QnA 2 25 2021.pdf

Questions and Answers during Advertisement for CA ER 511(1), Trinity County Ruth-Zenia Road

February 2, 2021

Questions Answers 1 Will FHWA consider VE alternatives? No, but a value engineering proposal may be considered after contract award.

See 52.248-3 Value Engineering -Construction clause

February 10, 2021

2 Are there electronic CAD files for the project that can be made available to contractors?

No, electronic CAD files will not be provided.

February 23, 2021

3 For repair 009 at Mad River Road MP 0.15, would X-38 (1.5” OD), injection drilled galvanized hollow bar be an acceptable alternative to #8 epoxy coated solid bar, per sheet G4 of the project plans?

No, but a value engineering proposal may be considered after contract award.

See 52.248-3 Value Engineering -Construction clause

February 24, 2021

4 The Special Provisions state that 8 of the sites can't begin until after

July 9th except for surveying before this time. When do you anticipate the other 4 sites being able to start construction?

The Norther Spotted Owl noise restrictions listed in SCR 107.10(e)(3) are only applicable to the sites listed in that SCR section and therefore construction at the other sites may start earlier if all other contract requirements to start construction (NTP issued, submittals, permits, preconstruction nest survey, etc.)

have been satisfied. See contract section 52.211-10 Commencement, Prosecution, and Completion of Work for estimated NTP date.

5 The Geotech Report states that the RSS work will need to be imported and meet the specs in the Federal Hwy FP-14 Specs. Other then that

6.1.4 states that on-site material should be suitable for reuse. The soil will need to be processed for moisture conditioning, to remove oversize rock that could interfere with compaction and break down chunks or blocks of claystone during processing. My question here is that there is not an actual spec that we need to follow but that onsite material will used as is determined usable and workable. Is this determination going to be up to the contractor and soils tester? Also if we encounter material that is not usable, will we be paid extra for any import required?

Requirements for RSS backfill are shown on the drawings and in FP-14 Section 704.03(b). Contractor will provide testing of proposed source material complying with Section 704.03(b) for offsite sources.

6 The bid item has a waste quantity basically equal to the excavation quantity. We are not being required to remove all excavated soil and replacing with import; correct?

See SCR 204.16 for measurement of Section 204 pay items for each site. Also see Note 8 on Sheet B4 of the Grading Summary.

7 Some of the staging areas shown in the plans already contain a lot of waste material. Will these materials be removed prior to the start of the contract? Become the property of the Contractor? Be paid for as waste?

Any waste material in the staging areas will become the property of the contractor.

8 FHWA typically provides a construction sign layout, summary sheet and unit price bid quantity for construction area signs. All that is provided is the standard detail sheet on sheet V2 and a lump sum traffic control bid item. Will post mounted warning signs or PCMS be required for advanced warning on this project? If they are, please provide locations and quantities to bid the project accurately.

FHWA also uses a lump sum traffic control approach on many projects. Refer to FP-14 and SCR Section 635, plans, and MUTCD for traffic control sign requirements.

9 Note 1 on Sheet G4 states, “place compacted fill to finished grades.” The Grading Summary sheet on B4 depicts this fill as RSS, but there is no quantity for geogrid. Is the intent to backfill around the micro-pile cap with compacted backfill that meets section 261 subsection 704.03(b), without the geogrid?

Compacted backfill at Mad River Road MP 0.15 can be constructed as Embankment from roadway or excavation borrow per Section 204 of FP-

14. No geogrid required.

10 In regards to a mobile lab would we be able to use a lab out of

Eureka, due to inadequate places for the mobile unit along project.

(If this is not acceptable would we be able to set a mobile unit at a designated location within project area?)

See SCR section 154.04(b) for information regarding the use of a commercial lab.

February 25, 2021

11 Measure and Payment for this project is quite different than FHWA typically prices contract work. All of the subsidiary payment work items (as shown on the Grading Summary sheet B4), can be easily missed. For example, pay item 20401 Roadway Excavation is 7,500 CY, but according to the summary sheet, there is really 14,294 CY. Would FHWA consider changing the bid items to the total quantities shown on the summary sheets?

See SCR 204.16 for measurement of Section 204 pay items for each site. Also see Note 8 on Sheet B4 of the Grading Summary.

12 Where are the disposal sites for the Bid Item A1190 Waste material? Disposal sites for waste material have not been identified. This is the responsibility of the contractor.

13 Can the excess Road Excavation material be left at the staging area for each site?

No

14 Can the Asphalt pavement be placed in 1-3” lift? No