Resources · For CAMs, boards & property managers
How to write a landscape maintenance RFP
Most bad landscape contracts start with a vague scope. Use this checklist to write an RFP that gets you comparable bids — and a contractor who knows exactly what they agreed to.
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Why the scope matters more than the price
When an RFP says “maintain the grounds,” every bidder prices a different job. One assumes weekly mowing year-round, another drops to every other week in the dry season; one includes palm pruning, another bills it as extra work. The lowest bid is often just the narrowest reading of the scope — and the difference shows up later as change orders and complaints.
A written scope fixes that. It tells bidders exactly what to price, gives your board a fair comparison, and becomes the standard you hold the winning contractor to.
Before you write it
- Walk the property and note current problems: dead turf, failing irrigation zones, overgrown trees, drainage issues.
- Pull the current contract and list what is included, what is billed as extra, and what residents complain about most.
- Decide what the board cares about: entrance appearance, amenity areas, storm readiness, budget predictability.
After bids come in
- Compare line items, not totals. Ask any bidder whose number looks low which items they excluded.
- Ask how each contractor reports work and deficiencies, and who your day-to-day contact will be.
- Check references at properties similar to yours in size and type.
- Confirm insurance certificates and licenses before awarding.
Printable checklist
Landscape maintenance RFP scope checklist
Copy these items into your RFP, or print this page and check them off as you write it.
Property profile
- Site plan or map marking maintained areas
- Approximate turf, bed, and common-area acreage
- Tree and palm counts, with any specimen or protected trees noted
- Irrigation: number of controllers, zones, pumps, and wells
- Water features, retention areas, and lakes or canal banks included in scope
Turf, beds, and shrubs
- Mowing frequency for the wet season and the dry season
- Edging, string trimming, and blowing standards for every visit
- Shrub and hedge trimming frequency and height standards
- Weed control in beds, hardscape cracks, and turf
- Mulch type, depth, and number of applications per year
- Annual or seasonal color: bed locations, quantities, and rotations
Trees and palms
- Pruning standard to follow (ANSI A300)
- Palm pruning scope: dead fronds, seed pods, and coconuts, without over-pruning
- Height or clearance limits included in base price vs. billed as extra work
- Who obtains tree-removal permits when they are required
Irrigation
- Wet-check frequency and what gets reported after each check
- Repair authorization threshold (dollar amount the contractor can fix without approval)
- Controller programming and compliance with local watering restrictions
- Pump and well responsibilities, if any
Fertilization and plant health
- Turf and shrub fertilization program and schedule
- Compliance with county and city fertilizer ordinances
- Insect and disease monitoring, and who is licensed to apply treatments
Storms and emergencies
- Pre-storm preparation tasks and timing
- Post-storm response priorities (entrances, roads, egress first)
- Unit rates for storm cleanup and debris removal, agreed before the season
- Expected response time for emergencies
Reporting and quality control
- Single point of contact for the account
- Quality-control walk frequency, with the manager or board when requested
- Written deficiency reports with photos and corrective actions
- Service documentation: what was performed and when
Insurance, licensing, and contract terms
- Required general liability, auto, and workers’ compensation coverage
- Certificate of insurance naming the association as additional insured
- Applicable licenses for pesticide and fertilizer application
- Contract term, renewal, and termination-notice period
- How extra work is proposed, approved, and billed
Pricing format
- Monthly price with a line-item breakdown by service
- Unit rates for common extras (mulch, annuals, irrigation parts and labor, tree work)
- Mandatory site walk before bids are due
- Bid due date, questions deadline, and contact for questions
Earthy · goearthy.com · (786) 498-5060
FAQ
RFP questions from community managers
What should a landscape maintenance RFP include?
A clear property profile, service frequencies by season, tree and palm standards, irrigation responsibilities and a repair approval threshold, storm response terms, reporting requirements, insurance requirements, contract terms, and a pricing format that lets you compare bids line by line.
Why do landscape bids for the same property come in so far apart?
Usually because the scope is open to interpretation. When frequencies, standards, and extra-work rules are not written down, each contractor prices a different job. A detailed scope and a required site walk make bids comparable.
Should the RFP require a site walk?
Yes. A walk lets every bidder see the same conditions, ask questions, and price existing problems rather than discovering them after the contract starts.
How should storm cleanup be priced in a maintenance contract?
Agree on unit rates for storm cleanup and debris removal before hurricane season, along with response priorities. That avoids negotiating prices after a storm, when every contractor is in demand.
Going out to bid?
Invite Earthy to walk the property before bids are due. We’ll review your current scope and tell you what we see — useful for the RFP whether or not we win the work.