AS-NEEDED HAZARDOUS FIRE FUEL TREATMENT

Agency:	City of Berkeley
State:	California
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	F - Natural Resources and Conservation Services
Posted:	Jan 30, 2024
Due:	Feb 15, 2024
Solicitation No:	24-11634-C
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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Finance Department

General Services Division

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ)

Specification No. 24-11634-C

FOR

AS-NEEDED HAZARDOUS FIRE FUEL TREATMENT

PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE OPENED AND READ PUBLICLY

Dear Proposer:

The City of Berkeley is soliciting written proposals from qualified firms or individuals to provide hazardous

vegetation treatment, including but not limited to pruning trees, clearing brush, removing trees and stumps,

and chipping and disposing of material. As a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) this is not an invitation to bid.

The project scope, content of proposal, and vendor selection process are summarized in the RFQ (attached).

Proposals must be received no later than 2:00 pm, Thursday, February 15, 2024. Proposals are to be sent via

email with the “Specification No. 24-11634-C As-Needed Hazardous Fire Fuel Treatment” clearly indicated in

the subject line of the email. Please submit one (1) PDF of the technical Proposal with the filename saved as,

“Proposal 24-11634-C As-Needed Hazardous Fire Fuel Treatment.” Email Proposals to:

City of Berkeley

Finance Department/General Services Division

purchasing@berkeleyca.gov

Proposals will not be accepted after the date and time stated above. Incomplete proposal or proposals that do not

conform to the requirements specified herein will not be considered. Issuance of the RFQ does not obligate the City

to award a contract, nor is the City liable for any costs incurred by the proposer in the preparation and submittal of

proposals for the subject work. The City retains the right to award all or parts of this contract to several bidders, to

not select any bidders, and/or to re-solicit proposals. The act of submitting a proposal is a declaration that the

proposer has read the RFQ and understands all the requirements and conditions.

For questions concerning the anticipated work, or scope of the project, please contact Shanalee Gallagher,

Program Manager, via email at sgallagher@berkeleyca.gov no later than 02/07/2024. Answers to questions will

not be provided by telephone or email. Answers to all questions or any addenda will be posted on the City of

Berkeley’s site at Bid & Proposal Opportunities | City of Berkeley (berkeleyca.gov). It is the vendor’s responsibility

to check this site. For general questions concerning the submittal process, contact purchasing at 510-981-7320.

We look forward to receiving and reviewing your proposal.

Sincerely,

Darryl Sweet

General Services Manager

2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 Tel: 510.981.7320 TDD: 510.981.6903 Fax: 510.981.7390

E-mail: finance@berkeleyca.gov Website: http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/finance

City of Berkeley

As-Needed Hazardous Fire Fuel Treatment

Specification No. 24-11634-C

Page 2 of 22

Release Date 1/29/2023

INTRODUCTION

The City of Berkeley (the “City”) invites submittal of RFQs from landscape services firms interested in

providing fire fuel treatment services to support its efforts to reduce the wildfire risk to the community. The

City anticipates contracting with two (2) or more firms for a total not to exceed amount of $4,000,000.

Contracts will be a four (4)-year term with task order assignments such that the duration will not extend

beyond the contract termination date. Task orders for each project will consider the scope of service, work

schedule, and fee proposal submitted to the City. There is no guarantee as to the quantity of work.

II. SCOPE OF SERVICES

General:

The City’s Project Manager (PM) will provide Contractor with a project approximately two (2) weeks prior

to the start of work. City staff will meet a contractor representative at the site prior to the commencement of

work to review the specific boundaries and treatments required for the site and to review scheduling of the

work.

Contractor shall:

1) Expect that work may be on a variety of conditions on, sites ranging in size, steep slopes, and with

limited access. Work may be in sensitive habitats, with specific equipment and time restrictions that

will be clarified and detailed in each job order.

2) Remove and lawfully dispose of all debris. City will provide an account at the Berkeley Transfer

Station that Contractor will use to dump material.

3) Complete all work within the agreed-upon timeframe. The PM has the authority to extend due dates

on a case by case basis.

4) Perform all work between the hours: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday unless otherwise

specified by the City in each job order.

5) Abide by the City of Berkeley Noise Ordinance (13.20). The ordinance can be found on the City of

Berkeley website. http://codepublishing.com/ca/berkeley/

6) The use of chemical treatments (herbicides) is strictly prohibited.

7) The use of gas-powered blowers is strictly prohibited. The use of electric-powered blowers is

acceptable.

8) Be responsible for any damage done to public or private property resulting from any vegetation

removal or reduction operation. Such damage could be either above or below ground. If such damage

occurs, Contractor shall repair or restore damaged property to its condition prior to the damage

having occurred. This includes, but is not limited to: electric, phone or cable wires, damage to

structures, fences, gates, walkways, driveways, steps, sidewalks, curbs, streets, and any underground

utility, drainage or irrigation system.

9) Take precautions to protect property from damage resulting from any vegetation removal reduction

operation. Contractor shall provide protection for private property and the public when working in

close proximity. Example of these methods include: holding up tarps while string trimming around

parked cars, stop string trimming when path users pass by, etc.

10) Immediately report any complaints relating to the Contactors work to the City representative.

Hazardous Vegetation Treatment

To improve evacuation routes and defensible space in Berkeley, fire-hazardous vegetation and accumulated

dead biomass will be reduced in strategic areas to bring property in compliance with the Berkeley Fire Code.

Work will occur on private and publicly owned land. The Contractor must have the appropriate licenses,

RFQ Revised Nov2022

City of Berkeley

As-Needed Hazardous Fire Fuel Treatment

Specification No. 24-11634-C

Page 3 of 22

Release Date 1/29/2023

expertise and equipment toalign with defensible space requirements and vegetation management best

practices. Examples of this work include:

• Cut grasses and/or weeds within 100’ of structures to 4” or less.

• Remove dead or dying shrubs and other types of understory vegetation.

• Remove dead twigs, branches, woody debris, and leaf or needle litter, and/or other vegetation debris

from ground, roofs, rain gutters, decks, porches and beneath decks and/or overhangs.

• Remove piles of dead vegetation.

• Remove leaf or needle litter, and/or other vegetation debris from ground. Remove Eucalyptus

slash/debris from trunk up to 10 feet from the ground surface. Remove fallen limbs, logs, slash, and

other debris from the forest floor. Remove saplings and sprouts from stumps. Conduct non-chemical

treatments to prevent stump re-growth as directed by the PM.

• Prune and reduce ground vegetation from under trees to provide a vertical separation of 3 times the

height of the understory and for limb trees up to 10 feet off the ground or 1/3 of tree height.

Vegetation Treatment on a Public Road

• Remove combustible vegetation 10 feet adjacent to roads and driveways including grasses, weeds,

and other combustible live and/or dead vegetation.

Vegetation Removal

• Chipping brush

• Hauling logs, chips and clippings off-site

III. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

All Statements of Qualifications shall include the following information, organized as separate sections of

the SOQ. The SOQ should be concise and to the point.

A. Consultant Identification:

Provide the name of the firm, the firm's principal place of business (see section VII, F. – Local

Vendor Preference), the name and telephone number of the contact person and company tax

identification number.

B. Firm Experience:

Provide a listing of projects completed by the firm within the past five (5) years involving treatment

of fire fuel for a California municipality or other public agency, non-profit or organization

focused on community level wildfire preparedness. This listing should include a brief

description of each project, the location, date, and (if possible) the address and telephone number of

a contact person.

C. Individual Staff Experience:

Provide a listing of each key staff person in the firm who will be assigned to the project and

background information demonstrating their capabilities and qualifications to perform the assigned

task. For each individual, provide current professional registrations, related experience, educational

background, and years of experience with the team.

D. Consultant Team:

Provide a description of the team, the organization and its general experience, and specific

experience of assigned staff. Provide a listing of similar projects of similar scope, which have been

completed by members of the consultant team within the past five (5) years. This listing should

RFQ Revised Nov2022

City of Berkeley

As-Needed Hazardous Fire Fuel Treatment

Specification No. 24-11634-C

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Release Date 1/29/2023

include a description of each project; the location; construction cost; date; and (if possible) the

clients’ name, address, and phone number of a contact person.

E. Client References:

Provide a minimum of three (3) client references. References should be California municipalities or

other public agency, non-profit or organization focused on community level wildfire preparedness.

Provide the designated person's name, title, organization, address, telephone number, and the

project(s) that were completed under that client’s direction.

F. Contract Terminations:

If your organization has had a contract terminated in the last five (5) years, describe such

incident. Termination for default is defined as notice to stop performance due to the vendor’s non-

performance or poor performance and the issue of performance was either (a) not litigated due to

inaction on the part of the vendor, or (b) litigated and such litigation determined that the vendor was

in default.

Submit full details of the terms for default including the other party’s name, address, and phone

number. Present the vendor’s position on the matter. The City will evaluate the facts and may, at its

sole discretion, reject the SOQ on the grounds of the past experience.

If the firm has not experienced any such termination for default or early termination in the past five

(5) years, so indicate.

G. Budget:

Demonstrate track record in meeting budgetary requirements.

H. Project Organization:

Provide a chart showing the names and assignments of all key personnel including an estimate of

each individual’s time commitment to the project. The chart should include proposed lines of

communication with City staff. Any proposed sub-consultants should be clearly identified on the

chart.

I. Project Understanding and Approach:

This section of the SOQ should include a clear description of the Consultant’s understanding of the

project and state the approaches and methodologies which the consultant proposes to undertake in

order to meet the stated objectives of the City. Provide a work plan with as much detail as needed

to describe how the required services and scope of work will be performed.

J. Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC):

This section of the SOQ should address any QA/QC program the proposer has established or

proposes to establish and utilize throughout this project.

IV. CONSULTANT SELECTION PROCESS

Evaluation will include, but is not limited to the criteria below:

A. Experience and Demonstrated Ability of the Team – 60 points

B. Client References – 40 points

RFQ Revised Nov2022

City of Berkeley

As-Needed Hazardous Fire Fuel Treatment

Specification No. 24-11634-C

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C. Local Vendor Preference – Up to five (5) additional points may be awarded for Berkeley-based

businesses (see the table in section VII.F. – Local Vendor Preference)

After a review of the proposals from the short-listed respondents, the City may ask the proposers to make

an oral presentation to answer any questions the City may have and to clarify their proposal. The City will

then rank the proposals and then utilize the submitted fee schedule from the selected proposers and will

attempt to negotiate satisfactory contracts with them. If the City is unable to reach agreement with the

selected respondents, the City will repeat the negotiation process with the next highest respondent, and so

on, if necessary.

The City reserves the right to reject any and all submissions.

V. PAYMENT

Invoices: Invoices must be fully itemized, and provide sufficient information for approving payment and

audit. Invoices must be accompanied by receipt for services in order for payment to be processed. Email

invoices to Accounts Payable and cc’ Project Manager Email sgallagher@berkeleyca.gov; (List on

invoice, Attn: Shanalee Gallagher/Fire Department) and reference the contract number.

City of Berkeley

Accounts Payable

P.O. Box 700

Berkeley, CA 94710-700

Email: AccountsPayable@berkeleyca.gov

Phone: 510-981-7310

Payments: The City will make payment to the vendor within 30 days of receipt of a correct, approved and

complete invoice.

VI. CITY REQUIREMENTS

A. Non-Discrimination Requirements:

Ordinance No. 5876-N.S. codified in B.M.C. Chapter 13.26 states that, for contracts worth more than

$3,000 bids for supplies or bids or proposals for services shall include a completed Workforce

Composition Form. Businesses with fewer than five employees are exempt from submitting this form.

(See B.M.C. 13.26.030)

Under B.M.C. section 13.26.060, the City may require any bidder or vendor it believes may have

discriminated to submit a Non-Discrimination Program. The Contract Compliance Officer will make

this determination. This applies to all contracts and all consultants (contractors). Berkeley Municipal

Code section 13.26.070 requires that all contracts with the City contain a non-discrimination clause, in

which the contractor agrees not to discriminate and allows the City access to records necessary to

monitor compliance. This section also applies to all contracts and all consultants.

Bidders must submit the attached Non-Discrimination Disclosure Form with their proposal.

B. Nuclear Free Berkeley Disclosure Form:

Berkeley Municipal Code section 12.90.070 prohibits the City from granting contracts to companies that

knowingly engage in work for nuclear weapons. This contracting prohibition may be waived if the City

Council determines that no reasonable alternative exists to doing business with a company that engages

in nuclear weapons work. If your company engages in work for nuclear weapons, explain on the

Disclosure Form the nature of such work.

Bidders must submit the attached Nuclear Free Disclosure Form with their proposal.

RFQ Revised Nov2022

This is the opportunity summary page. You are currently viewing an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation. For more information, please visit the Publication URL Web page.

AS-NEEDED HAZARDOUS FIRE FUEL TREATMENT

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