W912P723B0004_Request for Information_Responses 19 May 2023.pdf

FY23 RICHMOND MAINTENANCE DREDGING PROJECT

AS OF: 19 May 2023

QUESTIONS & RESPONSES

SOLICITATION NUMBER W912P723B0004

The intent of this section is to provide questions & comments received from interested parties on the above solicitation, and our responses to those questions and comments. It is possible that the information below does not reflect 100% of the questions and responses. The questions and comments do not necessarily represent questions received from any particular contractor.

Questions and responses are provided for information only and are not made part of the solicitation. Only a formal amendment (SF30) to the solicitation changes the solicitation.

Changes to any previous responses in this document will be struck-through and new, updated responses will be provided as appropriate

RFI # Spec Section RFI (Question) Responses

1 00 21 00 Please clarify the earliest date the Contractor can request a DOD Safe code for bid submission.

Please refer to Spec Section 00 21 00 Paragraph 1.7. A request for a DOD Safe code can be made 6 calendar days prior to Bid Opening. May 20, 2023 at 1:00 PM PST it the earliest date and time a contractor can request a DoD Safe code for bid submission.

2 01 57 19.01 43 It is requested that the Soil and Sediment Testing Information be provided for review.

Please see the 2021 Maintenance Dredging Sampling and Analysis Report attached.

3 00 21 00

Please clarify if the original bid bond must be sent in hard copy format and when it is due (see SECTION

00 21 00, INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS AND

NOTICES TO BIDDERS/OFFERORS AND

EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR AWARD, Section 1.9 PERFORMANCE AND PAYMENT BONDS for reference).

Please refer to Amendment 0001 attached. Hard copies of bid bonds, performance bonds and payment bonds are not required for this procurement. Per page 1 of the Standard Form SF1442, the Contractor must still furnish a bid guarantee at the time of bid submission and furnish performance and payment bonds 5 calendar days after award.

4 01 32 23 The xyz files for the dredging plans are requested.

The xyz files can be downloaded on the San Francisco District website:

https://www.spn.usace.army.mil/Missions/Surveys-Studies- Strategy/Hydro-Survey/Richmond-Harbor/

5 01 57 19.98 44

Please specify the grade of the silt curtain required.

As stated in Section 01 57 19 in the contract specifications, a silt curtain should be chosen of an appropriate grade to fulfill the requirement that a silt curtain contains suspended sediment plume generated during dredging so that the sediments will settle out of suspension within a controlled area.

6 01 57 19.01 43 Please confirm that the Contractor is not responsible for Water Quality Monitoring.

The Contractor will be responsible for maintaining water quality as established in the permit for this project. Please refer to the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board (SFRWQCB) - Programmatic Water Quality Certification 2020-2024 (Order No. R2-2020-0011) for specific requirements for maintaining water quality while dredging, including Section A. Receiving Water Limitations, and Section B. Provisions, Subsection 5. Dredging and Disposal Operations for location and timing restrictions on return water overflow, and other relevant sections

7 01 57 19.01 43

Spec section Licenses and Permits mentions that San Francisco Regional Water Quality Board – Programmatic Water Quality Certification 2020-2024, Bay Conservation Development Commission\ – Consistency Determination Consistence Notification Letter of Agreement 2020- 2024, and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) – Endangered Species Act Biological Opinion are available upon request. Can the USACE please make these permits and any other applicable project permits available?

Please see the USACE San Francisco Bay Programmatic SFBRWQB WDR and WQC_2020_to_2024, USACE San Francisco Bay Programmatic BCDC LOA and CN_2020- 2024 and USACE San Francisco Bay Programmatic LTMS Biological Opinion_2015 attached.

01 57 19.98 44

Drawing: C-002, C-003, C-004

Previous Richmond projects included light monitoring (by others) and a potential best management practice was to deploy silt curtains if thresholds were exceeded and other measures were ineffective. Will the Government consider revising the specification to only utilize silt curtains if thresholds are exceeded like previous projects?

Past dredging projects did utilize light monitoring. However, for the actions this year, silt curtains are required to be utilized. Please refer to the Agreement on Programmatic EFH Conservation Measures for Maintenance Dredging Conducted Under the LTMS Program (June 2011) attached. Silt curtains are a requirement based off of this consultation, details are included within this Agreement.

Maintaining ~3 miles of full-length silt curtain in a dynamic marine environment is not entirely feasible.

Will the Government consider allowing the contractor to employ silt curtains surrounding the immediate dredging area (~300’) and moving with the dredge spread as the work progresses?

Please see specifications section 01 57 19.98, paragraph

3.2 for more information on the silt curtain deployment plan.

The specs do not specify that a silt curtain of 3 miles be used. The silt curtain deployment plan will have to include sufficient lengths of silt curtain and a schedule for moving the curtain as dredging commences to ensure the plume does not cause adverse effects to eel grass populations when dredging is within 250 meters of an eel grass population.

Will the Government consider allowing the contractor to place silt curtains closer to the eelgrass beds in shallower water (~6’) to help with the operation and maintenance of the curtain?

Please see specifications section 01 57 19.98, paragraph

3.2 for more information on the silt curtain deployment plan.

The location of the silt curtain in the plans is an approximation. Due consideration for the placement location of the silt curtain to be included in the silt curtain deployment plan should include enough distance away so that in the event of a break of the silt curtain the loose ends would not cover over the eel grass populations and block their light, and should be set a sufficient distance away to minimize any other adverse effects resultant from a broken silt curtain.

As currently designed the silt curtains block access to the Richmond Yacht Club / Brick Yard Cove. Will the contractor be paid standby time for instances when operations are halted to accommodate vessel traffic that is obstructed by silt curtains?

No. The silt curtain deployment plan should take this into vessel traffic into account and other scenarios that would require specific utilization of the silt curtains in the vicinity of the project. Accommodating channel traffic is the responsibility of the contractor as stated in Section 35 20 23 para 3.2.2 of the contract.

12 35 20 23

Subpart 3.2.5.4 prohibits overflow/decanting during transportation to the disposal site and references the Temporary Environmental Controls section for information regarding overflow/decanting while dredging. The Temporary Environmental Controls section does not contain information regarding

There is no prohibition for overflowing or decanting while at the dredge site.

overflow/decanting at the dredge site. Is the contractor allowed to overflow/decant at the dredge site?

13 SF 1442 When can the Contractor expect to receive NTP?

Notice to Proceed (NTP) is anticipated in early June 2023, but this date is subject to change.

14 01 57 19.01 43

Please provide copies of the following permits for review: Water Quality Certification, CZMA Consistency Notification, and Site Use Conditions for Ocean Disposal

Please refer to RFI Response #7 regarding the Water Quality Certification and CZMA Consistency Notification.

Please see the attached FY22 Site Use Conditions provided with the consent of the EPA.

It is requested that since RFIs have not been received yet for incorporation into the bid and we have an upcoming holiday weekend, that the bid date be extended at least a week.

The bid due date remains unchanged.