Tree Canopy Project

City of Saratoga Springs, NY
Request for Proposal
PREPARED BY: Department of Public Works
April 09, 2026
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ALL BIDS SHALL BE ENCLOSED IN A SEALED ENVELOPE MARKED:
RFP #: 2026-06 The City Canopy Project - Urban Forestry Tree Planting
Name of Bidder: ____________________________________
RFP Opening: Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.
AND RETURN TO:
City of Saratoga Springs
Department of Accounts
474 Broadway
JOHN SAFFORD
MAYOR
JOANNE KIERNAN
COMMISSIONER OF FINANCE
BK KERAMATI
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC WORKS
TIM COLL
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SAFETY
JESSICA TROISI
COMMISSIONER OF ACCOUNTS
Tree Canopy Project
Suite 14
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

City of Saratoga Springs, NY RFP Opening: Tuesday April 28, 2026 2:00 p.m.
Tree Canopy Project: RFP #2026-06
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NOTICE TO BIDDERS
The City of Saratoga Springs, New York, will receive sealed bids for Urban Forestry Tree Planting Project. Sealed
bids must be received in its' entirety by the City of Saratoga Springs, Office of the Commissioner of Accounts, 474
Broadway Suite 14, Saratoga Springs, New York, 12866, by Tuesday April 28, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. at which time they
will be publicly opened and read.
Copies of the Request for Proposal (RFP) may be obtained on the City's web page at www.saratoga-springs.org,
under current bids. There is no fee for these documents.
Addenda, if any, will be issued only to those persons whose name and address are on record with the City as
having obtained a bid packet. Addenda to the bid, when issued, will be on file in the City Clerk's Office at least five
(5) days before the bid opening date. If you have obtained a bid packet through the City's web site and would like
to be on record for any Addenda please email stefanie.richards@saratoga-springs.org with your name, the name
of the bid packet obtained and email address.
Questions regarding the bid should be directed to Stefanie Richards in writing at stefanie.richards@saratoga-
springs.org. All bids must be made on the official bid form or an exact copy by reproduction thereof and enclosed is
a sealed envelope.
No Bidder may withdraw his/her bid within sixty (60) calendar days after the actual date of the opening thereof. A
Bidder may withdraw their bid response in writing immediately following this sixty (60) day per New York State
Finance Law 163(9)(e). The City reserves the right to reject any and all bids, to waive any and all informalities
and the right to disregard all nonconforming, non-responsive or conditional bid documents per New York State
Finance Law 163(9)(d).
INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS
1. RFP DOCUMENTS
This document includes a complete set of the RFP specifications and required documents, which are for the
convenience of Bidders and are not to be detached from the bid. Failure to submit the required forms at the
time of bid submission may disqualify the bid submission.
2. INTERPRETATION OR ADDENDA
No oral interpretation will be made to any Bidder as to the meaning of the bid or any part thereof. Every
request for such an interpretation shall be made in writing to the City. Any inquiry received seven (7) or more
days prior to the date fixed for opening of bids shall be given consideration. Every interpretation made to a
Bidder shall be in the form of Addenda to the bid, and when issued, shall be on file in the City Clerk's Office at
least five (5) days before bids are opened. All Addenda shall be emailed to each person whose name and
address are on record with the City as having obtained a bid packet or has attended a pre-bid meeting. All such
Addenda shall become part of the bid and all Bidders shall be bound by such Addenda, whether or not received
by the Bidders.
3. BIDS
All bids shall be submitted on documents supplied by the City and shall be subject to all requirements of the
bid, including any plans, and these Instructions to Bidders. All bids shall be regular in every respect and no
interlineations, excisions or special conditions shall be made or included in the bid documents by the Bidder.
The City may consider as irregular any bid on which there is an alteration of or departure from the bid forms
hereto attached and at its' option may reject the same. Purchases by the City of Saratoga Springs are not
subject to any sales or federal excise taxes.
4. NON-COLLUSIVE BIDDING AND VENDOR CERTIFICATIONS:
Each Bidder submitting a bid to the City for the work contemplated by the documents on which bidding is based
shall execute and attach thereto, the Non-Collusion and Vendor Code of Conduct Affidavit on the form
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City of Saratoga Springs, NY RFP Opening: Tuesday April 28, 2026 2:00 p.m.
Tree Canopy Project: RFP #2026-06
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herein provided, to the effect that he/she has not colluded with any other person, firm or corporation in regard to
any bid submitted.
5. RISK AND SAFETY AGREEMENT AND CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE:
Bidder must execute the Risk and Safety Agreement and include the agreement with the bid response
submission. A Certificate of Insurance providing proof of the required insurance as outlined in the Risk and
Safety Agreement with the bid response submission
6. APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM:
The City of Saratoga Springs hereby requires any contractor on a project in excess of Two Hundred Thousand
Dollar ($200,000.00) aggregate, at the time of bid date, or submission of quote, and prior to entering into a
construction contract with the City of Saratoga Springs, or any sub-contractor on such a project with a sub-
contract in excess of Fifty Thousand Dollar ($50,000.00) aggregate, at the time of bid date, or submission of
quote, and prior to entering into a sub-contract with a contractor who has a construction contract with the city of
Saratoga Springs on a project in excess of Two Hundred Thousand Dollar ($200,000.00)aggregate, to have
apprenticeship agreements traditionally and historically appropriate for the type and scope of work to be
performed, which have been registered with, and approved by, the New York State Commissioner of Labor, and
which have a graduation rate of at least thirty percent (30%).
7. CORRECTIONS:
The Bidder must initial erasures or other changes in the bid.
8. RECEIVING BIDS:
Bids received prior to the advertised time of opening shall be securely kept, sealed. The City Clerk's office,
whose duty it is to open them shall decide when the specified time has arrived to open bids, and no bid
received thereafter will be considered. LATE BIDS shall be rejected. E-mail or faxed bid submissions are
not acceptable and shall not be considered.
9. OPENING OF BIDS:
At the time and place fixed for the opening of bids, the City shall cause to be opened and publicly read aloud
every bid that was received within the time set for receiving bids. Bidders and other persons properly
interested may be present, in person or by representative.
10. WITHDRAWAL OF BIDS:
Bids may be withdrawn on written request dispatched by the Bidder in time for delivery in the normal course of
business prior to the time fixed for opening; provided that written confirmation of withdrawal over the signature
of the Bidder is placed in the mail and postmarked prior to the time set for bid opening.
11. EVALUATION PROCESS:
After the bid opening, each Bidder's proposal will be screened for completeness and conformance with the
requirements for this bid submission as set forth under the Bidders Submittal Instructions. Written bid
amounts are the legally binding bid amount. Numeric bid amounts are viewed as a convenience. Proposals that
do not meet the City's requirements, as outlined in the RFP, may be deemed nonresponsive and given no
further consideration. Proposals meeting the City's requirements shall be evaluated first on technical
information (i.e. operational plan, company background, staffing and personnel biographies, relevant
experience, references) and then on the cost proposal.
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City of Saratoga Springs, NY RFP Opening: Tuesday April 28, 2026 2:00 p.m.
Tree Canopy Project: RFP #2026-06
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12. AWARD OF CONTRACT: REJECTION OF BIDS
If the contract is awarded, it shall be awarded to the responsive and responsible Bidder submitting the best
value bid complying with the conditions and qualifications of the Notice to Bidders and Instructions to Bidders.
The Bidder to whom the award is made will receive a "Notice of Award" at the earliest possible date.
The City, however, reserves the right to:
a. reject any and all bids and to waive any informality in bids received whenever bid packages are submitted
incomplete without the required attachments and/or such rejections or waivers are in the City's best
interest;
b. consider as not responsible any Bidder who does not habitually perform with their own forces at least fifty
percent (50%) of the dollar value of the work involved in the contract;
c. award the bid, in part, on the Bidder's ability to provide timely technical assistance, part(s) replacement and
service for repairs;
d. give preference to Minority Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) businesses; and/or
e. The term of the contract shall be three (3) years.
13. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY:
The City, state and federal government have stringent requirements for ensuring that all Bidders comply with
regulations requiring that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of
their race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Bidders will be required to abide by those requirements.
14. AMERICANS WITH DISBILITY ACT:
The Bidder agrees to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973 and not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or access to, or treatment of
employment in its services, programs, or activities. The Bidder agrees to hold harmless and indemnify the City
from costs, including but not limited to damages, attorney's fees and staff time, in any action or proceeding
brought alleging a violation of ADA and/or Section 504 caused by the Bidder. The Bidder agrees that
accommodations will be provided upon request to allow individuals with disabilities to participate in all services,
programs and activities provided by the Bidder.
15. CIVIL RIGHTS:
The City, in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 USC
2000d to 2000d-4) and its regulations, hereby notifies all Bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that any
contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement will provide the opportunity for disadvantaged business
enterprises to 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.
16. SEXUAL HARRASSMENT:
Every employer in the New York State is required to adopt a sexual harassment prevention policy giving all
employees a legal right to a workplace free from sexual harassment. The City is committed to maintaining a
workplace free from sexual harassment. Per New York State law, the City has a sexual harassment prevention
policy in place. This policy applies to all employees, paid or unpaid interns and non-employees in our
workplace, regardless of immigration status.
17. COMPLIANCE
Failure to comply with any of the above terms or any evidence of poor quality or service will be considered
cause of discontinuing business with the successful Bidder.
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City of Saratoga Springs, NY RFP Opening: Tuesday April 28, 2026 2:00 p.m.
Tree Canopy Project: RFP #2026-06
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BIDDING SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS
Failure to submit RFP documents as required may lead to an immediate disqualification.
In order to guard against premature opening of the bid documents, your bids must be
returned and enclosed in a sealed and clearly labeled envelope as follows:
Step One: You MUST execute and include the following documents, one original and one
copy of each, with your response:
* Your response to the RFP in question (one original and one thumb drive)
* Non-Collusive Bidding and Vendor Code of Conduct Certification
* Risk & Safety Agreement and Certificate of Insurance
Step Two: Enclose your bid in a sealed envelope marked:
RFP #: 2026-06 The City Canopy Project - Urban Forestry Tree Planting
Name of Bidder: ____________________________________
Bid Opening: Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.
Step Three: Please return your response to this RFP to the following address:
City of Saratoga Springs
Department of Accounts
474 Broadway Suite 14
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
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City of Saratoga Springs, NY RFP Opening: Tuesday April 28, 2026 2:00 p.m.
Tree Canopy Project: RFP #2026-06
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STATEMENT OF SPECIFICATIONS: Tree Canopy Project
a) Background
The City of Saratoga Springs recognizes the urban forest as an essential component to green infrastructure. The
City Tree Canopy Project will be implemented based on the goals to improve air and water quality, energy
efficiency, quality of life, increase carbon sequestration, social cohesion, economic impacts, enhance community
well-being, reduce heat island effects, mitigate stormwater management demands, and improve protection and
shelter from harsh weather. Saratoga's population has continued to steadily increase in recent years, making
urban forest health and canopy cover higher priorities due to the increase in common urban stressors and
exacerbated environmental pressures associated with larger human populations. Funding to implement a large
scale 3-year planting project, will leverage other public sector investments and revitalization efforts within the
City's urban forest and complement the City's growing focus on environmental sustainability and expansion of
green infrastructure.
The target planting areas will be in Environmental Justice Areas, the City's urban core and a special focus on
areas heavily populated with mature Ash trees that have been removed due to EAB infestations, avoiding
increases in canopy voids. Desired outcomes include planting City Street rights-of-way to capacity in
underserved communities to maximize tree benefits where local needs are highest and raising the standard of
living in those communities, as well as a city-wide increase in species diversity and a more balanced age
distribution in the urban forest. Lastly, in an effort to maintain public support for the UF Program, a special effort
will be made to plant in locations requested by residents through the DPWs Tree Planting Program.
The City of Saratoga Springs was awarded a reimbursement grant from NYSDEC for a $75,000 tree planting
project on Arbor Day 4/26/2024.
Stipulations and requirements within the grant contract between the City and DEC are as follows:
- 3-year project term
- 300 trees estimated to be provided and planted by local nursery/landscape contractor
- 2-2.5" caliper ball & burlapped trees
- Maps and address location lists to be provided awarded contractor by the City.
- Underground utility markouts (U-DIG-NY tickets) will be requested by the City Arborist prior to contractor
planting. If it is determined that locations are not viable for burlapped root ball planting, those locations will
be discarded.
- Plantings will occur in public rights-of-way & City owned trails.
- The City will partner with Sustainable Saratoga on this project to provide outreach and education efforts
throughout the planning and planting processes to help inform the community of the increase in social,
economic and environmental benefits the trees will provide.
- The project must sustain a 95% minimum survival rate.
- Must be quality tree stock (American Nursery Standards Z60.1), proper planting (BMP/ANSI A300 planting
standards) and watering.
- Survival is imperative to avoid the growing threat of a net loss in urban forest canopy.
- Planted trees will be inspected the day they are planted and data will be entered into the Street Tree
Inventory for tracking project production and for the ability to monitor the trees conditions through the
establishment period.
- There will be a one-year warranty provided by the contractor for all trees.
b) Work:
Under this Contract the Contractor shall do all work necessary to supply and plant balled and burlapped trees (2-
to-2.5-inch caliper), including planting, mulching, watering, and replacing trees within a one-year guarantee
period, in accordance with the plans and specifications.
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City of Saratoga Springs, NY RFP Opening: Tuesday April 28, 2026 2:00 p.m.
Tree Canopy Project: RFP #2026-06
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c) Plant Material:
Names: Plant names shall agree with the nomenclature of "Standardized Plant Names" as adopted by the
American Joint Committee on Horticultural Nomenclature. Size and grading standards shall conform to American
Standards for Nursery Stock (ANSI Z60.1), unless otherwise specified. No substitutions shall be permitted except
by permission of the City. All tree cultivars, patented or otherwise, must be certified by the supplying nursery. All
nurseries shall certify that plant material is free from injurious insect and plant diseases. Trees must be
deciduous, single stem/upright only (no shrub or multi stem varieties) and Varieties must be from a cold hardy
seed source and must be suited for hardiness zones 2b-5b.
d) Quality and Inspection:
All trees shall be typical of their species or variety. They shall have normal well-developed branches and a
vigorous fibrous root system. They shall be free of anatomical wounds, disease and insect damage, and other
physical defects, and shall meet or exceed American Association of Nurserymen standards. In general, trees
shall possess a single, straight trunk, without multiple leaders, V-crotches, included wood, or indications of
topping or heading back. All trees shall be nursery grown and shall have been growing under the same climatic
conditions as those occurring in Saratoga Springs for at least two (2) years prior to date of the contract. Unless
approved by the City, the nursery shall be no more than two hundred miles in distance from the City of Saratoga
Springs.
e) Preparation of Trees:
All trees under this item shall be balled and burlapped trees. All precautions customary in good trade practice
shall be taken in preparing trees for moving, and workmanship that fails to meet the highest standards will be
rejected. All trees shall be dug immediately before moving unless otherwise specified. All trees shall be dug to
retain as many fibrous roots as possible. Trees shall have a solid ball of earth of the minimum size specified by
the American Association of Nurserymen. Root balls shall be securely held in place by untreated burlap and stout
rope. Oversize or exceptionally heavy trees are acceptable if the size of the ball or spread of roots is
proportionally increased. Loose, broken, or manufactured balls will be rejected.
f) Delivery:
Trees shall be packed, transported and handled with the utmost care to insure adequate protection against injury.
When transported in closed vehicles, plants shall receive adequate ventilation to prevent sweating. When
transported in open vehicles, plants shall be protected by tarpaulins or other suitable cover material. Balled and
burlapped trees shall be set on the ground and balls covered with soil or mulch. Until planted, all materials shall
be properly maintained and kept adequately moist.
g) On-Site Inspection:
Plant material will be rejected if delivered in an unacceptable condition, or if damaged on site by rough handling.
All rejected material shall be marked by the City Arborist and must be removed from the site and replaced with
acceptable material at no additional cost. Final inspection shall be made upon completion of the contract.
h) Planting:
Planting under the contract shall begin as directed by the City Arborist in the spring planting season and in the fall
planting season.
The City Arborist is to be notified not less than two (2) working days in advance before tree planting. The
Contractor shall provide a routing sheet of the work to be performed on a daily basis.
In accordance with the DEC Urban Forest Grant Requirements, contractor must follow the DEC's Minimum
Standards for NYS DEC Tree Planting Projects and should also follow ANSI 300 (Part 6) standards for tree
planting.
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City of Saratoga Springs, NY RFP Opening: Tuesday April 28, 2026 2:00 p.m.
Tree Canopy Project: RFP #2026-06
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See Appendix A (Minimum Standards for NYS DEC Tree Planting Projects) for specifics.
i) Finishing Surface After Backfilling:
The Contractor shall cultivate and rake over finished planting areas and shall leave them in an orderly condition.
On level ground or slight slopes, a shallow basin slightly larger than the diameter of the tree ball shall be left
around each tree, as shown on the sketches, or as directed by the City Arborist. At no time should topsoil be
mounded to cover the trunk of the tree. Final soil level, except for the shallow basin, shall be flush with the
surrounding sidewalk grade to prevent potential tripping hazard. The surrounding sidewalk and street shall be
blown or broom swept of all soil and debris.
j) Mulching:
The Contractor shall furnish and place shredded bark mulch for each tree planted. All mulching shall be done
during planting operation. Shredded bark mulch shall be applied as a ground cover to the surface of all tree pits
after the expansion and backfilling is completed. Mulch shall be applied to a uniform depth of three inches (3")
over the entire tree bed area and shall be so distributed as to create a smooth, level cover over the exposed soil.
A gap of approximately 2" should be left between the mulch and the trunk of the tree to avoid mounding above
the trunk flare.
k) Watering:
At the time of planting, the soil around each tree shall be thoroughly saturated with at least twenty (20) gallons of
water.
l) Guarantee and Replacement:
The Contractor shall replace, in accordance with the contract plans and specifications, any planted tree that is
dead or, in the opinion of the City Arborist, is in an unhealthy or unsightly condition. There shall be a one (1) year
guarantee on trees commencing after the final acceptance and the completion of the contract work. When
instructed by the City Arborist, the Contractor shall replace trees that have died after final acceptance in the next
appropriate planting season even when the next planting season falls outside the one-year period. The cost of
replacement(s) shall be included in the unit price bid for the various furnished items of the contract.
m) Project Schedule:
The successful bidder shall agree to commence work within two weeks of notification of bid award. The successful
bidder will be given a notice to proceed on or about May 19, 2026.
The successful bidder shall agree to complete all assigned work by June 30, 2029.
TREE SPECIES BID SHEET
List the price of each balled and burlapped tree supplied, planted, and maintained in accordance with the
specifications. The price bid shall be a unit price for each tree planted, and shall include the cost of supplying,
planting, watering, mulching, and replacing all trees, and all other work incidental thereto, in accordance with the
specifications.
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City of Saratoga Springs, NY RFP Opening: Tuesday April 28, 2026 2:00 p.m.
Tree Canopy Project: RFP #2026-06
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PRICE PER TREE
COMMON SPECIES NAME SCIENTIFIC SPECIES NAME
2" caliper 2.5" caliper
American Basswood; Linden Tilia americana
American Beech Fagus grandifolia
American Elm (DED resistant) Ulmus americana
American Hophornbeam; Ironwood Ostrya virginiana
American Hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana
American Sycamore Platanus occidentalis
Amur Maackia Maackia amurensis
Black Birch Betula lenta
Black Tupelo Nyssa sylvatica
Bur Oak Quercus macrocarpa
Carolina Silverbell Halesia carolina
Common Hackberry Celtis occidentalis
Chestnut Oak Quercus montana
Chinkapin Oak Quercus muehlenbergii
Choke cherry 'Canada Red' Prunus virginiana
Crabapple Malus species
Cucumber Magnolia Magnolia Acuminata
Eastern Redbud Cercis canadensis
Flowering Dogwood Cornus florida
Ginkgo (male only) Ginkgo biloba
Katsura Tree Cercidiphyllum japonicum
Kentucky Coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus
London Planetree Platanus x acerifolia
Northern Catalpa Catalpa speciosa
Northern Red Oak Quercus rubra
Ohio Buckeye Aesculus glabra
Pagoda Dogwood Cornus alternifolia
Pin Oak Quercus palustris
River Birch Betula nigra
Serviceberry; Shadblow Amelanchier species
Scarlet Oak Quercus coccinea
Showy Mountain Ash Sorbus decora
Swamp White Oak Quercus bicolor
Sweetbay Magnolia Magnolia Virginiana
Sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua
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City of Saratoga Springs, NY RFP Opening: Tuesday April 28, 2026 2:00 p.m.
Tree Canopy Project: RFP #2026-06
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Thornless Cockspur Hawthorn Crataegus crus-galli v. inermis
Thornless Honeylocust Gleditsia tricanthos v. inermis
Tulip Poplar; Tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera
Turkish Filbert Corylus colurna
White Oak Quercus alba
Yellow Buckeye Aesculus flava
Yellowwood Cladrastis kentukea
Total: $ $
Lowest Price Scoring
Bidders' price evaluations shall be determined using the average unit price of all species for which pricing
is submitted. The average unit price shall be calculated by dividing the total of all species prices provided
by the bidder by the number of species priced.
The specification herein states the minimum requirements of the City. All bids must be regular in every respect.
Unauthorized conditions, limitations, or provisions shall be cause for rejection. The City may consider as "irregular"
or "non-responsive" any bid not prepared and submitted in accordance with the bid document and specification, or
any bid lacking sufficient technical literature to enable the City to make a reasonable determination of compliance to
the specification.
It shall be the Bidder's responsibility to carefully examine each item of the specification. Failure to offer a
completed bid or failure to respond to each section of the technical specification may cause the proposal to be
rejected without review as "non-responsive". All variances, exceptions and/or deviations shall be fully described in
the appropriate section.
TOTAL AVERAGE UNIT BID IN FIGURES - 2" IN CALIPER: $
TOTAL AVERAGE UNIT BID WRITTEN: _________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
TOTAL AVERAGE UNIT BID IN FIGURES - 2.5" IN CALIPER: $
TOTAL AVERAGE UNIT BID WRITTEN: _________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
COMPANY NAME:
ADDRESS:
Phone No. ( ) -
(City) (State) (Zip)
E-MAIL ADDRESS:
AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE:
PRINTED NAME:
TITLE: DATE:
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