This is a service / maintenance or supply contract in Los Gatos, California. Contact the soliciting agency for additional information.

Assess the current health and condition of the existing tree canopy, its structure, diversity, and distribution; vulnerabilities to loss due to development, a changing climate, pests and diseases, as well as measures to counteract these threats. Evaluate how the Town is using available technology to manage the urban forest, and what data-driven approaches are available to enhance it. Evaluate existing relationships with infrastructure owners (including, but not limited to, underground and overhead utilities), and their practices as it relates to the urban forest. Provide implementation methods to improve coordination and cooperation. Analyze relevant Town codes, policies, and ordinances pertaining to the urban forest and make recommendations for updates, additions, revisions, and improvements. Assess the current operational capacity to support the urban forest and recommend ways to maximize stewardship of the public urban forest. Evaluate the existing legal arrangements in place that affect trees on private property and provide recommendations on incentivizing protection of trees on private land. Provide a Community Engagement Plan to gather input from stakeholders during the planning process, as well as recommendations to enhance community engagement, Town communications, outreach, and education on an ongoing basis. Utilize information gathered during the planning process in the UFMP. Define metrics to measure success and keep the plan updated and useful for the long term. Strategize actionable funding mechanisms to move towards a stronger, self-sustaining, urban forest program. Desired final product: a written document, as well as a digital version, such as a story map. Make recommendations regarding preferred trees for Town owned properties (streets and parks) that would enhance biodiversity while reducing long term maintenance burden. The Town of Los Gatos will be contracting a consultant to create an Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP). The Town of Los Gatos is seeking a consultant to work with Town staff and stakeholders to create an Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP). The successful candidate will perform urban tree canopy assessment mapping, analyze data and make recommendations, facilitate community outreach meetings, and provide a written UFMP to guide policy and management decisions with the final goal of equitable, sustainable, and climate resilient care, management, and growth of the Towns urban forest. The UFMP will recognize trees as critical infrastructure and support the inclusion and integration of urban forestry into all aspects of Town planning, codes, ordinances, and policies. The spatial analysis included in the UFMP will provide valuable data such as change in tree canopy cover and percentage of tree canopy on private property, as well as model climate change impacts and provide goals for replacing lost or missing urban tree canopy cover. The consultant will include a Community Engagement Plan and coordinate all stakeholder meetings. There will be no pre-proposal conference or site tour for this Request for Proposals. Prospective bidders are encouraged to perform independent site tours. No request for modification of the qualification package shall be considered after its submission on grounds that Submitter was not fully informed of any fact or condition. The Town shall not be responsible for nor be bound by any oral instructions, interpretations, or explanations issued by the Town or its representatives. Responses from the Town to questions by any Submitter will be communicated via addendum to all recipients of this RFQ. Questions received after the date and time stated above will not be accepted. A Submitter may withdraw its submission at any time by delivering a written request for withdrawal signed by, or on behalf of, the Submitter. If after the hearing described above, the Town Council determines that the Consultant has failed to comply with these Equal Employment Opportunity Conditions and has failed to make a reasonable and substantial effort to comply with said conditions, the Consultant shall be deemed in material breach of the Contract. It is understood that the Town will have suffered damage by virtue of said breach; and it being impractical and unfeasible to determine the amount of actual damage, it is agreed that the Consultant shall pay the Town, as fixed and liquidated damages, and not as a penalty, the sum of $100.00 for each calendar day during which the Consultant is found to have been in noncompliance. Such monies may be recovered from the Consultant and its Surety. The Town may deduct any such damages from monies due the Consultant. Question Deadline 07/07/2025 at 3:00 PM PT - Any questions by the submitter regarding this RFQ or the project must be submitted through online. The Town reserves the right to interview any submitter during review of Qualifications statements. The time and location of the interviews, if held, will be N/A. The method of Contractor Selection has not been Determined at this time.