Tree Trimming and Removal Services

The Town of Berlin, Connecticut is issuing an Invitation to Bid for tree trimming and removal services through a two-year contract period commencing May 2026 through May 2028, with options for up to two additional two-year extensions. Qualified bidders must be licensed arborists in the State of Connecticut and provide personnel and equipment to support the Town's tree maintenance program. The standard municipal package includes a three-person crew, bucket truck with a 75-foot minimum aerial lift, heavy-duty wood chipper with 18-inch processing capacity, and mini excavator with grapple; optional equipment includes cranes, climber crews, skid steers, spider lifts, stump grinders, and log trucks. Work will be assigned by the Berlin Highway Superintendent/Tree Warden and performed jointly with Berlin Highway Department personnel, with contractors required to commence routine tree work within 48 hours of notice and provide emergency/after-hours response with a four-hour minimum per call-out. Pricing must be submitted on an hourly rate basis for each line item, with separate rates for routine services and emergency/after-hours services, and the Town is exempt from federal excise taxes and Connecticut sales and use taxes. Evaluation criteria include bidder experience with similar projects in Connecticut municipalities, responsiveness to ITB requirements, reference checks, and competitiveness of fees. Questions must be submitted by April 17, 2026, at 4:30 p.m., with proposals due electronically by April 23, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., and bids will be publicly opened on the e-Procurement Portal with proposals remaining valid for 60 days after opening.

The procurement documents do not indicate any set-aside designations or restrictions limiting bidder eligibility to specific enterprise categories or disadvantaged business classifications. Bidders must provide three professional references, certificates of insurance naming the Town as an additional insured, and a completed W-9 form, with required insurance including worker's compensation, comprehensive general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence, professional liability of $1,000,000, umbrella liability of $1,000,000, and comprehensive automobile liability of $1,000,000. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the procurement documents, and no specific budget range or award value is listed in the available information. The Town reserves the right to negotiate with bidders, reject all bids, or award to multiple bidders for individual items based on which proposal best serves the Town's interests.