Prebid Meeting Notes.pdf

Prebid Meeting Notes AG-4756-S-12-0031, Beaverdam Bald Road and Clarks Creek Road Culvert Replacements July 23 and 24, 2012

Meeting for Beaverdam Bald Road was held at Cherokee National Forest Supervisor’s Office, Cleveland TN, on July 23, 2012 with site visit following.

Attending for Government: Gary Hubbard, Forest Engineer, and Nina Barrow, Contracting Officer Contractors Attending: Chad King, King General Contractors, Bristol, VA Herbie Sowder, Simpson Construction Company, Inc., Cleveland TN

Barrow addressed administrative matters relative to the solicitation. Note: either one or two awards may be made from this solicitation. If award of one bid item is made at a price less than $150,000, then only payment protection will be required. If one contract is awarded for both items, two separate Notices to Proceed could be issued.

Hubbard reviewed the Schedule of Items. AQ = Actual Quantity method of measurement. These pay items will be measured in the field (example – gravel and silt fence). CQ = Contract Quantity method of measurement. These items are paid lump sum with no measurement, unless the quantity varies by plus or minus 15% of estimated quantity (example – excavation, seeding).

***NOTE: Item 60101, Concrete for Leveling, should be measured as AQ, not CQ.***

Density testing and compaction testing are not required for backfill.

(4,000 psi is in the notes on the drawings, but it will be clarified in an amendment that it is 4,000 psi for pay item 55201).

Submit foundation design after contract award.

Question – will the Geotechnical firm design the footers? Answer: no. Contech can furnish a design, but Contractor must pay for this.

Note – no separate pay item for mobilization. Testing is required for concrete – contractor pays for this, and there is no separate pay item. Brush/tree removal at site is an incidental item and is expected to be minimal. Unsuitable soil that is excavated can be wasted close to the site; will require seeding and mulching.

Forest Service will approve sediment control measures.

There is no separate pay item for signing. Beaverdam Bald Road can be closed during construction.

Timber is currently being removed under a timber sale contract, but this work should be completed before construction begins. If not, will require coordination between contractors.

Culvert can be assembled in stream bed or out of stream bed. Note that specs call for small boulders to be placed adjacent to structure to mimic stream bed – will probably need a trackhoe for this work.

Anticipate availability of boulders at site.

Site visit followed. Question at site: Where is the closest quarry/concrete plant? Answer: R&S Concrete in Madisonville, and Rogers Group quarry in Madisonville.

Cell phone service is not available at this site. You may have cell service 3-4 miles up the road at the Bald; otherwise, will have to return to Tellico Plains for cell service.

Existing culvert and stone work were examined. Flagging is in place to show location of wingwalls.

No cleanout of the stream is required.

Question: Can old culvert be left in place when new one is installed? Answer: yes – you may use the existing culvert as diversion.

Borings at this site indicated it was 15’ to solid material. Contractor is responsible for footing design.

Spread footer is an option.

Question: How high does the water rise at this site? Answer: unknown.

Contech contact is Dan Gary, 423-280-9397.

There is only one way to access the site – via Tellico River Road. There are no weight limitations on the bridges on this road. Camping is available at the site or adjacent campgrounds upon request to and approval of the District Ranger (no water available at campgrounds). Accommodations may be available in the Green Cove community.

Meeting for Clarks Creek Road was held at Watauga Ranger District Office, Unicoi TN on July 24, 2012 with site visit following.

Attending for Government: Gary Hubbard, Forest Engineer; Lynn DiFiore, Zone Engineer; Nina Barrow, Contracting Officer.

Contractors Attending: Chad King, King General Contractors

Blake Stout, Blake Stout Construction, Inc., Mountain City, TN Greg Bryant, Bryant’s Land and Development, Burnsville, NC

Barrow addressed administrative matters relative to the solicitation.

Hubbard reviewed the Schedule of Items. AQ = Actual Quantity method of measurement. These pay items will be measured in the field (example – gravel and silt fence). CQ = Contract Quantity method of measurement. These items are paid lump sum with no measurement, unless the quantity varies by plus or minus 15% of estimated quantity (example – excavation, seeding).

***NOTE: Item 60101, Concrete for Leveling, should be measured as AQ, not CQ.***

Soil borings were taken at this site; it is likely that footing pads can be used here. Final decision will be made when Geotechnical Report is received.

Re: concrete testing. For structural concrete items, Contractor pays for required testing (slump). For leveling concrete – will do 28 day cylinder tests. No testing required for backfill.

Incidental items that do not have separate pay items include traffic control, mobilization, and testing.

DiFiore stated that there are three metal culverts to be removed at the Clarks Creek site. Work cannot take place at this site between January 1 and March 31. If one contractor is awarded both projects, he will need to coordinate start times. There is a lot of visible rock at Clarks Creek site.

Hubbard said that specs show placing 6” – a12” rock on interior to mimic stream bed. Will add pay item for “Native Boulder Placement” (currently included with riprap).

Road can be closed during construction.

Question: Footing pad option – is contractor required to take down to elevation as shown on plans?

Answer: yes, but this elevation may change depending on Geotechnical Report.

Question: Do we need to make the pad level? Answer: Can use concrete to level it.

Site visit followed. Road can be closed below adjacent camp site so that it can be used as a staging area.

Cell phone service is not available at the construction site.

Question: if road is closed, will Contractor still have to follow all traffic control measures as shown?

Answer: You would only need barricades on approach side of road.

Question: How far does road continue past construction site? Answer: approximately 1 mile, with a turn-around at the end.

Question: Can we take machines through the creek, or will we have to have a machine on each side?

Answer: We typically allow contractors to take machinery through the creek, as necessary. Equipment cannot remain in creek to perform work – can only cross creek.

Note: this is a wider area being reduced to a smaller area.

Question: How many pieces does culvert come in? Answer: Four (2 sides, 2 tops).

Question: Do we have to use the Contech product? Answer: no, but your submittal must meet specs.

Question: Do we submit our footer design after we are awarded the contract? Answer: yes. No submittals required before you bid or with your bid.

Question: Can we reshape the creek bed and divert to one existing culvert? Answer: yes.

Question: How many of these existing trees will need to be removed? Answer: Large trees will stay.

Two small trees may need to be removed. FS has not done construction staking yet. All trees to be removed will be approved by Forest Service.

Existing riprap was noted.

Question: Are the culvert ends square? Answer: yes.

Question: who is responsible for alignment? Answer: Contractor. Center line of culvert shows at center line of creek on Drawings. FS can provide autocad drawings and survey points.

Question: is this all considered to be unclassified excavation? Answer: yes.

Question: Are control points still there/visible? Answer: yes.

Question: Where is the footer elevation compared to the culvert’s invert? Answer: approximately 2’ below.

Question: Is there a pay item for “structure excavation?” Answer: yes. Paid as Contract Quantity, 150 CY. This is subject to plus or minus 15%.

Question: Can excess material be wasted near by? Answer: yes.

Question: Will FS direct placement of silt protection? Answer: yes.

Question: Will silt material need to be pumped out 24/7? Answer: no – only when you are not actively working or disturbing the soil/creek bed.

Question: Will we need to submit design of footers before we begin construction? Answer: yes, but we think we will use the footing pad option based on initial geotechnical investigation. This will be determined when final reports are received.

Question: Will we need to use dowels to adhere footers to underlying rock? Answer: no.

Footing option will be either concrete footing or pad. Final geotechnical report will determine. If footing pad option is used, the Pay Items 55201 Structural Concrete and 55401 Reinforcing Steel will be deleted.