This is a service / maintenance or supply contract in Winchester Center, Connecticut. Contact the soliciting agency for additional information.

Primary Contact: Paul Harrington, Town Manager & CEO 1. Introduction The Town of Winchester is seeking qualified proposals from experienced environmental consulting firms to analyze and control invasive and nuisance aquatic plants at Highland Lake. The primary goal of this program is to protect the lake's ecosystem and maintain water quality by reducing the dominance of invasive species, nuisance species, and promoting the growth of native plant communities. 2. Background Invasive plant growth has been managed with herbicide treatments over the past 18 years. There were once 44 acres of invasive milfoil and today our end of year survey showed no milfoil. With climate warming, the pressures of development, and major recreational and economic value, it is important, more than ever, to manage invasive plant growth and prevent the introduction of new invasive species. 3. Scope of Services The successful proposer will complete the following tasks: 3.1 Pre-Treatment Survey a. Conduct a comprehensive survey of the entire littoral zone of Highland Lake in June 2025. b. Document the presence, density, and distribution of all aquatic plant species, including invasive and nuisance species. c. Develop a detailed treatment plan, including target species, treatment methods, and herbicide application rates. d. Obtain all necessary permits and approvals from CT DEEP and local agencies. a. Implement a timely herbicide treatment program, starting in January with state permits and continuing through the summer of 2025. Ability to work efficiently based on prepost plant surveys. b. Use appropriate herbicide products and application techniques to target invasive and nuisance plants while minimizing impact on non-target species and the environment. c. Comply with all federal, state, and local regulations, including pesticide application laws and water quality standards. d. Post and publish required notifications and adhere to water use restrictions. 3.3 Data Analysis and Reporting a. Conduct a post-treatment survey in September to assess the effectiveness of the treatment program. b. Document the presence, density, and distribution of all aquatic plant species, including any new infestations. c. Evaluate the impact of the treatment on native plant communities and overall lake health. 3.4 Reporting a. Prepare a detailed report summarizing the pre-treatment and post-treatment survey results, treatment activities, and project outcomes. b. Include maps, tables, and photographs to illustrate the findings. c. Comply with all NDDB reporting requirements. 4. Insurance Requirements The successful proposer shall, at its own expense and cost, obtain and keep in force during the entire duration of engagement the following insurance coverage covering the proposer and all of its agents, employees and sub-contractors and other providers of services and shall name the Town of Winchester and the Board of Education their employees and agents as an Additional Insured on a primary and non-contributory basis to the proposer's Commercial General Liability and Automobile Liability policies. These requirements shall be clearly stated in the remarks section on the proposer's Certificate of Insurance. 1. Worker's Compensation Insurance a. Statutory Coverage, b. Employer's Liability, c. $1,000,000 each accident/$1,000,000 disease-policy limit/$1,000,000 disease each employee, and d. A Waiver of Subrogation shall be provided in favor of the Town, Board of Education and their employees and agents. 2. Commercial General Liability Insurance a. Including Premises & Operations, Products and Completed Operations, Personal and Advertising Injury, Contractual Liability and Independent Contractors, - 3 - b. Limits of Liability for Bodily Injury and Building Damage at $1,000,000 each occurrence, c. Aggregate $2,000,000 (The Aggregate Limit shall apply separately to each job.), and d. A Waiver of Subrogation shall be provided in favor of the Town, Board of Education and their employees and agents. 3. Automobile Liability Insurance a. Including all owned, hired, borrowed and non-owned vehicles, b. Evidence a Combined Single Limit of Liability for Bodily Injury and Property Damage at $1,000,000 each accident, and c. A Waiver of Subrogation shall be provided in favor of the Town, Board of Education and their employees and agents. 4. Errors and Omissions Liability Insurance or Professional Services Liability Insurance a. Provide Errors and Omissions Liability or Professional Services Liability Policy for a minimum Limit of Liability $5,000,000 each occurrence or per claim. The successful proposer will be responsible for providing written notice to the Owner 30 days prior to cancellation of any insurance policy. b. The proposer agrees to maintain continuous professional liability coverage for the entire duration of engagement and shall provide for an Extended Reporting Period in which to report claims for seven (7) years following the conclusion of the Project. The successful proposer shall provide a Certificate of Insurance as "evidence" of General Liability, Auto Liability including all owned, hired, borrowed and non-owned vehicles, statutory Worker's Compensation and Employer's Liability and Professional Services Liability coverage prior to contractual engagement. The proposer shall direct its Insurer to provide a Certificate of Insurance to the Town before any work is performed. The successful proposer will be responsible to provide written notice to the Owner 30 days prior to cancellation or non-renewal of any insurance policy. The Certificate shall evidence all required coverages including the Additional Insured on the General Liability and Auto Liability policies and Waiver of Subrogation on the General Liability, Auto Liability and Workers Compensation policies. The proposer shall provide the Town copies of any such insurance policies upon request. 5. Submission Requirements Parties interested in responding to this RFP are invited to submit a proposal in accordance with the following terms and conditions. With submission of a response to this RFP, the proposer acknowledges that they have read and understand the requirements and conditions herein. Each proposer shall submit three (3) paper copies of the proposal via mail or personal delivery to the Office of the Town Manager, 338 Main Street, Winsted, CT 06098, no later than the date and time as marked at the beginning of this RFP. The sealed proposal shall be marked as "RFP Submission". All submissions shall include the following documents: 1. Transmittal Letter a. A letter signed by the proposer, or, if the proposer is an entity, principal(s) who is authorized to submit its RFP response, including a statement of interest, the identity of the proposer, and the name, address and contact information of all interested parties. 2. Presentation of Qualifications a. Proposers shall present all evidence that they possess the desired qualifications and can deliver the services defined in Section 3 Scope of Service. 3. Service Methodology a. Proposers shall provide a detailed methodology outlining their treatment methods, including target species, herbicide products, application methods, and monitoring protocols. 4. Service Timeline a. Proposers shall describe how the services will be coordinated. Describe touchpoints and frequency of communications such as any entrance conferences, progress reporting, and exit conferences. b. Proposers shall provide the estimated dates of relevant project milestones and completed reports. 5. References a. Proposers shall include the names, telephone numbers and email addresses of three to six (3 - 6) professional references. Please state the relationship with each reference. These references should be a combination of current or former business partners/colleagues, a former employer, or current or former clients. 6. Cost Proposal a. The successful proposer shall complete and include their application a detailed breakdown of costs; including labor, equipment, supplies, overhead, indirect costs, etc. 6. Evaluation Criteria The following criteria areas will be considered in the evaluation of submissions: 1. Experience a. Has the proposer been in business for a reasonable period and had actual experience with similar service offerings b. Has the proposer demonstrated that they understand the work to be completed 2. Quality of Proposed Services a. Does the proposer utilize a professional methodology to complete the desired scope of services b. Does the proposer have sufficient staff and contractors/sub-contractors to carry out the terms of the contract for the full duration of the contract without additional changes to the terms of the contract 3. Detailed Response a. Has the proposer included all required components of the submission package b. Has the proposer been clear and detailed in their description of the work to be completed c. Has the proposer sufficiently evidenced their ability to provide the desired scope of work 4. Cost Proposal a. Has the proposer provided a thorough cost proposal that accurately captures the desired scope of services 5. Other Factors a. Firm's reputation in the industry. b. History of any disciplinary action against such firm. c. Demonstration of written communication to work effectively with the Town of Winchester and the Highland Lake Watershed Association. 7. Additional Considerations If any changes are made to this RFP, an addendum will be issued. Each addendum will be emailed to all persons on record as having requested the RFP. Failure of any proposer to receive any such addendum or interpretation shall not relieve such proposer from the obligation to comply with the terms of such addenda. All addenda so issued shall become part of this RFP. Proposers are cautioned that it is the responsibility of each individual proposer to assure that their proposal is in the possession of the responsible official or a designated alternate prior to the stated time and at the place of proposal by the due date. The Town is not responsible for proposals delayed by mail and/or delivery service of any nature. Late responses will not be accepted, nor will additional time be granted to individual respondents unless the Town extends the required submittal date for all proposers. All proposals become the property of the Town of Winchester upon receipt. All proposals are deemed to be public records under Connecticut General Statutes. The Town will not be liable for any costs incurred by any respondents in the preparation and presentation of responses to this RFP, or in the participation in views, interviews, negotiations, or any other aspect of this RFP process. The Town may, at its option, interview proposers as part of this selection process. However, selection may take place without such interviews. Therefore, proposals should be complete as initially submitted. The Town reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, to negotiate any and all nonmandatory contract terms with the successful proposer, or to cancel this procurement at any time if it is in the Town's best interest to do so. Failure to meet the submittal requirements may be sufficient cause to reject a proposal. Proposers are solely responsible for reviewing all the provisions of this RFP and any attachments prior to - 6 - submitting the proposal. Proposals that are incomplete, not properly endorsed, or are otherwise in conflict with the requirements of this RFP, may be rejected. The Town reserves the right to conduct a standard criminal and business background check of each proposer which may include but is not limited to contacting contractual business associates and practices, researching employment histories, conducting background checks with former colleagues or customers, and verifying a bidder's financial wherewithal to complete the proposed project. By submitting qualifications to the Town of Winchester, the proposer consents to such an inquiry and agrees to make available to the Town financial books, records, and references as the Town deems necessary to conduct the inquiry. The Town reserves the right to accept or reject any or all submitted proposals for any reason at any time. The selected firm will be required to enter into a formal contract with the town, subject to negotiation of terms and conditions. The selected firm may be required to possess an active Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) status in website An entity with a suspended or debarred UEI status may be disqualified from Town projects that involve federal funds. The selected firm will be made aware of the need to possess an active UEI status prior to engagement with the Town via a formal contract. All services not specifically mentioned in this request for proposal that are necessary to provide the functional capabilities described by the proposer shall be included in their Scope of Services. 8. Correspondence Information concerning this Request for Proposal may be obtained by Town Manager Paul Harrington at pharrington@townofwinchester.org. 9. Equal Opportunity The Town of Winchester is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. MBE's, WBE's, and SBE's are encouraged to apply