On-Call Small Landscaping Services

The Town of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, is soliciting sealed proposals for On-Call Small Landscaping Services through RFP 2026-03, an indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with no guaranteed minimum or maximum work amounts. Services to be provided include routine landscape and grounds maintenance such as lawn mowing, trimming, edging, debris removal, turf care, plant and shrub maintenance, tree pruning, weed control, irrigation system support, and seasonal/specialty services including leaf removal, mulching, power washing, and snow/ice removal, with emergency response capabilities required for storm debris clearing and hazard removal. All work must comply with the Town's Integrated Pest Management (IPM) policy, which mandates an organic-first approach with strict restrictions on pesticide use, including prohibition of glyphosate and carcinogenic substances, with all chemical applications requiring direct supervision by a South Carolina Certified Pesticide Applicator. Contractors must complete a standardized Pricing Sheet (Exhibit J) establishing labor rates for six positions (superintendent, foreman, equipment operator, truck driver, skilled labor, general labor) with standard and emergency rate categories, equipment rates for six machinery types, and material pricing for mulch, pine straw, topsoil, fertilizer, and chemicals, along with minimum lump-sum charges for standard and emergency on-call requests. Evaluation criteria allocates 40% to pricing, 30% to qualifications of key personnel and resources, 20% to references and experience, and 10% to designated representative qualifications and availability. Sealed electronic proposals are due by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on February 26, 2026, with public opening via virtual conference at 9:30 AM Eastern Time on February 27, 2026; the deadline for submittal questions is 5:00 PM Eastern Time on February 18, 2026. The initial contract term is one year with four optional one-year renewal terms, and all project work will be authorized through executed Job Orders mutually agreed upon by the Town and Contractor, with contractors required to commence work within ten calendar days of Job Order execution unless otherwise specified.

The Town provides a five percent price reduction for certified local vendors (up to a maximum of $10,000 for evaluation purposes only) and grants contract award preference to certified disadvantaged businesses in tied bid situations, with contractors not performing 100 percent of work in-house required to demonstrate good faith efforts in recruiting and utilizing Small Business Enterprises (SBEs) and Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) through pre-award and post-award compliance documentation. The primary contractor must perform the majority of work, with subcontractors permitted to perform no more than 50 percent of the total annual work contracted dollar amount, and all subcontractors must receive prior written Town approval and maintain Town business licenses with required insurance and licenses. Contractors must provide performance and payment bonds, each equal to 100 percent of the Job Order price, for projects exceeding $100,000, and maintain general liability insurance of one million dollars with the Town named as an additional insured. All contractors and subcontractors must comply with the South Carolina Illegal Immigration Reform Act through E-Verify employment authorization verification and execute the required affidavit prior to contract award. The RFP does not identify an incumbent vendor, and no specific budget range or award value is specified, as individual Job Order costs will be negotiated based on unit prices established in the Pricing Sheet and the scope of work required for each project. The contract is structured to provide the Town flexibility in managing landscaping services on an as-needed basis while maintaining cost controls and competitive pricing mechanisms through established rates, and the Town reserves the right to award multiple contracts and accept or reject any or all proposals.