This is a service / maintenance or supply contract in Albany, New York. Contact the soliciting agency for additional information.

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets ("the Department" or "AGM") is inviting bids for the removal and disposal of trees, shrubs, and stumps infested or exposed to infestation by the Asian Longhorned Beetle. Bids will be accepted for one region, consisting of Suffolk and Nassau counties. The objective of this contract is to remove trees infested or exposed to infestation by the Asian Longhorned Beetle as they are discovered. The Department may direct the contractor to remove trees on residential or other private properties and, in some locations, trees situated on streets or municipal properties. This contract provides for furnishing all labor, materials, supplies, and equipment, together with all work incidental thereto necessary or required, on an as needed basis, for the removal and disposal of trees and their stumps infested by the Asian Longhorned Beetle, as directed by Department. Payment will be made at an hourly unit price based on type of labor provided. The work to be performed extends to the counties of Nassau and Suffolk. Suffolk and Nassau Counties will be bid together (Long Island). Refer to the attached bid sheets in the Submission documents for details of work to be performed. The Department is responsible through its cooperative agreement with USDA-APHIS for identification of trees infested with the Asian Longhorned Beetle. The Department will secure approval from the property owner to access the site and remove the tree(s) and/or shrubbery. The Department will notify the successful bidder subsequent to property owner approval. Under the contract, the successful bidder will have a total of ten (10) business days from the point of Department notification to arrange access with the property owner/resident(s) and to cut, remove and dispose of the identified tree(s). The description of the work is for general information only. It is not to be construed as an exclusive definition of the quantity or type of work that will be required. Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Set Aside: No Minority Owned Sub-Contracting Goal: 0% Women Owned Sub-Contracting Goal: 0% Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Contracting Goal: 0% Disadvantaged Owned Sub-Contracting Goal: 0% Deadline for Submission of Written Questions: November 15, 2023 by 3:00 PM (local time). Any questions concerning this IFB must be received. Questions must be submitted in writing via email to Viktoriia Borsuk at procurement.info@agriculture.ny.gov Last Update of answers or issuance of IFB Addendum no later than: November 22, 2023 Contract term: five years Business entities awarded an identical or substantially similar procurement contract within the past five years: None The five-year contract resulting from this IFB is expected to begin in January 2024. Pre-Bid: Please indicate whether you will attend in person or virtually. Bids will only be accepted from firms that attend this conference. Questions and answers from this conference will be posted electronically. The work under this contract has been determined to be a public work pursuant to Article 8 of the New York State Labor Law. The law requires prevailing wages to be paid. A willful violation of Article 8 may result in civil penalties and debarment from public contracting in the State of New York. The applicable Prevailing Wage Rate Schedules for this bid and subsequently awarded contract can be found as Exhibit #5 to the Invitation for Bid. This schedule covers the period from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024. If you require a printed copy of this document, please contact: Joan Mahoney Division of Plant Industry NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets joan.mahoney@agriculture.ny.gov Phone (518) 457-2087 Payroll certification reports must be submitted with each invoice. Failure to provide this documentation shall result in non-payment of invoices. Additional requirements can be found in the Prevailing Wage Rate Schedule. Bidders are encouraged to thoroughly review the schedule and ask any questions by November 15, 2023. AGM reserves the right to: Reject any or all proposals received with respect to this invitation; Withdraw the IFB at any time, at AGM's sole discretion or otherwise decline to award a contract from this invitation; Make an award in whole or in part; Require clarification from any bidder to assure a full understanding of the responsiveness to the requirements of the invitation; Disqualify any bidder whose conduct and/or bid response fails to conform to the requirements of the IFB; Use information obtained through site visits, management interviews and the State's investigation of a bidder's qualifications, experience, ability or financial standing, and any material or information submitted by the bidder in response to AGM's request for clarifying information in the course of evaluation and/or selection under the IFB; Waive or modify minor irregularities in bids received; Request additional information from bidders as deemed necessary to more fully evaluate bids or to obtain omitted required forms. Bidders will have three (3) business days to respond to the request; Prior to the bid opening, amend this solicitation after its release, with appropriate written notice posted on AGM's website to correct errors or oversights, or to supply additional information, as it becomes available; Prior to the bid opening, direct bidders to submit bid response modifications addressing subsequent IFB amendments; Change any of the scheduled dates; Eliminate any minimum or mandatory non-material specifications that cannot be complied with by all of the bidders; Waive any requirements that are not material; Make mathematical corrections in the event a mathematical error is discovered in computing the cost proposal (e.g., error in formula in excel spreadsheet); Conduct contract negotiations with the next responsible bidder, should AGM be unsuccessful in negotiating with the selected bidder; and Unless otherwise specified in the solicitation, every offer is firm and not revocable until the contract start date. AGM intends to make an award within fifteen (15) days of the Bid Response submission deadline. The contract will require approval from the Office of the Attorney General of the State of New York (OAG) and the Office of the State Comptroller of the State of New York (OSC) before it becomes effective. Envelope 2, titled "IFB #0313 Bid Form - Do Not Open" o Original plus one (1) paper copy of Attachment 1 - Bid Form (Original Signatures Hard Copy) Place the two (2) envelopes described above into one package and mail or hand-deliver to: New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Fiscal Management Attn: Viktoriia Borsuk (IFB #0313) 10B Airline Drive Albany, New York 12235