Alameda & Surrounding Neighborhoods Tree Pruning Services

REQUEST FOR SEALED BIDS AND CONTRACT PACKET
ALAMEDA & SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS TREE PRUNING SERVICES
CITY OF SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA
July 20, 2026
Parks and Recreation Department
Landscape Resources Division
2001 Pacific Blvd. San Mateo, CA 94403
Telephone: (650) 522-7420
FAX: (650) 522-7421
REQUEST FOR SEALED BIDS
CITY OF SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA
TREE PRUNING SERVICES

Contents
NOTICE INVITING SEALED BIDS ..................................................................................................................... 1
GENERAL INFORMATION .............................................................................................................................. 2
Selection Process / Criteria ....................................................................................................................... 2
Required Qualifications ............................................................................................................................ 3
GENERAL PROVISIONS .................................................................................................................................. 3
Examination of the Site ............................................................................................................................ 5
San Mateo Business License Guidelines ................................................................................................... 6
Prevailing Wage Compliance Requirements ............................................................................................ 6
EXHIBIT A: SCOPE OF WORK ......................................................................................................................... 8
General Work Specifications ......................................................................................................................... 8
Detailed Work Specifications ........................................................................................................................ 8
Pruning Objectives and Specifications ...................................................................................................... 9
Tool Sanitation ................................................................................................................................... 10
Weekly Work Summary ...................................................................................................................... 10
Safety Specifications........................................................................................................................... 10
List of Trees to Be Pruned ....................................................................................................................... 11
EXHIBIT B: PAYMENT SCHEDULE ................................................................................................................. 71
EXHIBIT C: INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS ..................................................................................................... 72
SUBMITTALS ................................................................................................................................................ 75
SAMPLE AGREEMENT FOR SERVICES (Complete only after bid acceptance) ......................................... 77
BID FORM................................................................................................................................................ 88
BIDDER'S STATEMENT ............................................................................................................................ 89
NONCOLLUSION AFFIDAVIT .................................................................................................................... 92
CERTIFICATE OF NONDISCRIMINATION .................................................................................................. 93
CERTIFICATION OF PAYMENT OF PREVAILING WAGE SCALE ................................................................. 94
CITY OF SAN MATEO, CALIFORNIA
July 20, 2026

NOTICE INVITING SEALED BIDS
Sealed bids will be received by the City of San Mateo, California for ALAMEDA & SURROUNDING
NEIGHBORHOODS TREE PRUNING SERVICES as described in the General Provisions & Special Provisions
entitled ALAMEDA & SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS TREE PRUNING SERVICES, Parks and Recreation
Department, and all addenda thereto.
The entire REQUEST FOR BIDS FOR ALAMEDA & SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS TREE PRUNING
SERVICES and all associated documents necessary for bid submission are available electronically at
www.cityofsanmateo.org/bids.aspx
Any questions regarding the contract documents should be directed to Karoline Woodhouse at (650) 522-
7420.
Any pertinent updates, questions raised by Contractors bidding the project, or addenda to the scope of
work will be posted on the city bid posting page.
Proof of insurance shall also be included with the bids. The successful bidder will have insurance coverage
to City specified limits (see Exhibit C: Insurance Requirements).
All bids are to be accompanied by proof of registration with the Department of Industrial Relations pursuant
to Labor Code 1725.5.
Qualified bidders must have provided at least two (2) years professional tree pruning services for
municipalities. The bidder shall supply three (3) references of prior clients within the last three (3) years,
including at least one current client, with the bid.
The Contractor will not be permitted to subcontract any of the work in this contract without prior written
permission from the City.
The Contractor will enter into the City's Standard Agreement for Services, a sample of which is included with
this "Notice Inviting Sealed Bids." Any requested changes to the contract must be included with Bidder's bid
and the City, in its sole discretion, will determine whether or not to agree to these changes prior to bids award.
Any changes not agreed to by the City will render the bids non-responsive.
The right is reserved, as the interest of the City may require, to reject any or all bids, to waive any formality in
bids, and to accept, modify, or reject any items of the bid.
Each bidder shall submit one (1) hard copy of the Bid package. Said Bids shall be delivered to the San
Mateo City Clerk, c/o Tim Heartquist, 330 W. 20th Avenue, San Mateo, California 94403, no later than
2:00 pm, July 31, 2026.
Bids shall be opened and read by a City representative and said City representative shall report the results
of the bids to the Director of Parks and Recreation, at which time the Director may award the contract to
the bidder whose demonstrated experience, competency, and pricing represent the best value for the City;
or as the City's interest may dictate, the Director may exercise their right to modify the award or reject any
or all bids.
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GENERAL INFORMATION
The City of San Mateo is soliciting Bids from qualified bidders for tree pruning services. All work is to be
performed and satisfactorily completed by December 1, 2026. The primary purpose of the desired
maintenance contract is to complete the pruning of the designated trees that have been identified
throughout the City of San Mateo's San Mateo Village, Lauriedale, and Northwest Hillsdale
neighborhoods and the Alameda corridor.
It is the intent of the City to award a contract, in a form approved by the City Attorney, to the selected
firm. The City reserves the right to further negotiate the terms and conditions of the contract. The City
shall preserve the right to reject any bid for noncompliance with contract requirements and provisions,
or to not award a contract because of unforeseen circumstances or if it is determined to be in the best
interest of the City. This project will be awarded based on bidders' demonstrated ability and
performance providing similar services at a fair and reasonable cost. This contract may not be awarded
to the lowest bidder.
The selected firm will work closely with the Managing Arborist and/or other City staff to ensure the
most appropriate care and maintenance of the City's urban forest with sensitivity to the City of San
Mateo, its residents and visitors.
The Contractor shall perform tree pruning in accordance with the scope of work described herein and all
applicable American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)
best management practices (BMP).
Selection Process / Criteria
The City will evaluate and rank Bids based on various selection criteria. The contract is awarded to the
lowest responsive and responsible bidder. Any Bid may be rejected if it is conditional, incomplete or
contains irregularities. Minor or immaterial irregularities in a Bid may be waived. Waiver of an
irregularity shall in no way modify the Request for Bids nor affect recommendation for award of the
Contract. Information contained in the Bid should provide information for the City to evaluate the
company on the following criteria, listed in relative order of importance, including:
* Ability of the Contractor to provide innovative approaches and techniques in the delivery of
services and partnering with the City to reach high quality outcomes.
* Demonstration of exceptional ability to provide a high level of quality service standards under
similar conditions to institutions, private or public, of similar size and area requirements.
* Quality and performance assessments of work quality and working relationships with current
and recent clients that indicate high levels of satisfaction and effectiveness.
* Proven competencies in the effective and efficient use of natural resources, and implementation
of best management practices.
* Policies that provide highly trained, competent staff at every level of the organization.
* Demonstration of a high level of stability and long term, high quality performance of the
Contractor.
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* Well organized communication systems and electronic reporting capabilities that demonstrate
an ability to complete tasks efficiently and effectively, and not require constant supervision by
the City.
In evaluation of Bids, the City will adhere to the current City of San Mateo Municipal Code Section
3.60.040 "Award Procedures" for the award of contracts. Each bid will be evaluated based on firm
qualifications and the required submittals.
Required Qualifications
Award will be made to the firm who best meets the City's requirements and who offers the most
advantageous combination of low price and high qualifications for all the criteria described in this
document.
All firms submitting bids must hold a valid State of California C-27 or C-61/D49 Contractor's License. The
license must be in good standing for the previous five (5) consecutive years without any official
unresolved record of complaints registered or filed with the Board of California Department of
Consumer Affairs. The Contractor shall also have OSHA certification of aerial equipment to be used
throughout the term of this project. Both of these provisions shall be provided with the submission of
bids.
A cover letter shall be submitted describing all persons that will be performing the work outlined in the
contract. Personnel must be qualified and trained in the tree maintenance industry. This will include
staffing a manager who shall be an ISA Certified Arborist and fluent in the English language. At all times
during contracted tree maintenance activities, the firm shall have work crews on site that are
represented by an English-speaking supervisor who can receive and carry out instructions given by
proper authorities.
The Contractor shall be held liable for the faithful observance of any lawful instructions of the City, not
in conflict with the contract, which may be delivered to said party or his representatives on the work.
Contractor should have had at least two (2) similar and separate California municipal tree
maintenance contracts which have been successfully completed within the last four (4) years. Each
past project shall be comparable to the City's desired contract in size and scope. Descriptions of these
projects and contact persons must be provided with bid submissions.
Contractor should have a Quality Control Plan with an effective and efficient means of identifying and
correcting problems throughout the entire scope of operations. The successful Contractor shall be
required to comply with this Quality Control Plan throughout the term of the contract. Contractors shall
have a current Safety Manual that meets SB 198 requirements for injury and illness prevention.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
a) Alterations: The City reserves the right to increase by up to 25% the quantity of any item or portion of
the work of same complexity if deemed necessary or advisable by the Managing Arborist or Tree
Maintenance Specialist. The City also reserves the right to decrease the quantity of work based on
available funds.
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b) Control of the Work: The City of San Mateo Managing Arborist or Tree Maintenance Specialist shall
decide any and all questions which may arise as to the quality or acceptability of work performed and
as to the manner of performance and rate of progress of the work; all questions which arise as to the
interpretation of the plans and specifications; all questions as to the acceptable fulfillment of the
contract on the part of the Contractor.
c) Conformity with Specifications and Allowable Deviation: Deviations from these specifications, as
may be required by unforeseen events or exigencies, will be mutually determined in all cases by the
Managing Arborist or Tree Maintenance Specialist and the Contractor.
d) Temporary Suspension: The Managing Arborist or Tree Maintenance Specialist may suspend the
work wholly or in part, for such a period as may be deemed necessary, due to unsuitable weather, or
to such other conditions as are considered unfavorable for the suitable prosecution of the work.
e) Coordination of Work: The Contractor shall be responsible for coordinating all tree care work activity
with the Managing Arborist or Tree Maintenance Specialist. The Contractor shall establish a uniform
time schedule for performance of routine tree work, which shall be in conformance with general
contract work hours or special tree care work requirements. Each morning, before starting work, the
Contractor's supervisor shall notify the Managing Arborist or Tree Maintenance Specialist whether
pruning crews will be working on that day and their location.
f) Traffic and Access: The Contractor shall be responsible, during all phases of work, to provide for
public safety and convenience. Operations shall be conducted in such a manner as to cause as little
inconvenience as possible to abutting property owners. Convenient access to driveways, houses, and
buildings along line of work shall be maintained. When necessary, the Contractor is responsible for
supplying and affixing all safety and traffic control signs and devices (i.e. safety cones). If needed, the
Contractor shall be responsible to arrange with the public utilities for any power shutdowns or
marking of utility lines.
g) Inspection: Each area of work will be inspected daily or as necessary. In the event the inspection
report notes failure to satisfactorily maintain an area to the agreed upon specifications, the
Contractor shall immediately rework the area as directed by the Managing Arborist or Tree
Maintenance Specialist.
h) Correction of Unsatisfactory Work and Unauthorized Work: All unsatisfactory work shall be
remedied in a manner acceptable to the Managing Arborist or Tree Maintenance Specialist. No
compensation will be allowed for such correction.
i) Any work done beyond the limits shown by the work specifications or established by the City, or any
extra work done without written authority, will be considered as unauthorized and will not be paid.
Upon failure on the part of the Contractor to comply forthwith with any order of the City made under
the provisions of this article, the City shall have the authority to cause unsatisfactory work to be
remedied and to deduct the costs thereof from any monies due or to become due the Contractor.
j) Suspension of Contract: If at any time, in the opinion of the Managing Arborist or Tree Maintenance
Specialist, the Contractor has failed to supply adequate working force, adequate equipment, or has
failed in any respect to prosecute work with the diligence and force specified and intended in and by
the terms of the contract, notice thereof in writing will be served upon Contractor. Should Contractor
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neglect or refuse to provide means for a satisfactory compliance with the contract as directed by the
City, within the time specified in such notice, the City in any case shall have the power to suspend the
operation of the Contractor.
k) Registration of Contractors: Before submitting bids, Contractors shall be licensed in accordance with
City of San Mateo and State of California Contractor Board requirements. The Contractor is also
required to keep fully informed of all existing state and national laws and all municipal ordinances
and regulations of the City of San Mateo which in any manner affect those engaged or employed in
work and of all orders and decrees of bodies or tribunals with jurisdiction or authority.
l) Subcontractors: The use of subcontractors for performance of any portion of this contract associated
with tree work is prohibited.
m) Permits and Licenses: The Contractor shall procure all permits and licenses, pay all charges and fees
and give all notices necessary and incidental to the due and lawful prosecution of the work.
n) Progress Payments, Monthly Billing: Contractor shall submit in duplicate invoice for payment on a
monthly basis to the following:
City of San Mateo
Parks Division
Attn: Managing Arborist
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo, CA 94403
The invoice shall indicate the type of tree care work completed, and the quantity, species of trees,
location and dates work was accomplished. Only inspected and approved work will be paid. Bills so
submitted shall be paid by the Parks and Recreation Department.
o) Completion of Work and Liquidated Damages: The Contractor shall complete all work called for
under the contract in all parts and requirements by December 1, 2026 unless agreed to otherwise
by the City. If the Contractor fails to complete all work contracted to be done and performed
within the time frame set forth in this contract, he shall become liable to the City for liquidated
damages in the sum of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) for each and every day during which said
work shall remain uncompleted beyond such time for completion or lawful extension thereof,
which sum shall be presumed to be the amount of damage thereby sustained by City since it
would be impracticable or extremely difficult to fix the actual damage; and the amount of
liquidated damages may be deducted by City from monies due Contractor hereunder or his
assigns and successors at the time of completion, and said Contractor hereunder, or his assigns
and successors at the time of completion shall be liable to City for any excess.
Examination of the Site
The bidder shall carefully examine the City's tree population and the bid and contract forms therefore.
The submission of a bid shall be conclusive evidence that the bidder has investigated and is satisfied as
to the conditions to be encountered, as to the character, quality and scope of work to be performed,
the quantity of materials to be furnished and as to the requirements of the bid, plans, specifications and
contracts. All bidders will submit their bids with this knowledge.
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The bidder represents that he or she is fully qualified to perform this examination and review.
If the bidder determines that any portion of the site or the plans and specifications present any
interpretation problems of any kind, the bidder shall note such a determination upon this form. Failure
to note any such determination shall be conclusive evidence of acceptance by the of the sufficiency of
the plans and specifications.
San Mateo Business License Guidelines
A business license shall be obtained as required by the San Mateo Municipal Code, Chapter 5, Section
5.06.010, the amount of which is based on the gross receipts received from doing business in the City of
San Mateo.
Prevailing Wage Compliance Requirements
The minimum compensation to be paid for labor upon all work performed under this contract shall be
the general prevailing wage scale established by the Director of Industrial Relations of the State of
California in force the day this bid opening was announced. It is understood that it is the responsibility
of the bidder to determine the correct scale. No Contractor or subcontractor may be awarded a
contract for public work on a public works project unless registered with the Department of Industrial
Relations pursuant to Labor Code Section 1725.5. This project is subject to compliance monitoring and
enforcement by the Department of Industrial Relations. All bids are to be accompanied by proof of
registration with the Department of Industrial Relations pursuant to Labor Code 1725.5.
A contractor or subcontractor shall not be qualified to bid on, be listed in a bid proposal, subject to the
requirements of Section 4104 of the Public Contract Code, or engage in the performance of any
contract for public work, as defined in this chapter, unless currently registered and qualified to
perform public work pursuant to Section 1725.5. It is not a violation of this section for an
unregistered contractor to submit a bid that is authorized by Section 7029.1 of the Business and
Professions Code or by Section 10164 or 20183.5 of the Public Contract Code, provided the
contractor is registered to perform public work pursuant to Section 1725.5 at the time the contract
is awarded.
No contractor or subcontractor may be listed on a bid proposal for a public works project (submitted on
or after March 1, 2015) unless registered with the Department of Industrial Relations pursuant to
Labor Code section 1725.5 [with limited exceptions from this requirement for bid purposes only under
Labor Code section 1771.1(a)].
No contractor or subcontractor may be awarded a contract for public work on a public works project
(awarded on or after April 1, 2015) unless registered with the Department of Industrial Relations
pursuant to Labor Code section 1725.5.
This project is subject to compliance monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Industrial
Relations.
As an additional requirement, Assembly Bill 219 adds Section 1720.9 to the Labor Code. This bill expands
the definition of public works under the California Prevailing Wage Law and is a requirement for this
project. For reference, please see: https://www.dir.ca.gov/
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Per Labor Code Section 20103.5, a contractor can register at any time prior to bid award and no
contractor or subcontractor may be awarded a contract for public work on a public works project
unless registered with the Department of Industrial Relations pursuant to Labor Code Section
1725.15.
In general, the prevailing wage scale, as determined by the Director of Industrial Relations of the State
of California, in force on the day this bid was announced or determined by the administrator of the
Wage and Hour Division, U.S. Department of Labor, in force on the day bids are opened, whichever
is higher, will be the minimum paid to all craftsmen and laborers working on this project. In some
cases, prevailing wage determinations have either a single asterisk (*) or double asterisks (**) after
the expiration date in effect on the date of advertisement for bids.
In cases where the prevailing wage determinations have a single asterisk (*) after the expiration date
which are in effect on the date of advertisement for bids, such determinations remain in effect for
the life of the project. Prevailing wage determinations which have double asterisks (**) after the
expiration date indicate that the basic hourly wage rate, overtime, and holiday pay rates, and
employer payments to be paid for work performed after this date have been predetermined. If work
is extended past this date, the new rate must be paid and should be incorporated in contracts the
Contractor enters into.
Pursuant to Section 1773 of the Labor Code, the general prevailing wage rates in the county, or counties,
in which the work is to be done have been determined by the Director of the California Department
of Industrial Relations. The wages as set forth in the General Prevailing Wage Rates for this project
will be posted at the job site. It is understood that it is the responsibility of the bidder to determine
the correct scale. The City will keep a copy of the wage scale in the City Clerk's office for the
convenience of bidders. The State Prevailing Wage Rates may also be obtained from the California
Department of Industrial Relations internet website at http://www.dir.ca.gov. Any errors or defects
in the materials in the City Clerk's office will not excuse a bidder's failure to comply with actual scale
then in force.
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EXHIBIT A: SCOPE OF WORK
General Work Specifications
a) Schedule of Operations: Work shall be conducted on Monday through Friday with no work on any
holiday recognized by the City. It is the City's intent that residents with questions or concerns will
be able to contact city staff when contract tree work is in progress. Daily tree pruning operations
shall commence no earlier than 7:00 A.M. and shall be completed each day no later than 5:00 P.M.
See attachments for site specific details.
Each morning before starting work the Contractor's Supervisor shall notify the Managing Arborist or
Tree Maintenance Specialist whether the pruning crew will be working on that day and their location.
b) Notification of Public: Contractor shall notify all residents or associations fronting street right-of-way
one (1) week prior to any scheduled tree care if tree pruning activities will interfere will normal
activities or be an inconvenience to the resident. Residents will be given a realistic time frame when
the work will occur. Contractor shall provide and post "No Parking" signs twenty-four (24) hours in
advance of any work.
c) Objection After Notification. If objection to pruning occurs while work is in progress by the property
owner or resident, Contractor shall immediately stop work on the tree or trees in question and
immediately notify the Managing Arborist or Tree Maintenance Specialist. Work shall not resume at
that particular location until the Managing Arborist or Tree Maintenance Specialist settles the
complaint. Because citizens occasionally complain, Contractor shall assume and plan for this and
report it to the Managing Arborist or Tree Maintenance Specialist and be prepared to move on to
the next scheduled tree work.
d) Public Relations. Contractor shall endeavor to maintain good public relations at all times. The
work shall be conducted in a manner which will cause the least possible interference and
annoyance to the public. Work shall be performed by competent employees and supervised by an
experienced, english-speaking supervisor in tree maintenance operations. The Contractor shall be
responsible for advance notification to the residents at each work location of the intended tree
operations. The Contractor shall be responsible to see that private property and vehicles at work
locations are not endangered or damaged during the course of work.
Detailed Work Specifications
The Contractor shall furnish all labor, equipment, materials, tools and supervision to perform tree
maintenance as described here and in the tree list including, but not limited to, the following:
(a) Visually inspect each tree prior to climbing or pruning.
(b) Immediately notify City staff of any imminent hazards or extreme risk tree situations that
cannot be mitigated by pruning.
(c) Prune street trees in accordance with ANSI A300 Tree Management Standards - Part 1
Pruning, ISA Best Management Practices, and all specifications in the "Pruning
Specifications" section of this document
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