DMV Wing Garden Horticultural Maintenance

Agency:	State of Vermont
State:	Vermont
Type of Government:	State & Local
NAICS Category:	561730 - Landscaping Services
Posted Date:	Feb 9, 2026
Due Date:	Mar 13, 2026
Original Source:	Please Login to View Page
Contact information:	Please Login to View Page
Bid Documents:	Please Login to View Page

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Buildings and General Services Operations and Maintenance

133 State Street, 5th Floor | Montpelier VT 05633-8000

802-828-2211 phone |802-828-2222 fax

http://bgs.vermont.gov/purchasing

SEALED BID

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

DMV Wing Garden Horticultural Maintenance

ISSUE DATE

QUESTIONS DUE

RFP RESPONSES DUE BY

February 9, 2025

February 18, 2026 – 4:30 PM (EST)

March 13, 2026 – 4:30 PM (EST)

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT ALL NOTIFICATIONS, RELEASES, AND ADDENDUMS ASSOCIATED

WITH THIS RFP WILL BE POSTED AT:

http://www.bgs.state.vt.us/pca/bids/bids.php

THE STATE WILL MAKE NO ATTEMPT TO CONTACT INTERESTED PARTIES WITH UPDATED

INFORMATION. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH BIDDER TO PERIODICALLY CHECK THE

ABOVE WEBPAGEFOR ANY AND ALL NOTIFICATIONS, RELEASES AND ADDENDUMS

ASSOCIATED WITH THIS RFP.

STATE CONTACT:

E-MAIL:

James Meyers, State Senior Purchaisng Agent

BGS.OPCVendorDocs@vermont.gov

1. OVERVIEW:

1.1. SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: Through this Request for Proposal (RFP) Buildings and General Services

Operations and Maintenance Division (hereinafter the “State”) is seeking to establish contracts with one

or more companies that can provide DMV Wing Garden Horticultural Maintenance.

1.2. CONTRACT PERIOD: Contracts arising from this RFP will be for a period of 24 Months with an option to

renew for up to three (3) additional twelve-month periods. The State anticipates the start date for such

contract(s) will be 5/1/2026

1.3. SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT: All communications concerning this RFP are to be addressed in writing

to the State Contact listed on the front page of this RFP. Actual or attempted contact with any other

individual from the State concerning this RFP is strictly prohibited and may result in disqualification.

1.4. BIDDERS’ CONFERENCE: A mandatory bidders’ conference will not be held.

1.5. QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD: Any bidder requiring clarification of any section of this RFP or

wishing to comment on any requirement of the RFP must submit specific questions in writing no later than

the deadline for question indicated on the first page of this RFP. Questions may be e-mailed to the point

of contact on the front page of this RFP. Questions or comments not raised in writing on or before the last

day of the question period are thereafter waived. At the close of the question period a copy of all

questions or comments and the State's responses will be posted on the State’s web site

http://www.bgs.state.vt.us/pca/bids/bids.php . Every effort will be made to post this information as soon as

possible after the question period ends, contingent on the number and complexity of the questions. All

information provided by vendors during this process will be public and bidders shall not provide

confidential information, except as described in 4.1 below.

1.6. CHANGES TO THIS RFP: Any modifications to this RFP will be made in writing by the State through the

issuance of an Addendum to this RFP and posted online at http://www.bgs.state.vt.us/pca/bids/bids.php .

Modifications from any other source are not to be considered.

2. DETAILED REQUIREMENTS/DESIRED OUTCOMES:

2.1. The State of Vermont is interested in obtaining bids to meet the following business need(s): Routine

horticultural maintenance on a newly installed perennial garden in front of 120 State Street, the DMV

building in Montpelier Vermont. This includes routine horticultural care throughout the year, clean ups and

garden maintenance in preparation for specific holiday programming like Memorial Day and July 4th, and

long-term maintenance strategies to ensure the garden thrives like compost top dressing and pruning and

mulching.

2.2. This scope of work covers the horticultural maintenance of ornamental perennial gardens at 120 State

Street and includes but is not limited to routine and seasonal horticultural care for the DMV Wing Gardens.

2.3. Routine landscape care shall be comprised of the following tasks:

2.3.1. Weeding

2.3.2.Replacement of plants as necessary

2.3.3.Deadheading perennials and pruning of dead or dying shrubs or other plants

2.3.4.Managing growth of shrubs and grasses with twine, stakes, or other means

2.3.5.Contractor shall remove and lawfully dispose of all wastes generated

2.3.6.Maintenance of edges and walkways as necessary (sweeping, cutting, clearing, etc.)

2.4. Seasonal Landscape Care (Spring)

2.4.1. Weeding

2.4.2.Deadheading perennials and pruning of dead or dying shrubs or other plants

2.4.3.Managing growth of shrubs and grasses with twine, stakes, or other means

2.4.4.Cutting back of overwintered plants

2.4.5.Remove fallen branches, leaves, and winter debris from all garden areas

2.4.6.Define and refresh bed edges

Revised: March 18, 2025

2.4.7.Application of mulch across entire bed when previous years mulch needs to be replenished

2.4.7.1. Mulch shall be a depth of 2-3”

2.4.7.2. Mulch shall be triple ground

2.4.7.3. Mulch shall be dye free

2.4.7.4. Mulch shall not crowd the base or crown of plantings

2.4.8.Routine spring clean-up tasks as necessary. Contractor shall remove and lawfully dispose of all

wastes generated

2.5. Seasonal Landscape Care (Fall)

2.5.1. Weeding

2.5.2.Top dressing of aged high quality aged compost at root zone of perennials, shrubs

2.5.3.Deadheading perennials and pruning of dead or dying shrubs or other plants

2.5.4.Clipping seed heads of ornamental grasses to prevent seeding if necessary

2.5.5.Managing growth of shrubs and grasses with twine, stakes, or other means

2.5.6.Cutting back of plants that will not overwinter (perennials and shrubs blooming on new growth)

2.5.7.Remove fallen branches, leaves, and winter debris from all garden areas

2.5.8.Routine fall clean up tasks as necessary. Contractor shall remove and lawfully dispose of all wastes

generated

2.6. Landscape Care Schedule

2.6.1.Routine landscape care shall be on an interval of 2 weeks from May to October, weather dependent,

with the contractor scheduling missed care appointments to the next available day.

2.6.2.Routine Landscape Care shall also take place on the following special occasions – months of May,

July, and September may have two scheduled visits or a check-in visit to assess the need for weeding

and other horticultural care for these occasions

2.6.2.1. Within one week prior to Memorial Day

2.6.2.2. Within one week prior to the 4th of July

2.6.2.3. Within one week prior to Labor Day

2.6.3.Seasonal Landscape Care (Spring) shall be in the Month of April when ground conditions and snow

cover allow for spring clean ups and all associated tasks without creating adverse conditions where

the site is damaged from soft or saturated ground.

2.6.4.Seasonal Landscape Care (Fall) shall be in November and be scheduled prior to the Thanksgiving

Holiday

2.6.5.The total number of site visits is 17

2.6.5.1. 12 Routine landscape visits from May to October

2.6.5.2. 3 holiday specific visits as mentioned above for Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day

2.6.5.3. 2 seasonal clean up visits, one in fall and one in spring

3. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:

3.1. PRICING: Bidders must price the terms of this solicitation at their best pricing. Any and all costs that

Bidder wishes the State to consider must be submitted for consideration. If applicable, all equipment

pricing is to include F.O.B. delivery to the ordering facility. No request for extra delivery cost will be

honored. All equipment shall be delivered assembled, serviced, and ready for immediate use, unless

otherwise requested by the State.

Revised: March 18, 2025

3.1.1.Prices and/or rates shall remain firm for the initial term of the contract. The pricing policy submitted by

Bidder must (i) be clearly structured, accountable, and auditable and (ii) cover the full spectrum of

materials and/or services required.

3.1.2.Cooperative Agreements. Bidders that have been awarded similar contracts through a competitive

bidding process with another state and/or cooperative are welcome to submit the pricing in response

to this solicitation.

3.2. STATEMENT OF RIGHTS: The State shall have the authority to evaluate Responses and select the

Bidder(s) as may be determined to be in the best interest of the State and consistent with the goals and

performance requirements outlined in this RFP. The State of Vermont reserves the right to obtain

clarification or additional information necessary to properly evaluate a proposal. Failure of bidder to

respond to a request for additional information or clarification could result in rejection of that bidder's

proposal. To secure a project that is deemed to be in the best interest of the State, the State reserves the

right to accept or reject any and all bids, in whole or in part, with or without cause, and to waive

technicalities in submissions. The State also reserves the right to make purchases outside of the awarded

contracts where it is deemed in the best interest of the State.

3.2.1.Best and Final Offer (BAFO). At any time after submission of Responses and prior to the final

selection of Bidder(s) for Contract negotiation or execution, the State may invite Bidder(s) to provide a

BAFO. The state reserves the right to request BAFOs from only those Bidders that meet the minimum

qualification requirements and/or have not been eliminated from consideration during the evaluation

process.

3.2.2.Presentation. An in-person or webinar presentation by the Bidder may be required by the State if it

will help the State’s evaluation process. The State will factor information presented during

presentations into the evaluation. Bidders will be responsible for all costs associated with providing

the presentation.

3.3. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST:

3.3.1.Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCOI): An OCOI arises when a bidder as a business entity has

interests (for example, customers, partners, contracts) that could undermine, or reasonably be

perceived to undermine, its faithful and unbiased performance of a contract with the State that may

result from this solicitation.

3.3.2.Personal Conflict of Interest (PCOI): A PCOI arises when an interest held by an individual, agent or

employee of a bidder could undermine, or reasonably be perceived to undermine, its faithful and

unbiased performance of a contract with the State that may result from this solicitation.

3.3.3.Requirements: The State does not seek to contract with any individual or business entity having a

conflict of interest which cannot be mitigated to the State’s satisfaction. To ensure the State’s

awareness of actual, potential, or reasonably perceived PCOIs and OCOIs, bidders shall:

a) Prior to submitting a proposal, conduct an internal review of its current affiliations and activities and

identify actual, potential, or reasonably perceived PCOIs or OCOIs relative to a contract with the

State that may result from this solicitation.

b) Disclose in your proposal any actual or potential PCOI or OCOI or the existence of any facts that

may cause a reasonably prudent person to perceive a PCOI or OCOI with respect to a contract with

the State that may result from this solicitation. Disclose, also, any actions proposed to mitigate the

PCOI or OCOI.

3.3.4.The State shall have sole discretion to determine whether a PCOI or OCOI can be mitigated to the

State’s satisfaction and may discuss the conflict with the bidder if and to the extent the State deems

discussion necessary to its determination. The State reserves the right to (a) reject from further

consideration any proposal having a PCOI or OCIO that cannot be mitigated to the State’s full

satisfaction and (b) terminate a contract upon discovery that a contractor failed to disclose facts

pertaining to a PCOI or OCOI in its proposal, or otherwise misrepresented relevant information to the

State.

Revised: March 18, 2025

3.4. WORKER CLASSIFICATION COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS: In accordance with Section 32 of The

Vermont Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Act No. 54), Bidders must comply with the following

provisions and requirements.

3.4.1.Self Reporting: For bid amounts exceeding $250,000.00, Bidder shall complete the appropriate

section in the attached Certificate of Compliance for purposes of self-reporting information relating to

past violations, convictions, suspensions, and any other information related to past performance

relative to coding and classification of workers. The State is requiring information on any violations

that occurred in the previous 12 months.

3.4.2.Subcontractor Reporting: For bid amounts exceeding $250,000.00, Bidders are hereby notified that

upon award of contract, and prior to contract execution, the State shall be provided with a list of all

proposed subcontractors and subcontractors’ subcontractors, together with the identity of those

subcontractors’ workers compensation insurance providers, and additional required or requested

information, as applicable, in accordance with Section 32 of The Vermont Recovery and

Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Act No. 54). This requirement does not apply to subcontractors providing

supplies only and no labor to the overall contract or project. This list MUST be updated and provided

to the State as additional subcontractors are hired. A sample form is available online at

http://bgs.vermont.gov/purchasing-contracting/forms. The subcontractor reporting form is not

required to be submitted with the bid response.

3.5. EXECUTIVE ORDER 05-16: CLIMATE CHANGE CONSIDERATIONS IN STATE PROCUREMENTS:

For bid amounts exceeding $25,000.00 Bidders are requested to complete the Climate Change

Considerations in State Procurements Certification, which is included in the Certificate of Compliance for

this RFP.

After consideration of all relevant factors, a bidder that demonstrates business practices that promote

clean energy and address climate change as identified in the Certification, shall be given favorable

consideration in the competitive bidding process. Such favorable consideration shall be consistent with

and not supersede any preference given to resident bidders of the State and/or products raised or

manufactured in the State, as explained in the Method of Award section. But such favorable consideration

shall not be employed if prohibited by law or other relevant authority or agreement.

3.6. METHOD OF AWARD: Awards will be made in the best interest of the State. The State may award one

or more contracts and reserves the right to make additional awards to other compliant bidders at any time

if such award is deemed to be in the best interest of the State. All other considerations being equal,

preference will be given first to resident bidders of the state and/or to products raised or manufactured in

the state, and then to bidders who have practices that promote clean energy and address climate change,

as identified in the applicable Certificate of Compliance.

3.6.1.Evaluation Criteria: Consideration shall be given to the Bidder’s project approach and methodology,

qualifications and experience, ability to provide the services within the defined timeline, cost, and/or

success in completing similar projects, as applicable, and to the extent specified below.

3.6.1.1. Prior experience with this type of horticultural maintenance

3.6.1.2. Ability to meet the project schedule

3.6.1.3. Price

3.7. CONTRACT NEGOTIATION: Upon completion of the evaluation process, the State may select one or

more bidders with which to negotiate a contract, based on the evaluation findings and other criteria

deemed relevant for ensuring that the decision made is in the best interest of the State. In the event State

is not successful in negotiating a contract with a selected bidder, the State reserves the option of

negotiating with another bidder, or to end the proposal process entirely.

3.8. COST OF PREPARATION: Bidder shall be solely responsible for all expenses incurred in the preparation

of a response to this RFP and shall be responsible for all expenses associated with any presentations or

demonstrations associated with this request and/or any proposals made.

3.9. CONTRACT TERMS: The selected bidder(s) will be expected to sign a contract with the State, including

the Standard Contract Form and Attachment C as attached to this RFP for reference. If IT Attachment D is

Revised: March 18, 2025

This page summarizes the opportunity, including an overview and a preview of the attached documents.

TITLE	QUESTIONS DUE	ANSWERS POSTED	DUE DATE	NO POSTING AFTER
DMV Wing Garden Horticultural Maintenance	02/18/2026 04:30PM		03/13/2026 04:30PM

DMV Wing Garden Horticultural Maintenance

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