Palm Pruning Services

The City of Tempe, Arizona, is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for palm pruning and maintenance services to establish a two-year term contract with optional extensions. The procuring jurisdiction is the City of Tempe (located within Maricopa County), seeking a qualified contractor to provide scheduled and as-needed maintenance of approximately 1,709 palms located throughout the City's parks, public rights-of-way, and City-owned properties and facilities. The scope of services includes annual pruning and skinning of various palm species, seed pod and volunteer removal, cleanup, waste disposal, inspections, and recommendations for improvement. All materials, tools, supplies, labor, equipment, and vehicles necessary to perform these services must be furnished by the contractor, with no fuel surcharge or trip charges permitted. Required qualifications include maintaining commercial general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence with $2,000,000 aggregate, worker's compensation coverage, and automobile liability of $1,000,000. Key personnel requirements mandate employment of a supervisor with at least three years of palm maintenance experience and ISA Certified Arborist credentials, ISA Certified Tree Workers, a State of Arizona Structural Pest Control Qualifying Party licensee, and a Certified Applicator for turf and ornamental pest control. Evaluation criteria are weighted as follows: pricing (30 percent), firm qualifications and references (25 percent), key personnel experience and certifications (20 percent), methodology and quality control plan (15 percent), proposal completeness and terms acceptance (5 percent), and Heat Safety Plan (5 percent). The proposal submission deadline is May 18, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. Arizona local time, with inquiries due by May 8, 2026, and all submissions required electronically through the City's Bonfire procurement portal.

No specific set-aside designations or restrictions on organization types are detailed in the procurement documents provided. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the available materials. The contract is structured as an indefinite-quantity term agreement with an initial two-year term, with the City retaining the option to unilaterally extend for up to 90 days and to renew for up to three additional one-year increments at its discretion. Pricing must be submitted on an itemized basis for various palm species and services, including unit prices for annual pruning, skinning, volunteer removal, palm removal at various heights, stump removal at various diameters, inspections, treatments, planting, and hourly labor rates for supervisory and labor positions, plus equipment rental rates. Justifiable price adjustments are allowed after 12 months of performance, subject to City approval. All proposals must include a comprehensive Heat Safety Plan addressing hydration, rest breaks, shade access, acclimatization, employee monitoring, emergency protocols, training, signage, and written worker notifications in compliance with Tempe City Code Ordinance No. O2025.19. Specific award values or budget ranges are not disclosed in the available procurement documentation.