Certified Playground Mulch

REQUEST FOR BID
Certified Playground Mulch
RFB 0903A-26
Attention: Purchasing Agent
Address: City School District of Albany
1 Academy Park
Albany, NY 12207
Phone: (518) 475- 6050
RESPONSES DUE BY 1:00PM on September 3rd, 2026
In accordance with the provisions of Section 103 of the General Municipal Law, an advertisement has
been published in the local newspaper.

CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF ALBANY
Legal Notice
RFB 0903A-26 Certified Playground Mulch
The City School District of Albany, hereinafter known as the District, will receive proposals at the
Central Administration Offices, Purchasing Department, 1 Academy Park, Albany, New York,
12207 until 1:00 PM on September 3rd, 2026. The envelopes containing the proposals must be
sealed, and addressed to:
Purchasing Agent
City School District of Albany
1 Academy Park
Albany, NY 12207
Envelopes containing the proposals should be clearly marked "RFB 0903A-26 Certified
Playground Mulch".
The District has the right to accept or reject any and all proposals or parts thereof as it deems to be
in its best interest.
Please contact the Purchasing Office at (518) 475-6050 or jmonroe@albany.k12.ny.us to obtain the
bid packet.
The City School District of Albany is an affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Enterprise.

GENERAL INFORMATION/CONDITIONS
Statement of Purpose:
The City School District of Albany is seeking responsive and responsible bidders to provide
certified playground mulch. Proposals must follow the outline set forth in this document. Please
submit one original and two copies of the completed qualifications and other requirements of the
RFB, by hand delivery, regular mail, or courier to the address listed on the cover page. The
District must receive the proposal by the date indicated in the timeline below.
Minority Business Enterprises (MBE's) and Women Business Enterprise (WBE's) are encouraged
to send bid proposal(s).
General Information:
The City School District of Albany operates twelve elementary schools, three middle school
buildings, and one primary high school facility with extended programs in two additional buildings.
The student population is approximately 8,800 with a staff of approximately 1,700. In addition to
neighborhood schools, the District includes several magnet schools and programs, as well as other
innovative academic opportunities for students in support of our vision, mission and goals.
SCOPE OF SERVICES
The firm(s) selected will supply certified playground mulch incrementally as requested to our
District's schools.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Instructions to Bidder:
The submission of a proposal will indicate that the responder (1) has read the instructions, (2) will
abide by the terms and conditions governing this Request for Bid, and (3) understands the
requirements for delivery of the services specified.
General Instructions:
1. Specifications contained in the Request for Bids are for supplying the District with certified
playground mulch.
2. Minimum requirements are specified. The responder may choose to exceed those
minimums.
3. Failure to provide sufficient and required information may result in the proposal being
rejected by the District as non-responsive and not being considered.
4. Each proposal must be clearly marked on the outside of the envelope with the title "RFB
0903A-26: Certified Playground Mulch". Please ensure your organization's name is
included on the outside of the package. If you are using a commercial delivery company
that requires the use of their shipping package or envelope, your proposal must be placed
within a second sealed package labeled as detailed above. This will ensure your proposal is
not prematurely opened.
5. Original proposal is to be mailed or delivered to:
City School District of Albany
Attn: Purchasing Agent
1 Academy Park
Albany, NY 12207
to arrive no later than the closing date and time specified in the timeline provided herein.
Any received after that time will not be opened, and will be returned only upon request by,
and at the expense of, the responder(s). The responder(s) will assume total responsibility
for delivery of their proposal on time and at the specified place, whether sent by mail or
delivered in person.
6. Telephone, facsimile, or telegraphic proposals are not acceptable. Unless otherwise
specified, submission by email is not permitted.
7. To assist any and all vendors in obtaining a clear understanding of the requirements of this
proposal, vendors may present clarifying questions. Questions regarding this proposal must
be submitted in writing via email to jmonroe@albany.k12.ny.us. Responders must also
provide in writing one working email address of where the District should direct its
response to any questions. The District is not responsible for non-working email addresses.
District responses will also be shared with other potential proposers if they are known to the
District.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. The issuance of this RFB request constitutes only an invitation to submit a response to the
District. If the school District chooses to award the RFB to a selected Contractor, the
Contractor must complete a contract with the District. The form and content of the contract
will be determined by the District.
2. Article 18 of the General Municipal Law prohibits municipal officers and employees from
having interest in contracts with the municipality for which they serve. This law applies to
officers, employees of a municipality, or members of a municipal board. Additionally, a
Vendor that is interested in submitting a proposal to an RFB must fully disclose, in writing
to the District on or before the closing date of the RFB, the circumstances of any possible
conflict of interest or what could be perceived as a possible conflict of interest if the Vendor
were to become a contracting party pursuant to the RFB. The District shall review any
submissions by Vendor(s) under this provision and may reject any Proposals where, in the
opinion of the District, the Vendor could be in a conflict of interest or could be perceived to
be in a possible conflict of interest position if the Vendor were to become a contracting
party pursuant to the RFB.
3. This Proposal request does not commit the District either to award a contract or to pay any
costs incurred in the preparation of a submission. Responders shall bear all costs associated
with submission preparation, submission and attendance at presentation interviews, or any
other activity associated with this Proposal request or otherwise.
4. All proposals and accompanying documentation become the property of the City School
District of Albany. The District shall not divulge any information presented to anyone
outside the District, unless required by law, without the written approval of the individual
or firm. The District reserves the right to use the information and any ideas presented in
any submission in response to this RFB request, whether or not the submission is accepted.
Submitted bids may be reviewed and evaluated by any person or outside consultant retained
by the District, other than one associated with a competing applicant, as designated by the
District. If a bidder believes that any information in its bid constitutes a trade secret and
wishes such information not be disclosed if requested by a member of the public pursuant to
the State Freedom of Information Law, Article 6 of the Public Officers Law, the bidder
shall submit with its bid a letter specifically identifying the page number, line or other
appropriate designation, that information which it deems to constitute a trade secret and
explain in detail why such information is a trade secret. Failure by a bidder to submit such
a letter with its bid identifying trade secrets shall constitute a waiver by the applicant of any
rights it may have under Section 89 (Subdivision 5) of the Public Officers Law relating to
protection of trade secrets.
5. The District neither makes nor assumes any contractual obligation by issuing this RFB
request, receiving and evaluating responses, or making preliminary bidder selections.
Providing a response as provided herein shall neither obligate nor entitle a bidder to enter
into a contract with the District.
6. The District reserves the right to determine in its sole and absolute discretion whether any
aspect of the Contractor's submission satisfactorily meets the criteria established in this RFB

request, the right to seek clarification from any Responder(s), and the right to cancel and or
amend, in part or entirely, the RFB request, at any time prior to a written contract.
7. It is understood that any submission received and evaluated by the City School District of
Albany will be used as the basis for the cost and terms of a contract between the District and
the particular responder. In submitting a response, it is understood by the responder that the
District reserves the right to accept any submission, to reject any and all submissions and to
waive any irregularities or informalities that the District deems is in its best interest.
8. The District is not obligated to respond to any submission nor is it legally bound in any
manner whatsoever by the submission of a response.
9. Each response shall be reviewed for completeness and for the technical and administrative
requirements of the RFB request. The District has the option of requesting the responder to
submit missing information or provide clarification of those issues deemed incomplete, or
disqualifying the proposal. A proposal may be disqualified for lack of response to such a
request.
10. RFBs submitted to the District must be valid for a period of at least 120 days from the
deadline for receipt of bid responses as defined on the cover page of this document.
11. The selected Contractor's proposal will become part of any resulting legal contract, should
contracts be awarded. The term of the resultant contract shall commence upon award and
shall remain in effect for one (1) year or until completion, inspection, and final acceptance of
specified project(s), goods and/or services unless terminated, cancelled, or extended as
otherwise provided herein.
12. Each proposal must include the appropriate corporate officer's approval signature.
13. It is a requirement that responders indicate specifically in the response any sub-contract,
alliance, partner, franchise, or other "non-employee" relationship with any resource(s) they
will utilize if they are chosen as the selected proposal. Note: The District reserves the right
to approve and designate sub-contractors to be used in any of the services being proposed.
14. The City School District of Albany reserves the right to introduce additional factors not
contained in this RFB request in order to obtain the most suitable solution. After submitting
a proposal, each respondent must be prepared to have the operational aspects of their proposal
reviewed in detail by District representatives.
15. When specifications are revised, the City School District of Albany Purchasing Department
will issue an addendum addressing the nature of the change. Bidders must sign and include
it in the returned bid package.
16. The District may, from time to time, inform other local governmental entities and school
districts that they may acquire items or services listed in this Request for Bids. Such
acquisition(s) shall be at the prices stated herein, and shall be subject to bidder's
acceptance. Other local government entities or school districts purchase orders shall be
submitted directly to the vendor within the specified contract period referencing the
District's contract. The City School District of Albany will not be liable or responsible for

any obligations, including, but not limited to, payment, and for any item ordered by an
entity or school other than the City School District of Albany.
17. Proposals shall be opened publicly at the District's Central Office location, or other duly
designated location, on the "received by" date and time indicated on the cover page. The
name of each responder shall be read publicly and recorded. Unless disclosure of final
proposal pricing would constitute an impairment of negotiations, the proposed bid, cost, or
sum of each proposer will be read publicly as well. The content of proposals shall not be
subject to public inspection until after contract award. Subsequent to contract award,
proposals may be reviewed unless they, in total or in part, contain information which is
exempt from disclosure pursuant to the Freedom of Information Law (e.g. a trade secret).
18. At any time prior to the specified proposal due time and date, a responder (or designated
representative) may withdraw their proposal.
19. The District reserves the right to award contracts for individual projects or for any
combination of projects deemed to be most advantageous to the District. Notwithstanding
any other provision of the RFB, the District expressly reserves the right to:
a. Waive any immaterial defect or informality; or
b. Reject any or all bids, or portions thereof; or
c. Reissue an invitation for bid.
20. The District Board of Education reserves the right to award a contract in the best interest of
the District. The Board of Education's decision will be final.
Responders Default - Failure of the Responders to comply with any of these provisions may be
considered reason for rejection of the Proposal.
ATTACHMENT A: SPECIFICATIONS
ATTACHMENT B: SIGNATURE PAGE
ATTACHMENT C: QUOTE SHEET

ATTACHMENT A: SPECIFICATIONS
1. Supply - The awarded contractor will be expected to complete supply orders for a
prospective seventeen (17) schools owned by the City School District of Albany.
2. No Subcontracting- Vendors shall not subcontract any portion of their duties under this
agreement without the prior written consent of the district.
3. Bidders may contact the District at (518) 475-6050 or jmonroe@albany.k12.ny.us if they
have any questions prior to submitting a bid.
4. MATERIALS: International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) certified
to American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) standards for F2075 and F1292
playground mulch to be installed at a minimum of a 12" compacted depth. Bid is only for the
supplies and not for the installation. Products will be free of asbestos, mercury,
chromium/lead paint, Class 1 Freon and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs). Mulch will be
sold in cubic yards and delivered in periodic increments to one of the District's properties.
a) Total amount depends on factors not currently available but last year the District used
approximately 735 cubic yards.
b) NOTE: The School District is exempt from State and Local Sales Taxes and
therefore, sales tax shall not be included in computing charges to the School
District.
5. Award - The District will award the bid to the responsive and responsible bidder(s) whose
bid is most advantageous to the District. In determining the most advantageous bid, the
District will consider criteria such as, but not limited to, cost, bidder's past performance
and/or service reputation, and service capability, quality of the bidder's staff or services,
customer satisfaction, bidder's past relationship with the District.
6. Contract Term - The contract shall be for the period of one year. Upon mutual agreement
with the Contractor, the District shall have the option to extend the contract up to four
additional one-year periods, provided that terms and conditions of the extension shall be the
same and the daily rates do not increase more than the Consumer Price Index (CPI). During
the extended contract period, the District may cancel, without penalty, upon seven (7) days
written notice to vendor.
7. Invoicing - All invoices shall contain complete and accurate information.

ATTACHMENT B: SIGNATURE PAGE
I have reviewed and agree to the terms, conditions and other stipulations of this RFB and
further certify the accuracy of the information submitted as the proposal:
Authorized signature:
Individual's name (print):
Title (affix seal if a corporation):
Business name:
Mailing address:
Business license number:
Date: / /
Phone:
e-mail: ________________
Fax:
Proposals must be signed to be valid.

ATTACHMENT C: QUOTE SHEET
The undersigned has carefully examined the sites, specifications and other contract documents,
and has examined all laws, ordinances and regulations governing the work. The undersigned
does hereby agree to provide all materials, labor, transportation and equipment necessary
or required for the work proposed hereunder, in strict accordance with the contract documents.
1. The undersigned agrees, when called by the authorized representative of the
School District, to supply IPEMA certified to ASTM F2075 and F1292
playground mulch delivered to one or more of the District's properties for a
price of: ________________ per cubic yard.
An original receipt must accompany all costs for materials.
Please include additional costs, such as transportation costs, to your quoted
amount.