Q_and_A.docx

Q and A

Q1. Are their rocks in the vegetation?

A1. The limestone bedrock underlying the soil and vegetation is nearly uniformly flat and smooth, much as the restored area 2014 that was shown during the site visit. Areas like the slough (filled with water during the site visit) are much more uneven (consisting of more solution holes). Uneven terrain (with solution holes) has historically been a small portion of the work areas usually near the edges or in sloughs. It is our best professional judgement (based on previous experience) that this uneven terrain will occur only in the slough that will be found in the northwest side of the project. There are no known loose large rocks or piles of rocks above ground.

Q2. What contractor this contract before?

A2. Westwind from 1997-2005 (base + 4 options). Northstar (one time contract 2007). CEI both a one time contract and was part of base + 4 options) and HCD base and 4 option). From 2008-present.

Q3. Has DSC serviced these contracts before?

A3. Yes.

Q4. Have they done since the beginning?

A4. No.

Q5. Are there permits required for this project (required by the contractors to pull in order to do the work)?

A5. The contractors do not need to pull permits to conduct the work in the HID. Nor are testing of soils required. The exception is permitting required to have fuel depots on site that is the contractor’s responsibility to secure and pull those permits.

Q6. Do we restore the drainage soil to the haul road?

A6. As stated in the SOW, no material or fill is to be brought in to the site. We interpret this question to mean do the contractors need to clean or remove the impacts of the haul road after work is completed (soil, woody or other vegetative material etc). Yes as stated in the SOW all material due to the use of the haul route needs to be removed once the work is completed. This is for both on and off the haul road. The contractor is advised to develop a plan to minimize impact to adjacent restored areas associated with the haul road.

Q7. Is land clearing only during the months of March and May?

A7. Yes for the Base Task order. Over the next option years if they are awarded work could be done between December and May. Some years may be late to start, so for example this year is a strong el Niño year. We are wet much later than expected. So we would be starting later. However, all work must be completed by the end of May.

Q8. Are we to clear to mound first and then use the mound?

A8. Yes as the SOW (Task 2) describes the prepping of the mound is required. This entails some combination of dozing and grading to prep the mound. In this action the material is simply brought to the ground. It is not moved to one area of the mound.

Q9. Do we survey the mound before material is brought to the mound?

A9. Yes. Once the Government has accepted Task 2 as complete, then NPS will call in surveyors to survey the mound prior to the contractor depositing new material on the mound.

Q10. Is the pink flag on the main road the northern boundary?

A10. Yes; However if you look at the maps provided then you will notice that a lot of the work is south of or behind the Boy Scout Camp. This is an area that is unobservable from the main road. The flag is the boundary line between the Boy Scout Camp and the NPS lands. Further coordination of maintaining boundary lines will be coordinated to the contractor awarded the Task Order.

Q11. The land near the main road contains trees. Is the contractor responsible for clearing those trees?

A11. Yes, the vegetation up to the main road will be removed. However, some of the boundary areas between the NPS and Boy Scout lands have valuable native habitat or trees. In coordination with the COR the contractor will work to avoid areas such as this. This shall be clarified upon award.

Q12. Is compaction of the material in the stock pile (or mound) required?

A12. No.

Q13. Are contractors responsible for covering the mound?

A13. As the SOW describes there is generally more organic material to soil. The SOW also suggests that the contractor is advised to develop a strategy to make sure material is worked into the mound from the beginning such that it is “capped” with the soil that is present on site and ultimately meets the standards that would be acceptable for a completed mound. It is not intended that contractors bring in material to complete this work.

Q14. The mound currently there is that the same mound that was used in the past?

A14. The 2014 mound was last used in 2014. It currently consists of one year’s work. The 2016 work (and 2017 and 2018 if awarded) will use the same mound. The 2016 material will be placed on top of the previous work. As the SOW indicates there are two mounds that would be used over the course of the base and option years if the option years are awarded.

Q15. Is there a size standard for the chopped and cut vegetation?

A15. No, the contractor is expected to have the technical knowledge from beginning of operations to know how to prepare the material (the vegetation), use the material on site (soil and vegetation) in order to best move material, build or otherwise use the material on site to achieve the task requirements.

Q16. Can we work on weekends?

A16. As the SOW describes, work can be done Monday – Saturday during daylight hours.

Q17. Can we work 10 hours or more?

A17. See question 15.

Q18. Are there standard parameters or do you want contractor’s to start a new?

A18. There are parameters as stated in the SOW, task 1 in particular, and secondly for say the criteria for the development of the mound and the final scrape. These performance standards are described in the SOW. If there are specific “standards” the contractor is concerned about these would need to be more fully described.

The NPS is not going to establish a technical approach to accomplish the tasks. The contractor is required to bring their technical skills and experience to the work. Your technical proposals and the detail there of, in describing how you will accomplish each task will reveal the contractors understanding of the work.

Q19. Is there a water source for dust control?

A19. Possibly. During task 5 as you are exposing the limestone bedrock, you will find old agricultural wells. Some may be usable. In the past these wells have been a source of water for dust control. The presence of the wells is predictable, how useful they will be is unknown.

Q20. Do we require Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan?

A20. Yes.

Q21. Do we require a spill plan?

A21. Yes.

Q22. Is there a reason why we just don’t burn the Peppers?

A22. Burning is not a viable restoration technique. This technique was evaluated 20 years ago and dismissed. The only successful restoration technique is to remove the soil. Technical proposals that have this as a solution will be deemed “Not Technically Acceptable”.

Q23. It states that a bid bond is required and to be issued for the maximum task order of $3,500,000 and submitted on Standard Form 24. What percentage will the bid bond on that amount be required 10% or 20%?

A23. The bid bond being required is for 100% of the maximum task order amount of $3,500,000.

Q24. Since the bid will be awarded to 2 or more contractors how will the areas be separated? This will affect the unit costs and pricing based on the fact the overall areas will be smaller and than the anticipated acreage. If a general understanding of this could be provided it would be helpful in preparing the pricing schedule.

A24. The Government intends to award 1 task order per year. The areas shown in the diagrams pertaining to years (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, etc.) will be 1 task order each year.