Amendment+1+-+408.24.03.003.pdf

STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

600 EAST BOULEVARD AVE, DEPT 408

BISMARCK ND 58505-0480

SOLICITATION AMENDMENT 1

March 28, 2024

Solicitation Number: 408.24.03.003 Title: 2024 Lehigh Road Phase IX AML Project Deadline for Receipt of Bids: April 9, 2024, 10:00 a.m. CT Solicitation Issued: March 4, 2024

The solicitation established a deadline for receipt of written questions. The written questions received by the deadline and their answers are provided below. They do not change the solicitation except where noted.

1. QUESTION: “Are there any boring logs available for previously drilled holes within the project area, along with a general map showing their approximate location? If so, can this information be made available to bidders so that they can better assess the depths, thicknesses, and hardnesses of the various materials they will encounter?”

ANSWER: Drill logs from the 2022 and 2023 projects have been uploaded along with this document. Attachment 1.

2. QUESTION: “Is there a list of affected property owners that can be made available to bidders, for purposes of obtaining expressed written consent to store/stage our equipment and materials?”

ANSWER: No, but landowner information is publicly available at:

https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=8683ecae023c43d1a853433 97b9490e6

No amendment necessary.

3. QUESTION: “Who is the owner and/or operator(s) of the railroad? Is the line active?”

ANSWER: The owner/operator of the rail spur is GMHR Acquisitions. The line is mainly used for storage of rail cars while they are waiting to be picked up or serviced.

No amendment necessary.

4. QUESTION: “Is any coordination with the railroad owner required during drilling/grouting activities?”

2024 Lehigh Road Phase IX AML Project Amendment 1

ANSWER: Yes, coordination will take place between the owner, the Contractor, and the Public Service Commission during the drilling & grouting activities. The owner has requested that this area be investigated and reclaimed.

No amendment needed.

5. QUESTION: “Is any special insurance required when working near the rail lines?”

ANSWER: No, special insurance is not required due to it being a privately owned rail spur.

6. QUESTION: “Please clarify/confirm if the Cased Holes shown by Red Dots on the Map shown on page 4 have been previously drilled, cased, and grouted? Or are they the approximate location of holes to be drilled, cased, and grouted under this contract?

ANSWER: The red dots on the map indicate previously drilled and cased holes that have not been pumped with grout. Pumping grout into these holes will be expected under this contract.

7. QUESTION: “Please clarify/confirm if the 2024 Proposed Drilling locations shown by

Yellow Lines, are the approximate locations of boreholes that are to be drilled, cased, and grouted on this project, or are they geotechnical holes that will be drilled under a separate contract?”

ANSWER: The yellow lines are the approximate locations for the vertical boreholes to be drilled in this contract. Holes are expected to be drilled every 10 feet along these paths.

Some changes to the approximate drill paths are expected as we learn new information from the drilling results. The Commissions Project Manager will provide field marking for drilling paths.

8. QUESTION: “Does the Commission have an approximate estimation of the total number of bore holes to be drilled? If so, have bore hole locations already been determined? If so, could this information be made available to bidders?”

ANSWER: The Commission has estimated that around 420 holes will be drilled and will range from approximately 40 to 90 feet in depth. The estimated drilling quantity of the contract is 25,000 vertical feet. The hole locations are subject to change depending on what is found in the field during the drilling process. See the response to question 7 for borehole drill path locations.

9. QUESTION: “How often will boreholes be inspected via video camera'ing / CCTV'd?

Who is responsible for supplying the equipment and performing / recording the inspection?”

ANSWER: The Commission Project Manager will perform the borehole camera inspections as they deem necessary. Borehole inspections are generally timed to not impede the Contractor’s working operations. The Contractor will not be responsible for using or providing a borehole camera.

10. QUESTION: “2-inch diameter or smaller pipe is specified for tremie grouting. Would the Commission consider allowing larger diameter tremie pipe, or the use of a more flowable grout mixture, for this grout injection option (#3). Spec Section 300.C.2.b.ix - Grout Batching and Pumping – Pumpability”

ANSWER: In past projects, contractors have used Option 1 in Section 6.300.C.2.a to perform the grouting operations. Per Section 6.300.C.2.d, the allowable slump for grout is 4-9 inches or up to a 20” spread. Most grout injected for the project will range between a 16-20 spread, but some areas may require a 4-inch slump to form “barrier walls”. The Commission will not change the specifications for this section.

11. QUESTION: “Who is responsible for reviewing the lithology from drilling logs of injection holes (and adjacent holes) prior to grout injection to determine maximum injection pressures to be used for each borehole?”

ANSWER: Commission Project Manager

12. QUESTION: “Has the Commission already established the sequence of drilling and grouting, and if so, can this information / plan be made available to bidders?”

ANSWER: The sequence will be determined in the field by the Commission Project Manager. It is likely that drilling will start along the railroad spur and around the buildings.

13. QUESTION: “Generally, is the intent for the Contractor to drill, case, and grout one hole, before moving to the next?”

ANSWER: The general intent is to perform most of the drilling and casing prior to starting the grouting process. However, some specific areas may require drilling and casing during or after grouting operations.

14. QUESTION: “Is drilling and casing multiple holes, or all holes, in advance of grouting permissible?”

ANSWER: See the response to answer 13.

15. QUESTION: “Could you please clarify when and/or why the Project Manager will require the Contractor to flush injection holes with water prior to grout injection, so that we can better assess the frequency and likelihood of this requirement?”

ANSWER: This is necessary when pumping grout into a hole is suspended and then resumed the next day or following a weekend. The Commission would anticipate five or less instances where flushing is necessary in the project. Contractors typically stop grouting operations when holes are completed towards the end of the day.

16. QUESTION: “Is there an active fire hydrant, or hydrants, within the limits of work that can be utilized for the project? If so, could the Commission please provide the name of the municipal authority who owns them?”

ANSWER: The Commission is not aware of any hydrants within the project area. The Contractor is responsible for sourcing water.

17. QUESTION: “Invoice for Grout Injection CY payment will not be accepted prior to receipt of compressive strength results from the testing laboratory. The laboratory is to be a 3rd party contracted directly with the authority (and not with the Contractor). Please confirm that results will be made available to the contractor, or that approval will be provided by the authority within 3 days of testing (31 days following collection of sample).”

ANSWER: The Commission Project Manager will email the results to the Contractor as they become available. The Material Testing Contractor will test compressive strengths at 7 days, 28, days, and 56 days, if necessary. Invoices can be submitted for grout series that achieved the required specified strength on the 7 day test.

18. QUESTION: “The language in this section of the IFB requires the Contractor to notify the Material Testing Contractor sufficiently in advance of not working on any given workday, as well as the financial implications that the Contractor will face if failing to do so. Please confirm that the contractor's progress will not be delayed due to the availability of the Materials Testing Contractor, and if so, the contractor will be compensated for any standby incurred.”

ANSWER: The Materials Testing Contractor is required to be available during the contract performance period as long as the Contractor-specified notifications are met.

19. QUESTION: “Please confirm that the contractor will be compensated for any delays resulting from work stoppages due to environmental or safety concerns, such as mine subsidence, collapsing voids, sinkage, surface cracking, etc., that are out of the contractor's control.”

ANSWER: The Contractor will NOT be compensated for unanticipated delays. See Section 6.200.B - Site Conditions.

Questions regarding this amendment must be submitted in writing by April 2, 2024, to the Procurement Officer. Brett Job, Procurement Officer, E-mail: bjob@nd.gov Telephone: 701-328-4072 brett Text Box Attachment 1 john Typewriter AML\2022\2022 Exploratory Drilling\Construction\Drill Logs\Dickinson\ Drill_Logs_Dickinson_May_2022