IFB Maintain Existing Planting Area at Los Trancos Creek, along San Mateo County and Santa Clara County

This Invitation for Bid (IFB) #04A7371 is issued by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for landscape maintenance and ecological restoration services spanning San Mateo County, Santa Clara County, and their respective municipalities. The procurement seeks a qualified contractor to maintain existing planted areas (MEPA) and eradicate noxious weeds and invasive non-native plant species classified as High priority by the California Invasive Plant Council database along Route 280 at Alpine Road (Post Mile 20.5/R0.0) as part of the San Mateo/Santa Clara County Seismic Restoration Project Mitigation and Monitoring Plan. Key deliverables and services include site inspection, water pollution control program development, job site management, preparation of MEPA and lead compliance work plans, roadside clearing, tree pruning, irrigation facility testing and maintenance, plant replacement, mulch application, and quarterly progress reporting with plant counts and health documentation. The primary objective is to achieve and maintain 100 percent plant survivorship and establishment by November 2029. The contract period runs from April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2030, with work performed Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding holidays. Bidders must hold a valid California C-27 (Landscaping Contractor) license, a Pest Control Business license with a Qualified Applicator License (QAL), and current Department of Industrial Relations registration. The bid submission deadline is February 19, 2026 at 2:00 p.m., with bid opening scheduled for 2:30 p.m. the same day via teleconference and a proposed award date of February 26, 2026. State General Prevailing Wage Rates apply, with prevailing wage requirements triggered if the total bid exceeds $15,000.

This procurement includes specific set-aside provisions and participation incentives: a five percent small business (SB) preference applies to certified SBs or contractors committing to subcontract at least 25 percent of the net bid price to certified SBs or micro businesses, and a three percent disabled veteran business enterprise (DVBE) participation requirement applies with a separate DVBE Incentive Program available. Contractors must maintain commercial general liability insurance with limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, automobile liability coverage of $1,000,000 combined single limit, and workers' compensation coverage. Bid prices must include all labor, equipment, materials, prevailing wages, taxes, insurance, and incidentals, with a maximum allowable expenditure cap of 10 percent of the subtotal for irrigation facility components and replacement plants to be reimbursed based on submitted original receipts. No incumbent contractor or existing infrastructure integration requirements are identified in this solicitation. Funding is from State sources, and the contract value is structured through a detailed line-item bid proposal with 12 specific work items; while an exact budget range is not specified in the available documents, costs are estimated to cover 48 months of MEPA services and associated ecological restoration activities across a multi-county restoration area.