2026-2027 LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Contract Number: CN2026-09
2026-2027 LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE
PROJECT TITLE: 2026-2027 Landscape Maintenance
PROJECT MANAGER: Mike Lund, Public Works Superintendent
mlund@cityofpoulsbo.com
(360)394-9757
CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION: April Zieman
azieman@cityofpoulsbo.com
(360)394-9746
PROJECT OVERVIEW: The City of Poulsbo ("City") is looking for a contractor to perform various
landscaping services including mowing, edging, weeding, fertilizing, and pruning. Landscape services for
each site differ and should be bid in accordance specified in the Scope of Services and in the Bid
Schedule (Price Form), attached as Exhibit A. The contractor shall provide the necessary staff, tools, and
any related equipment to effectively maintain the surrounding landscapes at 4 sites.
Qualified landscape maintenance contractors who demonstrate their success in providing similar
services at comparable facilities are invited to submit bids.
GENERAL CONTRACT INFORMATION: The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to establish,
through a competitive bidding process utilizing the MRSC Small Works Roster, a contractor to perform
landscape maintenance at 4 sites located within the City of Poulsbo, WA. A non-exclusive contract is to
be awarded from this request.
TERM OF CONTRACT: The term of the agreement shall be for a period of two (2) years with the possibility
of a one(1) year extension.
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SUBMITTALS: In order to qualify for this project, bidders
Contractors accept all
Request for Proposal, Issue Date April 13, 20 26
risk of late delivery,
Pre-Bid Tour (Optional) A pr il 20, 20 26
regardless of fault.
Deadline to Submit Questio ns April 2 4, 20 26 @ 5 pm
Any submittal received
Responses to Questions Provided April 27, 2026 after the due date
Proposals Due April 29, 2026 @ 2pm and time shall be
Contract Commencement Immediately upon contract execution deemed non-
responsive.
PROJECT TOURS: A project tour has been established for the date of April 20, 2026, at 10:00 AM at the
Poulsbo Public Works Facility, located at 22097 Viking Ave NW, Poulsbo, WA, 98370. All bidders are
invited to tour the sites at this time, but this is not a mandatory pre-bid requirement. Each bidder will
be allowed to ask questions and will be provided with property information. Please inform Services
Supervisor Victor Cienega by phone or email if you will be attending the tour.
INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS
SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS: All proposals submitted in response to this project must adhere to the
format set forth in this RFP. Failure of the bidder to adhere to this format will be considered non-
responsive and will eliminate their proposal from any further consideration. Substitutions will not be
accepted during the bid process. Do not leave any space blank. Submittals from minority, women, and
disadvantaged business enterprises are encouraged pursuant to chapter 49.60 RCW and RCW 39.19.060.
A complete response will include:
1) Statement of Qualifications - 7 page limit (excluding Additional Materials and References)
2) Exhibit "A" - Bid Schedule (Price Form)
3) Exhibit "B" - Required Signature Forms
There is no bid bond required for this submittal.
1) STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS
Interested bidders are requested to submit a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) for the work. The SOQ
shall include the following information:
1. Introduction and Project Understanding - Indicate interest in this project and working for the
City, and any other information that would assist the City in making its selection, including why
your firm is the best qualified to meet the needs of Poulsbo and this project.
2. Company Profile and Experience - Provide a brief history of the business and experience working
on similar projects. Record and verify Contractor has had four (4) years of experience in providing
landscape services to large organizations and/or municipalities and demonstrated quality and
reliability of standards having been met in the service provided.
3. Key Personnel - Identify key staff the contractor might assign as Field Leads, Supervisors and/or
Project Managers for the project. Provide a brief description of their background and relevant
experience. This could be in the form of a resume.
4. Project Team - List all certificates of training pertaining to landscape maintenance for
employees who will be assigned to work on the project.
5. Equipment & Materials - List all equipment and materials which will be used at these project
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sites.
6. Additional Materials (Optional) - Material and data not specifically requested. Examples of such
materials include standard sales brochures, pictures, or promotional materials.
7. References - Provide three references (maximum) for whom your firm has performed similar
work within the last five years. Include contact name, current telephone number, and current
email for all references.
The City shall not be liable for any costs incurred in connection with the preparation and submittal of
any proposal or for developing and carrying out interviews, if applicable.
SOQs shall be limited to 7 pages (excluding Additional Materials and References) and will be submitted
along with EXHIBIT A and B, detailed hereafter. SOQs that do not address the items listed
in the submission requirement section, exceed the 7-page limit, or contain information other than what
is requested may be considered incomplete and may be deemed non-responsive by the City.
2) EXHIBIT A - BID SCHEDULE (PRICE FORM)
The Bid Schedule (Price Form) has 4 separate sections, one for each of the 4 sites and one summary
section. Fill in each of the 4 sites and add the Total Costs to the summary sheet and Bid Form.
All rates and pricing submitted shall include all costs, including but not limited to all wages, benefits, the
cost of tools, equipment, ancillary supplies, overhead, profit, taxes, bonds, and other administrative
fees associated with the performance of this contract. Washington State Prevailing Wage rates for
Kitsap County shall apply as required by chapter 39.12 RCW. Contractor, and all subcontractors, must
obtain a valid City of Poulsbo Business License.
Taxes: Sales tax in Poulsbo is 9.3%. The line items for the 4 sites shall not include Washington State
Sales Tax. Sales tax should be added to the Total Annual Costs on the summary sheet.
Bid Errors: If the total annual cost (not including sales tax) of the Bid is an incorrect total of all bid items
included for each individual site or on the bid proposal summary sheet, the total bid price will be
corrected. If tax is calculated improperly, the City shall utilize the correct tax rate and correct the total
bid amount.
3) EXHIBIT B - REQUIRED SIGNATURE FORMS
The Statement of Qualifications and the Bid Schedule/Price Form (EXHIBIT A) submitted in response to
this RFP shall include the documents contained in the Required Signature Form (EXHIBIT B). Please
complete and sign all documents including 1) Bid Form; 2) Proposal Signature Sheet; 3) Non-Collusion
Form; 4) Certificate of Wage Compliance; and 5) Bidders Qualification Certificate. All required submittal
documents must be signed by an authorized representative, having authority to sign on behalf of the
Contractor.
By signing these documents, the Contractor agrees that they are familiar with the local conditions
affecting the performance of the work and the cost of the work at the place where the work is to be
done. The Contractor further agrees to furnish all labor, materials, equipment, tools, traffic control
measures, and any other items necessary to perform and complete the work. Failure to submit all of
these documents shall make the bid non-responsive and not eligible for award.
PROPOSAL PROCESS & EVALUATION: The City reserves the right to act as sole judge of the contents of
the proposals and for selection of a contractor. False, incomplete, or unresponsive statements in
connection with a proposal may be sufficient cause for its rejection.
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Proposals will be evaluated by a Committee selected by the Public Works Superintendent or their
designee. The Evaluation Committee will review and evaluate all information provided in the proposals,
with the intention of selecting a Company who submitted a proposal that, in the opinion of the City,
provides the best value (receives the highest score, as determined by the evaluation criteria listed below).
If the selection committee so chooses, respondents may be invited for an interview to supplement their
submission.
EVALUATION CRITERIA: The following criteria, not necessarily listed in order of importance, to be used
in the selection process will include:
Costs Submitted in Bid Schedule (Price Form) - Determined from Base Bid only. 0-50 pts
Project Approach and Understanding - Demonstrates an understanding of the
magnitude and complexity of the landscape services and expertise required in the 0-25 pts
identified scope of work and ability to successfully complete these tasks on time.
Experience and Qualifications - Demonstrated experience providing
comprehensive, high-quality, and timely services with particular interest to
0-25 pts
facilities of similar size and scope of work; personnel training and certificates;
materials and equipment available; relevant and favorably responsive references.
During the evaluation process, the City may also consider the following:
* References - history of errors and omissions via reference checks
* Quality of previous performance
* Ability to meet contract deadlines - capability to perform the contract promptly and to comply
with minimum specifications, as specified in the contract documents
* Staff availability for the project
* Strength and stability of the firm
* Technical experience
CITY OPTION TO REJECT ALL PROPOSALS: The City may, at its sole discretion, reject any or all proposals
submitted in response to this RFP. Furthermore, this request does not obligate the City to accept or
contract for any expressed or implied services. The City reserves the right to waive any informalities in a
submitted proposal.
BASIS OF AWARD: The City of Poulsbo will select and award the contract to the responsive, responsible
bidder, as determined by the City based on the evaluation criteria outlined in this RFP. Contractor shall
be paid based on the prices submitted in the Bid Schedule (Price Form).
INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS
BIDDER RESPONSIBILITY: At the time of submittal, a bidder must meet the following criteria to be
considered a responsible bidder and qualified to be awarded the project.
1. The contractor must have had at least four (4) years verifiable experience in the provision of
landscape maintenance services and/or areas that are similar in nature and scope as those
described in this RFP.
2. A current certificate of registration
3. A current Washington Unified Business Identifier (UBI) number
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4. Not be disqualified from bidding on any public works contract
5. If applicable:
a. Have Industrial Insurance (workers' compensation) coverage for the Bidder's employees
working in Washington State
b. Have a Washington State Employment Security Department number
c. Have a Washington State Department of Revenue state excise tax registration number
6. Completed the L&I online training or meet the prior experience requirements in RCW
39.04.350(1)(f)
7. Within the three-year period immediately preceding the date of the bid solicitation, not have
been determined by a final and binding citation and notice of assessment issued by the
department of labor and industries or through a civil judgment entered by a court of limited or
general jurisdiction to have willfully violated, as defined in RCW 49.48.082, any provision of
chapter 49.46, 49.48, or 49.52 RCW
SUBCONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITY: The prime contractor must verify responsibility criteria for each
first tier subcontractor, and a subcontractor of any tier that hires other subcontractors must verify
responsibility criteria for each of its subcontractors. Verification shall include that each subcontractor,
at the time of subcontract execution, meets all requirements in the previous Bidder Responsibility
criteria. The City reserves the right to review the procedure that the selected Bidder uses in validating
the responsibility of any subcontractors.
INQUIRIES & QUESTIONS: Any questions regarding this request should be emailed to
azieman@cityofpoulsbo.com, no later than 5 pm on April 24, 2026. Any oral communication will be
considered unofficial and non-binding. All questions received will be compiled, and responses will be
sent to all solicited contractors.
PREVENTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AND PRESERVATION OF PUBLIC NATURAL
RESOURCES: If awarded the Contract, the Bidder shall fully comply with all environmental protection
laws, ordinances and regulations dealing with prevention and environmental pollution and the
preservation of public natural resources that may be applicable to this Project. The cost of such
compliance shall be included in the bid prices.
BID FORM: The Bid Form is included in the attachment EXHIBIT B. Bids that contain omissions, erasures
or irregularities of any kind may be rejected. Any qualification, addition, limitation, or provision
attached to or contained in a bid may render the bid non-responsive and not eligible for an award. No
oral, facsimile, telegraphic or telephonic bids or modifications will be considered.
All bids shall be signed by the Bidder, or the Bidder's authorized representative. If the bid is made:
A. By an individual, the Bidder's name, signature, and address must be shown;
B. By a partnership or joint venture, it shall contain the names of each partner, the mailing address
of the partnership or joint venture and shall be signed in the firm name, followed by the
signature of the person signing, indicating that person's position in the partnership or joint
venture;
C. By a corporation or limited liability company ("LLC"), the name of the state under the laws of
which the corporation or LLC is chartered, the name and post office address of the corporation
or LLC and the title of the person who signs on behalf of the corporation or LLC must be shown.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF ADDENDA: Each Bidder shall include on the Bid Form specific
acknowledgment of receipt of each Addendum issued by the City during the bidding period. If the Bidder
does not specifically acknowledge each addendum, the City may reject the bid as non- responsive unless
the City determines from delivery records or from inclusion of information in the bid of information
contained in the addenda that the Bidder received constructive notice of the addenda.
DETERMINATION OF NON-RESPONSIBILITY: If the City determines a Bidder to be not responsible, the
City will provide, in writing, the reasons for the determination. The Bidder may appeal the determination
within ten (10) days of its receipt of the City's determination of non-responsibility by presenting
additional information to the City. The City shall consider the additional information before issuing its
final determination. If the City's final determination affirms that the Bidder is not responsible, the City
shall not execute a contract with any other bidder until two (2) business days after the Bidder determined
to be not responsible has received the final determination.
TITLE VI: The City of Poulsbo, in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,
(78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all bidders that will
affirmatively ensure that any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged
business enterprises will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation
and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for
an award.
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CONTRACT PROVISIONS
The selected contractor will be required to meet and agree to all the conditions in this Request for
Proposals including prevailing wages, insurance requirements, payment bond, and compliance with
applicable laws including traffic control measures in accordance with standards set forth by the Manual
on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) as well as the attached Sample Purchased Service Contract
and Payment Bond, included in EXHIBIT C.
BUSINESS LICENSE: As mandated by PMC 5.04.010, the General Contractor awarded the contract and
each Subcontractor working on the project will be required to obtain a City of Poulsbo Business License
at their sole expense. The Contractor and each Subcontractor shall obtain a City of Poulsbo Business
License prior to performing any work and maintain a current business license throughout the term of
this contract with the City. A business license application can be obtained online at
https://dor.wa.gov/manage-business/city-license-endorsements/poulsbo.
PREVAILING WAGES: Any contract resulting from this request is subject to the requirements of the
Revised Code of Washington (RCW) Chapter 39.12 and RCW 35.23.352, and as it may be amended,
relating to prevailing wages and as set forth in the Sample Contract, EXHIBIT C. Current prevailing wage
rates for Kitsap County can be obtained from the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries
at https://lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/public-works-projects/prevailing-wage-rates/. The effective date
for prevailing wages is the Bid Submittal Date listed on Page 1 and these rates shall remain in effect for
the duration of the contract.
Before any work begins on the contract, the selected Contractor and each Subcontractor shall submit a
"Statement of Intent to Pay Prevailing Wages". As a Purchased Service Contract, only 1 intent and 1
affidavit is required for the entire project. The Contractor is responsible for payment of all fees and shall
make all applications and payments directly to the State Department of Labor and Industries.
INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS: The Contractor awarded the contract shall maintain current insurance as
set forth in the Sample Contract, included in EXHIBIT C, and the Contractor shall name the City of
Poulsbo as additionally insured on the policy endorsements. The Contractor is responsible for
submitting all new insurance documents, via electronic transmission, to the City within ten (10)
calendar days after expiration.
PAYMENT BOND: A payment bond is required for this project. The Contractor awarded the contract
shall furnish a Payment Bond equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the contract, as set forth in the
Sample Contract, included in EXHIBIT C. The Payment Bond shall be in force throughout the entire term
of the contract including any extensions until final completion and acceptance by the City. The bond
shall be furnished by a corporate surety company authorized to do business in the State of Washington.
The surety must be approved and appear on the most current revision of the U.S. Treasury Circular
570.
MEASUREMENT AND PAYMENT: The Contract price shall constitute full compensation for furnishing all
labor, equipment, tools, and materials for performing all work and operations required as specified
herein and shall be considered full compensation. Invoices will be reviewed by the City before payment
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is made and the City's designated representative shall not authorize payment until, in their opinion, the
work has been satisfactorily completed. A walkthrough with the City's designated representative and
the Landscape Contractor may be required after work is completed.
INVOICES: Contractor shall submit properly completed invoice(s) to the Services Supervisor or their
designee. The awarded Contractor shall be paid upon submission of a properly itemized invoice based
on the prices stipulated in the Bid Schedule (Price Form), EXHIBIT A. Submitted invoices must contain
the following minimum information.
A. Project Title
B. Locations of work
C. Description of items/work completed with dates
D. Sales Tax, if applicable
E. This statement, per RCW 39.12.040: "We certify that the prevailing wages have been paid in
accordance with the pre-file statement or statements of intent to pay prevailing wages on file
with the City of Poulsbo."
CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITY: Below are some of the City's common guidelines to follow on projects.
* All work conducted under this contract shall follow the best available Best Management
Practices. Contractor shall comply with all applicable codes and appropriate safety regulations.
* Contractor will not be allowed to utilize City-owned equipment, unless prior authorization by
the Public Works Superintendent or their designee is given.
* Contractor shall be responsible for the removal of all debris and refuse before leaving the work
area and provide for proper disposal offsite.
* Contractor's personnel shall be courteous, neat in appearance, and wear visible Contractor
identification. All vehicles shall display the Contractor's business name.
* The Contractor and all Subcontractors ultimately awarded a contract shall comply with federal,
state and local laws, statutes and ordinances relative to the execution of the work. This
requirement includes, but is not limited to, protection of public and employee safety and
health; environmental protection; waste reduction and recycling; the protection of natural
resources; permits; fees; taxes; and similar subjects.
* Contractor and all subcontractors shall obtain a City of Poulsbo Business License before
commencing any work.
* Contractor shall ensure that employees comply with all City of Poulsbo City Code and
Washington State Industrial regulations and practices.
* Contractor shall ensure all Contractor personnel comply with all relevant OSHA, WISHA, and
Labor and Industries worker safety regulations at all times they are on the project site.
* Contractor shall submit a schedule of when they plan on being onsite. Contractor shall also
call/email the City designee 48hr prior to each scheduled site visit.
* Contractor shall notify the City designee upon completion of each visit to allow the inspector
to verify the work.
* Work that has not been verified due to the Contractor neglecting to notify the city in the time
specified shall not be added to the invoice.
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SCOPE OF SERVICES
1. General Information: Through this Landscape Maintenance project, the Contractor shall provide
landscape services at the following locations:
* Finn Hill Shared Use Path
* Lincoln Road Shared Use Path
* Viking Avenue
* Johnson Parkway Shared Use Path
The Landscape Contractor shall furnish all labor, equipment, tools, services, skills, etc., required to
maintain the landscape in an attractive condition throughout the contract period. Maintenance
shall include but will not be limited to mowing, edging, trimming, pruning, fertilizing, weeding,
watering, and cleanup.
Required Work Schedule: The contractor shall maintain a regular set schedule with a Monday through
Friday schedule as agreed upon with the Services Supervisor or their designee. The contractor shall
provide 48 hours' advance written notice of any intent to work outside approved working hours.
No work using equipment shall take place before 7:00 AM or after 7:00 PM Monday through Friday,
in accordance with City ordinances.
2. Parking & Traffic Control: Contractor vehicles are prohibited from parking in designated disabled
parking stalls. Vehicles must be parked in locations where they do not impede vehicle or bicycle
traffic, traffic sightlines, or pedestrian walkways. Traffic control shall be the responsibility of the
contractor. Two lanes of traffic shall be maintained at all times.
3. First Visit Spring Clean Up: The first visit should be extensive and comprehensive, getting the site
prepared for regular maintenance during the growing season. At the contractor's initial landscaping
maintenance at each of the 4 sites, the following components of site care should be completed:
* Line trimming
* Edging
* Weeding (planter beds and tree rings)
* Mowing
* Fertilizing (planter beds)
* Debris/Litter cleanup
* Hard surface cleanup
4. Landscape Services (Maintenance Tasks) Performed Under this Project Include:
A. EDGING - Using a hard edger, cut all edges that are adjacent to lawn areas, including asphalt
and concrete surfaces. Hard surfaces shall be blown clean after edging activities. Tree rings in
lawn should be maintained with a line trimmer, not a hard edger.
B. FERTILIZING (PLANTER BEDS) - All planter beds shall be fertilized with an organic/synthetic
fertilizer approved by the City. Application shall conform to the manufacturer's specifications.
Contractor shall provide fertilizer specifications to the Services Supervisor at least one week
prior to fertilization application.
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C. HARD SURFACE CLEANUP - The contractor shall blow or sweep all concrete and asphalt
landscape surfaces.
D. LINE TRIMMING - To maintain neat and trim appearance, line trimming shall be performed
along all walkways, paths, tree rings and light standards. Line trimming shall be performed to cut
all pavement weeds (in cracks, joints, and seams) flush with paved surface. Manual removal of
pavement weeds is also acceptable. Line trimmers must never contact plant stems or tree
trunks. Hard surfaces shall be blown clean after line trimming.
E. DEBRIS/LITTER CLEANUP - Fallen branches or other debris shall be picked up and removed
from the site. Loose litter shall be removed from the entire site, including all parking lots,
walkways, turf areas, and planter beds.
F. PRUNING - If needed, prune and trim plantings according to accepted horticultural practices, in
accordance with the plant's intended function; remove extraneous growth, debris, damaged
foliage, etc. for a neat appearance. Allow shrubs and groundcovers to grow into their growth
patterns, with the goal of maintaining the plant's current shape. All plants adjacent to structures
should be pruned to ensure at least 2' of clearance from building exteriors, w a l k w a y s , and
stairways. Trees should only be pruned to maintain branch clearance 12' high above all
walkways, driveways, and parking lots, 2' clearance from structures, or to remove broken or
dead branches.
Prior to the first pruning, the Contractor's crew lead and the Services Foreman or their designee
will conduct a site walk to agree on specific goals for pruning specific woody plants.
Debris and prunings shall be disposed of and are the responsibility of the Landscaping
Contractor.
G. WEEDING (PLANTER BEDS & TREE RINGS) - All planter beds within the contract area shall be
90% weed free by the end of each specified month. All maintenance weeding (all weeding
except for that performed during the First Visit Spring Clean Up) shall be performed manually
and without use of herbicides. Excessive walking in planter beds is to be avoided. Maintain a
turf free zone with a minimum 4' diameter circle around trees. Remove dead plant material
during weeding. Report missing or dead vegetation to the City.
H. WEEDEATING - To maintain neat and trim appearance, rough mow the indicated area to a
maximum height of 3". Line trimming shall be performed along all walkways, light standards,
paths and tree rings. Adjacent hard surfaces shall be blown clean after weed eating and line
trimming.
5. Contractor Reporting: The contractor is responsible for reporting anything they see that may need
attention and follow-up by the City. These include:
* IRRIGATION REPAIRS - Irrigation of all plants and turf will be provided by the City's irrigation
system, where it exists. The contractor shall only monitor each site's irrigation system for any
problems, which may include broken lines and heads, inadequate coverage, overspray, and
runoff. No irrigation repairs will be done as part of this contract. Any problem areas or
deficiencies shall immediately be reported to the Services Supervisor or their designee. The City
will be responsible for the startup and winterizing of the irrigation system.
* REPORTING - Issues concerning irrigation, plant health (declining, missing, or dead vegetation),
or public safety may arise during the course of this contract. Contract shall immediately report
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