San Joaquin Stockton RFIs Updated 5.13.2024.pdf

Technical Team's Response:

Background:

1.) Specification Section 01 57 19 “Temporary Environmental Controls” Paragraph 1.13 “Fish Entrainment & Biological Resources Monitoring Plan” Paragraph 3.1.4 “Fisheries & Water Quality Studies”

Both sections refer to the approved Fish Screen Method of sampling dredge slurry. Neither section provides alternate Fisheries Studies for mechanical clamshell dredging.

2.) US Fish and Wildlife Service Letter of June 27, 2023 (spec pages 631-736)

- Fish Entrainment and/or capture monitoring (spec pages 641-642) Describes an experimental method for sampling at the scow to perform “grid sampling to gain a level of understanding of the level of variation in the material”.

Operations:

The clamshell dredge plant does indeed load dredged materials to a scow, and that material is more solid than the slurry at a hydraulic dredge discharge. However, the Corps has omitted that the scow must transit to an upland site and then offload the dredged material, BY RE-INTRODUCING WATER TO PRODUCE A SLURRY, and pump to the upland site.

The more solid material of a mechanical dredge arrives to the upland site in the exact same fashion as that of a hydraulic dredge.

Please Clarify: Grab samples from within a scow will indeed provide a better understanding of the variation of materials for future permitted methods. However, The established method for fisheries monitoring is pumping the hydraulicly dredge material over an appropriately designed and fabricated Fish Screen. Wherever the upland site is located, The established fisheries monitoring screen method can be applied.

Thank you for your interest-noted. (SKM-24 April 2024)

We agree grab samples of mechanically dredged materials is beneficial information for the Government and agencies, however, if mechanical dredgers and material scows are exempted from the same established fish screen methodology as hydraulic dredgers, the mechanical dredgers are provided an unfair bidding condition by the government’s ambiguity.

Thank you for your interest-noted. (SKM-24 April 2024)

Slurry arrives at the upland site for both hydraulic and mechanical dredges in an identical fashion. Please confirm the mechanical dredger, scow, and slurry pumping offloader are not exempted from the established Fish Screen Methodology described in the specifications for their upland material slurry discharge. Additionally, please confirm the experimental grab sampling of material scows, is required for collection of data and not a replacement to the established and permitted Fish Screen Methodology as detailed in the specifications.

Consultation with the U.S. Fish Wildlife service over appropriate regulation of both clamshell and hydraulic cutterhead dredging methodology provided the agreed upon fish entrainment monitoring as detailed in both the specifications and the biological opinion that was referenced within this RFI. Further clarification on the entrainment requirements will not be provided further. As detailed through the Biological Opinion, " the Corps proposes to conduct experimental fish capture monitoring to identify a method which could be used to quantify take of special status fish and other organisms. Refinements to these protocols would occur through the adaptive management process through close coordination with the Service throughout the dredge season. (page 11 of the Biological Opinion, page 641 of 802 of the solicited contract". The awarded contractor's proposal will be reviewed as appropriate in concert with both the solicitied specifications and appropriate biological opinions. Both the clamshell and hydraulic cutterhead fish entrainment methodolgies are required for successful entrainment monitoring, as agreed upon with the U.S. Fish Wildlife Service and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. (SKM-24 April 2024) However due to safety concens of conducting fish entrainment with a mechanical dredge the option for mechanical dredging is being struck from the solicitation.

RFI #2: Section 00 21 00-Page 3 states public bid opening will be held Friday May 9th. Please confirm if bid opening will be Thursday May 9th or Friday May 10th. Due to extension, the new bid opening date will be held May 20th. 2024.

RFI #3: The Table of Contents on page 2 of the solicitation references “00 70 00 CONDITIONS OF THE CONTRACT”, which is missing from within the specifications. Please provide. This is section is not included because there were no clauses to be included in this section.

RFI #4: The Table of Contents on page 2 of the solicitation references “00 73 00 SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS”, which is missing from within the specifications. Please provide. Section 00 73 00 has been added to Amendment 1.

RFI #5: We ask the USACE rescind its decision to remove mechanical dredging as an option. We ask the USACE to elaborate on the safety concerns referenced in their technical response to the RFI's received.

Due to safety concerns to personnel performing the monitoring SPN has decided to remove mechanical dredging. USACE will not rescind its decision.

Background information provided by contractor requesting information, response not required for this information.

Request for Information's for San Joaquin/Stockton FY 24 - Updated 5/13/2024

RFI #1: