CITY OF MILBANK, SOUTH DAKOTA REQUEST FOR BIDS (RFB) Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Tree Treatment Services
CITY OF MILBANK, SOUTH DAKOTA REQUEST FOR BIDS (RFB) Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Tree Treatment Services
I. INVITATION TO BID
The City of Milbank, South Dakota, is seeking sealed bids from qualified and licensed contractors to provide systemic insecticide treatment services for designated ash trees as part of the City’s Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Mitigation Plan (2026–2032).
Sealed bids will be received at the Office of the Finance Officer, City of Milbank, 1001 E. 4th Avenue, Milbank, SD 57252, until April 1, 2026, at 2:00 pm, at which time they will be publicly opened and read.
II. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
This three-year project includes the removal of designated ash trees located in City parks and cemetery properties. Boulevard (right-of-way) trees are private responsibility and are not included in this bid unless specifically identified.
The project consists of providing systemic trunk injection treatment for designated ash trees located in City Parks and Cemetery properties.
Treatment shall:
• Be administered via trunk injection method
• Use an EPA-approved insecticide labeled for Emerald Ash Borer control (e.g., emamectin benzoate or approved equivalent)
• Provide a minimum two-year control interval, at rate of 10 ml/diameter inch for 4% AI
• Be applied in accordance with manufacturer specifications and all applicable federal and state regulations
• Be performed by properly licensed applicators
The City anticipates treating approximately 150 trees annually as part of its 1/6 rotational treatment strategy.
III. Goals of the Program
1. Protect ash trees from emerald ash borer infestation on city-owned properties including parks.
2. Provide a bulk discount through a formal city program to encourage residents to proactively inject their ash trees growing in the right-of-way and private property yards in order to preserve the city’s tree canopy and the accompanying economic and environmental benefits.
3. Educate city residents about the benefits of tree injection treatments for high value ash trees as part of an overall EAB plan.
4. Collect GPS points for injected ash trees growing in the right-of-way and private property in advance of an emerald ash borer infestation. The information will be used to ensure communication occurs before condemning potentially protected trees, and to gauge the participation and success of the program over time.
IV. PRICING REQUIREMENT
Bidders must provide pricing as follows:
Cost per diameter inch (DBH) measured at 4.5 feet above ground level (Diameter at Breast Height – DBH).
• DBH shall be measured at 4.5 feet above grade.
• Pricing shall be stated as:
$_____ per diameter inch (DBH at 4.5)
No lump sum bids will be accepted.
The unit price shall include:
• Chemical product
• Labor
• Equipment
• Mobilization
• Application
• Documentation and reporting
• Any incidental costs necessary to complete treatment
V. CONTRACT TERM
The contract covers the calendar treatment seasons from April 1, 2026 through May 31, 2029.
While it is anticipated that the majority of the removal will be completed by May 31, 2029, the City will continue treatment for at least the next three years. The City reserves the right to renew the contract annually for up to three additional years, contingent upon satisfactory performance, and budget approval.
V. CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS
A bidder must be a properly insured, respected, and financially viable company. It is preferred that the bidder has been in business for at least five (5) years, with at least three (3) years of experience performing plant health care or injection treatments. There must be at least one ISA certified arborist available to supervise the program and the application crew(s). All members of the application crew must be licensed commercial pesticide applicators.
The contractor must have a competent superintendent who is an ISA certified arborist supervising all application crews. The contractor must also provide an adequate and qualified staff certified for the proper coordination and expediting of work under this agreement.
Bidders must:
• Hold a valid South Dakota Commercial Pesticide Applicator License
• Provide proof of liability insurance (minimum $1,000,000 per occurrence)
• Provide proof of workers’ compensation coverage
• Demonstrate experience in municipal ash tree treatment programs
• Identify product to be used and provide product label information
VI. SCOPE OF WORK REQUIREMENTS
The contractor shall:
1. Coordinate scheduling with the City.
2. Measure and document DBH at 4.5 feet.
3. Apply treatment according to manufacturer label rates.
4. Provide a treatment report listing:
o Tree ID (if provided)
o Location
o DBH
o Product used
o Date of application
o Applicator name/license number
5. Clearly mark treated trees if requested by the City.
6. Maintain safe pedestrian access during application.
VII. AWARD OF CONTRACT
The contract will be awarded to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder based on per-diameter-inch pricing, qualifications, product effectiveness, and ability to meet schedule requirements.
The City reserves the right to:
• Accept or reject any or all bids
• Waive informalities
• Award in the best interest of the City
Awarded bidder must become a licensed arborist with the City of Milbank within ten business days of notification of the award.
Final award is subject to City Council approval.
VIII. FUNDING
Funding is provided through the City’s EAB Mitigation Plan operating budget. No federal or state grant funding is currently dedicated to this project.
IX. BID SUBMITTAL
Bids must be clearly marked:
“RFB – EAB Tree Treatment Services”
Submit to:
City Finance Officer
City of Milbank
1001 E. 4th Avenue
Milbank, SD 57252
X. CONTACT INFORMATION
Questions regarding this RFB should be directed to:
City Administrator
City of Milbank
Phone: (605) 432 -9575
Tree Injection Services
Proposer Qualifications
If more room is needed, please attach additional sheets to the packet.
1. List number of years in business.
2. How many years of experience does the company have in performing plant health care or injection treatments for local units of government or other public agencies.
3. List of References/Communities worked for (3 references minimum). Community Name Contact Name Phone Number Last Work Date.
4. List names of person(s) who will supervise this contract, number of years of experience, and ISA Certified Arborist number.
5. List names of person(s) who will perform field inspections for this contract (providing estimates and tree evaluations), number of years of experience, qualifications and ISA Certified Arborist number if applicable.
6. List names of licensed commercial pesticide applicators available for this contract and their qualifications.
Qualifications
1. Please describe the training protocol for your applicators including length of time spent training, content, and methods you employ to ensure uniform, consistent tree protection results.
2. List of equipment available for this project to inject ash and elm trees.
3. List the size of the drill bit and hole used to deliver treatment.
4. Please describe the guarantee, warranty period and eligibility for ash treatments.
5. Does the company have the ability to assist with producing marketing and education materials for the program? Please describe or include examples of previous work and any ideas to reach out to city residents.
6. Does the company have the necessary tools, equipment, and staff to inventory injected trees and collect data to comply with the Tree Attribute Schema (Attachments)?
PRICING & BID FORM
Appendix Y
Tree measurements shall be at 4 1/2 feet above ground. For the purposes of determining breast height, the ground includes the duff layer that may be present, but does not include unincorporated woody debris that may rise above the ground line. Tree diameters shall be rounded to the nearest whole number. The Contractor must provide pricing for all size classes. Failure to provide pricing for all items will render the contractor non-responsive. The DBH for multi-stemmed trees shall be determined by calculating the square root of the sum of all stem’s squared diameter. The Contractor must quote this bid following the Specifications in this document, and must inject Emamectin Benzoate based on the DBH and the Treatment Rate Chart. (Appendix Z)
Treatment Rate Chart
Appendix Z
City of Milbank, South Dakota
Bid Evaluation Score Sheet
Emerald Ash Borer Tree Removal / Treatment Services
Project: _________________________
Bid Opening Date: __________________
Evaluator Name: ___________________
Bidder Name: ______________________
Evaluation Criteria
Scoring Guidance
Score Description
10 Excellent/Exceeds
requirements
8 Very good
6 Acceptable
4 Below expectations
2 Poor
0 Non-responsive
Bidder: __________________________
___________________________________
Bid Price: ________________________
Bid Rank: _____
Evaluator Comments _______________
___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ ___________________________________
Recommendation
☐ Recommend Award
☐ Do Not Recommend
Signature: _________________________
Date: ___________________
March 18 March 25
