127EAX26Q0013 Prescott NF Bridge Inspections QA4.docx

This file is the fourth set of Questions and Answers (Q&A #4) for the Bridge Inspection and Assessment solicitation for the Prescott National Forest. The document addresses contractor inquiries regarding site-specific conditions for three bridges requiring safety inspections and load ratings.

The Q&A clarifies that maintenance of traffic (MOT) will be required on these open roads in accordance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), though traffic volumes are minimal on the low-volume forest roads. Regarding bridge access, Bridge #9 and Bridge #10 cross creeks with non-perennial streams; underside access to the slabs may be accomplished via 10-12 foot ladders based on available photographic evidence, though exact measurements from the slab bottom to channel bed have not been provided. For the Crooks Canyon Bridge, no pictures or measurements are available, but satellite imagery indicates it also crosses a non-perennial stream; based on comparable slab-type structures in the Forest, a 6-foot ladder is estimated as potentially adequate for accessing the slab underside, though the structure likely has low clearance. This information supports contractors in developing bid proposals for the inspection work required to comply with the March 2022 Specifications for the National Bridge Inventory (SNBI) and AASHTO's Manual for Bridge Evaluation, 3rd edition (2018). Questions for the solicitation were due March 20, 2026, with offers to be submitted to the Contracting Officer at blaine.greenwalt@usda.gov.