Provision of Supplemental Landscaping Maintenance Services on an Annual Contract

Agency:	Gwinnett County
State:	Georgia
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	J - Maintenance, Repair, and Rebuilding of Equipment S - Utilities and Training Services
Posted:	Feb 7, 2024
Due:	Feb 22, 2024
Solicitation No:	BL023-24 INV
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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February 6, 2024

INVITATION TO BID

BL023-24

The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners is soliciting competitive sealed bids from qualified service providers

for the Provision of Supplemental Landscaping Maintenance Services on an Annual Contract with two (2) options

to renew for the Department of Fire and Emergency Services.

Bids should be typed or submitted in ink and returned in a sealed container marked on the outside with the BL#

and Company Name. Bids will be received until 2:50 P.M. local time on February 22, 2024, at Gwinnett County

Financial Services – Purchasing Division – 2nd Floor, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30046. Any bid

received after this date and time will not be accepted. Bids will be publicly opened and read at 3:00 P.M. Apparent

bid results will be available the following business day on our website, www.gwinnettcounty.com.

Service providers are urged to visit the sites prior to bidding. Timeframes to visit will be announced in a future

addendum.

Questions regarding bids should be directed to Casey Beauston, Purchasing Associate II, at

casey.beauston@gwinnettcounty.com or by calling 770-822-7995, no later than 3:00 P.M. local time on February

15, 2024. Bids are legal and binding upon the bidder when submitted.

Successful service providers will be required to meet insurance requirements. The Insurance Company must be

authorized to do business in Georgia by The Georgia Insurance Department and must have an A.M. Best rating of

A-5 or higher.

Gwinnett County does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or access to its programs or

activities. Any requests for reasonable accommodations required by individuals to fully participate in any open

meeting, program or activity of Gwinnett County Government should be directed to the ADA Coordinator at the

Gwinnett County Justice and Administration Center, 770-822-8165.

The written bid documents supersede any verbal or written prior communications between the parties.

Award will be made to the service provider(s) submitting the lowest responsive and responsible bid. Gwinnett

County reserves the right to reject any or all bids to waive technicalities, and to make an award deemed in its best

interest. Bids may be split or awarded in entirety. Gwinnett County reserves the option to negotiate terms,

conditions, and pricing with the lowest responsive, responsible service provider(s) at its discretion.

Award notification will be posted after award on the County website, www.gwinnettcounty.com and companies

submitting a bid will be notified via email.

We look forward to your bid and appreciate your interest in Gwinnett County.

Casey Beauston

Purchasing Associate II

The following pages should be returned in duplicate as your bid: Bid Schedule, Pages 20-25

References, Pages 26-27

List of Subcontractors, Page 28

Code of Ethics Affidavit, Page 29

Contractor Affidavit and Agreement, Page 30

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PROVISION OF SUPPLEMENTAL LANDSCAPING MAINTENANCE SERVICES ON AN ANNUAL CONTRACT

INTRODUCTION

The Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services is soliciting bids from qualified Service Providers

for landscaping maintenance services at multiple sites throughout Gwinnett County. This includes service areas

within all stations within unincorporated Gwinnett County and cities located within Gwinnett County. All the sites

are county owned and maintained property. The requested services vary depending on the location and may include

any or all of the specific services and/or work items described below in the Scope of Services. The Scope of

Services includes the following activities:

1. Comprehensive Lawn Maintenance Services

2. Management of Ornamental Shrubs, Trees, and Landscaped Beds

3. Lawn Fertilization, Weed/Pest Control, Over-Seeding and Aeration

4. Mulching of Planted Beds

5. Landscaping Enhancements

The lawns covered under this contract are a variety of sizes and types, and the bidding Service Providers shall be

responsible for viewing them to determine the requirements for maintaining each. Most of the lawns are either

Bermuda or Fescue, but some do not have clearly defined turf.

During the bid review process, the County reserves the right to visit qualified Service Providers’ facilities and/or

conduct meetings to determine if the Service Provider is properly equipped to fulfill the Scope of Services

described below. The County will continue to reserve the right to award in its best interest.

The County reserves the right to add facilities during the contract period at mutually agreeable and comparable

rates, and to delete facilities as needed. The County also reserves the right to adjust what services are needed

at which facility, the number of services needed, and how often services are needed. Bid Schedule quantities are

estimates only.

SCOPE OF SERVICES

All areas on Page 8, Section “Service Locations” (Fire Facilities) are to be serviced as follows:

1. Comprehensive Lawn Maintenance Services

All applicable services must be performed during each visit. Bids and applicable pricing should be submitted as

if sites are already regularly maintained. Areas that cannot be serviced because of extenuating circumstances

(pedestrians, wet conditions, parked cars, etc.) that result in additional trips will count as one (1) visit only.

Mowing

The Service Provider shall mow lawns and turf areas every 9 - 10 calendar days (or as often as Bid Schedule

estimates), or as weather conditions dictate. Prior to each mowing, trash, sticks, and other unwanted debris shall

be removed from the lawns. Mowing shall be done with bagging or mulching equipment to prevent side

discharges that may injure pedestrians or damage property, and to ensure a clean and neat appearance upon

completion. Mowers utilized shall be kept well maintained, and mower blades shall be kept sharp so as to not

damage grass. Also, during drier periods, the height of the cut shall be raised so as to prevent damage to grass.

Mowing patterns shall be alternated on a regular basis to prevent formation of ruts from the mower wheels.

With each mowing operation, the Service Provider also shall provide trimming and edging services with powered

or manual equipment. All lawn areas shall be trimmed around lawn furniture, signs, trees, shrubs, planting beds,

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walkways, curbs, concrete pads, and other obstacles. The Service Provider also shall remove and dispose of

resultant clippings, as well as excess grass clippings and other debris from walkways, curbs, and planting beds.

The Service Provider also shall remove all debris from edging and sweep or blow landscaped surfaces clean.

The Service Provider shall treat all ant beds found on the grounds as a part of these basic services. These

services shall be scheduled and coordinated with the mowing described above.

Cutting Specifications

Warm Season Grasses: Lawns with warm season grasses will be scalped to a height of approximately one- and

one-half inches (1.5”) in early March prior to growing season. During the growing season, lawn areas with warm

season grasses will be maintained at a height of two to two and one-half inches (2 – 2.5”). As noted earlier,

exceptions may be made to this requirement during particularly dry periods. When warm season grasses are fully

dormant, no mowing and associated trimming and edging will be required.

Cool Season Grasses: Lawns with cool season grasses typically will be maintained at a height of between two

and two- and one-half inches (2 – 2.5”). The Service Provider may use its professional judgment to ensure that

grass blades are adequate in length to shade the root system. And as noted earlier, exceptions may be made to

this requirement during particularly dry periods. Outside of the prime mowing season for these grasses, Service

Provider shall monitor lawns to determine if any mowing and associated trimming is necessary. If such services

are required, Service Provider shall mow and trim lawns to maintain a neat appearance.

2. Management of Ornamental Shrubs, Trees, and Landscaped Beds

The County requests a program for the management and upkeep of the ornamental shrubs and trees in the

various bed areas, median strips, and islands at the designated facilities. This program will be a comprehensive

maintenance effort intended to support the health and growth of the plant material; keep it free of damage by

insects, fungi, and disease; and shape and maintain it in a neat and aesthetically pleasing manner. All site visits

and the services provided shall be documented.

A. The Service Provider shall weed all beds containing ground cover, perennials, shrubs, and trees on a

regularbasis throughout the growing season to maintain a neat appearance at all times. This weed control

will be accomplished through mulching, hand weeding and application of pre-emergent and post-emergent

herbicides as needed. Powered equipment is NOT to be used in landscaped beds. The Service Provider shall

make one scheduled pre-emergent herbicide application in all bed areas in early spring. Beds with ground

cover that may be damaged by pre-emergent applications shall be excluded from this scheduled application.

Use of post- emergent herbicides will be at the Service Provider’s discretion and recommendation, but with

the County’s approval of the frequency and type of application.

B. Service Provider shall fertilize all shrubs and ground covers with a balanced fertilizer at a rate of 4 pounds

per 100 square feet of bed area once in the spring. Service Provider will fertilize all ornamental trees (under

25 feet in height) in beds or tree rings once per year with a balanced fertilizer at a rate of 1 pound per inch of

trunk caliper.

C. Service Provider shall prune ornamental shrubs and trees in accordance with proper horticultural practices

and industry standards. Shrubs shall be pruned as necessary to remove dead branches, develop the natural

formof the plants and create the effect desired by the County. Shrubs that require trimming and shearing to

maintaina formal appearance will be trimmed and/or sheared three (3) times in growing season, or as

recommended byService Provider. Flowering shrubs will be pruned after blooming. The Service Provider will

provide one severepruning of shrubs late in the dormant season if required by proper horticultural practices.

(The Service Providerwill not be responsible for rejuvenation pruning of overgrown shrubs, but it will trim such

shrubs to prevent encroachment on walkways or parking areas.)

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The Service Provider shall edge and prune groundcovers to contain them within their borders. The Service

Provider also will cut back and prune perennials at appropriate times.

The Service Provider shall prune all trees under 25 feet in height that are within beds or tree rings. A formal

pruning including cuts to lateral branches and buds will be done once per year. During regular site visits,

subsequent pruning will be done to eliminate suckers, water sprouts, and low hanging branches. All tree pruning

will be performed under the guidelines provided by the National Arborist Association for Class II, Standard

Pruning.

Service Provider shall clean up and dispose of all debris caused by any of the above-described pruning

activities.Unless directed differently by the County, the Service Provider will complete these cleanup activities

on the sameday that the pruning is performed.

D. The Service Provider shall provide a program for control of insects, fungus, and diseases that may affect

the shrubs and trees to be maintained under this section. This program shall apply to shrubs and trees under

25 feet in height. The Service Provider shall develop this program utilizing integrated pest arrangement

practices with these six components:

1. emphasis on control not eradication

2. preventive planting and maintenance practices

3. regular observation and monitoring

4. mechanical controls

5. biological controls

6. responsible pesticide use

Although the Service Provider may develop its own monitoring schedule, at a minimum, it should include

inspections in early March, May, July, and October. The program will allow for utilization of pesticides and

fungicides only as a last resort for control or to eradicate identified infestations. The Service Provider will

inform the County of any infestations detected and will provide a scope and cost quote for the County’s

consideration. Upon the County’s authorization, the Service Provider will provide the proposed treatments.

The times, dates, and locations of all such pesticide applications must be provided to the County in advance.

Such applications must be on weekends or off normal business hours, and the Service Provider will provide

all notices, barriers, and traffic restrictions required to ensure the safety of employees and the public.

3. Lawn Fertilization, Weed/Pest Control, Over Seeding and Aeration

Fertilization and Weed Control

The County recognizes that every lawn has different characteristics, and that to be effective the selected Service

Provider may have to customize its treatment of the various lawns. Thus, the County does not attempt to specify

the nature and intensity of all chemicals, fertilizers, or other products to be used. Nevertheless, the County does

require that, at a minimum, the Service Provider performs the following number and types of applications at each

facility where these services are requested. These applications will be considered basic services and should be

included in the Service Provider’s fee.

Fertilization Specifications:

• Warm Season Grasses:

Late Winter/Early Spring Application: Apply pre-emergent herbicide for crabgrass control and post-

emergent herbicide for control of broadleaf and grass weeds from winter. Avoid fertilization that

would enhance weed growth.

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Spring Application: Apply pre-emergent herbicide for crabgrass control and post-emergent herbicide

for controlof broadleaf and grass weeds. Apply blended fertilizers at heavy rate for green-up and

winter season recovery.

Early Summer Application: Apply pre-emergent herbicide (booster) if needed for continued

crabgrass control. Apply post-emergent herbicide selectively for control of broadleaf and grass

weeds. Apply balanced dry fertilizerto coincide with vigorous grass growth and hold peak color.

Late Summer Application: Apply post-emergent herbicide (if necessary) for control of summer

broadleaf and grass weeds. Apply slow-release fertilizer to maintain turf density and color in peak

growing season.

Fall Application (October): Apply custom blended fertilization to encourage and enhance root growth

as grass goes dormant. Apply pre-emergent herbicide to prevent winter annuals such as poa annua,

henbit and chickweed that commonly invade dormant turf.

• Cool Season Grasses:

Early Spring Application: Apply pre-emergent herbicide for crabgrass and broadleaf weed control.

Apply balanced fertilizer to promote root development and color in the turf.

Late Spring Application: Apply pre-emergent herbicide to extend crabgrass and broadleaf weed

control. Apply balanced fertilizer that prepares turf for summer weather.

Early Summer Application: Spot treat turf with herbicides that control summer and annual weeds.

Inspect turf for disease and turf damaging insects and recommend needed treatments (provided on

a unit-cost basis). Apply custom blend slow-release fertilization to enhance color in non-peak

growing season.

Early Fall Application: After fall over seeding, apply dry fertilizer at heavy rate to promote full

recovery and aid newly seeded turf in germination and root development during peak growing

season.

Late Fall Application: Apply fertilization to maintain peak color and promote root growth over winter.

Because the results of a turf management program can be adversely affected by weather, the

Service Provider will provide service calls and diagnosis between applications at no additional

charge to the County. If additionalor specialized turf applications are needed because of insects

and/or disease, the Service Provider will recommend treatments and provide those at the unit prices

outlined herein or as based upon written quotes provided the County during the service period.

Overseeding and Aeration

Aeration shall be done once per year to lawns with cool season grasses covered by these services. This annual

aeration does not include warm season turf. Warm season turf aeration will be part of Optional Services in a

later section. Aeration of cool season grasses such as tall fescue shall be coordinated with over seeding, which

shall be implemented in early fall prior to the “early fall application” of fertilizers. Aeration of fescue shall consist

of removing soil plugs to a depth of 1 ½ to 2 inches uniformly over the entire lawn. Over seeding of fescue lawns

shall be implementedwith a turf-type fescue applied at a rate of 4 to 5 pounds per 1,000 sq. ft.

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Provision of Supplemental Landscaping Maintenance Services on an Annual Contract

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