How to Prepare a Landscaping RFP

Why an address is not a landscape scope

Giving contractors a property address and requesting a monthly price leaves them to decide what areas, quantities, tasks, and service levels are included. Even after a site walk, each contractor may make different assumptions.

A strong RFP provides a common property definition and explains what condition the organization expects throughout the year.

Scope-to-Go begins with the property, service zones, and desired result because a site visit cannot replace a written common scope.

Map the service zones

Divide the property into zones that can be identified on a map, aerial image, drawing, or site walk. Separate areas when their materials, use, access, risk, or service level differs.

Quantities do not have to be perfect to be useful, but the RFP should tell bidders what is confirmed, what is approximate, and what they must field-verify before submitting a proposal.

• Turf, beds, hedges, trees, natural areas, ponds, and retention areas
• Entrances, frontages, courtyards, fields, medians, rights-of-way, and fence lines
• Hardscape, sidewalks, parking edges, drains, irrigation zones, and exterior service areas
• High-visibility, restricted, environmentally sensitive, or owner-maintained zones
• Maps, photographs, approximate quantities, and contractor-verification requirements

The platform asks where service begins and ends so every bidder includes the same maintained property.

Create the seasonal service schedule

Landscape workload changes with local growing conditions, weather, leaf drop, irrigation demand, and seasonal color. A single annual frequency can cause either under-service during growth or unnecessary visits during slower periods.

Define each task and its seasonal frequency or performance trigger. If contractors may propose an alternate schedule, require them to show how the proposed schedule will maintain the required result.

• Mowing, edging, trimming, blowing, litter pickup, and bed maintenance
• Pruning cycles and plant-specific restrictions
• Mulch, fertilization, weed, pest, and disease treatment
• Leaf, freeze, storm-debris, and seasonal-color activities
• Irrigation observation, adjustment, repair authorization, and reporting

Scope-to-Go collects task and frequency information because recurring grounds work must be schedulable and inspectable.

Write measurable appearance standards

A frequency tells the contractor when to perform a task; an appearance standard describes the result. Both are needed. Mowing every week does not guarantee acceptable turf if clumps, scalping, missed strips, or debris remain.

Use observable conditions appropriate to the property rather than vague phrases such as “maintain professionally.”

• Turf height range, uniform cut, edging, clippings, and scalping limits
• Beds free of specified weeds, litter, and excessive leaf accumulation
• Shrubs and trees pruned for intended form, clearance, visibility, and health
• Hardscape and entrances left free of blowing debris and avoidable staining
• Damage, disease, pests, irrigation leaks, trip hazards, and dead plant material reported

The builder asks what acceptable appearance looks like so inspections can be based on the approved requirement rather than preference alone.

Define irrigation responsibilities carefully

Irrigation is a frequent source of unclear responsibility. State whether the contractor only observes system operation, performs routine adjustment, makes minor repairs, or is responsible for a broader water-management program.

Require a clear authorization process for work outside the base service. Identify who controls schedules, how leaks are reported, and whether repair parts or labor are included.

• Inspection frequency and operational checks
• Controller access and schedule adjustments
• Leak, break, coverage, and overspray reporting
• Included repairs versus quoted or unit-priced repairs
• Water-use goals, weather response, and owner approvals

Scope-to-Go separates base responsibilities from authorization-based work so irrigation costs do not remain hidden in assumptions.

Protect people property and operations

Grounds work occurs around pedestrians, vehicles, windows, air intakes, equipment, occupied buildings, and public access. State the protections and coordination the organization requires.

Also identify licensing, chemical notification, product-label, storage, and documentation requirements that apply to the service.

• Pedestrian and vehicle control
• Protection from debris, overspray, dust, noise, and open excavations
• Coordination around deliveries, events, emergency access, and sensitive operations
• Chemical application notice, posting, records, and qualified applicators
• Damage reporting, immediate hazards, and restoration responsibility

The platform asks about operating constraints because service methods and staffing change when the property remains occupied.

Set reporting inspection and correction expectations

Require enough reporting to confirm service and surface conditions needing owner decisions. Avoid reports that create paperwork without helping manage the property.

Pair the SOW with an SLA that defines inspection, correction, and escalation. A missed litter pickup may need routine correction, while an irrigation leak or storm hazard may require immediate notification.

• Service logs, photographs, and work completed
• Irrigation, plant-health, safety, damage, and pest observations
• Inspection frequency and representative zones
• Routine, urgent, and emergency response times
• Repeat-deficiency escalation and approved service remedies

Scope-to-Go keeps the service requirements and suggested SLA controls together while allowing the facility manager to edit each expectation.

Structure a common pricing basis

Ask every contractor to price the same base property and service schedule. Separate enhancements, allowances, emergency work, and optional zones so the base prices remain comparable.

Unit prices are useful for variable work such as mulch, plant replacement, sod, irrigation labor, and storm response, but each rate should state what labor, material, equipment, disposal, travel, and minimum charge it includes.

• Monthly base service by property or zone
• Annual or seasonal enhancement allowances
• Unit prices for predictable variable work
• Emergency and after-hours rates
• Optional zones or service levels shown as alternates
• Exclusions, assumptions, staffing approach, and annual adjustment terms

Scope-to-Go carries the approved scope into bid comparison so a lower price can be checked for omitted zones, seasons, tasks, or support costs.

Issue the RFP and preserve the decision record

Before issue, confirm the scope, maps, schedule, proposal instructions, site-visit process, questions deadline, and evaluation method are consistent. Send material changes to every bidder through a written addendum.

After proposals arrive, compare scope alignment before totals. Preserve clarifications, the facility manager’s recommendation, and management approval with the project record.

The platform connects scope building, addenda, proposal comparison, clarification, recommendation, and approval so the project does not fragment across separate emails and files.