SiteTourNotes.docx

Fishing Pond Dredging – Fenn Ranger Station

RFP AG-02RC-S-14-0110

Site Tour Notes 8/7/2014 Prepared by Karen Ruklic

Government Representatives:

Karen Ruklic, Contracting Officer Susan Graves, Civil Engineer Lynelle Knehans, Civil Engineer and Contracting Officer’s Representative

Industry Attendees:

Abidance, Inc, Paul Christen 235 Wolf Creek Road Winthrop, WA 98862 Email: Creekside@methow.com 509-966-2664

Small Butte Construction P.O. Box 123 Cottonwood, ID 83522 208-962-3508 Office 208-816-8753 Cell

Cook and Sons Construction 726 Deer Creek Road White Bird, ID 83554 208-839-2383

Attendees met at the Fenn Ranger Station Visitor’s Center on 8/7/14 at 10:00 AM. Contracting Officer started meeting by reviewing the following solicitation background information, requirements, clauses and provisions:

Reviewed general project requirements and phased nature of the work. Explained that a small contract will be completed prior to September 1, 2014 to divert the stream that enters the pond and begin dewatering the pond. Contractor will also need to dewater the pond using pumps. Pond dredging is being done in the Fall to take advantage of low water. Recreation improvements will be done under a separate contract planned for 2015.

Section I-9 FAR 52.228-1 Bid Guarantee Original bid bonds are required if offer value exceeds $150,000.

B-5 Additional Wage Classification Required. No excavator operator rate is included in the wage decision applicable to this project. A rate shall be conformed after award. Most recently conformed rate was $25.56/hour with $12.85 fringe (received DOL approval most recently on 8/8/14). Base your offer on this rate.

B-6 Idaho Use Tax (Government anticipates that the value of Government-Furnished rip rap and fish habitat rocks will be subject to Idaho Use Tax. Cost should be incidental to the item(s) of work that require this aggregate. Contact Idaho State Tax Commission if you have questions regarding the assessed value of the rock).

Reviewed the Schedule of Items. Found an error in the Pay Unit from Item 9 Riprap. It should be CY not Tons. A solicitation amendment will be issued. Also reviewed the Items with a Contract Quantity method of payment. Per the Variation of Estimated Quantities clause, contractor will be paid the contract quantity shown (i.e. 5500 CY for Item 8 Pond Excavation) so long as actual quantity does not vary by more than +/- 15%. Contractor would be required to provide proof of quantity if an upward adjustment is sought.

Bentonite item is a contract quantity. 48 tons will be spread in accordance with FSSS. Amount placed with be monitored. The Government realizes that mixing the bentonite and assuring uniformity will be difficult. Government will work with the Contractor to determine best method for mixing and spreading the material. The material is being required to provide an extra level of protection against leaks on the bottom and side of pond adjacent to the Selway River.

Requirement for a licensed professional surveyor shall be clarified in an amendment to the solicitation.

Reviewed Equipment Rental items 14 and 15. Government is not guaranteeing that any of these hours will be used. They are included as an efficient way to perform small items of work that would improve the overall quality of the project. COR authorization required. Funding for hours not used will be de-obligated at contract close-out.

Section C-1 Scope of Work: This project is one of the implementation projects of the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Project (CFLRP). The goal of the CFLRP project is to utilize collaborative, science based ecosystem restoration techniques to improve watershed function while encouraging ecological, economic and social sustainability with an emphasis on providing local employment opportunities. Please note requirement for Workforce Utilization Plan required for submittal in Technical Proposal. Local is defined as 5-county area: Idaho, Nez Perce, Clearwater, Latah and Lewis. Government could pay more for an offer that utilizes more local labor.

Section C-4 Government-Furnished Property (rip rap, fish habitat rock and waste site for disposal of unsuitable or excess excavation material only). All rock shall be located at the Fenn Bone Yard. Waste site is also at Fenn Bone Yard. Cover page of plans shows O’Hara pit for the waste site. This in incorrect. Government does not want to fill up this pit with pond spoils or unsuitable material.

Section C-5 Estimated start work date 9/15/14.

Section C-7 Biobased Product Utilization Stressed USDA’s goal of increasing the use of biobased materials. Review website provided in this clause along with the example list biobased products that could be used during performance of this contract. Contractor should then identify the products it intends to use and their value in the technical proposal. Annual reporting is also required on the SAM website. Government could pay more for an offer that utilizes more biobased products; however, Government recognized that opportunities are limited given the nature of this contract.

Section F-2 FAR 52.211-10 Commencement, Prosecution and Completion of Work Alt I Deadline for completion of project, November 15, 2014 so long as Notice to Proceed issued by 9/8/14.

Section H-2 Work Camps, Staging and Storage Areas. Areas for staging operations and storage of materials shall be approved by the CO. The Contractor must request in writing for approval from the CO to stage trailers on site. Overnight camping is commercially available near the project area. Overnight camping on site is prohibited. The contractor must provide toilets and sanitary facilities at each work location for its employees.

Section H-3 Key Personnel Key personnel identified in the accepted technical proposals shall be made a material part of the contract. This is particularly important given the focus on employment of local labor.

Section H-4 52.236-4 Physical Data This clause details common weather conditions and transportation facilities. Government also reviewed part (d) of this clause regarding the steep grade of the access route shown in the plans. If the contractor utilizes this route for its operation and chooses to load saturated material, partial loads should be anticipated and planned for in the Contractor’s calculations of excavation and haul. Load size will be verified and agreed to by CO in advance to facilitate tracking of quantities and invoices.

Section H-5 Barricades, Warning Signs and Other Devices (The contractor is responsible for the safety of the public and Government employees while work is being done adjacent to offices, maintenance/work facilities, residences and recreation facilities. Barricades, suitable and sufficient lights, danger signals, signs, etc. shall be erected to safeguard the public and Government employees from injury.

Section H-6 Landscape Preservation Do not remove, deface, injure, or destroy trees, shrubs, lawn, natural or constructed features not designated for removal by the contract. Government stressed permanent erosion controls measures required and section (e) that requires decommissioning/recontouring of the access route and cleaning the pavement post haul with a street sweeper of other approved equipment.

H-7 Weed free equipment inspections are required.

H-8 Fire Control. Standard clause included. No requirement for pump and trailer. Suspension of work due to fire conditions is not anticipated given heavily irrigated nature of the surrounding area and access to water.

H-14 Invoice Processing Platform Invoices shall be submitted electronically via this on-line application. Sign up is relatively simple.

H-15 Contractor Workforce Certification Contract awardee may be asked to report information linked to employment of local workforce to satisfy requirements of the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Act.

Section I-10 FAR 52.228-15 Performance and Payment Bonds – Construction Performance and payment bonds equal to 100% of awarded contract price will be required for contracts that exceed $150,000. If the awarded contract value is less than $150,000, only payment bond required.

Section I-12 AGAR 452.228-71 Insurance Coverage Alt I Please note that this requirement is in the solicitation but was not reviewed at the site visit. Coverage for bodily injury liability in the amount of $500,000 per occurrence is required along with property damage liability coverage of $1,000,000 per occurrence.

K-2 AGAR 452.209-70 Representation by Corporations Regarding an Unpaid Delinquent Tax Liability or a Felony Conviction (Deviation 2012-01) (FEB 2012) Alternate I (FEB 2012) Contractors need to complete and submit this provision along with provisions K-1.

M-1 EVALUATION CRITERIA Stressed the need for submittal of complete technical proposals that supply all the information requested in this provision. Highlighted need for complete workplan that provides all the information requested including Workforce Utilization Plan (in connection to special funding/goals of the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Act; evaluation preference will be given to firms that employ local labor). Also highlighted requirement to provide information regarding Biobased Product Utilization. Technical factors are approximately equal in importance and overall, price is approxiamtely equal to price. Also, it is the Government’s intent to award without discussions (give us your most favorable terms).

Group then moved outside and viewed the project site.

Reviewed site of stream that feeds the pond. Reviewed in general terms the diversion planned to begin pond dewatering via separate contract.

Reviewed boardwalk and docks to be removed. Inlet pipe below the dock located closest to Road 223 must be preserved. This is the method for planting fish in the pond.

Noted that island will be removed. Material can be used for recontouring pond edge in accordance with the specifications.

No wild fish reside in the pond. Fish mortality is an anticipated consequence of this project; no fish removal will be required prior to the commencement of work.

Reviewed location of suggested access route shown in Drawings. Contractor may propose alternative route. Pull-through is not required.