Georgia Department of Transportation

Request for Quotation

To Provide

ON-CALL GEOTECHNICAL DRILLING SERVICES

RFQ-484-08152022

Bids Due: August 15,2022 by 2:00PM EST

Georgia Department of Transportation

One Georgia Center 600 West Peachtree Street, NW

Atlanta, Georgia 30308

Request for Quotation

RFQ-484-08152022

On-Call Geotechnical Services

I. GENERAL PROJECT INFORMATION:

A. Overview

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), is soliciting bids from qualified firm(s) to provide Geotechnical and Environmental Drilling Services, which shall include but not be limited to bridge foundation drilling and sampling, soil survey drilling and sampling, wall foundation drilling and sampling, and environmental drilling and sampling. This solicitation will serve to establish open agency contracts which shall be utilized to engage the awarded vendors as jobs/needs are identified by the Department. The awarded contracts shall be in effect for up to five (5) years and will include options for price increases and/or decreases during the term of this Agreement at specified intervals. All respondents to this solicitation are subject to instructions communicated in this document, and are cautioned to completely review the entire solicitation and follow instructions carefully. GDOT reserves the right to modify existing provisions or include additional provisions, which are not addressed herein.

GDOT reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, and to waive technicalities and informalities at its discretion. .

There will be a Virtual Optional Pre-Bid Meeting held on Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 10:00 AM.

Attendance to the pre-bid meeting is optional and prospective respondents may or may not attend the meeting.

B. IMPORTANT- A RESTRICTION OF COMMUNICATION IS IN EFFECT FOR THIS PROJECT.

From the advertisement date of this solicitation until successful respondents are selected and the award is made official and announced, firms are not allowed to communicate about this solicitation or scope with any staff of GDOT including the Commissioner and GDOT Board Members, except for the submission of questions as instructed in the solicitation, or with the contact designated in, Section VI.B. below, or as provided by any existing work agreement(s).

For violation of this provision, GDOT reserves the right to reject the submittal of the offending respondent.

C. PROHIBITION AGAINST COLLUSIVE BIDDING

Respondent shall not submit a bid that was made with a prior understanding agreement or connection with any corporation, firm, or individual submitting a proposals for the same project. The Respondent shall submit a bid that is fair and made without collusion of fraud. Collusive bidding is a violation of Georgia and Federal Law and such bidding can result in fines, prison sentences, and civil damage awards.

D. CONTRACT TERM AND TYPE

The Department anticipates to award an Open Agency Contract to each prequalified bidding firm which complies with the requirements of this solicitation. The Open Agency Contract does not guarantee a minimum or maximum number of jobs and does not guarantee a miniumum or maximum dollar amount. The term of each Open Agency Contract will be in effect for up to five (5) years. However, the Department reserves the right to terminate the contract(s) for any reason during the contract term. Work will be issued via Task Orders and a Notice to Proceed issued for each Task Order before services may commence. Task orders will be paid on a firm-fixed price basis in accordance with specific rates of compensation as bid via the awarded consultant’s cost proposal.

E. CONTRACT AMOUNT

The Open Agency Contract will not have a minimum or maximum amount guaranteed. The compensation to the Consultant shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the agreement. Such payment shall be full compensation for work performed or services rendered and for all labor, materials, supplies, and equipment necessary to complete the work specified in EXHIBIT I, SCOPE OF SERVICES and within each Purchase Order. The cost of such services shall be paid in accordance with the Consultant(s) cost proposal and in accordance with the terms of each Purchase Order.

II. SCOPE OF SERVICES:

Under the terms of the resulting contract, the Contractor will provide Geotechnical and Environmental Drilling Services, for each specific project identified by the Department. Geotechnical and Environmental Drilling Services include, but are not limited to, bridge foundation drilling and sampling, soil survey drilling and sampling, wall foundation drilling and sampling, and environmental drilling and sampling. The general Scope of Work required for the contract is included in Exhibit I. Compliance with all pertinent regulations (State/Federal/Local/Industry) is required. It is the responsibility of the respondent to obtain knowledge of rules and regulations relevant to the Scope of Work identified herein.

III. SELECTION INFORMATION

A. Selection Process and Award for Open Agency Contract(s)

Once the deadline for bids has passed, all bids will be opened and reviewed to determine all mandatory requirements and forms have been addressed correctly and completely. All bids which are identified as correctly and completely addressing all mandatory requirements will be selected for contract award. Each successful firm will be notified in writing via email and will proceed with signing the Open Agency Contract electronically via DocuSign.

Once each Open Agency Contract has been signed by all parties and executed the contracts will be valid. It is the Department’s intention to award all responsive and responsible bidders an Open Agency Contract which shall include the amounts bid for each line item identified in Exhibit VII

B. Selection Process and Award for Individual Jobs

The Department’s Office of Materials and Testing Department will determine the services needed for each individual project and will determine the estimated quantities of each line item. The Department will utilize each Contractor’s unit rates provided on the Menu of Services in order to determine the Contractor with the lowest total cost for the project. The Department will calculate the total cost, not including mobilization*, for each Contractor by multiplying the project’s estimated quantities by each Contractor’s unit rates. The sum of all needed services will be calculated for each contractor. The contractor with the lowest cost, not including mobilization, will be the first considered for the project. The Department will contact the contractor with the lowest cost, and will request detailed costs for mobilization and traffic control If total cost, including mobilization and traffic control are reasonable then the Department will determine if the Contractor is currently in good standing (as determined by previous and current quality and timeliness on awarded jobs with the Department). The Contractor must be in good standing with the Department in order to be awarded for a project. Any Contractor that is not in current good standing when a project becomes available will not be awarded. Once determined that the Contractor with the lowest cost is in good standing, the Department will provide the project’s Scope of Work, list of menu item services, project schedule and the total cost (based on the line item pricing bid plus mobilization and traffic control) for the project to the Contractor.

The Contractor shall review the Scope of Work, menu item services, project schedule and total cost for the project.

Once reviewed, the Contractor shall respond to the Department, via email, stating if the project is accepted and that it can meet the project schedule successfully. If the project schedule can be met successfully and the project is accepted by the Contractor the Department will then issue a purchase order to the Contractor for the project. If the Contractor does not accept the project and/or states the schedule cannot be met successfully the Department will consider the Contractor with the next lowest total cost, not including mobilization and traffic control and follow the same process.

*Mobilization includes preparatory work and operations, including but not limited to, moving personnel, equipment, supplies, and incidentals to the project site. Mobilization also includes all other work and operations that shall be performed or costs incurred before beginning work on the various Items on the project site.

C. Method of Communication

All general communication of relevant information regarding this solicitation will be made via the Georgia Procurement Registry (GPR) under RFQ-484-081522. All firms are responsible for checking the GPR on a regular basis for updates, clarifications, bid tabulation, and announcements. GDOT reserves the right to communicate via electronic-mail with the primary contact listed in the bid response document. Other specific communications will be made as indicated in this solicitation.

D. Award Conditions

This solicitation and any bid submitted in response, regardless of whether the bid is determined to be the lowest cost, is not binding upon GDOT and does not obligate GDOT to procure or contract for any services. Neither GDOT nor any party submitting a bid will be bound unless and until the bid is mutually accepted by both parties, as evidenced through the execution of an open agency contract.

IV. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

The following Schedule of Events represents GDOT’s best estimate of the Schedule that will be followed. All times indicated are prevailing times in Atlanta, Georgia. GDOT reserves the right to adjust the Schedule as GDOT deems necessary.

V. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION OF BIDS

The bidding firm must be prequalified in the indicated Geotechnical Specialty service class(es) identified in Section II of Exhibit I in order to be evaluated and considered for a contract. All bid submittals will be pre-screened to verify that the bidding firm(s) is prequalified in the required service class(es) and that the sub-contractor(s) is prequalified in the required service class(es). GDOT’s Geotechnical Specialty Field Related Services prequalification listing will be utilized to pre-screen the prequalification status of each bidding firm. Any bid submittal in which the bidding firm or the sub-contractor(s) prequalification requirements are not met will be disqualified from further evaluation and consideration.

VI. INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTAL OF BIDS

A. Electronic Bid Submittal

There is one (1) electronic bid submittal required. Bid submittal must include all completed and signed exhibits in their entirety that are identified in Section VIII and all completed and signed addenda, if applicable. The completed and signed bid documents must be legible. Bid submittal must be submitted in a PDF document attached to an e-mail.

Statements of Qualifications submittals must be a PDF document for each project/contract. Each PDF document must follow the naming convention for electronic records as follows: the proposing firm’s full legal name, RFQ#, and RFQ Title. To submit your bid response click the following Links:

mailto:tsp_soq_tech_submittal@dot.ga.gov?subject=RFQ%20484-081522

Upon successful receipt of the electronic submittal, the system will send a receipt confirmation e-mail to the sender. Bid responses must be received by GDOT prior to the deadline indicated in the Schedule of Events (Section IV above).

No bid submittals will be accepted after the time and date set for receipt.

All expenses for preparing and submitting responses are the sole cost of the bidder submitting the response.

GDOT is not obligated to any party to reimburse such expenses. All submittals upon receipt become the property of GDOT. Labeling information provided in submittals “proprietary” or “confidential”, or any other designation of restricted use will not protect the information from public view. Subject to the provisions of the Open Records Act, the details of the proposal documents will remain confidential until final award.

GDOT reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to waive any technicalities associated with this submittal if deemed in the best interest of the State. A public bid opening will not be held by GDOT.

B. Questions and Requests for Clarification

Questions about any aspect of this solicitation, or the project, shall be submitted in writing via e-mail to Trina E. Williams, email: TrWilliams@dot.ga.gov. The deadline for submission of questions relating to this solicitation is the time and date shown in the (Schedule of Events- Section IV). From the issue date of this solicitation until a successful bidder is selected and the award is made official and announced, respondents are subject to the Restriction of Communication in Section I.B.

DATE TIME

a. GDOT issues public advertisement of RFQ-484-081522 7/15/2022

b. Virtual Optional Pre-bid Meeting 7/28/2022 10:00AM

c. Deadline for written questions 8/1/2022

e. Deadline for submission of Bid Response

8/15/2022 2:00PM

f. GDOT completes evaluation and issues notification to winning firm TBD

C. Pricing Submittal of Bid Line Items

All respondents should note that all bid line items must be completed in order to be considered a valid bid.

Since the bid prices will be utilized in determing all subsequent awards as jobs are identified, any respondent not submitting prices may be deemed non-responsive. In the event that a respondent does not perform a service identified via any specific line item, it should engage a sub-contractor who can provide the service and submit their pricing as the line item pricing (which shall be identified on the Bid Form).

Respondents should submit accurate and valid pricing which is representative of the total cost to the Department for each item. Respondents may be allowed to request price increases for some or all line items at each contract year’s anniversary of execution date. The Department will not consider increases more than once per year. The Contractor must submit documentation justifying the necessity of any increase. The Department may utilize appropriate producer/consumer price indexes to determine such validity. The Contractor may be allowed to request price decreases to some or all line items no more than once every six (6) months during the term of the contract. Any firm that submits pricing which is not reflective of the total cost for each line item may be deemed non-responsive and not considered for contract award. Front loading or unreasonably low or high pricing for any line item is strictly prohibited. Additionally, Respondents shall not submit pricing which was made with a prior understanding agreement or connection with any corporation, firm, or individual submitting a proposals for the same project. The Respondent shall submit a bid that is fair and made without collusion or fraud. Collusive bidding is a violation of Georgia and Federal Law and such bidding can result in fines, prison sentences, and civil damage awards.

D. Resources and Prequalification

Overall Resources - Provide information regarding the overall resources dedicated to delivering the services, including:

1. Organizational chart which identifies the project manager, team leaders, support personnel, and reporting structure.

2. Service Class(es) Prequalification Approval Letter - Prime Contractors are defined as the firm submitting the response to the Request for Quotation and the firm with whom GDOT will contract. The Team is defined as the Prime Contractor and their sub-contractors, who are considered team members.

Prime Contractors and their sub-contractor team members must meet the service class requirements listed in Exhibit I. The service classes and firm’s meeting the service classes listed on the summary form must meet all required service classes or the team will be disqualified. If a team member’s prequalification will expire prior to the due date of the Request for Quotation, documentation must be provided which shows that the firm has submitted its application for prequalification prior to the RFQ due date. The team must maintain its prequalification certification in order to be considered eligible for award if selected. Additionally, respondents should submit the prequalification approval letter (for the Prime Contractor and all sub-contractors) issued by GDOT.

VII. GDOT Terms and Conditions

A. Statement of Agreement

With the submission of a bid, the respondent agrees that he/she has carefully examined the solicitation and agrees that it is the respondent’s responsibility to request clarification on any issues in any section of the solicitation with which the respondent disagrees or needs clarified. The respondent also understands that failure to mention these items during the question period will be interpreted to mean that the respondent is in full agreement with the terms, conditions, specifications and requirements in the therein. With submission of a bid, the respondent hereby certifies: (a) that this bid is genuine and is not made in the interest or on behalf of any undisclosed person, firm, or corporation; (b) that respondent has not directly or indirectly included or solicited any other respondent to put in a false or insincere bid; (c) that respondent has not solicited or induced any person, firm, or corporation to refrain from sending a bid.

The respondent also understands that failure to provide required information may result in disqualification.

Failure to provide administrative information may not result in disqualification. At the Department’s discretion, the Department may notify the respondent that administrative information is not provided or there was an error in the information provided, and the Department will allow a respondent to provide an update to the administrative information. However, the exception to this is the provision of the required GEORGIA SECURITY AND IMMIGRATION COMPLIANCE ACT AFFIDAVIT, which by Georgia Law requires disqualification of the response. The above changes mentioned to administrative information would be considered allowable as these would be limited to changes which do not affect the information which will be used in the evaluation process. Failure of a respondent to provide the specific exhibits will result in disqualification. Any respondent who provides changes in addition to the information requested in the notice shall be subject to disqualification.

B. Sub-Contractors

Sub-Contractors shall generally be considered any team member, other than members of the prime contractor, which is performing any service which typically requires prequalification.

C. Non-Discrimination

The Georgia Department of Transportation in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 78 Stat.

252, 42 USC 2000d-42 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, part 21, Nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all proposers that it will affirmatively ensure that any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, minority business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, sex, or national origin in consideration for an award.

D. Submittal Costs and Confidentiality

All expenses for preparing and submitting responses are the sole cost of the respondent submitting the response.

The Department is not obligated to any respondent to reimburse such expenses. All submittals upon receipt become the property of the Department. Labeling information provided in submittals as “proprietary” or “confidential”, or any other designation of restricted use will not protect the information from public view. Subject to the provisions of the Open Records Act, the details of the proposal documents will remain confidential until a final award.

E. Right to Cancel or Change Solicitation

GDOT reserves the right to cancel any solicitations where it is determined to be in the best interest of the Department to do so. GDOT reserves the right to increase, reduce, add, or delete any item in this solicitation as deemed necessary.

It is the responsibility of all firms interested in submitting a bid for this solicitation to routinely check the posting on the Georgia Procurement Registry for any revisions to this solicitation.

F. Substitutions, Alternates, Exceptions, and Extensions

No substitutions or alternates will be accepted for this solicitation. Any respondent submitting substitutions or alternates will be considered non-responsive and will not be considered for award.

G. Certification

This solicitation is being conducted by the Georgia Department of Transportation under its authority to procure services ancillary to the construction and maintenance of a public road (as defined in O.C.O.G.A 32-1-3 (24) as provided for in O.C.G.A 32-2-61 (c) and (d) (1) (D).

H. Conflict of Interest

The Contractor agrees that all work done as part of the awarded Agreement will comply fully with the provisions of Section 45-10-20 through 45-10-28 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated relating to Conflicts of Interest when trading with State of Georgia employees and officials .

I. Americans with Disabilities Act Guidelines

The State of Georgia adheres to the guidelines set forth in the Americans with Disabilities Act. Suppliers should contact the Issuing Officer at least one day in advance if they require special arrangements when attending the

Bidders/Offerors’ Conference (if any). The Georgia Relay Center at 1-800-255-0056 (TDD Only) or 1-800-255-0135

(Voice) will relay messages, in strict confidence, for the speech and hearing impaired.

J. Drug-Free Workplace

GDOT, as policy, operates all facilities as a drug-free workplace, and requires that the labor force of the Bidder be drug-free.

K. Small and Minority Business Enterprise

It is the policy of the State of Georgia that small businesses, female-owned businesses and minority businesses have a fair and equal opportunity to participate in the State purchasing process. Therefore, the Department encourages all small businesses, female-owned businesses and minority-owned businesses to compete for contracts to provide services, and encourages contractor to solicit female-owned businesses and minority-owned businesses in procuring sub-contractors and suppliers. This desire on the part of the Department is not intended to restrict or limit competitive bidding or to increase the cost of the work. The Department supports a healthy free market system that seeks to include responsible businesses and provides ample opportunity for business growth and development. Contractors and sub-contractors who utilize qualified minority sub-contractors may qualify for a Georgia state income tax credits for qualified payments made to minority sub-contractors. See Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) O.C.G.A. Section 48-7-38.

The Georgia Department of Transportation has adopted a 16% overall annual goal for DBE participation on all projects. This goal is not to be considered as a fixed quota, set aside or preference. The DBE goal can be met by prime contracting, sub-contracting, joint venture or mentor/ protégé relationship.

For more information on the GDOT DBE Program please contact:

Georgia Department of Transportation Equal Opportunity Division

One Georgia Center, Floor 7 600 West Peachtree NW Atlanta, Georgia 30308 Phone: (404) 631-1972

VIII. Solicitation Exhibits

The following list of Exhibits apply to this solicitation and those identified as being required to complete and return with bid must be submitted with the bid, with the exception of Exhibit I, Scope of Services and Exhibit II, Geotechnical Bureau Guidelines. All information provided on the exhibits must be legible. Failure to complete and submit the required Exhibits with the bid will result in disqualification of bid response:

EXHIBIT I – Project Requirements and Scope of Services EXHIBIT II - Geotechnical Bureau Guidelines EXHIBIT III - Certification Form (Complete and return with bid) EXHIBIT IV - Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act Affidavit (Complete and return with bid) EXHIBIT V - Certificate of Non-Collusion (Complete and return with bid) EXHIBIT VI - Tax Compliance Form (Complete and return with bid) EXHIBIT VII - Menu of ServicesPrice Bid Form and Price Acknowledgement Form (Complete and return with bid) EXHIBIT VIII- Contractor Information Worksheet_ Scrutinized Company (Complete and return with bid) EXHIBIT IX- Organizational Chart and Service Class(es) Prequalification Approval Letter (Return with bid)

EXHIBIT I

Requirements and Scope of Services

I. Description: Geotechnical and Environmental Drilling and Sampling Services

II. Required Prequalification Service Classes

Prime Contractors are defined as the firm submitting the bid response and the firm with whom GDOT will contract. The Team is defined as the Prime Contractor and their sub-contractor(s), who are considered team members.

The Team, either Prime or Sub-Contractor(s), must include team members which are prequalified in both Geotechnical Service Class(es) identified below.

Service Class Name

Foundation Drilling

Environmental Drilling

A. Scope of Work

A. General

The purpose of this solicitation is to establish Open Agency Contracts for Geotechnical Services with prequalified contractors interested in providing geotechnical services for the Georgia Department of

Transportation’s Office of Materials and Testing. The services to be provided under this contract include, but are not limited to foundation drilling, environmental drilling, acquiring accurate field boring logs, surveying elevations of borings, material sampling and related geotechnical work for various projects.

The Department reserves the right to modify existing provisions or include additional provisions, which are not addressed herein. The services shall be in accordance with the requirements of the project’s

Scope of Work, the contract and the solicitation.

This is a general Scope of Work that will be required of each individual project in addition to the specific Scope of Work that will be issued by GDOT for each project as needs are identified. The

Contractor will work under the direction of GDOT’s Office of Materials and Testing Geotechnical

Bureau. At the time each job is identified, the Department shall provide:

1. Location(s), Station(s), and Offset(s).

2. List of property owners (when available).

3. Bench mark locations and elevations. If available, the Department will also provide the Office of Location’s survey package.

4. Work Types (Bridge foundation investigation (BFI), Wall foundation investigation (WFI), soil survey (SS), Environmental Site Assessment Phase II (ESA II) and/or other work types), depth of borings, depth of rock coring and number of samples (810.2, SPT, water, etc.).

5. Termination Criteria.

Each project will have a Geotechnical or Environmental Engineer assigned by GDOT, who is the point of contact for communication and direction. No sampling containers will be provided and therefore the contractor is responsible for providing all sampling containers.

B. Contractor Responsibilities

In support of the work for each project, the Contractor shall:

1. Schedule a meeting with the assigned Geotechnical Engineer (which might be an engineering consultant under contract with the Department) to discuss the project.

2. Notify all property owners affected by the work by certified mail, return receipt requested at least seven (7) days in advance; and in person or by phone immediately prior to accessing the site.

3. Obtain all permits required to perform the work on each specific site.

4. Notify all utility companies affected by the work at least five (5) working days in advance to obtain utility clearances.

5. Thoroughly inspect the site to be drilled, noting all issues with site access, clearing, mobilization and demobilization of equipment, traffic and erosion control, drilling conditions and any other potential problems that may affect the work.

6. Be responsible for all site clearing along with site restoration. Methods of cleaning the site should be submitted to the Geotechnical Bureau for prior approval.

7. Ensure all alternatives or additional safety items for traffic control are communicated prior to starting a project.

8. Notify and advise the Geotechnical Engineer within twenty-four (24) hours of encountering such issues.

9. Furnish qualified foundation drillers, qualified CPT operators (if CPT drilling is specified), technicians, drill rigs, drilling equipment, hammer efficiency (ER) values for the hammer system used per site, drilling tools and all other drilling and support equipment, materials and supplies, as appropriate to provide Geotechnical foundation drilling for soil, rock, and groundwater sampling and testing.

10. Provide the method of drilling (auger or mud) and the types of bits used, casing sizes and lengths, and manufacturer’s specification of the drill rig used on each hole. For each CPT sounding, provide the CPT cone type, serial number, and calibration certificate.

11. Provide and transport all samples, written records and field notes to the Department.

12. Furnish all Shelby tubes, cloth bags for soil samples, plastic 1-liter bottles for water samples, jars and boxes to retain soil, rock and water samples, as required.

13. Provide calibration documentation showing calibration for the hammer system used to sample the site. Calibration documentation should be within the last 2 years. Hammer efficiency values require the use of automatic trip hammers for SPT samples.

14. Furnish SPT boring and CPT sounding logs for every boring and sounding. No logs will be accepted or boring/sounding paid for without accurate surveyed elevations and GPS coordinates on the log. All voids, temporary casing and water elevations should be noted on the logs. Any problems that occur while drilling such as breakdowns must be noted clearly and concisely in the logs. The boring log data should include the date, bent location, offsets, project number, sample number, starting/ending depths, blow counts, method of drilling (auger or mud) and the types of bits used. Furnish CPT logs for each sounding. Each CPT log should also include the following data: date, location, offset, project number, starting/ending depths, tip resistance, sleeve friction, pore pressure, friction ratio, and Soil Behavior Type.

15. Notify the Geotechnical Engineer immediately if during the course of drilling rock is found above the planned depth. Contractor must not take additional footage without direction from the Department. Logs for drilling rates of the cores will be kept in minutes per foot. Set-up, breakdown of rods and boxing of cores will not be counted in the drilling rates. Cores should be properly marked if mechanically broken, and the runs placed in the box marked clearly so that the locations where the core run were stopped can be seen.

16. Contact the Geotechnical Engineer prior to taking samples if muck or very soft and/or wet soils are encountered. Samples to be tested must be marked for moisture content, organic content and USCS; these samples will be considered “unsuitable materials investigation”.

All borings shall be performed at the locations identified on the Proposed boring location plan/layout, which will be provided by GDOT. Shelby tubes should be taken only if soft, compressible clays/silts are encountered at the end bent locations within 15 ft. of original ground line. If these are encountered at the intermediate bents or deeper at the end bents they should be noted on the logs only. Shelby tubes may also be required on Soil Survey projects.

17. Ensure all Split Spoon (SPT) samples are labeled with Brent location, sample number, and blow count information on the jar lids. All SPT samples shall be placed in a jar with a lid.

All SPT sample boxes shall be clearly labeled with Project ID, Project Descriptions, and

County, date, offsets and Bent locations on the sides of all transportation boxes. Shelby tubes shall be sealed as per ASTM test methods and labeled with Project ID, Project

Description, and County, Bent location, offset, sample number, depths sampled, and date sampled on the tube in indelible marker. Boxes for rock cores shall be clearly labeled on the shortest side of the box. Boxes for rock cores shall be clearly labeled with Project ID, Project Description, County, Bent location, sample depths, box number if of a series for a

Bent Location, and date sampled.

18. Complete Reconnaissance for Soil Surveys via walking by the field engineer. The field engineer should make note of any areas that are soft or unstable and the stations noted in a log as part of the soil survey field log and turned in. The field engineer should also probe any suspicious areas and call the GDOT Engineer to see if additional borings should be taken. Also note any changes in types of soils and their locations. All soil survey sampling cloth bags for bulk soil samples (810.2 samples – 20 lb.) and Soil Support Values (SSV –

40 lb.) samples) for each soil survey (roadway) project, shall be labeled with the Project

ID, County, sample number, Station, location, and offset. The cloth bags should be woven cotton material, that will contain all fines. Loosely woven or plastic bags are not acceptable.

19. Ensure that all sampling, written records and field notes shall be in general conformance with Georgia Department of Transportation Geotechnical Bureau Drilling and Sampling

Guidelines and applicable ASTM test methods. All deliverables including samples, notes, logs, completed sample cards and CPT sounding shall be delivered to Geotechnical

Engineering Bureau at 15 Kennedy Drive, Forest Park, Georgia 30297. Contact the

Geotechnical Engineer prior to delivering.

20. Ensure all drill holes on land are filled in with drill cuttings after completion of drilling unless directed otherwise by the Department. Drill holes through pavements shall be topped off with cold mix asphalt or other topping approved by the Department to the same depth as the existing pavement. All drill cuttings, muddy water, slurry and other debris deposited on pavements, ramps, paved shoulders and other travel ways shall be removed immediately after the completion of drilling. The Contractor shall advise the Department within 24 hours of encountering any problems with site access, utilities, environmental hazards, foundation drilling or any other problems with the work. Any equipment breakdowns, lost tools, supplies or equipment, damage to property or delay time shall be the responsibility of the Contractor.

21. Provide all traffic control, when required, and install and maintain in accordance with the

Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The Contractor shall submit their proposed traffic control plan to the Traffic Engineer of the District where the work is being performed for review and approval a minimum of ten (10) working days prior to beginning the work. If changes are required, the Contractor has three (3) days to re- submit the plan.

Work shall include any adjustments due to high traffic volume and conditions. The approved Traffic Control Plan shall be copied and forwarded to the Geotechnical Engineer.

Work shall not begin on the project until the Department has approved the traffic control plan in writing. All traffic control must be approved by the Department’s District Office where the work is to be done.

22. Provide all erosion control and site restoration, when required, establish and maintain in accordance with Best Management Practices (BMP’s) of the current edition of the

“Manual for Erosion and Sediment Control in Georgia” published by the Georgia Soil and

Water Conservation Commission (GSWCC). The erosion control shall be designed, installed and maintained by, or under the supervision of, a level IIA Certified Design

Professional or reviewed by a Certified Plan Reviewer. Erosion control or other siltation prevention measures shall be used to contain spoils from drilling, coring and bentonite fluids, if used.

23. Be allowed to work outside its normal working hours; however, no overtime charges will be paid by the Department. The Contractor shall begin work on each project within ten

(10) working days of written notification and shall complete the work within the time specified by the Department.

24. Complete the following four major tasks and provide the associated deliverables:

a. Task 1 -- Deliverable Overview

Schedule a meeting with the Geotechnical Bureau once a project for geotechnical drilling services is identified, before the Notice to Proceed has been issued and before drilling begins to discuss project deliverables.

Prior to drilling the Geotechnical Engineer needs to be notified forty-eight (48) to seventy-two (72) hours in advance of starting drilling operations. Communication with the

Geotechnical Engineer and the field personnel is imperative and should be maintained during the drilling operation.

b. Task 2- - Property Owner Contact and Access

1. Notify all property owners affected by the work by certified mail, return receipt requested at least seven (7) working days in advance; and in person or by phone immediately prior to accessing the site.

2. Obtain all permits necessary to work on this site.

3. Notify all utility companies affected by the work at least five (5) working days in advance to obtain utility clearances.

4. Perform site clearing as required, mobilize all equipment and gain access to drilling locations. Complete boring layouts as required. Utilize traffic and erosion control, as required.

c. Task 3 - Complete Drilling and Associated Services

1. Complete all foundation drilling and sampling at locations specified and at any additional locations directed by the Department.

2. Obtain survey elevations of all SPT borings. Services will be incomplete without accurate boring elevations.

3. Perform site restoration and clean up as required and demobilize.

d. Task 4 - Deliver Written Records and Samples

Deliver all written records, notes, field book with site observations, samples, completed sample cards and raw, unprocessed CPT data in digital Excel format to the Geotechnical

Engineering Bureau at 15 Kennedy Drive, Forest Park, Georgia 30297. Contact the

Department’s Geotechnical Engineer prior to delivering.

B. Key Assumptions

In most cases, key assumptions must be made to ensure a common understanding. These assumptions should include:

1. The selected Contractor will work under the direction of the Geotechnical Engineering Bureau of

GDOT or designee (which may be an engineering consultant under contract with the Department.)

2. The Contractor selected for this work must have key personnel available for the duration of the contract.

3. All sub-contractors must be approved by the Geotechnical Engineering Bureau prior to beginning work. No Sub-contracts, or transfer of Contract, shall in any case release the Prime Contractor of liability under the terms of the agreement.

4. Contractor personnel will conduct and present themselves in a professional manner at all times

EXHIBIT III

CERTIFICATION FORM

I, __________________________, being duly sworn, state that I am ______________________ (title) of ________

___________________________________ (firm) and hereby duly certify that I have read and understand the information presented in the attached proposal and any enclosure and exhibits thereto.

Initial each box below indicating certification. The person initialing must be the same person who signs the Certification Form. (If unable to initial any box for any reason, place an “X” in the applicable box and attach a statement explaining the non-certification. The Department will review and make a determination as to whether or not the firm shall be considered further or disqualified).

I further certify that the submitting firm and any identified sub-contractors agree to comply with all of the general business insurance requirements listed in RFP Section VII.

I further certify that the submitting firm and any principal employee of the submitting firm has not, in the immediately preceding five (5) years, been convicted of any crime of moral turpitude or any felony offense, nor has had their professional license suspended, revoked or been subjected to disciplinary proceedings, nor is any team members/principals currently under indictment for any reason related to actions on public infrastructure projects.

I further certify that I understand that Firms included on the current Federal list of firms suspended or debarred are not eligible for selection and that the submitting firm has not, in the immediately preceding five (5) years, been suspended or debarred from contracting with any federal, state or local government agency, and further, that the submitting firm is not now under consideration for suspension or debarment from any such agency.

I further certify that the submitting firm has not in the immediately preceding five (5) years been defaulted in any federal, state or local government agency contract and further, that the submitting firm is not now under any notice of intent to default on any such contract, nor has been removed from a contract or failed to complete a contract as assigned due to cause or default.

I further certify that the firm or any affiliate(s) has not been involved in any arbitration, litigation, mediation, dispute review board or other dispute resolution proceeding with a client, business partner, or government agency in the last five (5) years involving an amount in excess of $500,000 related to performance on public infrastructure projects.

I further certify that there are not any pending regulatory inquiries that could impact our ability to provide services if we are the selected consultant.

I further certify that there are no possible conflicts of interest created by our consideration in the selection process or by our involvement in the project.

I further certify that the submitting firm’s annual average revenue for the past five (5) years is sufficient to allow the services to be delivered effectively by our firm and that there are no trends in the revenue which may be concerning other than normal market fluctuations.

I acknowledge, agree and authorize, and certify that the proposer acknowledges, agrees and authorizes, that GDOT may, by means that either deems appropriate, determine the accuracy and truth of the information provided by the proposer and that the GDOT may contact any individual or entity named in the Statement of Qualifications for the purpose of verifying the information supplied therein.

I acknowledge and agree that all of the information contained in the Proposal is submitted for the express purpose of inducing the GDOT to award a contract.

A material false statement or omission made in conjunction with this proposal is sufficient cause for suspension or debarment from further contracts, or denial or rescission of any contract entered into based upon this proposal thereby precluding the firm from doing business with, or performing work for, the State of Georgia. In addition, such false statement or omission may subject the person and entity making the proposal to criminal prosecution under the laws of the State of Georgia of the United States, including but not limited to O.C.G.A. §16-10-20, 18 U.S.C. §§1001 or 1341.

Sworn and subscribed before me This _____ day of ________, 20__. Signature

___________________________________NOTARY PUBLIC

My Commission Expires: _________________ NOTARY SEAL

EXHIBIT IV

GEORGIA SECURITY AND IMMIGRATION COMPLIANCE ACT AFFIDAVIT

Contracting Entity/Respondent:

Address:

Solicitation No./Contract No.: RFQ-484-08152022

Solicitation/Contract Name: On-Call Geotechnical Drilling Services

By executing this affidavit, the undersigned person or entity verifies its compliance with O.C.G.A. § 13-10- 91, stating affirmatively that the individual, firm, or entity which is contracting with the Georgia Department of Transportation has registered with, is authorized to participate in, and is participating in the federal work authorization program commonly known as E-Verify, or any subsequent replacement program, in accordance with the applicable provisions and deadlines established in O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91.

The undersigned person or entity further agrees that it will continue to use the federal work authorization program throughout the contract period, and it will contract for the physical performance of services in satisfaction of such contract only with subcontractors who present an affidavit to the undersigned with the information required by O.C.GA. § 13-10-91(b).

The undersigned person or entity further agrees to maintain records of such compliance and provide a copy of each such verification to the Georgia Department of Transportation within five (5) business days after any subcontractor is retained to perform such service.

E-Verify/Company Identification Number Date of Authorization

Signature of Authorized Officer or Agent Date (Contractor Name)

Title of Authorized Officer or Agent of Consultant

Printed Name of Authorized Officer or Agent

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN

BEFORE ME ON THIS THE

_____ DAY OF ______________________, 20__

________________________________________ [NOTARY SEAL]

Notary Public

My Commission Expires: ________

EXHIBIT VII

Price Acknowledgement Form

RFQ 484-081522 Price Acknowledgement Form

I. I. Having carefully examined the Scope of Services entitled EXHIBIT I, Scope of Services and the entire RFP Document of the Department, as well as the conditions affecting the services, we propose to furnish all services, expertise, labor materials and technology resources called for by them for the entire scope indicated in accordance with the aforesaid documents, for the amounts indicated below.

II. We agree that we have not submitted substitutions or alternate bids and that if we have our proposal will be considered non-responsive and will not be considered for award. We further agree that we have identified any and all exceptions to the RFP and/or Lease Agreement on a separate page, provided with this RFP response.

III. We agree that this proposal may not be revoked or withdrawn after the time set for deadline for receipt of proposals but shall remain open for acceptance for a period of ninety (90) days following such time.

IV. In case we are notified by mail, telephone, or delivery of the acceptance of this proposal within ninety (90) days after the time set for the deadline for receipt of proposals, we agree to execute a contract (Agreement between Consultant and Department), for the Services at the above stated monthly rate and at the same time to furnish and deliver to the Department all required documents required herein.

VII. The foregoing statement of qualifications is submitted under oath.

Under oath I certify that I am a principal or other representative of the firm of and that I am authorized by it to execute the foregoing offer on its behalf. I am a principal person of the foregoing with management responsibilities for the foregoing subject matter and as such I am personally knowledgeable of all of its pertinent matters. We certify that this bid/proposal is made without prior understanding, agreement, or connection with any corporation, firm, or person submitting a bid/proposal for the same services, materials, labor, supplies, or equipment and is in all respects fair and without collusion or fraud. We understand collusive bidding is a violation of state and federal law and can result in fines, prison sentences, and civil damage awards. We agree to abide by all conditions of this bid/proposal. We certify that no person associated with our firm is an employee of, or affiliated with, the Department or holds any statewide elective or appointed office.

We further certify that no person who holds any state-wide elective or appointed office or who is affiliated with the Department has been paid or promised by the firm any compensation in connection with this procurement by the Department.

The full names and addresses of person and firms interested in the foregoing bid/proposal as principals are as follows:

BY:

TITLE:

Sworn to and subscribed before me this day of , 2021

Notary Public

My Commission Expires ________________________