, operational agility, and staffing capacity needed to service a broad array of water utility locations, ranging from neighborhood well sites to major treatment facilities and booster stations. These contracts will provide essential support in maintaining safe, functional, and aesthetically managed

Water Agency sites throughout the County.

The anticipated contract term begins January 1, 2027, and runs through December 31, 2027, with the option to renew annually for up to four additional one-year terms through December 31, 2031, pending approval by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. Final contract execution will be subject to all applicable terms and conditions set by the County’s Contract and Purchasing Services Division.

2.2. Contact Information

Any inquiries or requests regarding this solicitation must be submitted via OpenGov. Contact with unauthorized County personnel during the selection process may result in disqualification.

Maria Cojocari

Contract Services Officer

9660 Ecology Lane

California, CA 95827

Email: cojocarim@saccounty.gov

Phone: (916) 876-6363

Department:

DGS: CAPSD - Procurement mailto:cojocarim@saccounty.gov tel:(916)876-6363

Department Head:

Brandalyn Tramel

Purchasing Agent

2.3. Timeline

Release Project Date September 4, 2026

Pre-Bid Meeting (Non-Mandatory) September 22, 2026, 8:00am

10151 Florin Road, Sacramento, CA

Question Submission Deadline September 25, 2026, 2:00pm

Addendum Issued (if necessary) October 2, 2026, 2:00pm

Submission Deadline October 7, 2026, 2:00pm

3. Proposer's Instructions

General Format: Respond to all requests for information and completion of forms contained in this

Request for Proposal. You may use additional sheets as necessary. A qualifying response must address all items. Brochures and advertisements will not be considered a complete reply to requests for information and will not be accepted as such. Proposer is solely responsible for accuracy and completeness of proposal response and for electronically separating confidential documents when submitting their response through SacCountyEbids. Responses considered incomplete may be rejected.

Alteration of Proposal Text: the original text of this proposal document, as well as any attachments, amendments or other official correspondence related to this proposal document, may not be manually, electronically or otherwise altered by proposer or proposer’s agent(s). Any response containing altered, deleted, additional or otherwise non-original text will be disqualified.

Preparation of Response:

A. All responses must be signed by an authorized officer or employee of the responder.

B. Responses must be submitted prior to the specified date and time, using the SacCountyEbids.

Responses delivered by hand, fax, telephone, e-mail, or any postal carrier will not be accepted. If bidder uploads a file to SacCountyEbids, it is bidder responsibility to ensure the file is not corrupt or damaged. If County is unable to open an attachment because it is damaged, corrupt, infected, etc., it may disqualify bidder’s submission. See this training guide for guidance entering your online response.

C. Time of delivery must be stated as the number of calendar days following receipt of the order by the proposer to receipt of the goods or services by the County.

D. Time of delivery may be a consideration in the award.

E. Prices will be considered as net if no cash discount is offered. If a discrepancy between the unit price and the item total exists, the unit price prevails.

F. Shipping Terms: N/A; Payment Terms: NET/30.

Confidential Information/Public Record: All responses become property of the County. All responses, including the accepted proposal and any subsequent contract, become public records per the requirements of the California Government Code, Sections 6250 -6270, “California Public Records Act”.

Proprietary material must be clearly marked as such. Pricing and service elements of the successful proposal are not considered proprietary information.

The County will treat all information submitted in a proposal as available for public inspection once the

County has selected a contractor. If you believe that you have a legally justifiable basis under the

California Public Records Act (Government Section 6250 et. seq.) for protecting the confidentiality of any information contained within your proposal, you must identify any such information, together with the legal basis of your claim in your proposal, and present such information separately (see "Confidential" section in Vendor Submissions) as part of your response package.

https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/saccounty https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/saccounty https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/saccounty http://help.procurenow.com/en/articles/5815468-opengov-procurement-vendor-training

The final determination as to whether the County will assert your claim of confidentiality on your behalf shall be at the sole discretion of the County. If the County makes a determination that your information does not meet the criteria for confidentiality, you will be notified as such. Any information deemed to be non-confidential shall be considered public record.

4. Basis for Award

This proposal award will be determined by factors other than price alone. The County’s sole purpose in the evaluation process is to determine from among the Responses received, which one is best suited to meet the County’s needs. Any final analysis or weighted point score does not imply that one proposal is superior to another, but simply that in our judgment the proposal(s) we select offer(s) the best overall solution for our current and anticipated needs. The County reserves the right to make modifications to any scoring and/or weight structure prior to the evaluation of responses. The responses will remain sealed during the proposal evaluation period, and will be made available for public inspection upon notice of proposal award.

Bid responses will be considered valid for a period of 180 calendar days after bid closing date above.

Note: All specifications, terms and conditions of this request will apply to any resulting order.

4.1. Scoring Criteria

Proposals will be scored on pricing and other factors in your proposal such as ability to meet the requirements of the RFP, experience, references, risk assessment, etc. Contract(s) will be awarded to the highest scoring proposer(s).

4.2. Scoring Criteria

This will be a best-value, multi-award procurement. Contract(s) will be awarded to the top two highest scoring proposer(s).

Proposals will be evaluated using weighted scoring:

• Vendor Qualifications & Experience

• Technical Approach & Maintenance Methodology

• Reporting, Documentation & Quality Control

• Subcontractor Management & References

• Competitive Pricing

4.3. Additional Considerations:

During the course of evaluations, the Evaluation Committee may:

A. Choose to contact officials from other jurisdictions regarding the Proposer, their prior work experience, and their ability to successfully complete the scope of services.

B. Request clarification or additional information from a Proposer in order to assist in the evaluation process. This process may not be used as an opportunity to submit missing documentation, change pricing, or make major revisions to the original response.

C. Require changes in the scope of services, as deemed necessary by the County, before Contract execution.

5. Final Acceptance

Equipment/Supplies/Services

The County of Sacramento will agree to final acceptance only after the supplied equipment, product or service is tested and is found to perform within acceptable standards of operation, is in compliance with all published and implied performance standards, and is considered by the County to be ready for practical application.

6. Scope of Services

6.1. Important Instructions for Electronic Submittal

The County is accepting electronic bid submissions. Bidders shall create a FREE account with OpenGov

Procurement by signing up at Sign Up (opengov.com). Once you have completed account registration, browse back to this page, click on "Submit Response", and follow the instructions to submit the electronic bid.

6.2. PRE-BID SITE VISIT

An optional pre-bid site visit will be held on September 22, 2026, at 8:00AM, at the Vineyard Surface

Water Treatment Plant, located at 10151 Florin Road, Sacramento, CA. All proposers are required to thoroughly review the entire RFP prior to attending the site visit. The purpose of the visit is to allow proposers to observe existing site conditions, operational requirements and identify any factors that may affect the performance of the required services.

Proposers are requested to notify SCWA in advance if they plan to attend the pre-bid meeting by emailingwebbda@saccounty.gov . Please include the firm name, the names of all attendees, and the total number of participants. Advance notice helps SCWA plan for site access and coordination;

however, failure to provide notice will not affect a proposer’s eligibility to participate/attend.

All proposers who attend the site visit will need to sign the official attendance sheet provided by SCWA.

Contractors may ask general questions during the site visit; however, verbal responses provided by

SCWA staff are informational only and not binding. All official questions must be submitted in writing through OpenGov, in accordance with the instructions provided in this RFP. While the County may provide clarifications or reference materials at its discretion, only written addenda issued by the County through OpenGov shall be considered official.

Proposers are expected to be experts in their field and must possess the professional knowledge necessary to understand the landscaping services and equipment included in this scope of work.

No additional site visits will be scheduled outside the designated date and time.

6.3. 1. PRIMARY SPECIFICATIONS

1. Description of Work:

The work to be performed is comprised of general horticultural maintenance, irrigation maintenance, grounds maintenance, public facility maintenance, wall maintenance and necessary services to support the public improvements. The service locations are throughout the County on Department owned properties. The work shall include the “Monthly Maintenance Tasks”, “Unscheduled Work” and support services to maintain improvements administered by the Sacramento County Water

Agency. Requirements will vary by location, season, type of landscaping, site improvements and services requested.

“Unscheduled Work” shall have prior written approval by the Sacramento County Water Agency or the designated representative via purchase order number and authorized dollar amount specific to each https://procurement.opengov.com/signup mailto:webbda@saccounty.gov work item. Services may be needed that are not within the Contractor’s expertise or ability, and a subcontractor may be necessary or requested to compete the work.

Individual maintenance activities shall conform to the following standards:

Workmanship: All materials and workmanship shall be of a quality that is equal or superior to similar work performed in the Industry and meet County standards. Work shall be subject to inspection prior to payment being authorized. Work shall be conducted in such a manner as to have the least amount of interference with operation and use of the landscaped facilities and use of adjacent streets and sidewalks.

Safety: All services, supplies, and equipment must comply with the California Safety Division of

Industrial Safety Orders and O.S.H.A. The Contractor shall plan and conduct the work in a manner that will safeguard all persons from injury, and the Contractor shall take all precautions required by applicable regulations of the State Department of Industrial Relations. The Contractor shall conduct all work in compliance with current State of California, Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices

(MUTCD). The Contractor's employees shall wear O.S.H.A approved safety vests at all times during contract work involving the public right of way.

Hazards and Vandalism: Hazards or acts of vandalism shall be reported to the County Representative in a timely manner. Hazards include but are not limited to; broken tree limbs, erosion, holes, in-ground boxes with missing or broken lids, exposed wire, landscape hazards, standing water, excavations, unsecured materials, visibility disruptions, junk and rubbish dumped on county property, failed or failing fences, or landscape encroachment onto roadways or pedestrian use areas.

Hazards should be mitigated in a timely manner. Hazards should be documented in a format that is substantial enough to clearly show the hazard, contractor’s proposed response and associated cost. The contractor shall obtain a purchase order number prior to completing Unscheduled

Work. Undocumented and unapproved remedial actions are subject to denial of payment for the service.

All hazards created or caused by the actions of the Contractor shall be reported to the County

Representative in within one business day and immediately mitigated by the Contractor at the

Contractor’s expense. Contractor agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the County from any liabilities, losses, claims, demands, costs, expenses or attorney fees incurred by the County as a result hazards created or caused by the Contractor.

2. Qualifications:

The work is to be performed by a landscape contractor, licensed by the State of California. The license shall be C-27.

Contractor will be required to be able to respond to any specified location with no more than a sixty -

(60) minute response time. Contractor shall have a voice communication system that allows the County the ability to contact the Contractor in an emergency twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven days a week. Failure to respond may result in termination of the remainder of the contract.

All tree pruning shall be performed by an ISA Certified Arborist. Pruning may be done by the contractor’s staff if hazardous conditions need remedy or if specific persons are approved by a County

Representative to provide the service. All pruning work that cannot be provided under the contractor’s

/ subcontractor’s State License or the contractor’s insurance policies shall be completed by a State

Licensed Arborist contractor. The license shall be a D-49 or C-49.

Traffic control shall comply with the current MUTCD and current County of Sacramento, Standard

Construction Specifications, Section 12, “Safety, Public Convenience, and Traffic Control,” requirements for traffic control within the County of Sacramento.

https://development.saccounty.gov/content/dam/cd/cmid/docs/archive/2024/SP-12.pdf

Licenses, certification, and personal competency varies dependent upon the traffic control necessary to complete this contract. The proper procedures and authority to provide traffic control is the responsibility of the Contractor. The Contractor shall use trained and certified personal to provide for traffic control. The Contractor shall be aware of and shall comply with County ordinances governing landscape maintenance work and traffic control regulations while providing work under the resultant contract. The Contractor shall furnish all labor, materials, and equipment necessary to perform the work described herein.

The contractor may use pesticides and herbicides to complete the contracted obligations with the exception of the area within the clear well boundaries at 10151 Florin Road. All maintenance within the clear well boundaries at 10151 Florin Road must be manually performed due to this area being located above a treated water storage site. All pesticide, herbicide, fertilizers and/or other materials shall be used in accordance with manufacturer requirements, State of California laws and regulations, and County of Sacramento ordinances and regulations. All materials shall be provided, stored, and transported per manufacturer, State of California, and County of Sacramento requirements. All material used shall have PCA recommendation.

The contractor and his/her employees shall have direct experience in the use of various central control irrigation systems. Experience shall include programming and the troubleshooting of field operation and equipment. In the event the Contractor’s staff is not experienced and County Property is damaged as a result of the Contractor’s inability, the Contractor shall be liable for repair or replacement. County staff may require the Contractor’s staff to demonstrate knowledge of technical controller operation and programming at a County site.

3. Contract Period :

Contracts resulting from this RFP shall be for a period of one year, with the option for four one-year renewal periods. Each option shall be for the subsequent calendar year.

4. Items of Work:

The construction quality and materials quality shall be consistent with the current County of

Sacramento, Standard Construction Specifications, and/or as identified in these Special Provisions, or as directed by County representatives.

https://development.saccounty.gov/us/en/construction-management-inspection/standard-construction-specifications.html#gsc.tab=0%3E%3EThe

5. Locations/Site Changes:

https://development.saccounty.gov/content/dam/cd/cmid/docs/archive/2024/SP-12.pdf https://development.saccounty.gov/us/en/construction-management-inspection/standard-construction-specifications.html#gsc.tab=0%3E%3EThe https://development.saccounty.gov/us/en/construction-management-inspection/standard-construction-specifications.html#gsc.tab=0%3E%3EThe

The County reserves the right to add, delete, or change locations under this contract, and the County may do so upon giving a 30-day written notification to the Contractor. Changes that cause an increase or a decrease in service costs due to changes in maintenance services, area of maintenance, or frequency of services will be adjusted and agreed upon by the County and the Contractor. The contractor shall provide a quote to begin services at a new site or amend service levels at an existing site within one week of being requested. In the event the contractor fails to perform, sites may be removed from the contract and be included in another contract administered by the County and/or provided for by County forces.

6. Prosecution of Work:

The receipt of notice that the contract has been awarded shall not constitute authority for the

Contractor to enter upon the sites of work and begin landscape maintenance services. The Contractor may not start work until all required submittals are delivered and approved, a contract has been executed, and notification has been given by the Sacramento County Water Agency. The contracted sites are identified in the SCWA Landscape Site List and Appendix I, pricing response.

During the course of the contract, the Contractor may employ or be required to employ a subcontractor. The County of Sacramento may require the use of a subcontractor if services cannot be performed in a reasonable time frame, if the Contractor(s) does not have the ability or expertise, if the

Contractor does not have the proper qualifications, if the Contractor has demonstrated unsafe practices, and/or if the sub-contractor can provide services in a more cost effective manner. The contractor may use a subcontractor but shall be obligated as follows:

• Contractor shall obtain prior written approval from the County subcontracting any services delivered under this agreement.

• Contractor remains legally reasonable for the performance of all contract terms include work performed by third parties under sub-contractors. Any subcontracting will be subject to provisions of this agreement.

• Contractor shall be held responsible for the performance of any subcontractor whether approved by the County of not.

• Contractor may not assign any part of a resulting contract, in whole or in part, without written consent of the County.

7. Monthly Maintenance Cost:

The Contractor shall bid, for each location, a Monthly Maintenance cost and an Annual Maintenance cost for the contract term. Said prices shall be indicated on the Pricing Responses #1 -Monthly

Maintenance. Price increases for each annual extension will be adjusted based on Consumer Price Index

(CPI), U.S. Cities Average. Annual pricing adjustments will be based on the most recent available previous quarter at the time the option/contract is prepared by the County.

Work shall include all equipment, labor, material, and associated costs for the maintenance tasks described in these specifications. Work shall also include inspection and management of all services for all the sites. All public policies, regulations, and ordinances guiding any of the contracted work tasks shall be adhered to.

The following details the maintenance items. The numbered following items correspond to the numbered items in the Task Frequency Sheets – Attachments 5 and 6 (TFS). The TFSs are included in these specifications. An ‘x’ in the TFS indicates that the maintenance item is to be performed at the corresponding site. The Monthly Maintenance cost shall include the tasks performed at the frequency as identified. The SCWA Site Lists – attachments 1 and 2 (SL) are provided that identifies site square footages. The SLs shall be used as a guide. The information shall be verified by the contractor. The

Contractor shall be familiar with all sites and the required services per site prior to submitting a bid. Bids based on square footages represented in the SLs are at the contractor’s risk. In the event, the SL sheets are significantly different from the actual site, the County may adjust the bid price on a pro-rata basis at the County’s discretion. See “Site inspection/Plan Review” for additional site information.

The Contractor must notify Water Agency operational staff when they enter any site with an alarm system at 916-875-4291. These sites include all treatment plants and developed well sites. The

Contractor must also notify Water Agency operational staff when they conclude operations at a site so the alarm can be enabled after the gate is secured. The Contractor will be responsible for any costs associated with responses from Water Agency, county agencies, security agencies or police or fire departments if the Contractor fails to make contact with Water Agency staff before entering a site.

Definition of "at all times"

“At all times" means the Contractor must maintain continuous compliance with all specifications based on professional expertise and proactive management, not continuous physical presence. The Contractor shall anticipate and account for seasonal growth rates, weather conditions, irrigation demands, and environmental factors that affect landscape conditions. The Contractor is responsible for scheduling and performing work at intervals sufficient to prevent non-compliance between visits and to ensure that the site remains compliant at any moment.

6.4. 2. MAINTENANCE BID ITEMS

1. Turf Mowing, Trimming, and Edging:

All turf shall be mowed to maintain a uniform height of no more than 2-4 inches. Turf shall be mowed one time per week between March 1 and October 31. Turf shall be mowed one time every other week between November 1 and February 28. Height of mow shall be determined based on seasonal needs or desired appearance. Adjustments to the mow height may be required by the County of Sacramento.

All turf shall be mechanically edged along the entire perimeter. Turf shall be edged one time per week between March 1 and October 31. Turf shall be edged one time every other week between November

1 and February 28.

Trimming and cleaning around irrigation heads shall be done as necessary to provide proper water coverage and head operation. String edgers may be used as needed around poles, against sound walls, and around controller enclosures, vaults, etc. Damage caused by string edging shall repaired by the contractor.

Tree wells in lawn areas shall have a minimum 24-inch radius from tree trunk, clear and void of turf and weeds. Chemical sprays or string edgers may be used, but care shall be taken not to damage trees. Damage to trees will result in replacement of the tree at Contractor’s expense.

The contractor shall use walk behind mowers for all mowing of turf unless otherwise approved.

The Contractor shall remove papers, rubbish and debris prior to mowing.

2. Turf Weed Control:

The Turf areas shall be kept free of weeds at all times during the entire term of the contract. Weed removal may be done manually or by use of selective weed killers as recommended by a Pest Control

Advisor. Damage caused by herbicide and pesticide use that is not the intended target shall be the liability of the contractor and shall be repaired at contractor’s expense.

Chemical applications shall be performed in accordance with Local, State and Federal regulations. Chemical applications shall be performed in accordance with Manufacturer’s Label.

Weeds that reach a height of six (6) inches or more shall be manually removed or hand pulled. Chemical spraying shall not be permitted for weeds exceeding six (6) inches in height. All weed debris shall be removed from the area.

It is recommended that the contractor have a Pest Control Advisor / Integrated Pest Management

Consultant prepare a fertilizer, pesticide and weed control program.

3. Tree Pruning:

Tree pruning shall be performed as needed and as directed by the County Representative. Tree pruning shall be considered cuts made up to a height of 10 feet and cuts made to limbs with a diameter no greater than three (3) inches.

Pruning of trees shall be performed to: (1) eliminate encroachment over roadways, walkways, paved areas; (2) to eliminate any visibility obstructions; (3) to remove suckers, water sprouts, and other undesirable growth on trees; (4) to remove all dead, damaged or diseased branches; (5) to remove growth that is causing damage to other facilities or infrastructure; (6) eliminate encroachment and/or nuisance concerns for adjacent properties.

All pruning shall be done by qualified professional personnel using the Western Chapter of the

International Society of Arboriculture pruning standards, approved methods and techniques. All pruning cuts shall be made at the branch collar without removing any branch collar tissue. Trees shall be cleanly cut with no tearing of the bark.

Young trees shall be pruned to select and develop permanent scaffold branches that are smaller in diameter than the trunk or the branch to that they are attached. Scaffold branching shall have vertical spacing of approx., 12-18 inches and radial orientation so as not to overlay one another. Under no circumstances will stripping of lower branches ("raising-up") of young trees be permitted unless authorized by the County Representative. Lower branches shall be reduced to eliminate encroach over sidewalk and roadways unless necessary to eliminate encroachment.

The Contractor shall provide replacement trees, at Contractor’s expense, if trees are damaged by the contractor or sub-contractor due to inappropriate activities. The replacement tree(s) shall be replaced in size and kind of the damaged tree unless otherwise directed by the County Representative. Any replacements that are required are subject to mitigation based on mitigation formulas identified in

County of Sacramento Tree Preservation Ordinance.

Any other tree pruning not described above shall be considered Unscheduled Work and shall be directed and approved by the County Representative. The Contractor shall receive a purchase order prior to beginning any Unscheduled Work.

4. Shrub Pruning:

Shrub pruning shall be performed as needed to: (1) eliminate encroachment over roadways, walkways, paved areas, pedestrian areas; (2) to eliminate any visibility obstructions; (3) to remove undesirable growth; (4) to remove all dead, damaged or diseased branches; (5) to remove growth that is causing damage to other facilities or infrastructure; (6) eliminate encroachment and/or nuisance concerns for adjacent properties; (7) and for landscape aesthetics purposes.

Shrubs shall be pruned to insure proper growth and control. All pruning shall be done by qualified professional personnel using approved methods and techniques. Shrubs shall be cleanly cut with no tearing of the tissue. Shrubs are to be allowed to take their natural shape whenever possible. Shearing or "boxing" will not be permitted unless directed by the County Representative.

The Contractor shall provide replacement shrubs, at Contractor’s expense, if shrubs are damaged.

5. Tree Staking:

The Contractor shall maintain existing stakes, ties and protective devices at all times on all young trees until such time as they are no longer needed for support. The Contractor shall remove the stakes and ties as soon as possible and when directed. Special care shall be taken to avoid any damage to tree trunks or branches by ties and stakes. Staked trees shall be inspected monthly to prevent such damage. The Contractor shall replace any plant material damaged due to the lack of inspection or repair of stakes and ties at the Contractor’s expense.

Trees shall be tied to stakes using only two broad ties of industry standard ties unless the Contractor obtains prior approval by the County Representative to use an optional method.

6. Weed Control in Landscaped Areas:

The landscaped areas shall be kept free of weeds at all times during the entire term of the contract. Weed removal may be done manually or by use of selective weed killers as recommended by a Pest Control Advisor. Damage caused by herbicide and pesticide use that is not the intended target shall be the liability of the contractor and shall be repaired at contractor’s expense.

Chemical applications shall be performed in accordance with Local, State and Federal regulations. Chemical applications shall be performed in accordance with Manufacturer’s Label.

Weeds that reach a height of six (6) inches or more shall be manually removed or hand pulled. Chemical spraying shall not be permitted for weeds exceeding six (6) inches in height. All weed debris shall be removed from the area.

It is recommended that the contractor have a Pest Control Advisor / Integrated Pest Management

Consultant prepare a fertilizer, pesticide and weed control program.

Manual removal and then a specialty product shall be used to eliminate sedge at all sites. The contractor shall check the irrigation schedule and system for proper operations when sedge is located and eliminated.

7. Groundcover and Vine Pruning:

Ground covers and vines shall be pruned as needed to: (1) eliminate encroachment over roadways, walkways, paved areas, pedestrian areas, into other shrubs or planting; (2) to eliminate any visibility obstructions; (3) to remove undesirable growth; (4) to remove all dead, damaged or diseased branches;

(5) to remove growth that is causing damage to other facilities or infrastructure; (6) eliminate encroachment and/or nuisance concerns for adjacent properties; (7) and for landscape aesthetics purposes.

8. Groundcover and Vine Edging:

Groundcovers and vines shall be edged one (1) time per month, along sidewalks, mow strips and edges between groundcover and other plant material types throughout the contract term.

Vines shall be edged/pruned at the bottom of the sound wall to eliminate horizontal growth into planting areas. Care shall be taken to protect vines and shrubs from damage due to pruning activity.

Damage caused by the contractor’s activities shall be repaired at contractor’s expense.

9. Litter Removal in Landscaped area:

Landscaped areas shall be kept free of all litter, i.e. paper, rubbish, debris, leaves, and branches one (1) time per week at treatment plants, and monthly at the remaining sites during the entire contract term. No debris shall be blown onto roadways or walkways. All litter removed shall be disposed of at the Contractor's expense.

All mulch, bark and decomposed granite shall be kept within the planter area, and cleaned from walks and gutters.

Any hazardous material or unusual and/or unknown materials shall be reported to the Sacramento

County Water Agency staff immediately.

10. Litter Removal in Paved, Decomposed Granite, Rock areas:

Sidewalks, curbs, gutters, pavers, paved areas, decomposed granite (dg) and rock blanket areas adjacent or within the site shall be kept free of all litter, i.e. paper, rubbish and debris, one (1) time per week at treatment plants and monthly at the remaining sites during the entire contract term. No debris or cuttings shall be blown onto roadways or walkways. All litter removed shall be disposed of at the

Contractor's expense.

11. Weed Control in Paved, Decomposed Granite & Rock Blanket areas:

Sidewalks, curbs, gutters, pavers, paved areas, decomposed granite (dg), bare areas and rock blanket areas adjacent or within the site shall be kept free of weeds at all times during the entire term of the contract. Weed removal may be done manually or by use of selective weed killers as recommended by a Pest Control Advisor. Damage caused by herbicide and pesticide use that is not the intended target shall be the liability of the contractor and shall be repaired at contractor’s expense.

Chemical applications shall be performed in accordance with Local, State and Federal regulations. Chemical applications shall be performed in accordance with Manufacturer’s Label.

The use of chemicals is not permitted in the clear well area at the Vineyard Surface Water Treatment

Plant, located at 10151 Florin Road. This area includes approximately 225,000 square feet or 5.2 acres of riprap that must be mechanically kept free of vegetation at all times during the contract.

Weeds that reach a height of six (6) inches or more shall be manually removed or hand pulled. Chemical spraying shall not be permitted for weeds exceeding six (6) inches in height. All weed debris shall be removed from the area at the Contractor’s expense.

In some cases the areas to be kept free of weeds is vacant land that may contain uneven ground and/or deleterious materials that require chemical applications at the appropriate times to minimize difficult mechanical removal.

It is recommended that the contractor have a Pest Control Advisor / Integrated Pest Management

Consultant prepare a fertilizer, pesticide and weed control program.

The areas inside the fences or walls at developed treatments plants are included in the agreement and must be kept free of weeds.

12. Weed abatement at undeveloped sites and partially developed sites:

Vegetation at undeveloped or partially developed properties shall be kept to a height no greater than eighteen (18) inches from November 1 through May 31 during the contract. During the growth season, this may require multiple visits within a month. For this reason, there is no specified amount of visits per month, rather a standard that must be adhered to at all times during this period of the year.

A more stringent standard will be in effect during the fire season of June 1 through October

31. Vegetation shall be maintained at six (6) inches or less during this time period. Should weeds/grass grow back beyond six (6) inches in height during this time period, they must be re-cut to below two inches immediately. Late rains in the year may require return visits within the same month.

Abatement of combustible vegetation shall not be conducted with powered equipment between the hours of 10 AM and 5 PM during the months of May through October. The contractor shall be responsible for scheduling activities to conform to this standard.

Weed control at undeveloped or partially developed sites may be accomplished by the following:

A. Mowing weeds and then removing the dry grass/debris (try to get to bare dirt). All slash or weed material shall be removed at the Contractor’s expense.

B. Disking weeds (minimum of three passes). The surface must be left level after disking to allow future equipment access.

C. The use of selective weed killers as recommended by a Pest Control Advisor. If chemical application is used, it shall only be done in accordance with State and Federal

Pesticide/Hazardous Chemical regulations. The use of chemicals is not permitted in the clear well area at the Vineyard Surface Water Treatment Plant.

Please be aware that some of the undeveloped properties include challenging areas with uneven surfaces and ditches that may require special equipment or attention.

Unscheduled inspections will be conducted by County staff and Code Enforcement staff from local jurisdictions. Any failure to maintain these standards will be grounds to strike the site from that month’s invoice and future invoices until the site’s weed abatement standards violation is mitigated and evidence of such is provided to County staff.

13. Junk and Rubbish Removal:

Removal of individual junk and rubbish items up to fifty (50) pounds at each site each visit shall be included in the contract. Removal of junk and rubbish exceeding fifty (50) pounds shall be considered

Unscheduled Work and shall be directed and approved by the County Representative. The Contractor shall receive a purchase order prior to beginning any Unscheduled Work. The Contractor should be prepared to execute removal of junk and rubbish exceeding fifty (50) pounds within two (2) calendar days of work authorization to discourage further dumping.

14. Fungus, Disease, Rodent and/or Insect Infestation Control:

It shall be the Contractor’s responsibility to keep the area free of fungus, disease, rodents and/or insects at all times. Any herbicides/pesticides used must be on the State Department of Agriculture's approved list. All pesticides used shall be recommended by a qualified Pest Control Advisor (PCA). The PCA may either be a consultant to the Contractor, or be on the Contractor's staff.

The Contractor shall meet all government agency requirements for storage, use, disposal and record keeping at all times. The Contractor shall have all the current, valid permits and licenses legally required before any herbicide/pesticides are used. The Contractor shall maintain an application on site and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for all chemicals used at the sites. SDS, permits and licenses shall be available for review at any time by the County.

The County Representative shall be notified 48 hours prior to the expected date of application of any pesticides. Pesticides must be brought to the work site in the original manufacturer's container and be properly labeled with guarantee analysis. All spraying shall be done with extreme care to avoid over spray and any hazard or damage to any person, pet or adjacent property area. The Contractor shall be responsible for restitution and/or repair of any hazard or damage.

It is recommended that the contractor have a Pest Control Advisor / Integrated Pest Management

Consultant prepare a fertilizer, pesticide and weed control program.

15. Irrigation Management:

The Contractor is responsible to maintain proper operation and water application for plant health and vitality. The contractor shall be familiar with the operations of controllers at all sites and shall note any irregularities in the systems in general (broken irrigation lines and heads, improper watering of zones, areas that are not receiving irrigation, communication errors, etc.). Additionally, the contractor shall perform full irrigation checks at all sites each month from March through October. A report of the findings shall be provided at the end of each month along with the visit logs and photographs for the month.

The Contractor shall adjust automatic controller programs at all times for seasonal water requirements. The Contractor shall operate and manage irrigation systems according to local, state, water agency, water district regulations, policies and ordinances.

The contractor shall be responsible for setting and checking the irrigation schedules at all sites to maintain compliance with current drought regulations at all times during the contract. The Contractor shall not allow irrigation of landscaping that causes water runoff onto adjacent property, non-irrigated areas, walkways, roadways, parking lots, or structures. Watering shall be controlled to prevent ponding and overwatering. The contractor shall ensure that no irrigation take place during or up to 48 hours after measurable rain. The current drought regulations can be found here:

https://waterresources.saccounty.gov/us/en/water-agency/water-efficiency.html#gsc.tab=0 or by contacting the SCWA.

Irrigation programming shall be the responsibility of the Contractor and may be directed by the County

Representative. In the event, the County’s direction causes decline in the landscape vitality, the contractor shall be responsible for informing the County representative about the need to make further adjustments.

The Contractor shall keep all irrigation heads clean of flow impediments and adjusted properly at all times. The Contractor shall monitor the irrigation system, provide written advice, estimates to repair and requests for work authorization to the County Representative.

The Contractor shall keep all controller enclosures free of debris and pests (slugs, ants, spiders, etc.) at all times. Any resultant damage due to the Contractor not meeting this specification is the responsibility of the Contractor.

The Contractor shall wrap Backflow devices annually and maintain the protective covering during periods of cold temperature to eliminate freezing damage. In the event wrapping devices or maintenance of the wrappings is not completed and damage occurs, the damage shall be the responsibility of the Contractor. The maintenance of Backflow devices shall be considered "Unscheduled

Work."

The Contractor shall replace all batteries at all sites with irrigation systems as needed at the Contractor’s expense. If the Contractor uses a battery not consistent with the controller manufacture’s specification and causes damage to a controller, the Contractor shall replace or repair the controller at the

Contractor’s expense. Any equipment that uses rechargeable batteries shall have a rechargeable battery.

Repairs to the irrigation systems will be necessary during the life of the contract. Such repairs must be authorized in advance by the County Representative. (see Section: “Work Authorization”).

The Contractor shall provide repairs at Unit Prices for the items listed. If the item is not listed in the

Pricing Response #2 - Unscheduled Work, the Contractor shall provide repairs at the hourly rates as bid https://waterresources.saccounty.gov/us/en/water-agency/water-efficiency.html#gsc.tab=0 for labor plus equipment and the cost of materials. If repair work is specifically identified in the Pricing

Response #2 - Unscheduled Work, the Contractor shall provide an estimate/proposal for the labor hours, an itemized list of materials and scope of service for authorization. Repairs shall only be made with an appropriate authorization (via purchase order number and amount specific to the work item). All parts and labor on irrigation system repairs, improvements and new installations shall be under warranty from the contractor for one (1) calendar year. The contractor shall be responsible for all costs associated with repairing or replacing failed parts during the warranty period.

The contractor shall request new Hunter decoders for the 10151 Florin Road site when decoders fail and provide the failed Hunter decoders to the county agent for warranty purposes.

Manual watering may be necessary to maintain a healthy landscape. Hoses, nozzles and sprinklers for manual watering shall be provided by the Contractor. Manual watering that is necessary due to the

Contractor’s inability to repair the irrigation system shall be at the Contractor’s expense. Manual watering that is necessary due to the Contractor’s inability to repair the irrigation system due to situations outside of the Contractor’s control may be considered Unscheduled Work and compensation may be made on a time and…