Street_Tree_Pruning_and_Assessment.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

2026-RFP

STREET TREE PRUNING AND ASSESSMENT

City of Rock Hill

757 S. Anderson Road, Building 103

Rock Hill, SC 29730

RELEASE DATE: June 13, 2024

DEADLINE FOR QUESTIONS: June 20, 2024

RESPONSE DEADLINE: June 27, 2024, 2:00 pm

RESPONSES MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY TO:

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

City of Rock Hill

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

2026-RFP

Street Tree Pruning and Assessment

I. Introduction II. Request for Proposals

III. Scope of Work IV. Terms & Conditions V. Evaluation

VI. Pricing Proposal VII. Vendor Questionnaire

Attachments:

A - FederallyRequiredClauses

B - Lobbying

C - Debarment_Suspension

D - SAMPLE Agreement for Goods & Services

Request for Proposals (RFP) #2026-RFP Title: Street Tree Pruning and Assessment

1. Introduction

1.1. Summary

The City of Rock Hill, South Carolina ("City") is seeking responsive proposals from qualified companies to provide the City with street tree assessment and pruning.

This procurement is funded in whole or in part by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), United States Forest Service (USFS).

1.2. Contact Information

Sarah Kesler

Procurement Analyst

Email: sarah.kesler@cityofrockhill.com

Phone: (803) 329-7070

Department:

Electric Utilities

1.3. Timeline

Solicitation Release Date June 13, 2024

Question Submission Deadline June 20, 2024, 4:00pm

Proposal Submission Deadline June 27, 2024, 2:00pm

The City of Rock Hill's eProcurement Portal only.

NOTE: The proposal opening is virtual. No in-person meeting will be held.

mailto:sarah.kesler@cityofrockhill.com tel:(803)329-7070

2. Request for Proposals

PROJECT: Street Tree Pruning and Assessment

RFP Number: 2026-RFP

Proposal DUE DATE: Thursday, June 27, 2024 before 2:00 pm

2.1. General Information

Electronic submissions will be received by the Procurement Division of the City of Rock Hill, South

Carolina via the City's eProcurement Portal up to but not later than the published date and time. The eProcurement Portal clock is the official timekeeper for the determination of all deadline dates and times. Without exception, responses will not be accepted after the submission deadline regardless of any technical difficulties such as poor internet connections. The City strongly recommends completing your response well ahead of the deadline.

2.2. No Pre-Proposal Meeting

There will be no pre-proposal meeting for this project. Companies are expected to fully inform themselves as to the conditions, requirements, and specifications necessary to submit a proposal.

2.3. Purpose

The City of Rock Hill, South Carolina is seeking proposals from qualified companies to provide the City with Street Tree Pruning and Assessment. Companies must be willing to provide service for all events listed below.

The initial term of the resulting agreement is thirty-six (36) months. The anticipated start date is July 1, 2024 with two (2) 12-month options, if options are exercised. The Electric Utilities Department is responsible for this project.

2.4. Competition Intended

The process of responding to this Request for Proposals (RFP) should involve interested companies reviewing and analyzing the information provided herein and responding to all items where a response is requested.

2.5. Definitions

Proposer/Company/Vendor: This term is used to encompass the party seeking to have an agreement with the City of Rock Hill.

City: This term is defined as the City of Rock Hill, South Carolina. All communications relating to the bid process or the resulting purchase should be directed to the City’s Procurement Office or its designated contact.

Purchase: This term means the agreement to be executed by the City and the successful company.

2.6. Discrepancies and Questions

Companies shall have no contact related to this project with the City of Rock Hill elected or appointed officials or employees during the solicitation process, other than the contact person specified within this solicitation. Any such contact will subject the Company to immediate disqualification for consideration for this project.

Should the Company have questions, find discrepancies in the plans and/or specifications, or be in doubt as to the meaning or intent of any part thereof, the Company shall request clarification from the City via the eProcurement Portal, not later than 4:00 pm on Thursday, June 20, 2024.

All questions will be answered and any changes will be communicated through an addendum posted on the City’s eProcurement Portal. As a registered Company, you will also receive addenda notifications in your email by clicking “Follow” on this project. It is the Company's responsibility to check the website for this information before submitting. Failure to request such clarification is a waiver of any claim by the

Company for additional expenses because its interpretation was different from the City’s.

2.7. Proposer's Minimum Qualification

A qualified company is defined for this purpose as one that meets, or by the date of proposal acceptance can meet, all requirements for licensing, insurance, and service contained within this RFP.

Only companies that have an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist (or ISA Board

Certified Master Arborist) with a current Tree Risk Qualification on staff will be considered for this contract. A staff member with these credentials must remain on staff throughout the life of the contact.

If this member changes, the credential information must be reported to the City Forester. Any assessments performed must be made by a person on staff with these certification/qualifications. No sub-contracting is allowed.

2.8. Proposal Preparation

All proposal responses shall be:

1. Prepared and submitted electronically via the City's eProcurement Portal by an authorized company representative.

2. Each proposal constitutes an offer and may not be withdrawn except as provided herein. Prices are to remain firm for the period stated in the Request for Proposals.

3. Each proposal shall include the name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address of at least three (3) current customers for whom they have provided similar products or services. These references may be contacted, and if so, their responses may constitute a significant part of the proposal evaluation process.

4. The City of Rock Hill assumes no responsibility for costs incurred in responding to this RFP.

2.9. Proposal Submission

Proposals must be received before 2:00 pm on Thursday, June 27, 2024 to be considered.

The City assumes no responsibility for late proposals. No proposal may be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) calendar days after the date set for the opening thereof unless approved in writing by the

Procurement Manager. All proposals must be approved by the Rock Hill City Manager and the department(s) in charge of the project. Failing an agreement, the City may reject all proposals and resubmit for new proposals or make any other decisions it deems to be in its own best interest.

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

The e-Procurement Portal uses an 'electronic lock box' system to receive and protect all Company responses. Only the Company can see that they have submitted a response and the information contained in that response. The Company may withdraw their submission and resubmit anytime until the due date and time. Once the submission phase has ended, the City can view the submissions and begin the evaluation of all received.

2.10. Availability of the e-Procurement Portal

All responses to the Solicitation must be submitted electronically through the e-Procurement Portal.

Should there be any technical issues with the Portal (not user/Supplier issues) that prevent any Supplier from submitting a response within the two (2) hours immediately before the due time, the Solicitation due date and time shall be extended for a period of 24 hours. The technical issue must be by the Portal provider (OpenGov) and affects all participating Suppliers. The City shall verify the technical issue or unavailability of the Portal with OpenGov, the system provider. Technical issues localized to a single supplier will not be considered cause for an extension.

The e-Procurement Portal will not allow submissions after the established due date and time have passed.

2.11. Errors in Proposal

Proposers or their authorized representatives are expected to fully inform themselves as to the conditions, requirements, and specifications before submitting proposals. Failure to do so will be at the company's own risk. In case of an error in the extension of prices in the proposal, the unit price shall govern. If an error is made before submitting the proposal, the company may withdraw its proposal electronically through the City's eProcurement Portal and may re-submit prior to the stated proposal submission deadline. The City reserves the right to waive any informalities, technical defects, and minor irregularities in proposals received.

2.12. Award Criteria

The award shall be made to a company that submits the highest-scoring proposal, taking into consideration product or service quality, past performance, and compliance with the stated terms, conditions, and specifications. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the City of Rock Hill reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to accept any proposal submitted, waive any informality, and negotiate with the low Proposer(s) on any changes that the City of Rock Hill considers necessary or desirable for its own interests. The City alone shall make such determination.

Should the City identify the lowest bid as an Abnormally Low Bid (ALB) in accordance with the City's own internal guidance, the City may request the Vendor to provide information or an explanation in support of what appears to be an ALB. Should the City believe the Vendor cannot fulfill the requirements of an

Awarded Contract for the amount of the offer the City may disqualify the submission.

In addition, the City of Rock Hill's Procurement Policies and Procedures Manual, as amended or supplemented from time to time is hereby incorporated by this reference and shall apply to this Request for Proposals. The City reserves all alternatives, terms, and conditions as set forth therein.

2.13. Compliance with Laws

The successful Proposer shall obtain and maintain all licenses, permits, liability insurance, and worker's compensation insurance, and comply with all other standards or regulations required by federal, state, county, or City statutes, ordinances, and rules during the performance of any purchase between the company and the City. Any such requirement specifically outlined in any purchasing document between the company and the City shall be supplementary to this section and not in substitution thereof.

2.14. Suspension and Debarment

The Proposer certifies, by submission of this proposal, that neither it nor its principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any federal, state, or local agency. Where the Proposer is unable to certify any of the statements in this certification, such Offeror shall attach an explanation to this proposal.

2.15. Subcontractors

The awarded Company agrees that it shall not delegate, subcontract, or assign all or any portion of the project to any third party without the express written consent of the City.

2.16. Brand Name

The use of a brand name is for the sole purpose of describing the standard of quality, performance, and a characteristic desired and is not intended to limit or restrict competition.

2.17. Retainage

The City reserves the right to hold up to 10% of the invoice amount in retainage to ensure that the project, materials, and services are delivered to the City’s satisfaction. All retainages will be paid when all issues, in the sole opinion of the City, have been resolved, and retainage may be held until the project completion.

2.18. Local Providers

Proposers should keep in mind the City’s goal of supporting local businesses and supply houses for materials and labor whenever practicable, so long as pricing and other contract conditions are not adversely affected.

2.19. Proposal Format

1. Qualifications & Experience of the Company:

Brief history and organization of the company, the legal entity that will enter into the contract, the location of the office where the work will be performed, and the name and title of the person that is authorized to enter into a master contract agreement (must be an officer, partner, or member of the company). List any sub-consultants that will support your company, if any. Provide a narrative of your company's prior experience and qualifications as it pertains to the Scope of Work and provide a list of projects with similar scopes.

2. Project Management, Approach to the Project & Quality Control:

Demonstrate project management, approach to the project, and quality control methods that will be employed by your company. This section shall also include an organizational chart for each team member (including sub-consultant supervisors) and list their roles with responsibilities.

3. Capacity and Response Capability:

Provide a statement of your company's current workload and capacity to meet the project schedules.

4. References:

Provide the name, address, and telephone number of at least three (3) references familiar with the quality of work done by your company of similar nature as contained in the Scope of Work. By submission of the references, you are authorizing the City of Rock Hill to contact these references.

5. Legal, Safety, Insurance, and Financial:

The company's submittal shall provide documentation of any history of litigation associated with project performance or professional liability during the past ten years. A short statement of any safety problems that the company may have encountered in projects designed or inspected. Provide a statement or other information to describe the company's general financial standing and current insurance coverage.

6. Other Supporting Data:

Include any other information you feel to be relevant to the selection of your company.

3. Scope of Work

3.1. Introduction

To increase safety for pedestrians and motorists and increase the benefits of a healthier urban forest, the City of Rock Hill Electric Utilities Department is seeking proposals to complete the following:

A. Perform an ISA Level 1 assessment on identified street and parking lot trees in the City of Rock

Hill. Assessments are to be documented on the City’s provided software. The Contractor is to communicate conditions of concern to City Forester within one working week. An annual work plan will be developed by the City Forester and provided to the approved Contractor.

B. Prune street trees and City-owned parking lot trees designated by the City Forester’s work plan to the specifications listed in this document at a predetermined hourly rate. Specifically, the trees will be pruned for height requirements, structure (building) clearance, deadwood removal, tree structure pruning, street light clearance, traffic light clearance, directional signage clearance, and visibility site triangle requirements.

C. Only those specified trees should be assessed and pruned. The City will not pay for any work done on trees not included in the scope of work or specified by the City Forester. The list of street trees to be assessed will be updated each year the contract is in place.

3.2. General Requirements

All work is to be completed by June 15, 2025 in the first year of the contract. If additional terms are exercised, the work should be completed by June 15 of each subsequent year.

A. Any work not completed by June 15 of the contract year would be subject to liquidated damages of $100/day.

B. The liquidated damages are not a penalty but are for damages resulting to City since the actual damages would be difficult or impossible to ascertain. Time is of the essence.

C. The contract is budget-based with a goal of pruning and assessing trees on a price per hour basis. The total number of trees that are pruned/assessed will depend on the budget available and the amount of time it takes to complete the tree work.

D. Because all work is being billed at an hourly rate, slow work will not be tolerated. The City reserves the right to reject some hourly charges if the work is deemed by the City Forester to be too slow.

E. The City shall have the right to withhold payments due to defective workmanship.

F. The Contractor is responsible for attaining and abiding by any permits/approval from appropriate roadway owners, such as the SCDOT or City of Rock Hill before any lane encroachment or closures will be performed.

G. No work beyond that outlined in this document may be conducted without prior approval from the City Forester.

H. All work should be scheduled and coordinated with the City Forester.

I. Chip or clean up all debris generated during pruning operations before leaving the site each day.

J. No equipment or debris shall be left on site overnight.

K. Place proper traffic and pedestrian control devices prior to beginning work. All work areas and lane closures must meet SCDOT guidelines.

L. All safety standards shall be in accordance with, but not limited to, ANSI Z133.1 and OSHA standards. Appropriate PPE shall be properly worn at all times while performing tree work.

M. The Contractor shall employ only such workers as are skilled in the tasks to which they are assigned. The City reserves the right to require the Contractor to remove and/or not to assign any employee the City deems incompetent, careless, insubordinate, or otherwise objectionable to working on City projects.

N. All precautions shall be made to prevent damage to any public or private property.

O. The Contractor will be responsible for repairing all property damage caused by their work, such as tire ruts. If the Contractor fails to take corrective actions, the City reserves the right to withhold payment until damages are corrected or to correct damage and invoice the Contractor for the cost incurred. If property damage is unavoidable and completion of work justifies such risk, the Contractor shall notify the City Forester for approval before commencing work. Work shall not commence until satisfactory arrangements have been made between the City and all affected property owners.

P. All electrical conductors are to be considered as energized; any branches that are within 10' should not be pruned unless the worker and Contractor are Line Clearance Certified. All tree workers shall abide by clearance standards outlined in the current ANSI Z133.1 Safety Standard.

Contact the appropriate utility for assistance if necessary. Any branches which accidentally fall against or hang on wires must be removed by the appropriate utility. The Contractor should immediately contact City Forester who will notify the appropriate utility. City Forester should also be immediately notified of any suspected service interruptions.

Q. Adjacent property and improvements shall be protected from damage and intrusion at all times during the execution of the work embraced herein. Any damage to adjacent properties shall be repaired or replaced by the Contractor at the Contractor’s expense and no payment will be allowed thereof. Work shall be carried out in a manner to avoid all conflicts with operations on adjacent properties and access to adjacent properties.

R. When utilizing non-English speaking employees, each crew shall have at least one fluent English-speaking employee to communicate with customers and City personnel.

S. All trucks are to be labeled with the Contractor’s company name. Company name to be the same as written in the contract.

T. All Contractor’s employees are to wear Contractor’s company uniforms while working for the

City.

U. The Contractor is responsible for finding their own parking area and for the security of their trucks and equipment including non-use hours.

V. The Contractor is responsible for finding proper disposal outlets for all wood chips and tree debris. Reimbursement for large wood greater than 12” diameter, but not including wood chips, can be invoiced to City of Rock Hill if the Contractor provides City Forester copies of the dump tickets from fully SCDHEC-licensed facilities. Exact tree locations from where the large wood came from must be noted with the dump tickets.

W. Non-City work-related activities shall not be billed to the City. Example activities include but are not limited to, Contractor company meetings, vehicle/chipper fueling, downtime due to mechanical failures, and routine equipment maintenance. These activities should be performed outside the City’s normal work schedule, when possible.

X. Only companies with 55 foot or greater bucket trucks, 12 cubic yards or greater dump box, and a

12 inch or larger capacity chipper will be considered for this contract. As pruning is the primary objective of this contract, the 2- person, bucket truck (with chip box) and chipper meeting the above standards shall be considered the “default” sized crew. On occasion, work crew(s) may need to be set up differently from the default crew with different numbers of personnel and/or equipment being required. Any additions or changes to the default crew must be approved by the City Forester before work takes place.

Y. Only companies that have an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist (or

ISA Board Certified Master Arborist) with a current Tree Risk Qualification on staff will be considered for this contract. A staff member with these credentials must remain on staff throughout the life of the contract. If this member changes, the credential information must be reported to the City Forester. Any assessments performed must be made by a person on staff with these certifications/qualifications. No sub-contracting is allowed.

Z. On any performed work, all related and/or necessary small equipment to perform work such as ropes, lines, safety equipment, cones, signs, chainsaws, hand tools, etc. shall not be invoiced to the City of Rock Hill. All materials should be supplied by the Contractor unless otherwise noted.

3.3. Tree Risk Assessment

Level I

A. A Level I visual assessment shall be performed on trees provided to the Contractor by the City

Forester. The assessment shall be performed by a “walk-around” approach. Each tree is to be visually inspected from all sides. All assessments are to be performed “on-foot” and not by the limited visibility of a vehicle.

B. Tree Risk Assessments must be performed by an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)

Qualified Tree Risk Assessor.

C. The assessment shall be documented via assessment software specified by the City. Software is free but the Contractor is required to have a GPS-enabled mobile device with data plan capable of operating the software. A current smartphone or tablet with an unlimited data plan is recommended.

D. The Contractor will be looking for obvious defects. This will include but not be limited to dead trees, large dead branches (>2 inches in diameter), cavities, severe leans, large cracks, and fungal fruiting bodies.

E. All visible sections of the tree are to be assessed (crown to the visible root system).

F. Any suspected tree emergencies shall be noted, and the City Forester contacted immediately.

G. When the Contractor suspects a Level II or Level III assessment may be needed to thoroughly assess the tree, the Contractor is to document this in the assessment software.

Level II and Level III

A. A Level II or Level III assessment may be requested by the City Forester to make a more detailed assessment. Level II and III will require separate documentation in the form of a reporting style requested by the City Forester.

B. Specifications for Level II and Level III assessments should be defined as and conducted according to ISA Tree Risk Assessment: Levels of Assessment.

C. Prices for approved Level III assessments will be negotiated based on equipment required to perform the assessment.

Pruning

A. Pruning for Structure: Structural pruning is the removal of live branches and stems to influence the orientation, spacing, growth rate, strength of attachment, and ultimate size of branches and stems. It is used on young and medium aged trees to help engineer a sustainable trunk and branch arrangement. It is used on large maturing trees to reduce loads on certain defects and space main branches along one dominant trunk. This pruning type can be summed up in the phrase: subordinate or remove co-dominant stems. This practice can limit the failure potential of included branch attachments. The maximum diameter of reduction cuts will be to a lateral branch no less than 1/3 the diameter of the cut limb unless specifically requested by City

Forester. No heading cuts are allowed unless specifically requested by City Forester. Structural pruning is also the foundation for the following pruning types.

B. Pruning to Raise: Raising is the selective removal of branches to provide vertical clearance.

Crown raising shortens or removes lower branches of a tree to provide clearance for buildings, signs, vehicles, pedestrians, and views. Live crown ratio should be no less than 66% when raising is completed and some structural pruning is considered by the City to be part of this pruning.

Clearance objectives are specified in this document in the section under Pruning Requirements.

C. Pruning to Clean: Crown Cleaning or cleaning out is the removal of dead, diseased, detached, and broken branches 2 inches in diameter or larger. This type of pruning is done to reduce the risk of falling branches and to reduce the risk of decay spreading into the tree from dead or dying branches. Cleaning is the preferred pruning method for mature trees. Cleaning removes branches with cracks that may be prone to fail. Care must be used to avoid stripping branches of too much foliage at the interior of the tree crown. This practice which is known as "lion tailing'' is unacceptable. The location and diameter of branches to be removed may be specified.

D. Pruning to Reduce: Crown Reduction is the selective removal of branches and stems to decrease the height and/or spread of a tree. This is done to minimize risk of failure, to reduce height or spread, to clear vegetation from buildings, structures, or utilities. Crown reduction should be accomplished with reduction cuts, not heading cuts. While reducing a crown, tree workers must adhere to basic tree trimming practices involving limb/branch size relationships and use of the branch bark collar to avoid the onset of decay at cut sites.

E. Pruning to Restore: Crown Restoration is the selective removal of branches, sprouts, and stubs from trees that have been previously topped, severely headed, lion-tailed, or otherwise damaged. One to three sprouts are selected for retention on trees with many sprouts originating at the tips of branches.

Pruning Requirements

A. An International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist must be present during all pruning operations. Certified Arborist must be on the Contractor’s staff and not sub-contracted.

B. All pruning and operations shall abide by the latest ANSI A300 pruning standards, ANSI Z133.1

Safety Standards, and ISA Best Management Practices: Tree Pruning.

C. To ensure that pruning is appropriate for the species and tree/site conditions, it is important to have a clear understanding of the specific needs of the tree and the objectives for pruning.

Pruning objectives include the following:

1. Improve structural strength and reduce failure potential.

2. Provide clearance for pedestrians, vehicles, structures. Also, to provide visibility for directional signage, streetlights, traffic lights, and visibility site triangles.

3. Improve safety and security for residents and visitors.

4. Repair structural damage from wind loading.

5. Improve aesthetic characteristics.

6. Reduce maintenance costs.

7. Prevent or mitigate a pest problem.

D. All persons engaged in tree pruning shall be familiar with each of the pruning types. Selection of the pruning type(s) shall be based on pruning objectives. Refer to publication ISA Best

Management Practices Tree Pruning for descriptions of pruning types. Clearance pruning that requires more than 25% of the crown removed shall be conducted only under the supervision of the City Forester.

E. All cuts should be made sufficiently close to the trunk or parent limb without cutting into the branch bark ridge or branch collar so that callus growth can readily start under normal conditions.

F. Branches greater than 1 ½ inches shall be precut (3 cut method) to avoid tearing or splitting of the bark. The “3 cut method” will be used as outlined in the most current ANSI A300 Pruning standard.

G. No chainsaws shall be used on limbs less than 1.5 inches.

H. No more than 1/4 of the crown of any tree should be removed within one annual growing season without the express permission and supervision of the City Forester.

I. Removal of live limbs over 4 inches in diameter will require the permission of the City Forester.

J. In the case of crown/limb reduction, pruning should consist of cutting the parent branch back to a lateral branch at a minimum of 1/3 the size of the parent limb.

K. Topping of trees/branches, sometimes referred to as “heading cuts,” shall not be allowed.

Topping consists of cutting a branch between lateral branches or pruning the parent limb to a lateral branch that is less than 1/3 the size of the parent limb.

L. The tree shall be pruned to remove deadwood greater than 2 inches in diameter.

M. Removal of dead branches shall have the final cut outside of the collar of live tissue.

N. Climbing spikes or spurs shall not be used during pruning operations as they damage the cambium of the tree.

O. Any limb that cannot be controlled by hand while being cut shall have a rope or ropes attached for controlled lowering using the appropriate equipment and ropes.

P. Any damage caused by limbs being dropped or thrown shall be repaired within 3 working days by the Contractor at the Contractor’s expense. (See Section 6.7.1 for protocol when accidents or damage occur.)

Q. Any structural weakness, decayed trunk or branches, split crotches or limbs, and included bark discovered by the Contractor during the course of trimming shall be reported to the City

Forester for determination of action as soon as it is discovered. When working on a tree, the

Contractor shall be responsible for the removal of “sucker” growth from root systems and

“water sprouts” from tree trunks.

R. If a tree has temporary holiday lighting installed, the Contractor shall ascertain if pruning with lights in place is feasible. If unable to do this, make note of the address, report to City Forester, and return at a later date to complete the pruning.

S. If any of the specified trees are found to have vines that have grown into the canopy, the vines shall be cut to allow them to dry and decay. Any vines found growing up trunks shall be carefully cut through, all the way around the base of the tree. Care must be taken to not cut into the bark of the tree causing injury.

T. No trees are to be removed without permission from the City Forester.

Pruning Clearances

All trees shall be pruned to the following clearances unless City Forester specifies otherwise:

A. Trees >12” DBH shall be pruned to a height 16’ over the roadway and/or parking lot and 16’ on the remainder of the canopy.

B. Trees less than <12” to 8” DBH will be properly pruned 16’ over the roadway and/or parking lot and 12’ on the remainder of the canopy.

C. Trees less than <8” DBH will be properly pruned 16’ over the roadway and/or parking lot and 10’ on the remainder of the canopy.

D. No trees encroaching from natural areas (non-planted) trees or neighboring properties shall be pruned unless directed by City Forester to do so.

E. Trees blocking streetlights will be properly pruned (as specified in this document) to allow light to reach the roadway. Trees shall be pruned no less than 10 feet from the light fixture and no less than 5 feet from the pole.

F. Trees blocking traffic lights will be pruned to allow visibility from every roadway entering the intersection. When pruning for visibility of traffic lights, all lights must be visible for 325’ in 35 mph zones and 460’ in 45 mph zones. Trees shall be pruned no less than 10 feet from a traffic light and 5 feet away from a traffic light support fixture.

G. Trees will be pruned to clear the visibility site triangle.

H. Trees will be pruned no less than 8 feet from structures.

Hours of Operations

A. Work may be performed between the hours of 7:00AM – 6:00PM, Monday through Friday; any other days or times must be approved by the City Forester in advance.

B. Any work involving lane closures will not be before 9:00AM and no later than 4:00PM, Monday through Friday.

C. No work shall take place on City-scheduled holidays.

Additional Notes

A. Accident Investigation. Any duty-related incident that results in any personal or property injury shall be reported to the City’s designated representative within one (1) hour by the Contractor.

The Contractor shall cooperate fully with the City in the investigation of any incident, injury, or death occurring on City property including a complete written report submitted by the

Contractor to the City’s designated representative, or assignee, within twenty-four (24) hours following the occurrence. Should any structure or property be damaged during a permitted or contracted tree operation, the persons conducting the work shall immediately notify the property owners and the City’s designated representative within one (1) hour. The Contractor shall make all arrangements for repairs to damaged property within forty-eight (48) hours, except utility lines, which shall be repaired by the appropriate utility. The Contractor shall be solely responsible for contacting all utilities, neighboring property owners, and Contractors required to complete such repairs. Repairs on private property shall be made in accordance with the appropriate building code under permits issued by the City as applicable. Any damage caused by the Contractor shall be repaired or restored by the Contractor at the Contractor’s expense to a condition similar or equal to that existing before such damage or injury, or the

Contractor shall repair such damage in a manner acceptable to the City.

B. Adjustments in Scope or Quantity of Work. The City reserves the right to increase or decrease quantities of work included by the specifications or to delete entire proposal items from the proposal schedule, either before execution of the agreement or during the agreement term. If related services are desired by the City that are not covered by the specifications above or by the hourly rate schedule, the fee shall be negotiated, and a written work order issued accordingly by the City. The Contractor shall not be entitled to compensation for additional services unless a prior written work order has been executed describing the work and specifying the compensation thereof.

C. Hourly rates for labor to perform work not included in specifications above. During the agreement term, the City may request the Contractor to perform work not listed in the specifications above. The Contractor offers the specified labor categories at the indicated hourly rate for these additional services. Hourly rates shall include all direct and indirect costs. For labor not listed below that is needed to perform additional work, the hourly rate shall be agreed upon between the City and Contractor before additional services are performed.

D. Hourly rates for equipment to perform work not included in specifications above. Hourly rates shall include all costs necessary to provide equipment in good working order, including cost of fuel, maintenance, direct and indirect cost, but excluding operating labor costs. For equipment not listed below that is needed to perform additional work, the hourly rate shall be agreed upon between the City and the Contractor before such additional equipment is used. Costs associated with the equipment listed below will not be incurred by the City if required in the performance of the work called out in the specifications above. It will only be paid for if specifically requested, required, and previously approved by the City.

4. Terms & Conditions

4.1. Insurance

The Company agrees that the Company shall keep and maintain general automobile liability insurance for $1,000,000 per occurrence for each vehicle and $1,000,000 in aggregate for all vehicles that the

Company brings onto City property or use in any manner in the provision of services, including transportation to and from the site(s) where the services are rendered. The Company further agrees that the Company shall maintain general liability insurance for at least $2,000,000 per incident/occurrence and $2,000,000 in aggregate for all incidents/occurrence during the policy period.

The Company agrees that the Company shall maintain Workers' Compensation Insurance on all of the

Company’s employees. In no event shall the Company serve as a self-insurer for the purpose of Workers'

Compensation Insurance.

The Company also agrees that the Company shall provide, in a form acceptable to the City, certificates of Worker’s Compensation Insurance, Automobile Liability Insurance, and General Liability Insurance.

Coverages must be maintained throughout the life of the contract, including any applicable warranty period.

4.2. Illegal Immigration Reform Act Compliance

The Proposer certifies that it will comply with South Carolina Code of Laws Sections 8-14-10 through 8-4-

90 (as amended) titled, "Unauthorized Aliens and Public Employment," and agrees to provide to the City any documentation required to establish, as applicable, (i) the inapplicability of such laws to the

Proposer, its subcontractor(s) and its sub-subcontractor(s); and (ii) the compliance with these laws by the Proposer, its subcontractors, and its sub-subcontractors.

4.3. Indemnification

The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the City from and against all liability, loss, damages, or injury, and all costs and expenses (including attorneys' fees and costs of any suit related thereto), suffered or incurred by the City, to the extent arising from the Company’s or its subcontractors' (i) negligent performance of the Work under the Final Contract; (ii) intentional misconduct, negligent acts, or omissions during the performance of the Work; and (iii) breach of any term, covenant, representation, or warranty of the Final Contract.

4.4. Freedom of Information Act

All proposals will be public information, per FOIA guidelines.

4.5. Iran Divestment Act

By signing its proposal, the Proposer certifies that it:

(i) is not identified on the list of persons determined by the Executive Director of the State Fiscal

Accountability Authority to engage in investment activities in the country of Iran as described in South

Carolina Code of Laws Section 11-57-310 (as amended), or any other list of prohibited investments created by the State legislature;

(ii) will not take any action causing it to appear on any such list during the term of the Final Contract;

and

(iii) will not utilize any subcontractor that is identified on any such list to provide goods or services thereunder.

4.6. Agreement

The selected company will be required to use the City of Rock Hill’s standard agreement. See attached sample agreement.

4.7. Non-Appropriation of Funds

This Agreement shall be subject to the availability and appropriation of funds by Management and City

Council. Management and City Council appropriate funding on an annual basis during each fiscal year. If

Management or City Council does not appropriate the funding under this agreement, the City will not be obligated to pay amounts due beyond the fiscal year for which funds were appropriated. No act or omission by the City, which is attributable to non-appropriation of funds, shall constitute a breach of or default under this Agreement.

4.8. Statement on Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE)

(i) The City recognizes that business firms owned and operated by minority persons and women have been historically restricted from full participation in our free enterprise system to a degree disproportionate to other businesses.

(ii) The City believes that it should work to ameliorate past discrimination by facilitating the participation of underrepresented groups in the City’s economic community and that such participation is in its best interests and the best interests of its citizens.

(iii) The City will work to ensure that such underrepresented groups, and the businesses they own and lead, are afforded the maximum practicable opportunity—in balance with financially safe and sound business practices–to compete for and perform contracts when the City is procuring construction services, supplies, equipment contracts, lease agreements, or consultant and other services, within the laws of the State of South Carolina.

(iv) The City endeavors to develop, establish, implement, and administer its policies, programs, and procedures to promote balanced economic growth throughout its community.

Accordingly, the City shall not discriminate and shall prohibit discrimination in its selection and retention of contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers, against any person or business on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, status as a parent, age, disability, genetic information, or military status. The City recognizes that disparate treatment on any such basis in the pursuit of economic opportunities is intolerable discrimination.

4.9. City Business License

The winning Proposer, prior to execution of the Final Contract, must possess or obtain a City of Rock Hill

Business License. Such license must be maintained throughout the duration of the Work. If the Proposer is not currently doing other business inside the City limits, the fee for such license is based on the amount of the Final Contract. If the winning Proposer is currently doing other business within the City limits and does not possess a business license, then the fee for the license is based on the total gross receipts from customers within the City limits. Contact the City Business License Office at 803-329-5590 to determine the exact amount of the fee or ask other pertinent questions regarding doing business in the City of Rock Hill.

4.10. Excluded Companies

Proposals from companies may be excluded for any of the following reasons:

(i) Reason to believe collusion exists among the companies

(ii) The Company is involved in any litigation against the City

(iii) The Company is in arrears on any existing contract or has defaulted on a previous contract with the

City

(iv) Lack of financial stability

(v) Failure to perform under previous or present contracts with the City

(vi) Is currently debarred by the State of South Carolina Procurement Services

Excluded vendors/contractors can resubmit complete company information with references for City review after a minimum of one (1) year from the last excluded Bid. The City will contact the submitting vendor/contractor with its decision within thirty (30) days of company information submittal. The City reserves the right to include or exclude said vendor/contractor based on findings.

4.11. Customer Service

Please remember, although you are a contracted City service, you each represent the City of Rock Hill during all work performed, face-to-face as well as telephone conversations. These guidelines are to give all contract employees a solid feeling of what the City of Rock Hill expects from any contracted service.

Overview:

• Be friendly, courteous, and helpful

• Company uniforms must be worn at all times

• Staff members must look and act professionally at all times

Company's Employees:

Before the contractor can enter the project site, it shall investigate and determine that its employees working on the project site are not listed on the sexual offender registry. The contractor shall require all subcontractors to make a similar investigation. One such investigation within six (6) months of commencement of the project work, by the employer, fulfills the City’s requirement for the project.

The Rock Hill Police Department along with the City of Rock Hill also reserves the right to cancel any contracts, agreements, purchasing or distribution, etc., if they feel the project, purchasing, vehicle(s), and or property(s) may be in jeopardy due to the contractor’s employee(s) having a criminal history which may lead to ethical issues while dealing with City workings or investigative activities.

5. Evaluation

1. All responses are subject to a determination of "responsive" and "responsible" prior to award. The

City is the sole judge as to the Proposer's "responsiveness" and "responsibility." The City reserves the right to request additional information.

2. The City will review all proposals and reserves the right to request necessary modifications, waive minor technicalities, reject all proposals, reject any proposal that does not meet the mandatory requirement(s), or cancel this RFP, according to the City's best interests.

3. The City's evaluation team may elect to interview one or more proposing companies before making an award. The City shall not reimburse the company for the costs associated with the interview process.

The City of Rock Hill assumes no responsibility for costs incurred in responding to this RFP.

4. The City's evaluation team may elect to first rank proposals with a simple numeric score and then detail score only the top tier of proposals.

5. The City will evaluate responses on a weighted evaluation system.

No. Evaluation Criteria Scoring Method Weight (Points)

1. Experience, Past Projects, References Points Based 40 (40% of Total)

2. Approach to Project and Capacity Points Based 40 (40% of Total)

3. Price Points Based 20 (20% of Total)

6. Pricing Proposal

Line Item Description Unit of Measure Unit Cost

1 2-Person Crew, Bucket Truck, and Chipper (Default) Cost Per Hour

2 3-Person Crew, Bucket Truck, and Chipper Cost Per Hour

3 Additional (1) Crew Member Cost Per Hour

4 Cost for Level 1 Inspection/Documentation Cost Per Hour

5 Cost for Level 2 Inspection/Documentation Cost Per Hour

7. Vendor Questionnaire

7.1. Company Information*

Please provide the following information as it should appear in a potential agreement with your company:

• Company (legal entity that will enter into the contract)

• Name and Title (person authorized to enter into contract)

• Address (location of the office where or from which the work will be performed)

• Telephone Number

• Email Address

*Response required

7.2. Company Confirmation*

The Company affirms that we have read and understand the enclosed RFP requirements and specifications and do submit this proposal for: Street Tree Pruning and Assessment.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

7.3. Submission of Proposal *

Upload the complete proposal here.

*Response required

7.4. Certification Requirements*

Please provide the following information:

• Name(s) of current ISA Certified Arborist (or ISA Board Certified Master Arborist)

• Certification Number(s)

• Tree Risk Qualification expiration date

*Response required

7.5. Upload any additional documents*

**All proposals should include the proposer's Federal Employer ID Number (FEIN) / Unique Entity ID

(UEI) or Social Security number as evidenced by a W9. Additionally, Attachments B and C (Lobbying and

Debarment Certifications) must be signed and uploaded. If available, please upload the company's

SAM.gov entity information.

*Response required

7.6. References*

Provide the name, address, email, and telephone number of at least three (3) references familiar with the quality of work done by your company of similar nature as contained in the Scope of Work. By submission of the references, you are authorizing the City of Rock Hill to contact these references.

*Response required

7.7. Suspension and Debarment Certification*

The Company certifies, by submission of this proposal, that neither it nor its principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any federal, state, or local agency. Where the submitting entity is unable to certify any of the statements in this certification, such company shall attach an explanation to the submission.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

7.8. Illegal Immigration Reform Act Compliance *

The Company certifies that it will comply with the requirements of Chapter 14, Title 8 of the South

Carolina Code of Laws titled Unauthorized Aliens and Public Employment and agrees to provide to the

City of Rock Hill any documentation required to establish either; (a) the applicability of such law to the

Company, subcontractor, and sub-subcontractor; or (b) the compliance with this law by the Company and any subcontractors or sub-subcontractors.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

7.9. Iran Divestment Act *

The Company certifies that it:

1) is not identified on the list of persons determined by the Executive Director of the State Fiscal

Accountability Authority to engage in investment activities in the country of Iran as described in South

Carolina Code of Laws Section 11-57-310 (as amended), or any other list of prohibited investments created by the State legislature;

2) will not take any action causing it to appear on any such list during the term of the Final Contract; and

3) will not utilize any subcontractor that is identified on any such list to provide goods or services thereunder.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

7.10. Customer Service *

The Company representative has read and agrees to the standards set forth in the City's Customer

Service agreement.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required