Debris Removal Services

Request for Proposal
City of Suffolk
RFP #26052-AG
March 23, 2026
Purchasing Division
442 W. Washington Street, Room 1086
Suffolk, VA 23434-5237
Phone: (757) 514-7520 / Fax: (757) 514-7524
Debris Removal Services
Electronic proposals will be received at the office of the Purchasing Agent listed above, until the time
and date shown below (local prevailing time), for furnishing the items or services described in this
solicitation. Offers should be sent by e-mail attachment to: proposals@suffolkva.us with the RFP
number and title in the subject line.
SCOPE OF WORK - The City of Suffolk is requesting sealed proposals from qualified firms to
provide operating and management services for the removal and storage of disaster generated
vegetative and construction debris.
The Senior Buyer, Amy Gardner is the Contract Officer for the City of Suffolk with respect to this RFP.
All questions and/or comments should be directed to her at: agardner@suffolkva.us. The respondents
to this RFP shall not contact, either directly or indirectly, any other employee or agent of the City
regarding this RFP.
Non-Mandatory Pre-proposal meeting: June 2, 2026 @ 10:00 a.m.
Public Works Operations Center 800 Carolina Road, Suffolk, VA 23434
Proposals are due: 3:00 p.m., June 17, 2026
Amy Gardner________________
Contract Officer: ________
Amy Gardner, NIGP-CPP, CPPB, Senior Buyer, agardner@suffolkva.us
OFFEROR:
Company Name:
Address:
CITY / State / Zip:
Telephone: FAX No.:
E-mail:
Print Name: Title:
Signature: Date:
RFP 26052-AG Page 1

In compliance with this Request for Proposals, and subject to all the conditions thereof, the Offeror, if
the offer is accepted within one hundred and eighty (180) calendar days from the date of the receipt
of proposals, agrees to furnish any or all of the items and/or services at the prices set, to be delivered
at the time and place specified herein, based on tasks negotiated with the Offeror and issued by the
City. The Offeror's signature on the previous page certifies he has read, understands, and agrees to
all terms, conditions, and requirements of this Request for Proposals, and is authorized to contract on
behalf of firm named in this RFP.
SOLICITATION DOCUMENTS
Additional Request for Proposal documents are available on the Purchasing website:
http://www.suffolkva.us/bids/ or on the Commonwealth's bid board (eVA), or at Demandstar.com. An
e-mail request for the complete RFP form may be sent to the Contract Officer listed on the front page.
Offers may be sent to proposals@suffolkva.us or electronic copies (CD or thumb drive) may be
delivered to the Purchasing Office, 442 W. Washington Street, Room 1086, Suffolk, Virginia, 23434
prior to the closure date shown, if desired. Documents should be saved as a .pdf document and
should conserve disk space to allow transfers of data. Do not send Zip files. Zip files cannot be
accepted. Hard copy printed proposals will not be accepted.
Questions concerning this project must be in writing (email is preferred) and addressed to the
Contract Officer listed on the front page of this solicitation, and, should be received no later than five
(5) business days preceding the date that the proposals are to be received. E-mail is the preferred
method and will get a more timely response.
It is the intent of the City to establish a contract with multiple firms. Contractors will generally be selected
on a rotating basis for individual tasks. However, the City, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to
select contractors out of rotation when deemed to be in the best interest of the City.
There shall be at least one Contractor's employee on site who speaks fluent English.
Proposals may also be submitted to eVA.
IF YOU NEED ANY REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR ANY TYPE OF DISABILITY IN
ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROCUREMENT, PLEASE CONTACT THIS DIVISION AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE.
This contract is on a contingency basis. No compensation will accrue to Contractor unless the
contract is activated in anticipation of a disaster or immediately after a disaster.
RFP 26052-AG Page 2

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
Debris Removal Services
SECTION/TITLE
I. PURPOSE ...................................................................................................................................... 4
II. BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................ 4
III. COMPETITION INTENDED ........................................................................................................ 4
IV. TERM OF CONTRACT ................................................................................................................ 4
V. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS................................................................................................... 4
VI. SCOPE OF SERVICES - See Attachment A ................................................................................ 5
VII. INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSALS ................................................................. 5
VIII. SPECIFIC PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS .................................................................................. 7
IX. EVALUATION AND AWARD CRITERIA ................................................................................. 8
X. ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR RFP ................................................................................ 9
XI. CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS ............................................................................... 12
49 CFR PART 20--CERTIFICATION REGARDING LOBBYING .................................................. 38
SIGNATURE SHEET .......................................................................................................................... 40
PROPRIETARY/CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION IDENTIFICATION ...................................... 41
EXCEPTIONS TO RFP ....................................................................................................................... 42
ANTICOLLUSION .............................................................................................................................. 43
PROOF OF AUTHORITY TO TRANSACT BUSINESS IN VIRGINIA .......................................... 44
Attachment A - Scope of Work (8 pages)
Attachment B - Bid Form (4 Pages)
Attachment C - City of Suffolk Debris Management Plan (85 pages)
RFP 26052-AG Page 3

I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to solicit proposals to establish contracts
with one or more firms for the removal of disaster-generated vegetative debris and
construction debris. Services under this contract may also include management of one or
more Debris Management Sites, reduction of and/or final disposal of all storm-generated
debris, and other emergency clean-up activities associated with a hurricane, storm, tornado,
or other natural or manmade disaster event.
II. BACKGROUND
The City of Suffolk is 428 square miles and is the largest city in Viriginia by land mass. It has
a population of approximately 100,000. The City is seeking services from qualified firms to
assist with debris removal and storage with the expertise to ensure recovery is in accordance
with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) guidelines.
The City is anticipating participating in the FEMA Public Assistance Grant Program and
receiving eligible FEMA funding for any projects resulting from a Presidentially declared
disaster event. However, the Federal Government is not a party to the resulting contract from
this Request for Proposal (RFP) and is not subject to any obligations or liabilities to the City of
Suffolk or any other party pertaining to any matter resulting from the contract.
III. COMPETITION INTENDED
It is the City's intent that this Request for Proposal (RFP) permits competition. It will be the
Offeror's responsibility to advise the Purchasing Agent in writing if any language requirement,
specification, etc., or any combination thereof, inadvertently restricts or limits the requirements
stated in this RFP to a single source. Such notification must be received by the Purchasing
Agent not later than five (5) business days prior to the date set for acceptance of proposals.
IV. TERM OF CONTRACT
The contract will commence upon conveyance of a fully executed agreement. The initial term
of this agreement will be for five (5) years effective from the date of the agreement. Unless
notified sixty (60) days in writing, this contract will automatically renew based on the terms and
conditions herein. Initial rates must be guaranteed for a minimum of twelve (12) months. Any
increase in rates will require written City approval. The City does not guarantee approval of
any rate increase. The City must be notified in writing of any rate increases during the
contract period.
A 5% retainage will be held until the end of the event. In order to recover the retainage, the
Contractor must successfully complete all work to the satisfaction of the City. Retainage will
be held until final reconciliation is complete. Portions of the retainage may be held by the City
to repair damages caused by the Contractor to public or private property.
V. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Any offeror wishing to submit a proposal and be considered for this solicitation must have had
successful experience within the past five (5) years on projects of similar size and scope.
RFP 26052-AG Page 4

VI. SCOPE OF SERVICES - See Attachment A
VII. INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSALS
1. Submission of Proposals
An electronic document must be submitted by e-mail attachment to
proposals@suffolkva.us with the RFP number and title in the subject line or electronic
copies (CD or thumb drive) may be delivered to the Purchasing Office, 442 West
Washington Street, Room 1086, Suffolk, Virginia prior to the closure date shown, if
desired. Documents should be saved as a .pdf document and should conserve disk
space to allow transfers of data. ZIP files cannot be accepted; they do not work in
the City's system. To receive confirmation of receipt of proposal, send request to the
contracting officer at agardner@suffolkva.us Do NOT send proposal directly to
contracting officer.
The intent of using electronic submissions is to reduce paper usage and provide
economical approaches while permitting the Offeror to demonstrate their skills,
education, experience, and ingenuity that would qualify them to be selected for
interview.
Offerors so selected will be allowed to make a formal presentation of their
qualifications and job approach, and may be selected for final negotiations of contract.
Therefore, care should be given to address the issues relating to the criteria to follow.
Read the entire solicitation before submitting a proposal. Failure to read any part of
this RFP shall not relieve any Offeror from his or her contractual obligations.
2. Questions and Inquiries
Questions and inquiries pertaining to the Request for Proposals will be accepted from
any and all firms via e-mail or fax. Inquires must provide RFP number and title.
Material questions will be answered by Addendum and will be posted on the City's
website: https://www.suffolkva.us/Bids.aspx?CatID=17 provided that all questions are
received five (5) business days prior to opening date.
Amy Gardner, Senior Buyer, is the designated authorized spokesperson for the City
with respect to this RFP. All questions and/or comments should be directed to his
attention. The respondents to this RFP shall not contact, either directly or indirectly,
any other employee or agent of the City regarding this RFP. This prohibition shall also
extend to the members of the City. Any such unauthorized contact may disqualify the
Offeror from the procurement.
3. Addendum and Supplement to Request
If it becomes necessary to revise any part of this request or if additional data are
necessary to enable an exact interpretation of provisions of this request, an addendum
will be issued. It is the responsibility of the Offeror to ensure that he has received all
addenda prior to submitting a proposal. All addenda can be downloaded from
https://www.suffolkva.us/Bids.aspx?CatID=17
RFP 26052-AG Page 5

4. Firm Pricing for City Acceptance
Offers made during negotiation must be honored for City acceptance for 180 days from
the date of offer.
5. Proprietary Information
Trade secrets or proprietary information submitted by an Offeror in connection with this
solicitation shall not be subject to disclosure under the Virginia Freedom of Information
Act; however, the Offeror must invoke the protections of this section prior to or upon
submission of the data or other materials, and must clearly identify the data or other
materials to be protected and state the reasons why protection is necessary. Offerors
shall not mark sections of their proposal as proprietary if they are to be part of the
award of the contract and are of a "Material" nature. Any propriety information must be
listed on the attached "Proprietary/confidential Information Identification" form and
submitted with the proposal. An all-inclusive statement that the entire proposal is
proprietary will result in rejection of the proposal.
6. Authority to Bind Firm in Contract
Proposals must give full firm name and address of Offeror. Failure to sign proposal
may disqualify it. Person signing proposal should show title or authority to bind his firm
in a contract.
7. Preparation and Submission of Proposals
1. All proposals shall be signed by the individual or authorized principals of the
firm.
2. All attachments to the Request for Proposal requiring executing by the firm are
to be returned with the proposals.
3. Proposals are to be submitted electronically; title shall indicate the RFP
number, time and date of public acceptance, and the title of the proposal.
4. It is the Offeror's responsibility that the proposals are received by the
Purchasing Division BEFORE the hour specified on the opening date.
Requests for extensions of this time and date will not be granted. Proposals or
unsolicited amendments to proposals received by the City after the acceptance
date will not be considered.
8. Miscellaneous Requirements
A. The City will not be responsible for any expenses incurred by an Offeror in
preparing and submitting a proposal. All proposals shall provide a
straightforward, concise delineation of the Offeror's capabilities to satisfy the
requirements of this request. Emphasis should be on completeness and clarity
of content.
B. Offerors who submit a proposal in response to this RFP may be required to
make an oral presentation of their proposal. The Purchasing Division will
schedule the time and location for this presentation.
RFP 26052-AG Page 6

C. The contents of the proposal submitted by the successful Offeror and this RFP
will become part of any contract awarded as a result of the Scope of Services
contained herein. The successful Offeror will be expected to sign a contract
with the City.
D. The City reserves the right to reject any and all proposals received by reason of
this request, or to negotiate separately in any manner necessary to serve the
best interests of the City.
Proposals should be as thorough and detailed as necessary to allow the City to properly
evaluate the Offeror's capabilities to provide the required services. Offerors are required to
submit the following items in the format provided as a complete proposal.
The City reserves the right to request clarification of information submitted and to request
additional information if deemed necessary.
VIII. SPECIFIC PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
1. Cover Letter
The Offeror will complete and submit the Signature Sheet (included in this RFP) and
submit it with a brief cover letter. The cover letter should summarize key elements of
the proposal. An individual authorized to bind Offeror must sign the letter and
Signature Sheet, as well. Indicate the address and telephone number of the Offeror's
office.
2. Background and Project Summary Section
This section should describe your understanding of the City, the work to be performed,
and the objectives to be accomplished. Refer to the "Scope of Services" Section of
this RFP.
3. Methodology Section
Provide a detailed description of the approach and methodology to be used to
accomplish the "Scope of Services" of this RFP. The Methodology Section should
include the following:
A. Detailed description of efforts your firm will undertake to achieve client
satisfaction and to satisfy the requirements of the "Scope of Services" Section.
B. A plan that describes in detail (a) the methods, including controls by which your
firm manages contracts of the type sought by this RFP; and (b) any other
management or implementation strategies or techniques that the respondent
intends to employ in carrying out the work.
C. Detailed description of specific tasks you will require from City staff. Explain
what the respective roles of City staff and your staff would be to complete the
tasks specified herein. Provide expectations regarding adequate notice for
meetings with City staff.
RFP 26052-AG Page 7

4. Staffing Section
Provide a list of principal individuals who will likely be working on this contract and
indicate the level/title of each member, and the function that each will perform. Include
a resume for each designated individual, to include licenses, certifications, and other
qualifications.
5. Qualifications
The information requested in this section should describe the qualifications of the
Offeror, key staff, and subcontractors performing tasks within the past five (5) years
that are similar in size and scope to that requested in the RFP. Information shall
include the following:
A. A summary of the Offeror's demonstrated capability, including length of time
that the Offeror has provided the services being requested herein.
B. Provide at least three (3) references that received similar services from your
organization. The City reserves the right to contact any the organizations or
individuals listed. Information shall include:
* Client name
* Services provided
* start and end dates
* Client manager name, email, and telephone number
6. Format
Proposal should be submitted in the following format:
* Cover Letter (Paragraph A)
* Proposal sequenced in accordance with Paragraphs B-E above
* Fee Schedule
* Forms as follows: (All forms must be signed.)
Certificate Regarding Lobbying (Page 38)
o
Signature Sheet (Page 40)
o
Propriety/Confidential Information Identification (Page 41)
o
Exceptions to RFP (Page 42)
o
Anti-collision/Nondiscrimination/Drug Free Workplace Clauses (Pg. 43)
o
Proof of Authority to Transact Business in Virginia (Page 44)
o
Failure to submit forms may result in rejection of your proposal.
IX. EVALUATION AND AWARD CRITERIA
The City's Evaluation Committee shall review each proposal and verify the claims and
credentials of each Offeror. Selection will be made for each proposal on the basis of the
criteria listed below. Each proposal will be evaluated based upon the strengths and
weaknesses of the submittal or subsequent information gained in the process.
RFP 26052-AG Page 8

Qualifications, credentials, and related experience of the Offeror's key personnel
(20%)
Compliance with RFP requirements (20%)
Quality of prior work with contracts of similar scope and complexity for other public
agencies (20%)
Approach to the RFP, including scheduling, efficiencies and cost control (20%)
Fee Schedule (20%)
Once each member of the Evaluation Committee has read and rated each proposal by use of
the criteria, a consensus of the Committee shall be used established ranking the proposals.
This ranking shall be used to select the firms for further consideration-the short-list. At this
point, the Evaluation Committee will conduct interviews with two or more of the top ranked
firms.
Should the City determine, in its sole discretion, that only one Offeror is qualified, or that one
Offeror is clearly more highly qualified than the other under consideration, a contract may be
negotiated and awarded to that Offeror. The file will show the Committee's reason for basis of
selection.
The successful firms will be expected to enter into a contract with the City based upon their
submittal and any additional negotiated terms. The successful firms shall execute and return
the contract documents to the City within ten (10) business days of receipt.
X. ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR RFP
1. Use of Form: All proposals should be submitted in electronic (.pdf) format in
accordance with this form. The Offeror may attach/scan other information as required
to the electronic document that will be made a part of the proposal. Electronic
submittals on CD, DVD, flash drives, or other electronic media will be accepted if
delivered prior to the closing time. The preferred method is by an attachment to an
email addressed to: proposals@suffolkva.us. ZIP files cannot be accepted.
2. Submittals: Except as noted above, all proposals shall be sent as an attachment to
email to: proposals@suffolkva.us. The subject line must show the proposal number
and title.
3. Late Proposals: Proposals, if received by the City's Purchasing Division
("Purchasing") after the date and time specified, will not be considered. It will be the
responsibility of the Offeror to see that their proposal is received by Purchasing as
specified. There will be no exceptions. Electronic proposals show the date and time
sent. This must be prior to the closing date published on the front cover.
4. City Hall Closure: Should the City's electronic networks connectivity prevent receipt of
proposals at the time of the scheduled proposal closing, the proposals will be accepted
and opened on the next business day of the City, at the original scheduled hour, or as
soon as connectivity is restored during normal business hours.
5. Competition Intended: It is the City's intent that this RFP permits competition. It shall
be the Offeror's responsibility to advise the Contract Officer in writing if any language
requirement, specification, terms, conditions, or any combination thereof, inadvertently
restricts or limits the requirements stated in this RFP to a single source. Such
RFP 26052-AG Page 9

notification must be received by the Contract Officer prior to the date set for proposals
to close.
6. Contract Quantities: The quantities specified in the RFP are estimates only unless
otherwise clearly noted, and are given for the information of Offeror and for the
purpose of proposal evaluation. They do not indicate the actual quantity that will be
required, since such volume will depend upon requirements that may develop during
the contract period. Quantities shown shall not be construed to represent any amount
which the City shall be obligated to purchase under the contract, or relieve the Offeror
of his obligation to fill all orders placed by the City, except as clearly noted.
7. Delivery: The time of delivery of services must be stated in definite terms. If time of
delivery for services varies, the Offeror shall so state.
8. Offeror's Qualifications: Only proposals from established offerors for work similar in
scope to work herein shall be considered; the City reserves the right to request specific
reference information prior to award. Offeror shall demonstrate that they have
adequate and appropriate manpower, and resourced to respond and perform in
accordance with the provisions herein.
The City may, at its option, disqualify an Offeror and reject its proposal for cause.
Reasons deemed to be sufficient for this action shall include, but not be limited to, the
following:
Evidence of collusion among offerors.
Receipt of more than one proposal on any project from an individual, or from a
corporation. This restriction does not apply to subcontractors
Default on any previous contract.
Unreasonable failure to complete a previous contract within the specified time
or for being in arrears on an existing contract without reasonable cause for
being in arrears.
Inability to perform as revealed by an investigation of the Offeror's financial
statement, experience, and/or plant and equipment.
Offeror does not meet project-specific requirements, as identified in the
solicitation.
9. Pricing to be F.O.B. Destination - Freight Allowed: Pricing shall be F.O.B.
destination-freight included for all competitive proposals. F.O.B. Destination-Freight
Included shall include all shipping costs to the City location(s) at the unit cost. No
additional shipping charges shall be allowed.
10. Samples: Samples, when requested, must be furnished free of expense, and upon
request, if not destroyed, will be returned at the Offeror's risk and expense.
11. Silence of Specifications: The apparent silence of these specifications and any
supplemental specifications as to any detail or the omission from the specifications of
a detailed description concerning any point shall be regarded as meaning that only the
best commercial practices are to prevail and correct type, size, and design are to be
used. All interpretations of these specifications shall be made on the basis of this
statement.
12. Capacity of Offeror: All proposals must be signed by a responsible officer or
employee having the authority to bind the firm in contract. The Offeror agrees that its
RFP 26052-AG Page 10