Amend 0003- Black Mountian Road- Q-As-8-13-2020.pdf

Solicitation# 12853820R0006- Black Mountain Road Re-Construction

Questions and Answers

(From Pre-Bid Meeting, both site, visits and email inquiries)

Question: Document 202000661389__1_ADDSPECA_ADDSPECAA Page 17, Section 153.02 indicates QCM requirements, Page 13 106.02 indicates to use visual inspection. Please clarify the QCM requirements for the testing of Government furnished materials and testing of the placed material.

Answer: Regarding the Quality Control Manager (QCM) the Government is not requiring

Contractors to have a person onsite just for Quality Control. The Government will strike out

Section 153.02 (a) on Page 17 of the specifications. However, this does not alleviate the contractor’s responsibility for quality control, it simply means they don’t have to have a person onsite whose only job is QC. The Government will want testers for gradation and other specified rock crushing requirements in the specs during crushing. Section 153.02 (b) should stay.

Question: For item number 207(01), were you wanting the type b geosynthetic to be non-woven or woven? As for item 619(03), what is the drive over width that you would like for the cattle guard? I know it says 24' for a length but does not specify the width.

Answer: The width is 7’-9”. The intent is for a woven fabric

Questions: For the cattle guard wing do you want to use a thickness of 3/16" or 1/4"? I never did see any drawing for a cattle guard wing.

Answer: Please refer to the attached standard drawing for the cattleguard wing that should have been included. Utilize a thickness of 3/16” for the wing, the same as the grill plates.

Question: Is there information available concerning the pit? For example: Past material encountered, borings, pictures, etc..

Answer: Here is an exhibit for the Copper Creek Pit on areas that were dug by Nick. This is the latest and the best information we have regarding pit exploration and test pits. In the marks where I put Dig Site, He typically dug between 8’ and 10’ down and found good material the whole depth at the locations marked. The south part of the pit as highlighted is topsoil and not recommended for expansion. We don’t want the pit to be visible from FSR 26 below so any pit development plan the contractors submit will need to consider this. The south hill of the pit is mostly topsoil from previous expansions and expanding the pit this direction is not encouraged.

As far as allowing potential contract bidders to poke around the pit for potential source locations, we are fine with allowing them to do that (as long as it’s within the area covered by the heritage survey in the map attached.) They will need to get a Road Use Permit to be covered to go up there and dig around and that is something I can get through fairly quickly. If any prospective bidders are interested in doing some pit coring or exploration, they need to contact me (Chris

Wolffing) right away

Question: could you educate me on the Magnesium Chloride brine, Method 1?

Answer: The parent FP14 Specification Section 312-Dust Palliative explains the Method 1:

Single Application approach. Please refer to this specification for guidance on the mag chloride.

Question: what does a MGAL measure out to be?

Answer: 1 thousand gallons.

Question: If we are awarding work this year can we start some work this year?

Answer: Yes. The NTP is issued after award and is based on a mutual agreement between the FS and Contractor in regards to start date. It should be clear in the solicitation. Under Clause

52.211-10 in the solicitation "The Contractor shall be required to (a) commence work under this contract within 10 calendar days after the date the Contractor receives the notice to proceed, (b) prosecute the work diligently, and (c) complete the entire work ready for use not later than

November 30, 2021. The time stated for completion shall include final cleanup of the premises."

Q/A from Pre-Bid Meeting

Primary work items:

FS Road 16 with ten (10) miles of work (reconditioning for 10 mile length)

Aggregate placement of five (5) miles with 4”depth

Some clearing and grubbing as specified in the solicitation- utilizing Chipper

Source of aggregate is from the Government out of the Copper Creek Pit

Road Reconditioning

Some tree and stump removal

Clearing and grubbing along entire road, varies in intensity

Traffic Control required per specifications

Cattle guard and gate installation

Grading

Question: How will aggregate placement be measured, by Cubic Yard or Actual Quantities?

Answer: Will be measured in place by the cubic yard. It is an actual quantity item.

Random sampling will be used to verify depth and width, and compaction in place

Question: Roadway width varies, is it expected for contractor to maintain a certain width for full section of road, will material need to be hauled in?

Answer: Roadway width varies between 18’ to 24’, it is not expected that any road widening will be needed. Surface aggregate will be places on existing road template.

Base shall be prepared prior to placement of aggregate.

Question: What material will be used for the geotech sections, grading Method G?

Answer: Grading method P as noted in the solicitation

Question: What depth of material is required for the areas with Geotextile. Will there be excavation of existing material involved?

Answer: Dig out 14” of existing material and replace with 14”. Match grade of existing roadway.

Question: Is there data on previous crushing in pit?

Answer: No specific data, the Government is confident that there is enough material and should be able to meet gradation specifications. The Governments Independent Cost

Estimate is based on all material coming out of that pit.

Question: Is completion date of November 30, 2020 reasonable considering awarding, submittals, and weather?

Answer: The Government is aware of timing concerns and may consider amending or modifying the completion date.

Question: Is their independent compaction testing for the surface aggregate in in the contract.

How will compaction be verified?

Answer: Base Course Aggregate, there is not testing schedule. Per 204(11)B compaction method is “B”. Review page 29 of the specifications- placement method 2, visual inspection. ASHTO T-99 or T-109 testing is not required. Visual compaction in necessary per specifications.

Jason reminded everyone of the:

Traffic Control Requirement, review and understand

Disposal of clearing and grubbing materials (chipping is allowed for non-merchantable timber)

Water sources- there are two streams nearby

Staging and Camping- areas to be identified – permitted upon written request

Some material is merchantable (couple dozen trees), GOV will identify those and they are to be decked near site, contractor SHALL NOT take.

Attendees or Interested parties from each physical site visit

August 5, 2020 Site Visit

Potential Primes

Albert Eighmy – PEI

Ben Steed – Bairco

Jim Frost -Frost Rock Products

Potential Subcontractors

Nathan Mullinax – Mullinax (Rock Crushing) (He had an extra employee with him)

Axel Schoenbeck – Wagner Ranch Services (Rock Crushing)

Brian Frost – American Engineering Testing, Inc. (testing)

I arrived to the site around 9:45 and Albert and Ben were already there. Soon after, everyone else but Brian Frost was on the site. I started at 10:00 at the beginning of the road explaining the basic parameters of the project. There were several questions regarding the reconditioning and clearing and grubbing. I referred them to the drawings and the specifications for the clarifications but I did let them know that if the ditches are grassed over, functional and already met the plan dimensions, I would rather they didn’t recut them but leave them be. I also mentioned about the heavy use of the road and that a good traffic control plan is needed. I mentioned that the max closure is 30 minutes for some items. I also mentioned if they have any questions about the contract outside of technical to please send them to Sue Lacroix. One question that did come up that I didn’t have an immediate answer for is whether the contract is to be awarded this year with all the work to be completed this year or awarded this year and have the work done next year. Ben mentioned that it was brought up in the prebid call but not addressed in the addendum notes. (Amendment 0002 of the solicitation has extended the Period of Performance from 11/30/2020 to 11/302021)

We continued down the road and stopped at several of the key spots including the fabric and base course spots, areas of thick clearing and grubbing, aggregate start and stop points. We also stopped at the first water source, cattleguard removal and installation site and the site where individual trees are to be removed. Ben had a question as to whether a permit is needed to take water from the streams to use for the road work. He also was thinking clearing and grubbing was going to be expensive based on the thick areas of brush. I checked with Matt Enger when I got back and he said there is a permit needed. He is looking into the requirements and will get back with me tomorrow on what they are.

The last place we stopped is the Copper Creek Pit. Ben asked if we had any records of the pit and said he would submit an email requesting those. I was able to find some old records however they seem pretty dated and I’m not sure of the usefulness. Nathan and Axel both said the likely place to expand the pit was to strip the south end hillside and mine that for the aggregate and smooth it over once done. They didn’t seem too concerned about the quantities but mentioned that there was barely room for the crusher and processing equipment. I mentioned they will need to submit a pit development plan as part of the contract. I asked if anyone had questions one more time but they didn’t and we left. The tour ended around 11:30.

August 13, 2020 Site Visit

Potential Primes

Pab Good – Good Transportation

Roger Odekoven – Odekoven Excavation

Mark Schmidt – Summit Excavation

Darrel Esau – Summit Excavation

Chad Connel – High Country

Danny May – Mountain Construction

Jared May – Mountain Construction

David Wise – Wyoming Earthmoving Company (Called on phone in afternoon, visited site earlier)

Potential Subcontractors

Mark Schawgnessy – Cody Tree (Clearing and Grubbing)

NOTES:

I arrived at the site around 9:55 and most of the contractors. Only Danny and Jared had not arrived. I started around 10:00. I started at 10:00 at the beginning of the road explaining the basic parameters of the project. There were several questions regarding the reconditioning and clearing and grubbing. I referred them to the drawings and the specifications for the clarifications but I did let them know that if the ditches are grassed over, functional and already met the plan dimensions, I would rather they didn’t recut them but leave them be. I also mentioned about the heavy use of the road and that a good traffic control plan is needed. I mentioned that the max closure is 30 minutes for some items and 2 hours for the cattleguard. I also mentioned if they have any questions about the contract outside of technical to please send them to Sue Lacroix. One question that did come up was whether they could start some work this year like clearing and grubbing and pit development. I told them I would check with Sue when I got back. (Refer to Q/A above)

We continued down the road and stopped at several of the key spots including the fabric and base course spots, areas of thick clearing and grubbing, aggregate start and stop points. We also stopped at the first water source, cattleguard removal and installation site and the site where individual trees are to be removed. I let the contractors know that a water permit is required for drawing water from the streams to use on the road but the Forest Service will be doing the permit work.

The last place we stopped is the Copper Creek Pit. We looked mostly at the disturbance area west of the existing stockpiles as a potential area for expansion. I mentioned they will need to submit a pit development plan as part of the contract. I asked if anyone had questions one more time but they didn’t and we left. The tour ended around 11:45.