Mulch, blown, furnish and install, term contract

Palm Beach County Purchasing Department issued Invitation for Bid (IFB) #20-061/KP for the furnishing and installation of blown mulch at various County locations under a term contract mechanism. The procurement encompasses five mulch types: Florida Natural Shredded Mulch (18,580 cubic yards estimated annually), Red Mulched Wood Chips (4,600 cubic yards), Gold Mulched Wood Chips (3,300 cubic yards), Non-Dyed Mulched Wood Chips (7,380 cubic yards), and Engineered Playground Mulch (5,700 cubic yards), with separate lots available for Countywide coverage (Lot #1) and Glades Area Only service (Lot #2). The bidding deadline was May 28, 2020, at 4:00 p.m., and the County reserves the right to award on a lot-by-lot basis to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder. All mulch deliverables must meet EPA Level 503 Environmental Protection Agency Standards, with installation required between 7:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for Parks and Recreation locations), and successful bidders must provide 48-hour advance notice and on-site supervision during all work. Pricing must be submitted as firm, fixed unit prices per cubic yard with no escalation clauses permitted, remaining firm for 90 days from bid submission and throughout the initial twelve-month term and any of the four available renewal periods. Required qualifications include maintaining Commercial General Liability Insurance of $500,000 per occurrence, Business Auto Liability of $500,000, and appropriate Workers' Compensation coverage, along with obtaining necessary local business licenses, certifications, and passing Criminal History Records Checks and background verification requirements for employees accessing secured County facilities.

The solicitation provides a local preference provision offering a 5% preference to bidders maintaining permanent places of business in Palm Beach County or the Glades Area, though no Affirmative Procurement Initiative requirements apply to this contract. While S/M/WBE (Small, Minority, and Women Business Enterprise) participation is encouraged and tracked through Schedules 1-4, no specific set-aside designations restrict bidder eligibility. No incumbent vendors or current contractors were identified in the available documentation, and no existing infrastructure or technology integration requirements are indicated. The procurement structure allows for an initial twelve-month contract term with options to renew for four additional twelve-month periods, providing potential contract value over five years, though specific budget ranges or estimated award values were not disclosed in the solicitation materials.