ESB - Interstate 5 MP 48. 3 to 50: Clear Zone Tree Removal

The Oregon Department of Transportation is requesting competitive quotes for tree and limb removal and disposal along Interstate 5 from milepost 48.3 to 50 in Josephine County, with quotes due October 7, 2026, and a mandatory pre-quote conference on September 30 at 11:00 a.m. at the northbound shoulder near milepost 48. This solicitation is restricted exclusively to Oregon-certified Emerging Small Businesses (ESBs) under ORS 200.160-200.200; only certified ESB firms are eligible, and the selected contractor must perform at least 51 percent of project labor using its own workforce.

The scope covers clearing trees and limbs to improve sight distance, trimming marked trees, establishing clear zones for signage and no-work zones, and removing and disposing of all vegetation within specified highway areas on both northbound (MP 48.5 to 48.8) and southbound (MP 48.3 to 48.5) segments. Contractors must submit a traffic control plan at least seven days before the pre-construction meeting and comply with ODOT inspection and quality standards, including acceptable quality levels specifying major and minor defect tolerances per mile and zero tolerance for oversized material on road surfaces or in drainage structures. An Archaeological Inadvertent Discovery Plan governs procedures for encountering archaeological sites or human remains; work must cease immediately within a 30-meter buffer, with notification to the State Historic Preservation Office and relevant agencies required. Addendum No. 1 (October 2, 2026) permits mastication of blackberries and small brush but requires debris depth not to exceed one inch; the contractor is responsible for removing all woody debris from the site.

Work must be completed by December 15, 2026. Prevailing wage rates apply per the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries for Josephine County (Region 8) as of September 3, 2026. The contractor must provide performance and payment bonds equal to the contract price, bid security of 10 percent of the total bid amount, and commercial general liability insurance with $2 million per-occurrence and $5 million annual-aggregate limits, plus commercial automobile liability insurance with $1 million combined single limit. Liquidated damages of $600 per calendar day apply for missed substantial completion; additional damages of $500 per 15-minute interval per lane apply for lane closures exceeding allowable limits. Quote submission is electronic through OregonBuys; failure to attend the mandatory pre-quote conference results in quote rejection. Award goes to the responsible, responsive offeror submitting the lowest total quote price.