Dredge Pre-Bid QA.docx

Dredge IFB Questions

Pre-bid Questions & Answers

1. Can the government publish a sample task order?

No, these contain proprietary information.

2. What will be the government parameters to select the contractor working on a certain emergency task?

Cost, provided the low bid is able to mobilize and complete work within an acceptable timeframe to resolve the emergency task.

3. What happens if the contractor cannot mobilize within 24 hrs of an emergency notification? Award may be issued to the next lowest bidder.

4. Does the Project manager need to be onsite all the time (section 17.b.)?

No, but an on-site Contractor Representative shall be determined to handle on site issues and serve as the job safety representative.

5. Can a superintendent count as “contractor representative?”

Yes.

6. Does a project manager need to be present on each jobsite in the case that the contractor is working on 3 simultaneous jobs under this contract? Or can one project manager be assigned to more than on job?

No, the project manager can be assigned to multiple jobs but should be informed on all active jobs, however a contractor representative / site safety supervisor must be available at each worksite at all times.

7. Is any testing of materials to be performed on this contract?

Yes, refer to solicitation, while it is not a bid item for the base contract, soils testing may be required on a particular task order and will be negotiated per order.

8. On 28.a clarify when does the time starts, (upon retrieval of the first bucket of material at the first assigned dredging site) OR after arrival of the dredging plant(s) and equipment at the designated work site?

Time starts upon retrieval of the first bucket of material.

9. Section 28.d states that “If the channel maintenance work cannot be resumed after three (3) calendar days, the rate of pay for the dredging plant and equipment shall be reduced to zero (0) pay and the Contractor may elect to move his dredging plant and equipment to other work sites.” it also mentions that the “If the Contractor elects to move his dredging plant and equipment to other work sites after the three (3) day standby period, the cost of moving the dredging plant and equipment from USACE channel maintenance dredge site and return it thereto shall be paid by the Contractor.” However, in the event that the “channel maintenance work or locally severe weather” extends for a long period, the contractor must choose one of two unfavorable options:

Under the premise that the causes of the maintenance and weather events are not the fault of the contractor, the contractor will be penalized with unforeseen cost regardless of the option the company choses (a or b). In this sense, please add a limit to the unpaid waiting period before the contractor can be paid for mob/demob OR please add a provision to negotiate with the contractor the status of the fleet when the “channel maintenance work or locally severe weather” extend for a “longer than anticipated” period of time.

After 3 days of suspended operations, the contractor would be expected to negotiate with the USACE to either continue stand-by at 0% (not required to be manned) or suspend the contract and demobilize back to port at the agreed upon contract rate. The contractor would not be penalized unless they choose to decline stand-by and demob the equipment to a different job site. The contractor would then be expected to cover the remobilization costs to resume the contract.

10. Will it be ok for the contractor to generate the bid schedule in Excel and then submit as a PDF?

Yes, as long as it is submitted as PDF.

11. When downloaded, it appears that Section 00 80 00 has been included twice—the first time as pages 234-255 of 255, and then again at the end, but unnumbered. Please confirm we can disregard all pages after 255 of 255.

Yes, the sections repeated so page 255 is the final count.

12. It appears that items 0046, 0047, and 0048, Dredge Package 1, includes the same equipment as items 0052, 0053, and 0054, Dredge Package 3. What is supposed to be the difference in those Dredge Packages?

Package 1 assumes a 10-hour work day; while Package 3 assumes greater than a 10-hour work day, but no more than 18-hour work day (two shifts) (Item #’s Differ by number of work days).