Attach_Pre_Proposal_Conf_Minutes_and_Q&A's.pdf

Pre-Proposal Questions and Answers Cold Springs Ranger Station Utility Rehabilitation

AG-82MK-S-17-0018

Pre-Proposal Meeting Held: 30 May 2017 @ 11:00am Mountain Time Location: Cold Springs Ranger Station (Project Site)

Government Attendees Curtis Cross, Forest Engineer Grant Clark, Civil Engineer Diego Rubalcava-Alvarez, Civil Engineer

Vendor Attendees Tyler Walter HD Inc. 719-499-3250 twalter@hditeam.com Ken Newton RJS Construction, Inc. 303-968-7097 ken.newton@rjsconst.com

QUESTIONS DURING PRE-PROPOSAL MEETING:

During the pre-proposal meeting and site visit, several questions were raised. Each question and answer is provided below:

1. What is the desired well pump test rate? Is it 2.5 gpm?

Answer: The Specifications Section 332113 Part 3.5 describes multiple test pump rates between 2.5 gpm and 10 gpm to be used to determine a well sustainable yield rate.

2. Can the treatment building be modular, as opposed to constructed on site?

Answer: The building must meet the structural, functional and aesthetic requirements of the Specifications and Drawings.

The proposal must include a price for constructing the building as specified. But the proposer may choose to include a discussion in their "Performance of Work Plan and Techniques" section of their proposal for an alternate, modular building. The discussion should include price difference. Government consideration for approval or rejection of such differences would occur after contract award during the submittal process. Note that significant changes from the design would require the Forest Service to get approval from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) since the site is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.

3. Who owns the existing propane tanks on site?

Answer: The Forest Service owns the propane tanks. The Base Items involve keeping the existing propane tanks incorporated into the system. Optional Item 013 involves removing the existing propane tanks and installing new tanks.

4. Drawing Sheet U4.1 shows the septic tanks in plan view with rounded ends. Would rectangular septic tanks be accepted?

Answer: Yes, different shaped septic tanks would be considered as long as the capacity, opening sizes, dimensions, and other relevant factors meet the requirements of the Specifications and Drawings.

5. Is the RV trailer pad (Option Item) surface type gravel?

Answer: The RV trailer pad surface type is 4" thick compacted aggregate surface with clay solidifiers, as shown in Drawing Sheet C1.2. The RV trailer pad 6' x 16' utility strip, however, is to be concrete. The trailer pad itself is an Option Item that may or may not be awarded. But the utility strip is part of the Base Items. NOTE: This distinction may not have been verbalized when the question was answered during the site visit.

6. Will the existing water treatment building be demolished regardless of whether the well or spring water source is developed?

Answer: Yes, the existing water treatment building should be demolished as part of Base Item 003 Demolition.

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AG-82MK-S-17-0018

7. Will camping on site or at nearby campgrounds be allowed for the Contractor's employees during the contract performance? Can the Ponderosa building be used by the Contractor as an office during the contract performance?

Answer: See Specifications Section 010150 Part 5.7. The CO must approve locations of any proposed temporary mobile housing vehicles. The Ponderosa building cannot be used by the Contractor as an office, but the Specifications do allow some use of the Aspen Leaf cabin. Note the occupancy restrictions and lack of utilities available for such accommodations mentioned in the Specifications.

8. Should construction slash and vegetative waste material generated by clearing and grubbing be piled on site for removal by the Forest Service? Or should all such waste be removed from the site to an approved landfill by the Contractor?

Answer: See Specifications Section 311100 Clearing and Grubbing.

9. There is a short rock retaining wall between the Ponderosa Building and the site for the new 1,500 gallon septic tank.

Is the Contractor expected to drill underneath the retaining wall to install the wastewater system? Or to remove and replace the retaining wall?

Answer: The Contractor is responsible for choosing their performance method, but, in any case, the retaining wall must be restored to the pre-work condition by the end of the project.

10. Should the existing septic tank be filled in with gravel?

Answer: See Keynote 6 on Drawing Sheet D1.0.

11. Can material from near the septic tank be used for mounding over the leachfield?

Answer: Material from excavation in the project may be used for mounding over the leachfield if the material excavated is suitable.

12. Should top soil be salvaged for reapplication?

Answer: Yes. See Specifications Sections 312317, 329219 and the typical trench sections on Drawing Sheet U3.5, among other parts of the Solicitation.

13. Where should equipment cleaning inspections occur? At the Forest Boundary? Are pick-up trucks included in equipment that must be cleaned to prevent the spread of noxious weeds?

Answer: Exact locations for inspection of construction equipment will be determined after contract award. It will certainly be before equipment is mobilized onto National Forest land, possibly at the State Highway. Pick-up trucks do need to be cleaned for the prevention of the spread of weeds when mobilized to the forest.

14. Should the material for the daylight drain screens be galvanized steel to secure against rodents and similar threats?

Answer: Specification Section 331116 Part 2.4 specifies 24-mesh woven wire cloth, type 304 stainless steel standard grade, non-corrodible. See the answers to Questions # 2 and # 18 for discussion of proposing to do work that is different than what is specified.

15. Can the Contractors use the existing bathrooms?

Answer: No. Contractors are expected to provide sanitation facilities.

16. Are there load limits for the roads to the site?

Answer: It is up to the Contractor to determine if they require overweight load permits for any highways leading to the site.

AG-82MK-S-17-0018

17. Is the contractor required to obtain any permits?

Answer: See Specification Section 010150 Part 1.8.

18. Is this project being solicited as an Invitation to Bid or as a Request for Proposals?

Answer: This project is being solicited as a Request for Proposals (RFP). Proposals will be evaluated on Past Performance, Experience/Key Personnel, Performance of Work Plan and Techniques, Utilization of Biobased products Statement (pass/fail criteria), Price, and Bid Guarantee - Bonding Capacity. See pages 19 to 20 of the Solicitation.

19. How much time is allotted to complete the contract?

Answer: 120 calendar days from the Notice to Proceed.

20. Are there restrictions on working hours?

Answer: No.

21. For the spring development, can the Contractor perforate the holes in the bottom section of the 60" interior diameter concrete pipe? Or is the Pipe Manufacturer required to make the perforations? Is screening required?

Answer: The Contractor may acquire or construct the perforated pipe however they choose as long as it meets the requirements of Drawing Sheet SU3.1. Screening was not specified because it is not anticipated to be beneficial. If field work, including water quality, reveals something different, then a modification will be done at that time.

22. For the spring development, what size coarse gravel is required around the perforated section of 60" concrete pipe?

Answer: Gravel must meet the requirements of Specification Section 321123 except that the gradation for the coarse gravel for spring development should meet AASHTO M 43-05 Size Number 1, but with 0% passing the 1 ½" sieve.

23. For the spring development, should the bottom of the perforated 60" concrete pipe also be perforated?

Answer: No.

24. For the spring development, wouldn't it be better to have 6" of coarse gravel below the perforated pipe?

Answer: The drawings show 4". See the answers to Questions # 2 and # 18 for discussion of proposing to do work that is different than what is specified.

25. What is the estimated quantity of waterline to be installed?

Answer: In the Schedule of Items, Base Item 005A shows 267 linear feet of 1" waterline to be installed, which is the length of pipe from the treatment building to the tank.

Base Item 005B shows 817 linear feet of 2" waterline to be installed, which is the sum of the lengths of pipes in the new distribution system downstream of the tank.

Quantities as staked on the ground may differ from these estimates.

The quantities above do not include the 279 linear feet of 1" pipe from the spring tank to the treatment building or the 128 linear feet of 1" pipe from the well to the treatment building. These lengths would be paid as incidental to Item 011A or 011B, respectively.

26. Where is the site for the proposed storage tank?

Answer: The approximate location for the proposed storage tank is shown on Drawing Sheets U1.0, U2.0 and U2.1. But precise elevation data in the vicinity of the proposed storage tank was not available at the time of the project design, so the location may shift to achieve the elevations shown on the Drawings. Note that there is thick vegetation between the proposed treatment building and the proposed tank. The proposed tank site can also be accessed from the NFSR 406 road west of the project site. See attached Tank Area Aerial Imagery.

AG-82MK-S-17-0018

QUESTIONS RECEIVED BY E-MAIL AFTER THE PRE-PROPOSAL MEETING:

27. "My question regards Section 332113, Potable Water Well, Part 3.7 – Water Samples and Tests… Specifically parameter number 26, Particle Size Analysis. I am not familiar with this test being conducted on a water sample in the past, and my preferred lab has told me they do not perform this test on water, so I am wondering the validity of this request – possibly it is in the list of parameters by error? If not and it is a required test parameter I will need to check with other laboratories."

Answer: Sampling for Particle Size Analysis will not be required. That item is removed from the list of water samples and tests by Amendment.

28. "[We] cannot match the generator that you currently have [specified]. The manufacturer (CAT) is telling us the smallest that line goes is 50K. Please let us know how to price."

Answer: The generator model specified in Section 263213 of the specifications was used as the design basis. Other generators with substantially equal capacity and characteristics as the design basis may be considered during the submittal process after award, subject to compliance with other requirements of the specifications and drawings. Although the government does not endorse one supplier over another, the distributer with whom the project designer spoke about the specified generator during the design was Wagner Power Systems, with contact persons Rick or Bob at 303-210-0709 or Rob Mock at 970-261-1695.