On call tree removal holly hill

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) has issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for on-call tree removal services in multiple rural South Carolina municipalities including Holly Hill, Santee, Bowman, Vance, Elloree, and Eutawville. The procurement encompasses comprehensive tree removal services across 15 line items, with estimated quantities of 465 trees ranging from 6 inches to over 30 inches in diameter. Specific service types include cutting and leaving trees, cutting and removing trees, and cutting, removing, and stump grinding operations as directed by the Resident Maintenance Engineer. Contractors must provide all necessary labor, equipment, materials, mobilization, bonding, traffic control, debris disposal, and permits, with pricing structured as unit prices per tree per size category. Key performance requirements include maintaining worker safety in compliance with OSHA standards, handling third-party damage claims, and maintaining operational equipment. The solicitation deadline is February 23, 2022, at 2:30 PM, with questions due by February 16, 2022, at 12:00 PM. The contract is scheduled to start March 1, 2022, and run through February 28, 2027, with an initial one-year term and automatic annual renewals.

The procurement is open to vendors registered in the State Vendor Registration system and compliant with South Carolina procurement regulations. While no specific set-aside designations were mentioned, contractors must complete a mandatory conflict-of-interest certification prohibiting SCDOT Commission members from having direct or indirect interests in the proposal or resulting contract. Non-compliance with contract terms can result in penalties ranging from $500 to $750 per offense for issues such as work schedule violations, suspension, negligent operations, or traffic control infractions. The contract will be awarded to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder, subject to approval by the South Carolina Transportation Secretary. Contractors and their affiliated entities, including sub-consultants, subcontractors, vendors, suppliers, employees, and agents, must adhere to strict certification requirements. While specific budget ranges were not explicitly detailed, the comprehensive nature of the tree removal services across multiple municipalities suggests a potentially significant contract value. The solicitation is exempt under South Carolina Code Section 11-35-710(1), providing additional flexibility in the procurement process.