RFI 1.pdf

RFI #1

436-20-104 ADA Exterior Improvements at Fort Harrison

1. Please confirm the project superintendent may also serve as both the SSHO and Quality Control manager, if qualified.

a. As long as the qualifications are met and the designated party is capable of taking on the responsibility of the three roles listed below, the project superintendent may also serve as the SSHO and the Quality Control Manager. By accepting all three roles the project superintendent must be present on site at all times during construction or an equally qualified designee (provide designee’s qualifications).

2. Current drawings are not scaled. Please provide scaled drawings so that bidders may quantify the work.

a. A scaled AutoCAD drawing can be provided.

3. Keynote 4 is applied to multiple demolition pages and indicates to demolish irrigation system, however corresponding sheets showing new work do not give instruction for repair or replacement. Please clarify the irrigation scope.

a. Contractor expectation is to replace the irrigation with equivalent materials where the irrigation systems is demolished to make the sidewalk improvements outlined in the scope.

4. Please provide as-built information for the irrigation systems so that bidders can quantify the Work.

a. See attached Irrigation Utility Site Plan.

5. Regarding the Solicitation “Scope of Work B. Specific Contractor Requirements”: This document references current sidewalk not meeting appropriate cross slopes. Is there surveying data to support this for reference? Please provide any data showing cross slope deficiencies.

a. Data will be provided via a report from a previous site evaluation survey. Data will include an Excel file, an AutoCAD file, and 3 pdf’s.

6. The parking space cross slope areas have been hatched on the plans but are not scalable and do not include existing grade measurements/survey data. Is the contractor to only bid corrections within the hatched areas? If the corrections require work outside of the hatched areas to meet required grades, will that additional work be handled as unforeseen conditions with a change order?

a. Point elevations are provided on the survey data response to questions five. Bid according to CAD point elevations for construction regarding the cross sloping.

7. What type of truncated domes are required? During the site walk we observed cast iron and plastic assemblies.

a. The current assemblies on campus are a homogenous glass, carbon, and fiberglass reinforced composite material, the new truncated domes will be of the same material. The VA is moving away from the cast iron assemblies. See ADA Solutions manufacturer for more details.

8. Please confirm new parking space striping is to match what is existing in terms of quantity and dimensions.

a. Paint material and application to be done in accordance with MDT standard specifications. Dimensions of accessible parking spaces and shall be cross referenced with VA Barrier Free space requirements.

9. Please confirm curb painting is limited to only the curbs disturbed by the project.

a. Painting shall occur within the boundaries of the construction.

10. Some sidewalks are currently raised due to tree roots. Grinding roots could possibly kill the trees. Please advise.

a. Trees that could impact sidewalk improvements shall be removed.

11. Details page C501 refers to curb access alternatives: Please specify which detail is to be used at which location.

a. The VA would prefer to use option 1 (the option closest to the top of page C501), some field fitting may be required.

12. How does the VA intend for the work at the two entrances to B154 be phased? Will the contractor be allowed to schedule a shutdown of each entrance to perform the Work?

a. Yes, shutdowns will be allowed. Contractor shall plan work to minimize duration of shutdown by use of phasing and providing safe pedestrian travel routes adjacent to construction.

13. Sheet CD-101 and the Solicitation Scope of Work both read to repair the existing vertical concrete portion of the ramp, however sheet CI-101 says to replace and widen the ramp. Please clarify.

a. The VA would like to repair the vertical concrete portion of the ramp. Repair spalling on the ramp, stairs, and landing.

14. Sheets CD-101 and CI-101 both illustrate ramp railing repair that does not include the stair landing. Is this correct? During the site walk we observed that the landing and stair railings were also corroded and had concrete damage.

a. Yes, the scope is to be expanded from the drawings, the scope should include stair sections, landing and ramp and all steel work.

15. What method of repair is required for the vertical concrete at the B154B ramp? Simple concrete patch product? Or sawcut, dowel, and re-pour cored areas leaving cold joint?

a. The VA would like to sawcut, dowel, and re-pour cored areas.

16. Do the planters to be removed on CD101 contain irrigation?

a. Yes, cap irrigation lines back to the nearest main. These lines may need to be demolished to accommodate the sidewalk improvements, if so these lines will not need replacement.

17. Solicitation scope of work describes the new bollards on CI101 as “crash-rated”. Crash ratings can vary greatly and involve complicated specifications for mass & speed of vehicles, etc. Please provide a specification for these bollards.

a. See the VA Physical Security and Resiliency Design Manual Section 7.5 Anti-Ram Resistance.

18. There is a pair of sidewalk railings, a bollard, and a fire hydrant on the southeast side of the emergency entrance to B154, which are not shown on the plans. These items appear to be in conflict with the new sidewalk expansion. Please clarify the scope required to deal with these items.

a. The sidewalk will need to be field fit, 8ft. won’t be achieved next to the hydrant (that is ok with the VA) but 8 ft should be achieved along the rest of the sidewalk (use the red line as a guide). The yellow bollard and the bollard with the light will be removed and replaced with TYP bollard in this area from new construction. Modify and recondition existing railing to field fit the new pathway, the railing is surface mounted.

19. The ADA parking spaces shown on sheets CD102 & CI102 will need to be milled and overlaid per the solicitation Scope of Work document to correct slope. The scope of work document also reads that if this method cannot achieve the required cross-slope, the parking may need complete replacement. Is the contractor to include mill and overlay in their bid, or complete replacement?

a. Bid for mill and overlay, assume for complete replacement a site conditions modification.

20. The ADA parking spaces shown on sheets CD102 & CI102 will need to be raised to eliminate slope. Please provide survey data showing cross slope deficiencies so that bidders can quantify the work.

a. See provided documentation from previous question 5.

21. The ADA parking spaces shown on sheets CD103 & CI103 west of building 169 will need to be raised to eliminate slope. Please confirm the adjacent curbs are also to be removed and replaced at the new, higher elevation.

a. Finished work must comply with standard specifications for roads, if this means curb and gutter need to be raised then yes.

22. Thea ADA parking spaces shown on sheets CD103 & CI103 west of building 169 will need to be raised to eliminate slope. Please provide survey data showing cross slope deficiencies so that bidders can quantify the work.

a. See provided documentation from previous question 5.

23. The manhole cover shown in CD104 & CI104 appears to also be a catch basin lid and cannot be incorporated into the sidewalk ramp. Will the Government provide a corrected design for this area?

a. Rim height should create an even surface with the sidewalk. Adjust rim height or grade sidewalk to create even surface.

24. A connex storage container will need to be relocated to remove & replace the curb next to the cooling tower on CI104. Who is to move this connex? If contractor, what are the contents and weight?

a. The connex is VA owned, the VA will relocate the connex.

25. The ADA parking spaces shown on sheets CD106 & CI106 at the liberty house will need to be raised to eliminate slope. Please confirm the adjacent curbs are also to be removed and replaced at the new, higher elevation.

a. Finished work must comply with standard specifications for roads, if this means curb and gutter need to be raised then yes.

26. The ADA parking spaces shown on sheets CD106 & CI106 at the liberty house will need to be raised to eliminate slope. Please provide survey data showing cross slope deficiencies so that bidders can quantify the work.

a. See provided documentation from previous question 5.

27. Cl108 – Indicates “route and design will be provided prior to start of work. Include handrails”

Who is to provide the design? Is the contractor to provide design prior to bid? What about the trees and the drainage swale leading to the culverts in this area? Please clarify exactly what is to be included in the Contractor’s bid.

a. To clarify the Contractor is to provide a design to the VA for approval. Design should minimize impact to the tree. The design should also incorporate drainage as the sidewalk will need to be graded up to the existing sidewalk, a small culvert may need to be incorporated. Design may be submitted post bid.

28. Sheet CI – 107 - The northern handicap parking area to be reconstructed has the concrete ramps with domes within the hatched area. Please confirm that it is the intent for the concrete and domes to remain.

a. If regrading the asphalt recreates a transition that is not compliant with VA Barrier Free and ABAAS (i.e. not an even surface) then the ramps will have to be reworked.

29. Sheet CI – 101 - Please provide a typical drawing for the crash rated bollards? Specifically, what is the bury depth you’re looking for?

a. VA will approve use of a commercially available prefabricated bollard system. Bollard system should meet ASTM M30 standards.

30. Sheet CI – 101 – The ramp into Building 154B is called out to repair the ramps section and construct a new ramp section by expanding it 1’. The language in the scope of work doesn’t mention expanding it, which I would assume would require a complete rebuild of the retaining wall and walks. Please clarify.

a. The VA does not want to expand the ramp into the road verge, the VA would like to repair the vertical concrete sections, stair, ramp and landing sections. Expect to repair any spalling.

31. Sheet CI-101 – The corner north of the wall has a note to install curb and a mat, but iis not hatched for construction. Are we to include the reconstruction of this corner?

a. Upon further site investigation it appears this may have been missed in our edits, note #2 and note #7 on the north west corner of the ramp section may be omitted from the scope as that areas has a tactile mat.

32. Will surface mount hand rail be allowed. This is preferable as is allows the rail to be built to existing conditions and we usually get a better fit.

a. Surface mounted hand rail will be allowed.

33. The existing site contains both cast iron and plastic tactile mats. The City of Helena and MDT are transitioning to requiring Cast Iron on their projects. Which product will be required?

a. The VA often salts their thoroughfares, the plastic mats called out in questions 7 should be used.

34. Note 7 calls for a 6”x18” curb. Is this meant to be curb and gutter that matches most of the existing, or curb that is 6’ wide and 18” tall?

a. It is meant to match the curb existing at each location throughout project.

35. How are we to determine the limits of note #7 on some of the plan sheets? Are we to assume that the entire hatched area with an associated #7 is to get all new curb and gutter (CI-101 through CI-104) even if it is in good shape?

a. Note #7 “Install Curb 6”x18”, match existing radius” shall be interpreted as such; Note #7 was placed in locations where an assumption that the boundary of demolition/installation of sidewalk would extend into the curb, meaning that at roadway intersections where the curb and the sidewalk meet the curb would have to be demo’d to properly install a new sidewalk. At these locations note #7 was placed, here the curb shall be reconstructed to accommodate the new sidewalk. If a curb is in good condition and is not impacted by sidewalk construction efforts then the curb shall be left untouched.