Tree Planting IFB - 26DPW248C

Town of Needham
Department of Public Works
Public Services Administration Building, 500 Dedham Avenue
Needham, Massachusetts 02492
Telephone (781) 455-7550
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT
Release Date March 19, 2026
Bid Title Tree Planting
Bid Number 26DPW248C
Number of The Bid Package consists of 2 PDF documents. Returning this form
Documents confirms receipt of all the documents.
March 26, 2026, at 1:00pm at Public Service Administration
Pre-Bid Meeting
Building 500 Dedham Ave, Needham MA, 02492
Questions Due April 2, 2026, at 5:00pm
April 9, 2026, at 1:30pm, Administration Office of the
Bids are Due Department of Public Works located at the Public Services
Administration Building, 500 Dedham Ave., Needham, MA, 02492
Please provide the requested information below as acknowledgment that you have received
our bid package noted above. It is recommended that interested bidders complete this
acknowledgment and return via email to dpwbids@needhamma.gov. Only by doing
this, will the Town be able to provide notification of any addenda or answered questions
relating to this bid. Only those companies or individuals shown on the Distribution
Register will receive addenda to this bid. By completing and returning this
acknowledgement will ensure you are recorded on the Distribution Register.
Proposals from companies or individuals not acknowledging the addenda may be rejected
as not responsive.
Number of Company
or Individual
Name / Title of
Contact
Address
City/Town, State, Zip
Code
Telephone Number
Fax Number
Email Address
Signature
Date
Addenda will be posted to the Town's website. Please check the website for addenda before
submitting your bid to the Town. Bidders who access the bid package from the Town's
website are responsible for checking the website periodically for any addenda that may be
issued by the Town.
IFB 26DPW248C 1

Tree Planting
26DPW248C
Release Date March 19, 2026
March 26, 2026, at 1:00pm at Public Service
Pre-Bid
Administration Building 500 Dedham Ave, Needham
Conference
MA, 02492
Deadline for
April 2, 2026, at 5:00pm
Questions
April 9, 2026, at 1:30pm
Director of Administration
Bids Due
Public Service Administration Building
500 Dedham Ave. Needham, MA 02492
IFB 26DPW248C 2

(Advertised in the Hometown Weekly issue of Thursday, March 19, 2026)
(Advertised on the MNPA's website, Thursday, March 19, 2026)
(Published in Central Register issue of Wednesday, March 18, 2026)
(Advertised in CommBuys on Thursday, March 19, 2026)
LEGAL NOTICE
Town of Needham
Invitation for Bid (IFB)
26DPW248C
Tree Planting
The Town of Needham is accepting sealed bids for Tree Planting. Copies of the Invitation for Bid (IFB)
package will be available beginning March 19, 2026, at the Administration Office of the Department of
Public Works at 500 Dedham Ave., Needham, MA 02492 during normal business hours or from the Town's
web site www.needhamma.gov/bids.aspx and will be available until submission deadline.
A pre-bid conference will be held on Thursday March 26, 2026, at 1:00pm, at the Public Service
Administration Building 500 Dedham Ave, Needham MA, 02492. Attendance is strongly encouraged but
not required.
Sealed bids must be submitted no later than 1:30PM, April 9, 2026, to the Administration Office of the
Public Works Department, Town of Needham, 500 Dedham Ave., Needham, MA 02492. All bids must be
accompanied by a bid deposit in an amount that is not less than five percent (5%) of the value of the bid.
LATE BIDS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. Bids will be publicly opened after submission deadline on April 9,
2026, at 1:30pm. The Town reserves the right to reject any and all bids as determined to be in the best
interests of the Town and to waive minor informalities. This legal notice is also posted on the
Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association's (MNPA) website at http://masspublicnotices.org/.
Kathleen King
Town Manager
March 19, 2026
IFB 26DPW248C 3

26DPW248C
Tree Planting
Procurement in Brief
Katie Bamber, Administrative Analyst
Primary Procurement Contact
781-455-7550 x72229
Contract Manager Ed Olsen, Parks and Forestry Superintendent
March 19, 2026 - Information and details of bidding
requirements may be obtained at the Administration
Bid Package Available Office DPW, PSAB, 500 Dedham Ave., Needham, MA
02492, or online at the Town's web site
https://www.needhamma.gov/bids.aspx
March 26, 2026, at 1:00pm - Charles River Room,
Pre-Bid Meeting
PSAB, 500 Dedham Ave., Needham, MA 02492
Bid Deposit 5% bid deposit is required as part of bid
April 2, 2026, at 5:00pm
By Mail: DPW - 500 Dedham Avenue Needham,
MA 02492
Deadline for Written Questions
By Email: dpwbids@needhamma.gov
Questions are to be clearly labeled as:
QUESTIONS - Tree Planting, 26DPW248C
If any changes are made to this bid, an addendum
will be issued. Addenda will be posted on the Town's
Addenda
webpage and emailed to all bidders on record as
having received the bid package.
April 9, 2026, at 1:30pm, Administration Office
DPW, PSAB, 500 Dedham Ave., Needham, MA
When and where bids are due 02492.
LATE BIDS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED
Charles River Room, PSAB, 500 Dedham Ave.,
Where bids will be opened
Needham, MA, 02492, after submission deadline
Number of Required Paper Copies 1 copy
Anticipated April 2026
Contract Award Approval of Town Manager and Town Counsel is
REQUIRED
This Agreement shall be for a term commencing
Contract Length
upon execution and ending June 30, 2027.
IFB 26DPW248C 4

Upon Award of Contract
Payment Bond 50% payment bond
Performance Bond Will NOT be Required
Insurance Refer to Contract Terms
* Submissions for written inquiries must be sent prior to the above date and time deadlines.
Any delivery received after the due date and time will not be addressed. The time/date
stamp located in the receiving office will govern for the date and time requirements
mentioned in the table above and throughout this document. Please allow enough time for
delivery.
** The time for award may be extended by the Town. The Town reserves the right to
change, delay, cancel, or expedite the contract award date. The Bidder agrees that the
offer is effective for (a) at least ninety (90) calendar days from the opening date of the bids
(b) a contract is executed, or (c) this bid is cancelled, whichever of (a), (b) or (C) occurs
first. The Town reserves the right to reject any and all bids as determined to be in the best
interests of the Town and to waive minor informalities.
IFB 26DPW248C 5

PART 1 - GENERAL CONDITIONS AND SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
1.01 Intent
The Town of Needham (hereinafter referred to as the "Town"), acting through its Town Manager, invites
highly qualified bidders to submit sealed bids to perform all labor necessary for Tree Planting.
All bids are subject to the provisions of M.G.L. Chapter 30, 39M. The Town will award the contract to the
lowest responsible and eligible bidder as set forth in section 1.15. The Town of Needham reserves to itself
the right to accept or reject any and all bids, or to allow or deny variations from these specifications.
Such actions will be deemed to be in the best interest of the Town. Unless sooner rejected or accepted,
all bid proposals must be firm and continue in effect for a minimum of ninety (90) calendar days from the
date of bid opening.
The intention of this IFB is for an on-call contract only. Any quantities indicated on the Bid Form or
elsewhere in the documents or drawings are estimates only and are given solely as a basis for the
comparison of bids. The Town does not, by implication or otherwise, guarantee them to be even
approximately correct.
1.02 Proposed Contract Term
The initial term of this agreement shall commence upon execution of the contract and end June 30,
2027. The successful Bidder must enter into the Form Agreement prepared by Town Counsel (Sample
Available Online).
The Town may terminate the Contract at any time upon written notice for any reason including its own
convenience or for cause, including but not limited to, failure to perform the work required under the
contact, failure to document satisfactorily to the Town amounts being charged, failure to have any
necessary local, State or Federal licenses and/or permits, failure to pay any and all required taxes, failure
to comply with any local, State or Federal regulations pertaining to services to be provided, failure to
promptly correct any performance or lack of performance which conflicts with the Town's use, and failure
for satisfactory behavior of all staff and management. In the case of a termination for cause, the Town
shall give the Contractor a written notice as provided in the Agreement.
1.03 Pre-Bid Conference and Requests for Interpretation
Refer to Procurement in Brief for details.
Bidders shall promptly raise the issue of any ambiguity, inconsistency or error, which they may discover
upon examination of the bid documents, the work site or any other conditions which apply to the work.
Inquiries concerning any part of this Bid shall be directed to the individual(s) listed under the
Procurement in Brief. Bidders should note that oral communications are not binding on the Town
and only written responses by the Town will be considered. All requests/questions must be
submitted in writing. Questions may be delivered by hand, or email as referenced under the
Procurement in Brief by the deadline. Questions that may be asked during any pre-bid conference
should also be sent in writing in order to receive an official response. Requests properly presented that in
the opinion of the Town require interpretation, correction, or change in the Bid Documents will result in an
issuance of an Addendum to the Bid Documents. Such Addendum shall subsequently become part of the
contract. The Town will forward responses to all persons who are on record as receiving the bid package.
Questions received after the due date will not be responded to unless the Town determines it is necessary.
Bidders, please allow enough time for delivery.
1.04 Information About Changes to the Bid (Addenda)
In the event that changes/additions are made to this bid, an addendum will be issued to every person
(entity) on record as receiving the bid package. Addenda will be emailed. Addenda will also be posted to
the website. Please check back on the website for addendums before submitting your bid to the Town.
IFB 26DPW248C 6

Bidders may not be notified individually of Addendums.
1.05 Bid Submission
The bidder shall submit their proposal upon the bid forms supplied within these specifications. The bidder
shall specify the unit prices as requested for each bid item. All bids shall be signed correctly with ink; in
order to qualify, the bidder must provide bids for each required item within a section. All bids shall be
submitted to the Director of Administration, Town of Needham, Administration Office, 500 Dedham
Avenue, Needham, MA 02492. Each bid shall be sealed in an envelope on which is clearly indicated:
Name & Address of Bidder, IFB 26DPW248C, Tree Planting, due 1:30PM, April 9, 2026. All
submitted bids shall include Invitation for Bids, Bid Information, Bid Scope of Work, and all Addenda
issued, and all portions of the BID FORMS must be completed and submitted in order for a submission to
be deemed acceptable. Bidders will submit insurance certificates validating current coverage at the time
of bid submission. Bids received at the Administration Office after the time of opening of bids designated
in the IFB will be returned to the bidder unopened. Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud after the
bid due date in the Charles River Room at the Public Services Administration Building, 500 Dedham
Avenue, Needham, MA 02492.
1.06 Bid Deposit
All bids must be accompanied by a bid deposit in an amount that is not less than five percent (5%) of the
value of the bid. They shall be made payable to the Town of Needham and shall be in the form of certified
check, treasurer's or cashier's check issued by a responsible bank or trust company, or a bid bond issued
by a surety licensed to do business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and shall be conditioned upon
the faithful performance by the principal of the agreements contained in the bid.
1.07 Bid Form
All bids must be made on the attached bid forms.
Bids shall be firm for the duration of the contract. No price adjustments will be allowed. Fuel surcharges or
vehicle charges or adjustments will not be allowed. Payment for materials and/or service will be made
only after satisfactory performance or all requirements of the specification and upon approval by the
Director of Public Works or his designate. The Town reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids,
wholly or in part, and to make the award in the best interest of the Town.
1.08 Bond Requirements
If the value of the contract is over $25,000 or more, the following shall apply:
LABOR & MATERIALS BOND (PAYMENT BOND)
Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 149, 29, the Contractor shall furnish a payment bond from a surety company
qualified to do business under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and satisfactory to the
Town, in an amount of one half of the total Contract price for payment for labor performed or furnished
and materials used or employed therein, when the Contract is executed. The payment bond shall be on
the form provided by the Town.
It is distinctly agreed and understood that any changes made in the drawings and specifications for this
work, whether such changes increase or decrease the amount of work required, or any change in the
manner or time of payments made by the OWNER to the CONTRACTOR, shall in no way void, release or
affect the liability and surety on the bond given by the CONTRACTOR.
1.09 Insurance Requirement
Insurance Certificates indicating coverage for general liability, property damage, and workers'
compensation as outlined in Sample Agreement available online, and must include the Town of Needham
as additionally insured (at time of award). The selected bidder shall take out and maintain during the life
IFB 26DPW248C 7

of this contract Workers' Compensation Insurance for all employees employed on the site of this project,
in a manner and to the extent provided by Chapter 152 of the General Laws, and shall provide the Town
with written evidence showing compliance with this statute at the time of award.
The selected Bidder shall indemnify and save the Town harmless from and against all claims, suits,
damages and outlays resulting from or by reason of loss, damage or injury of or to any person or
property, wherever located which shall be caused by any action or operation under this agreement.
1.10 OSHA Training
The bidder certifies that all employees to be employed at the worksite shall have successfully completed a
course in construction safety and health approved by the United States Occupational Safety and Health
Administration that is at least ten (10) hours in duration at the time the employee begins work and shall
furnish documentation of successful completion of said course with the first certified payroll report for
each employee (Chapter 306 of the Acts of 2004).
1.11 DCAMM Certification
DCAMM Certification as a General Contractor for this project is not required.
1.12 Statement of Compliance
The CONTRACTOR shall submit a Statement of Compliance stating that persons employed by the award
recipient are paid in accordance with the provisions of Sections 26 to 27H of Chapter 149 of the General
Laws (i.e. "The Prevailing Wage Law").The selected Bidder will not be permitted to either assign or
underlet the contract, nor assign either legally or equitably any monies there under, or its claim thereto
without the previous written consent of the Town.
1.13 Prevailing Wage Rates
The state prevailing wage law, MGL Chapter 149, Section 27B requires contractors and subcontractors to
submit certified payroll records to the Town. Contractors and subcontractors must submit weekly payroll
records either by (1) first class mail, or (2) electronic mail. Furthermore, every weekly submittal of
payroll records must contain a signed statement by the employer that indicates (1) that the records are
correct, and (2) the rate of wages that each worker receives. Please feel free to contact the Department
of Labor Standards at (617) 626-6953 if you have any questions. Questions about enforcement of the
prevailing wage law may be directed to the Attorney General's Fair Labor and Business Practices Division
at (617) 727-3465.
1.14 Duration of Bid Prices
All bids are to remain valid for 90 days after the opening of the bids.
1.15 Contractor Selection
The Town will review all bids and will award the contract to the lowest responsible and eligible bidder.
The Town reserves to itself the right to accept or reject any and all bids, or to allow or deny variations
from these specifications.
In the event that there is a tie bid between two (2) responsible and eligible bidders, the award of the
contract will be determined by a coin toss. The bidder's whose submission was received earliest shall be
assigned "Heads" in the coin toss. In the event that there is a tie bid with three (3) or more responsible
and eligible bidders, the award shall be made by a draw by lot limited to those bidders. The coin
toss/draw by lot shall be scheduled within two (2) business days from when it was determined by the
Town to be a tie bid. The bidders involved shall be given an opportunity to attend. The coin
toss/drawing shall be witnessed by at least three (3) Town officials. The tie breaker event shall be held at
IFB 26DPW248C 8

the location of bid submission during regular business hours.
Upon Vendor selection, the Town of Needham will mail to the selected Vendor(s), three (3) contracts to be
executed by the Vendor(s) and returned to the Town of Needham with the appropriate insurance
certificates. The Town of Needham will then counter execute the three (3) contracts and return one
complete contract to the Vendor(s). The Town's Standard Contract is available online. Bidders are
expected to review the sample contract "Short Form Agreement". Unless otherwise noted by the Town,
the terms and conditions contained therein are NOT negotiable.
It is the intention of the Town of Needham not to award a contract under this or any other proposal if
the Contractor cannot furnish satisfactory evidence that he/she has the ability and experience to
perform this class of work and that he/she has sufficient capital and equipment to enable them to
prosecute the work successfully and to complete it within the time named in the contract. The Town
of Needham reserves the right to reject this or any other proposal or to award the contract as is
deemed to be to the best interest of said Town.
1.16 General Safety, Licenses, & Performance
The contractor's personnel working on this project must hold all necessary licenses and permits to
perform the work required under this contract as required by the Town of Needham under the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts regulations. The contractor must submit the names and all
qualifying materials of the site supervisor that will be assigned to this project. All work will be done in
accordance with applicable industry standards, codes and regulations, and/or manufacturer's
specifications. Contractor is responsible for providing adequate safety measures during work to
ensure protection of life and property. Any Town buildings, grounds and surrounding property
damaged by the selected contractor will be restored to its original state, at the cost of the selected
contractor.
The contractor shall be informed that there is a thirty (30) day cancellation clause in this contract for
improper service. Complaints not rectified within a reasonable length of time from day of notice as
determined by the Town may cause the Town to notify the contractor by registered or certified mail
that the contract will be cancelled thirty days from the date of the letter. Any defective workmanship
shown to be caused by improper or faulty installation shall cause the Contractor to correct, repair and/or
replace all material and labor at no cost to the Town. The Contractor will warrant that all workmanship
shall be first class and shall be performed by persons qualified and licensed in their respective trades.
Any additional work that is performed beyond this agreement must be approved by the appropriate
Town authority. The absence of approval from the appropriate Town authority will be considered a
violation of the contract.
1.17 Site Maintenance and Inspection
The selected contractor will be responsible for maintaining the work site in a safe and orderly fashion on a
daily basis. The contractor is responsible for the proper securing of all items associated with the project,
including but not limited to: debris, tools, material, scaffolding, ladders, etc. The contractor is
responsible for the repair or replacement of any item, equipment, space or area which may be damaged
by the contractor during the execution of this project. The contractor is responsible for the removal and
disposal of all debris and materials generated from this project.
1.18 Private Property
Before any work is performed on private property, the Contractor must have in their possession a RIGHT
OF ENTRY form signed by the property owner. The Town may assist the Contractor in obtaining
permission.
1.19 Dig Safe Law
IFB 26DPW248C 9

Before proceeding with excavation operations, the Contractor shall notify the State of Massachusetts
Underground Plant Damage Prevention System (Dig Safe) at 1-888-344-7233, and shall make such
supplemental investigations.
1.20 Private Utilities Coordination
Coordination with private utilities is the sole responsibility of the contractor (including natural gas,
electricity, telephone, cable, etc.). The contractor shall be responsible for notifying Dig Safe prior to any
start of work. Any assistance the Town may offer in coordinating with private utilities shall not absolve the
contractor's responsibility to coordinate with private utilities as necessary to accomplish the contract work.
The contractor shall be responsible and liable for all damages to the existing utilities and structures.
1.21 Public Utilities Coordination
Coordination with public utilities is the sole responsibility of the contractor (including water, sewer, and
drain). The contractor shall be responsible to call the Water, Sewer & Drain Inspectors at least 48 hours
prior to the start of work to schedule said inspections at 781-455-7550, Mon.-Fri. during regular business
hours. The Water Sewer, & Drains Inspectors must inspect the work. Any assistance the Town may offer
in coordinating the public utilities shall not absolve the contractor's responsibility to coordinate with public
utilities as necessary to accomplish the contract work. The contractor shall be responsible and liable for all
damages to the existing utilities and structures. At the contractors request the Town will supply water
from hydrants for work. The use and operation of Town of Needham fire hydrants is restricted to Town
employees only. The Town will set up a fire hydrant connection assembly each day to supply water as
needed. The contractor is responsible for proper connection to the hydrant assembly and may operate the
click valve only.
1.22 Traffic Controls
The Contractor shall furnish all local Police Officers to direct traffic and to keep the traffic off any part of
the roadway in which construction is being carried out on, as, in the opinion of the Engineer are necessary
for such purpose. Arrangements for officers shall be made well in advance of the work schedule for each
day. If for any reason the Contractor cancels work for that day, and the Needham Police Department is
not given advance notice, the Contractor will be responsible for that officer's wages. If the contractor has
performed work that has not been accepted by the town and has to be redone to meet the specification,
then the contractor is responsible for the expense of the police details due to poor workmanship or
warrantee issues. Except in the instance above, the Owner will reimburse the Contractor for all other
police details. The contractor must submit payments directly to the Needham Police Department or other
police department's that have supplied officers to the job site and supply copies of invoices showing
invoice has been paid to the Department of Public Works as proof of payment.
1.23 Material Disposal
The Contractor, at no additional cost to the Town, shall dispose of all material that has been removed from
each location.
1.24 Quantities
Unless otherwise stated, the quantities set forth herein are ESTIMATES ONLY. Any quantities indicated on
the Bid Price Form or elsewhere in the bid package are estimates only and are given solely as a basis for
the comparison of bids. The Vendor shall have no claim for additional compensation, or refuse to do the
work called for, or provide the requested items, by reason of the actual quantities involved being greater
or lesser by any amount than those called for in the bid.
1.25 Subcontracting
The Contractor shall keep the work under his personal control and shall not assign by power of attorney or
otherwise, or sublet the work or any part thereof, without the previous written consent of the Owner.
IFB 26DPW248C 10