RFP SCHOOL GROUNDS MAINTENANCE

RFP: 218-18-26
TITLE: SCHOOL GROUNDS MAINTENANCE
USING AGENCY: NHCS MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT
ISSUE DATE: APRIL 6, 2026
ISSUING AGENCY: New Hanover County Schools
Brad Lackey
Purchasing Officer
2814 Carolina Beach Road
Wilmington North Carolina 28412
Sealed Proposals subject to the conditions made part hereof will be received until 2:00 p.m. on April 24,
2026, for furnishing services described herein.
SEND ALL PROPOSALS DIRECTLY TO THE ISSUING AGENCY ADDRESS SHOWN ABOVE.
COST PROPOSALS SHALL BE SUBMITTED IN A SEPARATE SEALED ENVELOPE. SUBMIT TWO
SEALED ENVELOPES. ONE ENVELOPE CONTAINING TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS AND ONE
SEALED ENVELOPE CONTAINING COST PROPOSALS.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Indicate firm name, "Technical Proposal" or "Cost Proposal", and RFP number
#218-18-26 on the front of each sealed proposal envelope or package. Submit (5) copies and (1) original
of the Technical Proposal and (1) original Cost Proposal. Technical Proposals and Cost Proposals must
be submitted in separate envelopes.
Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to: New Hanover County Schools
Brad Lackey
Purchasing Officer
2814 Carolina Beach Road
Wilmington, North Carolina 28412
All questions shall be submitted in writing and e-mailed to brad.lackey@nhcs.net. Questions must be
received by 1:00 p.m., April 15th, 2026.
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RFP #218-18-18 School Grounds Maintenance

INTRODUCTION
New Hanover County Schools is soliciting proposals from firms to provide School Grounds Maintenance
in New Hanover County Schools during the 2026-2027 school year (July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027),
with an option to renew an additional three years in one-year increments.
New Hanover County Schools intends to award contracts to entities utilizing a qualification-based
selection process. New Hanover County Schools may, at its discretion, utilize a multi-award method when
selecting a Contractor or Contractors for portions of, or all the services described in this Request for
Proposals.
A non-mandatory site visit day will take place on April 10, 2026. To register, email the New Hanover
County Schools Supplemental Services Supervisor Kevin Jordan at Thomas.Jordan@nhcs.net.
THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS
The following is a general description of the process by which a firm will be selected to provide services.
1. Request for Proposals (RFP) is issued to prospective contractors.
2. Technical Requirement proposals in one original and five copies will be received from each firm in
one sealed envelope. Each original shall be signed and dated by an official authorized to bind the firm.
Cost proposals, original copy, shall be submitted in a separate sealed envelope. Unsigned proposals
may not be considered. NOTE: No technical information shall be contained in the cost proposal. No
cost information shall be contained in the technical proposal. If any cost information is included in the
technical proposal and/or if any technical information is included in the cost proposal, the firm's entire
proposal may be rejected.
3. All proposals are subject to the requirements outlined in the RFP. All responses shall be controlled by
the terms and conditions therein. Responses are subject to rejection if submitted with terms and
conditions that differ from those contained in the New Hanover County Board of Education Contract for
Services. The New Hanover County Board of Education Contract for Services will be executed
Between New Hanover County Schools and the selected Contractor(s) once the contract(s) is
awarded.
3. All proposals must be received by the issuing agency not later than the date and time specified on the
cover sheet of this RFP.
4. Upon completion of the technical evaluation, the cost proposals of those firms who's technical
proposals that have been deemed acceptable will be evaluated.
5. At their option, the evaluators may request oral presentations or discussion with any or all firms for the
purpose of clarification or to amplify the materials presented in any part of the proposal. However,
firms are cautioned that the evaluators are not required to request clarification; therefore, all proposals
should be complete and reflect the most favorable terms available from the firm.
6. Proposals will be evaluated according to completeness, content, and experience with similar projects,
ability of the firm and its staff, and cost. Each submission will be evaluated by a multi-representative
reader panel according to the technical criteria set forth below: New Hanover County Schools will make
an award based on the proposal(s) determined to constitute its best interest and also recognizes the
solicitation may result in an award(s) other than a single-qualified Contractor or as many qualified
Contractors as necessary to fulfill the services needed.
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The Owner encourages environmentally responsible vegetation management and encourages the
use of herbicide products and practices that effectively control vegetation while minimizing
potential impacts to ecosystems, water quality, and human health. Contractors will clearly identify
all proposed herbicide products, including active ingredients, and describe the associated
application methods. In support of reducing reliance on glyphosate-based products, the Owner
encourages Contractors, where practicable, to propose non-glyphosate herbicides or other
environmentally preferable alternatives that achieve the desired management outcomes.
New Hanover County Schools will evaluate proposals using this scoring metric:
TECHNICAL CRITERIA POINTS
SCOPE OF SERVICES 30
SERVICES APPROACH 15
QUALITY OF PERSONNEL 20
BACKGROUND, EXPERIENCE AND CAPACITY 20
REFERENCES 10
ADDITIONAL CAPABILITIES 5
TOTAL 100
7. Firms are cautioned that this is a request for offers, not a request for contracts, and New Hanover
County Schools reserves the right to reject any and all offers when such rejection is deemed to be in
the best interest of New Hanover County Schools.
8. Firms responding to this request for proposal should respond in accordance with the following format,
in the order identified. The proposal should be concise and succinct and not include unnecessary
material. Additional material may be submitted but will not be considered in evaluating the specific
elements of the proposal.
8.1 Firm Overview
The proposal should include firm name, firm address, firm telephone number, firm email address,
principal firm contact person, type of service typically performed by the firm, personnel resources
available by discipline, insurance information and incorporation information.
8.2 Scope of Services
Specify procedures, products and environmental responsibility efforts.
8.3 Services Approach
The proposal should describe the firm's approach to the services offered and the relationship of these
services to the information specified under Introduction, Background, and Scope of Work.
8.4 Quality of Personnel
a. List all key personnel the firm will commit to these services.
b. Resumes may be requested upon award of contract.
8.5 Background, Experience and Capacity
a. Describe the firm's background and experience in providing the services offered.
b. Describe the firm's capacity to provide the services.
c. Describe methods for providing these services.
8.6 References
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a. List at least three (3) references with full name, addresses and phone numbers of past clients
for whom similar services have been provided.
8.6 Additional Capabilities
a. Describe the firm's unique capabilities to provide the services described.
BACKGROUND - Firm must possess the following:
a. Valid - North Carolina Landscaping Contractors License
b. Valid - North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services License L & E
SCOPE OF WORK
See RFP Grounds 52-week 43 Total Cuts (see Scope & Services below)
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
a. 7 Years of Commercial Lawncare Services
b. Multiple Crews for dispatching
c. Backup mowers must be available while main mowers receive maintenance or have downtime.
SPECIFICATIONS FOR SERVICE CONTRACT
1. SCOPE
A. The owner is the New Hanover County Board of Education (referred to as New Hanover
County Schools): Wilmington, NC
B. The Contractor shall provide weekly lawn and ground maintenance services for all locations
listed in section 5 below. Athletic fields identified in white on the Property Site Plans.
C. The Contractor shall coordinate service through the Paint/Grounds Foreman/designee (POC)
and or Director or Supplemental Services Supervisor as representative for the owner.
2. DEFINITIONS
Contractor: The firm(s) awarded the resulting contract.
NHCS Point of Contact (POC): The NHCS Maintenance Operations Division
representative designated in the Notice of Award.
Grounds Maintenance: All tasks required to keep turf, natural areas, landscaped beds, trees,
shrubs and hard surfaces in a clean, safe and neat condition, as specified herein.
Natural areas: Unimproved or non-turn vegetated areas adjacent to roadways, fence lines,
drainage swales, and perimeters as shown on site plans.
Right-of-Way (ROW) Areas: Areas along entrance roads and public access points indicated on
site plans.
Slow Growing Season: December 1st - February 28th unless otherwise directed in writing by
NHCS.
School Day: Core instructional hours for each site (typically 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) unless
otherwise specified by the site administrator.
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Courtyards: An outdoor space completely enclosed by the school's buildings, with only a few
internal doors providing access. Because it's cut off from exterior entrances and often
surrounded by classrooms or hallways, it requires intentional planning for supervision, safety,
and logistics.
3. SERVICES
A. The contractor shall perform all services prior to the start of the school day, after school
is dismissed, on weekends, or when school is not in session. The Contractor shall
perform all Work with its own employees and shall not subcontract any portion
thereof. Subcontracting of the Work is prohibited.
Services shall be coordinated with the facility's Principal/Administrator or designee and staff to provide no
disruption of school facility activities. School calendars are included as Attachment A and are also posted
on the New Hanover County Schools website. Properties to be maintained are included in Attachment B.
The Contractor shall complete and submit via email, a School Grounds Maintenance Report form,
included as Attachment C, to the Director of Maintenance, Supplemental Services Supervisor or Grounds
Foreman (POC) on a bi-weekly (every two weeks) basis. The Contractor shall obtain the form from the
Maintenance Operations Department.
B. The Contractor shall provide services:
52 Consecutive Weeks of Landscaping Services (except for the week of Christmas) with 43 weeks of
mowing. 40 of those mowing weeks take place from March 1st through November 30th with one mow per
month for December, January and February, during the slow growing season, for a total of 43 weeks.
Grounds maintenance service that consists of mowing all existing grass areas including but not limited to
lawns and perimeter areas, removing debris, including vegetative yard waste, paper, plastic, etc., from all
turf and plant beds and all areas, as shown in Attachment B and performing the following:
a. Edging of sidewalks and parking lots, sweeping or blowing off sidewalks
and driveways, controlling weeds and unwanted vegetation in plant beds,
fence lines, sidewalks, playground equipment and mulch, parking areas,
and around heating and air units will take place for 52 consecutive weeks
(except for the week of Christmas). This means the contractor will take
all necessary actions to control weeds. The contractor shall remove
weeds manually, if other methods do not work.
b. The contractor shall submit a schedule annually for routine spot treating
applications of pesticides and/or herbicides. Product Safety Data Sheets
(SDS) shall be provided to the NHCS Supplemental Services Supervisor
or NHCS Grounds Coordinator/designee (POC) for all chemicals used on
the owner's property. Broadcasting of herbicidal chemicals is not
permitted under any circumstances.
1) Applications are allowed when contractor obtains approval in
advance from the New Hanover County Schools Supplemental
Services Supervisor and/or NHCS Grounds
Coordinator/designee (POC).
2) The contractor shall notify the school or site ninety-six (96) hours
prior to any nonscheduled application of pesticides/herbicides in
order to allow the school/site to notify parents, guardians and
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staff seventy-two (72) hours in advance of application in
compliance with the School Children's Health Act (SCHA) of
2006, and NCGS 115C-12(34) and 115C-47(47).
3) New Hanover County Schools will pre-approve all
pesticides/herbicide(s) used to control weeds in plant beds,
sidewalks and parking areas.
4) Contractors will spot treat herbicides after New Hanover County
Schools business hours to allow an extended time of re-entry.
c. Sweeping or blowing off sidewalks, parking areas, and driveways when
debris is caused by equipment.
d. Trimming and maintenance of shrubbery, clearance of tree limbs up to
seven (7) feet, and plant materials on the campus, including behind
fence lines, that are a part of the landscape plan, as New Hanover
County Schools deem appropriate.
e. Monthly (except for the week of Christmas):
* Remove all fallen limbs up to 3' in length and 2" in diameter from school
campuses.
f. Bi-Annually
* Prune all bushes and shrubs once every six (6) months to ensure that all
school building windows remain free of obstruction and have a clear line
of sight, with no encroachment from vegetative growth. Clippings are to
be raked, bagged and removed from the site to ensure a manicured,
clean and neat result.
* For all palm species, dead, brown, palm fronds and leaves shall be
limbed up, and clippings are to be raked, bagged and removed from the
site to ensure a manicured, clean and neat result.
C. Unless otherwise directed by the Director of Maintenance, Supplemental Services
Supervisor or Grounds Foreman (POC), the contractor shall not do any grounds
maintenance at schools during regular school hours.
D. The contractor shall use all precautions while mowing around all facilities. The
contractor's staff must operate all motor-driven equipment with all safety guards in
place. Contractors are required to equip a chute blocker per mower and activate said
chute blocker when mowing around cars, building windows or other sensitive
objects/areas.
E. All contractor employees must wear protective eye and ear equipment when operating
motor-driven equipment. They must comply with all OSHA, state, federal, and county
safety regulations.
F. The contractor's equipment operators shall be 18 years or older. The contractor(s) shall
comply with all applicable New Hanover County Schools policies and procedures, the
conditions of the Jessica Lunsford Act as per N.CG.S. Section 115C-331.1 and perform
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criminal background checks on all employees before performing work on school
property.
G. The contractor shall check in and out at the facility's office upon arrival and departure
when on grounds during school hours.
H. The contractor must wear:
1) The contractor uniform/t-shirt with visible logo, if applicable.
2) All other corresponding personal protection equipment (PPE).
I. The contractor and his employees will observe the owner's no tobacco/vape policy.
4. SITE SPECIFICATIONS
A. Facilities, retention ponds and athletic fields indicated in white on the property
(Attachment B) accounting drawings are maintained by New Hanover County Schools.
Athletic fields maintained by New Hanover County Parks and Gardens Department are
indicated with the word "County" on the drawings. Not all property accounting drawings
are to scale.
5. LOCATIONS
Facility Address
Alderman Elementary 2025 Independence Boulevard
Anderson Elementary 455 Halyburton Memorial Parkway
Ashley High 555 Halyburton Memorial Parkway
Bellamy Elementary 70 Sanders Road
Blair Elementary 6510 Market Street
Bradley Creek Elementary 6211 Greenville Loop Road
Carolina Beach Elementary 400 South Fourth Street
Carolina Beach, NC 28428
Castle Hayne Elementary 3925 Roger Haynes Drive
Castle Hayne, NC 28429
Codington Elementary 4321 Carolina Beach Road
College Park Elementary 5001 Oriole Drive
College Road Early Childhood Ctr 4905 College Road
Eaton Elementary 6701 Gordon Road
Forest Hills Elementary 602 Colonial Drive
Freeman School of Engineering 2601 Princess Place Drive
Gregory International School 1106 Ann Street
Hoggard High 4305 Shipyard Blvd
Holly Shelter Middle 3921 Roger Haynes Drive
Castle Hayne, NC 28429
Holly Tree Elementary 3020 Web Trace
Howe Pre-K Center 1020 Meares Street
Johnson Pre-K Center 1100 McRae Street
Lake Forest Academy 1806 South 15th Street
Laney High 2700 N. College Road
Minnie Evans Arts Center 555 Halyburton Memorial Pkwy
Mosley Performance Learning Ctr 3702 Princess Place Drive
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Murray Middle 655 Halyburton Memorial Pkwy
Murrayville Elementary 225 Mabee Way
Myrtle Grove Middle 901 Piner Road
New Hanover High 1307 Market Street
Noble Middle 6520 Market Street
Ogden Elementary 3637 Middle Sound Loop Road
Masonboro Elementary 3518 Masonboro Loop Road
Pine Valley Elementary 440 John S. Mosby Drive
Porters Neck Elementary 416 Edgewater Club Road
JC Roe Center 2875 Worth Drive
Roland-Grise Middle 4412 Lake Avenue
SEA-Technical High 5301 Sidbury Road
Snipes Academy of Arts & Design 2150 Chestnut Street
Sunset Park Elementary 613 Alabama Avenue
Trask Middle 2900 N. College Road
Williams Elementary 801 Silver Lake Road
Williston Middle 401 South 10th Street
Winter Park Elementary 204 S. MacMillan Avenue
Wrightsboro Elementary 2716 Castle Hayne Road
Wrightsville Beach Elementary 220 Coral Drive
Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
Facility Address
Administration Building 6410 Carolina Beach Road
Athletics Department 424 South 13th Street
Board of Education Center 1805 South 13th Street
Carolina Beach Road Complex 2814 Carolina Beach Road
Dale L Spencer 1802 South 15th Street
Northern Bus Division 4805 Dairy Farm Road
END OF SPECIFICATIONS
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RFP #218-18-18 School Grounds Maintenance

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SERVICE CONTRACT
1. SCOPE
A. The service to be accomplished under these General Requirements for Service Contracts (also
referred to as the work) consists of furnishing all parts, labor, materials, and equipment, and
performing all operations and necessary services according to the Specifications for Service
Contract of the New Hanover County Board of Education (also referred to as New Hanover County
Schools), Wilmington, NC.
2. SERVICE FREQUENCIES & STANDARDS
Task Frequency Standard/Metric Notes
Mowing-turf areas Weekly Uniform cut, edges neat Use chute blocker near cars
and buildings
Edging-sidewalks Weekly All edges defined String-trim as needed
and curbs
Weed control Weekly/As needed No visible weeds > 1" Spot treat or manually
remove
Parking lots Weekly All debris removed Blow or sweep after servicing
sidewalks, blowing
Playgrounds Weekly No visible weeds Spot treat or manually remove
Shrub pruning & Bi-annually Shrubs pruned; 12" Bushes & palms limbed of
tree limbing clearance of windows/ dead palm fronds
structures; limb trees to 7'
Natural area mowing Monthly Uniform height; no ROW's with utility areas,
encroachment on access roads
sidewalks, fence, and
ditch areas
3.COORDINATION/COMMUNICATION
A. The owner is the New Hanover County Board of Education (also referred to as New Hanover County
Schools), Wilmington NC. Service is to be directed and scheduled in collaboration with the Paint &
Grounds Foreman, or Supplemental Services Supervisor of Maintenance Operations/designee (POC)
as representative for the owner.
B. Once awarded, Contractor shall immediately submit an annual schedule of routine herbicide spot
treating applications and must obtain prior approval from NHCS. Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for all
chemicals shall be provided and updated annually. All chemical applications must be performed by
North Carolina licensed applicators. Notification requirements include 96 hours advance notice to
NHCS for non-scheduled applications to facilitate 72-hour notice to parents/guardians and staff, in
alignment with the School Children's Health Care Act (SCHA) and NHGS 115C-12(34) and 115C-
47(47).
C. The contractor will provide a staff member who can, if need be, answer basic questions related to
mowing, edging, blowing, and debris questions to a school Administrator or Operations member.
Contractor is to share a staffing plan (headcount and schedule) and maintain sufficient equipment
(including spare mowers, blowers, and trimmers) to meet frequencies. Equipment must include
Functional safety guards and chute blockers. Equipment downtime exceeding 48 hours must be
mitigated with backups.
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D. Reporting quality assurance. Every two weeks the Contractor must submit a School Grounds
Maintenance Report to the NHCS POC using the NHCS-provided template. Reports shall include
dates of service, staffing, tasks completed, exceptions, and corrective actions. Bi-annual pruning
before/after photos must be submitted to Supplemental Services Supervisor/Grounds Forman (POC).
E. Performance metrics, deductions and remedies:
a. Missed weekly mowing per site (non-weather-related events); 10% deduction per site monthly
fee; per occurrence.
b. Failure to remove hard-surface debris after service: rework within 24 hours; 5% deduction if not
corrected.
c. Improper chemical application or failure to provide notice: immediate corrective action and up
to 15% deduction; repeated violations may result in termination.
NHCS may, after notice, perform or procure corrective services if Contractor fails to act within required
timeframes. Costs will be deducted from amounts due or invoiced to Contractor.
F. Subcontracting: Subcontracting school grounds maintenance is strictly prohibited by NHCS.
4. LICENSES AND FEES
The contractor shall be responsible for obtaining proper licenses to perform the service and must pay all
applicable fees from all relevant local governmental agencies for proper execution of the service.
1. Current and Active: North Caroliana Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services L & E
License
2. Current and Active: North Carolina Landscaping Contractors License
5. PAYMENTS TO CONTRACTOR
A. The Supplemental Services Supervisor of Maintenance Operations/designee shall review the
progress of the contractor. The contractor shall submit his invoice(s) at least monthly to New Hanover
County Schools, Accounts Payable Office, 6410 Carolina Beach Road, Wilmington NC 28412 or
acceptable email address accountspayable@nhcs.net. Upon receipt of the invoice(s) from Accounts
Payable, the Supplemental Services Supervisor of Maintenance Operations/designee shall approve
the invoice(s) for payment, provided the service is totally complete and acceptable. If the owner finds
the service is deficient; the owner shall have the option of holding payment until the contractor finishes
the service in an acceptable manner and/or corrects and finishes the work at the owner's expense, in
which case the contractor shall be liable to the owner for all expenses the owner incurs in excess of
the contractor's contract balance.
B. Invoice(s) must show the following:
1. An invoice number
2. Total amount due
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