Arborist Consulting, Tree Removal, and Pruning Services

The City of Orlando, Florida, in Orange County, is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP26-0203) for Arborist Consulting, Tree Removal, and Pruning Services to assess trees on private property within city limits and provide expert guidance on tree health, risk evaluation, tree inventory, and maintenance or removal recommendations. The scope of work includes detailed tree inventories and health assessments compliant with International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and ANSI A300 standards, professional consultation reports with photographic documentation, and execution of approved pruning and tree removal services upon city authorization. All deliverables must be completed within 60 days of project commencement, with initial reports submitted in accordance with ISA and ANSI standards. Key objectives include promoting sustainable tree management, enhancing public safety, preserving the urban forest, and ensuring compliance with local ordinances. Required qualifications mandate that contractors maintain ISA certification with Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) and demonstrate a minimum of five years of urban forestry or arboriculture experience. The evaluation criteria are weighted as follows: 60 percent on contractor certification and experience, 30 percent on operations and implementation plans, and 10 percent on price proposal. Important deadlines include a non-mandatory pre-proposal conference on April 28, 2026, at 1:00 PM via Microsoft Teams; a question submission deadline of May 11, 2026, at 5:00 PM; and a sealed proposal submission deadline of May 21, 2026, at 2:00 PM, with public opening via virtual meeting. The contract term extends for twelve months from approval and execution, with options for two additional twelve-month renewal periods, not to exceed 36 months or the grant funding expiration date of March 12, 2027.

The procurement is federally funded through a U.S. Forest Service Inflation Reduction Act award (FAIN 24-CA-11132544-016) administered by the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN), with no specific set-aside designations or disadvantaged enterprise restrictions identified in the solicitation documents. Contractors must comply with prevailing wage requirements at a minimum of $15.00 per hour, maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including Workers' Compensation, Comprehensive Automobile Liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit), and Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit), and adhere to all applicable federal regulations including 2 CFR Part 200, the Davis-Bacon Act, E-Verify employment eligibility verification, and anti-lobbying and human trafficking compliance requirements. Pricing is submitted on a per-item basis across multiple service categories including arborist consulting at $300 per tree examination; tree crown pruning at $50 per hour for a three-person crew with equipment; palm tree pruning at $25 per hour; climbing crew pruning at $50 per hour; tree removal ranging from $20 to $20 per tree based on diameter (tiered pricing from 4-12 inches to over 36 inches diameter); and stump grinding at similarly tiered pricing. No incumbent vendors or existing infrastructure requiring integration are identified in the solicitation documents. The specific overall contract award value or budget range is not disclosed in the available documents; payment terms require invoices to be paid within thirty days of receipt upon city approval and acceptance of work, with any extra work requiring written authorization and addendum agreements.