Request for Proposal (RFP) and Specifications for Urban Forestry Management Plan and Tree Inventory for the Hammond Green Canopy Initiative Project

RFP Release
January 10, 2025

PRE-PROPOSAL MEETING
January 28, 2025, at 1 PM CST

DEADLINE FOR QUESTIONS
January 30, 2025, at 5 PM CST

PROPOSALS DUE
February 14, 2025 at 5 PM CST

PREPARED BY
Delta Institute
35 E. Wacker Drive, Suite 1760
Chicago, IL 60601
Hammond, IN 46320

Delta Institute Overview

Delta Institute is a 501(c)(3) organization. Delta Institute collaborates with communities to solve complex environmental challenges throughout the Midwest. We address Midwestern environmental, economic, and climate challenges today so that our home and region are more resilient, equitable, and innovative tomorrow.

RFP Submittal Requirements

The proposal shall be submitted in a sealed envelope with all original pages intact.
One (1) original proposal, two (2) hard copies, and one (1) digital copy must be submitted.

Proposal envelopes must be plainly marked and submitted as follows:

“SEALED PROPOSAL FOR:

Hammond Green Canopy Initiative Project”

Proposals should be submitted to Delta Institute, 35 E. Wacker Drive, Suite 1760, Chicago, IL 60601 (hmhardy@delta-institute.org for digital) – before Friday, February 14, 2025 at 5 PM CST.

Please have proposals addressed to: Jamie Zouras, Senior Specialist, Nature-Based Climate Solutions.

Pre-Proposal Meeting

Delta Institute will hold a virtual pre-proposal meeting on Tuesday, January 28, 2025 at 1 PM CST. The meeting will include a summary of the project, proposal process, and review of prospective proposer’s questions. Participants can join the meeting by clicking on the Microsoft Teams link below:

Microsoft Teams

Join the meeting now
Meeting ID: 277 182 136 682
Passcode: Rr65wv3Q

Questions

For any questions regarding the RFP, please email Helen Hardy, Delta Institute at hmhardy@delta-institute.org. All questions must be received by Thursday, January 30, 2025, at 5 PM CST. All questions will be answered and issued to all companies that are on the RFP holders list. If you are unsure if you are on the RFP holder’s list, please contact Helen Hardy, Delta Institute, Phone: 312-554-0900 ext. 11 or email: hmhardy@delta-institute.org to confirm.

Project Description

Delta Institute and the City of Hammond, Indiana Parks and Recreation Department are seeking proposals from qualified urban forestry firms interested in developing an Urban Forestry Management Plan and tree inventory in Hammond. This project aims to enhance urban forestry through three key objectives:

1. developing a thorough and site-specific urban forestry management plan for the City of Hammond and completing a tree inventory for street areas in the 3rd district and trees in Harrison Park;
2. beautification of Harrison Park with a tree removal and planting initiative; and
3. engaging the community in urban planning.

By creating a detailed management plan and inventory, planting trees in Harrison Park, and fostering community involvement, the project seeks to revitalize green spaces for underserved residents, promote equitable access to nature and strengthen community resilience. These efforts address Hammond’s industrial pollution challenges and social vulnerabilities, contributing to a greener, more sustainable urban environment.

This project aims to improve urban forestry management, enhance green spaces, and foster community involvement and ownership in the City of Hammond in order to create a greener, more resilient, and equitable urban environment. The project supports the strengthening of a much-needed community urban forestry program that promotes urban forestry benefits through proper tree selection, planting, and care. Beautifying Harrison Park will restore and diversify the community tree canopy in this underserved area, promoting urban forestry benefits such as cleaner air, improved watershed health, reduced erosion, stormwater runoff, and reduced urban heat island effects. Community engagement ensures that urban forestry benefits are equitably distributed and addresses historic inequities in urban forestry policy and management. These efforts collectively enhance the built environment by improving aesthetics and fostering year-round enjoyment and outdoor activities for all community members.

Acknowledgements

Project Scope

The selected firm(s) (hereinafter referred to as “Contractor”) shall serve as part of the Project Team for the project and shall, at a minimum, complete the scope of work outlined below. The maximum amount allocated for the development of the Urban Forestry Management Plan (excluding the tree inventory) is $49,800. The maximum amount allocated for the Tree Inventory (excluding the Urban Forestry Management Plan) is $28,500. Contractors adding additional scope, including implementation work, will be scored higher.

• Develop an urban forestry management plan with recommendations for the City of Hammond. The selected Contractor will handle the creation of the plan. The Contractor will engage in robust community outreach, and the plan will serve as the foundation of Hammond’s forestry efforts in the city. The plan will provide recommendations and guidance for the future and must be completed by the end of January 2026.

and / or:

• Conduct a tree inventory of the 3rd district of the City of Hammond, including Harrison Park. The selected Contractor will handle this activity. The inventory will include trees in the 3rd district streets, and in Harrison Park, and it will follow the Indiana Department of Natural Resources’ Street Tree Inventory Requirements. This is scheduled for completion by the end of April 2025 and will be paired with a tree planting project in Harrison Park to ensure a holistic approach to urban forestry.

Tasks included within the Scope of Service are:

1. Urban Forestry Management Plan

The Contractor shall develop an Urban Forestry Management Plan that roughly follows the outline below, with the Recommendations section being a core element of the plan. Findings from the Tree Inventory of the third district will be included in the plan as well. The final outline can be adjusted as needed based on findings and community engagements outcomes.

Urban Forestry Management Plan outline:

Executive Summary

Introduction and Background

• The City of Hammond’s climate, geographic area, and history of urban forestry
• Vulnerabilities and equity considerations
• Overview of the plan: Purpose, goals, and scope

Vision for Urban Forestry in Hammond

• Tree species and conditions
• Benefits of trees and opportunities for urban forestry
• Specific objectives for the plan

Tree Canopy Assessment

• Data and analysis of current trees and tree canopy coverage
• Existing policies and regulations
• Potential for growth and ecosystem services (carbon sequestration, air quality, biodiversity)

Planting and Maintenance Plan

• Tree selection, planting, and care
• Tree planting maps, detailing precise locations and species, incorporating community feedback and inventory data
• Maintenance plan, detailing equipment and funding, and roles and responsibilities

Metrics and Management

• Monitoring and evaluation
• Metrics for long-term sustainability
  • Number of trees planted
  • Acres of habitat restored
  • Gallons of stormwater runoff treated annually
  • Total carbon sequestered annually
• Budget and funding strategy

Community Engagement

• Methods to involve the public
• Educational programming
• Partnerships & decision making

Recommendations & Next Steps

• Localized solutions, based on input from the community
• Targeted interventions with an actionable work plan
• Priority actions

The Contractor shall work with a Community Engagement Specialist to integrate community feedback and decision making into the Urban Forestry Management Plan. Outreach activities are prioritized throughout the project with continuous community engagement being crucial in enhancing both the Urban Forestry Management Plan and the planting initiative at Harrison Park and in other areas of Hammond. A Community Stakeholder Working Group will ensure that the design and implementation efforts maximize the community benefits and project delivery goals. A specific community engagement strategy, focusing on community needs, will be developed by Delta Institute. 

The Contractor shall also work with Davey Resource Group, Inc. and Indiana University’s Environmental Resilience Institute Green Infrastructure Fellow on incorporating results from Davey Resource Group’ s tree canopy assessment (UTCC) for the entire City of Hammond, and additional GIS assessment of UTCC done by the Fellow. The Fellow will begin working in Hammond in May 2025 and will continue until mid-August 2025. After that, the Fellow will work remotely until the planting is completed during the fall 2025.

The Canopy Assessment will include:

• Landcover data in 5 classifications (forest, grass/shrubs, bare soil, open water, impermeable surfaces)
• Resolution is 30-60 cm from the National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP)
• These images find plantable areas in the community
• Early additional layer (provided by Stephanie Freeman-Day, once data is received)- possible planting areas within DACs (bare soils and grass/shrubs land types that are not in No Planting Sites such as cemeteries, ballfields, etc.)

Additional GIS analysis will include (for pixels at 1-meter resolution):

• Distance from tree canopy (using UTCC data)
• Distance from impervious surfaces (using landcover data)
• Urban Heat Island (using Landsat data)
• Stormwater Resilience Data (using publicly available data layers: slope, soil permeability, soil erodibility, distance to stream)
• Sociodemographic data (from layers available to IU students on Simply Analytics- customizable but often include income, race, level of education, population density, vulnerable populations i.e., children and seniors)

2. Tree Inventory

The Contractor shall complete a Community Tree Inventory of the 3rd district streets and Harrison Park that includes at minimum the data fields below (according to IN DNR Addendum B: Street Tree Inventory Requirements). The maximum amount allocated for the Tree Inventory (excluding the Urban Forestry Management Plan) is $28,500, and the inventory must be completed by April 30, 2025.

i)   Tree Number/Code (unique to each tree)
ii)   GPS Position Coordinates (in a format compatible for GIS mapping tools)
iii)   Street Name
iv)   Address
v)   Genus & species
vi)   i-Tree Species Code (found at itreetools.org)
vii)   Diameter at Breast Height (DBH)
viii)   Land Use
ix)   Site Type
x)   Tree Condition
xi)   Maintenance Needs
xii)   Maintenance Priority
xiii)   Sidewalk Damage
xiv)   Utility Conflicts
xv)   Plantable Spaces (by tree size)
xvi)   Risk Tree Assessment (level 1 or above)

A list of trees inventoried to date should be collected and analyzed. i-Tree is a suite of analysis tools that are free and can be downloaded at www.itreetools.org. Analysis reports should be completed and should include but are not limited to:

i)   % individuals by species
ii)   % benefit by species
iii)   % age class
iv)   Carbon sequestered by species
v)   Energy conservation by species
vi)   Air pollution reduction by species
vii)   Property values by species
viii)   The economic values associated with each analysis above

When the project is complete, the Contractor will submit the following to Delta Institute:

i)   The complete inventory in Excel
ii)   Any ArcGIS shape/point data layers produced as part of the project
iii)   An executive summary of the results (usually written by the consultant)
iv)   A species list breakdown
v)   A condition list breakdown
vi)   A recommended removal list breakdown
vii)   A maintenance list breakdown
viii)   A list of vacant tree spaces for S, M, and L trees
ix)   Lists and reports generated in i-Tree analysis program applications. These lists will include:

1. Pie or bar charts with species distributions
2. The age balance in your urban forest
3. Replacement value
4. Ecosystem services values, including, but not limited to:

(a) Energy conservation
(b) Carbon sequestration
(c) Air quality
(d) Stormwater interception
(e) Economic/social benefits

The chosen Contractor is expected to work closely with Delta Institute to ensure that the project’s design and implementation work is properly completed in a cost-effective, responsive, and timely manner.

Project Schedule

Our intent is for the following schedule of activities, subject to change:

Please note that this RFP is for the Urban Forestry Management Plan Development project activity and/or the Tree Inventory project activity only.

The chosen Contractor must be able to commit resources to this project to ensure adherence to the proposed project schedule.

Requisite Experience

The chosen Contractor must be a certified forester and possess the ability, experience, and reputation for quality service necessary to produce high-quality and functional designs that prioritize:

Proposal Checklist

All proposals must include this completed proposal checklist with the following completed components:
□ Completed Non-collusion Affidavit Form.
□ Completed Official Proposal Pricing Form.
□ Proposal narrative (10 pages max) identifying a clear understanding of the project scope, the contractor’s approach to project management, and if bidding for the Urban Forestry Management Plan scope, identify how they will engage stakeholder groups, gather community feedback, and integrate feedback into the development of the Urban Forestry Management Plan.
□ Completed References and Qualifications Form.
□ No more than three 1-page informational summaries of referenced projects with pictures and graphics from those projects with name of client, location, and contact information.
□ Description of key personnel with brief bios and their role on this project.
□ Résumé for project manager with whom Delta will interface.
□ Certificate of Insurance.
□ Letter from the Contractor’s insurance agent or corporate Risk Management Department acknowledging that the Contractor is able to comply with all insurance requirements
□ Completed Delta Institute Signature Authorization Form.
□ Completed Delta Institute Questionnaire Form.
□ Completed Delta Institute Exception Form.
□ Completed Delta Institute Workers’ Compensation Certificate Form.
□ Completed Acknowledgement of Addendum Form for all Addendums Form.
□ Drug Free workplace policies and procedures.
□ Affidavit and statement regarding E-Verify compliance.
□ No investment in Iranian energy sector.

Method and Criteria for Selection

Delta Institute will evaluate each proposal.

A Proposal Selection Committee, consisting of at least three members, will be appointed by the Delta Institute to review all proposals. The Committee will review each written proposal submitted to determine if they meet the requirements of this RFP. Failure to meet the essential requirements of this RFP may be cause for rejection of the proposal. The Committee will make independent random checks of the proposer’s references as well as major sub-contractors.

The proposers may submit a proposal only for the Urban Forestry Management Plan, only for the Tree Inventory, or for both the Urban Forestry Management Plan and the Tree Inventory. The RPF also allows multiple applicants to propose as a team.

The following criteria will be applied by the Committee to evaluate each proposal with the relative weight to be attributed (in points) to each criterion:

Proposals will be evaluated on Bidder’s qualifications, technical approach, and relevant experience.

Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (e.g., Minority-owned business enterprises or MBEs, Women-owned business enterprises or WBEs, etc.) are encouraged to respond to this RFP.

Firms with staff with some of the following credentials and licenses will be considered more qualified than those that do not have any: P.E., ASLA, and/or AIA.

Upon proposals being scored by the Committee, the Delta Institute reserve the right to accept or reject any and all proposals, to waive any irregularities or informalities in any proposal, and to award a contract to the Contractor who best meets the RFP’s requirements.

Relevant factors include completeness and accuracy of proposal; references from other owners, developers, or municipalities regarding past work done by the Contractor and its subs; combination of the certifications; customer service record and experience of the proposed staff; ability to complete the job in the specified time; or other considerations to the advantage of the Delta Institute.

Proposals may not be withdrawn for a period of ninety (90) days after the date set for opening thereof, unless otherwise required by law.

The award of the contract, if awarded, will be made within sixty (60) days after opening of the Proposals. The proposer’s signature on the Proposal form shall constitute a commitment on the part of the proposer to perform the work in a workmanlike manner as set forth in the Request for Proposal. The Contractor to whom the contract is awarded shall be notified upon award of the contract by the Delta Institute. The Proposal Form, the Terms and Conditions, the Special Provisions, the Request for Proposal, together with any plans and/or attachments, shall all be considered as part of the contract between the Delta Institute and the Contractor to whom the contract is awarded.

Discussions may be conducted with responsible proposers who submit proposals determined by the Committee to be reasonably susceptible of being selected for award.

The prospective contractor is advised that, should its proposal result in award of a contract, the contract will not be in effect until it is approved and fully executed by the Delta Institute.

To access the full RFP, including the Terms and Conditions, and all required forms for submissions, click here to download the PDF.