Bid Evaluation Report
Annual landscaping contract: Stonebriar Commons HOA
- Client / property:
- Stonebriar Commons HOA
- Site address:
- 1400 Stonebriar Pkwy, Round Rock, TX 78665
- Bids compared:
- 3
- Service:
- Landscaping
1Summary
| Vendor | Price | Score | Timeline | Warranty | Posture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GreenScape Partners | $54,120 | 86/100 | 12-month term starting September 1, 2026; weekly service March–October, biweekly November–February | 90-day replacement guarantee on installed color and shrubs; irrigation repairs warranted 1 year parts and labor | — |
| Verdant Commercial Landscaping | $63,900 | 77/100 | 24-month term starting September 1, 2026; 44 service visits per year with route-day guarantee | 1-year replacement on installed plant material; workmanship guarantee on irrigation repairs; ISA arborist reviews tree work | — |
| TruCut Lawn Services | $36,080 | 54/100 | 12-month term, start within 2 weeks of signing; 38 service visits per year, per-visit invoicing | 30-day replacement on installed color; no stated warranty on irrigation repairs or workmanship | — |
2Recommendation
GreenScape Partners
GreenScape is the recommended value choice at $54,120 per year. Its proposal itemizes every service line with quantities and unit prices, which makes it directly auditable: 42 mowing visits at $415, six shrub rotations at $780, 120 cubic yards of shredded hardwood mulch at $58, three seasonal-color rotations at $27 per flat installed, six fertilization/weed-control applications, monthly irrigation wet-checks with a defined $1,500 parts allowance, tree care to 12 feet including storm-limb removal, and dedicated fall leaf visits. It is $18,040 more than TruCut, but that gap overstates the real difference: TruCut excludes tree care, runs four fewer mowing visits, and exposes the association to unbounded $95/hour irrigation repairs. Verdant's program is broader (more visits, more rotations, an arborist on staff), but the $9,780 premium buys frequency the property may not need, and its 24-month term with a 3% escalation reduces flexibility. GreenScape's 12-month term with a 30-day termination-for-convenience clause lets the board exit if performance slips. The award should be conditioned on written confirmation of mulch depth, seasonal-color container sizes, allowance carryover terms, and current license and insurance certificates.
3Bids at a glance
GreenScape Partners
$54,120
Timeline: 12-month term starting September 1, 2026; weekly service March–October, biweekly November–February
Warranty: 90-day replacement guarantee on installed color and shrubs; irrigation repairs warranted 1 year parts and labor
Materials: Shredded hardwood mulch, named pre-emergent and fertilization program (6 applications), seasonal color priced per flat installed. Container sizes for color and the mulch application depth are not stated.
Pros
- + Every line item is priced with quantity and unit rate, making invoices auditable against the contract.
- + Includes tree care to 12 feet with storm-limb removal, which TruCut excludes entirely.
- + Monthly irrigation wet-checks plus a defined $1,500 parts allowance cap routine repair exposure.
- + Lowest extra-work rate ($68/hour) with a written-approval threshold above $500.
Cons
- – Mulch application depth is not stated, so the 120-cubic-yard quantity cannot be verified against coverage.
- – Seasonal-color container sizes are unspecified; $27 per flat installed is mid-market and size determines value.
- – Fewer mowing visits (42) and color rotations (3) than Verdant.
- – Irrigation-parts allowance terms (carryover, documentation, markup on parts) need written definition.
Verdant Commercial Landscaping
$63,900
Timeline: 24-month term starting September 1, 2026; 44 service visits per year with route-day guarantee
Warranty: 1-year replacement on installed plant material; workmanship guarantee on irrigation repairs; ISA arborist reviews tree work
Materials: Highest-specified program: shredded hardwood mulch, seven-application fertilization schedule, 240 flats of seasonal color across four rotations, spring irrigation audit, and ISA-certified arborist oversight on tree care.
Pros
- + Broadest scope: 44 visits, 8 shrub rotations, 4 color rotations, and 7 fertilization applications.
- + Only bid with an ISA-certified arborist inspecting tree work and a formal spring irrigation audit.
- + Largest irrigation-parts allowance ($2,500) plus controller monitoring.
- + Client portal provides documented approvals, visit logs, and photo reporting.
Cons
- – Highest price: $9,780 above GreenScape and $27,820 above TruCut as bid.
- – 24-month commitment with a 3% year-2 escalation; termination requires 60-day notice.
- – Service frequency (44 visits, 4 color rotations) may exceed what common-area turf in this region requires.
- – Extra-work rate ($75/hour) is mid-pack and approval flows only through the vendor's portal.
TruCut Lawn Services
$36,080
Timeline: 12-month term, start within 2 weeks of signing; 38 service visits per year, per-visit invoicing
Warranty: 30-day replacement on installed color; no stated warranty on irrigation repairs or workmanship
Materials: Lowest-specified program. Mulch type is not stated at $52 per cubic yard, the fertilization program lists five applications without named products, and seasonal color is priced at $22 per flat without container sizes.
Pros
- + Lowest total price as bid and lowest per-visit mowing rate ($395).
- + Fastest start: within two weeks of signing.
- + Itemized pricing on the lines it does include, enabling direct comparison.
- + Per-visit invoicing means the association pays only for completed visits.
Cons
- – The printed line items sum to $36,530 against the stated $36,080 annual total, an unexplained $450 discrepancy.
- – Tree care is excluded entirely; competitors carry $3,840–$5,960 for it, so effective annual cost is understated.
- – Quarterly-only irrigation checks with open-ended $95/hour repairs and no parts allowance create unbounded exposure on a 41-zone system.
- – Fertilization and weed control are quoted without a stated TDA pesticide-applicator license, which Texas requires for commercial application.
4Side-by-side comparison
| GreenScape Partners | Verdant Commercial Landscaping | TruCut Lawn Services | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual contract total | $54,120 ($4,510/month) | $63,900 ($5,325/month) | $36,080 (billed per visit) |
| Numbers add up | Matches: All extensions are correct, and the line items plus the $1,500 parts allowance total $54,120. | Matches: All extensions are correct, and the line items plus the $2,500 parts allowance total $63,900. | Needs attention: Printed lines total $36,530, which is $450 above the stated $36,080 annual total. |
| Mowing, edging & blowing | 42 visits × $415 = $17,430 | 44 visits × $460 = $20,240 | 38 visits × $395 = $15,010 |
| Bed maintenance & weeding | Monthly, pre-emergent included: $4,020 | Included in weekly visits | Monthly: $3,930 |
| Shrub & hedge trimming | 6 rotations × $780 = $4,680 | 8 rotations × $815 = $6,520 | 4 rotations × $690 = $2,760 |
| Mulch installation (spring) | 120 cu yd shredded hardwood × $58 = $6,960; depth not stated | 130 cu yd shredded hardwood × $62 = $8,060 at 2-inch depth | 90 cu yd × $52 = $4,680; mulch type not stated |
| Seasonal color | 3 rotations, 210 flats × $27 installed = $5,670 | 4 rotations, 240 flats × $34 installed = $8,160 | 2 rotations, 150 flats × $22 installed = $3,300 |
| Turf fertilization & weed control | 6 applications × $990 = $5,940; named product program | 7 applications × $980 = $6,860; named product program | 5 applications × $970 = $4,850; products not named |
| Irrigation checks & repairs | Monthly wet-checks (12 × $185 = $2,220) + $1,500 parts allowance | Monthly checks ($2,520) + spring audit ($680) + $2,500 parts allowance + controller monitoring | Quarterly checks (4 × $150 = $600); repairs T&M at $95/hr, no allowance |
| Tree care (up to 12 ft) | Annual trim + storm-limb removal = $3,840 | Two trims + ISA arborist inspection = $5,960 | Excluded; quoted separately |
| Leaf removal (fall) | 3 dedicated visits = $1,860 | 4 dedicated visits = $2,400 | 2 visits = $1,400 |
| Extra-work labor rate | $68/hour; written approval required above $500 | $75/hour; approval via client portal | $95/hour; no approval threshold stated |
| Payment terms | 12 equal monthly payments, net 30 | 12 equal monthly payments, net 30 | Per-visit invoicing, net 10, 5% late fee |
| Contract term & renewal | 12 months; 30-day termination for convenience; no escalation | 24 months; 3% escalation in year 2; 60-day termination notice | 12 months; auto-renews; 90-day cancellation notice |
| Bid validity | Pricing valid 60 days, through September 12, 2026 | Pricing valid 45 days, through August 28, 2026 | Not stated |
| Licenses & insurance | $2M general liability; TCEQ irrigator and TDA applicator on staff | $5M general liability; TCEQ irrigator, TDA applicator, ISA-certified arborist | $1M general liability; applicator and irrigator licenses not stated |
Best value in that category
5Reputation & verification
GreenScape Partners
GreenScape maintains a strong, consistent review record for a Central Texas commercial landscaper of its size. Reviewers, several identifying themselves as HOA board members or community managers, repeatedly mention reliable route days, clean bed edges, and responsive irrigation fixes billed against the contract allowance without surprises.
- + 14 years in business with an HOA and multifamily common-area portfolio across Williamson County
- + TCEQ-licensed irrigator on staff is confirmed in multiple reviews describing same-week valve and head repairs
- + BBB accredited since 2017 with no unresolved complaints in the last three years
- − A few reviews note crew size drops during spring peak, stretching visit duration
Verdant Commercial Landscaping
Verdant's reviews skew toward larger commercial and institutional clients (office parks, municipal contracts, and large HOAs) and consistently praise its reporting portal, photo documentation, and arborist-led tree program. Its LinkedIn company page is active with named account managers and completed-project write-ups.
- + Specialized commercial track record; property-management and HOA references recur across reviews
- + ISA-certified arborist and formal irrigation audits are mentioned favorably in multiple reviews
- − Several reviewers note premium pricing and multi-year terms relative to competing bids
TruCut Lawn Services
TruCut's review record is thinner and more mixed than the other two bidders. Satisfied reviewers cite price and a fast start; critical reviews center on missed or shortened visits during peak season and slow responses to irrigation problems. Its social-media presence is a lightly maintained Facebook page, and no LinkedIn company page was found.
- + Competitive pricing and quick contract starts are recurring positives in reviews
- − Multiple reviews describe skipped or shortened visits in summer months
- − Two reviews describe disputed hourly charges for irrigation repairs
- − BBB lists the company as not rated, with no accreditation on file
6Market & pricing analysis
The proposals describe approximately 4.3 acres of maintained turf and beds across entries, an amenity center, pocket parks, and a linear trail, irrigated by a 41-zone system. Because all three bids are itemized, each major line can be benchmarked against Central Texas commercial rates rather than comparing lump sums.
Mowing: commercial per-visit rates for a property of this size typically run $350–$500 per visit depending on crew size and detail work. All three bidders fall inside that band (TruCut at $395, GreenScape at $415, and Verdant at $460), so the meaningful difference is visit count (38 vs 42 vs 44), not rate. Mulch: installed shredded hardwood in this market generally runs $45–$75 per cubic yard. All three unit prices are within range; the open question is quantity verification: GreenScape does not state application depth, and TruCut does not state mulch type, which is where installed-mulch line items most often underdeliver. Seasonal color: installed flats typically price at $20–$35 depending on container size and bed prep. TruCut's $22 and GreenScape's $27 are unremarkable if container sizes are confirmed; Verdant's $34 should correspond to larger material or included bed amendments. Fertilization and weed control: per-application pricing of $970–$990 for this acreage is consistent with market norms for a licensed six- to seven-round program; Texas requires a TDA commercial applicator license for this work, which TruCut does not document.
Normalizing scope closes most of TruCut's price advantage. Adding tree care at the competitors' pricing ($3,840–$5,960), budgeting realistic irrigation repairs on a 41-zone system at TruCut's $95/hour with no allowance (the other bids carry $1,500–$2,500 allowances), and accounting for four fewer mowing visits puts TruCut's comparable-scope cost near $42,000–$44,000: still lowest, but the association would receive measurably less service frequency and carry more billing risk. GreenScape's $54,120 sits near the middle of the market band for a fully-scoped program of this size; Verdant's $63,900 buys real additional scope (more rotations, audit, arborist) rather than padding, and the board should decide whether that frequency is warranted for this property before paying the premium.
7Red flags & warnings
- TruCut Lawn Services: Fertilization and herbicide application are quoted without a stated TDA commercial pesticide-applicator license, which Texas requires. Applying without one exposes the association to liability; require the license number before award.
- TruCut Lawn Services: Irrigation repairs on a 41-zone system are billed open-ended at $95/hour plus parts with no allowance, no approval threshold, and quarterly-only inspections; problems can run for weeks before detection, then bill without a cap.
- TruCut Lawn Services: The arithmetic does not reconcile: the line items as printed sum to $36,530, but the stated annual total is $36,080, an unexplained $450 difference with no discount line to account for it. Require a corrected, re-totaled proposal before award; small addition errors tend to resolve in the vendor's favor mid-contract.
- TruCut Lawn Services: Tree care is excluded entirely, understating effective annual cost by roughly $4,000–$6,000 against the other bids. Separate tree quotes after award remove the competitive pressure of this bid process.
- TruCut Lawn Services: The contract auto-renews with a 90-day cancellation notice and applies a 5% late fee on net-10 invoices, the least owner-friendly paper terms of the three.
- Verdant Commercial Landscaping: The 24-month term carries a 3% year-2 escalation and 60-day termination notice. Confirm whether termination for convenience exists in year 1 or the association is committed through August 2028.
- GreenScape Partners: The 120-cubic-yard mulch line item states no application depth, and the seasonal-color line states no container size. Both quantities are unverifiable as written; require depth, coverage area, and container specs before signing.
- GreenScape Partners: The $1,500 irrigation-parts allowance has no stated carryover, documentation, or parts-markup terms. Define how unused allowance is handled and how parts are priced against it.
8Questions to ask
GreenScape Partners
Subject: Clarifications needed: Annual landscaping contract: Stonebriar Commons HOA proposal
Hello GreenScape Partners team, Thank you for your proposal. Before we complete our review, please respond to the following: 1. State the mulch application depth and coverage area that the 120-cubic-yard quantity is based on, and confirm the crew will flag any shortfall before substituting thinner coverage. 2. Specify seasonal-color container sizes and varieties per rotation, and confirm the 90-day replacement guarantee applies to all installed color. 3. Provide the written terms of the $1,500 irrigation-parts allowance: documentation per repair, parts markup, owner approval above the allowance, and whether unused balance carries over or is credited. 4. Provide the TCEQ landscape-irrigator and TDA applicator license numbers for the staff assigned to this property, plus certificates of general liability and workers' compensation insurance. 5. Confirm the 30-day termination-for-convenience clause applies at any point in the term, and provide two references from HOA common-area contracts of comparable acreage. Please send your response within 5 business days of receiving this email. Our award timing depends on receiving complete responses. Thank you,
Verdant Commercial Landscaping
Subject: Clarifications needed: Annual landscaping contract: Stonebriar Commons HOA proposal
Hello Verdant Commercial Landscaping team, Thank you for your proposal. Before we complete our review, please respond to the following: 1. Does year 1 include termination for convenience, or is the association committed for the full 24 months? Provide the exact termination and escalation language. 2. Itemize what the spring irrigation audit covers (zone-by-zone precipitation testing, controller programming, backflow test coordination) and whether repairs found during the audit bill against the $2,500 allowance. 3. Justify the 44-visit and 4-rotation frequency for this property: what changes if the board reduces to 42 visits and 3 rotations, and what is the revised price? 4. Confirm the ISA-certified arborist personally inspects tree work at this property, and provide the arborist's certification number. 5. Provide license numbers (TCEQ irrigator, TDA applicator), insurance certificates, and two references from HOA or multifamily properties of comparable size. Please send your response within 5 business days of receiving this email. Our award timing depends on receiving complete responses. Thank you,
TruCut Lawn Services
Subject: Clarifications needed: Annual landscaping contract: Stonebriar Commons HOA proposal
Hello TruCut Lawn Services team, Thank you for your proposal. Before we complete our review, please respond to the following: 1. Reissue the proposal with corrected arithmetic (the printed line items sum to $36,530 against the stated $36,080 annual total) and confirm in writing which figure holds, along with how long that price remains valid. 2. Provide the TDA commercial pesticide-applicator license number for the technician who will perform the five fertilization/weed-control applications, and name the products in the program. 3. Provide the TCEQ landscape-irrigator license number for whoever performs irrigation repairs, replace the open-ended $95/hour language with a parts allowance or per-repair caps, and add a written approval threshold. 4. Quote tree care to 12 feet including storm-limb removal as a priced line item so the bid is comparable to the others. 5. State the mulch type and application depth behind the $52-per-cubic-yard line, and the container size behind the $22-per-flat color price. 6. Strike the auto-renewal or reduce the cancellation notice to 30 days, and confirm the 5% late fee is waived on invoices paid within net 30. 7. Provide certificates of general liability and workers' compensation insurance, and two references from common-area contracts of comparable acreage. Please send your response within 5 business days of receiving this email. Our award timing depends on receiving complete responses. Thank you,