1 March 24 Questions and Answers.pdf

Solicitation No. 1240LU24B0002

Question and Answer Document As of 03/01/24

1. I was curious do you guys have a preference on coil pipe vs stick pipe hdpe? The reason

I ask is because stick pipe would go in the trench a lot easier and straighter. You wouldn’t have to fight the coil of the pipe.

The Forest Service has no preference on stick or coil HDPE pipe.

2. And are you hoping to bore most of that in to limit the amount of destruction? or open cut trench the 1 ½”/ 1” line in?

The Forest Service does not stipulate the method of installation. However, please review

Section 1.3 Use of Premises and Section 3.3 Restoration of Damaged Property in the Specifications.

3. We located a bid sheet under an amendment tab dated 2/20/24 for the Lee Creek

Campground. Are there Bid sheets uploaded for the Bend Guard Station, Grizzly Campground and the Seeley Lake Campground that include AQ and LSQ?

The bid sheet is an excel spreadsheet and does include pages for each area. You can navigate between the pages at the bottom of the document.

4. Will AQ (Actual Qualities) include the Labor to install materials? Or is this material cost only?

There aren't any separate line items for labor so yes, the actual quantities will include labor.

5. Civil Engineering/Staking Survey. Will we be required to hire Morrison Maierle for

Staking the projects? Or is this included in original cost to the FS?

The specific firm for staking the facilities improvements is not specified coordination/payment of professional staking services will be the responsibility of the Contractor. See Section 010250 CONSTRUCTION STAKING for staking specifications.

6. Permits. What permits will be required for each project with regards to Federal land.

County or state permits for Electrical and Plumbing?

The USFS does not have a list of necessary permits. See Section 011000 SUMMARY OF

WORK Section 1.7 Permitting in the Specifications.

7. Seeley Lake Campground. This project appears to have changes in scope from a full system replacement to specific repairs. Would you send any additional information to help clarify the final scope for the solicitation?

The Seeley Lake Campground scope only includes replacement of the highlighted segments in the Plans.

8. Re-seed/ Re-Vegetation. Will hydro seed be required or is seed and drag permissible?

Within disturbed areas, the Contractor shall furnish and broadcast apply a seed mixture at a seeding rate indicated in the SEEDING section of the Specifications for each project.

Seeley Lake Campground

9. We only have sheet 3 of 13. Don’t we need all sheets in reference to water or at least sheet 5 (Pump House) and sheet 9 (Details)?

(a) It looks like only yellow highlighted 2” diameter water main will be installed at 1,200 LF (Item #2). Is this correct?

Updated Seeley Lake Campground plans have been uploaded to SAM. Yes, only the yellow highlighted section is to be replaced.

10. We then stop at existing water line (a little north of future water line for Item #3) at approximately 630 LF south of the pump house. Is this correct?

(a) If the tie-in is at Sta. 6+30 (existing water line), what parts are needed as the size of pipe and the make of pipe are unknown?

(b) Shouldn’t there be a pay item for Exploratory Excavation?

Yes, water line replacement on the south segment ends at the pipe junction at 6+30.

a. Please see Detail 3 on Page 9 of the full set of plans for a detail of components of the pipe junction.

b. The components of the junction are known; no exploratory excavation pay item will be added.

11. Does the existing pumphouse get relocated?

No, this project will only tie-in to the existing water main outside the pump house;

moving the pump house was part of a previous project.

12. Is there a profile for grade elevation for water line?

No profile for grade elevation is available for the water line. The water main is buried at a minimum of 3 feet deep; please see pipe/trench details on Sheet 9 of the full set of Plans attached.

13. Is it the Contractor’s responsibility for figuring out line and grade for new water line?

Contractor will replace water line in kind, at the same depth of the existing water line, per the details on Sheet 9 of the attached full set of Plans.

14. Seeley is currently being logged. Is the logging contractor removing existing stumps where the new water line goes?

The logging contractor currently at Seeley is not removing stumps according to the water main alignment.

Grizzly Campground

15. Electrical specs for Grizzly Campground Division 26 is in regards to the Bend Guard Station job. Is there electrical specifications for Grizzly Campground? The electrical specifications for Grizzly Campground and Bend Guard Station are the same.

(a) Is it the Contractor’s responsibility to have power from existing transformer at road to new well? The Contractor will need to coordinate with MEC to provide power to the pumphouse. From the pumphouse, the Contractor will need to install power to the well.

(b)If it is the Contractor’s responsibility to get power to the well house, shouldn’t there be a separate bid item? Costs for running power to the well house should be incorporated into Item 204 WELL HOUSE ELECTRICAL ©If it is the Contractor’s responsibility to get power to the well house, wouldn’t we need engineering plans from Missoula Electric Co-Op, including conduit size, Ranch Creek Bridge (Ranch Creek) crossing engineering, materials and fees? The contractor will need to coordinate with MEC for this information.

16. Grizzly Campground is currently being logged. What is happening to the brush piles and stumps in the ground?

Brush piles will be removed by USFS prior to construction of this project.

18. Is it the responsibility of the C.O.R. to provide stakes for line and grade elevations for the water system?

Except for Lee Creek Campground, the C.O.R. will provide staking for the water main alignment. It will be the responsibility of the contractor to maintain required bury depth.

19. What are the weight limits for the wooden bridge that crosses Ranch Creek?

The Contractor will be expected to operate under legal highway load requirements, and also abide by the Federal Bridge Formula.

Lee Creek Campground

20. Can the Contractor use a PG 58-28 mix design used by a local asphalt supplier for the patch (Item 107) that is used on streets, by the State, or commercial projects? Yes, a locally available mix design is an acceptable substitute for the mix design called out in this section.

(a) Section 02510 Asphalt Pavement Specs (mix design) seems excessive for two water line crossings. Can we get this omitted and revised on specs? Specs will not be revised to reflect this—this Q&A will be incorporated into the contract and supersedes the specification called out in Section 02510.

(b) If not, are you going to have an asphalt supplier make a new mix design and produce a small quantity to meet your specs?

21. Construction Staking in Section 010250 paragraph (1.1) A & B states this needs to be done by a licensed surveyor. Can the Contractor use his own Topcon HiPer GPS equipment instead of hiring a licensed surveyor?

A licensed surveyor will need to perform the construction staking for the Lee Creek project.

22. Construction Staking in paragraph (3.1) talks about horizontal and vertical control at .01 feet are to be met. This appears to be excessive. Can this get changed?

This specification cannot be changed. The precision and accuracy requirements mentioned in this specification will need to be met for Lee Creek only.

23. Construction Staking talks about survey notes. We are in the year 2024. Nobody does survey books. All data is in our hardware and operated by one person. Can this outdated spec be deleted?

Please ignore this specification.

24. In the General Requirements Section 011000 has Option A, B & C. Yet the bid item schedule has only Option A. Is our bid schedule missing B & C?

The updated bid schedule posted with amendment 1 has been updated to show the correct option numbering.

There are a total of five options:

Lee Creek contains Options 1,2 and 3. Grizzly Campground is options 4 and 5.

“The date has ended for any further questions.”