Four contractors have responded to a Request For Proposals (RFP) issued by the City of Tacoma seeking arborists to provide consulting services.

RFP documents prepared by City staff show qualified arborists must be able to conduct tree risk assessments, tree appraisals, and provide consulting advice for City projects; have vast experience working in urban areas and for municipalities; be able to work on-call and in concert with City of Tacoma staff and contractors working on behalf of the City as needed; have and maintain a current International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certification, ISA Tree Risk Assessor Course and Exam (TRACE) certification or Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ), and American Society of Consulting Arborists (ASCA) registry is preferred; be experienced in expert testimony and be prepared for potential litigation and/or a public hearing.

The City issued the RFP in October, according to a legal notice published in the Tacoma Daily Index (see “City of Tacoma seeks consulting arborist,” Tacoma Daily Index, Oct. 28, 2015).

The budget for the three-year contract is estimated at $75,000. The deadline to respond to the RFP expired on Tues., Nov. 10. A contract is expected to be awarded by the end of this year.

According to information posted on the City’s Web site, the following contractors responded to the RFP: Tree Solutions Inc. (Seattle, Wash.); Community Forestry Consultants Inc. (Spokane, Wash.); Davey Resource Group (Kent, Ohio); and Arborist Consulting Services (Federal Way, Wash.).

To read the Tacoma Daily Index‘s complete and comprehensive coverage of the City of Tacoma’s Urban Forest program, click on the following links:

• City of Tacoma seeks consulting arborist (Tacoma Daily Index, Oct. 28, 2015)
• Restoration projects planned for Pierce County’s Bresemann Forest, Spanaway Park (Tacoma Daily Index, Aug. 5, 2015)
• 75 trees to be planted along I-5 in Tacoma (Tacoma Daily Index, April 7, 2015)
• Schuster Slope: Public meeting April 30 to discuss management plan (Tacoma Daily Index, March 30, 2015)
• After ‘game-changing’ injuries, Tacoma’s urban forester resigns (Tacoma Daily Index, Feb. 11, 2015)
• Tacoma City Council OKs state grant for urban forest program (Tacoma Daily Index, Oct. 9, 2013)
• Tacoma’s Hilltop Diversitree Project kicks off Oct. 11 (Tacoma Daily Index, Oct. 7, 2013)
• State grant could help grow Tacoma’s urban forest program (Tacoma Daily Index, Oct. 4, 2013)
• Anonymous donation aims to bring more street trees to Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood (Tacoma Daily Index, Aug. 16, 2013)
• Tacoma’s Swan Creek Park focus of urban forestry restoration project (Tacoma Daily Index, Aug. 13, 2013)
• Work begins soon to preserve Schuster Slope’s urban forest (Tacoma Daily Index, July 30, 2012)
• Tree pruning planned along Ruston Way (Tacoma Daily Index, March 27, 2012)
• Tacoma Urban Forest messenger bags on sale (Tacoma Daily Index, Oct. 6, 2011)
• New UW tree canopy study shows Tacoma closer to goal (Tacoma Daily Index, July 28, 2011)
• Tacoma Urban Forest Project “upcycled” bags on sale June 15 (Tacoma Daily Index, June 13, 2011)
• Time running out to see Urban Forest Project banners on Pacific Avenue (Tacoma Daily Index, May 20, 2011)
• Tacoma moves closer to creating its heritage tree register (Tacoma Daily Index, April 21, 2011)
• Celebrate Arbor Day, Tacoma’s urban forest April 2 (Tacoma Daily Index, March 23, 2011)
• Tacoma’s Urban Forest Project deadline extended (Tacoma Daily Index, Feb. 9, 2011)
• Artists sought for downtown Tacoma urban forest project (Tacoma Daily Index, Jan. 11, 2011)
• 6 new signs mark Tacoma’s Tree City USA anniversary (Tacoma Daily Index, Jan. 5, 2010)
• Revised urban forestry plan could protect Tacoma’s heritage trees (Tacoma Daily Index, June 9, 2009)
• Tacoma plants record 803 free street trees (Tacoma Daily Index, Dec. 17, 2008)
• Preserving Tacoma’s Heritage Trees: An interview with Marshall McClintock (Tacoma Daily Index, Aug. 27, 2008)
• Saving Tacoma’s Urban Arbor: Will the city create a register of heritage trees? (Tacoma Daily Index, Aug. 26, 2008)