Attachment 6 - Loleta Water System Q and As.pdf

Loleta Water System

Attachment 6 - Q & As

1. Section 011400 1.3.B has that the upper loop will be closed September 21, 2026 through December 11, 2026…. Then in bold letters and underlined: “This time frame is the only contract time frame in which the Contractor can perform work at the site.” That can’t work for many reasons and conflicts with the 180 day contract period.

Part of the reason behind all of this is that the water system can not be charged during the winter. It will freeze and damage the pipes and equipment. Maybe we can move the charging and testing until spring?

Answer: The Period of Performance is October 5, 2026 through October 4, 2027. The work must be completed within 180 days after issuance of a Notice to Proceed during that time frame. The campground is currently closed. It typically reopens around April 1 with the water system being opened as soon as the danger of a freeze is over. The Forest would like to have the water system repairs completed in time to open the system in the spring.

Yes, the charging and testing may be done in the spring. Otherwise, the system will need to be winterized.

2. I see that the schedule of items has been corrected, but it is still missing the $10,000 allowance for the Electrical work allowance to the meter. Line Item 12.

Answer: Use Attachment 1 - Schedule of Items Revised, incorporated via Amendment 0002.

3. Section 015000 3.3.B says that the contractor shall use the existing well house road gate to close off the road during the project and that they can daisy chain their own lock to the gate. If the entire campground and/or recreation site is closed to the public, can the contractor daisy chain his lock to the outer most relevant gate?

Answer: The Contractor should apply their own lock to the outer most gate during periods when the Recreation Site is closed. If, for any reason, the site is opened to the public before the work is complete, then, the lock should be moved to an inner gate to protect the work area. The Contractor should take care to prevent the public from entering the site while it remains closed.

4. Are there any known existing underground utilities within the proposed well, well-house, concrete, or utility-route areas that are not shown on the drawings?

Answer: The existing utilities are shown on the drawings to the best of our knowledge.

5. Will the Government provide utility locating information, or is the contractor responsible for locating all existing underground utilities?

Answer: The Contractor is responsible to contact One Call services. The Forest Service will assist in locating any of our underground utility lines.

6. Can you confirm the required well depth and whether the stated depth is estimated or based on existing geotechnical/well information?

Answer: The information is based on historical well log data (Attachment 7 incorporated via Amendment 0002).

7. Are there existing well logs, soil reports, geotechnical reports, or groundwater information available for the site?

Answer: The original well log from 1969 is attached. Note that some work, including new pumps, has been done since 1969.

8. Is the contractor responsible for all well permitting, testing, disinfection, sampling, and final regulatory approval?

Answer: The Contractor is responsibilities are defined in the plans and specifications.

The Forest Service has acquired a DEP permit for the work.

9. Can you confirm the required well casing size, material, pump capacity, and design flow rate?

Answer: The best information available is as shown on the drawings.

10. Is the contractor responsible for furnishing and installing the complete well pump, controls, pressure equipment, piping, and associated accessories?

Answer: The Contractor is responsible for the components as defined by the drawings and specifications. The existing well pump should be removed and re-installed.

11. Can you confirm the limits of the electrical contractor’s scope, including service, panels, controls, disconnects, conduit, wiring, grounding, and connections to the well equipment?

Answer: The scope of the electrical work is defined by the drawings and specifications.

Refer to Section 012700, Measurement and Payment as well. The contract will be awarded to one prime contractor. Any work by an electrical contractor will need to be defined in the subcontract.

12. Is an existing electrical service available for the new well house, or will a new service/meter be required?

Answer: Refer to the drawings. A new service/meter is required.

13. Are there any utility-company fees, connection fees, permits, or service upgrades that the contractor should include?

Answer: The electric company is the only utility connection. Refer to the Specifications Section 012700, Measurement and Payment, Paragraph 1.5.E.12 Electrical Work Allowance – To Meter for a description of permitting fees.

14. Can you confirm whether the well-house foundation/slab and building are intended to be constructed completely by the prime contractor?

Answer: Yes, the well-house foundation/slab and building are to be construction under one prime contract. Any subcontracts would be at the prime contractor’s discretion.

15. Are there any specific requirements for concrete strength, reinforcing steel, slab thickness, foundations, or equipment pads beyond what is shown in the drawings/specifications?

Answer: No.

16. Can the well-house structure be field fabricated/constructed, provided it meets all drawings and specifications?

Answer: Yes.

17. Are there any specific requirements regarding building materials, insulation, HVAC/ventilation, freeze protection, doors, roofing, or exterior finishes that are not clearly identified in the drawings?

Answer: No. The water system will be drained and winterized each year.

18. Can you confirm the exact limits of underground piping included in the contract and the required connection points to the existing system?

Answer: The limits of the piping and connection points are indicated on the drawings.

The estimated design quantities are included in the bid schedule. Minor adjustments to connection points can be discussed.

19. Are shutdowns or interruptions to the existing water system anticipated? If so, are there specific allowable shutdown periods?

Answer: The system is currently shutdown. It is anticipated that the work will be completed prior to spring when the campground re-opens and the water system will be re-opened.

20. Is temporary water service required while connections are being made?

Answer: See answer to Question No. 20. Temporary water service is not anticipated.

21. Who is responsible for excavation, trenching, bedding, backfill, compaction, and final surface restoration associated with the new piping?

Answer: The prime contractor.

22. Are there specific requirements for pressure testing, flushing, disinfection, water sampling, or commissioning of the completed system?

Answer: Yes. Refer to the Specifications including Section 221114.

23. Are there any owner-furnished materials or equipment that should be excluded from the contractor’s price?

Answer: Yes. Refer to the specifications and drawings. Any equipment that is to be salvaged from the old system or removed, cleaned, and reinstalled is noted.

24. Are there any anticipated hazardous-material, contaminated-soil, or environmental concerns within the work area?

Answer: None that have been previously identified.

25. Can construction equipment, material trailers, and jobsite storage remain onsite throughout the project?

Answer: Yes. The location is to be approved by the COR.

26. Are there restrictions on normal working hours, weekends, or overtime?

Work shall take place during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, weekends and national holidays excluded. Any work outside of those times must be pre-approved by the CO and COR in writing.

Note that overtime wages must be paid according to the wage determination requirements.

27. Will temporary power and water be available to the contractor during construction?

Anwer: No.

28. Are there any additional bonds, permits, inspections, testing fees, or third-party certifications that should be included beyond those identified in the solicitation?

29. Please confirm whether progress payments will be permitted based on completed work/materials, or whether payment will be made only after final completion and acceptance.

Answer: Progress payments are permitted on a monthly basis.

30. Are there any upcoming amendments, revised drawings, specifications, or additional site information that bidders should expect before proposals are due?

Answer: Yes. The Questions and Answers, the revised Schedule of Items, and well log information are included as an amendment. Additionally, Attachment 8 – DEP Permit, and Attachment 9 – United Electric Meter Info are incorporated via Amendment 0002.

31. Solicitation page 1 shows 180-day completion and page 3 says period of performance:

10-05-2026 to 10-04-2027.

Spec 011400,1.3B says contract time is September 21, 2026, through Dec 11, 2026.

Please clarify completion date and Number of days for completion.

Answer: See answer to Question No. 1.

32. Please confirm this is a single prime contract.

Answer: Yes, this is a single prime contract.

33. Bid due date is 10-12-2026 which is a holiday. Will the bid due date change?

34. When and where will the bid results be posted? Posted to SAM following evaluation of quotes received.

35. The driveway to the project site has a wood timber structured bridge with no weight limits shown. Please provide weight limits. Heavy concrete trucks and construction equipment will need to cross. Who will be responsible should bridge damage occur? (See attached pictures) Answer: The bridge is open, no restriction. The last inspection date was September 5, 2025. Any responsibility for damage would depend on the nature of the damage.

36. Drawing A-01 shows a 26ga metal wall and roof corrugated panels. Spec 133300-2.1 calls for 29 ga corrugated panels. Please clarify the ga. of corrugated metal panel.

Answer: Sheet A-01 in incorrect. It should be 29 ga corrugated metal panels as shown on Sheet A-03 and the specifications.

37. Drawing A-02 note: USFS COR WILL STAKE THE APPROXIMATE FOUR

CORNERS OF THE 16' X 16' WELL HOUSE CONCRETE SLAB. CONTRACTOR

TO FINALIZE BUILDING LAYOUT PRIOR TO CONSTRUCTION. THE FRONT

EDGE OF THE APRON SLAB WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 10' BEHIND THE

WELL HEAD TO ALLOW FOR WELL DRILLER ACCESS. COR MAY ADJUST

LAYOUT AS NEEDED. It appears that the 10’ back set from the well head may not have been held. Well head looks to be at approach slab. Who will be responsible to extend the stone pad back if needed? (see pics) Answer: A note on Sheet A-02 states “Forest Service will supply & place subbase material at site to bring elevation to bottom of contractor placed PennDOT 2RC 6” compacted base course.” If the stone pad needs to be extended, The Forest Service will be responsible.

38. Has compaction testing been completed of the stone fill that has been placed? (See Pics)

Answer: No. The material was tracked with an excavator and wheeled and placed in lifts.

39. I do not see a prevailing wage determination notice. Is this a prevailing wage project?

Answer: Yes, this project is subject to the Davis-Bacon Act. Wage Rates for both Building and Heavy Sewer/Water Treating Plant are attached to the Solicitation.

40. Are there any Small Diversified business requirements? This is a Total Small Business Set-Aside solicitation.

41. Are there buy American requirements?

Answer: Yes, refer to the check list of FAR Clauses for Commercial Construction on page 8 of 26 in the Solicitation.

42. HDD quantity and grade: Of the 615 LF of new 2-inch HDPE water line, is a specific length required to be installed by horizontal directional drilling? Are bore profiles, required pipe inverts, and minimum drainage slopes available? If the contractor must develop the profiles, what submittal and approval process applies before installation?

Answer: No, the General Note on Sheet C-02 states “Contractor to use directional drilling as much as possible, however, open trenching is allowed where necessary.” The 615 LF is a DESIGN Quantity and may not be the exact actual quantity.

No, bore profiles, etc. are not available. The only requirement is to maintain minimum slope to properly drain the system.

Unless specifically required by the contract documents, the Contractor does not need to develop profiles. However, all installed water line should have proper slope to drain completely to Drain D-1.

43. Rock and installation method: Is any geotechnical, test pit, or other subsurface information available for the water line route? If rock or other unforeseen conditions make HDD impracticable, who approves conversion to open cut, and how will the resulting work be measured and compensated?

Answer: No, there is not any geotechnical information available. If unforeseen conditions are encountered, it will be handled in accordance with the FAR clause.

However, open trenching is allowed and anticipated. Refer to the measurement and payment section in the specifications.

44. Licensed well driller: Section 221114 states that work shall be performed by a Pennsylvania licensed well driller. Does that requirement apply to horizontal directional drilling and installation of the campground distribution line, or specifically to work on the existing water well? If it applies to distribution work, must the licensed driller perform the work directly or may the driller supervise an HDD subcontractor?

Answer: The requirement applies to work on the existing water well, not the directional drilling.

45. Construction dates: The specifications identify September 21 through December 11, 2026, as the only period for on-site work, while the solicitation requests quotes on October 12 and states delivery 180 days after notice to proceed. What are the intended site access, substantial completion, testing, and final completion dates following award?

Will the site-work restriction be revised?

Answer: See answer to Question No. 1.

46. Wage determinations: Attachments 4 and 5 contain Building and Heavy wage determinations. Which determination applies to HDD, 2-inch HDPE distribution-line installation, excavation, and related restoration? Please also identify the applicable classifications for the drilling crew, including drill operator, locator, fusion technician, and laborers, or provide instructions for requesting a classification not listed.

Answer:

Laborers and Plumbers for handling, joining, fusing, and laying the pipe in the trench;

Power Equipment Operators for the team operating the excavators, backhoes, directional drills, or fusion machines

A conformance is granted by WHD only when the type of work needed for a project is not performed by a labor classification already listed on the applicable wage determination.

The wage rate selected will be one that bears a “reasonable relationship” to the existing wage rates on the applicable wage determination. This generally involves a comparison of the proposed wage rate, including any fringe benefits, to the wage rates for similar labor classifications on the wage determination.

Further Wage Conformance information can be sought in Attachment 10 – WHD Conformance Request Guide and Attachment 11 – SF-1444 used for requesting an additional classification.

47. Testing interface: For the requirement to pressure test piping in the presence of the COR before joints are covered, may HDD-installed line sections and their connections be covered after an approved sectional test, or must they remain accessible until the complete system test?

Answer: Connections may be covered after an approved sectional test. However, if any leaks are subsequently discovered, per the specifications, the Contractor will have to retest and uncover any piping that was covered at no additional cost to the Government.

48. I also have a subcontractor that can quote for 4’-0” wide x 4’-0” long I.D. vault is that ok?

Answer: Bid the vault box as shown so that all quotes are using the same materials.

49. Can contractor directional bore all water lines and will the contractor be required to follow excavation path as shown?

Answer: Yes, the Contractor may directional bore all waterlines. General Note on Sheet C-02 states “Contractor to use directional drilling as much as possible, however, open trenching is allowed where necessary.”

Yes, the Contractor will be required to follow the excavation plan as closely as possible.

That area has been cleared by Heritage.

50. Does the USDA have approximant weight rating of bridge at entrance to camp area?

Answer: The bridge is open, no restriction. The last inspection date was September 5, 2025.

51. What is the period of performance on this project as the specs state Sept 21 2026 – Dec

11, 2026?

Answer: See answer to Question No. 1.

52. When using the directional drill method will a thrust block be required? Building pat at finished grade for building construction?

Answer: A thrust block is required at 90º fitting locations as shown on the plans.

Yes, the building should be put at the finished grade.

53. Scales on the drawings appear to be incorrect. I believe it should be half of what is shown.

Answer: The scale on the page is related to the size of paper used for printing or plotting.

Please use the graphic scale to correctly determine the scale on the page.

54. Would a frost free yard hydrant (see attachment) be acceptable for the water spigots as shown on p-3,A-A detail?

55. For the Electrical permit, am I to reach out to the forestry department to see who is appointed to inspect? Or do I go through Bureau Veritas?

Answer: Please coordinate with United Electric Company (information provided via Amendment 0002).

56. Also, do you have a wo# for the project with United Electric.

57. Reporting of Bio based Products Under Service and Construction Contracts" entails?

Also what we have to do to comply to this specific clause so our quote is eligible?

See applicable FAR Clauses cited below:

FAR 52.223-2 (Reporting of Biobased Products Under Service and Construction Contracts): Requires prime contractors to report the types and dollar values of USDA-designated biobased products purchased during the previous fiscal year.

See below link for USDA categories:

https://www.biopreferred.gov/BioPreferred/faces/pages/ProductCategories.xhtml

Submitted annually via SAM.gov with a copy delivered directly to the Contracting Officer.

FAR 52.223-23 (Sustainable Products and Services Preference): Mandates general purchasing preference for sustainable, biobased, and recovered-material products