NOTICE INVITING BIDS FOR:

FIRESMART PUBLIC DEMONSTRATION GARDEN PROJECT

BIDS DUE BY: 3:00 p.m. November 22, 2023

TIME AND DATE OF OPENING BIDS: 3:00 p.m. November 30, 2023 at 1317 Butterfield Rd., San Anselmo, CA 94960

Notice is hereby given that the Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District (the “District”) is accepting bids for:

The furnishing of all labor, materials, and equipment, and performing all work necessary and incidental for the installation and construction of a FireSmart Public Demonstration Garden and three months’ maintenance.

Bids may be submitted by personal delivery during regular business hours or mail sent to: Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District, 1317 Butterfield Rd., San Anselmo, CA 94960. All bid proposals must be received no later than 3:00 p.m. on November 22, 2023. Postmarks will not be accepted. Mailed bid proposals must be submitted in a sealed envelope and clearly marked “Bid for FireSmart Public Demonstration Garden Project”. Bids will be opened at the date and time above at: 1317 Butterfield Rd., San Anselmo, CA 94960.

The District’s primary contact for this Project is Thomas J. Finn, District Director/Secretary, at (415) 256-8300 or via e-mail at tfinn@well.com. All questions regarding plans, specifications, or related issues must be received no later than 5 calendar days prior to the date bids are due.

No pre-bid meeting is scheduled for the Project.

The estimate for this project is: $68,680.00.

The District reserves the right to reject any and or all bids or waive any informality or irregularity in a bid.

Plans and related documents are available free of charge at: shfpd.org/public-demonstration-garden. Plans and specifications may be viewed at the Sleepy Hollow Community Center, 1317 Butterfield Rd., San Anselmo, CA 94960 during regular business hours. Plans may be purchased for a nonrefundable $50 fee. If mailed by standard USPS, an additional nonrefundable fee of $25 is required, check payable to the Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District. The District does not guarantee the arrival of plans via USPS.

INFORMATION AND REQUIRED CONDITIONS

1. General Scope of Work. The general scope of work includes all work required and related to the installation of the interpretive garden for a FireSmart Public Demonstration Garden to be located on the grounds of the Sleepy Hollow Community Center, 1317 Butterfield Road, San Anselmo, California (the “Community Center”) located in discrete planting areas on the grounds of the Community Center property, including areas that abut the Community Center building and non-contiguous areas adjacent to the property’s boundaries and egress and
parking areas (the “Project”), however not including planting areas around the existing pool on the back portion of the property. The Project includes soil preparation and installation of ornamental plants associated with “firescaping” (a design technique that reduces house and property vulnerability to wildfire), mulching, and development of the drip irrigation system from existing irrigation components, together with interpretive signage. Additionally, the Project includes three months maintenance of the plantings and irrigation system and the warranties included in the specifications for these elements. The Project includes furnishing all supervision, materials, labor, tools, and incidentals as specified in the plan documents. The completion date for the Project is February 23, 2024. Additionally, the following is required:
a. Materials shall be of commercial grade intended to be permanent and durable.
b. Materials and workmanship must include a 1-year warranty.
d. Compliance with all required building and fire code regulations including, but not limited to, from the Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District and County of Marin Codes.
e. Verify electrical and water service on the property meets Project needs, and certify adequacy of said services or document any needed improvements prior to beginning the Work.
f. Provide all labor and materials for the installation of the Project and any necessary connections, fittings or equipment to operate the irrigation system as intended.
g. Repair or replace any and all damage to adjacent areas of the property caused
by the Project including, but not limited to, damage to adjacent landscaping, landscaping
improvements, building or structure improvements, lighting, and/or irrigation systems.

2. Addenda. Any addenda will be issued no later than 3 days prior to bid opening. If the District issues a bid addendum that results in a material change to the bid invitation, the date and time for submitting bids shall be extended by 72 hours. It is the contractor’s responsibility to ensure that the current version of the bid document has been obtained.

3. Minimum Qualifications. Contractor must be a responsible firm that has been in continuous existence and provided continuous services for the requirements contained herein for at least 3 years including holding the required licensing for that period. Less than the minimum required experience may eliminate contractor from consideration.

4. Bid Proposals and Submission Requirements. All proposals must be in writing and signed by a legally authorized representative of the bidder. For the bid proposal to be considered responsive, it must contain all information requested in this Notice Inviting Bids.

Proposals must include the following:
a. Bidder’s address, phone number, and email address of contact.
b. Total cost proposal. Cost must include materials costs, labor costs, and all fixed and soft costs for the entire work describe herein.
c. Schedule and estimated time to complete Project.
d. A brief description of the proposed approach to completing the scope of work.
e. A Letter of Qualification. The Letter shall include general information about the firm, the names, experience, and proposed duties of those to be assigned to the Project, a description of recent similar projects completed, and client references (governmental agencies preferred), including the names, titles, addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses regarding similar work experience. A minimum of 3 references for project similar in scope or larger should be provided.
f. Subcontractor designation list per this Notice Inviting Bids.
g. Evidence of current Department of Industrial Relations number for contractor and any subcontractors, per this Notice Inviting Bids.
h. Bid security, per this Notice Inviting Bids.

5. Bid Receipt and Opening. Bids must be received by the date and time shown above. Bids will be opened and reviewed publicly on said date and time shown above. Bids may be withdrawn up until the due date and time. By submitting an electronic bid, the bidder acknowledges that it carries the same legal force and effect as a signed paper submission. All bids will remain valid for 90 days after the bid opening. The District reserves the right to reject any or all bids, and waive any informality or irregularity in a bid. All bid protests must be in writing and delivered by email to Thomas J. Finn, District Director/Secretary at: tfinn@well.com within 5 working days following the determination of the lowest responsible and responsive bidder.

6. Contract Award. A contract for the Project, if awarded, will be to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder based on the total base bid amount alone whose proposal complies with prescribed requirements, at a duly noticed meeting. If two or more bids are the same and the lowest, the District may select one in its discretion. In case of discrepancy between bid prices and totals, the unit prices shall prevail. If the bidder to whom the contract is awarded fails to execute a contract consistent with the requirements herein within 30 calendar days of its approval by the District, the District may award the contract to the next lowest bidder, and the previous award shall be annulled. In addition to cost, criteria to be evaluated includes:
a. Experience, references, and past work similar to the Project.
b. Contractor references related to the Project.

7. Execution of Contract. The contract shall be signed by the successful bidder within 10 business days after the District has approved execution of the contract. No bid proposal shall be binding upon the District until the execution of the contract.

8. Bid Security. The bid must be accompanied by a bid security in the amount of 10% of
the total bid amount. The bid security shall be in the form of a cashier’s or certified check to the
District.

9. Performance Bond. The bidder shall furnish a faithful performance bond of the total amount of the proposal and a labor and materials bond in the amount 100% of the total amount of this proposal to the District and at no expense to the District, in the event that its proposal is accepted by the District.

10. Non-Collusion/Conflict of Interest. By submitting a proposal, the bidder represents and warrants that the proposal is not collusive, a sham, or made in the interest of or on behalf of anyone not named in said proposal, and that the bidder has not directly or indirectly induced or solicited any other person to submit a sham proposal or refrain from submitting a proposal, and that the bidder has not sought collusion to secure improper advantage. The bidder also represents and warrants that no official, volunteer, or employee from the District has been retained or solicited to aid in the procuring any bid or awarded contract.

11. License. Bidders must possess a valid and current California C-27 license at the time the contract is awarded, but the District reserves the right to accept another class in its sole discretion.

12. Registration with Department of Industrial Relations. In compliance with Labor Code section 1725.5, the contractor and all subcontractors must be currently registered with the California Department of Industrial Relations (“DIR”) and provide proof of registration with the bid. Failure to provide evidence of DIR registration shall render the bid non-responsive and bar award of a contract.

13. Prevailing Wages. The Project is subject to the prevailing wage and associated requirements set forth in California Labor Code section 1770, et seq. The contractor shall pay not less than the prevailing rate of per diem wages as determined by the Director of the Department of Industrial Relations. These wage rates are available from the California Department of Industrial Relations’ website at: http://www.dir.ca.gov/DLSR/PWD.

14. Subcontractors. For any subcontractor who shall perform work amounting to 0.5% of the total bid, the bidder shall provide each subcontractor’s name, license, location/address of business and proportion of work to be done. Subcontractors are also subject to the prevailing wage requirements.

15. Insurance Requirements. The following insurance coverages and amounts are required prior to the commencement of work and are to remain in effect during the life of the contract. Contractor shall provide proof of insurance coverage below to the District.
a. Commercial General Liability Insurance. Contractor must maintain commercial general liability insurance in the amount of $1,000,000 per occurrence, covering all operations by or on contractor’s behalf for bodily injury/death liability and property damage liability. The District, its officers, officials, employees, and volunteers are to be covered as additional insureds with respect to liability arising out of work related to the Project.
b. Automobile Liability Insurance in the amount of at least $1,000,000 per accident for bodily injury and property damage.
c. Workers’ Compensation Insurance. Contractor must maintain Workers’ Compensation Insurance in compliance with State and comply with Labor Code section 3700 requiring every employer to be insurance against liability for Worker’s Compensation or self- insure in compliance with law, prior to commencing work. As applicable, contractor shall require subcontractors to maintain adequate Workers’ Compensation Insurance.