Engineered Wood Fiber Mulch

The City of Davis Parks and Community Services Department is soliciting proposals from qualified and experienced contractors to provide, deliver, and install engineered wood fiber (EWF) mulch for the use as playground safety surfacing in City parks. All respondents must, at their sole cost and expense, obtain and maintain all licenses, certifications, and permits required to perform the services; must maintain in full force and effect all insurance coverage required under this contract; and must comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including possession of a valid City of Davis Business License.

PROJECT BACKGROUND The City of Davis maintains a citywide system of public parks and playgrounds that require periodic resurfacing to ensure accessibility, safety, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), CPSC and ASTM standards. Engineered wood fiber (EWF) mulch is the standard safety surfacing material used throughout the City’s playground system. The City intends to award a contract with a one-year term at a fixed cost of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), with the option to renew for a second year at the same fixed cost and a third year at a negotiable rate, mutually agreed-upon price, subject to City Council approval and budget appropriations. Each contract year shall not exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), inclusive of all costs, including but not limited to materials, supplies, transportation, delivery, labor, insurance, permits, compliance costs, and any other expenses required to complete the work. The maximum total contract value for the two fixed years is two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000), with the possibility of an additional third year at a negotiated rate.

FIRST YEAR: The project scope includes the 11 prioritized playground sites identified in Exhibit A, Playgrounds Locations & Specifications. Contractors are encouraged to conduct site inspections of these locations to confirm depth, square footage, and vehicle access points prior to bidding. SECOND YEAR: If renewed, the City will provide a revised prioritized site list at least one year in advance. Contractors shall submit in their proposal the estimated total cubic yards they can deliver and install within the fixed annual budget of $100,000 for the second year. THIRD YEAR: If exercised, the City and the contractor will negotiate the scope of services and cost.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

All EWF mulch shall meet or exceed the following standards:

• ASTM F2075 (material purity)
• ASTM F1292 (impact attenuation / fall height safety)
• ASTM F1951 (wheelchair accessibility)
• Current IPEMA certification or equivalent
• All workmanship shall include a minimum one (1) year warranty on materials and installation

RFP QUESTIONS

All questions regarding the Scope of Work, the Proposed Project Completion Timeline, or any other aspect of this RFP must be submitted in writing via email to: Dave Knighton, Project Manager at: DKnighton@cityofdavis.org .

All questions must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. (PDT) on October 7, 2025.

Questions received after this deadline or submitted via phone will not be accepted.  All timely and substantive questions, along with corresponding responses, will be compiled and issued as a written addendum to this RFP. Addenda will be posted below. It is the responsibility of each proposer to check for any issued addenda prior to submitting a proposal. Responses will be posted by October 10, 2025.

PRPOPOSAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Contractors interested in responding to this Request for Proposal (RFP) must submit all required documentation by the established deadline. The proposal must include the transmittal letter, firm qualifications and relevant experience, project team and key personnel, approach and methodology, proposed timeline, cost proposal, site review and acknowledgement, and additional submittals.

All proposals and Bids shall be submitted digitally via EMAIL, no later than 4:00 p.m. on Friday, October 17, 2025:

• Recipient: Dave Knighton, Parks Manager
• Email: DKnighton@cityofdavis.org
• Subject line: Engineered Wood Fiber Mulch – Purchase, Delivery & Installation
• Format: Submit all required proposal documents, including the Cost Proposal, as one combined PDF. Recommended filename: CompanyName_EWF_Proposal.pdf

Incomplete or late Submissions will not be accepted.

RFP PROJECT SCHEDULE

The City reserves the right to modify the schedule as necessary.

• October 3, 2025 Release of RFP
• October 7, 2025 Deadline to submit clarifying questions (email to DKnighton@cityofdavis.org)
• October 10, 2025    City response to questions posted online
• October 17, 2025     Proposal submission deadline at 4:00 pm
• October 21, 2025     Notification of Intent to Award
• November 3, 2025 Projected Kickoff

For more information, please download the RFP: Engineered Wood Fiber Mulch - Purchase, Delivery & Installation (PDF)

City Response to Questions posted here on October 10, 2025.