Lawn Maintenance Services

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina Central University
Request for Proposal #: 61-RFP25009
Lawn Maintenance Services
Date of Issue: May 1. 2026
Proposal Opening Date: May 19, 2026
At 2:00 PM ET
Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to:
Bernell Bright
Strategic Purchasing Manager
Email: bbright3-t@nccu.edu
Phone: 919 530-6877

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
Request for Proposal #
61-RFP25009
______________________________________________________
For internal State agency processing, including tabulation of proposals, provide your company's eVP (Electronic
Vendor Portal) Number. Pursuant to G.S. 132-1.10(b) this identification number shall not be released to the public.
This page will be removed and shredded, or otherwise kept confidential, before the procurement file is made
available for public inspection.
This page shall be filled out and returned with your proposal.
Failure to do so may subject your proposal to rejection.
___________________________________________________
Vendor Name
______________________________
Vendor eVP#
Note: For a contract to be awarded to you, your company (you) must be a North Carolina registered Vendor in
good standing. You must enter the Vendor number assigned through eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal). If you do
not have a vendor number, register athttps://evp.nc.gov/SignIn
Electronic responses ONLY will be accepted for this solicitation.
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Proposal Number: 61-RFP25009 Vendor: __________________________________________
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY
Refer ALL Inquiries regarding this RFP to: Request for Proposal #: 61-RFP25009
Bernell Bright Proposals will be publicly opened: May 19, 2026 @ 2:00 PM EST
Bbright3-t@nccu.edu
919 530-6877
Using Agency: North Carolina Central Commodity No. and Description: 701117 Parks, Gardens & Orchards
University
Requisition No.: TBD
EXECUTION
In compliance with this Request for Proposals (RFP), and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned Vendor
offers and agrees to furnish and deliver any or all items upon which prices are bid, at the prices set opposite each item
within the time specified herein.
By executing this proposal, the undersigned Vendor understands that false certification is a Class I felony and certifies
that:
this proposal is submitted competitively and without collusion (G.S. 143-54),
none of its officers, directors, or owners of an unincorporated business entity has been convicted of any
violations of Chapter 78A of the General Statutes, the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 (G.S. 143-59.2), and
it is not an ineligible Vendor as set forth in G.S. 143-59.1.
Furthermore, by executing this proposal, the undersigned certifies to the best of Vendor's knowledge and belief, that:
it and its principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or
voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal or State department or agency.
As required by G.S. 143-48.5, the undersigned Vendor certifies that it, and each of its sub-Contractors for any Contract
awarded as a result of this RFP, complies with the requirements of Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the NC General Statutes,
including the requirement for each employer with more than 25 employees in North Carolina to verify the work
authorization of its employees through the federal E-Verify system.
As required by Executive Order 24 (2017), the undersigned vendor certifies will comply with all Federal and State
requirements concerning fair employment and that it does not and will not discriminate, harass, or retaliate against
any employee in connection with performance of any Contract arising from this solicitation.
G.S. 133-32 and Executive Order 24 (2009) prohibit the offer to, or acceptance by, any State Employee associated with
the preparing plans, specifications, estimates for public contracts; or awarding or administering public contracts; or
inspecting or supervising delivery of the public contract of any gift from anyone with a contract with the State, or from
any person seeking to do business with the State. By execution of this response to the RFP, the undersigned certifies,
for Vendor's entire organization and its employees or agents, that Vendor is not aware that any such gift has been
offered, accepted, or promised by any employees of your organization.
By executing this proposal, Vendor certifies that it has read and agreed to the INSTRUCTION TO VENDORS and the
NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS incorporated herein. These documents can be accessed from
the ATTACHMENTS page within this document.
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Proposal Number: 61-RFP25009 Vendor: __________________________________________
Failure to execute/sign proposal prior to submittal may render proposal invalid and it MAY BE REJECTED. Late
proposals shall not be accepted.
COMPLETE/FORMAL NAME OF VENDOR:
STREET ADDRESS: P.O. BOX: ZIP:
CITY & STATE & ZIP: TELEPHONE TOLL FREE TEL. NO:
NUMBER:
PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE (SEE INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS ITEM #21):
PRINT NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING ON BEHALF OF VENDOR:
VENDOR'S AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE*: DATE: EMAIL:
VALIDITY PERIOD
Offer shall be valid for at least sixty 60 days from date of bid opening, unless otherwise stated here: ______ days, or
if extended by mutual agreement of the parties in writing. Any withdrawal of this offer shall be made in writing,
effective upon receipt by the agency issuing this RFP.
ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSAL
If your proposal is accepted, all provisions of this RFP, along with the written results of any negotiations, shall constitute
the written agreement between the parties ("Contract"). The NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
are incorporated herein and shall apply. Depending upon the Goods or Services being offered, other terms and
conditions may apply, as mutually agreed.
FOR STATE USE ONLY: Offer accepted and Contract awarded this________ day of __________, 20____, as
indicated on
The attached certification, by ____________________________________________________________________.
(Authorized Representative of North Carolina Central University)
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Proposal Number: 61-RFP25009 Vendor: __________________________________________
Contents
1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND ............................................................................................. 4
2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION ....................................................................................................... 5
2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT ......................................................................................... 5
2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE ................................................................................................................. 5
2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS .................................................. 5
2.4 RFP SCHEDULE ........................................................................................................................... 5
2.5 SITE VISIT or PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE ................................................................................... 6
2.6 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS ............................................................................................................... 6
2.7 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL ............................................................................................................... 7
2.8 PROPOSAL CONTENTS ................................................................................................................ 7
2.9 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS ............................................................................................................. 8
3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS ....................................... 8
3.1 METHOD OF AWARD .................................................................................................................. 8
3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION ............................. 8
3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS ............................................................................................... 9
3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA ............................................................................................................... 9
3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES ............................................................................ 10
3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES ................................................................................ 10
4.0 REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................................................................ 10
4.1 PRICING ................................................................................................................................ 10
4.2 FINANCIAL STABILITY ........................................................................................................ 10
4.3 HUB PARTICIPATION .......................................................................................................... 11
4.4 VENDOR EXPERIENCE ........................................................................................................ 11
4.5 REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 11
4.6 BACKGROUND CHECKS ..................................................................................................... 11
4.7 PERSONNEL ......................................................................................................................... 12
4.8 VENDOR'S REPRESENTATIONS ........................................................................................ 12
4.9 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION ................................................. 13
4.10 SUBCONTRACTORS ............................................................................................................ 13
4.11 SECRETARY OF STATE REGISTRATION ........................................................................... 13
5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK .......................................................................... 13
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Proposal Number: 61-RFP25009 Vendor: __________________________________________
5.1 SPECIFICATONS .................................................................................................................. 13
5.2 TASKS/DELIVERABLES ...................................................................................................... 15
6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION .................................................................................................... 16
6.1 CONTRACT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE ............................................................... 16
6.2 INVOICES ................................................................................................................................... 17
6.4 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT ................................................................................................. 17
6.5 PERIODIC QUARTERLY REPORTS .......................................................................................... 17
6.6 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK .......................................................................................................... 17
6.9 DISPUTE RESOLUTION ............................................................................................................. 18
6.10 CONTRACT CHANGES ............................................................................................................ 18
7.0 ATTACHMENTS ..................................................................................................................... 19
ATTACHMENT A: PRICING............................................................................................................... 19
ATTACHMENT B: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS .......................................................................... 20
ATTACHMENT C: NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS ................................... 20
ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION .............................................. 20
ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM ....................................................................... 20
ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR ........................................... 20
ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION ................................................... 20
1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND
North Carolina Central University (NCCU) is soliciting bids from qualified and experienced vendors to provide comprehensive lawn
maintenance services for designated campus grounds and landscaped areas. The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to
establish a contract with a responsible contractor who can deliver consistent, high-quality grounds maintenance services that
support the University's commitment to maintaining a safe, attractive, and well-maintained campus environment for students,
faculty, staff, and visitors.
The awarded vendor shall provide all-inclusive grounds maintenance services and routine service schedules, including all
necessary labor, supervision, materials, and equipment required to properly maintain University grounds. Services may include,
but are not limited to, mowing, edging, trimming, debris removal, and other general lawn care activities across various University
properties. NCCU seeks a contractor capable of performing these services in accordance with university standards, applicable
regulations, and industry best practices to ensure the continued appearance, safety, and functionality of campus grounds.
The intent of this solicitation is to award an Agency Contract.
1.1 CONTRACT TERM
The Contract shall have an initial term of one (1) year, beginning on the date of final Contract execution (the "Effective Date").
At the end of the Contract's initial term, the State shall have the option, in its sole discretion, to renew the Contract on the same
terms and conditions for up to one (1) additional one-year terms. The State will give the Vendor written notice of its intent to
exercise each option no later than ninety (90) days before the end of the Contract's then-current term. In addition to any optional
renewal terms, and with the Vendor's concurrence, the State reserves the right to extend the Contract after the last active term.
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Proposal Number: 61-RFP25009 Vendor: __________________________________________
Bids shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this RFP and any addenda issued hereto.
2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION
2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT
This RFP is comprised of the base RFP document, any attachments, and any addenda released before Contract award,
which are incorporated herein by reference.
2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE
ATTENTION: The E-Procurement fee shall not apply to this solicitation. See the paragraph entitled ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT of
the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions.
General information on the E-Procurement Services can be found at: http://eprocurement.nc.gov/.
2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS
It shall be the Vendor's responsibility to read the Instructions to Vendors, the North Carolina General Terms and
Conditions, all relevant exhibits and attachments, and any other components made a part of this RFP and comply with
all requirements and specifications herein. Vendors are also responsible for obtaining and complying with all Addenda
and other changes that may be issued in connection with this RFP.
If Vendors have questions or issues regarding any component of this RFP, those must be submitted as questions in
accordance with the instructions in the PROPOSAL QUESTIONS Section. If the State determines that any changes will
be made as a result of the questions asked, then such decisions will be communicated in the form of an RFP addendum.
The State may also elect to leave open the possibility for later negotiation of specific provisions of the Contract that
have been addressed during the question-and-answer period, prior to contract award.
Other than through the process of negotiation under 01 NCAC 05B.0503, the State rejects and will not be required to
evaluate or consider any additional or modified terms and conditions submitted with Vendor's proposal or otherwise.
This applies to any language appearing in or attached to the document as part of the Vendor's proposal that purports
to vary any terms and conditions or Vendors' instructions herein or to render the proposal non-binding or subject to
further negotiation. Vendor's proposal shall constitute a firm offer that shall be held open for the period required
herein ("Validity Period" above).
The State may exercise its discretion to consider Vendor proposed modifications. By execution and delivery of this
RFP Response, the Vendor agrees that any additional or modified terms and conditions, whether submitted
purposely or inadvertently, shall have no force or effect, and will be disregarded unless expressly agreed upon
through negotiation and incorporated by way of a Best and Final Offer (BAFO). Noncompliance with, or any attempt
to alter or delete, this paragraph shall constitute sufficient grounds to reject Vendor's proposal as nonresponsive.
2.4 RFP SCHEDULE
The table below shows the intended schedule for this RFP. The State will make every effort to adhere to this schedule.
Event Responsibility Date and Time
Issue RFP State 05/01/2026
Hold Pre-Proposal Meeting/Site Visit State 05/07/2026 @ 9:00 A, M. EST
Submit Written Questions Vendor 05/08/2026 by 2:00 P.M. EST
Provide Response to Questions State 05/12/2026
Submit Proposals Vendor 05/19/2026 @ 2:00 PM EST
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Proposal Number: 61-RFP25009 Vendor: __________________________________________
Contract Award State TBD
2.5 SITE VISIT or PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE
Mandatory Site Visit
Date: 05/07/2026
Time: 9:00 AM EST
Location: Physical Plant Conference Room
206 Eagle Campus Drive
Durham, NC 27707
Contact #: For parking and conference room location information ONLY - Facilities - 919 530-7244
AVAILABLE PARKING OPTION: NCCU LATHAM PARKING DECK, 205 E. LAWSON ST., DURHAM, NC 27707
Instructions: It shall be MANDATORY that a representative from each Vendor be present for a pre-bid site visit. Attendees must
arrive promptly All attendees must sign in upon arrival and clearly indicate each prospective Vendor represented on the sign in
sheet. LATE ARRIVALS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO SIGN IN OR PARTICIPATE IN THE SITE VISIT, NOR SHALL THEIR BID BE CONSIDERED.
Once the sign-in process is complete, all other persons wishing to attend may do so to the extent that space and circumstances
allow.
FAILURE TO ATTEND THE MANDATORY SITE VISIT SHALL RESULT IN VENDOR'S BID BEING DEEMED NON-RESPONSIVE AND NOT
CONSIDERED FOR AWARD.
The purpose of this visit is for all prospective Vendors to apprise themselves of the conditions and requirements which will affect
the performance of the work called for by this RFP. Vendors must stay for the duration of the site visit. No allowances will be made
for unreported conditions that a prudent Vendor would recognize as affecting the work called for or implied by this RFP.
Vendors are cautioned that any information released to attendees during the site visit, other than that involving the physical
aspects of the facility referenced above, and which conflicts with, supersedes, or adds to requirements in this RFP, must be
confirmed by written addendum before it can be considered to be a part of this RFP and any resulting contract.
2.6 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS
Upon review of the RFP documents, Vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the RFP in order to submit the
best proposal possible. To accommodate the Proposal Questions process, Vendors shall submit any such questions by
the "Submit Written Questions" date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by
Addendum.
Written questions shall be emailed to bbright3-t@nccu.edu by the date and time specified above. Vendors should enter
"RFP # 61-RFP25009: Questions" as the subject for the email. Question submittals should include a reference to the
applicable RFP section and be submitted in the format shown below:
Reference Vendor Question
RFP Section, Page Number Vendor question ...?
Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, the State's response, and any additional terms deemed
necessary by the State will be posted in the form of an addendum to the electronic Vendor Portal (eVP),
https://evp.nc.gov, and shall become an Addendum to this RFP. No information, instruction or advice provided orally or
informally by any State personnel, whether made in response to a question or otherwise in connection with this RFP,
shall be considered authoritative or binding. Vendors shall rely only on written material contained in the RFP and an
addendum to this RFP.
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Proposal Number: 61-RFP25009 Vendor: __________________________________________
2.7 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is an absolute requirement. Late bids, regardless of cause, will not be opened or considered, and will be
automatically disqualified from further consideration. Vendor shall bear the sole risk of late submission due to unintended or
unanticipated delay. It is the Vendor's sole responsibility to ensure its bid has been received as described in this RFP by the specified
time and date of opening. The time and date of receipt will be marked on each bid when received. Any bid or portion thereof
received after the bid deadline will be rejected.
If applicable to this RFQ and using eVP, all proposal responses shall be submitted electronically via the electronic Vendor Portal
(eVP). Additional information can be found at the eVP updates for Vendors link: https://eprocurement.nc.gov/news-events/evp-
updates-vendors
Failure to submit a bid in strict accordance with these instructions shall constitute sufficient cause to reject a Vendor's bids(s).
Vendors are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to upload bids.
Critical updated information may be included in Addenda to this RFP. It is important that all Vendors responding to this RFP
periodically check the State's eVP website for any Addenda that may be issued prior to the bid opening date. All Vendors shall be
deemed to have read and understood all information in this RFP and all Addenda thereto.
2.8 PROPOSAL CONTENTS
Vendors shall populate all attachments of this RFP that require the Vendor to provide information and include an authorized
signature where requested. Failure to provide all required items, or Vendor's submission of incomplete items, may result in the
State rejecting Vendor's bid, in the State's sole discretion.
Vendor RFP responses shall include the following items and attachments, which shall be arranged in the following order:
a) Title Page: Include the company name, address, phone number and authorized representative along with the Bid Number.
b) Completed and signed version of all EXECUTION PAGES, along with the body of the RFP.
c) Signed receipt pages of any addenda released in conjunction with this RFP, if required to be returned.
d) Completed version of ATTACHMENT A: PRICING
e) Completed version of ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION
f) Completed version of ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM
g) Completed version of ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR
h) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
2.9 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS
Unless provided otherwise in this RFP, Vendor may submit alternate proposals for comparable Goods, various methods
or levels of Service(s), or that propose different options. Alternate proposals must specifically identify the RFP
requirements and advantage(s) addressed by the alternate proposal. Any alternate proposal, in addition to the marking
described above, must be clearly marked with the legend: "Alternate Proposal #___ [for 'name of Vendor']". Each
proposal must be for a specific set of Goods and Services and must include specific pricing. If a Vendor chooses to
respond with various offerings, each must be offered with a separate price and be contained in a separate proposal
document. Each proposal must be complete and independent of other proposals offered.
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Proposal Number: 61-RFP25009 Vendor: __________________________________________
3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS
3.1 METHOD OF AWARD
[This North Carolina G.S. 143-52 provides a general list of criteria the State shall use to award contracts, as supplemented by the
additional criteria herein. The Goods or Services being procured shall dictate the application and order of criteria; however, all
award decisions shall be in the State's best interest. All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and awards will be made to the
Vendor(s) meeting the specific RFP Specifications and achieving the highest and best final evaluation, based on the criteria
described below.
Evaluation Criteria (Total Possible Points: 35)
* Compliance with Specifications - 10 Points
Vendor demonstrates the ability to meet or exceed all specifications and requirements outlined in Section 5.0 of this RFP.
* Relevant Experience- 10 Points
Evaluation of vendor summary of relevant experience, as described in Section 4.4.
* Vendor References- 5 Points
Evaluation of references provided for similar services as required in Section 4.5
* Price (Attachment A) - 10 Points
Pricing will be evaluated based on the total cost submitted in Attachment A.
The State may conduct any necessary verifications set forth herein, including but not limited to review of past performance,
references, and financial documentation.
While the intent of this RFP is to award a Contract(s) to a single Vendor, the State reserves the right to make separate awards to
different Vendors for one or more line items, to not award one or more line items, or to cancel this RFP in its entirety without
awarding a Contract, if it is considered to be most advantageous to the State to do so.
The State reserves the right to waive any minor informality or technicality in bids received.
3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION
While this RFP is under evaluation, the responding Vendor, including any subcontractors and suppliers, is prohibited
from engaging in conversations intended to influence the outcome of the evaluation. See Paragraph 29 of the
Instructions to Vendors entitled COMMUNICTIONS BY VENDORS.
Each Vendor submitting a proposal to this RFP, including its employees, agents, subcontractors, suppliers, subsidiaries
and affiliates, is prohibited from having any communications with any person inside or outside the using agency; issuing
agency; other government agency office or body (including the procurement lead named above, any department
secretary, agency head, members of the General Assembly and Governor's office); or private entity, if the
communication refers to the content of Vendor's proposal or qualifications, the content of another Vendor's proposal,
another Vendor's qualifications or ability to perform a resulting contract, and/or the transmittal of any other
communication of information that could be reasonably considered to have the effect of directly or indirectly
influencing the evaluation of proposals, the award of a contract, or both.
Any Vendor not in compliance with this provision shall be disqualified from evaluation and award. A Vendor's proposal
may be disqualified if its subcontractor and/or supplier engage in any of the foregoing communications during the time
that the procurement is active (i.e., the issuance date of the procurement until the date of contract award or
cancellation of the procurement). Only those discussions, communications or transmittals of information authorized
or initiated by the issuing agency for this RFP or inquiries directed to the procurement lead named in this RFP regarding
requirements of the RFP (prior to proposal submission) or the status of the award (after submission) are excepted from
this provision.
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