Landscaping Maintenance, Sprinkler Maintenance, & Snow Removal Services

HomeFront, a public housing authority located in Billings, Montana, has issued Invitation for Bids (IFB) No. B23004 for comprehensive landscaping maintenance, sprinkler maintenance, and snow removal services across multiple properties in Yellowstone County. The procurement is divided into three distinct service lots: Lot #1 involves ongoing landscaping maintenance for 18 properties with an estimated 30 service sessions per site annually, including spring and fall cleanups, lawn cutting, and weed control; Lot #2 covers sprinkler system start-up and blowout services; and Lot #3 addresses snow removal services for select properties. The agency anticipates awarding an initial one-year contract with options to extend for up to four additional one-year periods, creating a potential total contract duration of five years. A mandatory pre-bid conference is scheduled for November 29, 2023, at 1:30 PM MT, with bid submissions due by December 13, 2023, at 3:00 PM MT. The evaluation will be conducted on a lowest-calculated-cost basis, with the agency retaining the ability to award separate lots to different firms. Contractors must comply with HUD regulations, including maintenance wage rate determinations and equal employment opportunity requirements, and provide comprehensive insurance coverage.

The solicitation encourages participation from small, minority-owned, and women-owned businesses, with specific provisions for prioritizing low-income residents in hiring practices. Contractors are required to review HomeFront's list of residents seeking employment and consider them equally alongside other applicants for open positions. While no specific incumbent vendors are definitively named, previous contractors have included Granite Landscape, Lux Lawnscape, and Meadow Green Lawn Service of Billings. The contract has a guaranteed minimum of $2,000 and a not-to-exceed maximum of $200,000 per year, covering maintenance services for 216 public housing units, 129 Project-based Section 8 units, and 110 HAB Development units across eight public housing sites, two Project-based Section 8 sites, and six HAB Development sites. Potential rate escalations may be considered annually based on Montana prevailing wage rates, with the agency retaining the right to approve or reject such increases. Bidders must complete extensive documentation, including a Profile of Firm Form, which requires detailed information about company structure, ownership, management, and certification status, with opportunities to specify diversity ownership details and business classifications.