07_07_2017_QA.pdf

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS AS OF 3 PM PST July 5 2017

QUESTION: Both Davis-Bacon and Service Act are referred to in W912P717R0005, WD 15-5637 (Rev.-4) is included, can you please confirm what the wage base is?

Assuming Service Act Wages apply, can we use WD 15-5641 (Rev.-3) for Santa Clara County rather than WD 15-5637 (Rev.-4) for San Francisco and San Mateo?

ANSWER: Yes, WD 15-5637 was a mistake and should be WD 15-5641

SECTION 02931 PLANTING TREES AND SHRUBS

QUESTION: Mulch: Mulch shall be made from recycled, kiln-dried wood products.

There is no known commercially available source of kiln-dried mulch, does SCVWD have a source? If not, what will alternative type of mulch will be acceptable?

ANSWER: The best option out there at present is biochar. This is organic material such as wood chips that has been heated hot enough to partially char. The heat kills microbes including the problem ones.

However, the problem with any "clean" material is that it may become contaminated by being placed on the ground of the storage facility (including on concrete or other pads) or by the truck that hauls bulk quantities to the placement site.

SECTION 2932 NURSERY PLANT PATHOGEN PREVENTION

3.8 Approved testing protocols

QUESTION: These confirming tests normally require the services of a plant pathology lab. SCVWD has a consultant and a testing lab that performs these services. Will SCVWD provide the testing service, or can they provide the cost for such service if the contract is to pay for it.

ANSWER: The SCVWD does not have a pathology lab available. The contractor will need to contract with commercial or government labs for this service.

QUESTION: Pathology lab testing services – This is an extremely difficulty item to quantify without a detailed protocol of the exact test procedure, the exact sample size and a very flexible time line for receiving the results. Currently the turnaround time at regional labs for this type of testing is months.

ANSWER: The soil tests required are listed in the specifications attachment and include half saturation percentage, pH, salinity, nitrate nitrogen and sodium, saturated extract salinity, potassium, calcium, magnesium, boron, sodium, sulfate, SAR. As described in the attachment, one four-point composite soil sample from each planting area shall be collected and the sample amount should be sufficient for the analyses, per the instructions of the certified soil testing laboratory. As the questioner noted, the exact test procedures and sample size required will depend on the soil and plant test laboratory selected by the contractor. Please estimate a cost to the best of your ability. Thank you for noting the turnaround time for results from regional labs is on the order of months. Given that plants will be propagated for months after NTP on the contract (prior to planting in 2018). The 45 days from NTP turnaround for soil testing results called for in the scope and specifications can be extended to reflect the time necessary for the labor to complete this testing.

QUESTION: Can you post a list of attendees from the Site Visit that occurred yesterday.

ANSWER: Central Coast Wilds

QUESTION: What is the estimated project range please?

ANSWER: $250,000 and $500,000.

QUESTION: I want to clarify when it says "This Acquisition is Set Aside 100% for Small Business" does that mean only small businesses will be considered for this project?

ANSWER: Please review FAR 19.502-2 Total Small Business Set-Asides http://farsite.hill.af.mil/ Far 19.502-2(b)

QUESTION: For the calculation of the mulch (i.e. biochar) quantity, is the mulch to be applied per basin around each plant, or evenly across the entire planting areas?

ANSWER: Mulch should be applied over entire area, however, as stated in the specification attachment, mulch shall be maintained around the base of each tree and shrub such that mulch is kept four inches (4") away from the trunk.

QUESTION: Root and Foliage Plant protection devices (e.g. gopher baskets and browse cages). The spec seems to indicate the use of such devices on an as needed basis. Browse protection does not seem necessary, but gopher baskets may be. Without a clearly specified quantity, can this be provided as a unit cost to supply as needed?

ANSWER: Gopher baskets can be utilized. If used the baskets are required to have a ¾” mesh size and must be bio-degradable within 3 -5 years. The cost for all pest protection/control items are considered a subsidiary requirement under plant maintenance. The plant count, for the base contract (planting areas 1 and 2) the max would be 231, thereof 210 baskets for plants called for in these areas in the plans plus 21 in addition for assumed replacement plants. For option 3 (planting areas 3, 4, 5) the max would be 103 thereof 93 baskets for plants as called for in these areas and shown on the plans plus 10 for assumed replacement plants.

QUESTION: Pathology lab testing services - this is an extremely difficult item to quantify without a detailed protocol of the exact test procedure, the exact sample size and a very flexible time line for receiving the results. Currently the turnaround time at regional labs for this type of testing is months.

ANSWER: The soil tests required are listed in the specifications attachment and include half saturation percentage, pH, salinity, nitrate nitrogen and sodium, saturated extract salinity, potassium, calcium, magnesium, boron, sodium, sulfate, SAR. As described in the attachment, one four-point composite soil sample from each planting area shall be collected and the sample amount should be sufficient for the analyses, per the instructions of the certified soil testing laboratory. As the questioner noted, the exact test procedures and sample size required will depend on the soil and plant test laboratory selected by the contractor. Please estimate a cost to the best of your ability. Thank you for noting the turnaround time for results from regional labs is on the order of months. Given that plants will be propagated for l3ct9jn9 Cross-Out months after NTP on the contract (prior to planting in 2018). The 45 days from NTP turnaround for soil testing results called for in the scope and specifications can be extended to reflect the time necessary for the labor to complete this testing.

** The question was presented to SCVWD with their response Below****

We use Waypoint Analytical in San Jose on Winchester Blvd - they were fast for soil.

Waypoint Analytical California, Inc.

QUESTION: Section 3.1 (Hand Watering) include a statement that irrigation water must be recycled or reclaimed water. SCVWD has a recycled water sources, what is the location of that water source and how can the contractor access the water?

ANSWER: Contractor can obtain recycled water from the San Jose Water Treatment Plant, which is located about 3.5 miles north of the project site, and truck into the site. Irrigation of street landscaping is one of the approved uses of recycled water.

For the calculation of the mulch (i.e. biochar) quantity, is the mulch to be applied per basin around each plant, or evenly across the entire planting areas? Mulch should be applied over entire area;

however, as stated in the specification attachment, mulch shall be maintained around the base of each tree and shrub such that mulch is kept four inches (4”) away from the trunk.