Q A_Answers_for_NAAF.docx

NAAF Questions

1. Bid Alternate #2 includes an estimated quantity for Cement Stabilized Subgrade. There is no specification found in the bid documents for Cement Stabilized Subgrade. Will the owner provide a specification for the construction of this bid alternate prior to the offer date?

Answer: Contractor shall provide with their proposal a unit price line item and a total cost for the cement stabilization of 25,000 square yards of subgrade material to a depth of 12 inches. Quantity of portland cement used shall be 3.5% of the mixture’s dry unit weight. The location of the subgrade to be cement stabilized shall be determined during the proof rolling of subgrade. The location shall be approved by the Contracting Officer prior to performing the work. Cement stabilized subgrade shall be in accordance with South Carolina Department of Transportation’s (SCDOT) 2007 Standard Specifications for Highway Construction Section 307 “Cement Stabilized Earth Base”. Execution shall be in accordance with Section 307, paragraph 307.4.4.2 “Road Mix Method”. No other execution methods will be permitted. Any and all testing shall be the responsibility of the contractor. Pay items indicated in the SCDOT Standard Specifications do not apply. The quantity for payment shall be the area of compacted, in-place cement stabilized subgrade constructed as specified, complete and accepted. Cement stabilized subgrade constructed outside the designated area shall not be measured for payment. Forthcoming addendum will formally address.

2. Bid Alternate #1 includes an estimated quantity for removal and replacement of unsatisfactory material and Bid Alternate #4 includes an estimated quantity for Geogrid. Will these alternate items be used in conjunction with Bid Alternate #2 or in lieu of Bid Alternate #2? Will the Bid Alternate #4, Geogrid be used in conjunction with Bid Alternate #1 or in Lieu of Bid Alternate #1?

Answer: Propose per plans and specifications. The government will evaluate the condition of the soil and determine which bid alternate is best suited for the condition.

3. What is the grading detail if Bid Alternate #6, Jet Blast erosion control pavement is not performed?

Answer: Propose per plans and specifications. Bid Alternate #6 will be performed (awarded). The work has to be bid separately because the work is classified as minor construction.

4. Plan sheet C622 depicts a detail “Thickened Edge Sealed Groove (TESG) at New Asphalt Shoulder/ New PCC PVMT Interface”. The plan sheets C201, C202, and C203 indicate the TESG only at the Taxiway intersections. The typical sections found on sheet C620 do not indicate a thickened edge (TESG) at the shoulder interface. Does the detail on sheet C622, indicating a thickened edge, apply to all new PCC pavement interface with the new asphalt shoulder in all areas?

Answer: For Clarification - a Sealed Groove (SG) shall be installed at all interfaces between new asphalt pavement and concrete pavement in accordance with the sealed groove detail on sheet C623. Unless identified as TESG or TEEJ, concrete edges shall not be thickened.

Concrete edges shall be thickened where future taxiways are planned to tie in to the LZ. These locations are identified on plans as Thickened Edge Sealed Groove (TESG). The TESG’s are identified on the drawings at the following locations (STA 31+75 to STA39+00 left edge of LZ and STA 32+59.22 to STA 34+00 on the right edge of the LZ) and shall be constructed in accordance with the Thickened Edge Seal Groove details shown on sheet C622.

All pavement interfaces between new concrete and existing concrete to remain (i.e. Overrun and Twy Charlie utilize a Thickened Edge Expansion Joint (TEEJ) and shall be constructed in accordance with the Thickened Edge Expansion Joint detail shown on sheet C622. Forthcoming addendum will to formally address.

5. The Existing Site and Demolition Plan found on sheet C101 indicates the existing LZ pavement section to be 5” plus or minus of asphalt concrete on top of 10” plus or minus of base, and the existing shoulders to be 2” plus or minus asphalt concrete on top of 6” plus or minus of base. Will it be permissible or not to utilize the existing base found under the existing asphalt in the new pavement section noted as 6” Graded Crushed Aggregate Base Course in the typical pavement detail on sheet C620 and specified in Section 32 11 23? Will the Engineer waive the testing, gradation, liquid limits, and plasticity index requirements found in Section 32 11 23 if the existing base is pre-determined to be usable? Will this determination of suitability of the existing base material be made prior to the offer date?

Answer: Propose per plans and specifications. Contractor can recycle the base only by performing ALL testing as required by specifications and showing that recycled base material meets all specification requirements.

6. What is the composition of the existing pavement found in the 5 plus or minus acre site located between 86 feet and 272 feet right of centerline between stations 13+00 and 24+00, which is noted on sheets C101 and C102 as existing asphalt concrete pavement and underlying base course to be removed?

Answer: Composition is unknown, but removal shall be as follows: Remove existing 1”+/- thick bituminous surface and sufficient stone base to provide 6” top soil with grassed surface. Forthcoming addendum will formally address.

7. Please provide Power/Phase information for the existing electric power source located at project's Laydown Area.

Answer: Propose per plans and specifications. Power is available, but government does not know type or capacity. All cost associated with temporary power is on the contractor.

8. Please confirm if any modifications or alterations will be required to the existing electronic gate located at the Main Gate (Contractors Access Gate) for ingress and egress to the site. If any modifications are required please provide the necessary scope along with details.

Answer: Propose per plans and specifications. Currently, there is no need to modify or alter the existing electronic Main Gate.

9. Will project escorts be required from the Main Gate to the project work area or laydown/Plant Site area?

Answer: Propose per plans and specifications. Security conditions are subject to change throughout the duration of the project.

10. Clarification is needed for the outside PCC concrete lanes abutting the asphalt shoulders. Site plan sheets C201 thru C203 depict an SG along the new PCC lanes and asphalt shoulder (excluding TW c, B, A). Paving Details sheet C622 shows a Thickened Edge Sealed Groove (TESG) Joint at New Asphalt Shoulder/new PCC Pavement Interface. Please clarify if a Thickened Edge Joint is required along the entire length of the project along the two outside lanes that butt the asphalt shoulders.

Answer: For Clarification - a Sealed Groove (SG) shall be installed at all interfaces between new asphalt pavement and concrete pavement in accordance with the sealed groove detail on sheet C623. Unless identified as TESG or TEEJ, concrete edges shall not be thickened.

Concrete edges shall be thickened where future taxiways are planned to tie in to the LZ. These locations are identified on plans as Thickened Edge Sealed Groove (TESG). The TESG’s are identified on the drawings at the following locations (STA 31+75 to STA39+00 left edge of LZ and STA 32+59.22 to STA 34+00 on the right edge of the LZ) and shall be constructed in accordance with the Thickened Edge Seal Groove details shown on sheet C622.

All pavement interfaces between new concrete and existing concrete to remain (i.e. Overrun and Twy Charlie utilize a Thickened Edge Expansion Joint (TEEJ) and shall be constructed in accordance with the Thickened Edge Expansion Joint detail shown on sheet C622. Forthcoming addendum will to formally address.

11. CLIN0003 Bid Alternate #2: Cement Stabilized Subgrade. Please provide required specification for this item.

Answer: Contractor shall provide with their proposal a unit price line item and a total cost for the cement stabilization of 25,000 square yards of subgrade material to a depth of 12 inches. Quantity of portland cement used shall be 3.5% of the mixture’s dry unit weight. The location of the subgrade to be cement stabilized shall be determined during the proof rolling of subgrade. The location shall be approved by the Contracting Officer prior to performing the work. Cement stabilized subgrade shall be in accordance with South Carolina Department of Transportation’s (SCDOT) 2007 Standard Specifications for Highway Construction Section 307 “Cement Stabilized Earth Base”. Execution shall be in accordance with Section 307, paragraph 307.4.4.2 “Road Mix Method”. No other execution methods will be permitted. Any and all testing shall be the responsibility of the contractor. Pay items indicated in the SCDOT Standard Specifications do not apply. The quantity for payment shall be the area of compacted, in-place cement stabilized subgrade constructed as specified, complete and accepted. Cement stabilized subgrade constructed outside the designated area shall not be measured for payment. Forthcoming addendum will formally address.

12. CLIN0004 Bid Alternate #4: 1200 BX Tensar Geogrid or equivalent. Please provide required specification for this item of work.

Answer: Bid per plans and specifications.

13. Bid plans currently do not show any new underdrains. Please confirm that no new underdrains are to be installed.

Answer: Bid per plans and specifications.

14. Existing Site and Demolition Plans, nor the Geotechnical Exploration Data depict the existing asphalt and aggregate base removals for the following areas: Drive removal@+/- Sta 3+50 Rt, Old Pavement Removals area+/- sta 12+90 Rt. to+/- sta 24+20 Rt. Please provide the existing data for bidding purposes.

Answer: Contractor shall remove, as a minimum, enough of the existing road (approximately STA 3+50 Rt) to allow for installation on new road (2” asphalt on 8” base) at new grade. Removal of the “Old Pavement Area” (+/- sta 12+90 Rt. to+/- sta 24+20 Rt) shall be as follows: Remove existing 1”+/- thick bituminous surface and sufficient stone base to provide 6” top soil with grassed surface. Forthcoming addendum will formally address.

15. PART II - PAST PERFORMANCE INFORMATION states page limits as follows: "no more than 3 pages per contract listed. Does this limitation apply to the information requested in sub-paragraph (a) (awards, recommendation letters, etc.); to the information requested in sub-paragraph (b) (performance surveys); or both? We request that it apply only to performance surveys as one CCASS, PPQ, or recommendation letter can easily be more than 3 pages.

Answer: Propose per criteria in the solicitation.

16. Subparagraph (c) Subcontractor Consent: Should offerors obtain past performance consent only from team members or from all potential subcontractors. If offeror is not submitting any past performance information on any subcontractors is this consent still required?

Answer: Subcontractor consent must be documented for major subcontractors or team members that will perform a significant portion of actual construction. Subcontractor consent is necessary for any subcontractors that will have past performance information submitted for evaluation. It is not required for all planned subcontractors.

17. Please refer to Drawing E001 – “Low Pressure Air Test of PVC Conduit” – We would like to request that this requirement be removed from the contract. Testing of ductbank conduits prior to concrete backfill makes installation of ductbanks much more complex and costly. This would make the electricians treat every conduit joint like a plumber would. Leaving trenches open longer for testing on multiple conduits could push back the ready mix concrete placement until the next day. Leaving trenches open overnight is never a good option when installing ductbank. The bottom line with this air testing requirement is that it will increase the labor cost for installation of each conduit, add cost for the testing and increase the risk of losing a trench. Please consider removing this requirement from the contract.

Answer: The requirement for “Low Pressure Air Test of PVC Conduit” (Drawing Sheet E001) is to be deleted from this contract. Forthcoming addendum will formally address.