ESB - US 395 Tree trimming

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is soliciting competitive quotes through a Request for Competitive Quotes (RFCQ) process for tree trimming and vegetation management services along US Highway 395 between Milepost 1.73 (Portal Lane) and Milepost 2.47 (Nelson Road) near Canyon City, covering approximately 0.74 miles. The contractor must provide all materials, equipment, labor, and traffic control to execute tree felling, canopy trimming, brush and vegetation removal, material chipping, and herbicide treatment of hardwood tree stumps, with completion required by March 15, 2027. Deliverables include removal or chipping of all foliage and debris associated with the work, with cleared material becoming contractor property for disposal through chipping or hauling. Key project requirements include furnishing temporary work zone traffic control, removing all dead or visibly dying trees and trees with diameter at breast height of six inches or less, clearing all limbs and brush within 30 feet horizontal distance from pavement and 35 feet vertical clearance, cutting stumps flush or within two inches of ground in Clear Zones and no higher than four inches outside, and treating hardwood stumps with Polaris AC herbicide or approved equivalent. The contractor must maintain Commercial General Liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate and Commercial Automobile Liability of $1,000,000 combined single limit, with the State of Oregon and ODOT named as additional insureds. The submission deadline is April 21, 2026, with requests for clarification due seven calendar days prior to closing, work authorization contingent upon issuance of a Notice to Proceed by Contract Administrator Teresa Bock, and award based on price and factors including experience, expertise, and suitability to serve ODOT's interests.

This procurement is restricted exclusively to Emerging Small Businesses (ESBs) certified by the State of Oregon's Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID), with the selected contractor required to perform at least 51 percent of labor using its own workforce as mandated under ORS 200.170(3). Prospective offerors must be registered in OregonBuys, submit proof of current ESB certification, provide certificates of insurance, and furnish a W-9 form upon notification of intent to award, with the offer firm and binding for a minimum of 30 calendar days from the closing date. No incumbent vendor or current contractor is identified in the solicitation materials. The project is subject to the 2024 Oregon Standard Specifications for Construction and ODOT's Temporary Traffic Control Handbook, with all work subject to inspection by designated ODOT representatives and payment withheld for non-compliant work until deficiencies are corrected at contractor expense. Specific restrictions include prohibition on vegetation clearing between March 1 and September 1 without written approval to protect migratory bird nesting habitat, with contractors required to provide 10 calendar days' notice before activities that could harm nesting birds, and herbicide application cannot occur within six hours of rain or near water bodies. The contract will be structured as a lump sum agreement with payment made within 30 calendar days of invoice submission following ODOT acceptance, with the State permitted to withhold up to five percent retainage from each invoice, and final payment due upon verification of completion and acceptance of deliverables; the specific contract award value has not been disclosed in the solicitation materials.