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Guide · California · 7 min read

How to Win Government Landscaping and Grounds Contracts in California

By the XL Eagle bid team · Updated November 2, 2026 · Built from our live bid database and USAspending.gov

Government landscaping contracts in California cover two kinds of work. One is grounds care, such as mowing, trimming, irrigation checks and cleanup. The other is installation, such as new plants, sprinklers and walkways. They are bid very differently, so know which one you are chasing.

Buyers include Army installations, the Coast Guard, state agencies on Cal eProcure and local governments on OpenGov. Grounds care is usually a repeat contract with option years. Installation is usually a one-time job with a start and end date.

You can bid on your own. Or you can send XL Eagle your price for a job you like. XL Eagle writes and submits the bid as the prime. If it wins, you do the work and get paid. You do not need your own SAM.gov registration to work this way.

Landscaping contracts in California at a glance

  • 2 open landscaping bids in California on XL Eagle today. See them all.
  • 42 landscaping solicitations in California in the last 12 months that we tracked (25 federal, 17 state and local).
  • Federal agencies made 345 contract awards worth $72.3 million for work performed in California under NAICS 561730 in FY2025 (Oct 2024 - Sep 2025).
  • Top federal buyers that year: Department of Defense ($42.1 million); Department of Veterans Affairs ($26.6 million); Department of Homeland Security ($2.4 million).
  • Agencies posting this work most often in our data: Army, US Coast Guard, Department of Veterans Affairs, Federal Aviation Administration.
  • Where these jobs get posted: Cal eProcure, OpenGov.

Bid counts from the XL Eagle bid database as of November 2, 2026. Award totals from USAspending.gov.

Who buys landscaping work in California

  • U.S. Army installations in California, which buy grounds maintenance across large bases.
  • The U.S. Coast Guard, which buys landscaping and grounds care for stations and housing areas.
  • State agencies that post grounds services on Cal eProcure.
  • Cities, counties, park districts and school districts that post on OpenGov.
  • Caltrans, which buys minor public works contracts and lists its bid opportunities online.
  • Naval facilities in Southern California, where NAVFAC Southwest handles base operating support and facilities contracts.

Open landscaping bids in California right now

All open landscaping bids in California →

Licenses you need in California

California licenses landscaping work under the C-27 Landscaping Contractor classification from the Contractors State License Board. You need a license when the job needs a permit, uses extra workers, or reaches $1,000 or more in labor, materials and other costs. Public works jobs also need DIR registration, which costs $400 for one fiscal year. Check the CSLB classification description to see whether your planned work fits C-27 or needs another classification.

Register to bid in California

State and local jobs in California are posted on these sites:

  • Cal eProcure: The state's online marketplace where California agencies advertise bids in the California State Contracts Register, and where businesses apply for Small Business and DVBE certification.
  • DIR Public Works Contractor Registration: The Department of Industrial Relations registry that public works contractors must be on before they bid or work on California public works jobs.
  • SAM.gov: The federal site where military bases, the VA, the Forest Service and other federal buyers in California post their solicitations.
  • Caltrans Bid Opportunities: Caltrans lists bid opportunities, bid results and notices of intent to award, and also points suppliers to Cal eProcure.
  1. Register as a bidder on Cal eProcure. Choose Login/Register, then Register as a New Bidder, and fill in your company profile, address, user accounts and the commodity codes you want alerts for.
  2. Log in with the temporary password the system emails you, then set your own password.
  3. Search the California State Contracts Register on Cal eProcure for open events in your trade, and read the full package before you decide to bid.
  4. If you qualify, apply for Small Business (SB) or Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) certification through the DGS Office of Small Business and DVBE Services. The application is submitted through Cal eProcure.
  5. For construction work on public buildings and roads, get the right CSLB license and register with DIR as a public works contractor before you bid.
  6. For federal jobs, register on SAM.gov and read each solicitation for the Service Contract Act or Davis-Bacon wage rules that apply. Or send your price to XL Eagle and let XL Eagle bid as the prime.

Cal eProcure bidder registration is free. DIR public works contractor registration costs $400 for one fiscal year, $800 for two or $1,200 for three.

Federal jobs in California use SAM.gov, which is free. What SAM.gov is and how to register.

Small business certifications in California

  • California Small Business (SB) certification: An independently owned California business with 100 or fewer employees and average gross receipts of $19 million or less over three years can qualify, and certified SBs get a 5 percent bid preference on applicable state solicitations.
  • Small Business for Public Works (SB-PW): A California business with 200 or fewer employees and average gross receipts of $46 million or less over three years can certify for public works contracts only.
  • Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE): A business at least 51 percent owned by a California-resident veteran with a service-connected disability of 10 percent or more, and run day to day by one or more disabled veterans.

Wage rules on public jobs

On California public works, workers must be paid the prevailing wage set by the Department of Industrial Relations, and DIR publishes the rates by craft and county. For federal jobs, the Davis-Bacon Act sets local prevailing wages on construction, alteration and repair contracts over $2,000, including painting and decorating, and the Service Contract Act does the same for service contracts over $2,500. The contract itself lists the wage determination you must follow.

What landscaping jobs look like in California

  • Read the site map and acreage first. Large bases and parks pay by area, and you need real mowing times for each zone.
  • Water rules matter in California. Many specs ask for irrigation checks, leak repair and reports on water use.
  • Fire season changes the work. Brush clearing and defensible space tasks may be listed with seasonal due dates.
  • Federal grounds maintenance is a service contract. The Service Contract Act wage rates in the contract set what you pay your crew.
  • Installation jobs on public property may be public works. That means DIR registration and prevailing wage for your crew.
  • Disposal is part of the job. Green waste hauling and dump fees should be in your price, and some buyers ask for recycling proof.

Pricing landscaping work for California public buyers

  • Break the site into zones and price each one by time on site, then add travel between zones.
  • Plan for the seasons. Spring and summer need more mowing, while winter may be mostly pruning and cleanup. Spread cost across the year if the bid asks for a flat monthly price.
  • Add equipment costs. Mowers, trimmers, trucks and trailers wear out, and fuel is a real line item.
  • Price plant replacement. Some contracts make you replace dead plants. Set an allowance so one dry summer does not wipe out your profit.
  • For installation bids, get written quotes from suppliers for plants, mulch, pipe and heads, and note how long they are good for.

Mistakes that lose these bids

  • Counting mowing time but forgetting trimming, edging and blowing, which can take as long as the mow.
  • Ignoring the seasons and bidding the same crew hours for every month.
  • Bidding an installation job as if it were private work, with private wage rates.
  • Missing the site visit. Slopes, gates and hidden irrigation boxes are hard to guess from a map.

The fastest way to bid: send us your price

You can register and bid on your own using the steps above. If you would rather not, send XL Eagle your price on any landscaping job in California. We write and submit the bid as the prime contractor under our registrations. If it wins, you do the work and get paid. You do not need your own SAM.gov registration to work this way.

Pick a California landscaping job or read the national guide to government landscaping contracts.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a C-27 license for grounds maintenance in California?

It depends on the work. Mowing and basic upkeep are different from planting and sprinkler installation. Check the CSLB rules, and ask the buyer if the bid does not say.

Why do some landscaping jobs pay prevailing wage?

Installation and some construction-type work on public property can be public works. Then DIR prevailing wage rates apply to your crew. Federal service jobs use Service Contract Act rates instead.

Are grounds contracts usually one year or longer?

Many are one base year plus option years. The buyer picks whether to renew each year, so doing good work matters.

Can I use XL Eagle for a large base grounds contract?

You can send XL Eagle your price for a job you want. XL Eagle submits the bid as the prime, and you do the work if it wins.

Sources

Have a price for a government job?

Send it to us. XL Eagle writes and submits the bid under our registrations, free to you. If we win, you do the work at your price.

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