Grass Mowing Services for Nuisance Abatement Request for Proposal

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)
ISSUEDATE:June1,2026
CONTACT: MichaelBelmont
PHONENO: 563-690-6087
EMAIL: mbelmont@cityofdubuque.org
SUBMITPROPOSAL/OFFERPRIORTO: SUBMITTO:
CLOSINGDATE: June 15,2026 See Section 7.0
CLOSINGTIME: 2:00 P.M.(localtime) FAX/EMAILNOTACCEPTED
DESCRIPTION:
Grass Mowing Services for Nuisance Abatement
RECEIPT OF PROPOSAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
If you are considering a response to this RFP, please mark the box to
the left, fill in the information below and return this sheet as a confirmation
that you received this RFP.
NO RESPONSE REPLY
If you do not want to respond to this RFP at this time, please mark the
box to the left, fill in the information below and return this sheet only.
COMPANYNAME: DATE:
MAILINGADDRESS:
CITY/STATE: ZIPCODE:
AUTHORIZEDSIGNATURE:
PRINTEDNAME:
TITLEOFAUTHORIZEDREPRESENTATIVE:
EMAIL: PHONE:
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CITY OF DUBUQUE
HOUSING & COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
Grass Mowing Services for
Nuisance Abatement
City of Dubuque, Iowa
June 1, 2026
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CITY OF DUBUQUE
Grass Mowing Services for
Nuisance Abatement
City of Dubuque, Iowa
June 1, 2026
Table of Contents
Section Title Page
1.0 Introduction 5
2.0 Project Requirements 5
3.0 Community Background 7
4.0 Use of City Resources 7
5.0 Information to be Included in the Proposal 7
6.0 Proposal Question and Answers 8
7.0 Submission Requirements 9
8.0 Instructions to Offerors 10
Appendix Description
A Insurance Requirements 12
B RFP Rules & Protest Procedure 19
C City of Dubuque Standard Terms & Conditions 21
D Submittal Forms 28
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Grass Mowing Services for
Nuisance Abatement
Request for Proposal
June 1, 2026
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The City of Dubuque (City) is requesting Competitive Sealed Proposals from qualified
companies or contractors interested in entering into an indefinite quantity contract with
the City to be the sole contracted provider of grass and weed mowing for nuisance
abatement within the city limits.
2.0 PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
The Company or contractor selected for the Grass Mowing Services for Nuisance
Abatement will be expected to meet the following requirements:
* Scope of Work (the Work)- Provide all labor, materials, equipment,
supervision, and other services required to mow grass and weeds on a task
order basis for the life of the contract as required by the city.
* Quantities - The quantities indicated below are historic and are intended to
be used by the bidders to evaluate proposed hourly costs only. The ensuing
contract will be an Indefinite Quantities Contract with no guaranteed minimum
value.
o 67 Total Properties were mowed in 2023
22 in June
9 in July
17 in August
13 in September
6 in October
* Duration of Contract - Contract shall run from July 1, 2026, through June 30,
2027.
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* Contract Extension - The City will retain the option to extend the contract for
up to two (2) one-year renewals with the same terms as the original contract,
subject to written approval by both parties. The City will notify the contractor a
minimum of 30 days prior to the contract expiration date with the City's
intention to renew or to terminate the contract.
* Timeliness - During the contract term, the contractor shall mow grass and
weeds on a task order basis to meet the requirements of City ordinances.
Work shall be completed as soon as practicable but must be completed within
48 hours of original task order request.
* Protection of Persons and Property:
o The Contractor shall perform all work in a safe and orderly manner and
shall protect all existing property from damage.
o The Contractor shall safely protect the property of the City and all
adjacent property from loss or damage as a result of the Work
o The Contractor shall repair or replace any damage, injury, or loss
resulting from performance of this Contract at no additional cost to the
City.
* Safety Regulations:
o The Contractor shall conduct all operations in strict accordance with all
applicable OSHA and state safety regulations.
o The Contractor shall assume the entire responsibility for the safety of
employees during implementation of the Work and shall be responsible
for all injury resulting from the failure thereof.
* Condition of Site at Completion of Grass/Weed Mowing - It is expected that
the contractor will mow and maintain the grassand weeds at The properties
in accordance with City of Dubuque Ordinances. All public rights of way and
shall be cleared of clippings or debris upon completion. Every effort shall be
made to prevent clippings and debris from entering adjoining properties.
* Documentation - Invoices shall be submitted via email, itemized by property
and include the following:
o A copy of the task order as received from the City
o A digital, date and time-stamped photo of the street view of the
property for identification
o A "before" photo of the grass and weed condition
o An "after" photo of the work completed
o The date and time the work was perfomed
o The total hours required to complete the work.
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Invoices submitted without the necessary documentation will be delayed and
may not be paid at the sole discretion of the City.
* Insurance Requirements - The contractor shall hold insurance equivalent to
or exceeding City of Dubuque Schedule F insurance requirements (attached).
A current certificate of insurance, with all required endorsements will be
required prior to acceptance of the bid.
3.0 COMMUNITY BACKGROUND
The City of Dubuque is located on the Mississippi River in northeastern Iowa,
adjacenttoIllinoisandWisconsin.TheCityisapproximately30squaremilesinarea,
with a population of approximately 60,000 people. The City's annual operating
and capital budget is nearly $142 million and funds a full range of services. The
City's web site is www.cityofdubuque.org.
The community has a stable and diversified manufacturing base and a growing
service sector. Dubuque is the major retail, medical, education and employment
center for the tri- state area. Tourism continuesto be a major economic force in the
community. City government works in collaboration with the private sector to
promote economic development. The job creation and unemployment numbers
show that Dubuque is growing steadily in the current economic climate. Dubuque's
construction numbers reveal an even more encouraging picture. The City has
formedstrongrelationshipswiththelocalbusinesscommunitytopromotecontinued
economic growth andsuccess.
4.0 USE OF CITY RESOURCES
4.1 - Requesting Use of City Resources for Preparation of the RFP Response
All information requests shall be directed to the City's Housing Assistant Housing
Director, Michael Belmont, as detailed in Section 6.0 of the request for proposal. All
Offerors should note that directly contacting other City of Dubuque staff or any of the
selection committee members shall be considered inappropriate and grounds for
disqualification.
5.0 INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSAL
The Proposal should contain specific responses to each of the following
requests and must follow substantially the outline presented below. Offerors
are encouraged to respond fully to each inquiry, and to be as concise as
possible.
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To simplify the review process and to obtain the maximum degree of comparability,
the proposal shall include the following information and shall be organized in the
order and manner specified below. While additional data may be presented, the
following sections must be included in the proposal response. These sections
represent the minimum criteria against which the proposal will be evaluated.
A. Company or Contractor Profile
Describe the company or contractors' qualifications and experience with this type of
work. Give examples and reference contact information for previous, similar projects.
B. Equipment
Provide a list of equipment available for use in fulfilling the contract.
C. Workforce
Provide a description of the workforce available for use in fulfilling the contract.
D. Contact
Provide an email and cell phone number for the individual responsible for dispatch.
E. Cost
Each proposal must contain a cost per hour perperson for mowing services
adequate to meet the project requirements stated in section 2.0. Please indicate
this cost per hour per person on the "Cost Proposal" form (Addendum C).
No Additional Charges: Include any anticipated expenses in your hourly cost. No
additional costs will be paid unless agreed upon in advance by both parties in
writing and documented by signed change order.
F. Certificate of Insurance
The Contractor shall provide a statement indicating that they are able to meet the
City's insurance requirements for professional services. (See attached Insurance
Schedule F). Submittal of proof of insurance documents at the time of RFP
response is not required. Proof of insurance will be required prior to
contract signing.
6.0 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
If you have any questions concerning this Request for Proposal, please submit
your requests to the City's Assistant Housing Director, Michael Belmont. The City
has made considerable efforts to ensure an accurate representation of information
in this RFP. Each Offeror is urged to conduct its own investigations into the
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material facts provided.
No answers given in response to questions submitted shall be binding upon this RFP
unless released in writing (letter or email) as an officially numbered and titled
addendum to the RFP by the City of Dubuque.
Any questions concerning this RFP must be received on or before 5:00 p.m. CDT on
June 10, 2026. Any inquiries received after thisdate will not be answered. When
submitting a question to the City of Dubuque's Assistant Housing Director, please
include appropriate contact information.
From the date of issuance of the RFP until final City of Dubuque action, the Offeror
shall not discuss the RFP with or contact any other City of Dubuque staff or any of
the Selection Committee members except as expressly authorized by the City of
Dubuque Assistant Housing Director identified in this section (Section 6.0). Violation
of this restriction will be considered a violation of the rules and be grounds for
disqualification of the Contractor's proposal.
City of Dubuque Assistant Housing Director Contact information is as follows:
Michael Belmont
City of Dubuque - Housing Department
350 W 6th St #312
Dubuque, IA 52001
Phone: (563) 690-6087
mbelmont@cityofdubuque.org
7.0 SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Before submitting a proposal, each Offeror shall make all investigations and
examinations necessary to ascertain requirements affecting the full performance of
the contract and to verify any representations made by the City of Dubuque upon
which the Offeror will rely.
PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL INFORMATION
* SubmittalDeadline: July 1, 2026,on orbefore 2:00p.m.(LocalTime)
* MailingAddress: Michael Belmont
City of Dubuque-Housing Dept
350 West 6th St #312
Dubuque, Iowa 52001
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* Submittals:
* One (1) Hard copy of the proposal
* The submitted proposal shall be signed and labeled:
RFP- Grass Mowing for Nuisance Abatement
* No faxed or emailed proposals will beaccepted.
* The proposal document must be signed by an individual who is
authorized to legally bind the Offeror.
* Proposals are to contain a statement indicating the period during which
the proposal will remain valid. A period of not less than sixty (60)
calendar days from the proposal closing date is required.
Each Offeror assumes full responsibility for delivery and receipt of the completed
proposal package on or before the deadline. Any proposals received after the
submittal deadline will not be considered.
The City of Dubuque is not liable for any cost incurred by any Offeror prior to the
execution of an agreement or contract. Nor shall the City of Dubuque be liable
for any costs incurred by Offerors in responding to this RFP and those not
specified inany contract. All results from this request for proposals review
process and project will remain the property of the City of Dubuque.
Evaluation and selection of a company or contractor will be based on information
submitted in the proposal,interviews,oralpresentations, if necessary,references,
andsupplementalinformation. The selection criteria will be based on a scoring
system and weighted as follows:
Price 50 points
Qualifications & Experience 30 points
Approach 20 points
Failure to respond to each requirement in the RFP may be a basis for rejecting a
response.
8.0 INSTRUCTIONS FOR OFFERORS
Proposals will only be accepted from responsible and responsive companies that have
an established reputation in a relevant field.
A responsible offeror means an offeror who hasthe capability in all respects to perform
fully the requirements mentioned in the proposal document and the integrity and
reliability which will assure good faith performance.
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