SOO Utility Line Replacement and Air Compressor Building RFI 080709.pdf

W911XK-09-R-0028 Updated 7 August 2009 SOO Utility Line Replacement and Air Compressor Building

Questions and Answers as of 07 August 2009

This document will be continually updated with questions and answers. Please be sure to check www.fbo.gov for the latest Q&A document.

1. QUESTION: The specification calls for “oil-free air”. Can you please clarify this definition?

ANSWER: Oil must be absent from compressed air before it enters the air dryer system.

2. QUESTION: Can the compressor be oil-flooded units with high levels of filtration?

ANSWER: See answer for question 1

3. QUESTION: Can the compressors be oil-flooded compressors with food grade lubricant instead of oil?

ANSWER: No

4. QUESTION: Can you please point to an ISO 8753.1 Air Quality specification and the definition?

ANSWER: Air quality must be such that it will not cause problems with air dryer or cause environmental issues.

5. QUESTION: I have read through the electrical requirements section of this specification.

I have not found any designation in regards to the type of motor on the air compressors.

Industry standards and practices lean towards TEFC (Totally Enclosed Fan Cooled) motors vs. ODP (open drip proof) in regards to reliability and quality. Do you have a position in regards to this?

ANSWER: No position

6. QUESTION: When can another site visit and tour of the tunnels be scheduled??

ANSWER: See Amendment 0002.

7. QUESTION: Can the proposal due date be extended two weeks to 9/1/09?

8. QUESTION: Can the last day for questions be extended to 8/21/09??

http://www.fbo.gov/

9. QUESTION: When can another site visit for our design partner and prospective subcontractors be scheduled??

ANSWER: See Question 6.

10. QUESTION: Would there be a possibility for the USACE to issue a separate contract for the Asbestos Abatement with the prime contractor still managing the abatement contractor?

11. QUESTION: Per specification section 01 03 00.00 06, Subpart 3.1.1.1 Asbestos

Abatement, please provide a copy of the Soo Lock Facility Asbestos Inventory, dated June 6, 2008.

ANSWER: Posted to www.fbo.gov

12. QUESTION: Solicitation page 13 of 89, paragraph 1.4.3, indicates that the total number of pages for the proposal submitted may not exceed 100 pages – please advise if the Volume 2 Price/Cost Information is excluded from the page count.

ANSWER: Amendment 0001 increased the total page count to 125 pages. The 125 pages includes both Volume 1 and Volume 2 combined.

13. QUESTION: Per specification section 01 35 13.10, Subpart 1.4.2 Over-water Transport, the government will provide transportation for men, material, and equipment. Please clarify what type of vessel will be utilized, deck space, deck capacity, and capacity of the floating crane

ANSWER: Government floating plant will not carry contractor personnel. The capacity of the floating crane is 25,000 lbs SWL. The HARVEY has the capacity and deck space to carry two loaded cement trucks that were driven onto the barge, i.e. we can wheel more onto the barge than we can lift onto it.

14. QUESTION: Please specify the location of the government furnished loading dock and capacity of the land based loading crane.

ANSWER: The Government crane barge has several loading points within the grounds at Soo Area Office. These include the Government slip at the East end of the Area Office near the boat house and the Government storage yard near the west end of the site. A loading site with public road access will be selected by the Government when the proposed load is known. We do not anticipate using a land-based loading crane.

15. QUESTION: Are we to assume that this service will be available at scheduled intervals throughout the duration of construction (1 May through 30 November) without limit?

ANSWER: The Government will provide over-water transportation for materials and equipment (not workers). Transportation will be furnished on two occasions (only).

There will be one over-water transportation event for mobilization and one for demobilization. If necessary, each transportation event may include more than one vessel passage. For example, two vessel passages might be necessary to complete mobilization.

However, these passages will follow each other immediately and comprise a single, continuous effort. The additional scheduled transport, mentioned by the solicitation, refers to the maintenance of sanitary facilities (only).

16. QUESTION: Are there any stated limited loading zones near the existing lock walls, existing tunnels, abutments, pier walls, ect.? If so, please provide the surcharge loading capacity.

ANSWER: There are no pre-determined load limits. Work areas are generally approachable by ordinary construction equipment. However, the Contractor shall take reasonable precautions while operating heavy equipment. For example, work above existing tunnels or duct banks may necessitate placement of equipment mats.

17. QUESTION: The question in regards to oil-free compressors vs. oil-flooded compressors should be at the core of this compressed air system. It clearly is the driving factor in what air compressors we propose for this system. The solicitation calls for an oil-free system but does not classify the "CLASS" of air quality. I imagine that this system should be as close to ISO 8573-1 CLASS 0 as possible

ANSWER: The solicitation does not call for an oil free system; it specifies that it will “Provide compressed air that is free of oil and other contaminants that are unsuitable for discharge in a public water course.” Most of the compressed air generated by this system will be directly discharged into the surrounding environment. Therefore, it is imperative that this discharge meets all EPA requirements. The “CLASS” of air quality is up to the designer to determine in order to meet these requirements.