Answered QAs Anchorage Harbor Dredging Preproposal Conference.doc

W911KB-09-R-0001

2009-2011 Transitional and Maintenance Dredging

Port of Anchorage, Alaska

Pre-Proposal Meeting Attendance List

Questions and Answers from Pre-Proposal Conference

Question 1: Specify the preferred version of AutoCad (ie ACAD2004, Civil 3D, etc…)

Answer: The latest version of AutoCAD

Question 2: Paragraph 3.2.6 states that Independent Hydro Surveyor shall be a Registered Professional Land Surveyor or a certified (ACSM) Hydrographic Surveyor. This potentially excludes a registered PLS (no stamp/seal for drawings/surveys.) ACSM CHS is a nationwide certification (no such thing as “valid in the State of Alaska”) also there is not a “registered” or “licensed” professional ACSM certification. An individual meets minimum requirements to practice discipline. Referred paragraphs: 3.2.7, 3.2.7.2.1 and 3.2.7.2.3 of Sec 10 19 40.00 29 do not exist!

Answer: The survey specification has been revised to require a PLS and certified hydrographer as follows:

“The independent hydrographic surveyor shall be a Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) valid in the State of Alaska, and have current hydrographic certification from the American Congress for Surveying and Mapping (ACSM). The surveyor shall document at least 3 years of experience in hydrographic surveying of navigable channels.”

Question 3: Can there be a separate CLIN for obstructions/boulders?

Answer: Yes, the Proposal Schedule has been changed to include a CLIN for boulders and obstruction that are greater than 8 feet but less than 16 feet in any dimension. A sub-CLIN has also been added to address the pillbox discovered a few years ago.

Question 4: How would payment for obstructions/boulders be computed? Can there be a separation for size to reflect additional effort involved?

Answer: See response to above question. Anything larger than the size range provided in the above answer will be handled under the differing site conditions clause.

Question 5: Can the payment for removal of boulders be done on an hourly rate?

Answer: No, payment will be an “Each” unit price.

Question 6: Is blasting allowed for large boulders? If not, any other means for easier removal, for example chemicals or pneumatic hammer?

Answer: Blasting will not be allowed due to the listing of Cook Inlet beluga whales as an endangered species. The Offeror will be required to address removal techniques as part of their “Understanding of the Requirement” section in the proposal package..

Question 7: Can large boulders be towed or buried?

Answer: Yes, but keep in mind that a large portion of the project area will eventually be dredged to a Maximum Pay Line of -49 feet MLLW. Any burial of boulders would have to be accomplished so that they would not require re-removal during this deepening phase.

Question 8: For boulder removal there are no diver requirements in the specs.

Answer: True, use of divers in Cook Inlet may be to risky.

Question 9: Can drawings reflect where known large boulders and pill boxes are located?

Answer: Yes, one of the existing contract drawings already shows the location of known obstructions and the pillbox.

Question 10: Can the contract be separated, one for virgin soil removal and one for maintenance dredging?

Answer: No, right now that is not be in the Government’s best interest because of the additional contract preparation, execution, and administration costs..

Question 11: Would it be acceptable for South End Dredging be accomplished in a two year period of time?

Answer: Yes, the Proposal schedule has been revised to allow an additional optional CLIN to cover dredging of the South Extension virgin materials.

Question 12: If for reasons beyond contractor control, how will the bid be illustrated in the schedule if work cannot be completed until the following year?

Answer: The Proposal Schedule allows 2 years to complete the Barge Berths area, North Extension and South Extension virgin materials. Alternate proposal schedules will also be accepted.

Question 13: Can contract be set up by task and not by year?

Answer: No, leaving out the year references would make the contract unbiddable because there are very specific dates that some of the work must be completed. Additionally, the annual allocation of funding affects whether or not the optional work in the outyears can be awarded.

Question 14: Is there a date when this work must be completed in order for the new cranes to be delivered? Is there a date when this work must be completed in order to meet a deadline for the Port to commence everyday operation?

Answer: Yes, the new cranes for the North Extension are scheduled to arrive in August 2010. Enough dredging in front of the North extension will need to be completed by then so the ship bringing the new cranes can dock at the north extension. Similar milestones exist for the South Extension so that the POL areascan be relocated.

Question 15: Please specify if multi-beam or single beam survey is required in the specs.

Answer: Section 01 19 40.00 29 of the specifications has been revised to specifies that all surveys shall be multi-beam

Question 16: What are the requirements of the surveyors in the specs? Please include number of surveys in specifications. for bidding by surveyors.

Answer: The requirements of the surveyor are contained in Section 01 19 00.00 29, paragraph 3.2 of the specifications. The number of surveys shall be provided in an Offeror’s proposal for source selection.

Question 17: Please specify how many surveys are required.

Answer: The number of surveys shall be provided in an Offeror’s proposal for source selection.

Question 18: Will you specify the type of equipment used for maintenance dredging?

Answer: No. In order for this contract to be a performance based contract and also to maximize competition, we will not specify the type of equipment to be used.

Question 19: What is a composite survey? Is that the only means you are using for computing the amount of virgin material dredged?

Answer: “Composite” is a method for calculating survey quantities in the AutoCAD software. The composite method is preferred as opposed to average-end-area.

Question 20: After the virgin dredging, will shoaling be considered maintenance dredging or part of the virgin dredging? When will the shoaling be dredged?

Answer: All shoaling will be maintenance dredging. As currently written, maintenance dredging will be required for the North Extension, Barge Berths, and existing project (or portion thereof) in 2010 and 2011. Maintenance dredging for the South Extension will be required in 2011.

Question 21: Can surveys be done on smaller areas as virgin dredging is completed to accurately reflect effort of dredging by contractor?

Answer: Yes. A new type of survey to address this called “Acceptance Surveys” and has been added to Section 01 19 00.00 29 of the specifications.

Question 22: How many acceptance areas are there?

Answer: The frequency and number of Acceptance Surveys will be up to the successful Offeror to decide. In general, it will be in the Contractor’s best interests to survey fairly frequently in order to prevent virgin material dredged apparent from being reduced by the amount of shoaling in the dredged areas.

Question 23: How will the Cutter Head be paid by, barge count or survey?

Answer: If a cutter head is used, it will be paid by surveys.

Question 24: What other work is being done in the dredging area that will have to be coordinated with or worked around?

Answer: The new dock construction will be taking place within portions of the existing dredging area. A construction setback distance will be established and shown on the contract drawings followed by a 5 foot offset from the new dock face once completed. Periodic progress meetings throughout the contract period will be held with the Port, the dock contractor, you, and Corps representatives to coordinate work schedules in and around the new dock construction.

Question 25: On the drawings a box cut is shown, can that be modified to reflect a side slope?

Answer: No, box cuts are specified for all areas. Any material sloughing into the dredging prism after the acceptance surveys will be considered shoal material and removed during maintenance phases.

Question 26: How does the presence of the wall affect dredging?

Answer: The contract drawing specify a 5 foot offset from any structure. During construction of the new dock, there will be a 65 foot offset requirement until it is completed. It will be up to the Offeror to determine which type of equipment to use for dredging and protection of structures.

QUESTION 27: What type of rock classifications do the boulders fall under?

ANSWER: The Corps has not core sampled any of the boulders to know their specific classifications.