Amend 0002_SUMMARY OF CHANGES_Whitetail Road 224.pdf

SUMMARY OF CHANGES

PROJECT: WHITETAIL ROAD 224 CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

Nebraska National Forest and Grasslands, Bessey Ranger District

Solicitation Number: 1240LT26Q0048

AMENDMENT ONE (Amend 0002):

The purpose of Amendment One (Amend 000) is as follows:

1) To provide questions to additional contractor’s questions;

2) All other terms and conditions remain the same.

The due date for quotes remains as: June 3, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. Central Time.

Email addresses for submission of questions and quotes: Janice King, Contract Specialist, at janice.king@usda.gov and Lucas Dahlman, Contracting Officer, at lucas.dahlman@usda.gov. In the subject line of your emailed quote submission, include the following: WHITETAIL ROAD 224 CONSTRUCTION PROJECT - 1240LT26Q0048

Attendee’s List from the Site Visit held on April 28, 2026

Questions and Answers (The Government’s answers to the questions below are in red font. Answers in blue font are additional comments from the customer. )

1. Is there a local water source available for this project?

• Yes, there is a fill station at the District Shop approximately 10 miles away along State Highway 86B. There is no cost for the water provided.

mailto:janice.king@usda.gov mailto:lucas.dahlman@usda.gov

2. What seeding method is required?

• Specific seeding method is not specified, only that the correct seeding rate is utilized for the method selected. *NOTE* Arrow Seed in Broken Bow, NE where the mix is from is now called Star Seed.

3. What is required for an erosion control plan?

• No permitting is required, include information for how potential issues could be mitigated in the technical approach.

4. What fire equipment is required to be on-site?

• Fire Plan - Before starting any operations on the project, the Contractor shall prepare a fire plan in cooperation with the Contracting Officer Representative for the prevention and control of fires in the project area. The Contractor shall certify compliance with fire protection and suppression requirements before beginning operations during the fire period and closed season and shall update such certification when operations change.

5. Are there any culverts planned for this project?

• No, that was taken out in during project development, but the spec was not removed from the specifications document.

6. Will CAD files be supplied for survey work for a GPS or is that something that the contractor will have to do?

• Government is not supplying any such documents, the work will be staked on the ground by the government and confirmation of all work will be done visually by the government. The contractor does not have to supply CAD or GPS documentation to the Government.

7. What compaction method is required?

• All compaction for excavation and aggregate placement will be Compaction

Method 3. from Section 209.10 Compacting.

8. In the design it calls for 12.5’ wide roadway but only 10’ of geogrid for stabilization.

For ease of installation, it would be best to widen that geogrid to the standard roll width of the geogrid at 12.5’.

• The purpose of having only 10’ wide geogrid beneath the aggregate is so that maintenance equipment does not catch the outer margins of the geogrid during shoulder pulling.

9. Construction Water: Is construction water available within the National Forest? If not, where can the Contractor acquire the necessary water for the project?

• Yes, there is a fill station at a shop along 86B, approximately 1.75 miles from the start of NFSR 203 Circle Road.

10. Temporary Well: Can the Contractor install a temporary well inside the project area / National Forest?

• No, a temporary well installation will not be permitted.

11. Field Testing Requirements: The field testing requirements appear unclear in the specifications. Please provide detailed requirements for all required field testing (e.g., compaction, materials, subgrade, etc.).

• Compaction Method 3 in Section 209 will be the method utilized for compaction of soil, Compaction Method A from Section 301 is method utilized for aggregate. These methods are nearly identical. Testing with reports will not be required. Visual inspections by the government will be the method utilized for determining adequate compaction. Required submittals are found in Section 153 of the specs (Geogrid certification or product sheet, aggregate gradation report, seed mix product sheet and certification of weed free mulch).

12. Public Access / Subgrade Protection: The specifications require the Contractor to open the construction site to public access after 5 days for a period of 2 days (assumed to be a weekend). If the earthen subgrade is prepared for geogrid placement and then opened to public traffic over the weekend without moisture control or protection, the subgrade will likely be damaged. Are we interpreting the public access requirements correctly? What measures, if any, does the Government expect or allow for protecting the prepared subgrade during public access periods?

• Yes, you are reading that correctly. The road accesses a popular campground on the Bessey Ranger District. The District Ranger is open to keeping the road closed through the weekend if it is determined by all parties to be in the best interests of the project. Timing will also be a consideration if it can be done outside of popular holiday weekends or hunting seasons when recreation is the highest.

13. Turnouts and Lead-off Ditches: Can the Government identify the exact locations of the up to 6 turnouts and up to 6 lead-off ditches, or will they be flagged later by the Government?

• These will be flagged at a later date by the government, but before work begins.

14. Geogrid: Please confirm the exact product type (or approved equal) for the multi-axial geogrid, placement details (10-ft wide centered), required overlaps, and any special installation notes per the drawings and supplemental specifications.

• Examples of an acceptable multi-axial geogrid is Tensar TriAx or Tensar InterAx. Overlap of 24 inches for geogrids. Ensure that the outer edges of the geogrid are not exposed and that all material is buried under the specified depth of aggregate.

15. Seeding and Mulching: Please confirm the required seed mix, application rates, mulch type, and weed-free requirements. Are there any seasonal timing restrictions for seeding/mulching?

• Seed mix will be Sandhills Prairie Mix available at Star Seed in Broken Bow, NE. Seeding rate shall be the appropriate rate as prescribed by the manufacturer/supplier of the seed based on the method of seeding. Mulch type is identified in the specs as certified weed-free and either straw (wheat or barley) or native prairie grass. Seeding timing shall be within 15 days of completion of work, not during windy weather or when the ground is frozen or snow covered. I spoke with a representative there and he said that they still offer that mix. His name was Andre and his contact number is (785)346- 4338.

16. Erosion Control and Staging: What specific Best Management Practices (BMPs) are required for temporary erosion and sediment control? Are there any restrictions on staging areas or stockpile locations?

• Contractor will be required to work with the Contracting Officer’s Representative to monitory staging areas to minimize resource damage. The main stockpile area along Highway 86B is an established stockpile area where erosion concerns are minimal. There are two identified staging areas or stockpile areas. One is along Highway 86B approximately 0.25 miles from the start of NFSR 203 Circle Road. The other designated location is approximately 0.2 miles south of the NFSR 224 intersection with Circle Road.

These are the only two locations that have been cleared for use.

17. Aggregate Source: Is there a Government-provided or preferred source for the specified aggregate (Compaction Method #3)? Are there any approved borrow pits or local sources nearby?

• No government provided source for the specified aggregate. There are not approved borrow pits nearby. In the past, aggregate has been sourced from pits in Wyoming and South Dakota. It is uncertain if appropriate, specified material was locally available.

18. Aggregate Requirements: Please confirm the gradation, quality, and testing requirements for the aggregate per FP-24 Section 703 and the supplemental specifications. Is there a preferred locally sourced product?

• Section 703 of the supplemental specs has a table with the designated gradation for aggregate highlighted. It is Grading Designation S in Table 703-3.

Table 703-2 was inadvertently left in the spec from a different project and should be disregarded. In the past, aggregate has been sourced from pits in Wyoming and South Dakota. It is uncertain if appropriate, specified material was locally available.

19. Dust Control: What are the dust control expectations on the new roadway during and after construction?

• During construction, dust abatement is not perceived as being an issue.

Generally, the use of water during compaction is enough to mitigate any deleterious effects of dust.

20. Cultural / Environmental Concerns: Are there any additional cultural resources, endangered species, or other environmental concerns beyond the Heritage Program Report (which determined “no historic properties affected”)?

• Heritage Report identified all the known cultural resources within the stated buffer area of the APE (Area of Potential Effect).