On-call tree removal - holly hill

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) has issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) Exempt Solicitation for on-call tree removal services in multiple rural South Carolina municipalities including Holly Hill, Santee, Bowman, Vance, Elloree, and Eutawville. The procurement specifically seeks contractors to perform tree removal services within or near right-of-way limits on SCDOT-maintained roads, with three primary service categories: cutting and leaving, cutting and removing, and cutting, removing, and stump grinding. The solicitation encompasses 15 line items categorized by tree diameter sizes ranging from 6" to over 30", with an estimated total of 485 trees to be addressed. The contract term is set to begin August 31, 2021, and extend through August 28, 2026, with potential automatic one-year renewals. Key submission deadlines include August 6, 2021, at 12:00 PM for questions, and August 17, 2021, at 2:30 PM for bid submissions, with award notification scheduled for August 24, 2021. Contractors must provide all necessary equipment, labor, materials, transportation, mobilization, fuel, licenses, bonding, and work zone traffic control, with emergency callouts potentially requiring mobilization within two calendar days.

No specific set-aside designations or preferences are mentioned for this solicitation. Contractors must register as South Carolina vendors and provide comprehensive insurance coverage, including $1,000,000 per occurrence for general liability, $1,000,000 per accident for auto liability, and workers' compensation insurance as required by state law. The estimated contract value is not explicitly stated, though potential costs will depend on submitted unit prices for the 485 estimated trees. Penalties for non-compliance are significant, including $500 per offense for inclement weather delays, $500 per business day for activity start date delays, $750 per business day for work progression failures, and $750 per offense for work zone traffic control violations. Contractors will be paid upon completion of accepted work as invoiced, with the potential for deductions based on performance and compliance issues. The solicitation requires contractors to obtain all necessary federal, state, and local permits before commencing work, and provide certificates of insurance prior to beginning services.