Greenville Utilities Commission is seeking qualified vendors to provide sewer root control services for the treatment of tree roots in municipal sewer lines. The scope includes treatment of mainline sewer sections ranging from 6-inch to 21-inch diameter pipes, with pricing required on a per-linear-foot basis and additional charges for manhole treatment.
The root control product must be registered with the US EPA and North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDACS) prior to bid opening and must be labeled for sewer use. The active ingredient must not be classified as restricted use due to acute toxicity, must be classified as "Not Likely to Be Carcinogenic to Humans" under EPA classification systems, and must be non-volatile to prevent worker and public exposure. The surfactant system must produce a dense, small bubble clinging foam that sustains for a minimum of one hour and enhances herbicide penetration into root masses. Products generating foam chemically upon water contact are not acceptable.
Contractor must provide a comprehensive guarantee for each treated sewer section (manhole-to-manhole). At the owner's option, the contractor shall re-treat a section at no cost or refund 100% of treatment payment if live roots are found within six months of application, or if the section plugs due to tree root obstruction within two years of treatment. The guarantee applies only to main line stoppages caused by tree roots and does not cover stoppages from grease, foreign matter, pipe deformation, or downstream surcharging. The contractor must return periodically at its sole expense to perform free re-treatments as required. Retreatments do not extend the guarantee expiration date, and the owner's determination of stoppage cause is binding.
Key dates include: RFP issue date of June 3, 2025; questions deadline of June 10, 2025 by 11:00 AM EDT; and proposal submission deadline of June 17, 2025 by 11:00 AM EDT. Evaluation will be based on vendor competence, qualifications, performance, quality of customer references, methodology demonstrating requirement understanding, project approach, cost-effectiveness, and contract terms acceptance. Selected vendors may be requested to provide formal presentations or unit demonstrations at mutually agreed dates and times.