Final_Q_A_0004.pdf

Questions Answers

Would it be acceptable to email our proposal for 140R1026B0004, Grand Coulee WWP Turbine

Repair Construction IDIQ?

No—electronic submission of Bids is not acceptable. Please ensure your bid is sealed and delivered to the Block 8 address in time for the opening in accordance with the instructions in the Invitation for Bid SF 1442 13. a.

Please elaborate on Principal Component of Work 1.02 A “Inspecting turbine runner, discharge ring, and stay vanes.” We didn’t see this scope in the price schedules.

Inspecting is covered in 48 13 13 and refers to the discovery of damage during all portions of work.

The site team communicated the preference for USBR to install the Draft Tube Platform. Will this be removed from the Price Schedules?

No, the bidder should complete the full price schedule. The solicitation is for an IDIQ contract.

Therefore, Task Orders will award select CLINs as Government needs dictate.

Assuming that the Draft Tube Platform scope is removed from the Contractor’s responsibility, will the load-testing of the G19-G21 and G22-G24 CLINs M-1 and M-2 also be removed from the Price Schedule?

No, the bidder should complete the full price schedule. The solicitation is for an IDIQ contract.

Therefore, Task Orders will award select CLINs as Government needs dictate.

Assuming the load testing is removed from the Price Schedules, will the USBR provide a load testing certificate to the Bidders for review by the respective EHS/Safety teams prior to our bid submittals?

No, the bidder should complete the full price schedule. The solicitation is for an IDIQ contract.

Therefore, Task Orders will award select CLINs as Government needs dictate. Load testing of the draft tube platform will remain in the Price Schedule as a task order that the Government may execute. If the Government elects to self-perform the load testing, then it will provide successful load test documentation to the contractor during execution of the contract.

The site team was unaware of any asbestos material in the scope of supply. Will the Asbestos

Surveys and Asbestos Removal and Disposal be removed from the Price Schedules?

No, the bidder should complete the full price schedule. The solicitation is for an IDIQ contract.

Therefore, Task Orders will award select CLINs as Government needs dictate. 02 82 10 states that, "existing materials may contain asbestos" referring to the stay vane coating to be surveyed in part

3.01 of the section. The Price Schedule is structured to allow for an Asbestos Containing Materials Survey to determine if asbestos is present in the coating per section 02 82 10. When the survey demonstrates that asbestos is present then the Price Schedule allows for Removal and Disposal of Asbestos Containing Materials per section 02 82 20.

Please elaborate or clarify the Firm-Fixed-Price nature of this proposal. What is the commercial mechanism that would enable the Contractor to work more hours, install more pounds or square feet of material if the estimates in the IFB Price Schedules are wrong?

The solicitaiton and contract is a Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) contract as defined at FAR 16.202 Firm- Fixed Price Contracats. The solicitation also contains a Variation in Estimated Quantity Clause at Seciton H.6. that may allow the adjustment of quantities depending on merit of the Request for

Equitable Adjustment.

Please elaborate on price escalation over the five years of the contract. Or is the Contractor expected to maintain the pricing and rates included in this bid submittal for the duration of the IDIQ?

This is a FFP solicitation and contract. Bidders are to forward price their bid in Section B of the solicitation and maintain those prices throughout the life of the contract.

Please elaborate or clarify what is to be included in our bid submittal. Is the USBR’s expectation that the Contractor only supplies pricing that aligns with the Price Schedules in the IFB? If there are more proposal submittal requirements for the sealed bid, would the USBR please provide a specific list?

All bid submittal items are listed in the IFB, please ensure to read the IFB in full, as all information can be found within.

The only pricing the Government will accept or evaluate is the pricing exactly as structured in the IFB. The Government will not accept pricing outside of this format. . The Government provides the following list of required bid documents for responsiveness: Complete Section A. and all amendments, Section B., Section K., Bid bonds and Insurance. Although a list is provided above, It is the bidder's responsibility to meet the all bid requirements for responsiveness.

Please elaborate on the sealed bid process. Our understanding is that our offer document/bid submittal will be mailed or couriered to the address in section 8 of SF1442 by 1300hrs MDT

20Jul26. Will the bids be opened at 1300hrs MDT at that address? Will bidders be able to witness the bid opening? What arrangements are required if a bidder were to attend the bid opening?

Sealed bids will be opened at the time, place, and location descrived in the solicitaiton. It is a public bid opening. Local security requirements will be followed to attend the bid opening. Those wishing to attend the bid opening shall enter 1150 N Curtis Rd, Boise , ID at the main entrance and check-in with the security guard. A Government employee will escort attendees to the bid opening room therafter.

B-14 Schedule – Note #6 = It states to include an hourly rate table. Is there a specific format to follow and/or does the USBR want to modify the pricing schedule for those specific rates being requested?

The Government will amend the solicitaiton to remove note 6. from the price schedule. Adequate price competition is expected, therefore, award will be made in accordance with the procedures at

FAR part 14 Sealed Bidding and the terms and conditions contained within the solicitation.

01 11 16 Work by Government - It was mentioned during the bid walk about the USBR facility workers preferring to install the draft tube platform. Please clarify who is responsible for the work scopes involved with the draft tube platform.

See answer to 3 above.

01 14 00 Work Restrictions – Under the information only outage schedule it states that the turbines will be available for repair for a portion of the outage duration, which looks to be 7 months long.

Can the USBR clarify how many months within that outage the turbine will be available for this specific work scope?

Specification will be amended to clarify the portion of the outage duration to be 90 days to complete the contract work. Specification revision forthcoming.

01 14 00 Work Restrictions – Due to schedule/outage time restrictions, it may be required to work more than 4 days per week as stated in the allowable working hours. Can the USBR support 5 or 6 days per week working schedule as needed.

Bids shall reflect the work restrictions as stated in the specification.

01 51 00 Temporary Utilities – Compressed Air - can the USBR provide CFM and PSI information on the compressed air source.

The facility service air system is sized to handle intermittent facility demand from various applications. CFM and PSI is not predicable for high-demand construction use. Facility air is provided 'as-is' and may be utilized for low-demand convenience. Section 01 51 00 states: "Provide temporary utilities with adequate supply to complete the work."

02 82 10 Asbestos Containing Materials Survey – To clarify, the USBR thinks there may be asbestos on just the stay vanes? Was discussed on bid walk that the stay vanes are existing coal tar enamel coating and was unsure why there was an asbestos section in the specifications. Assume it would be unusual to find asbestos in the coal tar enamel.

See answer to 6 above.

Price Schedule B.1 a – States No bid will be considered for award on Only a part of the bid schedule.

Based on B.1.a, is it possible to leave bid schedule items B-3, B-4, D-3, D-4, F-3, F-4,H-3, H-4, J-3, L-4 L-3 and L-4 bank or put in No applicable (N/A) and still be considered for award? Have previous Surveys shown asbestos in the work area? Can these bid items be taken out of the bid schedule as asbestos abatement is typically not required in a turbine draft tube. Can the USBR put this work in a separate contract? This work may be a reason to no bd this contract for turbine repair

Contractors due to risk.

See answer to 6 above.

We request a 4-week bid due date extension due to the high volume of proposals utilizing our tendering resources.

If an extension is approved, the revised bid due date will be issued through a formal amendment to the solicitation only. Please monitor SAM.gov for any posted amendments.

19 Please confirm, but I did not see where the site visit was mandatory? Only optional Correct, the site visit was not mandatory for interested bidders.

Contractor hereby requests a time extension of minimum 4 weeks in order to properly submit a binding proposal for this USBR IDIQ opportunity 140R1026B0004 See answer to question # 18

Could the requirement to submit our proposal via mail service be changed to allow submission by email?

No, Please see answer to question #1

Section L, Instructions , Conditions, and Notice to Bidders; pg. L-2; L.9. 52.114-12; b) Each bidder shall furnish the information required by the solicitation. The bidder shall sign the bid and print or type its name on the Schedule and each continuation sheet on which it makes an entry. Erasures or other changes must be initialed by the person signing the bid…. Does this apply to this proposal, and if so please clarify what it means by Schedule?

Yes. This applies to this solicitation. In the context of this IFB, Schedule refers to Part I of the solicitation, which includes the sections where bidders enter prices and other required bid information. As shown in the solicitation’s Table of Contents, Part I – THE SCHEDULE includes Section A (Solicitation/Contract Form), Section B (Supplies or Services and Prices/Costs), and other components where bidders provide their bid pricing and contractual entries.

Questions for Subcontracting Plan Goals:

a. Amendment two addressed attachment changes regarding Part III Section J, however it omits information about J.4. “Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Subcontracting Plan (10 pages)”. Does this attachment still apply?

Please provide if applicable.

b. If J.4. Dept of the interior BOR Subcontracting plan is applicable, Please confirm whether the attachment is a mandatory fill–in form /template that must be used, or whether bidders may submit an individual subcontracting plan in their own format that addresses the elements required by FAR

52.219-9.

c. If the bidder may submit an individual subcontracting plan in their own format that addresses the elements required by FAR 52.219-9; Does the Bureau of Reclamation require specific goals for each socioeconomic category?

a. The Small Business Subcontracting Plan Template is not in the solicitation. In accordance with I.36. FAR 52.219-9 Small Business Subcontracting Plan (Jan 2025), Alternate I (Nov 2016)

(DEVIATION Jan 2026) the apparent low bidder, upon request by the Contracting Officer, shall submit a subcontracting plan. As stated in the SF 1442: "If the lowest responsible bidder is determined to be a large business under NAICS 238190, they will be requested to complete and agree on a Small Business Subcontracting Plan in accordance with FAR 52.219-9 Small Business

Subcontracting Plan". The referenced attachment 'Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Subcontracting Plan' will be provided to the apparent low bidder if the bidder is a large business under NAICS 238190.

b. Please see A above. The 'Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Subcontracting Plan' will be provided to the apparent low bidder, if the lowest responsible bidder is determined to be a large business under NAICS 238190.

c. The bidder may submit a Individual Subcontracting Plan of their own design. However, it will have no significance in regards to the Sealed Bid Process.

Establishment of the Small Business Subcontracting Plan will occure after bid opening.

At the site visit, project personnel stated that they would install, remove, and load test the Draft Tube Access Platforms as they have done in prior contracts. Please advise if the government is still requiring the contractor to install, remove, and load test the Draft Tube Access Platforms.

See answer to 3 above.

Will the government be responsible for installing grounds prior to the contractor starting work on each unit? It is not listed in SECTION 01 11 16 WORK BY GOVERNMENT.

01 11 16 WORK BY GOVERNMENT does not include installing grounds. When grounds are required for the Contractor to complete work this will be the responsibility of the Contractor.

Solicitation Section J.1. : A Wage Decision dated 1/23/2026 was provided with the solicitation.

Should the Contractor expect to receive an updated wage decision with each Task Order awarded?

No. The Government will not automatically issue a new or updated wage determination for every Task Order. The wage determination incorporated into the base IDIQ contract at the time of award—including the wage decision dated 1/23/2026—will remain applicable to all Task Orders unless a wage determination update is required by regulation and is formally incorporated by contract modification.

Solicitation Section H.4.(a) and Spec Section 01 14 00 para 1.01: This solicitation indicates the contractor period of performance will be specific to each task order. Can an estimated period of performance range be provided to assist the contractor with bid preparation? Does the contractor period of performance include the 7-day runner/discharge ring government initial assessment, 7-day stay vane government initial assessment, the 7-day runner/discharge ring government final inspection and the 7-day government stay vane final inspection periods? If any of these periods overlap, will the government be able to complete the 7-day periods concurrently or will they need to be consecutive?

Does the contractor period of performance account for asbestos removal, blasting and coating of the entire runner because these activities cannot be performed concurrently with grinding and welding activities?

See answer to 6 and 13 above.

Spec Section 48 13 13 para 1.01 and 3.10: Per the measurement and payment definition, Measurement for bid items of Finish Grinding of Hydraulic Profile for each Turbine Runner shall be measured by “hours of grinding”. Finish Grinding of Hydraulic Profile is noted as grinding only in areas where cladding welding is completed, though the stay vanes do not include cladding but do have a finish grinding . The measurement of grinding hours does present some tracking concerns.

Should the finished clad welding be inspected by government representative prior to allowing the start of grinding hour tracking? Is the time to move equipment to other areas to begin grinding also to be included in the grinding hour count for payment? If the weld is a little low after finish grinding starts and a small amount of weld fill has to be added, should the grinding hours be suspended during that time of welding? Are the hours the grinder consults with QC personnel for intermediate and final inspections of the blade contour/fairness included in the hourly count for payment? The contractor would like to have a very clear definition of how these hours are to be accounted for so the bid items can be appropriately priced and to avoid confusion of hour tracking of future task orders.

Specification revision forthcoming to track square footage of hydraulic profile grinding. This will include additional forms, Government inspections, and Government approvals prior to hydraulic profile grinding.

No stainless cladding is allowed for stay vanes. Will amend 48 13 13 3.05 & 3.06 to clarify final 'cladding' of stay vanes to be continuation of carbon steel filler metal.

Specification revisisions will be conducted via solicitation amendment.

Spec Section 05 50 00 para 3.01 and Spec Section 48 13 13 para 1.06 (B) 1,2,6: Per the referenced paragraph, the Contractor is to test materials of the Crown, Blade, Band, Cone, Discharge Ring and at least one stay vane per unit prior to repairs being performed. Additionally, these material tests are to be performed for each unit and to be utilized to develop welding procedures per AWS D1.1 and AWS D1.6. Please confirm the material tests are for major element chemical composition only with no mechanical testing being required. These material tests are to be submitted and approved at least

28 days prior to start of welding. There seems to be a bit of confusion whether material testing is required to be tested once for each unit on the crown, one blade, band, cone and discharge ring or only once per type of unit. Per the existing conditions section, it is noted that units G19 thru G21 have runner base metal of ASTM A216 Grade WCB with a stainless overlay of 308L and the G22 thru

G24 units having crown and blades base metal of A216 Grade WCC and runner band of A516 Grade

70. Why would these locations need to be material tested, if the materials are known?

See answer to 13 above and 34 below.

How will the contractor access those areas to take samples for testing if the testing results must be approved 28 days prior to welding?

See answer to 13 above and 34 below.

Do samples need to be taken in both areas of overlay and carbon steel? Samples cannot be taken in heavily cavitated areas without first fully removing cavitation that would cause errors in the material testing.

See answer to 13 above and 34 below.

Can samples be taken near the cavitation areas in locations of sound metal or shall cavitated areas be ground to bright metal and then sampled?

See answer to 13 above and 34 below.

What type of testing method is expected for chemical composition? Note: ASTM A216 in any grade is not a pre-qualified material per AWS D1.1 or D1.6 as it is a high pressure casting specification not utilized under a structural welding code book.

Required test methods and practice for material testing will be addressed by forthcoming Amendment.

Performing a procedure qualification record to develop a WPS with specific materials is extremely costly and time consuming, in addition to the cost and time to procure a casting in plate form to perform the welding qualification. Will prequalified or Standard WPSs be allowed by the Authority Having Jurisdiction to be utilized with similar chemical compositions to the existing base materials?

See specification revision in amendment(s)

Specification 01 35 30, 1.05, A & B. Contractor’s Part-time Onsite Safety and Health Professional, The requirements of an onsite health professional in additional to the contractor’s onsite safety representative and Certified Industrial Hygienist for hazardous materials is excessively burdensome to the contractor. Due to the limited availability of personnel meeting the requirements of both training, experience, and 4-year degree of the referenced sections, this requirement will add significant cost. Can this personnel requirement be removed from this contract?

Bids shall reflect the safety requirements as stated in the specification.

Note that 01 35 30 states:

"Contractor’s Part-time Onsite Safety and Health Professional Authorities, Duties, and Responsibilities... Shall visit the site weekly and inspect the site with a Government representative listing noted deficiencies, their abatement dates, and follow up action. The report shall be available for review onsite."

"Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) Duties... Visit the site during start-up of asbestos removal activities... Visit the site during start-up of coating removal... Submit detailed monthly CIH inspection reports... Available for emergencies."

A Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) and the Part‑Time On‑Site Safety Professional may be separate individuals serving distinct roles. If ACM is identified during the asbestos survey performed under Section 02 82 20, the confirmed presence of ACM will trigger additional requirements, including the involvement of a CIH. In accordance with Reclamation Safety and Health Standards (RSHS), the CIH (or regional/local industrial hygienist) is responsible for providing technical oversight, assisting with exposure assessment, and ensuring appropriate engineering controls and protective measures are implemented for Class I or II asbestos work. The CIH would also support development of the abatement plan and ensure compliance with applicable

OSHA and EPA requirements.

Will an installation procedure be provided for the installation of the temporary draft tube platforms, or will the contractor be required to work based off of the already provided drawings? Contract section 01 64 41 3.02.

Specification includes the provided drawings and no additional procedure. 01 31 19 requires Pre- Installation of Draft Tube Platform Meeting: "Purpose: Review with Government personnel facility practices for installation of the draft tube platform."

Will the Owner facilitate unloading and loading of contractor semi-trucks with their own forklift, or will the contractor be responsible for renting a forklift and have their own crew operate?

01 11 16 WORK BY GOVERNMENT does not include loading and unloading by the Government with a Government forflift. Loading and unloading Contractor semi-trucks is the responsibility of the Contractor.

Will 3 phase 60 A plugs for weld machines be available for use, or will these need to be supplied by the contractor?

See 01 51 00 1.04 Temporary Electricity:

"Provide plugs compatible with facility service receptacles."

"Provide generators, transmission lines, distribution circuits, transformers, and other electrical equipment and facilities required for obtaining power and distributing power to points of use."

Is the existing coating system the same as what is required to be re-applied? Contract section 09 96

20 3.07.

No

During the site walk Jonathan Reid stated that there was no Asbestos containing materials within the plant and was unclear why this was included in the solicitation. Will the asbestos surveys be required as outlined in the solicitation? Contract section 02 82 10.

See answer to 6 above.