Amendment_0003_Contractor_Q_As_MORA_Longmire_Fiber_Install_0003.pdf

140P8326Q0056 Longmire Fiber Install Mount Rainier National Park

CONTRACTOR QUESTIONS

Longmire Fiber Optic Conduit Installation

Solicitation 140P8326Q0056 | Mount Rainier National Park

No. Reference and Clarification Question Why it matters

SF 1442 / Price Schedule; SOW §1.2.D The SF 1442 and price schedule describe installing fiber optic cable and cabling, while the SOW states that this project is limited to conduit, handholes, and pull tape and that fiber installation will occur in a later phase. Please confirm that no fiber optic cable, splicing, termination, or fiber testing is included in the base scope.

This contract does not include any fiber optic cable installation, splicing, termination, or fiber testing. Any language referencing fiber installation was unintentionally carried over from a standard template. The scope of work for this project is limited to installing conduit, handholes, and pull tape only.

Major scope and material-cost clarification.

SOW §1.2.B.1; Amendment 0002 Q&A Please provide the required bridge-crossing conduit design. Specifically, confirm the conduit diameter and material across the bridge, whether flexible conduit is required for the entire bridge span or only at each end, the permitted attachment method and spacing, whether drilling or anchoring into the historic bridge is allowed, and any required color or finish.

The bridge‑crossing conduit shall be 3‑inch PVC, with flexible conduit transitions installed only at each end to accommodate bridge movement.

The main span itself will be rigid PVC. Drilling/anchoring into the bridge is permitted under the approved NEPA/NHPA Section 106 compliance for this project. No special color or finish is required. Bidders may propose an alternative design if strongly recommended based on field conditions.

Historic-structure attachment design, materials, and installation labor.

SOW §1.2.B.4; Amendment 0002 Q&A The existing handhole between the bridge and Community Building has not been conclusively identified and may require asphalt cutting and replacement. Please confirm whether locating, exposing, removing, replacing, and restoring pavement around this handhole must be included in the base lump-sum price, or whether replacement work will be directed and priced by modification after NPS validates the condition.

Excavation, asphalt restoration, and handhole contingency.

No. Reference and Clarification Question Why it matters

Locating the buried handhole may require additional labor such as rodding or similar techniques to trace and confirm the conduit path. Contractors should include reasonable locating efforts in their base price. Based on discussions with facilities staff, we believe the handhole likely still exists but is buried under asphalt or soil/gravel. If the handhole is found to be damaged or missing—or if the conduit terminates without entering a vault—NPS will validate the condition and direct any vault replacement or new vault installation through a contract modification.

SOW §1.2.E.2

The SOW requires installation of five handholes and recommends keeping a sixth handhole on hand. Should the base quote include the purchase and delivery of a sixth handhole that becomes Government property, or should offerors price only five handholes and treat a sixth as a contractor contingency to be added only if directed?

Contractors should include the purchase and delivery of a sixth handhole in their base price. Although Section 3 originally appeared to require a new vault, a recent site visit confirmed that an existing vault was recently placed since the SOW was submitted. So installation of a Section 3 vault may not be needed. The higher differing‑site‑condition risk is associated with the potentially missing or buried vault in Section 2. The sixth handhole will become Government property whether or not it is installed, and actual installation will occur only if directed by NPS through a contract modification.

Handhole quantity and ownership.

SOW Archaeological Resources Please confirm whether the archaeological monitor required for ground-disturbing work will be furnished, funded, and scheduled by NPS, with the contractor responsible only for providing the required advance notice and coordinating the work schedule.

Yes—NPS will furnish, fund, and schedule the archaeological monitor for all ground‑disturbing work. The contractor is only responsible for providing the required advance notice and coordinating their excavation schedule with NPS.

Specialty monitoring cost and schedule coordination.

SOW excavation restrictions; Terms H.4 The SOW prohibits excavation below 35°F or with standing water or snow, and the contract requires completion within 60 days after NTP. If weather restrictions or an NPS-directed seasonal shutdown prevent excavation, will contract time be suspended or extended on a non-compensable basis? Please identify the documentation required to support a time extension.

Schedule risk, lodging, mobilization, and winter shutdown exposure.

No. Reference and Clarification Question Why it matters

Yes. If weather restrictions or an NPS‑directed seasonal shutdown prevent excavation, the Government will consider non‑compensable time extensions or suspension of contract time as appropriate. Contract time may be paused and restarted the following season if conditions require a shutdown. Contractors must document delays by recording daily temperatures, site conditions (snow, standing water, frozen ground), and the specific work that was prevented. This documentation will support any request for a non‑compensable time extension.

SOW §§1.2.A-B; Amendment 0002 Q&A The SOW characterizes portions of the route as moderate to high excavation difficulty and the Q&A acknowledges rock and depth limitations. Please confirm whether materially different rock conditions, quantities, or excavation methods beyond those reasonably inferable from the documents will be evaluated as a differing site condition or change, rather than being included without limit in the base lump-sum price.

The SOW identifies moderate to high excavation difficulty and notes unknown subsurface conditions—particularly on the south side of the suspension bridge where the conduit path runs between asphalt and a rock wall. Offerors should include reasonable rock/hand‑excavation efforts consistent with those descriptions in their base lump‑sum. However, if materially different rock conditions, quantities, or excavation methods are encountered that go beyond what is reasonably inferable from the SOW and site observations, the Government will evaluate them as a Differing Site Condition or Change (time and/or cost by modification), subject to CO determination.

Rock excavation equipment, production, and contingency.

SOW §1.2.B.4 and Appendix A Please confirm the condition and usability assumption for the existing 2-inch conduit between the unidentified handhole and the Community Building, and for the existing conduit continuing toward the Water Treatment Plant. If an existing conduit is blocked, collapsed, occupied, or otherwise unusable, will remediation or replacement be handled by modification?

The Government assumes the existing 2‑inch conduit between the unidentified handhole and the Community Building is intact and usable based on field observations and prior discussions with facilities staff.

Contractors should carry this assumption in their base pricing. If the conduit is discovered to be blocked, collapsed, occupied, or otherwise unusable, NPS will verify the condition and any required remediation or

Existing-condition risk and unplanned trenching.

No. Reference and Clarification Question Why it matters replacement will be handled by contract modification.

Regarding the conduit continuing toward the Water Treatment Plant (Section 3):

A recently installed handhole was identified during the most recent site visit, eliminating the need for the previously proposed Vault 8. The new 3‑inch conduit route may tie into this existing vault. Any additional remediation needed will likewise be directed by NPS through modification rather than included in the base lump‑sum price.

SOW Temporary Facilities / Traffic Controls Please clarify whether the contractor must furnish all MUTCD traffic-control devices and certified flaggers for work adjacent to roads, bridge approaches, and pedestrian routes, or whether NPS will provide any closures, cones, barricades, or personnel.

The contractor must furnish all required MUTCD‑compliant traffic‑control devices and certified flaggers as appropriate. NPS will not provide cones, barricades, closures, or personnel. The affected road segments are low‑traffic access roads, so the level of traffic control needed will generally be minimal, but the contractor is responsible for determining and providing whatever traffic control is necessary for safe operations.

Traffic-control labor and equipment.

SF 1442 Item 12a; FAQ Item 7 SF 1442 Item 12a is marked “Yes” for performance and payment bonds, while the FAQ states that no performance bond is required and only Alternative Payment Protections under FAR 52.228-13 are required.

Please confirm that a performance bond is not required and identify the exact acceptable payment protection and required amount.

For an award under $150K, only a payment bond is required. For an award over $150K, performance bond would be required in addition to payment bond. If a performance bond is required, it would be the same terms as payment bond; 100% of the contract price and provide within 10 days of Notice to Proceed.

Bond premium and quote compliance.

1. Cabling exclusion. SF 1442 Item 10 and CLIN 00010 read "install fiber optic conduit and cabling," while SOW Section 1.2 states that fiber optic cable installation and termination will be performed internally in a subsequent phase. SOW page 36 also carries a header for Section 27 13 23, Optical Fiber Backbone Cabling, which is not listed in the Table of Contents. In addition, Section 27 05 00, 1.4.D requires on reel OTDR testing and manufacturer test data for fiber optic cable, and SOW 1.2.F.1 lists a final termination map as a deliverable. Please confirm that all fiber optic cable, splicing, termination, and testing are excluded from this contract, that Section 27 13 23 and Section 27 05 00, 1.4.D do not apply, and that closeout deliverables are limited to as built drawings showing conduit routes and handhole locations.

Fiber installation is not part of this contract. Any fiber-related language remaining in the SOW was carried over unintentionally. This project includes only conduit, handholes, and pull tape.

Fiber specifications and testing requirements do not apply, and closeout deliverables are limited to as-built drawings showing conduit routes and handhole locations.

2. Conduit size and quantity. Section 27 05 43, 2.4.A requires all in ground conduit between handholes to be 3 inch Schedule 40, but Appendix A shows a 1x2 inch stub up at the Water Lab (L-678) and new 1x2 inch conduit tying into the existing 2 inch line to the Water Plant. Please confirm that 2 inch Schedule 40 applies at those two locations only, and that 3 inch trade size Schedule 40 PVC satisfies 2.4.A elsewhere. Please also confirm whether quoters should carry a firm 100 linear feet for the Water Plant connection described in SOW 1.2.C.b as "up to 100 feet," or whether actual installed footage will be adjusted by modification.

The only locations where 2-inch Schedule 40 PVC applies are at the Water Lab (next to Vault 4), where the conduit will stub up at the building’s exterior and will not enter the structure. All other conduit runs are 3-inch PVC. Schedule 40 may be used for 3-inch segments that are away from roadway loading, but Schedule 80 is required wherever the conduit is in the immediate vicinity of a roadway or in any area where heavy equipment may travel. During the latest site visit to Section 3, NPS confirmed that a new handhole with an existing 2-inch conduit already runs to the Water Treatment Plant, eliminating the need for the previously noted “up to 100 feet” of new 1×2-inch conduit. The 3-inch conduit from Vault 7 will instead tie directly into the existing vault near the former proposed Vault 8 location.

3. Vault 6, unknown location. SOW 1.2.B.4 requires the Contractor to locate an existing handhole estimated between 200 and 600 linear feet south of the bridge, which may have been paved over and may require replacement. Please advise whether NPS can provide any as built drawings, GIS data, or prior locate records for that segment, whether NPS intends to attempt to locate the handhole prior to notice to proceed, and how the Government intends quoters to price the search, exploratory excavation, asphalt cutting, and possible replacement. If the handhole cannot be found, is unusable, or falls outside the estimated range, will the resulting additional work be handled by contract modification?

NPS has no as-built drawings, GIS data, or locate records for the missing handhole, and because the conduit in this segment is vacant, utility locating cannot be performed. Contractors should include in their base pricing a reasonable plan and effort to locate the buried handhole—such as traceable rodding, probing, or limited exploratory excavation, including minor asphalt or soil removal to expose the lid if it is paved over. If the handhole cannot be located, is found unusable, or requires work beyond simple exposure (e.g., conduit termination found in soil with no vault), NPS will verify the condition and any vault replacement or additional excavation will be addressed through a contract modification.

4. Vault 8 and revised project map. Amendment 0002 states that NPS will validate the existing vault at the bottom of the Water Treatment road, that the location shown on the map will change slightly to match it, and that the existing vault will be replaced with the vault specified in the SOW. Appendix A currently identifies Vault 8 as new. Please advise whether a revised Appendix A will be issued prior to the quote due date, and confirm that removal and disposal of the existing vault, along with any cutover or reconnection of the existing 2 inch conduit at that location, is included in the base scope of work.

A revised Appendix A will be issued in an amendment to reflect the existing vault at the bottom of the Water Treatment Plant road. This existing vault will remain in place; removal and disposal of a vault at that location is not required. The new 3-inch conduit from Vault 7 will tie directly into the existing vault near the former proposed Vault 8 location, and no reconnection to a 2-inch conduit is needed.

5. Concrete and asphalt restoration. Section 27 05 43 includes full cast in place concrete requirements at 2.3 and 3.3, and WSDOT compliant hot mix asphalt requirements at 2.7 and 3.6.

The specified handholes are composite units and no concrete structures are shown on Appendix A. Please confirm whether any cast in place concrete is required and, if so, at which locations.

Please also provide the Government's anticipated quantity of asphalt restoration, and confirm whether a supplier's standard WSDOT compliant HMA mix certification is acceptable in lieu of a project specific mix design given the small anticipated quantity and the haul distance to the site.

Cast-in-place concrete is not required for this project. Although the specification includes standard concrete requirements, all handholes for this job are composite units and no poured concrete structures are anticipated. Asphalt work is expected to be minimal and limited to cutting and restoring pavement only if needed to expose the buried Vault 6 lid. If deeper roadway removal or full vault replacement becomes necessary, NPS will verify the condition and handle any additional work through a contract modification. A supplier’s standard WSDOT-compliant HMA mix certification is acceptable given the small quantity of asphalt involved.

6. Bridge attachment and historic compliance. In order to detail and price the bridge crossing, please provide the permitted method of attachment to the Longmire Suspension Bridge, specifically whether drilling or fastening into structural members is permitted or whether clamping to existing steel is required. Section 27 05 43, 2.4 does not address expansion or deflection fittings or above grade support hardware, so please also advise the required fitting type at the flexible transitions and whether stainless steel support hardware is required given the river environment. Finally, please confirm that Section 106 compliance under the National Historic Preservation Act has been completed for the bridge attachment and for the trench alignment.

The suspension bridge span is approximately 200 feet and constructed of wood. There is adequate space on the east (mountain) side of the bridge to fasten the 3-inch PVC conduit directly to the structure, and drilling or fastening into the wood members is permitted under the project’s NEPA/NHPA Section 106 compliance. Flexible transitions are required only at each end of the bridge to accommodate movement; expansion or deflection fittings are not required along the main span. Standard PVC attachment hardware may be used, and stainless-steel hardware is not required. Section 106 compliance for the bridge attachment and trench alignment is the responsibility of NPS and will be complete prior to contract award.

7. South side access, staging, and spoil. SOW 1.3.A.3 routes heavy equipment approximately 22 miles by way of Skate Creek Road and Forest Service Road 5230 to the Longmire back gate.

Please confirm that the route and the boundary gate will accommodate a lowboy or tag trailer transporting an excavator and boring equipment, including gate opening width, road width, and turnaround locations, and advise whether any U.S. Forest Service coordination or permit is required. Please also identify the intended staging and lay down areas for both the north and south sides of the river, confirm whether equipment and materials may remain on site overnight, and advise whether an in park spoil site is available for excess rock and cobble or whether all excess material must be hauled outside the park.

The south-side access route can accommodate lowboys, tag trailers, and other heavy-equipment transports, and the Longmire back gate is wide enough for these vehicles. No separate U.S.

Forest Service permits are required. Staging and laydown areas may include the paved area between Vaults 1 and 2, the unpaved area behind Vault 3, the Community Building parking area, roadside space in Section 2, and areas near the former Vault 8 location; all staging locations are subject to change at the direction of the COR. Equipment and materials may remain on site overnight. Spoil sites will be designated later by the COR and will be located in or near the construction areas, with no requirement to haul excess spoil off-site.

8. Traffic control and closures. Please confirm whether single lane alternating flagging is permitted on the main Longmire road and on the access roads, and during which hours. Please identify who reviews and approves the traffic control plan and the advance notice required.

Please also advise whether the access road serving the Community Building and Longmire Campground, or the suspension bridge itself, may be closed temporarily during installation, and for what duration.

Single-lane alternating flagging is permitted on both the main Longmire road and the access roads, subject to COR approval. These roads carry very light traffic, and temporary lane closures or full closures of the access road to the Community Building, the campground, or the suspension bridge may be allowed for short durations when approved by the COR. The contractor is responsible for determining the appropriate level of traffic-control safety and must submit a traffic control plan for COR review; advance notice must be coordinated with the COR prior to implementing any closure or flagging.

9. Advance notice periods and the 60 day performance period. The SOW establishes several advance notice requirements: three weeks before trenching for archaeological monitoring at 1.3.I.1, thirty calendar days before delivery for imported material sources at 1.3.H.5, fourteen days for pit inspections, three days for equipment inspection for non native species at 1.3.H.4, and fully signed off utility locates prior to any excavation. Please provide the anticipated award and notice to proceed dates, and confirm that these notice periods may be initiated after award and prior to issuance of the notice to proceed. Please also confirm whether the 60 calendar day period under F.2 runs to substantial completion or to final acceptance, and advise whether NPS is able to pre approve acceptable weed free material sources in order to shorten the thirty day requirement.

Award is anticipated in early to mid-September, with NTP issued approximately 2–3 weeks later.

Contractors may initiate all required advance notices and administrative submittals after award but prior to NTP. The 60-day performance period runs from NTP to final acceptance and will be extended for excusable delays, including unacceptable weather conditions, Government-caused delays, archaeological-monitor scheduling, access restrictions, required NEPA/NHPA coordination holds, differing site conditions, and force-majeure events. NPS can pre-approve weed-free material sources to shorten the 30-day notice requirement.

10. Archaeological monitoring. Please confirm that the archaeological monitor required by SOW 1.3.I.1 is furnished and funded by NPS, identify the number of monitoring days anticipated to be available per week, and confirm that monitor unavailability, or a stop work directive issued under 1.3.I.2, will be treated as an excusable delay with a corresponding extension of the performance period.

Archaeological monitoring will be furnished, funded, and scheduled by NPS. Monitoring availability will be coordinated in advance to align with planned excavation work. If monitor unavailability or an NPS-issued stop-work directive causes a delay, it will be treated as an excusable, non-compensable delay with a corresponding extension of the performance period.

11. Compaction testing. SOW 1.8 requires the Contractor to engage a qualified testing agency, and Section 27 05 43, 3.2.C.6 requires bedding compacted to 95 percent and backfill compacted to 90 percent of maximum dry density per ASTM D1557. Please specify the required test frequency and locations, or confirm that NPS will accept documented method compaction using controlled lift thickness and a non nuclear density gauge, recorded on the Contractor's quality control daily reports, in lieu of third party laboratory testing.

NPS will accept documented method-based compaction in lieu of formal third-party density testing. Contractors may use controlled lift thickness, proper moisture conditioning, mechanical compaction, and verification using a non-nuclear density gauge, with results recorded in the daily QC reports. Formal ASTM D1557 laboratory density testing is not required unless directed by the COR for a specific location.

12. Site personnel. The SOW requires a designated Project Superintendent at 1.6.A.1, consistent with FAR 52.236-6, a Quality Control Supervisor with a letter of direction at Part 2, 1.2.D.1 and 1.2.D.2, and a Site Safety Supervisor responsible for the Accident Prevention Plan at Part 2, 1.2.B.1. Please confirm whether one qualified individual may serve concurrently in all three roles, and also serve as the competent person for excavation under 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P, on a project of this size and duration. If concurrent designation is acceptable, please confirm that a single designation letter identifying that individual in all roles will satisfy the submittal requirement. Please also confirm whether the Project Superintendent must be physically present at all times work is being performed, including when crews are working on both sides of the Nisqually River simultaneously.

One qualified individual may serve concurrently as Project Superintendent, Quality Control Supervisor, Site Safety Supervisor, and the excavation competent person, provided they meet all required qualifications. A single designation letter naming that individual in all roles is acceptable. A person designated in all listed roles must be physically present at all times while work is being performed.