S05 Requests for Information with Responses.pdf

REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION

1. Please provide the current soils report for the project area.

VA: No Soils survey is available.

2. Please clarify if permits will be required with the City of San Francisco or any other municipality.

VA: There is not work articulated on the design documents that would require City of SF review and approval.

3. If the contractor is responsible for the costs of permits, the amount will likely be unknown at bid time.

Can the permit costs be handled as a change/modification to the contract, or can the VA request a place holder amount they would like the offerors to carry in their offer?

VA: No permits are expected, however, if permits become required, a contract modification will be negotiated.

4. Please confirm there will be an available staging and storage area on the VAMC site? Where? How large? Reference GI-101 General Note 1 “Provide any necessary off-site storage and staging”

VA: Yes, the VA will provide laydown space for contractor on site for materials for installation in the current phase. Future phase’s materials staging and storing shall be the responsibility of the contractor. FYI, VA did not find the statement at the page and note stated in the RFI.

5. Will the VAMC SF be marking the utilities that 811 does not mark inside the campus? Reference CS101 General Notes 2&33 “Contractor shall notify the public or private utility owners prior to commencement of work adjacent to the utility.” Offeror will contact 811 Before You Dig utility notification. Often Utility companies will not mark utilities in a federal/private complex.

VA: All utilities on the San Francisco VA Healthcare System are public utilities own by the Federal Government. The expectation is that the contractor is responsible for service alerts per CS101 General Note 33. If the utility companies will not provide the service, then an independent company can be subcontracted.

6. Is water available free of charge to the contractor for dust control? Reference CS101 General Note 20 “Contractor shall be responsible for preventing airborne dust nuisance by watering…”.

VA: See 01 00 00 General Conditions Paragraph 1.19 AVAILABILITY AND USE OF UTILITY SERVICES

7. Does the work exceed an acre and is a SWPPP Plan, QSD, & QSP required? Reference CS101 General Note 23 Contractor to provide a QSD & QSP.

VA: General Notes 23 does NOT refer to a square footage therefore a Qualified SWPPP Developer (QSD) is needed for the project

8. Please confirm the Government is responsible for the cost of the professional archeologist? Reference CS101 General Notes 30 Cultural Features or Archeological Materials…. contractor shall be stopped until a professional archeologist has inspected and determined mitigation measures and how to implement.

VA: The responsibility of the Society of California Archeology (SCA), and it would handled as an unforeseen site condition.

9. Do we need to submit Representations and Certifications (pages 20 through 23) with our Price Proposal?

VA: This solicitation includes FAR 52.204-7 by reference which states that an offeror must be current in SAMS at the time of offer. Therefore, pages 20-23 do not need to be included with your price proposal.

10. Can VA provide the sign-in sheet from the Site Visit?

VA: Site Visit Attendees list included with the amendment.

11. Is the only Contractor lay down area, the area indicated in the phasing drawings, phase 2, parking stalls, in front of buildings 8 and 212? If not, where will additional contractor laydown area be and what is the size of area?

VA: Areas in front on BLDGs 8 and 212 is Parking Lot B not the Laydown area. Part of the parking lot will be the construction site during the project

12. Is the soils report available:

VA: A Soils report is not available

13. Is it the contractor’s responsibility for utility locates?

VA: See Existing Utility Notes Drawings CS 101/ See Existing Conditions CS 102

14. What are the abandonment requirements for existing utilities?

VA: Per VA Specifications /See Demolition Plan Drawings CD 101 and the answer to RFI 16 below.

15. Will backfill above pipe zone with native materials be allowed?

VA: See Drawings AE-502 Site Details

16. Will the VA consider adding additional contract time (to the 300 calendar days), due to the complexity of the project, high client traffic, ongoing impacts of COVID 19, and lead time on materials?

VA: The period of performance should be sufficient to complete the project.

16. We were unable to see the specification/detail for utility abandonment. Please provide clarification on what is expected for utility abandonment. Does the pipe need to be filled with slurry mix?

VA: Refer to Spec section 024100, section 3.1.C: “Remove existing utilities as indicated or uncovered by work and terminate in a manner conforming to the nationally recognized code covering the specific utility and approved by the Resident Engineer. When Utility lines are encountered that are not indicated on the drawings, the Resident Engineer shall be notified prior to further work in that area.” Fill abandoned piping with cement slurry. Securely close ends of abandoned piping with tight fitting plug or cement slurry minimum 6 inches thick

17. Please clarify if a staging area for material, equipment and excavated spoils will be provided.

VA: Laydown area is provided by the VA. Excavated soils to remain within trench area

18. What type of pipe is currently existing in the ground. Disposal costs of demo pipe can vary depending on type of material.

VA: Existing Pipe is not scheduled to be removed. Previous reports have shown brick lined or transite for different areas of campus.

19. What are the allowed work hours on this project?

VA: Normal work hours are typically 07:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday, with the exception of Federal holidays. All work at time other than these shall be coordinated with the COR.

20. Is it acceptable to assume that we can trench the storm and sewer at the same time where possible or should our base bid assume trenching for both systems separately?

VA: A construction phase plan is included in the drawings.