Responses to Contractor Questions.docx

Response to Contractor Questions

1. Is this a prevailing wage project?

Government Answer:

All applicable wage rates are contained in Attachment 9, which was posted with the solicitation.

2. Is the curb & gutter, Street light standards, and cross-gutter on Herndon Ave & North Armstrong Ave part of the concrete scope of work? (the only reason I’m asking is because it’s an lighter shade of grey than the rest of the flatwork.) Is there any off-site work that needs to be done?

Government Answer:

Yes. The lighter shade of concrete indicates the curb and gutter and concrete driveway aprons versus the sidewalks with the darker shading. Note that the sidewalk and handicap curb ramp along the north side of the intersection of the northern site driveway and North Armstrong Avenue is included in the work.

3. Is this project just an sitework only project or is the proposed building pad included in the scope of work?

Also, I noticed that Sheet CG-101 shows a curb on the west, north and east sides of the proposed building pad lot, but it doesn’t call it out. Is it already existing or is it part of the scope of work?

Government Answer:

The proposed building pad area is only being excavated/filled, stabilized and graded to drain as shown on the plans. This project does NOT include the excavation/filling/compaction required for preparing the future building pad area for the geotechnical and structural requirements of a future building.

There is no existing curbing in the interior lot area; the only existing curbing in the project area is along the adjoining roadways. The construction of the curbing along the west, north and east sides of the proposed building pad along with the paving of the adjacent driveway and parking areas are included in the scope of this project. The curbing along the west side is included in the Add Alternate 4 Bid along with the paving of the adjacent parking area. The curbing along the north and east sides of the proposed building pad are included in the Add Alternate 6 Bid along with the construction and paving of the adjacent driveways and parking areas. The limits of curbing in the Add Alternate 6 Bid along the northern and eastern side of the proposed building pad have been indicated on Drawing BP-104.

4. Is the temporary modular waiting area building and the flatwork around it included in our scope of work?

If so is there a detail on it and the flatwork around it?

Government Answer:

Yes, the temporary modular waiting area building is a part of the scope of the project.

The concrete flatwork around the building is shown on the plans. It consists of the final concrete sidewalk along the northern side of the southwest parking area to be constructed in accordance with the sidewalk details. There is also to be constructed a concrete landing area at the bottom of the stairs. A portion of this landing will be the permanent sidewalk and a portion (approximately 4’x5’) will be a temporary concrete pad constructed using the concrete sidewalk detail. The temporary pad is to be removed and the area restored in accordance with the landscape plan when the temporary modular building is removed.

5. Could you please clarify utility stub/cap limits on plans in relation to each additive alternate?

Government Answer:

DELETE the original Drawings BP-101, BP-102, BP-103 and BP-104. ADD the attached Drawings BP-101, BP-102, and new Drawing BP-105. Drawing BP-105 indicates the limits of the electrical work for each bid alternate. The BP101 and BP102 drawings show the limits of the potable water main, fire service water main, sanitary sewer pipe and storm pipe utilities to be constructed under each bid alternate. It is the project intention that all utilities be extended through and capped beyond the area which is being constructed. The capping of utilities shown on the Plans are approximately 10’ beyond the limits for each bid alternate.

6. Could the engineer/architect cloud, highlight, and or markup EXACT location with regards to each alternate bid area(s) including the base bid please?

Government Answer:

The Base Bid necessarily involves the whole site because the perimeter wall and fencing and electric gates are being installed around the site. Also the Electrical Utility Rule 20 ducts extend around the site.

DELETE the original Drawings BP-101, BP-102, BP-103 AND BP-104 and REPLACE them with the attached Drawings BP-101, BP-102. It is the project intention that all utilities be extended through and capped beyond the area which is constructed. See Answer 5 above. Also, it is the project scope that the Contractor transition all constructed areas (earth, AB stone, paved areas) to smoothly tie into the surrounding areas where areas will be constructed under future work. The capping of utilities shown on the Plans are approximately 10’ beyond the limits for each bid alternate.

All of the work shown on the Electric Utility Rule 15 Plans (Sheets E1 to E6) and the Electric Utility Rule 20 Plans (Sheets E1 to E13) and the Electric Utility Trenching Composite Plans (Sheets 1 to 7) are to be completed as a part of the Base Bid including all but not limited to all required excavation, backfill and compaction.

A New Drawing BP-105 has been added which indicates the limits of the electrical work for each bid alternate.

7. Is the future proposed building area needed to be paved asphalt concrete?

Government Answer:

The proposed building pad area is only being excavated/filled, stabilized and graded to drain as shown on the plans and is not to be paved with asphalt concrete.

8. Regarding previous RFI #16, the plans do contradict each other. Plan page BP-104 does not align with plan pages BP-101 – BP-103. Could you explain more specifically please?

Government Answer:

The work for the Base Bid and the Add Alternates is described in the specifications and on Drawings BP-101 and BP-102 as updated and new Drawing BP-105. By way of a general description, and without reducing or limiting any of the required work as already described in the plans and specifications:

In the Base Bid:

all of the work along Herndon Avenue and N. Armstrong Avenue is completed including paving, sidewalks, lighting, irrigation and plantings;

the Electric utility work Rule 15 and Rule 20 and the Composite Trench work is completed;

the Main driveway into the site and the circle are completed and paved and the north driveway into the site is competed;

the sidewalks, irrigation and plantings and gates are completed at each driveway;

all utilities are connected and extended onto the site;

the irrigation power and controls are completed and lines extended to provide service to the completed areas;

electrical power service is provided and extended to provide lighting and power for the irrigation system and electric gates;

the perimeter exterior fencing and walls and gates and related grading around the site are constructed;

the southwest parking area is graded and AB stone is installed along with the lighting so that it can be utilized for parking.

Alternate 1 Bid includes the northwest parking area grading and AB stone is installed along with the lighting so that it can be utilized for parking.

All utilities are extended through each area with each bid so that the area does not have to be re-excavated in the future. Final irrigation and landscaping and related work is installed in each area with the final asphalt pavement and concrete sidewalks.

9. We have printed full sized plans (22" x 34") and have discovered that the plans do not conform to the scale shown on several of the pages. On page CD-101, the northern boundary line is stated to be 603 Ft However, when a 40 scale is put on that same line it scales out at 460 Ft, a difference of 143 Ft. (-23.7%) On page CP-102, the horizontal length of the parking stalls in the SW corner is designated to be 240 Ft yet when scaling this with a 20 scale, it measures 177 Ft., a difference of 63 Ft. (-26.2%).

You have even corrected your own sewer drawing per the Addendum No. 6 drawing. The scaled horizontal run of 8" sewer is stated in the original drawings to be 267 Ft., however it scales 250 Ft. (-6.3%) yet in your addendum 6 drawing it is stated to be 339 Ft. The initial run of sewer coming from the manhole in the street is stated in the original drawings to be 147 Ft., yet with a 20 scale it measures 108 Ft, a difference of 39 Ft (-26.5%). How are we to trust these drawings when the scale does not correspond with the fixed dimensions shown on the plans? This is a lump sum job and this discrepancy could have a dramatic impact on the takeoff and therefore the overall cost of every item that requires measurement. How do you propose to address this? Our suggestion would be to re-scale the plans electronically and re-submit to the bidders as an addendum.

Government Answer:

The scaling issue described above appears to be due to the bidder printing the drawings on the wrong size paper. The drawings are to be printed on standard 30” x 42” size sheets.

For consistency all drawings are to be printed on standard 30” x 42” size sheets. Therefore, replace the original Electric Utility Rule 15 Plans (Sheets E1 to E6) and the Electric Utility Rule 20 Plans (Sheets E1 to E13) and the Electric Utility Trenching Composite Plans (Sheets 1 to 7) with the attached Electric Utility Rule 15 Plans (Sheets E1 to E6) and the Electric Utility Rule 20 Plans (Sheets E1 to E13) and the Electric Utility Trenching Composite Plans (Sheets 1 to 7). The content of these Electric Utility Plans is not being revised, but the plans are being provided in a revised PDF form to print to scale on standard 30” x 42” size sheets.

10. What are the liquidated damages on this project? We cannot find them anywhere in the specifications.

Government Answer:

The Fresno Engineering Department has recommended not to include Liquidated Damages in this project. It is the decision of the Contracting Officer that the liquidated damages GAR clauses will not be included in this solicitation and subsequent contract.

11. Replace proposed Electrical Site Plan drawing ES-100 with new Drawing ES-100. The drawing is being reissued so that the PDF scales correctly when printed on 30”x42” paper.

12. On the bid file 36C77622B0059_1 indicates that bidders need to provide 20% of bid price guarantee, is that a bid bond or performance bond? Could you please clarify the accurate percent of bid bond and performance bond?

Government Answer:

Please reference Sections 1.2 and 1.3 from the original solicitation.