Defining The Scope of Work
1. Write And Manage The RFP Process
2. RFP Guidelines—Prepare To Hire A Contractor That Fits Your Needs
3. Qualifying Contractors
4. Beyond The Bid—Expect More
5. The Choice Is Yours
Your commercial property is an environment all its own—and a level of stewardship, expertise and professionalism is required to properly care for it. Your landscape should “work” for you as an attractive, functional asset that serves a useful, beneficial purpose. At Klausing Group, we believe your grounds do more than just look good. Beyond curb appeal, your Central Kentucky landscapes should give back to the environment, and deliver more value to your property and the people who use it.
All of this might sound like a tall order. But these are realistic expectations. That said, there are specific maintenance requirements to sustain a healthy, vibrant landscape. A level of expertise and professionalism—high standards—is necessary to properly manage your grounds.
So, where do you begin?
There is a system for hiring the right grounds management provider to maintain your commercial landscape. You can position the commercial property you manage for success by carefully writing and executing the RFP process, qualifying contactors, evaluating bids, and ultimately knowing what to expect of the maintenance services in your contract.
Keep in mind, you’re not just hiring a landscaper. You are inviting a grounds maintenance provider to act as an extension of your team. Therefore, the hiring process deserves your attention and a thorough process to ensure optimum results.
The basic landscape maintenance requirements will get you a healthy, attractive property that retains its value because turf, plants and trees are kept in good condition. A landscape maintenance crew will visit your property on a weekly basis during the peak turf growth season in spring, and then bi-weekly throughout the summer.
Mowing Maintenance: In Kentucky, we consider 28 mows to be the minimum annual occurrences for an unirrigated property to look good. That allows for one mow per week from April 1 to June 30. Then in July and August, we can pare down to every 10 to 14 days and still keep the property looking well-kept. During those hot summer months in Kentucky, turf growth slows down.
Tip: Mowing services should include edging the sidewalks and curb, string trimming, and blowing off all clippings and debris. Find out if your landscape provider figures these extras into the mowing service. You need edging and cleanup to get the quality results you expect.
Weeding: Without weeding, your ornamental beds will quickly get taken over by the “plants” you don’t want in your landscaping. Weeds instantly makes a property look like it is not cared for properly.
Tip: We recommend weeding beds every two weeks on a year-round basis. In Kentucky, weeds grow year-round—even in winter.
Lawn Care: With a basic lawn care program, some weeds will crop up during the season. But, turf will thrive and the program will prevent lawn disease and the majority of weeds. (Completely stopping weed growth in turf is challenging and requires regular spot-treatment with herbicides—not a basic service.)
Pruning: Shrubs should be pruned at least twice a year. Two times is the minimum, and this generally happens in June, then again in August or September. Most commercial properties we service do not require pruning beyond this basic landscape maintenance scope.
Tree Care: Annual tree pruning is a service that happens in January or February. One time per year is sufficient for most properties. We address safety concerns first—branches that are blocking sight lines or dangerously hanging over walkways where pedestrians could get injured if limbs fall. We focus on pruning for safety, tree health, and for aesthetics.
Cleanup: Basic fall leaf cleanup includes three visits, depending on when leaves fall. This is different for every property based on the type and number of trees on the grounds. Spring cleanup involves removing leaves from landscape beds, and cutting back perennials and ornamental grasses that were left in place from fall.
Mulching: Following spring cleanup, landscape beds are ready for mulch in the middle of February to the end of March. Following this is generally an ornamental pre-emergent application to prevent spring weeds in beds with a follow up application in july to help reduce weeds.
Tip: Kentucky winters tend to be mild, we generally recommend waiting on mulch until after spring cleanup so the property looks fresh and ready for summer.
Some landscape providers look great on paper, but can they actually deliver? By avoiding common missteps during the RFP process, you’ll end the search for a grounds management provider with a partner you can trust.
You want to reduce risk in the bidding process. That means you’ll need ground rules for writing and managing the RFP process. That includes setting expectations for service so you can compare bids apples-to-apples.
There are many benefits to executing a carefully managed, fair RFP process:
With a well-defined RFP process, you will hire the best landscape provider for the job. Here are eight guidelines to include in your landscape maintenance RFP so you can gather a pool of quality providers, receive competitive bids, and conduct a fair selection process.
Hold a pre-bid meeting and request that all providers who plan to submit landscape maintenance RFPs attend. You want the best landscape maintenance companies to bid on your project.
Setting deadlines:
Will you choose the landscape maintenance firm that delivers the lowest priced bid, or one who has the most experience? What’s really important to you? Think this over thoroughly then put it on paper.
This can also help you narrow the pool of providers. If you will only select a landscape provider based on price, not every firm will submit a bid. If you’re looking specifically for a landscape firm that has been in business for at least 10 years, this parameter will weed out some newer players. Decide how you will measure the bids you receive.
Does the grounds maintenance provider have the capacity to manage your commercial property? Find out if they care for properties that are similar to yours—and ask for references. When you call references, ask property managers about their experiences working with the grounds management provider. What do they like about the company? What quality do they deliver, and how do they audit quality? What would they change? How do they resolve issues? Why did they hire the landscape firm and would they continue doing business with the company? What tips would they offer for making sure they get the best service from the landscape provider?
Find out about safety programs that are in place at landscape companies bidding on your contract. How do they train their employees? Do they require certifications, and which ones?
Now, dig deeper… It’s one thing to talk about your safety programs and weekly tailgate meetings, and another to prove their worth by maintaining a shiny insurance record. You’ll reduce a large pool of bidders by asking for proof that their safety programs are effective.
At Klausing Group, we hold a 0.8 experience modifier, which means that clients who hire us know our safety programs actually work.
Property maps ensure that landscape providers truly understand the size of your property and service boundaries. Knowing where service starts and stops is essential for proper pricing. (Note: Many companies will not seek out this map on their own—so give it to all bidders.)
How do you know if the landscape provider’s employees are legally documented? There are an estimated 35,000 undocumented immigrants working in Kentucky and many of them are employed by the landscaping, construction and service industries. But there’s a solution, and it’s called E-Verify: an Internet-based system that allows companies to determine the eligibility of employees to work in the United States.
Specifically identify frequency of service. For example, do you want 28 mowing visits per season—or 32 mowings? Do you expect one fall cleanup or leaf pickup on a weekly basis? Nail down the numbers.
Specificity matters because leaving areas open to interpretation can encourage bidders to include too little or too much labor and material costs in their bids. This increases the chance that some bids will not meet your needs. It also reduces your ability to compare bids based on one of the most important factors: competitive price.
By requiring specialists, you will narrow the pool of qualified vendors. So, determine what industry certifications you’d like your landscape provider to hold. Do you require specialists, such as certified arborists or employees who hold degrees in ornamental horticulture or landscape design? Clearly spell out the credentials you expect of your landscape provider.
There’s much more that goes into maintaining a commercial landscape than cutting grass. Qualifications you should look for in a landscape provider include safety records, experience, quality and commitment to the community.
The landscape provider you choose will be on your property at least weekly. Their team is a reflection of your business. Their professionalism and performance speak to your own standards.
So, how do you know the landscape firm will deliver quality—and offer the level of service you expect?
There’s a lot that goes into supporting commercial-grade, quality landscape maintenance services.
Let’s take a look at some qualifications we believe separate high-quality, reputable commercial landscape maintenance providers from the lot.
If your commercial property is expansive and requires a dedicated landscape maintenance crew that focuses just on your grounds, find out if the provider is equipped with the crew and equipment to fulfill your expectations.
The advantages of hiring a provider that can handle all of your landscape maintenance include single-source accountability, streamlined communications, and an opportunity to build a relationship with a provider that takes a stake in your property’s quality over the long-term. You want to be able to leverage the expertise of the provider.
If your commercial site will involve landscape construction requirements, be sure to hire a landscape provider that is experienced in completing complex projects and working with general contractors. This requires an entirely different set of expertise that goes beyond horticultural knowledge.
To work effectively with general contractors and construction managers, landscape providers need the following skills and certifications:
The most common mistake related to scope and service quality we see is when property managers make a decision based solely on price. A property has been neglected will degrade in quality and require an investment to bring it back up to standards. So, seriously consider the lifetime cost of landscape services before hiring a provider. Saving a few bucks on an annual maintenance contract could cost you thousands of dollars more if your grounds suffer and require renovation.
We talked about the importance of asking the grounds maintenance providers bidding for a contract with you to prove their safety record. But there are many layers to safety. Ask about safety best practices, and those should include:
Your grounds management provider can add value by decreasing your footprint on the environment. For example, we switched from higher-nitrogen fertilizers to a less volatile formula.
Tip: Did you know that by using the wrong type of nitrogen, more of the formula will volatilize and then leach into groundwater and drain into storm sewers?
Can your grounds management partner report on the impact it has (or doesn’t have!) while providing services on your property? We encourage you to find out. Because true partners support each other’s missions, and that includes efforts to improve safety.
Find out how the landscape provider is involved in the community. Does the company have programs or initiatives that give back and support the city and its people? For example, at Klausing Group, we have a program called 5% For The Community. We donate 5% of our annual profit to make Lexington and Louisville greener. So far, we have donated hundreds of thousands worth of landscaping services because we believe by giving our time and talent to the community we serve, we all profit.
Now, you have guidelines to put in place for implementing an effective, fair RFP process. You qualified the landscape contractor that’s a fit, confirmed their capabilities and awarded the bid. What can you expect of quality landscape services?
Quality grounds maintenance will keep your property healthy and vibrant—and do so much more.
Thoughtful landscaping can reduce water use, protect stormwater systems, offset the urban heat island effect, and create a natural habitat for wildlife.
So, the rigorous hiring process you put in place for selecting a landscape provider delivers ROI right to your bottom line, along with offering a community benefit.
You can expect:
The opportunity to enhance the value of your commercial property and literally “give back” to the environment is possible when you hire the right grounds maintenance firm to care for your landscape.
Let’s talk more about what you should know about hiring a landscape contractor. Call us any time in Lexington at 859.254.0762, and in Louisville at 502.264.0127. Or, fill out this simple contact form and we’ll get in touch with you.
