Solicitation 1 Swainsboro SoW (v1) 020425.docx

East Georgia State College Landscape Grounds Maintenance Swainsboro Scope of Work (approximately 54.73acres)

Purpose of Procurement

Pursuant to the State Purchasing Act (Official Code of Georgia Annotated 50-5-50 et seq.), this electronic Request for Proposals (eRFP) is being issued to establish a contract with a qualified supplier who will provide Landscaping Grounds Maintenance to East Georgia State College (the State Entity) as further described in this ERFP.

East Georgia States College (EGSC) is seeking proposals for Grounds Maintenance services for the college’s campus located in Swainsboro, Georgia.

This institution is part of the University System of Georgia. East Georgia State College was established in 1973 and opened in 1974. The student population of EGSC is approximately 1,800. The college’s on-campus housing occupies approximately 400 of these students.

The Swainsboro campus is in the city limits of Swainsboro, Georgia, with the main entrance at the intersection of Lambs Bridge Road and Meadowlake Parkway, adjacent to the Pathway Technology Industrial Park. East Georgia State College’s official street address is listed as 131 College Circle, Swainsboro, Georgia 30401.

More detailed information regarding EGSC can be on its website at https://www.ega.edu.

Landscape & Grounds Maintenance

PRD: Supplier will provide labor, equipment, tools required for grounds maintenance at East Georgia State College (EGSC). EGSC reserves the right to add or subtract sections as needed, contract will be amended accordingly.

Scope of Work for Swainsboro Campus (approximately 54.73 acres)

1. Refer to the campus map attachment for the key to the specific areas (designated as “Section” 1 through 21.

During the mandatory pre-bid, we will tour the campus and review each area, as well as the work required for them. A copy of all campus maps showing each section will be provided at the pre-bid.

A. Mowing:

1. All grass areas within the designated confines of each listed section.

a. Mowing will occur on the following schedule:

i. April through October – Weekly

ii. November through March – Bi-Weekly

iii. The entire perimeter of the ponds shall be cut with a weed eater once per month during the contract period.

b. Keep grass at a height of 2 ½ inches high. This height may be altered per the discretion of the Director of Plant Operations.

c. On day or mowing, bases of trees, light poles, etc. (any areas that cannot be mowed) will be maintained with a weed eater.

2. All grass clippings and leaves will be managed through mulching, bagging, or blowing in all areas. All debris will be collected and removed from campus. Bagged mowers are required for sodded areas but not required for all other areas.

3. The Contractor will be responsible for removing litter and pinecones from the campus grounds, prior to any mowing. Dumping of the pinecones and sticks will be permitted on campus in a designated area. Disposal of trash and litter shall be in the campus dumpsters near Plant Operations.

4. Tree limbs, sticks, and debris will be picked up and removed from all grounds in all areas as needed prior to each mowing. These items must be properly disposed of in designated areas on campus.

5. When operating equipment near pedestrian areas, the equipment operator must be aware of others and either stop working or angle equipment so that pedestrians are not impeded.

6. When operating equipment near parking areas, the equipment operator must work in such a manner so that parked vehicles are not dirtied or damaged.

7. All parking lots and sidewalks will be blown weekly. Trash and butts must be removed, and curbs remain clean at the end of each week.

B. Edging:

1. All curbs, sidewalks, bases of trees and plants in Sections 3, 11,12,14,15,16,17,18,19,20 will be edged bi-weekly throughout the entire contract period. Sidewalks and curbs shall be blown free of debris after each edging session.

2. All curbs, sidewalks, bases of trees and plants in Sections 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, will be edged monthly throughout the entire contract period. Sidewalks and curbs shall be blown free of debris after each edging session.

3. All drains, manhole covers and utility box lids, etc. will be edged on a bi-weekly schedule and blown free of debris.

4. Fence lines shall be trimmed with a string trimmer and neatly maintained to preserve a neat and orderly appearance.

5. The use of herbicide to edge will not be permitted.

C. Fertilization:

1. Aeration will be performed on an annual basis around inner campus areas. Schedule will need to be coordinated with the Director of Plant Operations.

D. Weed Control:

1. Weed control in cracks in the concrete, asphalt, walkways, along building foundations (primarily where landscapes meet foundations) shall be included as part of the contract.

2. Weed control in all planted beds (shrubbery beds) or “brown spaces” is mandatory. Section – 1 thru 20 All campus brown spaces in the tree areas, maintain weed control monthly (spray and/or pull weeds) (Apr.-Oct.) Bi-monthly from (Nov.-Mar.)

3. Any herbicide used must be applied in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and approved by the Director of Plant Operations.

4. Supplier shall be responsible for the replacement of any damages to lawn, shrubs, trees, or annual plantings killed or damaged by the application of herbicide(s).

E. Planted Areas:

1. All fallen pine straw in Sections 8, 10,12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 shall be collected and redistributed on campus during the falling period. Established campus beds will be maintained with campus straw; if additional straw is required, the campus will purchase for the Contractor to install.

2. All campus building shrubbery beds are to be maintained monthly including weed control (spray and/or pull weeds) (April-Oct.) Bi-monthly from (Nov.-Mar.) adding pine straw as necessary.

3. All campus building shrubbery beds are to be edged monthly (May-Sept.)

4. Three main campus entrance signs (Tech Park middle sign and Madison Dixon Left & Right signs) are to be pruned as needed and weed control monthly as needed, apply 2 application of straw a year. Edged beds (May-Sept).

5. All campus directional signage beds prune/edged as needed and weed control monthly as needed, apply 1 application of straw a year.

6. Shrubbery will be pruned at least once per season, as specified by the Director of Plant Operations department, unless the species planted dictate more frequent attention. Sculptured hedges or high-growth species dictate a more frequent requirement than most trees and shrubs in natural- growth plantings. All trimming of shrubs must be discussed with and approved by Director of Plant Operations.

7. All trash, clippings, weeds, and other debris shall be removed from all beds, planted plates, parking lots, and exterior of buildings.

8. Herbicides may be used to accomplish week control, but hand pulling of weeds may be required to maintain a weed free campus.

F. Parking Lots & Sidewalks:

1. All trash, clippings, leaves, weeds, pinecones, sand, silt, and other debris shall be removed from parking lots and sidewalks. Parking lots and sidewalks shall be kept neat and clean.

G. Leaf Removal:

1. All leaves should be blown from parking lots, sidewalks and underneath trees into cutting areas, then mulched or bagged.

Possible Deduct Alternates Scope of Work:

Alternate 1.)

(A) Section 20 - Campus Map - Bobcat Villas South, West, Strange Clubhouse (5 ½ acres) – all grass will be mowed weekly from April through October, and bi-weekly November – March. On day of mowing, bases of trees, light poles, etc. (any areas that cannot be mowed) will be maintained with a weed eater.

(B) Edge shrub beds monthly May – Sept.

(C) Maintain weed control monthly (spray and/or pull weeds from April-Oct.) Bi-monthly from (Nov.-Mar.)

(D) Shrubbery will be pruned at least once per season

(E) Work in these areas starts at 10AM – 4PM Monday through Sunday

Alternate 2.)

(A) Section - 1 thru 20 - Campus Map – Spray for weed control All campus brown tree areas not including building shrubbery beds (monthly Apr.-Oct. as needed) Bi-monthly from (Nov.-Mar)

H. General Maintenance and Additional Requirements:

1. Contractor must meet all applicable laws, rules, and regulations regarding, but not limited to, employment, operation of vehicles and equipment, disturbance of soil, and safety.

2. Contractor must be properly licensed and insured to do business in the State of Georgia. Verification of this will be required prior to the contract award.

3. Contractor must have been in Grounds Maintenance business for the past consecutive 3 years.

4. Contractor must be in good standing with the State of Georgia and must not have received a non-renewal due to quality of performance.

5. Equipment and supplies are to be always maintained in a professional and clean manner. Public image is very important. There will be on-going tours taking place in common areas, breezeways and hallways during cleaning efforts, therefore supplier equipment and supplies must be kept clean and organized continuously.

7. All materials needed by the Contractor must be included as part of this contract, i.e., plants, straw, sod, etc. The cost of any additional labor and materials requested by East Georgia State College and not included in contract will be billed separately and in addition to the contracted amount. The Contractor must have prior approval in the form of a change order to the current purchase order before performing such additional work.

8. Contractor must provide all services using their own company resources.

Sub-contracting work to other vendors is not permitted.

9. Due to the size, activities, and landscape of the Swainsboro campus, the Contractor must dedicate sufficient workforce to completing all tasks as scheduled. If the campus is not staffed properly so that all work can be completed as scheduled, EGSC will require that the Contractor add on-site personnel.

10. Contractor’s employees must be wearing company-provided uniforms which will easily and appropriately identify them. Uniforms shall be, pants or shorts (if shorts are used, they are to be 3 inches above the knee), shirts (no tank tops), shoes must be closed shoe type and rubber soled. All Contractor employees must present a neat and clean appearance while performing under this contract. Shirts must be worn at all times.

11. Contractor must prohibit the use of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs by their employees, delivery drivers or anyone else associated with their company. EGSC is a tobacco, drug, alcohol, and firearm-free campus.

12. Contractor must notify Owner 24 hours in advance of any job-related functions that involve loud machinery or actions that may interrupt or hinder EGSC-scheduled activities or classes.

13. Contractor must repair any damages caused by the Contractor to curbs, irrigation, plants, utilities, vehicles, or buildings, at their own expense. If the Contractor is unable to repair damages, EGSC will furnish a sub- contractor to repair any damages and invoice the Contractor appropriately for the cost of repairs.

14. Contractor employees driving Contractor vehicles must always possess a valid State of Georgia Driver’s License. The class of the license must cover the type of vehicle driven to perform daily duties.

15. Contractor and employees must at no time fraternize with students and must refrain from cat calls, whistles and profanity, or other unacceptable behavior. EGSC maintains a zero-tolerance policy on this subject and violators will be removed from campus immediately.

16.While engaged in the performance of the Grounds Maintenance services, only authorized employees of the Contractor are allowed on the campus of EGSC locations where the work is being performed.

During the performance of these services, Contractor employees are not to be accompanied in the work area by acquaintances, family members, associates, or any other person(s) who are not current, authorized employee(s) of the Contractor.

17. EGSC will not provide a location for storage of the contractor’s equipment. EGSC will not be responsible for the security of equipment belonging to the Contractor. The Contractor assumes full risk and responsibility for any loss, destruction, or damage to the Contractor-owned or rented equipment.

18.In the event of soil disturbance, the Contractor is responsible for inspecting ground areas and identifying underground cables and lines. Once underground cables and lines have been identified, the Contractor will be responsible for the cost involved in damage that occurs due to Contractor negligence. The Contractor is responsible for calling 811 before digging!

19.The Contractor must allow no trash or used material to accumulate and must remove same from the area at the close of each working day. All trash or used material shall be disposed of off campus.

20.Mowers shall not turn around on sidewalks to prevent track marks. Mowers should change direction in grass areas to prevent track marks or rutting. Track marks which occur due to poor practices will be removed by the Contractor at the Contractor’s expense and on the Owner’s schedule.

21. The Contractor’s duties are exterior; thus, Contractor employees will be limited to break rooms and restrooms at Plant Operations (unless contractor employees create any nuisance). Contractor’s employees may utilize the campus dining services.

22.EGSC may request additional services on an as needed basis. The additional services will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will result in a cost addition to the contract. EGSC will attempt to provide the Contractor with a 48-hour notice of the need for additional services, where possible. EGSC reserves the right to engage a different vendor for these services at their sole discretion.

I. Hours and Operation:

1. Normal hours of ground maintenance work will be from 6:00 am – 8:00 pm Monday through Sunday, with the exception of special events. The Contractor must keep work schedules flexible in order to accommodate these activities. The campus will coordinate with the Contractor to schedule this type of work. Where possible, the Contractor will be given a 48-hour notice of special events; however, the Contractor may be asked to provide additional services in a shorter time frame. Hours may be adjusted if activities create a safety hazard as determined by the campus.

J. Contract Administration and Renewals:

1. The contract for EGSC will be administered under the overall direction of the Chief Business Officer and Chief Financial Officer. The day-to-day operations will be administered by the Director of Plant Operations.

2. The contract may be cancelled by either party for any reason with a sixty-day written notice.

3. Following the initial one-year term, the contract may be renewed for four additional one-year terms, if agreeable to both parties. All prices are firm and fixed and are not subject to variation during the initial contract term; however, in the event of renewal the supplier may request a price increase during the renewal process. Renewals will be negotiated within the final three months of the existing term and the request for increases must be made at least thirty days before the renewal date and will be subject to funding availability. As mentioned, should this contract be renewed, for subsequent years, actual increases will be negotiated during the last three (3) months of the current contract and will be subject to funding availability.

4. This contract is not exclusive; Owner reserves the right to outsource additional services, including but not limited to, those defined on the Unit Cost sheet and irrigation repairs.

5. Each contract period will run on the College’s fiscal year, July 1 – June 30.

6. CONTRACTOR MUST PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION TO BE SUBMITTED WITH THE BID. This information is listed separately as part of the bid advertisement.

K. Payments:

1. A purchase order will be issued for the total amount of the contract.

2. All payments will be made via check or ACH. No payments will be made utilizing a purchasing card.

3. Invoices for the previous month’s service should be received after the 1st of the following month. Invoices received by the 5th of the following month will be paid by the fifteenth of that month.

L. Guidelines for Dealing with Deficiencies:

1. A deficiency is defined as, but is not limited to any work deemed unsatisfactory or subpar; a missed visit to the campus (regardless of weather conditions--unless prior approval is granted by the campus); Contractor or Contractor employee misconduct; damages to the campus as a result of poor practices/methods; etc.

2. EGSC has the sole authority and right to deem any work unsatisfactory or subpar at any time. The deficiency will be documented and the Contractor informed in writing via email.

3. A 48-hour grace period will give the Contractor time to rectify the deficiency.

4. Should the deficiency not be rectified during the grace period, the Owner reserves the right to have the deficiency remedied by another vendor and will deduct the cost of such from the Contractor’s monthly payment.