Grounds Maintenance, Tree Removal, Turf Restoration, & Debris Services

The City of Columbia is seeking qualified contractors to provide comprehensive grounds‑maintenance, tree‑removal, turf‑restoration, and debris‑removal services for municipal properties. The solicitation is issued as a Request for Qualifications (RFQu) and will be used to pre‑qualify firms that can later be awarded individual work orders under five defined categories. The contract term is an initial three‑year period with two optional one‑year extensions. Respondents must be registered with the South Carolina Secretary of State, hold a valid City of Columbia business license, and possess the appropriate South Carolina General Contractor’s license and, where applicable, pesticide applicator or certified arborist credentials. A non‑mandatory pre‑submittal Zoom meeting is scheduled for October 15, 2026; questions must be submitted by October 16, 2026. The final qualification submission is due November 6, 2026. • Five service categories: (1) Small‑area grounds maintenance (≤75 acres), (2) Large‑area grounds maintenance (≥75 acres), (3) Tree removal, (4) Turf restoration, (5) Debris removal. • Contractors may qualify for any combination of categories; they are not required to bid on all five. • Required licenses/certifications: SC General Contractor’s License (category‑specific), SC Department of Pesticide Regulations commercial applicator license for pesticide work, and Certified Arborist for tree removal. • Bonds: 5 % bid bond required at award; performance and payment bonds (100 % of contract price) required for awardees. • Minimum staffing: Category 2 (large‑area) requires at least 25 full‑time employees. • Federal funding may apply (FEMA, CDBG, etc.); small‑business, minority‑, women‑, veteran‑, and disadvantaged‑business participation goals are included. • Submissions are to be made electronically via the City’s IONwave e‑procurement portal.