Citywide Standby Emergency Debris Removal Services

Request for Proposals # 274-530-CTY-01
Title: Citywide Standby Emergency Debris Removal Services
Issue Date: September 23, 2026
Due Date: October 22, 2026, no later than 12:00PM EST
*LATE PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED*
Issuing Department: Procurement Division
Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to:
Kasandra Davis, Procurement Supervisor
Email: Kasandra.Davis@raleighnc.gov
(v.09/15/25)

TABLE OF CONTENTS
.................................................................................................................................................................................. 6
1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................. 6
1.1 PURPOSE ................................................................................................................................................................ 6
1.2 CITYWIDE CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION AND USE ................................................................................................ 6
1.3 BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................................................................... 6
1.4 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) TIMELINE .......................................................................................................... 7
1.5 PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE .............................................................................................................................. 8
1.6 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS .......................................................................................................................................... 8
1.7 PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND CONTACT INFORMATION ............................................................. 8
1.8 BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT & OPPORTUNITIES ........................................................................................................ 9
1.9 RIGHTS TO SUBMITTED MATERIAL ....................................................................................................................... 10
1.10 COMMUNICATIONS ................................................................................................................................................ 10
1.11 LOBBYING.............................................................................................................................................................. 10
1.12 CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ..................................................................................................................................... 10
1.13 PROPOSER EXPENSES ......................................................................................................................................... 11
1.14 PROPOSER ACCEPTANCE .................................................................................................................................... 11
2 PROPOSALS ................................................................................................................................................ 12
2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS REQUIRED DOCUMENT FORMAT ............................................................................ 12
2.2 RFP DOCUMENTS ................................................................................................................................................ 15
3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION .......................................................................................................................... 15
3.1 PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA (STAGE 1) .................................................................................................... 15
3.2 INTERVIEW/DEMONSTRATION (STAGE 2)............................................................................................................. 17
3.3 FINAL SELECTION AND AWARD ............................................................................................................................ 17
3.4 NOTICE TO PROPOSERS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS ............................................................... 18
3.5 CONTRACT TERM.................................................................................................................................................. 18
3.6 PRICE ADJUSTMENT ............................................................................................................................................. 18
3.7 FEDERAL FUNDING REQUIREMENTS .................................................................................................................... 18
3.8 FEMA ELIGIBILITY CLAUSE.................................................................................................................................. 18
3.9 PAYMENT AND PERFORMANCE BOND .................................................................................................................. 19
4 SCOPE OF SERVICES ................................................................................................................................. 19
4.1 SCOPE OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................................ 19
4.1.1 Vegetative Debris Removal ......................................................................................................................... 19
4.1.2 Removal of Hazardous Hanging Limbs (Hangers) .................................................................................. 20
4.1.3 Cutting and Removal of Hazardous Trees or Downed trees ................................................................. 21
4.1.4 Removal of Standing Non-Hazardous Trees for Public Utility Easement Access .............................. 22
4.1.5 Debris Preparation and Staging .................................................................................................................. 22
4.1.6 Load and Haul Services ............................................................................................................................... 22
4.1.7 Disposal Site Identification, Management, and Operation ..................................................................... 23
4.1.8 Management and Processing of Debris .................................................................................................... 24
4.1.9 Maintenance of Haul Roads and Work Areas .......................................................................................... 24
4.1.10 Loading and Hauling of Processed Debris ........................................................................................... 25
4.1.11 Sale of Ground Vegetative Debris ......................................................................................................... 25
4.1.12 Work Within Cemeteries .......................................................................................................................... 25
4.2 DESCRIPTION OF WORK ....................................................................................................................................... 27
4.2.1 Specialized Work on Utility Easements ..................................................................................................... 27
4.2.2 Phases of Work ............................................................................................................................................. 28
4.2.3 On-Site Identification of Equipment and Manpower ................................................................................ 29
4.2.4 Identification of Boundaries/Markers .......................................................................................................... 29
4.2.5 Protection of Existing Trees to be Preserved ........................................................................................... 29

4.2.6 Protection of Greenway Surfaces ............................................................................................................... 30
4.2.7 Protection of Concrete Curb and Gutter, and Concrete Sidewalk......................................................... 30
4.2.8 Equipment ...................................................................................................................................................... 30
4.2.9 Volume Measurement and Placards .......................................................................................................... 31
4.2.10 Site Restoration ........................................................................................................................................ 31
4.2.11 Seeding and Mulching Guidelines to be used on Areas Damaged/Disturbed by Fallen Trees or
the Contractor, as Identified by the City ................................................................................................................... 32
4.2.12 Water Pollution .......................................................................................................................................... 32
4.2.13 Protection of Manholes and Aerial Crossings ...................................................................................... 32
4.2.14 Labor Classifications ................................................................................................................................ 33
4.2.15 Tree Work Requirements ........................................................................................................................ 33
4.2.16 Work in Cemeteries .................................................................................................................................. 34
4.2.17 Inspection of Work .................................................................................................................................... 35
4.2.18 Unacceptable Work .................................................................................................................................. 35
4.2.19 Weather ...................................................................................................................................................... 35
4.2.20 Laws and Regulations ............................................................................................................................. 35
4.2.21 Tipping Fees .............................................................................................................................................. 36
4.2.22 Subcontracting .......................................................................................................................................... 36
4.2.23 Cleaning Up ............................................................................................................................................... 36
4.2.24 Toilet Facilities .......................................................................................................................................... 36
4.2.25 Utilities Used During Operations ............................................................................................................ 37
4.2.26 Traffic Control ............................................................................................................................................ 37
4.2.27 Safety and Health Reporting .................................................................................................................. 37
4.2.28 Security of Equipment .............................................................................................................................. 37
4.2.29 Debris Disposal Sites ............................................................................................................................... 37
4.2.30 Licensing Requirements .......................................................................................................................... 38
4.3 MOBILIZATION AND WORK REQUIREMENTS ......................................................................................................... 38
4.3.1 Work Week ..................................................................................................................................................... 39
4.3.2 Work Completion Expectations ................................................................................................................... 39
4.3.3 Load Tickets ................................................................................................................................................... 39
4.4 THE RALEIGH WATER ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (EMS) AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
(QMS) ........................................................................................................................................................ 40
4.5 BID ALTERNATE SCOPES OF WORK..................................................................................................................... 41
4.5.1 Collection of Mixed Debris, Construction and Demolition Materials, White Good Materials, and
Electronic Waste .......................................................................................................................................................... 41
4.5.2 Work in Streams and Water Bodies ........................................................................................................... 42
4.5.3 Ground Extraction of Stumps ...................................................................................................................... 43
4.5.4 Stump Grinding .............................................................................................................................................. 44
5 FEE SCHEDULE /PRICING WORKSHEETS............................................................................................... 44
6 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION .................................................................................................................. 44
6.1 DISPUTE RESOLUTIONS ....................................................................................................................................... 45
6.2 CONTRACT CHANGES ........................................................................................................................................... 45
ATTACHMENT A ................................................................................................................................................... 46
ATTACHMENT B ................................................................................................................................................... 54
APPENDIX I ........................................................................................................................................................... 55
APPENDIX II .......................................................................................................................................................... 58
APPENDIX III ......................................................................................................................................................... 60
APPENDIX IV ......................................................................................................................................................... 63
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1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Purpose
The City of Raleigh is soliciting proposals from qualified firms to provide Citywide Standby
Emergency Debris Removal Services following natural disasters, declared emergencies, and
other events requiring debris management and recovery services.
The resulting contract will be established as a Citywide standby master contract available for
use by authorized City departments on an as-needed basis. Services may include debris
clearance, removal, loading, hauling, reduction, processing, and lawful disposal of disaster-
generated debris; vegetative debris grinding and mulch management; and other related debris
management activities described in this RFP.
Services may be performed throughout City Rights-of-Way, City of Raleigh Park properties,
utility easements (including those in Raleigh as well as those of its merger communities of
Garner, Knightdale, Rolesville, Wendell, Zebulon, and Wake Forest), acres of additional City
controlled and operated properties, Greenways, and 4 cemeteries.
All services shall be performed in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local
requirements, including applicable Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public
Assistance requirements when federal reimbursement is anticipated.
A detailed scope of services is provided in Section 4 of this document.
1.2 Citywide Contract Administration and Use
The City's Procurement Division will administer the Citywide master contract, including
renewals, amendments, pricing provisions, and overall compliance.
Each City department using the contract will be responsible for its individual activation,
including defining the operational scope, identifying funding, designating a Department Project
Manager, coordinating field activities, monitoring contractor performance, reviewing supporting
documentation, and approving invoices.
Execution of the master contract alone does not authorize work. Services may begin only after
the Contractor receives written authorization from the City through the applicable activation
document, Notice to Proceed, Task Order, Purchase Order, or other written authorization
required by City procedures.
1.3 Background
The City of Raleigh, the Capital City of North Carolina, remains one of the fastest growing areas
in the country. A great economy, top educational institutions, and exceptional health care
facilities are some of the characteristics that attract people to the triangle area. The mild
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climate, diverse work force and proximity to Research Triangle Park combine to make Raleigh
a great place to live.
Raleigh is a 21st Century City of Innovation focusing on environmental, cultural, and economic
sustainability. The City conserves and protects our environmental resources through best
practice and cutting-edge conservation and stewardship, land use, infrastructure and building
technologies. The City welcomes growth and diversity through policies and programs that will
protect and enhance Raleigh's existing neighborhoods, natural amenities, history, and cultural
and human resources for future generations. The City leads to improve quality of life for
neighborhoods and standard of living for all citizens. The City works with universities, colleges,
citizens, and local partners to promote new technology, create new job opportunities, and
encourage local businesses and entrepreneurs. The City enlists and prepares 21st Century
staff with the skill sets to carry out the duties of the City through transparent civic engagement
and by providing the very best customer service to our citizens.
The City of Raleigh may experience natural or man-made emergencies, including but not
limited to hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, winter storms, and other events that generate
significant quantities of debris and require an immediate, coordinated recovery response.
1.4 Request for Proposal (RFP) Timeline
Provided below is a list of the anticipated schedule of events related to this solicitation. The
City of Raleigh reserves the right to modify and/or adjust the following schedule to meet the
needs of the service. All times shown are Eastern Time (ET):
RFP Process Date and Time
RFP Issue Date
September 23, 2026
Pre-Proposal Conference
October 8, 2026, at 1:00 PM ET
**Virtual Meeting**
Date Written Questions are due via
October 9, 2026, by 5:00 PM ET
email
Response to Questions Posted as
October 15, 2026
an Addendum
Proposal Due Date and Time
October 22, 2026, By no later than 1:00 PM ET.
Presentation to City Council and
Tuesday, December 1, 2026
Approval
Anticipated Award Time Frame
December 2, 2026
(Official Award of Contract)
Anticipated Contract Start Date January 1, 2027
*The City reserves the right to revise the schedule in its sole discretion*
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1.5 Pre-Proposal Conference
Attendance at the pre-proposal conference and/or site visit is non-mandatory; however,
Proposers are strongly encouraged to attend.
The purpose of the pre-proposal conference and/or site visit is to provide prospective
Proposers with an opportunity to familiarize themselves with conditions, requirements,
specifications, and scope of work associated with this RFP.
Submission of a proposal shall constitute acknowledgment that the Proposer has reviewed and
understands the requirements of this RFP and has satisfied itself regarding all conditions that
may affect the cost, performance, or difficulties of the work required by this RFP.
Prospective Proposers may submit written questions in advance of the conference in
accordance with Section 1.6. Proposers wishing to participate in the Virtual Pre-Proposal
Conference shall email Kasandra Davis at kasandra.davis@raleighnc.gov for instructions no
later than October 2, 2026. Note in the Subject Line: "Citywide Standby Emergency Debris
Removal Services Conference."
1.6 Proposal Questions
Questions or requests for clarification regarding this RFP must be submitted in writing to the
designated RFP contact no later than the deadline shown in the RFP Timeline. Questions
submitted via telephone will not be answered.
The City will issue written responses through an addendum. Only written responses issued by
the City will be binding upon the City.
Proposers are responsible for monitoring the North Carolina electronic Vendor Portal (eVP) at
https://evp.nc.gov/, for addenda and ensuring that all issued addenda are reviewed and
acknowledged as required.
Questions shall be submitted by email using the subject line: RFP #274-530-CTY-01 Citywide
Standby Emergency Debris Removal Services Questions.
Contact Name Email Address
Kasandra Davis Kasandra.Davis@raleighnc.gov
Proposers shall not contact any City staff regarding this solicitation other than the designated
RFP contact unless specifically authorized by the City. Unauthorized communications with any
personnel of the City may result in disqualification.
1.7 Proposal Submission Requirements and Contact Information
Proposals must follow the format as defined in Section 2 (PROPOSALS), and be addressed
and submitted as follows:
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DELIVERED BY OTHER DEIVERY
DELIVERED BY US POSTAL SERVICE MAIL:
SERVICES:
City of Raleigh City of Raleigh
ATTN: Kasandra Davis ATTN: Kasandra Davis
222 W Harget St, Suite 502 222 W Harget St, Suite 502
Raleigh, NC 27601 Raleigh, NC 27601
RFP No. 274-530-CTY-01 Citywide Standby Emergency RFP No. 274-530-CTY-01 Citywide Standby
Debris Removal Services Emergency Debris Removal Services
All proposals shall be physically delivered to the office address listed above on or before the
proposal deadline in order to be considered timely, regardless of the method of delivery. All
risk of late arrival due to unanticipated delay-whether delivered by hand, U.S. Postal Service,
courier or other delivery service is entirely on the Proposer. It is the sole responsibility of the
Proposer to have the proposal physically in this Office by the specified time and date of
opening. The time of delivery will be marked on each proposal when received, and any proposal
received after the proposal submission deadline will be rejected. If the proposer elects to mail in
its response, the proposer must allow sufficient time to ensure the City's proper receipt of the package
by the time specified in the RFP Timeline (Section 1.4).
Proposals must be enclosed in an envelope or package and clearly marked with the name of
the submitting company, the RFP number 274-530-CTY-01 and the RFP Title "Citywide
Standby Emergency Debris Removal Services".
Proposers must submit:
A. One (1) signed original;
B. One (1) electronic version of the signed proposal.
C. One (1) copy of the proposal
The electronic version of the Proposal must be submitted as a viewable and printable Adobe
Portable Document File (PDF) on a USB Flash Drive. The file(s) shall NOT be password
protected, shall be in .PDF or .XLS format, and shall be capable of being copied to other media
including readable in Microsoft Word and/or Microsoft Excel.
Proposers must respond to the entire Request for Proposals (RFP). Any incomplete
proposal may be determined non-responsive at the discretion of the City of Raleigh. The
City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals for any reason and to waive any informality
it deems in its best interest.
1.8 Business Engagement & Opportunities
The City of Raleigh maintains processes to conduct business with all business enterprises,
including small, emerging, growing, under-capitalized, and under-resourced firms or
organizations.
1.9 Rights to Submitted Material
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All proposals and supporting materials, as well as correspondence relating to this RFP, shall
become the property of the City. The content of all submittals will be held confidential until the
selection of the firm is made. Proposals will be reviewed by the Evaluation Team, as will other
City staff and members of the general public who submit public record requests. Any
proprietary data must be clearly marked. In submitting a Proposal, each Prospective
Proposer agrees that the City may reveal any trade secret materials contained in such
response to all City staff and City officials involved in the selection process and to any outside
consultant or other third party who serves on the Evaluation Team or who is hired by the City
to assist in the selection process.
Proposals marked entirely as "confidential", "proprietary", or "trade secret" will be
considered non-responsive and will be removed from the evaluation process.
1.10 Communications
All communications of any nature regarding this RFP with any City staff, elected City officials,
evaluation committee members, are strictly forbidden from the time the solicitation is publicly
posted until award. Questions must be submitted in writing to the individual designated in
Section 1.6 (Proposal Questions), prior to the deadline provided in the RFP Timeline (Section
1.4). Violation of this provision may result in the firm's proposal being removed from
consideration.
1.11 Lobbying
By responding to this RFP, the firm certifies that it has not and will not pay any person or firm
to influence or attempt to influence an officer or employee of the City or the State of North
Carolina, or any elected official in connection with obtaining a contract as a result of this RFP.
1.12 Conflicts of Interest
City of Raleigh contracts are controlled by three (3) conflict of interest provisions.
First, federal procurement standards are provided in 2 CFR 200.318 (c)(1),
No employee, officer, or agent may participate in the selection, award, or administration of a
contract supported by a Federal award if he or she has a real or apparent conflict of interest.
Such a conflict of interest arises when the employee, officer, or agent, any member of his or
her immediate family, his or her partner, or a firm which employs or is about to employ any of
the parties indicated herein, has a financial or other interest in or a tangible personal benefit
from a firm considered for a contract. The officers, employees, and agents of the non-Federal
entity may neither solicit nor accept gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value from
contractors or parties to subcontracts.
Similarly, the North Carolina General Statutes provides a criminal statute for conflicts of interest
in public contracting. N.C.G.S. 14-234(a):
(1) No public officer or employee who is involved in making or administering a contract on
behalf of a public agency may derive a direct benefit from the contract except as provided in
this section, or as otherwise allowed by law. (2) A public officer or employee who will derive a
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direct benefit from a contract with the public agency he or she serves, but who is not involved
in making or administering the contract, shall not attempt to influence any other person who is
involved in making or administering the contract. (3) No public officer or employee may solicit
or receive any gift, favor, reward, service, or promise of reward, including a promise of future
employment, in exchange for recommending, influencing, or attempting to influence the award
of a contract by the public agency he or she serves.
City of Raleigh Charter Section 3.9 regulates private transactions between the City and its
officials and employees. The Charter states:
No member of the City Council, official, or employee of the City of Raleigh shall be financially
interested, or have any personal beneficial interest, either directly or indirectly, as agent,
representative, or otherwise, in the purchase of, or contract for, or in furnishing any materials,
equipment or supplies to the City of Raleigh, nor shall any official or employee of the City of
Raleigh accept or receive, or agree to accept or receive, directly or indirectly, from any person,
firm or corporation to whom any contract may be awarded or from whom any materials,
equipment or supplies may be purchased by the City of Raleigh, by rebate, gift, or otherwise,
any money or anything of value whatsoever, or any promise, obligation or contract for future
reward or compensation, for recommending or procuring the uses of any such materials,
equipment or supplies by the City of Raleigh; no member of the City Council, official or
employee of the City of Raleigh shall for his own personal benefit operate, directly or indirectly,
any concession in any building or on any lands of the City of Raleigh, nor shall any official or
employee of the City of Raleigh bid for or be awarded any contract granting concessionary
rights of any nature or kind from the City of Raleigh; it shall be unlawful for any member of the
City Council, official or employee of the City of Raleigh to bid for or to purchase or to contract
to purchase from the City of Raleigh any real estate, equipment, materials, or supplies of any
nature or kind whatsoever, either directly or indirectly, at either public or private sale, either
singly, or through or jointly with any other person.
1.13 Proposer Expenses
The City of Raleigh will not be responsible for any expenses incurred by any Proposer in the
development of a response to this Request for Proposal or any other activities associated with
this procurement including but not limited to any onsite (or otherwise) interviews and/or
presentations, and/or supplemental information provided, submitted, or given to City of Raleigh
and/or its representatives. Further, the City of Raleigh shall reserve the right to cancel the work
described herein prior to issuance and acceptance of any contractual agreement/purchase
order by the recommended Proposer even if the awarding authority for each entity has formally
accepted a recommendation.
1.14 Proposer Acceptance
Submission of any proposal indicates a Proposer's acceptance of the conditions contained in
this RFP. Furthermore, the City of Raleigh is not bound to accept a proposal on the basis of
lowest price, and further, the City has the sole discretion and reserves the right to cancel this
RFP, and to reject any and all proposals, to waive any and all informalities and/or irregularities
and reserves the right to re-advertise this RFP with either the identical or revised scope and
specifications if it is deemed to be in the best interests of the City to do so.
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The City of Raleigh reserves the right to accept or reject any or all of the items in the proposal,
and to award the contract in whole or in part and/or negotiate any or all items with individual
Proposers if it is deemed in the best interest of the City to do so. Moreover, the City reserves
the right to make no selection if proposals are deemed to be outside the fiscal constraint or not
in the best interest of the City.
2 PROPOSALS
Proposals shall be organized in the format described below to facilitate a consistent and
efficient evaluation. The City may determine a proposal to be non-responsive if it fails to provide
required information or materially deviates from the requirements of this RFP.
2.1 Request for Proposals Required Document Format
Proposals should be on 8-1/2" x 11" paper, printed on both sides, bound with only removable
clips or staples (no 3-ring binders), and divided into sections using tabs to easily identify and
separate each section as follows:
1.1.1. Section/Tab 1: Cover Letter
Provide an introduction letter summarizing the unique proposal of your firm to meet the needs
of this service requirement. This letter should be presented on the firm's official letterhead and
signed by an authorized representative who has the authority to enter into a contract with the
City on behalf of the firm. Additionally, include the name, address, telephone and email
address of the individual who serves as the point of contact for this solicitation.
1.1.2. Section/Tab 2: Corporate Background and Experience
Provide an overview of the Proposer's organization, including years in business, primary
service areas, organizational structure, and experience providing disaster debris removal,
debris management, and related disaster recovery services.
Describe the firm's experience providing services similar or comparable in scope and
complexity to the services required by this RFP. Relevant experience may include, but is not
limited to, emergency roadway clearance; collection, loading, hauling, reduction, processing,
and disposal of disaster-generated debris; vegetative debris management; operation or
management of Temporary Debris Storage and Reduction Sites (TDSRS); management of
construction and demolition debris, white goods, electronic waste, or other disaster-generated
debris when applicable; private-property or Right-of-Entry debris removal when authorized;
coordination with debris monitoring contractors; FEMA Public Assistance requirements; and
management of multiple concurrent disaster recovery activities or activations.
Provide up to five (5) representative contracts or projects completed or substantially performed
within the past five (5) years that best demonstrate the Proposer's qualifications and ability to
perform the services required by this RFP. For each project, provide the client name; project
description and location; period of performance; approximate contract value or amount
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