Tree-clearing services

Tender description

The provision of emergency response specialist tree surgery teams to attend at short notice on a 24/7 basis. Emergency type response times will include both 2 hour and 24 hour requirements. Suppliers will be required to provide suitably qualified staff and have access to the necessary specialised equipment to be able to remove fallen trees and branches from causing obstruction to the highway. Moreover, the ability to work at height in a safe manner, using appropriate working methods to remove broken or hanging branches or partially fallen trees presenting a danger to the highway. It is anticipated that the service will be provided across all 12 Districts in Kent. Work volumes will be dictated by the weather and where emergency situations occur, which varies from year to year. The annual spend for the general emergency response service will be in the region of 65 000 GBP per annum. This does not include provision for extreme weather events The work will be funded from the existing Soft Landscape budget for tree emergency work. Where trees are determined as privately owned these will be raised against the highways Operations budget code and actioned as a rechargeable service. The service will primarily serve HT&W however, it will be important that the contract has the flexibility to be able to provide an alternative response for other tree owning departments within Kent county Council, should the need arise. There may be future interest from district providers within Kent to gain access to this contract. The level of interest is unquantified at this point in time. Any future approaches should be considered as and when they arise.