RFP 2026-0017 Tree Trimming & Emergency Tree Debris Removal Services - Extended

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
FOR
Tree Trimming & Emergency Tree Debris
Removal Services
(RFP 2026-0017)
EXTENDED PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL DEADLINE
5:00 P.M. (EST)
Friday, July 10, 2026
LOCATION:
SAVANNAH AIRPORT COMMISSION
400 AIRWAYS AVENUE
SAVANNAH, GA 31408
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
Tree Trimming & Emergency Tree Debris
Removal Services
(RFP) 2026-0017
PURPOSE OF PROPOSAL
The Savannah Airport Commission (SAC) is seeking proposals from qualified
contractors to provide tree trimming and emergency tree debris removal services
within the airport's right-of-way on an as-needed basis. This solicitation will result in
the award of a three (3) year agreement, with the option for two (2) additional one (1)
year renewal terms, exercised at the sole discretion of SAC, for services covering trees
located throughout the airport campus.
Proposed pricing shall remain firm for the initial contract term. Any request for price
adjustments during renewal periods shall not exceed the percentage change in the
Georgia Consumer Price Index (CPI) as published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics or other recognized index applicable to the State of Georgia. If requesting a
price adjustment for a renewal term, the Contractor must submit written documentation
supporting the requested increase, including the applicable CPI data and justification
for the adjustment, no less than ninety (90) days prior to the expiration of the current
contract term. All price adjustments are subject to review and approval by SAC, and
any approved increase shall not exceed the CPI percentage change for the applicable
period.
The scope of work includes, but is not limited to, professional trimming, maintenance,
inspection, and care of palm trees to ensure their health, safety, structural integrity,
and aesthetic appearance throughout the duration of the agreement. Services may
also include emergency response for storm-related tree damage and debris removal,
as required.
Participation in this RFP process is at the sole expense of the proposer. Any costs
incurred in the preparation or submission of a proposal shall not be reimbursed by the
Savannah Airport Commission. Proposals for these services will be received by the
Savannah Airport Commission until 5:00 P.M. (EST), July 10, 2026, at which time they
will be opened by the Commission's Purchasing Manager, whose contact information
is below. All responses to this proposal must be submitted through
https://savannahairport.bonfirehub.com/, and will not be accepted via email or
mail.
Christy Dixon, NIGP-CPP
Purchasing Manager
cdixon@flySAV.com
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Airport Overview pg. 4
RFP Timeline pg. 5
Cone of Silence pg. 6
Contract Terms pg. 6
Scope of Services pp. 6-10
Submittal Instructions pp. 11-12
Required Forms pg. 12
Evaluation Criteria & Award pp. 13-15
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Request for Proposals
Tree Trimming Services (RFP 2026-0017)
For Savannah Airport Commission
Airport Overview
The Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (the "Airport") is operated by
Savannah Airport Commission, a public body corporate organized under the laws of
the State of Georgia (Georgia Code L-1952, Section 13) ("Commission"), and an
operating agency of the City of Savannah. Commission consists of five members,
appointed by the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Savannah, for a term of five
years.
The Commission is responsible for the improvements, maintenance, and operation of
the Airport, and it is authorized to enter into contracts for the rental of buildings, land,
office space and other property; to adopt rules and regulations for the operation of
the Airport; and to have control, custody and direction of all lands, properties and
improvements affixed thereto by the actions of the General Assembly, and to have
general direction of the same. The Commission meets monthly, usually at 9:00 a.m.
on the first Wednesday of each month, in the Commission Conference Room,
located on the third floor of the terminal building at 400 Airways Avenue, Savannah,
Chatham County, Georgia. The Commission acts by and through its Executive
Director and staff on all matters pertaining to the management and operations of the
Airport.
The Airport is a 3,681-acre site located approximately eight miles northwest of the
business district of Savannah, only 45 minutes from Hilton Head Island, South
Carolina, and less than two hours from the Golden Isles at Brunswick or Charleston,
South Carolina. The following major airlines serve the airport: Allegiant Air, American
Airlines, Avelo Airlines, Breeze Airways, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest
Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, and United Airlines. Collectively these airlines, along
with affiliated regional air carriers, transported approximately 4.1 million passengers
in 2024.
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RFP Timeline Summary:
The Commission reserves the right to modify this timeline at any time.
All questions must be submitted through Bonfire and will not be accepted via email or mail.
All questions must be submitted no later than June 24, 2026, by COB (5:00pm EST). All
Questions: responses to questions will be provided through https://savannahairport.bonfirehub.com/
in an addendum by the date noted on this document. Please contact Christy Dixon via email
at CDixon@flySAV.com for questions.
Deadline for
Submitting July 10, 2026, by COB (5:00pm EST)
Proposals:
A Preproposal Meeting will be held on June 18, 2026 @ 1:30 p.m. Attendance of the
Mandatory preproposal meeting is mandatory for bid submission. The preproposal meeting will be
Preproposal held at 640 Gulfstream Road, Savannah, GA. 31408. Please RSVP if you will be physically
Meeting: present for the meeting.
If you are not able to attend the Mandatory Preproposal Meeting in person, there is an
option to attend the meeting via Microsoft Teams. Please contact Melanie Freeman @
mfreeman@flysav.com for the Teams Meeting Information.
Mandatory Site A group site visit will be conducted immediately following the Mandatory Preproposal
Visit: Meeting on June 18, 2026. If you are unable to attend the meeting in person, please
contact Melanie Freeman at mfreeman@flysav.com to RSVP for the second site visit on
June 19, 2026, at 9:00am. Site visits are mandatory to submit a proposal.
Submittal All responses to this proposal must be submitted through
Information: https://savannahairport.bonfirehub.com/, and will not be accepted via email or mail.
Note: Please be sure to Acknowledge all associated addendums before submission of
proposal response. The date for the final addendum is noted below.
RFP Timeline:
Issue Date: April 15, 2026
Mandatory Preproposal Meeting/Site Visit June 18, 2026
Additional Site Visit Date: June 19, 2026
Written Questions/Comments Due Date: June 24, 2026
Last Addendum Released: June 30, 2026
Extended RFP Response Due Date: July 10, 2026
Notification of Award Notifications to Bidders: NLT August 28, 2026
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Cone of Silence
Upon issuance of this solicitation and continuing until a final contract award is made
or the solicitation is withdrawn, rescinded, or cancelled, all communications
regarding this solicitation by any Respondent, proposer, bidder, or any of their
officers, employees, agents, lobbyists, or representatives are strictly prohibited,
whether direct or indirect, with any member of the governing authority, evaluation
committee, or staff of the issuing agency, except as expressly authorized in this
solicitation. All communications must be submitted in writing to the Procurement
Officer identified herein. Any violation of this Cone of Silence shall be grounds for
immediate disqualification, rejection of the submittal, or other sanctions permitted by
law.
Contract Term and Renewal
A formal contract for services will be executed between the Savannah Airport
Commission (SAC) and the selected proposer prior to the commencement of any
work. No services shall begin until the contract has been fully executed by all parties.
The contractor shall not incur any costs or perform any work in advance of receiving
the official notice. Any work performed prior to contract execution shall be at the
contractor's sole risk and expense. The Commission may adjust contract specifics
between renewal periods to accommodate changing requirements.
The intended initial term of the contract shall be three (3) years, with the option to
renew for up to two (2) additional one-year periods, subject to satisfactory
performance, continued need for services, and approval by the Savannah Airport
Commission. The Commission may adjust contract terms and specifications between
renewal periods to accommodate changing operational or service requirements.
Convenience Termination of Contract
The Commission reserves the right to terminate the Contract, in whole or in part, at
any time if it determines that such action is in its best interest. Termination may be
initiated with or without cause, including but not limited to unsatisfactory performance
by the service provider. In such an event, the Commission will provide the service
provider with thirty (30) days' written notice, specifying the effective date of
termination. No penalties or termination fees shall be due to the service provider as a
result of such termination.
Scope of Services
The Savannah Airport Commission maintains a total of one hundred sixty-two (162)
palm trees throughout the airport campus. Of these, one hundred sixty (160) are
Sabal Palm trees and two (2) are Washingtonia Palm trees. The majority of the palm
trees are concentrated in and around the long-term, four-story parking deck, with
additional trees located throughout the airport property.
Tree trimming services shall be performed on a bi-annual basis, generally during the
spring and fall seasons, or at other times as may be directed at the discretion of the
Savannah Airport Commission.
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Proposers shall also include pricing for emergency response services, including a
two (2)-hour response time for all service calls. Emergency response services must
be available 24 hours per day, seven (7) days per week, including holidays,
weekends, and after normal business hours. Two (2) emergency contact phone
numbers shall be provided to the airport at the beginning of this Contract.
The Contractor shall provide and maintain all necessary labor, supervision,
equipment, tools, materials, and transportation required to perform tree trimming,
maintenance, and emergency tree debris removal services throughout the duration
of the contract term.
Remove all dead fronds and seed pods.
Remove any fronds in contact with buildings, structures, or fixtures.
Shave trunks and remove loose boots, as applicable.
Crown-raise palms in accordance with ANSI A300 standards, as follows:
a. Typical pruning: 9-3
b. Select palms: 10-2
Collect and remove all debris generated.
a. All debris shall be removed from and disposed of off campus in accordance
with applicable regulations.
Contractor Responsibilities
The Contractor's responsibilities shall include, but are not limited to, the following:
Site Conditions, Safety, and Operational Requirements
A tracked (TRAC-type) lift is required to minimize ground disturbance.
Work shall only be performed when surrounding ground conditions are dry
and firm.
Contractor must coordinate with the Airport Grounds Manager prior to
mobilization to confirm acceptable site conditions.
Any disturbed turf, soil, irrigation, or landscaping must be restored to original
condition. The Contractor will be held responsible for all damage to roads,
highways, shoulders, ditches, embankments, bridges, culverts, and other
property caused by him or any of his subcontractors in hauling or otherwise
transporting materials to or from the several sites of the work, regardless of
the location of such damage. The Contractor shall make arrangement relative
to the payment for, or repair or replacement of, such damage or damaged
surfaces of structures. Said arrangement shall be satisfactory and acceptable
to the owner or owners of such damaged surfaces or structures, or to their
legally responsible officers, agents, or other representative, and said payment
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shall be at the Contractor's own expense, unless otherwise provided by the
Contract.
(a) All ruts or surface damage must be fully repaired at the contractor's
expense.
Perform all work in a safe, professional, and workmanlike manner, in
compliance with OSHA regulations, ANSI A300 standards, and all applicable
federal, state, and local laws.
Equipment, materials, and supplies shall not be stored outside the immediate
work area without prior written approval from the property owner or the
Savannah Airport Commission. Upon completion of services at any location,
the Contractor shall promptly remove all equipment, materials, debris, and
associated items from the site and restore the area to a clean and safe
condition.
Comply with all airport security, access, and badging requirements, as
directed by SAC.
Maintain all required licenses, permits, and insurance coverage for the
duration of the contract.
Protect all airport property, facilities, landscaping, utilities, and infrastructure
from damage during the performance of work.
Remove and properly dispose of all debris generated from the work off
campus and in accordance with applicable regulations.
Promptly correct, at no additional cost to SAC, any work found to be defective,
unsafe, or not in compliance with the contract requirements.
Respond in a timely manner to emergency or hazardous conditions, including
storm-related damage, when directed by SAC.
The Contractor shall designate one person who is a licensed arborist that is
responsible for the supervision of all work being performed. This person shall
be thoroughly familiar with the specified requirements and the methods
needed for the proper performance of the work and shall direct all work. A
copy of the arborist license shall be submitted in the bid response.
The Contractor shall be responsible for any damage to roads, highways,
shoulders, ditches, structures, embankments, culverts, or other infrastructure
resulting from hauling or transporting debris from the project site by the
Contractor or its subcontractors. The Contractor shall also be responsible for
obtaining all required utility locates prior to performing any excavation or
underground work and shall take all necessary precautions to protect existing
utilities and facilities during the performance of the work. Any damage to
existing facilities, utilities, or infrastructure shall be immediately reported to the
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Savannah Airport Commission and repaired by the Contractor at no cost to
SAC.
The Contractor shall be responsible for the removal and disposal of all
trimmings. The Commission will not provide a disposal or drop-off site for
services.
Traffic Control and Scheduling
The contractor is fully responsible for traffic control, as work areas may
experience congestion during peak travel periods. The contractor shall
implement appropriate traffic and pedestrian control measures when work is
performed near roadways, parking structures, or public areas.
Delays to the traveling public must be minimized.
The Contractor will use proper traffic control devices, including signage, as
outlined by the Georgia Department of Transportation.
SAC authorizes the Contractor to perform work anytime from 7:00 AM through
5:00 PM weekdays for routine tree trimming. The Contractor shall obtain prior
approval from the SAC before scheduling any work outside the normal
working hours. In the case of an emergency call-out, the Contractor shall
arrive no more than 2 hours on site to perform work at any time day or night.
The contractor shall coordinate with the Grounds Manager to:
(a) Establish a work schedule
(b) Formalize traffic control measures
(c) Mitigate impacts to airport operations and public access
Emergency Tree Debris Removal Services
The Contractor shall provide emergency response and debris removal
services for vegetative material resulting from inclement weather events,
including but not limited to hurricanes, tropical storms, high winds, and severe
thunderstorms. Services shall include the removal, hauling, and proper
disposal of fallen or damaged trees, limbs, and related debris located
throughout the airport campus.
This scope shall include, but is not limited to, the following tree categories:
1. Large canopy Oak trees
2. Pine trees
3. Small landscape and ornamental trees
The Contractor shall be capable of responding within a timeframe specified by
the Savannah Airport Commission (SAC) following notification of an event.
Emergency services may be required on a 24-hour basis, including nights,
weekends, and holidays.
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Work shall include clearing debris from, but not limited to:
Roadways and access routes
Airfield areas (as authorized)
Parking lots and public areas
Perimeter fencing and secured areas
Around airport facilities, signage, and infrastructure
The Contractor shall provide all necessary labor, equipment, and materials
required to safely and efficiently perform debris removal operations. This
includes chainsaws, chippers, loaders, hauling equipment, and any other
specialized machinery required for large tree removal.
Submittal Instructions
All responses to this proposal must be submitted through
https://savannahairport.bonfirehub.com/, and will not be accepted via email or mail.
In order to provide a response to this proposal, all respondents must first register
their company by using the above link. Registration is easy and free. Please be sure
to select the NAICS codes associated with your business and/or organization. For
questions regarding vendor registration or instructions on proposal submittal,
please contact Melanie Freeman at mfreeman@flysav.com.
All addenda associated with this RFP will be provided through
https://savannahairport.bonfirehub.com/ by the date noted on page 5 of this
document. All questions must also be submitted through
https://savannahairport.bonfirehub.com/, and will not be accepted via email or mail.
As required, it is the respondent's responsibility to ensure that all addenda are
acknowledged through submission of the Acknowledgement of Addendum Form.
Except as otherwise provided herein, proposals which are incomplete or which are not
in conformance with the law, may be rejected as non responsive. Timely Proposals
received will be subject to applicable laws and regulations governing public disclosure.
Submission of a Proposal indicates acceptance by the respondent of the conditions
contained in this RFP, and the intent to enter into an Agreement with Commission.
The Savannah Airport Commission reserves and may exercise the following
rights and options: (i) to reject any and all proposals, negotiate with any respondent,
alter the scope of work, to extend the date for submittal responses to request additional
information from any Proposer, to supplement, amend or otherwise modify the RFP
prior to the closing date and time, and reissue the RFP at any time prior to execution
of a final agreement if, in Commission sole opinion, and best interest to do so; (ii) to
supplement, amend, substitute, or otherwise modify this RFP at any time prior to
selection of one or more proposer for negotiation and (iii) to cancel this RFP with or
without issuing another RFP; (iv) to reject the proposal of any proposer who, in the
Commission's sole judgment, has been delinquent or unfaithful in the performance of
any contract with Commission is financially or technically incapable or is otherwise not
a responsible responder; (v) To reject as informal or non-responsive, any proposal
which, in Commission's sole judgment, is incomplete, is not in conformity with
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