FinalQuestionsAnswers.docx

Fenn Ranger Station Water and Wastewater Systems Replacement

RFP AG-02RC-S-13-0042

Consolidated Questions and Answers: 5/21/13

Government Officials: Karen Ruklic, Contracting Officer and Susan Graves, Civil Engineer and Contracting Officer’s Representative Design Point of Contact: Terry Forest, DJ & A, P.C.

Q&A at Site Tour:

1) Question: Will Public Health inspections be required? Yes, inspection will be required on the wastewater and water systems. Electrical inspection will not be required.

2) Question: Will contractor be required to get wastewater system permit? No, USFS will secure the permit prior to contract award at its expense.

3) Question: Does electrical system need to meet Idaho State code? Yes, electrical system should meet code.

4) Question: How big are the Septic Tanks to be removed? Answer: the sizes of the 2 septic tanks are unknown. Old plans indicate that the septic tank in from of the Fenn Historical office is 2100 gallons and the septic tank in front of the North house is a 1 thousand gallon tank. However these plans are from 1963 changes may have occurred since then. See Amendment 1 for the estimated size to be used for bidding purposes.

5) Question: Can requirement for 2 ½ inch HDPE pipe be changed since it doesn’t appear to be available in the commercial marketplace? Answer: The sewer drainfield forcemain lines are clearly designated as 2 ½ inch PVC. The forcemain line from the lift station (Cedar Flats) to the dosing manhole should be designated 2 ½ inch glued PVC pipe. Drawing Sheet 41 of 60 was mislabeled as HDPE.

6) Question: Could specifications be changed to require 4 foot chambers vs. 6 foot chambers to decrease costs? Answer: 4 foot or 6 foot chambers will be accepted.

7) Question: If we demolish old manhole at Cedar Flats, how do we bypass? Answer: Manholes shall not be demolished until after the new septic tank/drainfield system is installed, tested and approved by the Government.

8) Question: Can sludge be disposed of on-site? Answer: No – dispose of at a certified/permitted landfill. If lab testing is completed and if the sludge can be shown to be safe with the approval of PHD and DEQ it may be disposed of at the site.

9) Question: What is the volume of oxidation ditch? Answer: the volume of the oxidation ditch (is a trapezoid) is +/- 137 CY. A typical depicting a cross-section of the oxidation ditch will also be supplied with Amendment 1.

10) Question: Is hydrant at Fish Hatchery facility specified for removal? Answer: Yes, see Drawing Sheet 12 of 60 (two fire hydrants).

11) To which empty site should the trailer be relocated given that District just moved another trailer into the currently designated site? Also, what are the contractor requirements in regards to removing/demolishing/saving the snow shed that is currently covering the trailer to be moved? Is there any way to simplify this requirement to save the contractor time and money? Since the original location has been utilized by another Trailer, the site next to it near building 2673 will be utilized. Contractor may have to reset the electrical post and hook up. The requirement for saving and rebuilding the snow shed currently covering the trailer has been simplified. See Amendment 1.

Q&A received by CO in writing:

1) Question: Sheet 57- shows Mueller valves for service line, will brass manufactured by Ford Meter Box Co. be accepted for this project? Answer: The specifications specifically indicate that an “or equal” is acceptable. CO shall approve so long as proposed substitution meets or exceeds the specifications of the Mueller valve. This decision would be made after award upon review of product submittals.

2) Question: Sheet 57- TYPICAL 1” WATER SERVICE DETAIL- shows a saddle with cc thread inlet, cannot find specification for saddle, also will I.P.S thread be acceptable for corp inlet and outlet? CC threads are not a normally stock item? Answer: For 4 inch mains, use a double strap, bronze metal or ductile iron service clamps with neoprene gaskets and corporation stop threads. For 2 inch mains, use a single or double strap, bronze metal or ductile iron service clamps with neoprene gaskets and corporation stop threads.

3) Question: Can requirement for DR7 service line on Sheet 57 be changed to SIDR 7?

Background notes from Contractor: Sheet 57- shows DR7 for service line. There is a lot of confusion when it comes to Identifying High Density Polyethylene.

SDR- refers to copper tube size water service line tubing (standard water brass fittings are made for this pipe but the OD is smaller than SIDR).

DR- refers to I.P.S. fuse weld pipe (the outside diameter is different from the SIDR) SIDR- refer to I.P.S water service line pipe( standard water brass fittings are designed to fit this pipe).

Answer: The minimum pressure rating required is 200 PSI and the pipe is fuse welded. Joints are not acceptable in the service pipes. SIDR 7 (200 PSI Pipe) is acceptable if no joints are made in the service lines.

4) Question: In Section 331116 (site water utility distribution piping) page 2 of 12, Item A Calls for SDR9. Item B shows 2” and smaller HDPE in 40’ rolls - standard rolls are 100,300,500 ft rolls. Answer: 2 inch and smaller HDPE are specified to be in rolls or 40 foot lengths.

5) Assertion: We cannot find a manufacturer of 2-1/2” HDPE pipe. Clarification: Drawings were mislabeled. 2 ½ inch force main pipe shall be PVC pipe.

6) Question: Is it true that in every place the design calls for a ground rod in the spec. and drawings, we have to drive two ground rods per code? Answer: The drawings sheets call for single ground rods at the structures and two ground rods at the carport location. In all cases the equipment is grounded the structure and to the supply feeder ground conductor. A ground rod is supplemental grounding to the basic grounding requirements in NEC 250.52. NEC 250.56 indicates that if a single ground rod resistance is 25 OHMS or greater, a supplemental ground rod must be drive at least 6 feet from the first ground rod. There is no specific automatic requirement for two ground rods but certainly there is no code prohibition against driving two ground rods. Often contractors drive two ground rods 6 feet apart instead of making the ground resistance test for 25 OHMS or greater.

7) Question: Can you clarify where it says to remove the entire lift station if it is in the way what to do with the existing sewage that is coming from the buildings? Answer: Drawing Sheet 9 of 60 Note 2.D – North Homes Area. Drawing Sheet 10 of 60 Note 2.D. – Ranger Station Area. These two lift stations are all we know that exist. Drawing Sheet 3 of 60 Note 33 indicates what to do with existing sewage coming from buildings. When the new connections are being made, coordination with the home occupant will be required to assure residents do not use the water and sewer facilities inside the houses/facilities. This should be done through CO/COR.

8) Question: What was the final plan on the mobile home being moved? Answer: current requirement is specified as follows: Drawing Sheet 11 of 60 shows the general location of Trailer 1341. Since the original location has been utilized by another Trailer, the site next to it near building 2673 will be utilized. Contractor may have to reset the electrical post. Sheet 22 and Sheet 44 show the approximate locations of the sewer and water services and indicate that the services are to be connected directly to the trailer underground.

9) Contractor Observations: The lift station pumps are called out to be 230 volt single phase 1/2 HP with seal fail and high temp. cut outs in the motor windings. This will require the branch circuit wiring to have 3ea. #10 copper wires, 1ea. #10 ground wire & 3ea. # 12 wires for the seal fail and temp. cutout for total of 7 wires plus the called out spares. Each pump motor will require this many wires. The pump stations all require a seal off on all conduits leaving the pump station. In order to pull the pumps for future work these seal offs need to be installed before the branch circuit conduits leave the classified area. The best way to do this is to install a hand hold or ground box at the point the conduits leave the wet well. The connections are made in this box and the seal offs are installed on the conduits leaving this box going to the pump panels. The hand holds are flush with finish grade and what needs to be determined is do the boxes need to be traffic rated or not. If there will ever be a time when you think that there could be traffic driving over them they need to be traffic rated. Question: Do the boxes need to be traffic rated or not. Answer: yes, the boxes will need to be traffic rated.

10) Question: Can a 4 foot infiltration chamber be substituted for the 6 foot chamber currently specified? Answer: Yes.

11) Question: Can we [prime contractor] lay asphalt for ditch repair with a 1/2" gravel mix ourselves? Answer: Government does not specify who completes the asphalt patching. However, our specifications governing how the work is performed and tested and the requirements to which the end product must conform are clearly detailed in Special Project Specification Asphalt Patching Section 321216. If a prime contractor wants to perform the work in-house versus subcontracting the work, this is acceptable; however, requirements stated in Section 321216 will be not be relaxed.

12) Question: Is a licensed surveyor required for marking the locations of the sewer and water line or can the contractor do the initial marking base of the plans and then get approval by the Government? (Contractor spoke with the design engineer and he suggested painting out where we need to go with the sewer and water line, then you have to approve it. This is because of the numerous obstacles). Answer: The contract specifies the requirements of the surveying and Staking in Section 022101, it does not require a licensed surveyor; however extensive notes are to be taken and submitted for CO review. On sheet 3 item number 28 if property pin, benchmarks section and quarter section corners, or control points are disturbed during construction a Licensed Land Surveyor most be hired to reset the point.

13) Question: On the sewer plant demo, can we dry the solids as has been done in the past? Answer: The waste water plant operator can draw down the oxidation ditch about halfway, however the rest must be pumped and hauled away. The drying beds can only be used for solids in the clarifier or contact chamber.

14) Questions: (Ref: Sheet E4.1, the 480V ITE Panel) What feeds this 480V Panel, is there a Main Switch ahead of this Panel? Answer: There is a main building panel which presumably has a branch circuit breaker feeding the panel in question. I do not know of any reason why if required, the building power could not be shut off.

This Panel will need to be replaced, you can't even get breakers for it. (Obsolete) Response: Replacing the panel is one of the options on the drawing.

The other issue will be space to put a new Panel that will be twice the size of this existing Panel. Response: See Sheet E4.1, Photo 1 showing the existing panel and the space around it. There appears to be space extending down from the existing panel and some space to the right of the low voltage panel.

15) In reference to your answer above and referenced photo, you are right about the spaces, but the Panel is so old you can't buy the breakers to go in it (New). Also if I can find breakers to fit, is it ok to use reconditioned breakers (used). Response: The use of reconditioned breakers for this project is prohibited.

16) Also if you look at this Panel there is only 1 space available on the left and three spaces on the right. That won't work, to feed a 480V to the transformers you need 2 - each 2 Pole Breakers one to feed each transformer, or do away with one of the existing breakers, to free up space.

A new Panel is 40" Tall by 20" Wide X 5" Deep and around $600.00. Response: The existing panel might be 20 inches wide, the depth of the new panel does not matter, and there could be space below the existing panel based on the photo on the sheet.

17) Question: the yard hydrant specified for Fenn project (Ref 2.6, page 3, Section 331116) is manufactured in Canada. Will this qualify under the Buy America criteria? Answer: No. Use a Merrill Mfg. C7507 frost fee hydrant instead of the previously specified model (per manufacturer, this model is no longer made in America).

18) Question : In Section 331116 (3.8 item A) says to use 4ft. of galvanized pipe on each side of ball valve. Is this still part of the spec? I thought the best result would be to have as little galvanized pipe in the system as possible. Galvanized pipe specified. The existing galvanized pipe dug up at the site was in pretty good shape for 40 year old pipe. Based on the HDPE pipe wall thickness specified, we shall allow the HDPE pipe connection directly to the ball valve based on the pipe mfg’s connection recommendations. The connection is critical. We will not allow using HDPE valves.

19) Question : In Sect 331116 (page 3, 2.4 item A) calls for C509 iron body gate valve, the newer generation AWWA gate valves which we sell for all municipal projects are C515 and are made from ductile rated at 250#. Will these be acceptable? Answer: The C509 Valve or C515 Valves are both acceptable for this project.