SC190071 - Urban Grass, Shrubs, Hedges and Rose Bed Maintenance

Kent County Council (the Client) is the largest local authority in England covering an area of 3,500 square kilometres. It has an annual expenditure of over £1bn on goods and services and a population of 1.5m. The Client provides a wide range of personal and strategic services on behalf of its residents, operating in partnership with 12 district councils and 309 parish/town councils.

The Client consists of three operational directorates (Adult Social Care & Health, Children, Young People & Education; and Growth, Environment & Transport) and one service directorate (Strategic and Corporate Services).This requirement is for Highway Urban grass, Shrub and Hedge Maintenance Services within the Growth, Environment and Transport (GET) Directorate.

It is expected that the contract will commence upon 1st February 2021 and will continue for an initial period of five years. There is also potential to extend for up to a further three years in accordance with the extension clauses.

The Contractor will be responsible for programmed works and additional ad-hoc provision. The main service areas comprise of urban grass, shrub and hedge cutting to contribute to visual amenity and keep roads and pavements clear of vegetation for safe passage of highway users.

The main activities required under this contract consist of the following:

Six Programmed Urban Grass Cutting visits
One Shrub bed maintenance visit
One Hedge maintenance visit
Conservation Verge and Wildflower programmed maintenance visits
Other programmed activities
Ad-hoc works

Further details of the potential services required throughout the duration of the contract can be found under the draft specification schedule.

The Client is seeking two Contractors to provide the service detailed above across two available Lots covering East and West Kent. The division of the services into Lots is as follows:

Lot 1 (West) Dartford, Gravesham, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge & Malling and Tunbridge Wells
Lot 2 (East) Maidstone, Swale, Canterbury and Thanet

The Client will award the lots to individual contractors based on the most economically advantageous tender. Tenderers are invited to bid for any or all of the Lots.