Request for Bid: UCSC Forest Health Phase 1 Demonstration Site

RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICT OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS
INSTRUCTION TO BIDDERS AND
CONTRACT DOCUMENTS
For
University of California Santa Cruz Forest Health Phase 1 Demonstration Site
FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH:
PROJECT PLANS/SPECIFICATIONS DATED 07/22/2026
THE FUNDS FOR THIS PROJECT ARE PROVIDED BY GRANTS FROM
2025 CalFire Forest Health Grant Contract # 8GT24603
BIDS OPEN: 4:00pm ON August 7, 2026
PROJECT LOCATION: University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) Upper Campus
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RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICT OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS
1. Bids for the work shown on the plans entitled:
UCSC Demo Forest Health Scope of Work
CONTRACT NO. 2026-CON-03
must be received via email by Laurel Bard at lbard@rcdsantacruz.org, the Project Lead for the
Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County (the "RCDSCC"), until 2:00pm on August
7, 2026.
2. General Description:
GENERAL PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Forest stand thinning on 12 acres above the UCSC
campus.
FUNDING AGENCY: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
LANDOWNER NAME: The Regents of the University of California
LANDOWNER ADDRESS: 1156 High St, Santa Cruz, CA 95064
PROJECT LOCATION: UCSC Upper Campus
SPECIAL GRANT REQUIREMENTS OR DEADLINES:
3. NOTICE OF GRANT FUNDING: BIDDERS ARE NOTIFIED THAT THIS PROJECT IS
FUNDED BY 2025 Calfire Forest Health Grant Contract # 8GT24603 (THE FUNDING
AGENCY) AND THAT THIS IS A GRANT-FUNDED PROJECT. THE RCDSCC WILL NOT
PAY THE CONTRACTOR UNTIL GRANT FUNDS ARE RECEIVED FROM THE FUNDING
AGENCY, WHICH IS NORMALLY BETWEEN 60 TO 120 DAYS FROM AN APPROVED
PAY REQUEST. FOR EACH PAY REQUEST, THE CONTRACTOR WILL BE REQUIRED
TO COMPLETE FORMS AS REQUIRED BY THE FUNDING AGENCY.
4. A mandatory pre-bid meeting is scheduled on Friday, July 31 at 2:00 pm located at 37.002778,
-122.052852 Santa Cruz, California 95064. Bids will not be considered from Contactors who are
not represented at the meeting.
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5. The RCDSCC or the Landowner has obtained all necessary permits for the work, except as
expressly noted in the Special Conditions. A Notice to Proceed will not be issued until all permits
have been issued and are in possession of the RCDSCC.
6. The Contractor's bid shall remain valid for a period of 90 days.
7. Bids are required for the entire work described in the Contract Documents,
8. All Bidders are required to submit with their bid, cash, a cashier's check, or certified check of
or on a responsible bank in the United States, or a corporate surety bond furnished by a surety
authorized to do a surety business in the State of California, in the amount of ten percent (10%) of
the Total Bid Price and made payable to "Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County."
9. At the time this contract is awarded, the Contractor shall possess either a Class C61/D-49 Tree
Contractor License issued by the Contractor's State License Board, other appropriate license
classification such as a valid Type "A" Licensed Timber Operator (LTO)license, other appropriate
license classification, or a combination of license classification which constitutes a majority of the
work.
10. Plans, specifications and proposal forms may be obtained on RCDSCC webpage,
https://www.rcdsantacruz.org/request-for-qualifications
11. The successful bidder shall furnish certificates of insurance, a payment bond, and a
performance bond prior to commencement of work on the project.
12. Pursuant to California Public Contract Code Section 7201, the RCDSCC shall withhold five
percent (5%) of the amount of each approved payment application as retention for work
completed and satisfactorily performed. The total retention withheld shall not exceed five
percent (5%) of the total Contract Price.
In the event of a good faith dispute between the RCDSCC and Contractor, the RCDSCC may
withhold from the final payment an amount not to exceed 150 percent of the estimated value of
the disputed amount, as permitted by Public Contract Code Section 7107, subdivision (c).
Subject to the provisions of Public Contract Code Section 22300, the Contractor may, at its
option and expense, substitute securities equivalent to the amount withheld as retention for the
funds withheld by the Agency. These securities shall be deposited with the Agency or with a
state or federally chartered bank as the escrow agent, and the Contractor shall receive the interest
earned on the securities.
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21. No bid will be considered unless it is made on the forms furnished by the RCDSCC and is
made in accordance with the provisions herein.
22. The District reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to reject any or all bids, to
waive any informalities or irregularities, and to alter, delete, or reduce the scope of work of a
project. If the bid of the lowest responsive and responsible bidder exceeds the available funds or
budget allocated for the project, the District is authorized to enter into direct negotiations with that
lowest responsive and responsible bidder to adjust the project scope, conditions, or price in order
to bring the contract within available funding limits. The District may award the contract to said
bidder upon reaching a negotiated agreement, without the necessity of rejecting all bids or
rebidding the project.
23. Contractor represents and warrants, to the best of its knowledge and belief, that neither
Contractor nor any of its Principals ("Principal" means an officer, director, owner, partner, or a
person having primary management or supervisory responsibilities within a business entity) is
presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, voluntarily excluded, or involuntarily
excluded from receiving a contract from any federal, state or local government or agency, nor has
it been declared ineligible for the award of contracts by any federal, state, or local government or
agency, nor does it appear on any federal, state or local government's Excluded Parties List
System. Contractor shall provide immediate written notice to the RCDSCC if, at any time
Contractor learns that this representation was erroneous when submitted or has become erroneous
by reason of changed circumstances. The representations and warranties above are a material
representation of fact upon which reliance was placed when entering into this Contract. If it is later
determined that Contractor knowingly made a false representation, in addition to other remedies
available to RCDSCC, RCDSCC may terminate this Contract.
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INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS
1. GENERAL. Bids shall include:
A) Bids shall be made on the forms included with these documents. All items on the forms must
be filled out; numbers must be stated in figures and signatures of all individuals must be in
longhand. The completed forms must be without interlineations, alterations or erasures.
B) All prices or notations must be typed or written in ink. Bids written with pencil will not be
accepted. Bidders must verify all quotations before submission, as they cannot be corrected after
the bids are opened.
C) All bids must be signed with the firm name and by a responsible officer or employee.
D) All addenda or bulletins issued during the time of bidding are to be included in the bid, and
upon execution of a contract they will become a part thereof.
E) A list of Subcontractors must be attached.
F) The required bidder's bond or equivalent cashier's check shall accompany the bid, and electronic
copy of the bid bond may be submitted with the bid packet, the original bid bonds must be
physically dropped off at the RCD or mailed and received within 24 hours of the bid opening.
G) Completed Non-Collusion Affidavit.
H) Bids may be withdrawn by the bidder prior to, but not after, the time fixed for opening of bids
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M) Completed IRAN CONTRACTING ACT CERTIFICATION.
2. INTERPRETATION OF DOCUMENTS. Should a bidder find discrepancies and/or omissions
in the Contract Documents or should he or she be in doubt as to their meaning, he or she shall at
once notify the Project Manager of the RCDSCC and should it be found necessary, a written
addendum will be sent to all bidders. The RCDSCC will not be responsible for any oral
interpretations or instructions.
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3. AWARD AND EXECUTION OF CONTRACT. A contract will not be awarded until project
funding is secured and all permits have been issued and are in possession of the RCDSCC
4. INSURANCE, BONDS, COMMENCEMENT OF THE WORK, TIME OF COMPLETION
AND LIQUIDATED DAMAGES
The apparent low bidder shall submit certificates of insurance and payment and performance bonds
within ten (10) calendar days after bid opening. The Contractor shall begin work within 3 days
after award or on the date specified in the Notice to Proceed.
5. TIME FOR COMPLETION AND LIQUIDATED DAMAGES:
The Work must be completed within 17 working days from the date of the Notice to Proceed.
Each Bidder is advised of the following critical deadlines:
Work should be completed no later than September 16, 2026.
The Contractor shall pay to the RCDSCC the sum of $ 600.00 (SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS) per
day for each and every calendar day's delay in finishing the work in excess of 17 working days
from the specified date shown on the Notice to Proceed.
6. CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD CERTIFICATE OF REPORTED COMPLIANCE
FOR OFF-ROAD DIESEL FLEET. Amendments to the California Code of Regulations, Title 13,
Chapter 9, Article 4.8, Section 2449, were approved by the California Air Resources Board
(CARB) in 2022 to the In-Use Off-Road Diesel-Fueled Fleets Regulation (Off-Road Regulation)
which incorporate new contracting requirements. Prior to award of the contract, the Contractor
shall provide valid Certificates of Reported Compliance, as described in Off Road Regulation
section 2449(n), for the fleet selected for the contract and their listed subcontractors, if applicable.
For projects subject to the Off-Road Regulations, the Contractor shall provide to the RCD
all Certificates of Reported Compliance with the Contractor's insurance and bonds within
seven days of the Notice of Intent to Award, and in any event by no later than award; or the
Contractor shall state in writing that Contractor and its subcontractors will not use any vehicles
subject to the Off Road Diesel Regulations.
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BID FORM
TO THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICT OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
THIS BID IS SUBMITTED BY:
______________________________________________________________________________
(Firm/Company Name)
Re: Project Name: _________________________________________
1. The undersigned Bidder proposes and agrees, if this Bid is accepted, to enter into a contract
with the RCDSCC in the form included in the Contract Documents (contract), to perform and
furnish all work as specified or indicated in the Contract Documents for the contract Sum and
within the contract Time indicated in this Bid and in accordance with all other terms and conditions
of the Contract Documents.
2. Bidder accepts all of the terms and conditions of the Notice Inviting Bids and these including,
without limitation, those dealing with the disposition of Bid Security. This Bid will remain subject
to acceptance for [90 Days after the day of Bid opening.]
3. In submitting this Bid, Bidder represents:
(a) Bidder has examined all of the Contract Documents and the following Addenda (receipt
of all of which is hereby acknowledged).
Addendum Number Addendum Date Signature of Bidder
(b) Bidder has visited the Site and performed all tasks, research, investigation, reviews,
examinations, and analysis regarding the Project and the Site.
(c) Bidder has given the RCDSCC prompt written notice of all conflicts, errors, ambiguities,
or discrepancies that he/she has discovered in or among the Contract Documents, and the
written resolution thereof through Addenda, issued by the RCDSCC, is acceptable to
Contractor.
4. Based on the foregoing, Bidder proposes and agrees to fully perform the work within the
time stated and in strict accordance with the Contract Documents for the following sums of money
listed in the following Schedule of Bid Prices:
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SCHEDULE OF BID PRICES
All Bid items must be filled in completely.
Acres Cost/Acre
TASK DESCRIPTION TOTAL
Thinning to 8" DBH (Equipment 5.2
1. Allowed) acres $ $
Thinning to 12" DBH (Equipment 4.8
2. Allowed) acres $ $
Manual Thinning to 8" DBH 1.1
3. acres $ $
Manual Thinning to 12" DBH 0.6
4. acres $ $
TOTAL BID
Total PRICE $
Total Bid Price:
______________________________________________________________________________
(Fill out Total Bid Price in Words)
5. Subcontractors for work included in all Bid items are listed on the attached Subcontractor's
List.
6. The undersigned Bidder understands that the RCDSCC reserves the right to reject any or all
bids received.
7. If the RCD accepts this Bid, the undersigned Bidder shall execute and deliver the Contract
Documents, bonds and insurance required herein.
8. The undersigned Bidder herewith encloses cash, a cashier's check, or certified check of or on
a responsible bank in the United States, or a corporate surety bond furnished by a surety authorized
to do a surety business in the State of California, in the amount of ten percent (10%) of the Total
Bid Price, including alternative(s), and made payable to the "Resource Conservation District of
Santa Cruz County."
9. The undersigned Bidder agrees to commence work under the Contract Documents as specified
in the Notice to Proceed and to complete all work within the time specified in the Contract
Documents. The undersigned Bidder acknowledges that the RCDSCC has reserved the right to
delay or modify the commencement date. The undersigned Bidder further acknowledges that the
RCDSCC has reserved the right to perform independent work at the Site, the extent of such work
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may not be determined until after the opening of the Bids, and that the undersigned Bidder will be
required to cooperate with such other work in accordance with the requirements of the Contract
Documents.
10. The undersigned Bidder agrees that liquidated damages for failure to complete all work in the
contract within the time specified shall be as set forth in the Contract Documents.
11. The names of all persons interested in the foregoing Bid as principals are:
NAME OF BIDDER:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Name
_________________________________________________
Title
_________________________________________________
Address
_________________________________________________
Telephone/Fax/e-mail
_________________________________________________
Licensed in accordance with an act for the registration of Contractors, and with license
number:_____________________________________ Expiration: __________________.
DIR Registration number: ____________________________Expiration Date:_______________
I certify (or declare) under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the
foregoing is true and correct.
____________________________________________
Signature
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SUBCONTRACTORS LIST
(Public Contract Code 4104 & Labor Code 1725.5)
PROJECT NAME: ___________________________________________
BIDDER NAME: _____________________________________________
In accordance with the Subletting and Subcontracting Fair Practices Act (Public Contract Code
4100 et seq.) and Labor Code 1725.5, the undersigned bidder hereby lists the names and
information of each subcontractor who will perform work, labor, or render service in excess of
one-half of one percent (0.5%) of the total bid amount, or who will specially fabricate and
install a portion of the work in excess of that amount. All fields must be completed for each
subcontractor.
Subcontractor Business Subcontractor Business CSLB License No. Portion of Work
Name Location (Trade/Scope)
NOTES:
1. Do not list yourself (the prime contractor) as a subcontractor.
2. All listed subcontractors must possess a valid California contractor's license and be registered with the
Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) at the time of bid submission.
3. Failure to provide complete, accurate, and legible information may render the bid non-responsive.
4. Use additional sheets if necessary.
Contractor Signed
Date Name/Title
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