Seasonal Landscaping

The Town of Berlin, Connecticut Public Grounds Department is soliciting proposals through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process for seasonal landscaping and lawn cutting maintenance services. The procurement encompasses comprehensive grounds maintenance for ten cemeteries (including Beckley, Christian Lane, Dennison, Dunham, Hall, Ledge, Maple, Old, and Wilcox Cemeteries), sixteen cul-de-sacs, five roadside strips, and the South Kensington Fire Department property on Chamberlin Highway. The selected contractor must provide spring cleanup by March 30, bi-weekly mowing services from April 1 through November 30 with cuts spaced 12-15 days apart, and fall cleanup by November 30, including leaf removal, trimming, edging, and general debris removal. The contract term is three years with anticipated renewal options thereafter, with an anticipated commencement date of early 2026. The contractor must submit bi-weekly electronic progress reports to the Superintendent of Parks and Grounds by the 15th and 30th of each month and supply all equipment, fuel, tools, and transportation. Qualified vendors must demonstrate three years of relevant experience in Connecticut performing similar municipal services, hold proper state licensing, and provide documented evidence of business continuity plans and compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations. Required qualifications include comprehensive general liability insurance ($1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate), automobile liability insurance ($1,000,000 per occurrence), excess liability insurance ($1,000,000), and workers' compensation insurance at statutory limits, with the Town named as an additional insured. Evaluation criteria include proposer background and experience with similarly-sized Connecticut municipalities, responsiveness to RFP requirements, reference verification (three required with contact information), and competitive pricing, though price is not the sole award criterion. Key deadlines include a non-mandatory pre-proposal meeting on December 10, 2025 at 10:30 AM at 15 Town Farm Lane; a question submission deadline of December 12, 2025 at 1:00 PM; and a proposal submission deadline of December 19, 2025 at 10:00 AM via the Town's OpenGov Procurement Portal. Proposals must be submitted electronically with pricing tables providing total three-year costs both including and excluding alternate properties, annual totals for both scenarios, and per-cut pricing for additional cemetery mowings.

No set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises or restrictions on organizational types are specified in the procurement documents. Prior bid results from December 2022 indicate that five contractors competed for the previous three-year contract, with bid proposals ranging from $36,675.00 to $125,454.00 (excluding alternatives) and $37,125.45 to $148,188.00 (including alternatives). A-Z Services LLC submitted the lowest prior bid at $37,125.45 for three years, while Central CT Services, LLC bid $44,251.50; Cutting Edge Landscaping and Snow Removal Inc. bid $52,200.00; Diamond Landscapes and Athletic Field bid $58,500.00; and Beebe Landscape Services, Inc. bid $148,188.00. No incumbent contractor is specified in the current RFP documents, and there are no existing technology systems or infrastructure requiring integration beyond the requirement to submit reports through the Town's OpenGov Procurement Portal and via electronic correspondence. The Town is exempt from federal excise taxes and Connecticut sales and use taxes, which must not be included in pricing proposals. The Town reserves the right to reject all proposals, accept partial proposals, make no award if deemed in its best interest, terminate the contract at any time, or negotiate fees with the selected proposer.