Tree planting

The City of Tarpon Springs, Florida, located in Pinellas County, is issuing an Invitation to Bid (ITB) for the purchase, delivery, and installation of 34 trees across designated city locations. The procurement requires four specific tree species: ten Live Oak trees, ten Bald Cypress trees, seven Shady Lady Black Olive trees, and seven Silver Buttonwood Standard trees, with approved substitutions permitted if specified species are unavailable, provided they meet Florida Native classification standards. All trees must meet Florida #1 or better standards for either container-grown or balled-and-burlapped specimens, with a minimum height of six feet and a two-inch caliper diameter. Deliverables include tree purchase, delivery, installation, site preparation, staking, mulching, installation watering, and a 90-day replacement guarantee for any trees that die or appear unhealthy, with all work to be completed within 60 days of the Notice to Proceed and by December 31, 2026. Qualified bidders must demonstrate three years of continuous commercial landscape maintenance experience, provide references from work completed within the past five years, maintain current insurance coverage including General Liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence and Automobile Liability of $1,000,000, and hold appropriate licenses and certifications. Bidders must also submit a complete equipment list, qualified personnel information, time estimates in man-hours, and any subcontractor details. The bid submission deadline is 3:00 p.m. on April 22, 2026, with electronic submission required through the Bonfire procurement portal, and the City has established a tentative award recommendation date of May 12, 2026. Installation shall occur during normal business hours Monday through Friday, with planting schedules coordinated with the City upon contract execution, and an optional add-on for extended maintenance watering through day 120 may be bid as an additive alternate item.

No set-aside designations or restrictions limiting responses to specific organization types, such as disadvantaged enterprises, are identified in the solicitation documents. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are listed, as this appears to be a new procurement with no existing contract for this project. The project is partially funded through a $14,800 grant from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, with the City matching these funds through local resources, establishing a total project budget of $29,600. All pricing must be firm for the initial contract term and inclusive of transportation, insurance, and warranty costs. The contract term is one year, with the City reserving the right to extend for additional tree units within twelve months. Evaluation will be based on responsiveness, responsibility, and price, with the City retaining the right to reject any or all bids and waive minor irregularities.