Questions and Answers 28 Oct 26.pdf

GAOA Facilities Barracks

1240BH26Q0078

Questions and Answers 28 October 2026

1. Per the solicitation a bid guarantee is required what percentage?

Answer: 20% of the bid price

2. If a single award is required, would the Government consider limiting bonding requirements to each individual task order rather than the entire 1,950-day (5.34-year) contract period? Total Small businesses have limited bonding capacity and tying it up the bond capacity for over five years could restrict their ability to pursue other projects, creating an unnecessary barrier to competition.

Answer: No

3. With an anticipated construction period of 1,950 days, how will the Government address increases in material, fuel, labor, and equipment costs? Will pricing be adjusted at the time each work authorization is issued to account for market fluctuations, rather than requiring contractors to honor pricing established at award for the entire contract period?

Answer: This will be a firm fixed price contract.

4. Which location or facility does the Government anticipate will be the first to receive a

Notice to Proceed or task order?

Answer: Locations or facilities listed as Base Items in the Schedule of Items will be the first to receive a Notice to Proceed. Optional items will be added based on available funding.

5. What is the anticipated timeframe between awarding or authorizing work at one location and issuing the next task order or work authorization for another location?

Answer: The Contractor will have the flexibility to plan the repair work at locations/facilities listed as Base Items in the Schedule of Items. The timing for the authorization to work on locations or tasked listed as optional items will depend on available funding.

6. Does the Government anticipate that the contractor will work continuously from location to location throughout the three-year period, or should contractors expect significant gaps between individual work assignments?

Answer: Contractor should anticipate potential operational gaps between individual work assignments dictated primarily by severe winter weather access constraints and funding allocation cycles for option items. The contractor shall utilize their single primary superintendent to dynamically shift crews between the active hubs to maximize production during open weather windows.

7. Is there an anticipated sequence or schedule for the various locations that the Government can provide for bidding purposes?

Answer: The Contractor will have the full operational flexibility to plan and sequence the repair work at locations/facilities listed as Base Items in the Schedule of Items; however, offerors must account for the fact that high-altitude locations will be physically inaccessible during the winter and shoulder seasons due to regional snow loading.

8. Is asbestos-containing material or lead-based paint known or suspected to be present at any of the project locations? If so, please provide the available asbestos and lead inspection reports, surveys, or testing results for the affected facilities.

Answer: Formal, comprehensive hazardous material testing surveys do not exist for these historical structures. Because the majority of these facilities were constructed prior to 1978, the presence of Lead-Based Paint (LBP) and asbestos-containing materials (ACM) must be assumed by the contractor. Bidders must fully incorporate OSHA lead-safe work practices, standard regulatory dust containment handling, and proper PPE within their base competitive pricing.

9. Since some prospective bidders were unable to attend the scheduled site visit, will the Government offer an additional site visit? If another visit is not possible, can the Government provide photographs of the interior of the units and other relevant existing conditions to assist with estimating?

Answer: No, an additional physical site visit will not be offered. To ensure a fair and transparent bidding field, the Government will officially upload a selection of interior photographs documenting the units and relevant existing conditions concurrently with this amendment package to assist with layout estimations.

10. Will the units be vacant during construction, or will the contractor be required to perform the work while accommodating Government staff or other occupants?

Answer: Yes, the units will be occupied during construction.

Answer: Multiple barracks and housing facilities will remain actively occupied by Forest Service personnel during parts of the contract period. The contractor will be contractually required to accommodate the building occupants, phase utility shutdowns to minimize disruptions, and maintain basic facility integrity.

11. Is the contractor responsible for moving, removing, protecting, and/or relocating existing furniture and appliances, or will these items be moved by Government personnel before construction begins?

Answer: The contractor will be fully responsible for moving, removing, protecting, and/or relocating large existing furniture pieces and major appliances within the rooms to clear active construction fields. Building occupants will be solely responsible for packing, removing, and protecting their small personal items before work commences.

12. The window schedule does not identify a specific manufacturer or brand, and no additional window specifications were provided. Please confirm whether the project requires a particular manufacturer or brand, or whether an aftermarket window is acceptable, provided it meets the applicable Title 24 energy-efficiency requirements and the dimensions and performance criteria indicated in the window schedule.

Answer: A specific window manufacturer or brand is not required. An aftermarket window is acceptable, provided it consists of a solid vinyl frame (aluminum is prohibited) and satisfies all dual-pane, Low-E thermal performance criteria (maximum U-factor of 0.30; maximum SHGC of 0.25) dictated by current California Title 24 energy-efficiency requirements.

13. Roofing, Composite Shingle Style Reference: Attachment 5, Roof Replacement lines (Mt. Whitney Barracks 1,600

SF; Helitack Barracks 1,800 SF; Helitack Fire Office/Storage Shed 600 SF; White Mtn.

Recreation Barracks 3,400 SF; Smokey Club House 1,600 SF; Rock Creek House 800 SF; Mammoth Fire Barracks 1,800 SF); Attachment 3, Section C.2; Division 07 The composite shingle roof replacements in Attachment 5 state "replace in-kind," and several existing roofs are 3-tab shingles. Most 3-tab shingles currently manufactured are not warrantable beyond approximately 20 years and do not meet ASTM D3462 fiberglass mat strength requirements. Please confirm whether dimensional (architectural laminated) shingles meeting ASTM D3462 are acceptable, or required, in lieu of in-kind 3-tab shingles. In addition, the Statement of Work references Division 07 for roofing requirements, but no Division 07 technical specifications were included in the solicitation documents. If Forestwide Technical Specifications govern roofing products, please provide them.

Answer : See Specifications

14. Roofing, Shingle Warranty

Reference: Attachment 5, Composite Shingle Roof Replacement lines; Attachment 3, Section C.2 Please identify the manufacturer warranty term required for the composite shingle roof replacements: 30-year, 40-year, or 50-year.

Answer : See specifications

15. Roofing, Drip Edge Reference: Attachment 5, Roof Replacement lines (all reroofed buildings) Attachment 5 does not address drip edge. Please confirm whether metal drip edge is to be installed at all eaves and rakes on the reroofed buildings. If so, please specify the required finish: white, brown, or black prefinished, or galvanized.

16. Roofing, Gutters and Downspouts

Reference: Attachment 3, Section C.2 (Roofing); Attachment 5, White Mtn. Recreation Barracks, Replace 90 Degree Downspouts (LS, Qty 3); Smokey Club House Section C.2 references installation of new gutters, but Attachment 5 lists only (3) 90-degree downspouts at White Mtn. Recreation Barracks and contains no gutter line items. The existing gutters and downspouts at White Mountain Recreation Barracks and Smokey Club House appear to be in good condition. Please confirm that the existing gutters and downspouts at these two buildings are to remain, and whether any new gutters are required at any building.

17. Roofing, Underlayment at 2:12 to 4:12 Slopes

Reference: Attachment 5, Helitack Barracks Roof Replacement (1,800 SF); Mt.

Whitney Barracks Roof Replacement (1,600 SF) The roofs at Helitack Barracks and Mt. Whitney Barracks have slopes between 2:12 and 4:12. Please confirm whether the underlayment at these slopes is to be full ice and water shield membrane, or two layers of #15 felt in accordance with the shingle manufacturer's low-slope application requirements.

18. Roofing, Low-Slope Connector Roof

Reference: Attachment 5, Helitack Fire Office, Storage Shed Roof Replacement (600 SF) The connector roof at the Helitack Office Shed has a slope of approximately 1/2:12, which is below the minimum for shingles. Please confirm whether a 3-ply self-adhered membrane system is acceptable for this area, and whether a 10-year material-only manufacturer warranty is acceptable. A formal No Dollar Limit (NDL) labor and material warranty would add a minimum of approximately $1,000 for this small roof area.

19. What shingle manufacturer warranty year duration do you require on the shingles? 30-, 40-or 50-year warranty? Note: The old style 3-tab shingles may still be warrantable by manufacturers to 20 years, but most 3-tab shingles don’t meet current ASTM D 3462 requirements (fiberglass roofing mat strength). With the high winds in the Eastern Sierra, a stronger shingle may be preferred.

Answer:

Manufacturer Warranty Duration: Shingles must carry a manufacturer's Lifetime Limited Warranty featuring an initial, non-prorated material and labor protection window covering 100% of costs for a minimum of 20 years following installation. Bidders must also provide a minimum 110 mph to 130 mph wind warranty and a 10-to-15-year algae resistance warranty.

20. Do you want metal drip edge installed at all of the eaves and rakes of the buildings getting reroofed? They come in white, brown and black prefinished colors or plain galvanized.

Answer:

Metal Drip Edge Finish: Metal drip edge is contractually required along all eaves and rakes (gables) on all reroofed buildings. The required finish color is Dark Brown pre-finished enamel. Plain galvanized, white, or black finishes are strictly prohibited.

21. Do you want the existing gutters and downspouts to remain on the White Mountain Recreation Barracks and on the Smokey Club House Building? They appear to be in good shape.

Answer:

Existing Gutters and Downspouts Status: The existing gutters and downspouts at the White Mountain Recreation Barracks and the Smokey Club House Building are verified to be in serviceable condition and shall remain in place. Bidders are responsible for protecting them during construction. Only specific downspout items explicitly listed as line items in the SOW are to be replaced in kind.

22. On the roof replacements that are below/between a 4:12 slope and 2:12 slope, are they to receive an Ice & Water type membrane underlayment or two (2) layers of a #15 felt?

Roofing manufacturers require one or the other when applying their shingles to that range of slopes. A couple of the roofs affected are the Helitack Barracks and the Mt Whitney Barracks.

Answer:

Low-Slope Underlayment (2:12 to 4:12 Pitch): For all roof sections with a pitch between 2:12 and 4:12 (including the Helitack Barracks and Mt. Whitney Barracks), the contractor shall install a continuous, full-coverage layer of self-adhering polymer-modified bitumen Ice and Water Shield membrane directly over the roof deck. Standard felt papers or synthetic field sheets are not acceptable as the primary underlayment for these low-slope sections.

23. Will a 3-ply self-adhered roof membrane be acceptable (and required) for the low sloped (1/2:12 slope) Connector Roof at the Helitack Office Shed roof?

Answer:

Helitack Office Shed Connector Roof Material: Shingles are prohibited on this 1/2:12 slope. A high-performance 2-ply or 3-ply self-adhered SBS-modified bitumen membrane system is acceptable and required for this area, colored to match the adjacent shingles as closely as possible.

24. Will a 10-year Material Only Warranty be acceptable for the Low Slope (1/2:12 slope) Connector Roof membrane at the Helitack Office Shed roof? A formal labor manufacturer and material NDL (no dollar limit) warranty will be at least $1,000 dollars for that tiny roof. The Material Only Warranties are typically free.

Answer:

Helitack Office Shed Membrane Warranty: To avoid disproportionate administrative costs on this tiny roof section, a 10-year manufacturer material-only warranty is acceptable, paired with the contractor's standard 2-year workmanship warranty. A formal NDL warranty is not required for this specific area.

25. Our company was not able to attend the site visit. Can you provide photos of the project?

Answer: The photos can be found at the following link.

https://usfs.box.com/s/s9bsbp9gkime44pfjp1sct189t9xf8ke

You will be required to create a box account to access the photos.

https://usfs.box.com/s/s9bsbp9gkime44pfjp1sct189t9xf8ke