Amendmt_004_Attchmt_17_Final_Q_and_A.pdf

Solicitation (RFP) no. 140P8319R0009, Amendment 004 - - Attachment 17 (6/18/19)

Replace Water System Piping & Appurtenances, LEWI

FINAL ROUND OF QUESTIONS/ANSWERS (Q&A)

This document is a consolidated list of all questions and clarifications asked, from Amendment

001 through 0004, so that all Offerors can refer to this single document for all Q&A for the solicitation. Follow-up questions and/or new questions asked throughout this document are shown in red text.

The following questions #1 through 16 were posted in Amendment no. 001, as Attachment

no. 9 (were included in the site visit notes).

1. QUESTION: Is night work allowed?

ANSWER: Yes, but only by approval of the Contracting Officer (CO) or

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). The contractor must submit a written request (email is acceptable) to the CO and COR that includes the type of work needing to be performed, and date range for when it will occur. The reason that any after hours work (night work), weekend work, or holiday work must be approved in advanced is to ensure that the tasks/type of work performed won’t require NPS inspection or surveillance. If it will, then the NPS needs to be able to decide if the COR or a

Project Inspector can be scheduled to be present.

2. QUESTION: Can resource monitoring be made available during night work?

ANSWER: If night work has been approved, and pre-arranged (refer to Answer #1), then yes, the NPS can agree to a 5pm-9pm timeframe, for a few nights as-needed.

Contractor would be required to provide its own lights, in order for monitoring to occur between 5pm and 9pm.

3. CLARIFICATION: Question was asked about the fire suppression system and impacts to that during water shutoff.

ANWER: The work will be outside, not hooking inside the building to the fire riser.

4. CLARIFICATION: A Hemlock tree was identified outside the building near the lunch room. Question was raised if it would need to be removed, and if so, who would be responsible.

ANSWER: NPS has determined that the Hemlock tree will need to be removed, and the

NPS will fell the tree prior to the on-site start date.

FOLLOW-UP: NPS has removed this tree. The stump and roots remain in place.

Contractor may need to have the roots ground off the stump if they interfere with where the water line will be routed close to the stump area. NPS will not be able to remove the stump and roots prior to start of work.

5. CLARIFICATION: Regarding the continuation of operations, limited shutdown and the startup of new system.

ANSWER: NPS expects a high level of communication and coordination with contractor for an outcome of minimal impact on operations. NPS understands that there will be some time frames of non-potable water until the test results come back. NPS prefers that shutdowns for the Fort Clatsop Visitor Center be scheduled to occur on Tuesdays and

Wednesdays, 4-hour windows, between 6pm -9am. There will also have to be communication between the contractor and the local water district on shutdown and flushing for start-up. NPS will be responsible for notifying DEQ and will be responsible for posting the boil water advisory notices (as required per regulation, until the samples come back).

6. QUESTION: Should I include my sequence of events (shut downs, startups, components) as part of my timeline in my proposal?

ANSWER: Yes. NPS expects to see periods scheduled for shut downs and start up as part of your overall schedule. Refer to Section M.1, (b), iii, in Attachment no. 7, Revised

Terms-Clauses. As stated in #5, NPS expects a high level of communication and coordination with contractor during construction, which is why it is important that the contractor submit updated project schedules with look-aheads, that includes the planned outages and shutdown periods. During construction, the COR will need to inform park staff of planned outages, shutdown periods, start up, and other interruptions that will impact visitors. NPS expects that if a situation arises that will impact visitors, that contractor and NPS will work as a team to mitigate those impacts. It will be critical that the Contractor’s Site Superintendent be present, on-site during construction, and that person communicates and coordinates directly with the COR and/or Project Inspectors during all phases of construction.

7. QUESTION: Are spoils or unsuitable backfill and tree roots to be removed from site?

ANSWER: Yes. Contractor will be responsible for hauling off spoils (dyke district or locals will take for free). Any trees that the contractor removed during construction shall be left on site with root ball attached to look like a natural blow over, as coordinated with COR or Project Inspector. Vegetation can remain and be utilized for restoration.

FOLLOW-UP QUESTION: You’ve made it clear the contractor is responsible for haul away and disposal of spoils. You’ve mentioned “dyke district or locals will take for free”. Do you plan to secure a dumpsite free of charge to the contractor? If the park is going to provide dump sites, then great. But if not, then the dump sites need to be permitted through the County, State, or DEQ depending on size of disturbance. Most dumpsites in the park’s area have a dump fee per cubic yard of spoils. Please let it be known where the park’s dump sites are located, if any, so Offerors can accurately quantify trucking required for haul off.

FOLLOW-UP ANSWER:

Contractor will dump the topsoils, plants, and woody debris onsite by the

¼ mile at the Ness Hill Barn on NPS property.

The park will not establish the dump locations. The contractor will be responsible for hauling the materials to be dumped, to an off-site location

(other than topsoils, plants, woody debris). Here are some local area dump sites to contact (please note - - this is a sampling of establishments and in no way are any required, nor is this list a complete list):

o Trails end Recovery, phone number 503-861-6030 o Dike District 11, Ronald Coleman, phone number 503-861-1368 o District 5, Steve Bowers, phone number 503-791-7037 o Dike District 14, Lenard Hagman, phone number 503-741-6824

8. QUESTION: Clarification requested regarding the parking lot alignment - - on plan it follows a radius. Can that be a straight cut? This is the spot heading from VC to Admin

Hydrant.

ANSWER: A straight cut is what is called out for on plans, not a radius.

9. QUESTION: Waterline goes to Admin, sheet CO5, can we use a Y-off to avoid the giant

Spruce tree?

ANSWER: The plan shows the 2” service line tap fitting off the mainline going to

Adminstration Building 12 feet off the pavement which would give plenty of room to run that line around on the south side of that tree. Sheet CO5 detail 14 is 12’ off road and we had a question on whether that could be bumped south to 24 feet to go around the big spruce by the road, and the answer after working with the Archeologist is, yes.

On the sheet CO5, key point 11 is where you could move key note 14 to for ease of construction, and avoiding that tree. Key note 28 on sheet CO5 the water line entering the building is 3 feet depth as it penetrates the fountain wall.

10. QUESTION: Clarification requested regarding Sheet CO4, note 16 to note 23, the blow off is on the other side of that road to Resources building. The actual location of this will be on the east side of that cut and the building requires a 4” supply, not a 4” line. Can we modify and have the shut off to building changed to a 4” shut off valve and a 4” connection to supply building?

ANSWER: Yes. This work will not require cutting or patching at this location. Only by the resource building. The maintenance building does have a suppression system.

11. QUESTION: Does the Master meter octave ultrasonic meter require power?

ANSWER: No. It has a ten year battery unit to provide precision accuracy.

12. QUESTION: Refer to Sheet CO9 - - Is this reduction to 6” going to reduce the pressure and flow for the desired fire flows?

ANSWER: The supply water line at the boundary is 6", C-900 Pipe at the boundary where park meets Water District.3

13. QUESTION: What is the acceptable backfill specification for Class #2 gravel? Please clarify.

ANSWER: Specifications Section 31 05 16 and 31 23 33 cover backfill. Here is the definition for Class #2 gravel. It is preferable that contractor supplies gravel from local pits/quarries in/around Astoria-Warrenton, OR areas. Contractor should submit verification via the contract submittal process, that the subbase fill meets this criteria.

14. QUESTION: Specs call for 10” c-900 to go through a 14” steel casing in the older bore locations, can we remove that requirement under the roads crossings? Also will a 10”c-

900 line even fi into a 14” steel pipe with spacers? (16”or 18” would be better.

ANSWER: 14” casing with spacers will be difficult to house the 10” C-900. Larger casing size (16” or 18”) is authorized with appropriate spacers.

FOLLOW-UP QUESTION: The original question asked had two parts to it.

One, is the steel casing still required for open cut trenching in the locations that were once planned for boring. Two, what size steel casing will be required if 14” is too small. The answer provided gives contractors the option of 16” or 18” casings, but does not clarify if casings will be required, or what of the two sizes will be required.

FOLLOW-UP ANSWER: Yes, steel casing required. Government agrees that

14” casing with spacers will be difficult to house the 10” C-900. Therefore, government is changing this to requiring 16” steel casing with spacers.

15. QUESTION: Regarding connection to utility districts line and existing meters - - whether those two are to be removed. And are we connecting to a 4” line or 6” there?

Looking at Sheet CO9, is this reduction to 6” going to reduce the pressure and flow for the desired fire flows?

ANSWER: The current design is capable of delivering the desired fire flow pressure even with the reduction through the meter.

16. Clarity Requested Sheet C09- metering vault detail - - not really understanding its purpose?

ANSWER: Vault detail on Sheet C09 is not necessary. Offerors shall make the following pen-and-ink changes to Specification Section 01 27 00 Definition of

Contract Items:

Paragragh 3.1A1

“…in accordance with the project plans and specifications. Remove existing meter and vault and backfill in accordance to specifications.”

Paragraph 3.1G1

“…in accordance with the project plans and specifications. Remove existing meter and vault and backfill in accordance to specifications.”

FOLLOW-UP QUESTION: Answer originally provided (as seen above) states

“Vault detail on Sheet C09 is not necessary.” This reads as if the vault and 6” meter has been deleted from the specifications. The pen and ink changes called out in the original answer are to changes in specifications sections related to

“Meter Install” and “Install Service Meter Connections”. I understand the existing meters and vaults are to be removed and excavations back filled, but I’m unclear if we are to install the 6” meter and vault per the detail on Sheet C09 if this detail

“is not necessary”.

FOLLOW-UP ANSWER: Government apologizes for any confusion about this particular Q&A – we had some misunderstanding happening when we posted the original answer. To clarify, the vault in C09 is absolutely necessary and remains.

The 6" meter is to be installed as per CO9. Government confirmed this and it is has been verified by the engineer as not going to impact the fire flow. Contractor will remove the existing meter and vault.

Engineer’s Note: Installing the 6” water meter and vault is still in the specifications, as detailed in Key Note #1 of Sheet C04. Details for the installation are provided on M/C09.

The following questions #17 and 18 were posted in Amendment no. 002 (no attachment – these questions were posted into the main synopsis page for this amendment).

17. QUESTION: Could the park provide the current surveys with the locates marked and the lay of the new sewer to guide the proposals? This would ensure a better end product for understanding why the route is where it is.

ANSWER: The work of this solicitation to replace the water mains and appurtenances is

Phase I of the overall project. Phase II will be to replace the waste water lines, which is still in preliminary design, drawings not finalized. However, the park is able to provide a drawing for Offerors to reference (please understand this is not a final design), that is incorporated into the solicitation as Attachment no. 14. When reviewing Attachment no.

14, Offerors shall be advised that drawing illustrates in red, the planned route of the wastewater and the approved (by NPS Compliance) routing of the waste water project, as it is in the preliminary design-phase. Also, the drawing illustrates in blue, the waterline. The Key Notes shown on the drawing do not apply to this solicitation.

Offerors shall use the Key Notes from the final waterline design provided in Attachment

no. 6.

18. QUESTION: Refer to Attachment no. 8, Section L.4, Part I – Technical Proposal, if

Items no. 3 and 4 are duplicate of each other.

ANSWER: No, they are separate items, however, they do relate to one another. Item

no. 3 is providing what the Offeror should focus on for filling out the “Experience &

Past Performance – Form 1” referenced in Item no. 4. Offerors shall make a pen-and-ink change in Attachment no. 8, to replace Section L.4, Part I – Item 3, with Section M.1.1(a) items i through v.

The following questions #19 through 21 are part of Amendment no. 004, as new questions/answers (not previously posted).

19. (NEW) QUESTION: Refer to Specifications Section 01 31 00, Part 1.2, Item A.1, which states “The Water District will be installing a new point of connection at the park boundary.” Can you please clarify who is responsible for coordinating the connection with the Water District?

(NEW) ANSWER: COR will be responsible for coordinating the tie-in for the connection with the water district. Contractor will need to communicate schedule (with look-aheads identifying project milestones) and plan for when the tie-in will occur, so the

COR will have time to give advanced notice and coordinate work with the water district.

20. (NEW) QUESTION: Refer to Specifications Section 01 27 00, Part 3, where specs state

“payment will be made at the contract unit price bid per lumps sum.” Please clarify how line items will be paid.

(NEW) ANSWER: The solicitation asks for contractor to fill in lump sum prices only, using the Price Schedule provided in Section B of Attachment no. 8. Upon award decision, the contract line items will be structured also as lump sum amounts. There will be no line items set up for tracking unit price quantities.

21. (NEW) QUESTION: Refer to Specifications 01 50 00, Part 3.4, Item F, which states

“Site Enclosure Fence: Before construction operations begin, furnish and install temporary chain link fencing in a manner that will prevent people and animals from easily entering site except by entrance gates.” Do you really want me to install a chain link fence around project perimeter? That seems excessive, and was not discussed during the pre-proposal site visit.

(NEW) ANSWER: Contractor will not be required to install a chain link fence around project site. The government will accept cones, flagging tape and construction site signage to keep people out of project site.