QandA_01-26-2026.pdf

Project No. WA FLAP SKAMAN 92135(1) Project Wind River Road Slide Reconstruction

# General Technical Question Answer Date

1 x

There is not enough horizontal room for 2 way traffic and the drill crane to install the soldier piles. The drill crane requires 25 feet from back of pile hole to the counterbalance of the machine and then an estimated 2 feet for a jersey barrier to be place between machine and traffic. Please see attached drawing. Can the contractor use Phase 2 Traffic Control Plan, Sheet 1 of 2, during the installation of the piles?

Yes, the detour and closure of both northbound lanes can be used during pile installation in Phase 1. Use of the detour during Phase 1 will be limited to 30 consecutive days. An updated plan sheets show a new Phase 1A which includes this configuration will be added in Amendment A001.

1/12/26

2 x We wanted to get some clarification on the HMA spec. Are we to assume that we need to follow FP-14 Section 403 for Type 1?

Follow FP-24 Section 403 for Type 1 Asphalt Concrete. There is a distinction between Type 1 and Type 2 in Table 403-1.

1/14/26

3 x Is there a price preference for HUBZone small business under FAR clause 52.219-4?

No. This is a Total Small Business set-aside per the solicitation document, and no price preference applies for HUBZone concerns.

1/22/2026

Check General or Technical

4 x

Plan sheet H.5 typical MSE wall section declares minimum Grid Length “L” to be 8’ or 70% of H, which ever is greater. Supplemental Geotechnical report, WSP USA Inc 5/23/25, design recommendations for MSE wall (5.2.3) declares “Therefore, WSP recommends that the reinforcement should extend at least 1H feet from the connection pint at the wall facing or 8 feet, whichever is greater.” Which recommendation should be followed?

Follow Subsection 257.06(b), which calls for reinforcement with minimum length of 100% of the total wall height

1/22/2026

5 x

The geotechnical report for the project contains the following disclaimer:

The following memorandum includes geotechnical exploration data and initial slope stability analyses of the existing site conditions performed during a preliminary landslide assessment. This memorandum is provided for informational purposes only as it may contain information potentially pertinent to the design of the soldier pile retaining wall.

An optimized failure plane search (i.e., non-circular failure surface) using the geometry, water table, and shear strength parameters presented in the geotechnical report yielded factor of safety of 0.2 versus the 0.96 factor of safety per the circular failure surface present in the geotechnical report. Per the disclaimer, we assume that the slope stability analysis, material shear strength parameters, and inferred circular failure plan analysis presented in the report cannot be relied upon. Please confirm the analysis presented in the geotechnical report is for information only and is not a contract requirement.

Confirmed, WFL Geotechnical Memo 16-24, including the analysis, is for informational purposes only and not a contract requirement.

1/23/2026

6 x Can the materials down slope of the soldier pile wall be relied upon for long-term global stability (i.e. the embankment berm and native soils)?

No, the soldier pile wall will bisect the landslide, and the materials downslope will continue to move.

1/23/2026

7 x Confirm that seismic design is not required for the soldier pile wall.

Per 257.06 “design retaining structures according to AASHTO, LRFD Bridge Design Specifications." Per subsection 11.5.4.2, seismic design shall not be considered mandatory for walls located in Seismic Zones 1 through 3, or for walls at sites where As is less than or equal to 0.4. The Seismic Zone is 3 and As for the site is less than 0.25, therefore, seismic design is not required.

1/23/2026

8 x As the soldier pile wall is to stabilize a roadway embankment, is a global factor of safety of 1.25 acceptable?

Soldier pile wall global stability of 1.25 is acceptable.

1/23/2026

9 x

The soldier pile wall elevation is shown on Sheet H.3 of the contract drawings. Is the bottom elevation of the fascia wall shown in the soldier pile wall elevation a contract requirement?

Yes. 1/23/2026

10 x

The typical soldier pile wall section shown on Sheet C.4 of the contract drawings does not show the excavation in front of the wall extending down to the bottom of the wall;

however, the permanent fascia is called out below the excavation depth. Does the permanent fascia extend to the bottom of the shoring per the elevations shown in Sheet H.3 of the contract drawings?

Yes, permanent facing extends to elevations shown on H.3. See attached Amendment 002 sheet C.4.

11 x

The contract specifications require a cast in place fascia for the soldier pile wall. Is a shotcrete fascia with 4,500 psi unconfined compressive strength allowed as a substitution to the cast in place fascia specified in the contract documents?

No, shotcrete is not acceptable, bid as shown

1/23/2026

12 x For shotcrete fascia, would screed or nozzle finish be acceptable as the fascia will be backfilled and will not be visible

Regarding shotcrete, see response to question 11.

1/23/2026

13 x

We also were concerned about how drainage would occur at the bottom of the shoring. As the project is detailed, we would excavate down the face and install lagging, and anchors as we progress and then finish with a concrete fascia.

We are not certain how water draining from the wall will be relieved.

Regarding drainage, soldier pile wall design should take into account wall drainage. An underdrain with an outlet pipe will be required. Note added to sheet C.4 in Amendment 002 to clarify.

1/23/2026

14 x

Can earth pressure diagrams for the soldier pile wall be provided? If not, will the Agency accept contractors derived earth pressures as the basis of the design?

Include a global stability analysis for the soldier pile wall design using a limit equilibrium model which considers the additional landslide loads. See Amendment A002 Section 257 posted to SAM.gov.

1/23/2026

15 x Can the bid date be extended by 1 week?

The Government has no intention to extend the bid opening due date. Please submit your bid accordingly.

16 x

I am in the SAM.gov website looking at the solicitation and I am not finding a list of who is registered as bidders or planholders list? I am a subcontractor and would like to bid the Generals on this, but need to find out who they are.

The Government does not provide this since bidders may obtain the registered vendors list (aka planholders list) from sam.gov after linking their entity to their registration. If you are signed into SAM.gov with your registered entity and you cannot see the Interested Vendors List, you will need to be assigned the Contract Opportunities Administrator role for your entity in SAM.gov.

If you need additional assistance, you can reach the Federal Service Desk at 866-606- 8220 or https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=fsd_ind

ex. At this time only, the Government will make an exception and has attached a printable copy of the Interested Vendors List for reference.

1/23/2026

17 x I am inquiring to see if A2 Liner would be an acceptable alternate for the 36” liner needed on the attached project.

No, this product is not an acceptable alternate. Please submit your bid accordingly.

1/26/2026

18 x

Regarding the subject project, Section 625 does not specify a seed application rate for the seed mix specified in SCR 713.04. What seed application rate should be used for Turf Establishment?

Seed application rate should be 6 pounds per acre. See Amendment A003.

1/26/2026

19 x

The soldier pile wall typical section detail shown on plan sheet number C.4 includes a dimension of 80-feet for the maximum horizontal projection of the ground anchors. With the fairly deep location of the slip plane, this length limitation significantly reduces the anchor length available for the bond length.

This presents a fairly significant challenge to the wall design. Please explain the reason for this anchor length limitation, and can the length limit be increased or eliminated

The anchor length is limited because the anchors cannot extend past the right of way line on the north/west side of the road.

1/26/2026

20 x

I have a question regarding the guardrail Powder coating process. The specials refer you to section 563 which seems to be more painting related. I am not finding any mention of powder coating. What Federal color number are we supposed to be going off of?

Guardrail should be painted according to Section 563. Amendment A003 will revise section 617 of the SCR to remove mention of powder coating.

1/26/2026

21 x Is there anywhere to find exact specs on the powder coating?

See Section 719 for Federal color number. 1/26/2026