PUBLIC NOTICE
SOQ 23-004
 
Professional Consulting Arborist Services
 
 
 
The Parish of Jefferson, authorized by Resolution No. 141133, is hereby soliciting the submittal of a Statement of Qualifications (General Professional Services Questionnaire) from persons or firms interested and qualified to provide professional consulting arborist services on an as-needed basis for projects located throughout Jefferson Parish (Parish-Wide).
 
Deadline for Submissions: 3:30 p.m. March 3, 2023
 
General
 
Specific Scope of Services includes providing site visits, ground level inspections, documentation, reports and related supplemental services on an as-needed basis for arborist services for locations throughout the Parish for a two year period.  No labor, tree climbing or aerial equipment work is required for this contract.
 
This contract shall not allow the use of a subcontractor.
 
All services shall be provided on an “as-needed” basis, and there shall be no guarantee as to the amount of work the firm or firms will be given during the term of the contract.
 
The Council, at its discretion, may choose one or more qualified persons or firms to provide the services.
 
Compensation
 
Compensation for the required services will be made on an hourly rate basis.  The direct rate shall be negotiated based on the Cost Proposal submitted by the consultant, which shall comprise of the consultant’s certified salary (hourly rate) plus a fee to cover overhead costs and profit of 2.4725%.
 
All costs associated with this project shall be subject to Jefferson Parish review and approval.
 
The maximum yearly cap established by Jefferson Parish based on anticipated needs for these services shall be $100,000.00, and the established cap shall not be increased without Council approval.  
 
Minimum Requirements for Selection 
The persons or firms under consideration shall have at least one (1) principal, or one (1) professional in charge, who is a Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry licensed arborist in the State of Louisiana with a minimum of five (5) years’ experience (Section C. of General Professional Services Questionnaire). 
Evaluation Criteria
 
The following criteria will be used to evaluate each firm submitting a Statement of Qualifications:
 
Professional training and experience in relation to the type of work required for professional consulting arborist services.  (Maximum points awarded shall be 40).
Capacity for timely completion of newly assigned work, considering the factors of type of professional consulting arborist tasks, current unfinished workload, and person or firm’s available professional and support personnel.  (Maximum points awarded shall be 20).
Adversarial legal proceedings between the Parish and the person or firm performing professional services, in which the Parish prevailed or any ongoing adversarial legal procedures between the Parish and the person or firm performing professional services, excluding those instances or cases where the person or firm was added as an indispensable party, or where the person or firm participated in or assisted the public entity in prosecution of its claim.  In the event that the person or firm fails to provide accurate and detailed information regarding legal proceedings with the Parish, including the absence of legal proceedings, the person or firm shall be deemed unresponsive with regard to this category, and zero (0) points shall be awarded.  (Maximum points awarded shall be 10 for the lack of any such adversarial proceedings as defined).
Prior successful completion of projects of the type and nature of the professional consulting arborist services, as defined, for which firm has provided verifiable references.  (Maximum points awarded shall be 20).
Cost Proposal comprising of the proposer’s certified salary (annual) plus a fee to cover overhead costs and profit of 2.3. (10 points) 
 
Only those persons or firms receiving an overall cumulative score of at least seventy percent (70%) or greater of the total possible points for all categories to be assigned by the participating Evaluation Committee members shall be deemed qualified to perform professional consulting arborist services.
 
 
All persons or firms must submit a Statement of Qualifications (General Professional Service Questionnaire) by the deadline. The latest professional services questionnaire may be obtained by contacting the Purchasing Department at (504) 364-2678 or via the Jefferson Parish website at www.jeffparish.net. This questionnaire can be accessed by hovering over “Business and Development” on the website and clicking on the Professional Services Questionnaires option under “Doing Business in Jefferson Parish”.
 
The person or firm submitting a Statement of Qualification (General Professional Service Questionnaire) shall not use a subcontractor to assist in providing professional services for the project.
 
Submissions will only be accepted electronically via Jefferson Parish’s e-Procurement site, Central Bidding at www.centralauctionhouse.com or www.jeffparishbids.net.  Registration is required and free for Jefferson Parish vendors by accessing the following link: www.centralauctionhouse.com/registration.php.
 
No submittals will be accepted after the deadline.
 
Affidavits are not required to be submitted with the Statement of Qualifications, but shall be submitted prior to contract approval.
 
Disputes/protests relating to the decisions by the evaluation committee or by the Jefferson Parish Council shall be brought before the 24th Judicial Court.
 
 
 
ADV: The New Orleans Advocate: February 8 and 15, 2023