Forestry Mulching Services

The City of Charlotte, North Carolina is soliciting proposals through Request for Proposals #269.2026.175 for comprehensive forestry mulching services to be performed on various City-owned and managed properties and rights-of-way. The procurement encompasses vegetation clearing, invasive species management, erosion control, fire hazard reduction, land accessibility improvement, and ecological maintenance through mechanical mulching processes. Responding firms must be properly licensed and in good standing with the North Carolina Secretary of State and must maintain the following professional credentials: North Carolina Landscape Contractor License, North Carolina Irrigation Contractor License, North Carolina Department of Agriculture Pesticide License for Turf and Ornamentals (Category L), and North Carolina Department of Agriculture Pesticide License for Right-of-Way (Category H). The contract will operate on a task order basis with compensation calculated at unit prices for forestry mulching services that include all labor, equipment, materials, supervision, transportation, and related costs on a per-acre basis, with additional hourly rates for supplemental services. Proposals will be evaluated on four equally weighted criteria: Technical Approach and Methodology (25 points), Experience and Qualifications (25 points), Equipment and Resources (25 points), and Cost Proposal (25 points). Key deadlines include a non-mandatory pre-proposal conference on February 9, 2026, at 11:30 AM EST via Microsoft Teams, written questions due by February 6, 2026, at 3 PM EST (pre-conference) or February 13, 2026, at 3 PM EST (post-conference), and proposal submissions due electronically through the Bonfire e-Procurement Portal no later than February 16, 2026, at 3 PM EST. Contractors must provide comprehensive liability and workers' compensation insurance, maintain daily logs and weekly progress reports, and comply with all applicable federal, state, and local environmental regulations, traffic control standards, and the City's Landscape Construction Standards.

The City of Charlotte has established a Goal Waiver for Minority-owned, Women-owned, and Small Business Enterprise (MWSBE) participation, though it strongly encourages such participation whenever feasible. Proposers must complete the CBI Form 3 Subcontractor/Supplier Utilization Commitment at proposal opening, identifying all M/W/SBEs and other subcontractors and suppliers intended for use on the contract, with separate Letters of Intent required within three business days of City request. All subcontractors and suppliers, regardless of certification status, must be registered with the City of Charlotte's vendor database. Additional compliance requirements include submission of certification forms regarding debarment, Byrd Anti-Lobbying Certification, references (three to five client references preferred from similarly-sized organizations), key personnel information (up to three individuals with professional certifications, relevant experience, and project history), equipment lists identifying all equipment by type, brand, model, and serial number along with ownership or lease status, and exceptions to RFP terms if applicable. The solicitation does not identify an incumbent vendor or specific budget range; however, the contract structure is an indefinite quantity agreement with no minimum purchase requirement, with the City reserving the right to reject any or all proposals and make awards on all or partial items at its discretion. Proposals are valid for 180 calendar days from the due date, and the City Project Manager is Austin Ramsey, Landscape Property Manager, located at 701 Tuckaseegee Road, Charlotte, NC 28208.