ITB 26-726 District Wide Tree Cutting & Trimming Services

DeKalb County School District (DCSD) in Georgia is issuing Invitation to Bid (ITB) 26-726 for district-wide tree cutting, trimming, removal, stump grinding, debris hauling, and related services across all DCSD facilities. The procurement encompasses comprehensive arboricultural services including tree trimming and pruning to maintain clearance requirements (minimum 10 feet above sidewalks, 14 feet above driveways, and 20 feet above roadways), safe removal of hazardous and dead trees with stump grinding to a minimum depth of 12 inches below grade, 24/7 emergency response capabilities with 2-hour mobilization time, and same-day debris removal and disposal. Qualified contractors must be licensed and insured in Georgia, comply with ANSI A300 Standards and OSHA safety requirements, maintain a warehouse location within 75 miles of DeKalb County, and complete routine requests within 10 business days. Pricing must be submitted for tree removal services categorized by tree diameter (6 inches or less through 54 inches or more), tree and shrub trimming hourly rates for two-person and three-person crews, and emergency service rates for both weekday and weekend/holiday operations, with material and equipment markups not to exceed 15 percent over list price. The optional pre-bid conference is scheduled for February 17, 2026, at 11:00 AM EST via Microsoft Teams; the deadline for submitting questions is February 20, 2026, at 12:00 PM EST with responses posted by February 27, 2026; and bid submissions are due electronically by March 5, 2026, at 2:00 PM EST with public bid opening at 3:30 PM EST the same day. Board approval is anticipated in April 2026 with services commencing in May 2026 for an initial one-year term with up to four optional one-year extensions subject to DCSD Board approval and continued funding.

There are no identified set-asides or restrictions limiting the types of organizations that can respond to this solicitation. Mandatory insurance requirements include workers' compensation insurance at statutory limits, commercial general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate, automobile liability, professional liability of $2,000,000 per claim/$2,000,000 aggregate, and commercial umbrella/excess liability of $2,000,000 per occurrence/aggregate; additionally, background checks at $45 per individual are required for all personnel with student contact. All contractors must comply with the Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act of 2011 and complete required immigration and E-Verify affidavits. DCSD reserves the right to make multiple awards, accept portions of bids from multiple bidders, and award based on the lowest responsive and responsible bid meeting all specifications and requirements. The contract price must remain firm for the entire initial term with annual renewal rate increases permitted for years 2 through 4, and only one price change is allowed during any 12-month period. No specific budget range or award value is disclosed in the solicitation; however, maximum work authorization per project is capped at $99,999.99, and DCSD is not required to guarantee a minimum amount of work or orders, with all costs for labor, materials, tools, equipment, supplies, transportation, insurance, travel, administrative costs, and overhead included in bid pricing with no add-on charges permitted.