140P8621R0016_-_Prebid_Questions_and_Answers_0002.pdf

Alma Floating Dock Replacement Solicitation No. 140P8621R0016

Additional Pre-Bid Q&A

Q1 – SECTION 01 50 00 - TEMPORARY FACILITIES AND CONTROLS, PART 2, 2.02

TEMPORARY FACILITIES – This section requires Contractor’s field office, minimum of 500 square feet, for Contractor staff and Contracting officer (min 2 people). This project has limited space and it will be accessed mostly from the barge, as such, we intend to use the galley room of the barge as site office. If this is not acceptable, please show in the plan the proposed location of site office.

A1 – No field office is required for this project. Delete SECTION 01 50 00 - TEMPORARY FACILITIES AND CONTROLS, Section 2.02 TEMPORARY FACILITIES paragraphs A and B.

Q2 – I am unaware of a “manually” operated and code complaint wheelchair platform lift. All of the lifts that are code compliant are electrically operated. Do you need an electrically operated platform lift?

A2 – The only lift shown in the plans is the on-deck wheelchair lift indicated as "by NPS" and not included in the contract. The "Platform" in the plans is not a lift but is intended to be a manually adjustable component in the ramp system, that can be adjusted when unloaded, in case we find too big of a height difference between the Alma rail and the Platform. We do not need an electrically operated platform or lift.

Earlier draft contract documents included specifications for ADA chair lifts. These were intended to be deleted from the documents, but some references remain in the contract specifications unintentionally. Please strike references to chair lifts and ADA lifts in the following Specification sections: 01 32 16-6 Section 2.02 B.6 and 01 77 00-5 Section 3.02 D.

01 40 00-6 Section 2.01 A.11 references a "lifting platform". This should be changed to "adjustable platform" (does not have any lift capabilities). 01 77 00-5 Section 3.02 A references a "platform lift" but should be changed to "adjustable platform".

Q3 – Drawing sheet 22 shows UHMW rub block contacting HDPE sleeve. Using UHMW rub blocks against HDPE pile sleeves is not appropriate for a pile guide. The friction between the two plastics is too high and will result in binding and damage to both the pile guide and the pile sleeve. We recommend a stainless-steel shoe on the UHMW rub block. Please advise.

A3 – It is acceptable to add a stainless-steel shoe or plate to the exterior face of the UHMW block. There shall be no sharp edges or corners that can gouge the HDPE pile cover. Ease or radius all edges and corners to prevent gouging.

Q4 – Drawing sheet 22 specifies Ø18” Schedule 40 pipe as the pile size. However, schedule 40 piping is not commonly available in 18” diameter. Please provide additional pile size alternatives.

A4 – The correct callout on the pipe size is 18” OD x 0.563” wall thickness.

Q5 – Specification Section 01 11 00, paragraph 1.02B indicates that there are two power/water pedestals. The solicitation also indicates two. Drawing sheet S2 shows two power/water pedestals. However, the utility detail drawing sheet U2 indicates only one power pedestal, with provisions for a future power pedestal. Please clarify pedestal quantity.

A5 – Specification section 01 11 00, paragraph 1.02B j. shall be updated: One power/water pedestal. Solicitation shall be updated: One power/water pedestal shall be installed.

Q6 – Specification Section 05 12 00, Paragraph 2.08D requires all structural steel exposed to view or weather be coated with primer and a polyamide epoxy. Is it the intent that the entire fendering weldment, the entirety of pile guides, and all davits be galvanized AND coated on all surfaces?

A6 – Notwithstanding other requirements in the specifications and Note C.6 on Sheet 20 (S1), do not hot dip galvanize and epoxy coat structural steel, pipe piles, and other metal fabrications.

Epoxy coatings require removal of HDG to achieve proper surface roughness characteristics.

Steel pipe piles shall be epoxy coated. Pile guides shall be hot dip galvanized (HDG). Entire pile guide (exposed and non-exposed surface) shall be HDG. Complete davits shall be epoxy coated including round bar hooks and mounting plate. Entire fendering framing including all surfaces of tubes and mounting plates (exposed and non-exposed) shall be epoxy coated. Underside of mounting plate may be galvanized in lieu of coating. Anchor bolts in concrete dock shall be Type 316 stainless steel as noted in the specifications. All carbon steel fasteners shall be HDG.

Q7 – Specification Section 09 96 00, Paragraph 2.03 requires coating of exterior and interior of piles. It is not possible to inspect internal surfaces for compliance with internal coating length shown in drawing sheet S3. If extensive internal corrosion protection is needed, is hot dip galvanization an option? Please advise.

A7 – Interior anti-corrosion coating is desired, because the pipe piles are not fully sealed. Hot dip galvanized coating is acceptable substitute for epoxy coating on the interior of the pipe only.

Epoxy coating is required on the pipe pile exterior. See hold back requirements for pipe welding in response to Question No. 9.

Q8 – Specification Section 31 62 16, Paragraph 2.02 states that pile caps shall be structural steel per ASTM A572. Drawing sheet S3 specifies a fiberglass pile cap. Please clarify.

A8 – Pile caps shall be UV-stabilized fiberglass-reinforced plastic material conforming to ASTM D1201 and ASTM D2343 and be a minimum 1/8” thick material. Attach FRP pile caps to steel pipe piles using a mastic or an adhesive sealant recommended by the manufacturer.

Q9 – Specification Section 31 62 16, Paragraph 3.01F requires no more than one shop splice per pile. Piping suppliers normally produce 40’ lengths, which will require at least two splices to meet the 85’ pile length requirement. Please advise.

A9 – Pipes shall be seamless steel. Horizontal splices are permitted along the length of the pile.

The preference is to limit splices to 1 per pile. There shall be no more than 2 splices per pile if Contractor can demonstrate that sections longer than 40 feet are not available. All splices shall be below the mudline. Splices shall be full penetration 45 deg v-groove welds with ¼” thick x 2” wide backer bar/welding ring on the interior of the pipe centered on the splice (see detail).

Welding ring shall be snug fit or tack welded into place. Hold back galvanization and coating 3” from weld toe. Epoxy coat welds after weld inspection.

Q10 – Spec 31 62 16 -3.08D Steel Piles Tolerances states “Plumb piles shall not exceed a deviation from the vertical alignment of more than 1 inch in 30 feet (or 0.28 percent)”. This is about 1/8” over a 4-foot level. This will be extremely difficult if not impossible to achieve. With the pile guide gaps shown in the plans an individual pile could be out almost 2% and not bind over a 9 ft tide swing. Please consider allowing a higher vertical tolerance (say 1%) for the piles which is customary for floating dock guide piles.

A10 – Pile driving tolerance is revised to 1% or 1 inch in 8 feet. Maximum horizontal deviation from plan shall remain as specified in Paragraph 316216-3.08B.

Q11 – Spec 09 96 00 – 2.03 Protective Coatings states “Protective coatings shall be provided for all steel piles (exterior and interior)”. It is very uncommon for the interior of steel pipe piling to be coated. Please consider eliminating the requirement to coat the interior of the piles. In addition, it appears that coating is required for the full length of the piles. Typically, in marine applications the portion of the pile that is driven below the mudline is not required to be coated. Please clarify.

A11 – Interior anti-corrosion coating is desired, because the pipe piles are not fully sealed. Hot dip galvanized coating is acceptable substitute for epoxy coating on the interior of the pipe only. Epoxy coating is required on the pipe pile exterior. Hold back coatings and galvanizing 3” from weld toe. Epoxy coat welds after weld inspection. In lieu of interior pipe coating, Contractor may weld a ½” ASTM A36 cap plate to top of pipe piles. Cap plate shall be 17 ½” dia. and welded to pipe with ¼” fillet weld all around. Remove coating within 3” of top of cut pipe prior to welding. Coat bare steel including cap and pipe with 2 coats of Amerlock 400 VOC by PPG or InterZone 954 by AzkoNobel. For portion below the mudline: primer only on exterior. No need for coating on interior for buried portion.

Q12 – What is the design tide range?

A12 – Tidal range is specified in Paragraph 355113-1.05K as follows:

a. The design water levels, based on the 1988 North American Vertical Datum (NAVD88) are:

i. Extreme High Tide: +8.72 feet NAVD88 (+8.66 feet mean lower low water 1983-2001)

ii. Extreme Low Tide: -2.82 feet NAVD88 (-2.88 feet MLLW 83-01)

Q13 – Specification Section 01 11 00 Paragraph 1.05 states that work is restricted to between November 1, 2021 and May 31, 2021. The provided excerpts from the NMFS concurrence letter state that all in-water construction (i.e., removing and replacing docks and piles) be confined to the period between June 1 and November 30. Last, solicitation 140P8621R0016 states that the period of performance is between 09/01/2021 to 12/31/2022. Please provide clarification of the allowable on water work window and the period of performance.

A13 – Section 01 11 00 1.05.B. Allowable onsite Work Period should be deleted and replaced with the following: Allowable In-Water Work Period: The Contractor is confined to performing in-water work between June 1 and November 30 unless otherwise approved by the Government in writing. In-water work includes any construction activities causing direct disturbance to bay waters, including dock and pier removal and replacement.

Q14 – Specification Section 35 51 13 Paragraph 1.05B specifies 50psi uniform live load.

Specification Section 35 51 13 Paragraph 1.05D specifies maximum dead load freeboard of 26 inches. Additionally, paragraph 1.05D specifies dead load plus uniform live load freeboard as 18 inches minimum. But the freeboard loss under 50psi uniform live load will be 9.5 inches, which make paragraphs 1.05B and 1.05D inconsistent. Please clarify.

A14 – Freeboard requirements shown on Sheet S2 take precedence over requirements noted in Specification Section 355113 Paragraph 1.05D. Dead load only freeboard after one year in service shall be 24 inches. The Park Service requires a minimum freeboard of +/- 19.75 inches under live load for operational purposes. Using the loading criteria specified in Specification Section 355113 Paragraph 1.05B, provide the resulting freeboard for review and approval (which will be less than 19.75”) for the following:

• Uniform live load applied to entire float area

• Uniform live load applied to entire float area plus live point load

• Uniform live load applied to boarding system/ramp only plus live point load applied to edge of float

And provide an operational uniform live load, for review and approval, via back calculations for the following conditions in order to maintain a minimum freeboard of +/- 19.75 inches:

• Operational uniform live load for entire float

• Operational uniform live load for boarding system/ramp only

Q15 – Specification Section 05 12 00 Paragraph 1.05F requires fabrication be performed by an AISC Certified Fabrication Plant. Over 50 years of marina construction, we have never seen this requirement applied to on-dock weldments. To comply with this requirement would require us to expand our vendor base to more costly fabricators and result in higher costs to the government.

We recommend instead to require only AWS D1.1 qualification.

A15 – The requirements in Specification Section 05 12 00 Paragraph 1.05F remain unchanged.