University of Wisconsin-Madison

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LAWN MOWING SERVICES AT UW MADISON UNIVERSITY APARTMENTS

SPECIFICATIONS

1.      General Conditions and Specifications for Lawn Mowing:
         1.1     Site Conditions
               1.   All services provided by the Contractor shall be consistent with quality standards of grounds maintenance industry.  As directed by the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager, the Contractor shall coordinate the work with adjacent work and shall cooperate with all other trades so as to facilitate the general progress of the work.  Interference with, or inconvenience to University operations shall be kept to a minimum.  All exits, doors, passageways, and walks are to be kept in an unobstructed manner at all times.  In no case will any Contractor be permitted to prohibit or limit from the premises or work, any other Contractor or their employees, or interfere with any other Contractor in the execution or installation of their work.

              2.   Contractor shall be responsible for moving debris and items of value found on lawns away from the path of equipment, chemical drift, and grounds maintenance activities (e.g. bicycles, children's toys, picnic tables, wire, bottles, tin cans, sticks, paper and litter discarded by others) prior to beginning mowing, and during mowing operations if also necessary.  Return picnic tables to original location after area is mowed.  Accumulated trash and debris shall be properly disposed of in on-site trash containers.  Items of value that are damaged while carrying out this contract shall be paid for by the Contractor at replacement cost for the item.

              3.   Contractor shall confine to the greatest possible extent, all operations, equipment, apparatus and placement of materials to the immediate area of work.  Contractor shall comply with all rules and regulations in effect on the work site, including, but not limited to parking, traffic laws, use of walks, security restrictions, hours of allowable entrance and departure.

              4.   The Contractor shall notify the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager verbally or in writing of any defects noted in such surfaces that are to receive their work if such defects may affect lawn mowing operations or present a safety concern.  The UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager will direct such surfaces to be repaired and will coordinate that work to be done.

              5.   Storage of equipment shall be off-site, not on University property.  Contractor or their authorized representative must be present to accept delivery of all equipment and/or materials shipments.  University personnel will not knowingly accept, unload or store anything delivered to the project site addressed to the Contractor or for the Contractor's use.  Inadvertent acceptance of delivery by any representative of the University shall not constitute acceptance or responsibility for any of the materials or equipment.  It shall be the Contractor's responsibility to assume all liability for equipment and material delivered to the job site.

              6.   Temporary facilities:  Availability of facilities may be limited by the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager pending special conditions or circumstances.

                        1.     Water and electric power to limited work areas are available through existing facilities free of charge at the site.  The Contractor shall make arrangements with the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager for the use of such facilities and shall comply with such requirements and restrictions for their use as may be prescribed.  Contractor shall provide all hose or cord extensions from existing sources to project work area(s) as required to carry out the work.  Any utility services in excess of those available at site shall be provided by the Contractor.

                        2.     Contractor may arrange with the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager to use nearby existing toilet facilities.  Toilet facilities used by Contractor shall be left in a clean and sanitary condition at all times.

                        3.     Acceptable break areas shall be designated by the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager.

         1.2     Parking:  Contractors will be allowed to park their trucks (with the Contractor's name on the truck) near the work site as directed or mutually agreed by the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager.  No parking for private cars will be available except as arranged with the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager prior to commencement of work.  Unmarked cars parking in Contractor's space or in University lots will be ticketed and/or towed.

         1.3     Personnel:
                  1.   Contractor shall have in its employ, or under its control, sufficient qualified and competent personnel to perform work promptly and in accordance with a schedule or work program, as approved by the University. 

                  2.   Contractor shall employ only such workers as are skilled in the tasks to which they are assigned.  Workers shall act appropriately and professionally at all times.  Offensive language, gestures or actions while in this family-based residential community are not acceptable.  The University may require the Contractor not to assign any employee the University deems incompetent, careless, insubordinate, or otherwise objectionable to work on University projects.

                  3.   Workers must wear appropriate attire at all times.  Appropriate attire will be determined by University Apartment Site Manager. 

         1.4     Safety Standards:
                  1.   Contractor’s employees shall be especially aware of the large number of children in this community, and shall take necessary precautions to safeguard their well-being.

                  2.   Contractor’s employees shall follow all applicable safety standards including operating all equipment in conformance with the manufacturer's operating instructions for each, and in compliance with OSHA standards and requirements.

                  3.   Precaution shall be exercised at all times for the protection of persons, (including employees) and property.  The safety provisions of applicable laws, building and construction codes shall be observed.  Machinery, equipment and all hazards shall be guarded or eliminated in accordance with applicable safety provisions.

                  4.   Mower discharge shall at all times be aimed away from people, buildings, children and vehicles.  Mower guards must be used as intended at all times for safety.

                  5.   The Contractor shall provide and maintain in working order during work such fire protective equipment and devices as required by applicable safety standards and as he deems necessary and suitable for any possible class or type of fires.  Extinguishers shall be non-freeze type of not less than (10) pound capacity each and must be readily available to staff operating equipment.

                  6.   Mowers, weed trimmers and other equipment shall be properly maintained to operate at "normal" operating sound levels.  Equipment that is generating excessive noise or is otherwise objectionable to the University shall be discontinued from use, at the University's request, until repairs can be affected.  The UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager shall be the sole judge of acceptable equipment under this section.

         1.5     Property Damage:
                  1.   Wherever any existing material, equipment or facility is damaged by the Contractor, the cost of repair or replacement shall be charged to the Contractor.  Items covered by this provision include, but are not limited to curbs, sidewalks, lawns (to include scalped areas), plantings, trees, signs, down spouts, and refuse containers.

                  2.   Injuries to any person and damage to University property, the property of employees, customers or any property not belonging to the Contractor shall be reported immediately to the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager.  Any costs for this damage or injury will be reimbursed by the Contractor.

                  3.   Repair work due to damages caused by the Contractor shall be coordinated through, and subject to the approval of the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager.  Repairs shall be made with like materials in a manner acceptable to the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager.

                  4.   Contractor shall acquaint himself with the location of utilities, which may be encountered or be affected by their work, and shall be responsible for damage caused by neglect to provide proper precautions or protection.

                  5.   The Contractor shall repair, to its original state, any landscape damaged by failure to provide proper and adequate protection, to the satisfaction of the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager, or remove and replace with new materials or plantings at the Contractor's expense.

         1.6     Site Inspection:  The University will, at its discretion, conduct site inspections before, during, and after each service to evaluate the quality, and completion of the work performed.

MOWING SPECIFICATIONS

The lawn mowing for areas identified will be bid as one item for the entire University Apartment area.  Contractor shall be solely responsible for the accuracy of measurements and coordinating and laying out their own work.  Any errors due to faulty measurements taken, information obtained, layout, or failure to report discrepancies will not result in any additional compensation for the Contractor.

1.   General:  Contractor shall furnish all staff, supervision, labor, materials, supplies, equipment necessary to accomplish the mowing and trimming of all grass in Lot #1 (Zones 1 through 4).

2.   Zones:   Four zones have been established.  In the event a complete mowing operation is determined to be unnecessary or not possible due to inclement weather, or uneven growth, these zones will be used to sub-divide work and billing accordingly.

3.   Beginning and End of Season:   The lawn mowing season will begin on May 1 of each year of this Contract, and end on October 30, or as mutually agreeable due to weather conditions.

4.   Frequency:
      1.   Mowing shall take place on an as-needed basis.  It has been determined that the average number of mowing days is approximately 26 for an individual mowing season.  Specific and consistent weekday(s) will be established with the successful bidder.

      2.   Cancellation of a scheduled weekly mowing, or any portion of the mowing, is permitted by the University if any part of the scheduled mowing is determined to be unnecessary or undesirable by the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager.  The University agrees to provide notice of cancellation by noon of the day preceding scheduled work to be canceled.

5.   Day(s) of the Week:  Work shall be scheduled to take place on a weekly basis on Wednesday, excluding holidays, or as mutually agreed upon by the Contractor and the University.  Harvey Street Apartments (Zone 4) may be done on a separate day as mutually agreed by the UW-Madison’s University Apartments Site Manager. Rescheduled lawn mowing may take place during normal work week of Monday through Friday. 

6.   Time Allotted from Mowing Beginning to End:
      1.     All scheduled mowing and trimming in zones 1 through 3 shall be commenced and completed in one day as specified unless otherwise rescheduled due to inclement weather.  Contractor shall be obligated to complete mowing and trimming in zones 1 through 3 in one day, weather and other conditions permitting.  Failure to do so may be grounds for termination of this Contract. Harvey Street Apartments (Zone 4) may be done on a separate day as mutually agreed by the UW-Madison University Apartment Site Manager.

      2.     Weather permitting, work shall be continuous.

7.   Inclement Weather Rescheduling:
      1.     Contractor may cancel all or part of a scheduled mowing due to inclement weather.  It is the responsibility of the Contractor to contact the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager on or before 9:00 a.m. of the day to be canceled, when such cancellation is desired.

      2.     Inclement weather shall be defined as weather that both the Contractor and the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager agree makes the accomplishment of quality work unfeasible, unusually time- consuming, or potentially dangerous, or harmful.  In the event mutual agreement cannot be reached for a particular mowing, the inclement weather determination shall be made by the Contractor.  However in the event the University feels the Contractor is inappropriate in their use of this provision, the University reserves the right to cancel this Contract.

      3.     Any part of a scheduled mowing that is canceled due to inclement weather shall be rescheduled by the Contractor to a date within three business days (not to include weekends unless mutually agreed by the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager) of the cancellation. 

      4.     The University may, at its option, elect not to reschedule any part of a mowing.  The UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager shall have sole authority to cancel all or part of a mowing that has been canceled due to inclement weather. 

      5.     Any portion of a mowing that is canceled and not rescheduled shall not result in a mowing charge.

      6.     In the event of on-going wet weather, the Contractor and the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager will negotiate a strategy to accomplish the necessary work.

      7.     In areas of poor drainage which adversely affect the work of the Contractor, the Contractor shall be responsible for informing the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager of the affected area.  The UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager will have discretionary authority to waive work quality standards in areas which both the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager and the Contractor agree are problematic.
 
8.   Work Hours:  Contractor shall not operate lawn mowers, blowers, "weed whackers" or other noise generating machinery outside of the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., without prior approval of the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager.

9.   Mowing Height:
      1.     Lawns shall be mowed at a height of 3 inches.

      2.     The Contractor shall adjust lawn mowing heights at the written request of the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager.

10.  Start-Up and Completion Notification:
      1.     Contractor shall contact the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager at the beginning of each work day or as mutually agreeable.  Such notification may take place in person at the office located at 2902 Haight Road, by phone, or, in the absence of the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager, the Contractor shall leave a message indicating the status of work.

      2.     At the end of each service day, the Contractor shall leave a completed job ticket with the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager or with agreed upon staff or location, describing the work completed on that day.  The University reserves the right to reduce invoices by amounts not evidenced by submitted job tickets.

11.   Trimming:  Contractor shall be responsible at EVERY lawn mowing for trimming around trees, sign posts, fencing, near buildings, in curbs and gutters, around all dumpsters and dumpster area, etc. and any other part of the lawn area where the lawn mowers may not be able to reach during routine mowing.  Areas to be trimmed shall be brought to the same level as the mowing level of the lawn.

12.  Picking Up Grass Clippings:   Contractor shall be responsible for removing grass clippings from sidewalks, parking areas, planted areas, barked areas and other areas that are not part of the grassy area being mowed.

13.  Grass Clippings and Leaves:
      1.     Mowers shall be of a type which causes clippings to be distributed evenly over the cut area.  If the type of mowers used causes the cut grass to windrow, the windrowed grass shall be removed and hauled away.

      2.     Windrowed grass caused by mowing heavily dewed grass shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to remove.

      3.     Leaf removal services will not be used during this contract period. Mulching blades must be used early in the mowing season and again starting the third week of September to better facilitate the mulching of fallen leaves. When leaf removal services were done between 500 and 1500 lbs of leaves were removed from property.

14.  Directions of Cut:  The Contractor shall alter the mowing direction for each successive mowing by approximately ninety degrees.  Areas where such alteration of mowing direction is not practicable may be exempted at the discretion of the UW-Madison’s University Apartment Site Manager. 

15.  Proper Equipment Type and Maintenance:
      1.     Equipment shall be adequate for the completion of the work being bid.  The cutting edges of all mowing equipment used in the performance of work shall be kept in sharp condition.  Grass bruising or rough cutting will not be accepted, and may require the Contractor to perform rejuvenation procedures to bring it out of a stress condition.

      2.     The maintenance and upkeep of equipment is the sole responsibility of the Contractor.  The staff of the Contractor shall not ask for any assistance or equipment parts from UW-Madison’s University Apartments.

16.  Waste Disposal:  Grass clippings, oil cans, personal refuse and other items for disposal shall be disposed of by the Contractor in accordance with local, state and federal laws.  University dumpsters and land shall not be used for disposal of grass clippings.

MULCHING

Supply and install shredded hardwood mulch at UW Madison, Residence Halls Properties and prices listed below.

Revision History