Responses_to_Question_W912P718R0012.pdf

W912P718R0012

Questions/Responses

FY 2018-2020 Maintenance Dredging, Eelgrass and Light Monitoring Surveys, Alameda and

Contra Costa Counties, CA

1. Question: The Scope of Work addresses the need for pre-and post-dredge eelgrass surveys in

Richmond Inner Harbor and Oakland Harbor. Should the response and bids to the solicitation assume that the survey areas include the entirety of those harbors or only area with a certain distance of the planned dredge footprints for each year? If the latter, please provide the locations and areal extents of both the planned dredge footprints and survey areas.

Response: See attached maps (Attachments A and B) for extents. Reference sites need to be in close proximity of the project site.

2. Question: Richmond Harbor Reference: There is only one illustration in the solicitation packet (the Essential Fish Habitat consultation document) that shows the dredge areas for

Richmond and Oakland Harbors. That figure is very difficult to base a bid response (figure lacks sufficient detail). A more detailed illustration of the dredge area is on a different Army

Corps website not indicated in the solicitation.

a. Is the Attachment illustration most applicable to the solicitation?

Response: See attached maps (Attachments A and B) with extents bounded by red.

b. If (a) is true, is the total area within the heavy dashed line in the Attachment the proposed

Richmond harbor dredge area of the solicitation, or are there sub-areas to be dredged and not dredged? If the Attachment illustration is not appropriate to base a bid response, is there another (more appropriate) illustration of the proposed dredge area that includes a buffer perimeter for over-dredging that should be used to base a bid response?

Response: See answer for question 2a above.

3. Oakland Harbor: Reference: A more detailed illustration of the dredge area, over that provided in the solicitation packet, is found on another Army Corps website that is not indicated in the solicitation.

a. Is the Attachment illustration most applicable to the solicitation? If so, the illustration shows the Inner and Outer Harbors were dredged in 2016 (correct?).

Response: Inner and Outer Harbor was dredged in 2016, 2017, and will be dredge in 2018.

b. If (a) above is correct, what is the proposed dredge area given that the Attachment illustration shows the Inner and Outer Harbors were dredged in 2016?

Response: See answer for question 3a above.

c. The Attachment illustration shows Middle Harbor is the location of eelgrass transplanting and locations of potential reference eelgrass beds (Shoreline Park and Port View Park).

No dredging is to occur in Middle Harbor (yes/no?).

Response: Maintenance Dredging is not in middle harbor.

d. Has eelgrass transplanting started in Middle Harbor?

Response: For this contract, there is no authorization to enter the middle harbor area.

e. If eelgrass transplanting has started, who is doing that work?

Response: See answer to question 3d above.

f. The legend for the Attachment illustration indicates “maintenance and monitoring” are to occur in

Middle Harbor in 2018. Does this refer to maintenance and monitoring for eelgrass or for dredging?

Response: This contract does not include work in middle harbor.

4. Both Harbors

Reference: The last paragraph of the Introduction in the Statement of Work states that dredging of

a. Richmond and Oakland Harbors is to start as early as June 1 and August 1, respectively, of each year. This implies that dredging occurs each year.

Response: Oakland and Richmond Inner are dredged annually.

b. What parts of each harbor need the pre- and post-construction eelgrass mapping and light

Monitoring surveys called for in the solicitation?

Response: See attached maps (Attachment A and B) with extents outlined in red.

c. What is the approximate total survey area of interest (acreages) for mapping eelgrass in both harbors?

Response: Survey are is the length of the extents x the width of the authorized channel plus the buffer as required and notated in the solicitation package.

d. Are any GIS shapefiles available from current and past surveys of the dredge areas, bathymetry, shoreline, eelgrass beds by year, and previous eelgrass survey area boundaries? Does the USACE have the eelgrass shapefiles to share?

Response: Yes. Shapefiles for the harbor areas for both projects are available to use for calculating acreage plus buffer area. See Attachments C

5. Light Monitoring Questions

a. Are permits needed to install light sensors that would be in place during daylight hours then retrieved at the end of each day?

Response: No

b. What would be the anticipated contract award date? The reason for asking is the solicitation states that the light monitoring plan needs to be prepared after the pre-construction eelgrass survey is completed for each harbor project, and based on the findings that each light monitoring plan should be developed and submitted for approval 60 days prior to dredging. As such, the pre-construction eelgrass survey would need to be completed next month (March) followed by the light monitoring plan being developed and approved by April 1, in anticipation that the Richmond

Harbor dredging could start on June 1.

Response: Dredging will not start more than 60 days after this contract is awarded. Richmond is scheduled for mid-July.

6. Is there a Solicitation, Offer, and Award Form that should have been included in the solicitation packet? If so, where can the form be found?

Response: Please read first paragraph of announcement. Follow submittal instructions and provide all required information.

7. What are the study area boundaries for Richmond and Oakland Harbors?

Response: See Attachments A and B.

8. Is the mapping needed to be done using aerial surveys in combination with hydroacoustic surveys, or one or the other?

Response: See Section II of the CEMP attached to the solicitation.