Questions - QnA 7.13.23 - Additional.pdf

Questions and Answers during Advertisement for CA ERFO NP SEKI 2021(1)-1, Generals Highway Wall Repairs

June 29, 2023

Questions Answers 1 Section 105.02 of the Special Contract Requirements notes the

Park at Lodgepole as a water source. Please confirm that the road from the work area(s) will be accessible to the Park at Lodgepole.

Lodgepole water source will be accessible.

2 The plans indicate cut and fill for the concrete footings, silt fencing, and guardrail, however there is no pay item in the Bid Schedule associated with this work, please clarify.

This work is included in Pay Items for the concrete footings (CONCRETE), silt fence (SOIL EROSION CONTROL) and guardrail (GUARDRAIL & related Replacement and Removal pay items). Any cut & fill associated with construction or installation of these items is subsidiary to the work per Subsection 109.05(b).

3 Please provide elevations and details for each of the 8 MSE walls requiring shotcrete. The contractor must be able to assess the height and length of each MSE wall to develop accurate pricing.

An amendment will be issued to add the As-Built plans for the MSE Walls to the Contract Physical Data. Contractor’s are encouraged to perform a site visit to assess the field conditions of the MSE walls.

4 Please specify the amount of time that road closures will be allowed for the temporary traffic controls.

Road closures are not allowed. Single Lane closures are allowed per Subsection 156.07(i), and Subsection 108.01(a). Alternate Temporary Traffic Control plans may be submitted for approval per subsection 156.04.

July 6, 2023

5 The plans indicate cut and fill for the concrete footings at the

MSE walls, however there is no detail nor dimension of the amount of existing soil in place at the MSE walls. During the site visit it was noted that the existing MSE walls are 8.5’ in height.

Please confirm that the contractor will be required to remove the existing soil from the face of the MSE walls down to the footing, sandblast or pressure wash the face of the MSE wall, and after installation of the shotcrete fill dirt up to 2 feet above the top of footing including a benched area approximating 18”.

Intent is for the footing to be embedded below ground surface to provide a stable support for the shotcrete facing. The width of excavation should be approximately the same as the footing width. Finished grade depth and width may vary, the intent is to place material that was excavated for the footing back over the top of the finished footing. An amendment to Sheet G1 will be issued to clarify required footing embedment.

6 Please specify the area that will need to be cleared away from the MSE walls to perform the shotcrete work including cut/fill and footing elements. Based on the site visit there is a significant amount of trees and shrubs that will need to be removed in order to perform the work.

Work in front of the wall should be limited to a trench which in most cases should only require removal of grasses/herbaceous vegetation and the few plants that were planted in the face of wall. See response to question 17.

7 Based on the site visit, the dimensions for the 8 MSE walls were field measured as follows – please confirm these values.

Wall #1 – 558 LF x 8.5 feet Wall #2 – 180 LF x 8.5 feet Wall #3 – 124 LF x 8.5 feet Wall #4 – 515 LF x 8.5 feet Wall #5 – 596 LF x 8.5 feet Wall #6 – 171 LF x 8.5 feet Wall #7 – 488 LF x 8.5 feet Wall #8 – 108 LF x 8.5 feet

Refer to As-Builts and response to Question 3.

8 Based on the site visit, the existing ground covers much of the MSE wall facing, this is in direct contrast to the typical section and wall facing detail shown on Drawing 566-A which depicts the existing ground to be near the bottom of the MSE walls just above the existing footing. The actual field condition as confirmed during the site visit indicates that the contractor will need to excavate approximately 1,086 cubic yards of existing soil to expose the entire MSE wall face down to the existing footing. Please confirm.

Existing Ground and bottom of wall elevations vary. See response to Question 5.

9 Based on the site visit, existing conditions may not allow for backfill against several of the MSE walls due to steepened slopes (4 to 1 and beyond). Please provide direction on how the contractor is to proceed in these instances.

Work with the Contracting Officer to determine appropriate cover, width, and slope requirements for the finished grade (see response to Question 5).

Utilize material excavated for footing construction as backfill.

July 13, 2023

10 Is the intent of Note 1 on Plan Sheet G1 to (a) excavate to the bottom of the existing MSE wall for the concrete footing, or (b) excavate just enough material at the existing grade to place and backfill the concrete footing?

See response to Question 5.

11 Refer to Drawings C157-50 and C157-55: There are no plan sheets that identify where or how much of the Silt Fence and Fiber Rolls are to be installed. As such, there is no way for the Contractor to establish a quantity or location where these items apply. Furthermore, there is no Bid Schedule Item for either item.

Please provide specific locations and quantities for the Silt Fence and Fiber Roll in order for the Contractor to provide an accurate and comprehensive proposal. Without this information the Contractor is unable to provide an accurate and comprehensive bid for these items.

Contractor is responsible for the soil erosion and sediment control plan as per SCR section 157 to prevent erosion. Quantities will depend on the areas that the contractor disturbs in performance of the work. Areas of work with anticipated disturbance are the excavation for the concrete footing at the base of the MSE walls as shown on sheet G1. Bid Item 15701-0000 Soil Erosion Control includes all erosion control items.

12 Bid Line Item No.A0340 specifies 500 LNFT of Fence (Orange Plastic Safety). Please specify exactly where this item is to be installed. Without this information the Contractor is unable to provide an accurate and comprehensive proposal. We should not be required to guess at such matters as this is the Government’s responsibility to provide a clear and concise scope of work.

SCR subsection 107.11 (a) (3) describes where the fence is to be installed.

Also reference the Remark on the summary of quantities sheet B1.

13 The existing MSE wall has uneven contours. Please note and confirm that the new shotcrete will follow the form of the existing MSE walls and thus will not be flat and even in contour.

Top of shotcrete facing should follow top of the existing MSE walls.

Bottom of shotcrete facing and footing should parallel topography at the wall face and meet the minimum setback and embedment requirements shown on the amended Sheet G1.

14 The existing MSE wall has voids that will be filled by the new shotcrete. Based on site conditions this will range between 6% to 8%. The quantity listed for Bid Line Item A0160, Reinforced Shotcrete, does not include any waste for this infill material.

Please adjust the quantity for Bid Line Item A0160 to account for the material waste associated with the infill of the existing MSE wall.

Shotcrete pay item is based on face area, not volume.

15 Refer to Special Contract Requirements, Section 152.04: Slope Staking – Please specify the exact control points & stakes are to be re-established.

None are anticipated. SCR 152.04 “No horizontal or vertical control information will be provided.”

16 Refer to Special Contract Requirements, Section 154.04A: Field Laboratory – Please specify which tests require a Field Laboratory.

Any testing required for QC will need to be tested in the contractor-furnished lab. Refer to SCR 154.04A for requirements for using a commercial laboratory.

17 Refer to Special Contract Requirements, Section 108.01(d):

Please specify which trees are to be removed and which trees are to be protected. Without this specific information it is not possible for the Contractor to provide accurate and comprehensive pricing for this item.

No trees are designated on the Plans to be removed. Per SCR 108.01 (d) The contractor is required “to submit a plan describing the path and approach for accessing the site …”. Per 107.11 (a) (3) “Park staff will survey and flag vegetation in the vicinity of the shotcrete wall work…”.

Limits of construction will need to be determined by the contractor based on the contractor work plan and could impact which trees need to be protected.

18 Refer to Special Contract Requirements, Section 107,11(a)(3):

Please specify the limits of construction and specific vegetation and trees that are to be protected by the Contractor. Please include a site specific layout of where the Park staff will survey and flag vegetation in the vicinity of the shotcrete wall work to be fenced off and protected. Without this detailed quantifiable data the Contractor cannot provide an accurate estimate of the related work.

See response to 17 above.

19 Refer to Special Contract Requirements, Section 154.03:

Sampling – FHWA Central Lands Highway Lab. Please specify the address for the nearest FHWA Central Lands Highway Lab that the Contractor will be required to deliver samples.

FHWA-CFL Lab 1 Denver Federal Center, Bldg 52 Denver, CO 80228

July 13, 2023

20 Will the Seed Mix be provided by the Government or will the Contractor be required to provide the Seed Mix? If the Contractor is required to provide the Seed Mix, please provide the exact seed mix including percentages of seed.

See SCR 713.04, Seed will be supplied by the NPS.

21 Section 154.04A Field Laboratory (Contractor-Furnished) notes - Add the following: Furnish a laboratory equipped with all test equipment necessary to satisfy the requirements of the contract. Please confirm that the Contractor is required to furnish a Field Laboratory.

See the response to question 16.

22 Section 154.03 Sampling of the Special Contract Requirements notes

- Add the following: Perform the initial curing of all concrete test cylinders. Provide for transporting the government verification cylinders to the FHWA-Central Federal Lands Highway’s Laboratory unless other testing facilities are authorized by the CO. Please specify the address for the FHWA-Central Federal Lands Highway’s Laboratory.

See the response to question 19.

23 The bid item for shotcrete says “SQYD”. Should it be SF?

On sheet 6 of the plans, it says there is 10 CYS for 437 SQYDs. That would be too thin.

If it was actually SF, you would get an avg thickness of 0.62’ which would make more sense.

Shotcrete quantity is for the Shotcrete wall - see sheet G1.

Concrete quantity is for the Concrete footing - see sheet G1.

24 Weathering agent is called the galvanized guardrail systems as well as slopes, wall faces, placed boulders, and riprap as directed by the CO per Spec 563.10A.

However, there is no mention of the weathering agent in the plans.

Can you clarify where the weathering agent will be applied in the field?

A weathering agent is required for the guardrail as per SCR Subsection 617.03. Field application of a weathering agent is only needed if manufacturer applied weathering agents on guardrail surfaces are damaged during transport or installation as per SCR Subsection 563.10A.