Comprehensive tree maintenance

SECTION I
REQUEST FOR BIDS
INSTRUCTIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR:
Village and Park District of Oak Park 2027 Comprehensive Tree Maintenance
Bid Number: 26-111
Issuance Date: 06/03/2026
The Village of Oak Park (VOP) and Park District of Oak Park (PDOP) will receive Bids from qualified
contractors to perform tree maintenance during the 2027 calendar year pursuant to this
Request for Bids. This Bid covers three (3) separate contracts available with the VOP and one
(1) contract with the PDOP). Bidders are welcome to bid on any and all of the contracts
available. Bids will be accepted at the Public Works Center, 201 South Blvd., Oak Park, IL 60302
Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday, 8:30 am to 12:00 p.m. local time
until 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. Bids will be reviewed and the results of the
review will be presented to the VOP Board of Trustees and the PDOP Board of Commissioners.
A mandatory pre-bid meeting shall be held on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. at the
Public Works Center Conference Room (201 South Blvd., Oak Park, IL 60302). The Conference
Room is on the second floor of the Public Works Center. Bids received from bidders who do not
send a representative to the pre-bid meeting shall not be considered.
Specifications and bid forms may be obtained at http://www.oak-park.us/bid or at the Public
Works Center at the address listed above or by calling 708-358-5700.
The Village and Park District Boards of Trustees/Commissioners reserve the right to accept or
reject any and all bids or to waive technicalities, or to accept any item of any bid. Information is
available from the Forestry Superintendent, Grant Jones at 708-358-5740 or gjones@oak-park.us.
Do not detach any portion of this document. Upon formal award to the successful Bidder, a
written agreement will be executed for the Project in substantially the form attached.
Submission of Bids
The Bid shall be submitted on the Bid form included herewith. The Bid shall be submitted in a
sealed envelope marked "BID: 26-111 2027 Comprehensive Tree Maintenance", shall bear the
return address of the bidder, and shall be addressed as follows:
TO: Grant Jones
Forestry Superintendent
Department of Public Works
201 South Blvd.
Oak Park, IL 60302

SECTION II
BID INSTRUCTIONS, TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Preparation and Submission of Bid:
All Bids must be delivered to the Public Works Center by the specific time indicated on the
cover page. Bids arriving after the specified time will not be accepted. Mailed bids that are
received by the Village after the specified hour will not be accepted regardless of the post-
marked time on the envelope. Bids must be signed by an officer of the company who is
authorized to enter into agreements on behalf of the company. Bids shall be sealed in an
envelope and marked as stated on the cover page.
Bid Bond
The Bidder shall provide a Bid Bond in the amount of ten percent (10%) of the total bid price.
The attached form may be used or the bidder may provide cash or a certified check in the
amount specified. Bid bond amounts shall be based on all proposed work where estimated
amounts have been provided by VOP / PDOP. Do not include unit price amounts where work is
"On-Demand" or "As Required". The Bid Bonds, cash or checks will be returned once the
selected bidder has entered into an Agreement for this work and provided the Contract Bond in
an amount of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) for each contract awarded.
Contract Term
The initial contract term shall be from the date of award to December 31, 2027. Note: it is
anticipated that work will not begin until January 2027. The Village and Park District of Oak Park
have the right to renew the contract on an annual basis for two (2) optional one-year terms
(January 1 to December 31). The Bidder shall begin performing the services within fourteen
(14) days of a notice to proceed from the Director of Public Works or the Superintendent of
Properties & Planning for the Park District or his designee.
Contract Renewal
The Village or Park District will have the right to renew the contract for two (2) additional one-
year terms with all terms and conditions, other than price, remaining the same. The Village or
Park District will allow the Bidder to increase or decrease the contract price for each annual
renewal.
Upon written request from the Bidder, on or before October 20 of each year of the Agreement,
the cost of the services provided under the Agreement may be adjusted as follows:
The contractor shall submit a request for adjustment to the Village or Park District based upon
the average of the published monthly Index (as defined below) for the period October through
September for the previous year. The Index shall be the United States Department of Labor,
Bureau of Labor Chicago Statistics, Revised Consumer Price Index for all Urban Wage Earners
for Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI (all items, 1982-84 = 100).
2

Notwithstanding anything contained in this Request for Bids to the contrary, an annual
adjustment shall not be greater than five percent (5.0%) of the previous year's cost for services
provided under this Agreement in any year.
Any applicable adjustment shall take effect on January 1st.
Notice to Proceed
Work shall begin within fourteen (14) days from the Notice to Proceed from the Village's
Director of Public Works or the Superintendent of Properties & Planning for the Park District.
All work shall be completed in accordance with the detailed specifications set forth herein,
unless the Director of Public Works or the Superintendent of Properties & Planning for the Park
District grants an extension.
Recertification
If the Village or Park District renews the contract for an additional one-year term, the Bidder
will provide the Village or Park District with a renewed certification in the form in Section V
indicating that it continues to be eligible to contract with units of local government. If a
contractor or subcontractor is not able to certify that it continues to meet all requirements, it
shall provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances leading to the change in certification
status.
Award of Agreement
The Agreement will be awarded in whole or in part to the responsible Bidder or Bidders whose
bids, conforming to the request for bids, will be most advantageous to the Village or Park
District; price and other factors considered. If otherwise equivalent bids are received, as
determined by the Village, the Village will give preference to contractors who are TCIA
Accredited or meet the following requirements:
* Are actively enrolled in the TCIA Accreditation Program and on track to complete the
process within a two-year period
* Have completed the TCIA mail-in audit and have met 50% of the standards required by
TCIA for accreditation.
* By submitting a bid, Contractor authorizes the Village to obtain evidence of compliance
from TCIA and authorizes TCIA to release such information to the Village. In the event
that the Village is unable to obtain such information as it deems necessary to determine
compliance, on or before bid opening date, above compliance shall be deemed unmet.
Costs of Preparation
The Village or Park District will not be responsible for any expenses incurred in preparing and
submitting a Bid or entering into the applicable Agreement.
3

Taxes not Applicable
The Village and Park District of Oak Park as Illinois municipalities pay neither Illinois Sales Tax
nor Federal Excise Tax (State Tax Exemption Identification Number VOP - E9998-1823-06 and
PDOP - E9997-9934-07). Contractors should exclude these taxes from their prices.
Withdrawal of Bids:
Any Contractor may withdraw its Bid at any time prior to the time specified in the
advertisement as the closing time for the receipt of Bids, by signing a request therefore. No
Contractor may withdraw or cancel its Bid for a period of sixty (60) calendar days after the
advertised closing time for the receipt of Bids. The successful Contractor may not withdraw or
cancel its Bid after having been notified that the Bid was accepted by the Village or Park District
Board of Trustees.
Investigation of Contractors
The Village or Park District will make such investigations as are necessary to determine the
ability of the Contractor to fulfill Bid requirements. If requested, the Contractor should be
prepared to present evidence to the Village or Park District of Oak Park of ability and possession
of necessary facilities and financial resources to comply with the terms of the attached
specifications and Bids. In addition, the Contractor shall furnish the Village or Park District with
any information the Village or Park District may request, and shall be prepared to show
completed work of a similar nature to that included in its Bid. The Village or Park District
reserves the right to visit and inspect the premises and operation of any Contractor.
Rejection of Contractor
The Village or Park District will reject any Bid from any person, firm or corporation that appears
to be in default or arrears on any debt, agreement or the payment of any taxes. The Village or
Park District will reject any Bid from a Contractor that failed to satisfactorily complete work for
the Village or Park District under any previous agreement.
Conditions
Contractors are advised to become familiar with all conditions, instructions and specifications
governing the work. Contractors shall be presumed to have investigated the work site,
conditions and scope of the work before submitting a Bid.
Compliance with Applicable Laws
The Bidder will strictly comply with all ordinances of the Village or Park District of Oak Park and
Village Code and laws of the State of Illinois.
Governing Law
All agreements entered into by the Village or Park District of Oak Park are governed by the laws
of the State of Illinois without regard to conflicts of law. Any action brought to enforce an
agreement with the Village or Park District of Oak Park must be brought in the state and federal
courts located in Cook County, Illinois.
4

Subletting of Agreement
No agreement awarded by the Village or Park District of Oak Park shall be assigned or any part
sub-agreement without the written consent of the Village or Park District of Oak Park or as
noted in the Contractor's Bid. In no case shall such consent relieve the Contractor from its
obligations or change the terms of the Agreement.
Interpretation of Agreement Documents:
Any Contractor with a question about this Bid may request an interpretation thereof from the
Village or Park District. If the Village or Park District changes the Bid, either by clarifying it or by
changing the specifications, the Village or Park District will issue a written addendum, and will
email a copy of the addendum to all prospective Contractors. The Village or Park District will
not assume responsibility for receipt of such addendum. In all cases, it will be the Contractor's
responsibility to obtain all addenda issued. Contractors will provide written acknowledgment
of receipt of each addendum issued with the Bid submission.
Minority Business and Women Business Enterprise Requirements
The Village or Park District of Oak Park, in an effort to reaffirm its policy of non-discrimination,
encourages the efforts of Contractors and subcontractors to take affirmative action in providing
for Equal Employment Opportunity without regard to race, religion, creed, color, sex, national
origin, age, handicap unrelated to ability to perform the job or protected veteran's status.
Licenses
The Contractor shall be responsible for becoming a licensed Contractor in the Village or Park
District.
Agreement
The selected bidder shall enter into an Agreement with the Village or Park District to complete
the Project in a form substantially similar to the Agreement attached hereto. The Agreement
shall be executed by the Contractor and returned, together with the Contract Bond within ten
(10) calendar days after the Agreement has been mailed to the Contractor. The Contractor
shall execute three copies of the Agreement. One fully executed copy will be returned to the
Contractor. See Section XIII for a sample copy of the agreement.
Contract Bond
The successful bidder shall, within ten (10) calendar days after award of the bid, furnish a
Contract Bond in the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) for each contract
awarded. The bond shall insure faithful performance of the work, and the payment for
materials, labor and of the subcontractors. The bond shall be with a surety or sureties with a
rating of "A" or better by A.M. Best and Company and such sureties shall be approved by the
Village or Park District. Bonds in the form of certified or cashier's check shall be made payable
to the Village or Park District of Oak Park, Illinois. The Contract Bond shall be furnished in the
same number of copies as the number of copies of the Agreement to be executed. See section
XII for a sample copy of the Contract Bond.
5

Fees and Cost
In the event any action is brought to enforce any agreement entered into by the Village or Park
District of Oak Park, or to collect any unpaid amount from the Village or Park District of Oak
Park, each party bears the responsibility of paying its own attorneys' fees and costs.
Dispute Resolution
The Village or Park District of Oak Park does not agree to the mandatory arbitration of any
dispute.
Village and Park District of Oak Park Logo or Likeness Use
The official logo of the Village or Park District of Oak Park is not to be used in any form. Use of
the Village or Park District logo is strictly prohibited by law and such use could subject the
proposer to disqualification or termination of contract.
Living Wage/Minimum Wage
See Section XIII - Agreement.
Hold Harmless
See Section XIII - Agreement.
Insurance
See Section XIII - Agreement.
Termination of Agreement
See Section XIII - Agreement.
FOIA Requirements
By submitting a bid or otherwise responding in any way to this request for bids, the bidder
acknowledges the following:1. This public body is subject to the Freedom of Information Act, 5
ILCS 140/1, et seq. ("FOIA"), and any and all information submitted by the bidder to this public
body is subject to disclosure to third parties in accordance with FOIA. 2. If the bidder intends for
the public body to withhold the bidder's trade secrets, commercial information, or financial
information from disclosure to a third party in response to a FOIA request, the
bidder must include with its bid submittal a written notification specifically identifying such
information, along with a statement that disclosure of such information will cause competitive
harm to the bidder, as provided by FOIA Section 7(1)(g), 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(g). Any content not so
marked by the bidder at the time of bid submittal will be presumed to be open to public
inspection. The bidder may be required to substantiate the basis for its claims at a later time. 3.
Notwithstanding timely notice received from a bidder in accordance with Section 7(1)(g), the
public body reserves the right, in its sole discretion and subject only to applicable law, to
withhold or release the subject information in response to a FOIA request.
6

SECTION III
GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS
Scope of Work
The Village or Park District is seeking Bids from qualified arboriculture contractors for the
maintenance and removal of Village- or Park-owned trees within the Village or Park District of
Oak Park. Four (4) separate types of contracts will be awarded through this bid: 1) Village
Parkway Tree Cycle Pruning, 2) Village Parkway Tree Removal, 3) Village Parkway Tree Stump
Removal, 4) Park District Tree Removal and Pruning. Additional "Add On / On Demand" items
are included with some contracts and are required to be bid on. Work will be assigned by the
Village or Park District as necessary. Particular emphasis will be placed on high standards of
quality and professionalism, including safety, timeliness, cleanliness, and thoroughness. All
arboriculture contract work shall be done in accordance with the latest editions of the 1) ANSI
Z133 standards for Arboriculture Operations, 2) ANSI A300 standards for Tree Care Operations,
and 3) ISA Best Management Practices: Pruning . Contractors that bid multiple contracts may
be required to prove their ability to service the multiple contracts at the same time.
Responsibility of Contractor
The selected contractor shall furnish all labor, supervision, tools, equipment, materials and
supplies, and other means necessary for performing and completing the work, including debris
hauling, and shall obtain and pay for any required permits.
ISA Certified Arborist On Staff
Bidders for the Village Parkway Tree Cycle Pruning contract are required to have an ISA
Certified Arborist on staff at all times. Include documentation showing at least one current
employee is a certified arborist with your company's bid. Bids from contractors who do not have
a Certified Arborist on staff will not be considered for the Village Parkway Tree Cycle Pruning
contract.
At any time during the contract or subsequent contract renewal, you may be asked to show
documentation that there is a Certified Arborist on staff. If there is not a Certified Arborist on
staff at the time, it may be considered a breach of contract.
Extent of Services, Alterations, Omissions and Extra Work
The Village or Park District reserves the right to award multiple contracts from this bid including
multiple contracts for a single type of work or single season. The Village or Park District
reserves the right to award the contract to the lowest qualified and responsible bidder.
If otherwise equivalent bids are received, as determined by the Village, the Village will give
preference to contractors who are TCIA Accredited or meet the following requirements:
* Are actively enrolled in the TCIA Accreditation Program and on track to complete the
process within a two-year period
7

* Have completed the TCIA mail-in audit and have met 50% of the standards required by
TCIA for accreditation.
* By submitting a bid, Contractor authorizes the Village to obtain evidence of compliance
from TCIA and authorizes TCIA to release such information to the Village. In the event
that the Village is unable to obtain such information as it deems necessary to determine
compliance, on or before bid opening date, above compliance shall be deemed unmet.
The Village or Park District reserves the right to increase or decrease the quantity of any item or
portion of the work, or to omit portions of the work as may be deemed necessary.
Workers
The bidders shall employ competent laborers and shall replace at the request of the Director of
Public Works or the Superintendent of Properties & Planning for the Park District any
incompetent, unfaithful, abusive or disorderly workers in their employ. Only workers expert in
their respective branches of work shall be employed where special skill is required.
Inappropriate behavior or examples of unproductive work effort will not be tolerated. The
Village or Park District has the right to require a bidder's employee to be immediately removed
from the work crew if the above behavior is exhibited.
Time of Work
Bidder shall only work on weekdays, (Monday through Friday), from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. No
work will be allowed on weekends or on legal holidays as recognized by the Village or Park
District of Oak Park, except as authorized by the Director of Public Works or the Superintendent
of Properties & Planning for the Park District.
Method of Payment
The Village or Park District of Oak Park will pay monthly, all undisputed invoices within 30 days
of approval as provided in the Local Government Prompt Payment Act, 50 ILCS505/4. The
maximum interest rate for any payment not made within 30 days of approval is 1%.
Standard of Care
The Contractor shall endeavor to perform the Services with the same skill and judgment which
can be reasonably expected from similarly situated firms or entities.
The Contractor shall comply with all federal, state, and local statutes, regulations, rules,
ordinances, judicial decisions, and administrative rulings applicable to its performance under this
Agreement as applicable, including, but not limited to, Cook County's minimum wage and sick
leave ordinances, respectively Cook County Ordinance Number 16-5768 and Cook County
Ordinance Number 16-4229, and the Village's Living Wage Ordinance, Village of Oak Park
Ordinance Number 16-093, codified as Section 2-6-20 of the Village Code, all as amended.
Current copies attached as exhibit A.
8

The Contractor shall ensure that the Services are provided, performed, and completed in
accordance with all applicable statutes, ordinances, rules, and regulations, including, but not
limited to, the Fair Labor Standards Act; any statutes regarding qualification to do business; any
statutes prohibiting discrimination because of, or requiring affirmative action based on race,
color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, order of protection status, marital status,
physical or mental disability, military status, sexual orientation, or unfavorable discharge from
military service or other prohibited classification, including, without limitation, the Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq., and the Illinois Human Rights Act, 775
ILCS 5/1-101 et seq. The Contractor shall also comply with all conditions of any federal, state,
or local grant received by the Village or Park District or the Contractor with respect to this
Agreement.
Certified Payroll
Contractor shall be solely responsible to maintain accurate records reflecting its payroll for its
employees who perform any of the Work for the Village or Park District pursuant to this
Contract and shall submit certified payroll records to the Village's Director of Public Works or
the Superintendent of Properties & Planning for the Park District at any time during the term of
this Contract. Contractor shall provide said certified payroll records within seven (7) days upon
the request of the Director of Public Works or the Superintendent of Properties & Planning for
the Park District.
Change Orders
Change Orders: Changes in the Work may be agreed to after execution of the Agreement, and
without invalidating the Agreement, if the Change Order is in writing and signed. Any changes
to the scope of work which result in an increase in the agreement price will be subject to an
agreement addendum which must be signed by both parties. Any such Change Order will be
prepared by the Village or Park District. The Contractor may only proceed with the Change
upon receipt of the written Change Order signed by the Village or Park District.
Emergency Changes: Contractor may perform work not included in the Scope of Work if
necessary to remedy a condition that poses an immediate threat to persons or property. Work
of this nature shall be carried out only to the extent of bringing the condition under control.
The Village or Park District shall be notified immediately. A Change Order will then be
negotiated and executed for the work performed, and for work remaining, if any.
Minor Changes (Field Orders): The Village or Park District may verbally authorize minor changes
in the Scope of Work in order to prevent a delay in the progression of the Work. These field
orders may not involve a change in the agreement price or be inconsistent with the Scope of
Work.
Changes Due to Unknown Conditions: The Contractor is not responsible for Changes in the
Work that are due to conditions that were not reasonably observable or conditions that have
changed. In such cases, the Contractor shall notify the Village or Park District and a Change
Order will be negotiated.
9

Any Change which results in a total agreement price in excess of $10,000 must be approved by
the Village or Park District of Oak Park Board of Trustees/Commissioners.
Correction of Work Prior To Final Payment
The Village or Park District has the right to stop work if the Contractor fails to carry out the
work in a manner acceptable to the Village or Park District. If the Village or Park District deems
the Contractor's work unacceptable, at the Village or Park District's election, the Contractor
shall do one of the following:
1. Promptly repair or replace the defective work, without expense to the Village or Park
District, including costs associated with repairing any damage to property caused by the
replacement work; or;
2. If the Village or Park District deems it unacceptable to have the Contractor correct work
which has been incorrectly done, a deduction from the agreement price shall be made
based on the costs to the Village or Park District to have the work repaired. Such a
deduction from the agreement price shall in no way affect the Village or Park District's
other remedies or relieve the Contractor from responsibility for defects and related
damage occurring as a result of defective or unacceptable work.
Bidder's Representative
The bidder shall have at all times a competent foreman or superintendent on the job that shall
have full authority to act for the bidder, and to receive and execute orders from the Director of
Public Works or the Superintendent of Properties & Planning for the Park District or appointed
representative. Any instructions given to such superintendent or person executing work for the
bidder shall be binding on the bidder as though given to him personally. Bidder's
representative must be proficient in the use and interpretation of the English language.
Dispute Resolution
All disputes, including collection disputes, shall be brought in the Circuit Court of Cook County,
Illinois. This agreement shall be interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois.
In any dispute resolution process, each party shall bear its own costs, including attorney's fees.
Any purported agreement between the parties that states terms contrary to this paragraph M
will be deemed per se invalid.
Reporting Requirements
The following forms must be completed in their entirety, notarized and included as part of the
Bid document. Failure to respond truthfully to any question on the list or failure to cooperate
fully with further inquiry by the Village or Park District of Oak Park will result in disqualification
of your Bid.
10