DNR - Mowing, Slope Mowing, and Grounds Maintenance Services

STATE OF OHIO

DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

GENERAL SERVICES DIVISION

OFFICE OF PROCUREMENT SERVICES

4200 SURFACE ROAD, COLUMBUS, OH 43228-1395

MANDATORY USE CONTRACT FOR: DNR - MOWING, SLOPE MOWING, AND GROUNDS MAINTENANCE SERVICES

CONTRACT No.: ITB026848

CONTRACT ID: 26848

EFFECTIVE DATES: 2/1/2026 to 1/31/2029

SUPPLIER: UNDEFINED

The Department of Administrative Services has accepted bids submitted in response to Invitation to Bid No. SRC0000028089. The evaluation of the bid response(s) has been completed. The bidder(s) listed herein have been determined to be the lowest responsive and responsible bidder(s) and have been awarded a contract for the items(s) listed. The respective bid response, including the Instructions to Bidders and Standard Terms and Conditions, special contract terms & conditions, any bid addenda, specifications, pricing schedules and any attachments incorporated by reference and accepted by DAS become a part of this Requirements Contract.

This Requirements Contract is effective beginning and ending on the dates noted above unless, prior to the expiration date, the Contract is renewed, terminated or cancelled in accordance with the Contract Terms and Conditions.

CONTRACT RENEWAL. This Contract may be renewed after the ending date of the Contract solely at the discretion of the Contracting Agency for a period of one month. Any further renewals will be by mutual agreement between the Contractor and the Contracting Agency for any number of times and for any period of time. The cumulative time of all mutual renewals may not exceed 72 months unless the Contracting Agency determines that additional renewal is necessary.

This Requirements Contract is available to the Department of Natural Resources, as applicable.

Agencies are eligible to make purchases of the listed supplies and/or services in any amount and at any time as determined by the agency. The State makes no representation or guarantee that agencies will purchase the volume of supplies and/or services as advertised in the Invitation to Bid.

This Requirements Contract and any Amendments thereto are available from the OhioBuys public portal at the following address:

https://ohiobuys.ohio.gov/page.aspx/en/usr/login?ReturnUrl=%2fpage.aspx%2fen%2fbuy%2fhomepage

Signed: _____________________________________________________________________

Kathleen C. Madden, Director Date

1 - SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

1.1. Scope of Work

1.1.1. This Invitation to Bid (ITB) seeks to retain a Contractor to provide slope mowing and non-slope mowing services, according to these specifications, for the Agency’s locations indicated in the Contract.

1.1.2. Agency Locations: Exhibit Three - Slope Mowing Details, contains the current locations and estimated annual number of times they are to be mowed. The estimated numbers are for evaluation purposes only. Actual number of times the locations will be mowed will be determined by the Agency and may change.

1.1.2.1. The Contractor must provide mowing services to the listed agency mowing locations within its awarded district(s).

1.1.2.2. Mowing locations must use the awarded Contractor and the corresponding Contract pricing.

1.1.2.3. District definitions: Each bid district is defined by its corresponding list of Ohio counties, as indicated below. The districts are specified by the Agency and are logistically based on locations where work will be performed. A visual illustration of locations are shown in Exhibit One District Borders.

1.1.2.3.1. DISTRICT 1: Defines locations in the following counties of Ohio: Champaign, Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Knox, Licking, Logan, Madison, Marion, Morrow, Pickaway, Union;

1.1.2.3.2. DISTRICT 2 East: Defines locations in the following counties of Ohio: Allen, Crawford, Erie, Hancock, Hardin, Huron, Ottawa, Richland, Sandusky, Seneca, Wyandot;

1.1.2.3.3. DISTRICT 2 West: Defines locations in the following counties of Ohio: Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Lucas, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert, Williams, Wood;

1.1.2.3.4. DISTRICT 3: Defines locations in the following counties of Ohio: Ashland, Ashtabula, Carroll, Columbiana, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Harrison, Holmes, Jefferson, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Wayne;

1.1.2.3.5. DISTRICT 4 North: Defines locations in the following counties of Ohio: Perry, Morgan, Noble, Coshocton, Muskingum, Gurnsey, Belmont;

1.1.2.3.6. DISTRICT 4 East: Defines locations in the following counties of Ohio: Monroe, Washington;

1.1.2.3.7. DISTRICT 4 South: Defines locations in the following counties of Ohio: Jackson, Vinton, Ross, Gallia, Hocking, Athens, Meigs, Pike, Scioto, Lawrence; and

1.1.2.3.8. DISTRICT 5: Defines locations in the following counties of Ohio: Adams, Auglaize, Brown, Butler, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Darke, Greene, Hamilton, Highland, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, Shelby, Warren.

1.1.3. State Holidays

State of Ohio

Holiday Schedule

HOLIDAY	DATE
New Year’s day	January 1
Martin Luther King day	Third Monday in January
Washington-Lincoln day (President’s day)	Third Monday in February
Memorial day	Last Monday in May
Juneteenth	Nineteenth day of June
Independence day	July 4
Labor day	First Monday in September
Columbus day	Second Monday in October
Veterans’ day	Eleventh day of November
Thanksgiving day	Fourth Thursday in November
Christmas day	December 25

1.1.3.1. Holidays which fall on Saturday or Sunday may be rescheduled to a weekday, as determined by the Agency. The Contractor must confirm exact date(s) with each Agency’s facility contact person.

1.1.3.2. The above State Holiday Schedule shall follow any change to Ohio Revised Code 1.14.

1.1.3.3. The Contractor must consult with the Agency about avoiding high traffic days such as holidays and weekends.

1.1.4. Should services from a State Use Program (Ohio Revised Code Sections 4115.31 to 4115.34), e.g., Community Rehabilitation Program, become available to meet the agency’s need during the contract term, the agency must give first consideration to procuring services from such resource.

1.2. Definitions

1.2.1. Obstacles: barriers, buildings, drainage structures, feeders, fences, guardrails, guys, mailboxes, Ornamental Plants, pipes, poles, posts, signs, trees, walls, and any object of value that is intended to be maintained;

1.2.2. Ornamental Plants: Wildflower plots, any prepared plant bed, ornamental trees and shrubs, fruit trees, vegetables, gardens;

1.2.3. Mowing (Non-Slope): Mowing is generally defined as mowing vegetation on flat terrain or inclines less than 3 horizontal to 1 vertical and are relatively accessible to the use of conventional mowing equipment;

1.2.4. Restorative Maintenance: Restorative Maintenance shall be requested and scheduled at least three weeks in advance by the Agency. This may include stump removal, filling holes, raking or removing dead and cut vegetation, applying granular fertilizer, planting grass seed, and manual lawn care offered by the Contractor;

1.2.5. Slope Mowing: Slope mowing is generally defined as mowing vegetation on inclines steeper than 3 horizontal to 1 vertical and are relatively inaccessible to the use of conventional mowing equipment, e.g., steep slopes and hills near roadside shoulders and wet ditch bottoms, behind guardrails and barriers, along banks on bodies of water, intersections, overpasses, dams, signs, poles, and on steep cut,/fill slopes, etc. These type areas will require the use of specialized equipment designed for slope mowing, e.g., tractor equipped with a hydraulic boom and rotary head cutter;

1.2.6. Trash: Non-vegetation debris that should be removed from the mowing area, preferably before mowing and trimming;

1.2.7. Trimming: The mowing/trimming of Vegetation from the edge of roads, paths, and walkways. Trimming of paved pedestrian walkways must be performed with a powered string trimmer;

1.2.8. Vegetation: Vegetation consists of overgrown planted and/or natural grasses, weeds, and other vegetation within the area to be mowed; and

1.2.9. WA: Wildlife Area.

1.3. General Requirements

1.3.1. The Contractor must have been in the business of providing mowing, slope mowing, and grounds maintenance services for a minimum of three years within the last five years.

1.3.2. The Contractor must have experience with providing services of similar scope and size, within the last five years.

1.3.3. The Contractor must provide a complete list of equipment available to the Contractor, that will be used to perform the mowing services. Information provided by the Contractor may be used to determine if the Bidder is responsive and/or responsible. Failure to provide Bidder Prior Projects and References Form, Exhibit Four with the information required, may deem the Bidder not responsive. Additional pages may be added to provide the equipment list.

1.3.4. Mowing services must maintain a good appearance level. During high growth months, the mowing should be more frequent, as not to exceed the maximum height determined by the Agency. The Agency must provide in writing the minimum and maximum heights for cutting to the Contractor before any Work begins for a location. The Contractor must submit for approval a tentative mowing schedule for the entire season (ending December 31). Such a schedule will be subject to periodic review and modification by the facility manager or designee. The Price per Mowing includes scheduled mowing services, mobilization, emergency service, trash cleanup and disposal, and trimming, as specified, for the listed locations.

1.3.5. Preparation

1.3.5.1. Prior to mowing, trash will be removed and disposed of from the mowing area. This includes any debris that would be torn, ripped, or scattered by the mower and result in an objectionable appearance. If this removal process (excluding disposal) takes more than thirty (30) minutes of labor per acre of area, Contractor will stop trash removal and advise agency of estimated additional time needed to complete the task. If approved by agency, Contractor shall finish debris removal according to the time and materials pricing for actual labor performed and materials used.

1.3.5.2. The Contractor must not mow grassed areas saturated with standing water to the point standard mowing equipment may not be used without excessive damage to the turf. A prorated deduction will be made from the invoice for any wet area not mowed, if the total exceeds one acre. Prorated deduction quantities will be agreed-upon prior to beginning work in any area in question.

1.3.6. Mowing

1.3.6.1. The Contractor must ensure to properly install and maintain safety devices at all times when the equipment is in use and maintain the mowing equipment so as to produce a clean, sharp cut and uniform distribution of the cuttings.

1.3.6.2. The mowing equipment used must have the capability of cutting a height from 4 inches to 12 inches. Cutting height must be performed as outlined by the Agency in 1.3.1.

1.3.6.3. The Contractor must mow in the same direction of traffic; mowing against traffic is prohibited.

1.3.6.4. The Contractor must mow its contracted location(s) as per the areas identified in the applicable Exhibit Two - Aerial View Maps and Additional Requirements, unless Agency provides differing instructions in writing, or to comply with the requirements outlined in the Contract.

1.3.6.5. The Contractor must hand-mow and trim with smaller equipment as necessary around obstacles, Ornamental Plants, and walkways.

1.3.6.6. The area and limits of mowing have been previously established and should be distinguishable in the field. Where landscaping has been established or natural landscaping has been preserved, Contractor must maintain the boundaries, conforming to the established mowing contours and right-of-way.

1.3.6.7. The Contractor must ensure all mowed areas are uniform in appearance and free from scalping and skips.

1.3.6.8. The Contractor must perform mowing with great care and in a manner that will limit the amount of vegetative debris that is discharged onto the paved shoulder / roadway. The Contractor must sweep all discharge on pedestrian walkways.

1.3.6.9. The Contractor must avoid wildflower plots or naturally occurring wildflowers when in bloom and when re-seeding. A prorated deduction will be made from the invoice for any wildflower area not mowed, only if the total exceeds one acre. The Contractor and the Agency must agree in writing to the prorated deduction quantities prior to beginning work in any area in question.

1.3.6.10. The Contractor must pay special attention not to mow Ornamental Plants. Any Ornamental Plant material or Obstacle that the Contractor damages, destroys or causes to prematurely die must be replaced by the Contractor, at the Contractor’s expense.

1.3.7. Mowing Evaluation and Post Inspection

1.3.7.1. After mowing, Contractor must note any damaged areas such as holes or bare spots in a report, recommended remedies, and submit to the Agency contact person.

1.3.7.1.1. The Contractor must perform restorative maintenance if the Agency has approved and scheduled with the Contractor at least three weeks in advance and should be scheduled to coincide with the mowing day. The Contractor must invoice according to the time and materials pricing and must document the itemized details of the actual work performed.

1.3.7.1.2. The Contractor must remove and dispose of vegetation debris that is larger than two feet in length and/or one inch in diameter, that occurs as the result of the work.

1.3.7.2. Waste Disposal

1.3.7.2.1. The Contractor must ensure that all debris and trash is disposed of properly, according to all applicable laws and regulations. Normally this means liquid disposal into a sanitary sewer system, and when hazardous materials are involved, at a licensed disposal facility. The Contractor must obtain written approval from the Agency to use Agency trash containers for disposal.

1.3.7.2.2. If Contractor utilizes a grinder or chipper, disposing of wood chips/mulch at an on-site designated plot may be possible with the Agency contact person’s written approval.

1.3.7.2.3. The Contractor must return all debris and trash to the Contractor’s facility for proper disposal in the event that debris and trash disposal is not possible on location.

1.4. Special Requirements

1.4.1. District Three, Spencer Lake/Wildlife Area: The following are general requirements for this location:

1.4.1.1. The Contractor can choose the day of the week to perform the work, however weekly mowing must be performed within six to eight days of the last mowing and biweekly mowing must be performed within 13 to 15 days of the last mowing. The Contractor must receive written approval from the Agency for any deviation of this schedule.

1.4.1.2. The Contractor can decide if the grass does not need mowed in a given week due to weather conditions such as a draught or severe wetness, however the Contractor must receive approval from the Agency.

1.4.1.3. The Contractor must pickup all trash within site of the mowed areas including rip rap, brushy areas, ditches, fishing piers, etc. Any areas with more extensive trash pickup is specified below.

1.4.1.4. The Contractor is not responsible for the removal of large items such as couches, refrigerators, tires, etc. The Contractor must contact the Agency and inform them of any large items found as soon as possible so that the Agency can facilitate their removal.

1.4.1.5. The Contractor must perform trash pickups regardless of weather conditions.

1.4.1.6. The Contractor must ensure weed trimming includes around posts, signs, curbs, sea walls and any other areas within the mowed sections that become unsightly with tall weed growth. The Contractor is not responsible for weed trimming areas outside the maintained areas and as such do not need to be weed trimmed.

1.4.1.7. The Contractor can choose the day and week to weed trim, however, the Contractor must ensure that consecutive weed trimming take place within 25 to 30 days of the last weed trimming.

1.5. Time and Materials

1.5.1. The Agency may utilize the time and materials pricing for services at locations not listed in the Contract, the Contractor must provide these services at the time and materials pricing within the counties of the awarded bid district.

1.5.2. The Contractor must provide an itemized invoices when time and materials services are requested by the Agency.

1.5.3. Materials: All materials and supplies shall be appropriate for the intended use. The contractor shall utilize all replacement materials and supplies from the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) components, whenever possible. All materials and supplies must be installed according to manufacturer’s specifications and industry recognized practices. The use of reconditioned or used materials and supplies shall not be permitted under any circumstances unless OEM components are no longer available.

1.5.4. The State acknowledges that Contractors utilize various materials and supplies that may vary between suppliers and manufacturers depending on the individual repair needs for each project. Therefore, all materials and supplies that the supplier provide shall be considered on contract. The requestor will pay the awarded supplier the actual cost for all materials and supplies utilized in the performance of the project, plus the specified markup. Markups shall not exceed 30% over the Contractor’s invoice cost. For all materials and supplies, the Contractors shall include the Contractor’s original invoice for the materials and supplies purchased. In the event the supplier performing the work is also the manufacturer of the material(s), the invoiced cost shall reference the percentage off MSRP value of the contract.

1.5.5. The Contractor must not bill the Emergency Services Trip Charge unless authorized in writing by the Agency.

1.6. Other Requirements

1.6.1. In preparing its bid, Bidders should consider the information in Exhibit One – District Borders, Exhibit Two – Aerial View Maps (for the applicable district), and Exhibit Three – Slope Mowing Details, to understand the geographical location of the specified mowing areas.

1.6.2. Exhibit Three, “Slope Mowing Detail Table,” contains essential information needed for bidding. The site-specific information includes location names, type of mowing required, expected mowing frequency, the months that mowing will be performed, equipment typically needed, notes, and Agency contact person information.

2 - STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The State of Ohio Standard Terms and Conditions (revised 03/31/25) govern this Contract and are incorporated as if fully rewritten herein.

3 - CONTRACT SPECIFIC TERMS AND CONDITIONS

3.1 - FIXED PRICE WITH ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT

The contract prices(s) will remain firm for the first six months duration of the contract. Thereafter, the Contractor may submit a request to increase their price(s) to be effective 60 calendar days after acceptance by DAS. No price adjustment will be permitted prior to the effective date of the increase received by the Contractor from its suppliers, or on purchase orders that are already being processed, or on purchase orders that have been filled and are awaiting shipment. If the Contractor receives orders requiring quarterly delivery, the increase will apply to all deliveries made after the effective date of the price increase.

The price increase must be supported by a general price increase in the cost, due to increases in the cost of raw materials, labor, freight, Workers' Compensation and/or Unemployment Insurance, etc. Detailed documentation, to include a comparison list of the contract items and proposed price increases, must be submitted to support the requested increase. Supportive documentation should include, but is not limited to: copies of the old and the current price lists or similar documents which indicate the original base cost of the product to the Contractor and the corresponding increase, and/or copies of correspondence sent by the Contractor's supplier on the supplier's letterhead, which contain the above price information and explains the source of the increase in such areas as raw materials, freight, fuel or labor, etc.

Should there be a decrease in the cost of the finished product due to a general decline in the market or some other factor, the Contractor is responsible to notify DAS immediately. The price decrease adjustment will be incorporated into the contract and will be effective on all purchase orders issued after the effective date of the decrease. If the price decrease is a temporary decrease, such should be noted on the invoice. In the event that the temporary decrease is revoked, the contract pricing will be returned to the pricing in effect prior to the temporary decrease. For quarterly deliveries, any decrease will be applied to deliveries made after the effective date of the decrease. Failure to comply with this provision will be considered as a default and will be subject to the “Suspension/Termination” and the “Contract Remedies” sections of the “Standard Contract Terms and Conditions”.

3.2 - TEMPORARY FUEL ADJUSTMENT

No request for a temporary fuel adjustment may be requested for the first six (6) months duration of the Contract. Thereafter, should a statewide or national increase in the cost of fuel occur, that is greater than 20% of the cost for fuel in place at the time of Contract award, the Contractor may petition DAS to increase the Contract price(s). The Contractor will be required to provide a cost breakdown of each item to indicate the portion of their product cost that is attributed to fuel. If approved, the Contractor will be permitted to adjust the price(s) by the exact amount of the fuel increase. The increase will be effective seven (7) calendar days after approval. Future requests for fuel cost adjustment will be considered in six (6) month intervals, for the duration of the Contract, under the above conditions. Should a statewide or national decrease in the cost of fuel occur, that is greater than 20% of the cost of fuel at the time of Contract award or approved increase, the Contractor will advise Procurement Services of said decrease and the Contract will be adjusted accordingly. Said decrease will become effective seven (7) calendar days after notification. Failure of the Contractor to notify Procurement Services of a decrease will be considered as a default and the Contractor will be responsible to reimburse the state for any overpayments. Said increases or decreases will be effective on all orders placed on or after the approval date of the adjustment.

3.3 - DELIVERY

Services will be performed as set forth in the Contract. The location of performance will be noted on the purchase order issued by the participating agency.

3.4 - ORDER OF PRIORITY

The order of priority of the Contract will be the following: 1.) Specifications and Requirements; 2) Contract Specific Terms and Conditions; 3) Standard Terms and Conditions.

4 - INVITATION TO BID INSTRUCTIONS

Instructions, Terms and Conditions for Bidding that apply to the solicitation.

5 - SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS

5.1 - CONTRACT AWARD

The contract will be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder by bid district. Failure to bid all items for a district may result in the bidder being deemed not responsive.

5.2 - EVALUATION

Bids will be evaluated in accordance with Article I-15 of the “Instructions to Bidders”. In addition, the state will: multiply the estimated usage by the unit cost submitted for each item in a bid district to arrive at the estimated total cost for the bid district.

5.3 - SITE VISIT

Prior to submitting their bid response, the bidder should visit the location(s) they are bidding on to survey the land and to become familiar with the requirements of the bid. Bidders may visit these locations on their own or they may contact the locations point of contact to schedule an appointment.

5.4 - DESCRIPTIVE LITERATURE

The Bidder may be required to submit descriptive literature of the supplies or services being offered. If requested, the literature will be used in the evaluation process to determine the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. If not provided as part of the bid response, the Bidder must provide said literature within seven (7) calendar days after request/notification by the Office of Procurement Services to do so. Failure of the bidder to furnish descriptive literature either as part of their bid response or within the time specified herein will deem the bidder not responsive.

5.5 - BIDDER’S PROFILE

The Bidder must have been in the business of providing mowing, slope mowing, and ground maintenance services for a minimum of three years within the last five years. The bidder must document this information in Exhibit Six Bidder Profile Form. Failure to submit Exhibit Six Bidder Profile Form with the information required, may deem the bidder not responsive.

5.6 - BIDDER’S REFERENCES AND PRIOR PROJECTS

The Bidder must have experience providing mowing, slope mowing, and ground maintenance services in scope and size within the last five years. The bidder must document this information in Exhibit Four Prior Project Experience and Reference Form. References must include: facility/organization name, contact person, phone number, email address, and details of the past project. Failure to submit current references with current phone numbers may result in the disqualification of your bid. Failure to submit Exhibit Four Prior Project Experience and Reference Form with the bid may deem the bidder not responsive.

5.7 - BIDDER’S EQUIPMENT

Bidders must submit with their bid a listing of all the equipment intended for use on this Contract using Exhibit Five Contractor’s Equipment Form. Failure to demonstrate that the bidder has the minimum equipment listed in Exhibit Five Contractor’s Equipment Form may deem the bidder not responsive. Failure to submit the bidder’s equipment listing with the bid may deem your bid not responsive.