*ON-CALL TREE REMOVAL - ORANGEBURG

The South Carolina Department of Transportation is soliciting on-call tree removal services within or near the right-of-way limits on SCDOT-maintained roads in Orangeburg County under solicitation number 5400029881, with responses due by July 9, 2026. The contract, classified under NAICS code 561730, is an Invitation for Bid aimed at securing a single contractor to provide cutting, removal, and stump grinding services for trees and stumps of various diameters over a five-year period, with estimated annual quantities specified for each service type. The work must be performed under the direction of the Resident Maintenance Engineer and includes full responsibility for all equipment, labor, transportation, fuel, work zone traffic control, and compliance with SCDOT Standard Specifications for Highway Construction, the MUTCD, OSHA regulations, and SAE Class I standards for warning lights. The contractor is required to contact Palmetto Utility Protection Services prior to any work and assume full liability for utility damage. All services must commence within fifteen days of purchase order issuance, and the contract has an initial one-year term, automatically renewing annually for up to four additional years unless the State provides thirty days' notice of non-renewal. The contractor must meet strict responsibility and responsiveness criteria, including certification of non-debarment, compliance with South Carolina’s Ethics Act, and full disclosure of any potential conflicts of interest. Financial and operational qualifications require submission of business history, current and prior two years' financial statements, and proof of insurance through ISO Form CG 00 01 12 07 with an A.M. Best rating of at least A: VII, with original certificates submitted for approval before work begins. The contract mandates adherence to South Carolina law, with all disputes governed by the state’s legal framework. Payment will be made by electronic funds transfer upon acceptance of completed services, with no payment for partial deliveries unless specified. Pricing is based on unit rates with extended prices used for evaluation, and awards will go to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder after analysis of unbalanced pricing and reasonableness. Offerors must submit one electronic response via SCEIS or a sealed hard copy, including signed cover pages, and are prohibited from adding terms or conditions or submitting descriptive materials. All contract-related records must be retained for three years, subject to audit by the State at reasonable times, and the contractor is fully liable for any damage to SCDOT property or third parties, with claims filed through