Landscaping Services

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (hereafter referred to as the “District”) is seeking qualified service providers through this Request for Proposals (RFP) to provide landscaping services for several closed sites as identified in Attachment A, as well as weed control, retention pond maintenance, and shrub bed maintenance at all District facilities, as outlined in Part I, Section C of this RFP.

Background

The District is a large urban school system with over 100 instructional and non-instructional sites, approximately 6,000 teachers and administrative staff, 36,000 District students, and 3,500 classrooms. The Facilities and Trades Departments are devoted to ensuring that our children are learning in clean and well-maintained school building

Project Details

• Reference ID: RFP-21440
• Department: Facilities
• Department Head: Aaron Creel (Executive Director of Facility Services)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-04-16T18:00:00.000Z
• Answers Posted By: 2026-04-28T18:00:00.000Z

Evaluation Criteria

• Respondent Submittals (15 pts) —

  Completion of #1 in the Submittals section with all the required information.

• Name & Title of Authorized Signatory (10 pts) —

  The vendor provided the name and title of the authorized signatory.

• Compliance Declaration and Non-Collusion Statement Confirmed (15 pts)
• Completed Conflict of Interest Form (10 pts)
• Completed Proposal Qualification Form (10 pts)
• Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters Primary Covered Transactions Confirmed (15 pts)
• References Provided (15 pts)
• Completed EOA Contractual Declaration (10 pts)
• Understanding District needs and ability to perform the requested services for general and specific populations (35 pts)
• Service Provider’s demonstrated experience and qualifications (30 pts)
• Scope of Services offered (20 pts)
• Cost (15 pts)

Submission Requirements

• Respondent Submittals (without Cost) (required) —
  1. Transmittal Cover Letter: Prepare a letter transmitting the proposal on business letterhead. The letter should identify the business name, phone number, and business web address along with the name, phone number and email address of the key contact person. The letter must have the signature of a person with authority to obligate the business. The transmittal letter shall also contain a statement that the proposal is a firm offer for a ninety (90) day period.
  2. General Information Section
     1. Executive Summary: Information about the service provider’s history, structure, organizational metrics, and qualifications for fulfilling the District’s requirements
     2. Business Health: information about the service provider’s financial structure and viability, particularly as it relates to fulfilling a multiple-year agreement.  
     3. Experience: information about the service provider’s current and previous contracts, particularly those with organizations similar to the District.  
     4. General Narratives about at least three clients using services similar to those being proposed for the District.
     5. Management support services: information about staff, project, issue, performance, quality, and risk management methodology.  
     6. Security: information about the service provider’s policies, practices, and standards for maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of clients’ data, intellectual property, and trade secrets.  
     7. Risks: service provider’s evaluation of the greatest challenges and risks associated with the particular services and suggestions for mitigating risk.
     8. Dispute resolution: information about the service provider’s standard dispute resolution methodologies.
  3. Response to Scope of Work Section: The Response to Scope of Work Section of the proposal shall specifically address the manner in which the proposer will meet scope and requirements described in the Scope of Work & Requirements Section of Specifications. The proposal shall provide enough information so that the evaluators will be able to determine the proposer’s ability to meet the scope of work, requirements, and minimum qualifications.  Simply paraphrasing the RFP statement of requirements will not be sufficient data for the evaluation and may be considered as a non-responsive proposal response. 
• Cost Proposal (required)
• No Cost Proposal is Required (required)
• Name & Title of the Authorized Signatory (required)
• Compliance Declaration (required) —

  It is the policy of the authorized signatory's firm that equal employment opportunity be afforded to all qualified persons without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, or handicap.

  In support of this policy, the authorized signatory's firm will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, or handicap. 

  The authorized signatory's firm will take affirmative action to insure that applicants are employed and that employees are treated during employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, or handicap. Such action will include, but not be limited to: 

  Recruitment, advertising, or solicitation for employment, hiring, placement, upgrading, transfer or demotion, selection for training including apprenticeship rates of pay or other forms of compensation, layoffs or termination. 

  The authorized signatory's company states that they are of current applicable requirement pertaining to Fair Labor Standards and Non-Discriminatory Practices of Federal, State, and Local Governments. 

  The authorized signatory further acknowledges that if the contract is awarded to the undersigned, the undersigned will comply with all Fair Labor Standard Practice. 

• Non-Collusion Statement (required) —

  By confirming, the authorized signatory affirms that they are making the foregoing proposal, that such proposal is genuine and not collusive or sham; that said proposer has not colluded, conspired, connived, or agreed, directly or indirectly, with any proposer or person, to put in a sham proposal, or that such other person shall refrain from proposing, and has not in any manner, directly or indirectly sought by agreement or collusion, or communication or conference, with any person, to fix the proposal price of affiant or any other proposer, to fix any overhead, profit or cost element of said proposal price, or of that of any proposer, or to secure any advantage against the Board of Education of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, or any person or persons interested in the proposal; and that all statements contained in said proposal are true; and further that such proposer has not, directly or indirectly, submitted this proposal, or the contents thereof, or divulged information or data relative thereto to any Association or to any member or agent thereof. 

• Conflict of Interest Form —

  Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) adheres to Ohio Ethics Law and strictly follows the opinion of the Ohio Ethics Commission. As such, each vendor is requested to submit this statement declaring any potential conflicts of interest in doing business with the District. Please answer the following two questions providing all requested information. 

• Are any current Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) employees, Cleveland Board of Education members, or any of their immediate family members, also members of the vendor’s board of directors, hold any officer position with the vendor, or own any shares of any stock issued by the vendor? (required)
• If Yes, and if the CMSD employee, CMSD board member, or immediately family member is a member of the vendor’s board of directors or holds an office with the vendor, please state the person’s name and position with the vendor.
• If Yes, and if the CMSD employee, CMSD board member, or immediate family member owns share of any stock in the vendor organization or company, state the percentage of all outstanding company shares owned by the CMSD employee or board member.
• Are any current CMSD employees, CMSD board members, or any immediate family members also employees of the vendor? (required)
• If Yes, please state the person’s name and provide a description of their job duties for the provider:
• If Yes, please describe the contact that the vendor will have with the CMSD employee or CMSD board member in the course of providing services to the District:
• CERTIFICATION (required) —

  By confirming, the authorized signatory certifies that the foregoing statements are true and accurate and that my signature below attests to the authenticity of my identity as the person actually signing this form. This document is not a contract. In order for a binding Agreement to exist, a signed Agreement will be required prior to any legally binding commitment by the District.

• Proposer Qualifications Form
• Taxpayer Identification Number (required)
• How many years has your organization been in business? (required)
• How many years has your organization been in business under its current name? (required)
• List any other aliases your organization has utilized in the last two years and the form of Business (required) —

  Respond N/A if not applicable.

• State the principal place of doing business. (required)
• If you are currently a corporation, state the date of incorporation. (required)
• If you are currently a corporation, list the following: (required) —
  • President’s name
  • Secretary’s name
  • Treasurer’s name
  • Statutory agent’s name
  • Name of shareholders, if less than 10
• If you are currently in a partnership, state the name and address of all general and limited partners. (required)
• If you are currently in a partnership, list the original name and date of organization’s inception. (required)
• If you are neither a corporation nor a partnership, please describe your organization and list principals. (required)
• Are you legally qualified to do business in the State of Ohio? (required)
• Are you legally qualified to do business in Cuyahoga County and licensed by the City of Cleveland? (required)
• Has your organization ever been (i) declared by a customer to be in default under a contractor and/or (ii) sued by a customer for failure to completely a contract or properly perform services in a timely manner? If yes, please state where, when, and why. (required)
• Has your organization ever been cited by a local, county, state, or federal authority for violation of a regulation or statute or failing to timely complete a contract in accordance with specifications? If yes, please state date, agency, and final disposition. (required)
• Has your organization ever filed for bankruptcy? If yes, please state where, when and why? (required)
• Upload a list of the major customers for whom your organization has provided this type of equipment or service in the past five years. Include owner’s name and type of work performed. (required)
• Has your organization ever been sued by a supplier for failure to timely pay for materials or equipment provided? If yes, please provide details. (required)
• What is the dollar limit of your firm’s General (CLS) Liability Insurance? (required) —

  Please list the following information as well: 

  • Name of insuring company
  • Policy Number
• What is the dollar limit of your firm’s Automotive Liability Insurance? (required) —

  Please list the following information as well: 

  • Owned vehicles
  • Non-Owned vehicles
  • Name of insuring company
  • Policy number
• List the name and address of every person having an interest in this solicitation. (required)
• Has any federal, state or local government entity ever cited or taken any action against your organization or any of its principals for failure to pay or remit any taxes including but not limited to income, withholding, sales, franchise, or personal property taxes? If yes, please give name of agency, date and amount of taxes overdue and resolution of the issue. (required)
• Is your organization and its’ principals current in payment of personal property taxes? (required)
• By confirming, the prospective lower tier participant certifies, by submission of this solicitation, that neither it nor its principals is presently debarred, suspended, proposed, for debarment or suspension, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any State and/or Federal Department or Agency.
• If the prospective lower tier participant is unable to certify to any of the statements in this certification, such prospective participants shall upload an explanation to this solicition.
• Instructions for Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters Primary Covered Transactions —

  This certification is required by the regulations implementing Executive Order 12549, Debarment and Suspension, 13 CFR
  Part 145. The regulations were published as Part VII of the May 26, 1988 Federal Register (pages 19160-19211). Copies of
  the regulations are available from local offices of the U.S. Small Business Administration.

  INSTRUCTIONS FOR CERTIFICATION

  1. By affirming and submitting this proposal, the prospective primary participant is providing the certification set out below.
  2. The inability of a person to provide the certification required below will not necessarily result in denial of participation in this covered transaction. The prospective participant shall submit an explanation of why it cannot provide the certification set out below. The certification or explanation will be considered in connection with the department or agency's determination whether to enter into this transaction. However, failure of the prospective primary participant to
  furnish a certification or an explanation shall disqualify such person from participation in this transaction.
  3. The certification in this clause is a material representation of fact upon which reliance was placed when the department or agency determined to enter into this transaction. If is is later determined that the prospective primary participant knowingly rendered an erroneous certification, in addition to other remedies available to the Federal Government, the department or agency may terminate this transaction for cause or default.
  4. The prospective primary participant shall provide immediate written notice to the department or agency to which this proposal is submitted if at any time the prospective primary participant learns that its certification was erroneous when submitted or has become erroneous by reason of changed circumstances.
  5. The terms "covered transaction," "debarred," "suspended," "ineligible," "lower tier covered transaction," "participant," "person," "primary covered transaction," "principal," "proposal," and "voluntarily excluded," as used in this clause, have the meanings set out in the Definitions and Coverage sections of the rules implementing Executive Order 12549. You may contact the department or agency to which this proposal is submitted for assistance in obtaining a copy of those regulations (13 CFR Part 145).
  6. The prospective primary participant agrees by submitting this proposal that, should the proposed covered transaction be entered into, it shall not knowingly enter into any lower tier covered transaction with a person who is debarred, suspended, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this covered transaction, unless authorized by the department or agency entering into this transaction.
  7. The prospective primary participant further agrees by submitting this proposal that it will include the clause titled "Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion--Lower Tier Covered Transactions," provided by the department or agency entering into this covered transaction, without modification, in all lower tier covered transactions and in all solicitations for lower tier covered transactions.
  8. A participant in a covered transaction may rely upon a certification of a prospective participant in a lower tier covered transaction that it is not debarred, suspended, ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from the covered transaction, unless it knows that the certification is erroneous. A participant may decide the method and frequency by which it determines the ineligibility of its principals. Each participant may, but is not required to, check the Nonprocurement List.
  9. Nothing contained in the foregoing shall be construed to require establishment of a system of records in order to
  render in good faith the certification required by this clause. The knowledge and information of a participant is not required
  to exceed that which is normally possessed by a prudent person in the ordinary course of business dealings.
  10. Except for transactions authorized under paragraph 6 of these instructions, if a participant in a covered transaction knowingly enters into a lower tier covered transaction with a person who is suspended, debarred, ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction, in addition to other remedies available to the Federal Government, the department or agency may terminate this transaction for cause or default.

• Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters Primary Covered Transactions (required) —

  By confirming, the proposer agrees to the following: 

  (1) The prospective primary participant certifies to the best of its knowledge and belief that it and its principals:

  1. Are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for disbarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal department or agency;
  2. Have not within a three-year period preceding this application been convicted of or had a civil judgment rendered against them for commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a public (Federal, State, or local) transaction or contract under a public transaction; violation of Federal or State antitrust statutes or commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, or receiving stolen property;
  3. Are not presently indicted for or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity (Federal, State, or local) with commission of any of the offenses enumerated in paragraph (1)(b) of this certification; and
  4. Have not within a three-year period preceding this application had one or more public transactions (Federal, State, or local) terminated for cause or default.

  (2) Where the prospective primary participant is unable to certify to any of the statements in this certification, such prospective primary participant shall attach an explanation to this proposal.

• References —

  Include below three references of equal or larger size to this current RFP project. Public sector experience is preferred, but not required. Please attach relevant supporting documentation, such as project plans, scope of work.

• Reference 1: Company/School Name, Address, Type of Business, Contact Person Name and Phone Number, Date of Service & Description of Services Provided (required)
• Reference 2: Company/School Name, Address, Type of Business, Contact Person Name and Phone Number, Date of Service & Description of Services Provided (required)
• Reference 3: Company/School Name, Address, Type of Business, Contact Person Name and Phone Number, Date of Service & Description of Services Provided (required)
• Please attach relevant supporting documentation, such as project plans, scope of work.
• Name of Joint Venture
• Address of Joint Venture
• Phone Number of Joint Venture
• Identify the firms which comprise this joint venture.
• EOA Contractual Declaration —

  Information about the District’s Affirmative Action Program can be found at https://bit.ly/3wvVApK.

• Recruitment Area
• Type of Business (product or service)
• Employment Data Form (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• How will you be collecting pricing? (required) —

  Select electronic pricing table to build the pricing table in the system and to utilize the auto-tabulation feature. Please note if you have vendor's upload pricing, a manual tabulation will need to be created

• Is there a pre-proposal meeting? (required)
• Meeting Type (required)
• What is the estimated Term Length of this Solicitation? (required)
• What is your ideal solicitation post date? (required) —

  Example: 2/17

• What is your ideal site visit date? (required) —

  Example: 2/17. Enter N/A if not applicable

• What is your ideal question submittal deadline? (required) —

  Example: 2/17

• What is your ideal bid submittal date? (required) —

  Example: 2/17

• What is your ideal contract date? (required) —

  Example: 2/17

• What is your ideal contract start date? (required) —

  Example: 2/17

• What is your ideal completion date? (required) —

  Example: 2/17