Annual Substation Herbicide Treatment

The City of Lakeland, Florida is requesting proposals for semi-annual bare-earth herbicide treatments at approximately 55 acres of Lakeland Electric substations and related facilities under RFP 2026-RFP-104, with proposals due October 12, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. A local-vendor preference is available for businesses maintaining a physical location within Lakeland Electric's service territory for at least twelve consecutive months prior to submission.

The scope covers vegetation management and herbicide application at approximately 31 substations located within Lakeland city limits and surrounding Polk County areas. Contractors must hold current Florida herbicide application certification, demonstrate experience with at least three similar projects completed within the past five years, and maintain OSHA compliance and current commercial herbicide application licenses. Work must be performed Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with a 95 percent or greater vegetation control level required at each site; retreatment at no additional cost is required for sites failing to meet this standard. All personnel must complete Lakeland Electric–required safety training at no cost to the utility. Contractors must designate a Quality Control Inspector, respond to the Contract Administrator within two hours of contact, and submit weekly work reports via email detailing all treatment activities. Unit pricing is per acre for all herbicide application, labor, materials, chemicals, overhead, administrative costs, and profit; no separate billable charges are permitted for these items or for travel time and costs. Waste disposal at permitted locations is the contractor's responsibility at no reimbursement from Lakeland Electric.

The contract award is for one year beginning with purchase order issuance through September 30, 2027, with an option for four additional one-year renewals upon mutual consent. Evaluation criteria allocate 25 points each to cost, experience including Lakeland Electric work history and electrical utility experience, company equipment capability, and length of time in business in central Florida, for a maximum of 100 points per evaluation committee member. The City reserves the right to award to one or more vendors. Written questions are due September 21, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Proposals must be submitted electronically through the City's OpenGov e-Procurement Portal. Mandatory submittals include indemnification agreements, insurance requirements, safety compliance certifications, human trafficking affidavits, and federal and state compliance attestations. The RFP is valid for 60 days from the date of opening.