Pre-quote_NotesDemo_28_Bunkers.docx

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Bunker Demolition 1256A119Q0010 Pre-Quote Meeting date: July 10, 2019 Attendees: (See Attached) Hosted By:

Robert Hommes, USDA Forest Service Midewin

The meeting started in the office with a general review of the documents in the solicitation package and a review of the site specific Midewin access policies. Midewin in a non-motorized recreational area with locked gates across road access points. Keys and placards will be issued to the successful contractor but approved access routes must be followed, key holders are not allowed access outside of the contract area.

I reviewed the importance of completing the past experience and technical approach items that are part of the evaluation criteria. Failure to fully complete these items could result in a proposal that would be reviewed as “Technically Unacceptable”.

I reviewed the structure of the contract and the 4 different schedule Items. I emphasized the importance of closely reading the narrative portion of each Schedule Item because these narrative give specific instructions regarding work required for that Item.

We talked extensively about the proximity of wetlands to a number of bunkers included in this request. Intrusion and damage to any wetland is not acceptable. Work must be staged such that no temporary storage of soil or other materials encroaches on the wetlands. This will require working in a smaller footprint around each bunker that is surrounded by a wetland. The contractor may propose the use of wood matting or other mitigation measures, at no additional cost to the government, which would allow work to proceed without damaging the wetland. The contract period of performance has been lengthened to allow work to proceed through the winter months when the ground is frozen, which will also minimize damage to the wetlands.

I clarified that the gravel and soil berms shall be started as far to the east as the existing cattle fence will allow and worked towards the west. Berm height is anticipated to be a maximum of 10 feet. Gravel and soil are to be kept separate. Berms are to be ‘tracked-in” to provide a water seal, no other compaction required.

Although each bunker includes 500’ of road and rail bed removal, this contract must also include the removal of ballast from the curved rail spurs that continue past where the bunkers are. This ballast shall be placed in the new berm along with the other excess gravel and ballast. The combined additional length of rail bed to be removed is approximately 3,500 linear feet. There is no roadway associated with the rail spurs. Based on existing contours, once the ballast is removed the soil will require minimal grading to match surrounding grade.

The location of the soil and gravel berms as well as the rail spurs leading to them will require some brush clearing, these small trees shall be consolidated onto manageable piles that can be burned by the US Forest Service at a later date. Similarly, any woody vegetation remove during bunker demolition shall also be neatly piled on site.

There was a question about previously discovered Asbestos in the bunkers. The only previously identified Asbestos is contained inside the steel doors. As long as the doors are removed intact, there should be no release of any Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM).

There were a few questions related to an alternative to hauling all of the demolition concrete off-site. Midewin will not allow raw broken concrete to remain on-site. However if that concrete were processed to remove all re-bar and then crushed down to gravel size, and left for the Forest Service to use on site, that may be acceptable. Location of the processed gravel would need to be at the designated berm areas already identified. Size of crushed concrete should match IDOT gradation CA-6 (CM06). We are not making this a requirement, but it is available as an option to hauling everything off-site. If a contractor is planning to use this method it must be spelled out in the “technical approach” portion of their proposal.

It was asked if timelines could be extended if the rains continues as they did this spring. Although weather extensions are evaluated on a case by case basis, in general more time would be given for weather caused delays.

The group then travelled to the site for the remainder of the meeting where they were free to investigate the project area.