A4_-_Questions_and_Answers_amendment_2_0002.pdf

140P5323R0016

Questions and Answers

Amendment 2

1. Question: If the NPS has already talked to a Helicopter Lift company & if I read correctly that NPS employees are going to pick up the pieces of debris. What exactly are you wanting us to do?

Answer: This contract is for removal of the crash debris from a mountaintop that is inaccessible except by air. The debris have been consolidated on-site for that removal.

The contractor will airlift the material from the site to an intermediate location and facilitate the ultimate disposal of the debris at an appropriate offsite disposal facility.

2. What is the extent of the clean-up you are wanting to do? Are you wanting to only remove the plane debris that is left behind or are you wanting all trees that have been damaged because the crash cleaned up also? Do you know the size of the aircraft or anything else about the aircraft? Do you have any information on the size of the crash site?

Answer: removal of the aircraft debris. The aircraft was a Cessna 414. Engines, fuel tanks, landing gear, and other mechanical components have been removed. The remaining wing, fuselage, and empennage components have been freed and consolidated in a 15x15’ area in prep for removal.

3. Question: Do contractors need to bonded?

Answer: No, but contractors need to have insurance

4. Question: Will contractors be able to schedule alternate flight days in the event of weather?

Answer: Yes.

5. Question: Will contractors be able to conduct site prep over multiple days before/leading up to aerial lift operations?

Answer: Yes.

6. Question: Assuming an aerial crane is used, is an aviation plan required to be submitted to the NPS prior to removal?

Answer: Yes

7. Question: Will the NPS crew that loads the wreckage into contractor-provided containers be Helicopter Crewmember (HECM) certified? It is stated that an on-site meeting is required prior to removal to finalize any required actions for removal operations. Can we take this to mean that the NPS crew will make all loads flight-ready?

Answer: NPS personnel will NOT be HECM certified. NPS personnel will be available to load human-portable wreckage into contractor provided containers. Some wreckage may be too large for certain containers and may require additional preparation to be made flight ready. It will be the contractor’s responsibility to inspect each load, ensure that it is flight-ready, and act as ground crew for aerial external load operations.

8. Question: Is there an assumed size for the contractor provided debris containers or any size restrictions (Either max or min)?

Answer: Wreckage ranges in size from small, handheld debris to the fuselage section, which is approximately 8x4x4’ (LxWxH). Nearly all wreckage pieces are small enough to fit inside the fuselage section.

9. Question: What is the minimum size that the NPS will cut up the larger pieces.

Answer: Please see answer to question 8. Further preparation by cutting up larger pieces would be the contractor’s responsibility.

10. Question: From SOW Item #3, will the winning contractor be responsible for any signage or barricades for the road closures? What is the extent of contractor involvement required?

Answer: NPS personnel will sign and staff all necessary road, trail, and facility closures. Road closures are expected to be intermittent during times of overflight.

Contractor involvement would be needed to inform NPS personnel when to activate road closures.

11. Question: For the dumpster location, will we be allowed to construct temporary fencing to block public access to this area in the immediate day(s) prior to the planned lift? If so, are there any size restrictions to the fenced area?

Answer: Dumpsters must be placed on existing hardened asphalt surface at Waterrock

Knob Visitor Center. Any temporary fencing around the dumpster must also be placed on the existing hardened surface. Ground disturbance in the form of holes, posts, stakes, or other ground penetration is not authorized. Fenced off area will be as small as possible and will not block through-traffic through the Visitor Center parking lot.

12. Question: For the day(s) of the planned airlift, can/will the entire parking area and trail be closed or will we be limited to partial closures of the area and trail?

Answer: The entirety of Waterrock Knob Visitor Center will be closed, to include the parking lot, trail, and trailhead. Trail closures will be conducted by NPS personnel on the Mountains to Sea Trail which crosses the Waterrock Knob Trail.

13. Question: The solicitation states that this will be a firm-fixed price award. However, in the SOW, Task 2 states that after the completion of Task 1 (an organized site visit with the winning contractor and the NPS) the contractor shall “refine their proposal”. Are we to submit pricing as “best case scenario” and revise upon that site visit?

Answer: This solicitation is a fixed price award. Contractors are expected to submit their price to complete the contract in good faith based on described SOW and known site conditions. Our expectation is that refinements to the proposal after Task 1 and codified in work plan, safety plan, and project schedule would be small in scale and would not affect overall contract pricing.

14. Question: In the SOW, Task #3 states that any debris left behind after the removal operation will be the contractors responsibility. Can we assume this to mean any contractor provided equipment, all NPS loaded contractor supplied containers at the crash site and any “spilled material”.

Answer: Please refer to question 8.

15. Question: Reference question 14.: Can the Government please clarify that any and all material slated for removal will be NPS loaded into contractor supplied containers for removal by the contractor and that the contractor will not be responsible for any unloaded, overlooked, buried or lose material?

Answer: Please refer to question 8. NPS personnel will remain on-site throughout the operation to ensure that the area is properly policed. The contractor will only be responsible for removal of unburied material consolidated at the pickup site.

Amendment 1

1. Question: In regard to the Notice above, would the service provider be allowed to use air assets?

Answer - Yes, in fact, we expect the provider to use air assets, as we've identified aerial lift as the only feasible option for the location given its inaccessibility.

2. Question about visiting the site of the airplane. Do I need to set up at meeting to go look at the site or can we just go out there without anyone?

Answer:

Although the site is accessible to the public, it's best to coordinate the site visit, given the difficult terrain, lack of official trails, and potential difficulty finding the site.

Site visit is scheduled for Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at 930am. Interested contractors can meet at Waterrock Knob Visitors Center Parking Lot at 0930am EST. Participants should be prepared for a three-mile round trip hike over steep terrain with unstable footing. They should bring water, food, sturdy footwear (hiking boots), and be prepared for cold temperatures and/or inclement weather.

Driving Directions (from Recreation.gov):

From Balsam Gap (MP 443), 7 miles south of Waynesville, NC or 12 miles north of

Sylva, NC, on US-23/75, enter onto the Parkway, heading Parkway south, for about 8 miles. Turn right on the access road (MP 451). If you are coming from the south, near

Maggie Valley or Cherokee, Waterrock Knob is about 4 miles north of Soco Gap (MP

455).