Bidder Inquiries

Caltrans Bidding Connect Account:

Sign In (Sign in is required to access Project Plans)

Create Account (Click here to create a Caltrans Bidding Connect Account)

Viewing inquiries for 07-343404

Submit new inquiry for this project

Inquiry #1: Please provide the location and length of BI 22 - Temp. Const. Roadway. 2 SY's is less than just the width provided in standard plan T67.
Inquiry submitted 07/31/2019

Response #1:Please refer to Addendum # 1, Issued 8/28/19.
Response posted 07/31/2019



Inquiry #2: Please clarify Bid Form Submittal & why we need to submit hard copy of the bid and hard copy of the list subcontractors 10 days after bid opening? & if we meet the DBE Goal do you still want the GFE?
Inquiry submitted 08/14/2019

Response #1:1) We need the public works registration number by the deadline in the specs. Refer to Section 2-1.33B(2)(b)(ii) of the Standard Specifications. 2)Section: 2-1.12B(3) DBE Good Faith Efforts Submittal:
Submit good faith efforts documentation within the specified time to protect your eligibility for award of the contract in the event the Department finds that the DBE goal has not been met.

Response posted 08/15/2019



Inquiry #3: Can you provide the as-built drawings for the bridge?
Inquiry submitted 08/15/2019

Response #1:Please refer to the 2018 Standard Specifications, Section 2-1.06B, Page #20.
Response posted 08/15/2019



Inquiry #4: Please provide any electronic design files that are available, can you make them view-able at the Contract Plans and Special Provisions link at the Department's Office of Construction Contract Awards website. Please provide electronic design files containing design information such as cross sections, digital models, and roadway design alignments and profiles.
Inquiry submitted 08/19/2019

Response #1:
Response posted 08/19/2019


Response #2:Please refer to Addendum # 1, Issued 8/28/19.
Response posted 08/22/2019



Inquiry #5: Page 15 of the Project Specifications, "Furnish a pickup truck and driver that will be available for fire control during working hours.
The pickup truck and operator must patrol the area of construction for at least 1/2 hour after job site activities have ended."

Can this driver and truck perform various other work related tasks throughout the shift, or does this have to be their sole responsibility?
Inquiry submitted 08/19/2019

Response #1:Fire control does not have to be the sole responsibility of the pickup truck and driver. They just have to be available for it during work hours.
Response posted 08/19/2019


Response #2:
Response posted 08/19/2019



Inquiry #6: 60-6.01D Quality Assurance, "Monitor and record survey targets for vertical and horizontal displacements every working day..."
"Surveys must be performed using equipment accurate to 0.004 foot by a land surveyor registered in the State." Is the intent of this specification that a Registered Land Survey should be used for the Displacement Monitoring Program?
Inquiry submitted 08/19/2019

Response #1:Yes, the sentence states that the survey must be conducted by a land surveyor registered in the State. Please bid per the current contract bid documents.


Response posted 08/19/2019



Inquiry #7: The Notice to Bidder, "Complete the plant establishment work within 365 working days. " Caltrans Specifications establish Working Days as Monday through Friday. Is the intent that Plant Establishment be measured in Calendar Days, and simply be one calendar year? If this is the case, can you please modify the contract documents?
Inquiry submitted 08/21/2019

Response #1:Please refer to Addendum # 1, Issued 8/28/19.
Response posted 08/22/2019



Inquiry #8: Can Caltrans provide us a Borrow Site for this project, or does Caltrans have any preferred or suggested locations?
Inquiry submitted 08/21/2019

Response #1:Caltrans does not provide a Borrow Site for this project.
Response posted 08/22/2019



Inquiry #9: I went to the “New” Caltrans' website to build a list of certified DBEs I can send solicitation letters (e-mails). The website said “DBE Query Form is being re-mediated & will be available soon.” When is the DBE Query Form going to be back functional?
Inquiry submitted 08/21/2019

Response #1:
Response posted 08/22/2019


Response #2:Per announcement last month, website addresses have been changed. Please try:

https://dot.ca.gov/programs/business-and-economic-opportunity/dbe-search

Response posted 08/23/2019



Inquiry #10: Page 26 of project specifications, "Construction, use and removal of the TSRDS is restricted to the time period from April 1st to October 30th."

Streambed Alteration Agreement page 6, "2.8 Aquatic Species Construction Window. To avoid impacts to Santa Ana Sucker, Steelhead Trout, Speckled Dace, and Arroyo Chub Construction within North Fork San Gabriel River, including all work between the upper-most banks (including vegetation overhanging the river) is limited to the low flow period of June 1st through October 31st in order to minimize impacts to aquatic species."

The Alteration Agreement provided in the Information Handout does not allow work in the river to start until June 1st, but the Project Specifications allow the contractor to start work on April 1st. Please clarify when the contractor can work within the limits of the River.
Inquiry submitted 08/21/2019

Response #1:Please refer to Addendum # 2, Issued 9/05/19.
Response posted 08/22/2019



Inquiry #11: The first contract work day is most likely starting during the time period when work cannot be done in the river, October to April. It would be beneficial to have the first contract work day be the first day the Contractor is allowed to work in the river. The work in the river is most likely the most critical to the contract schedule. Please consider changing the contract documents to avoid the contractor having to waste work days in the beginning of the project.
Inquiry submitted 08/21/2019

Response #1:Please Bid Per Contract Special Provisions, Plans and Standard Specifications.
Response posted 08/22/2019



Inquiry #12: We are assuming the State’s intent is to re-use the existing rip rap for the new Rock Slope Protection in the river. Without size/gradation information it’s impossible for the Contractor to know if the existing rip rap will comply with the Standard Specification gradation requirement. Will the Contractor be held to the requirement? Also, can you confirm that there is enough rip rap at the site for the new RSP?
Inquiry submitted 08/21/2019

Response #1:Per the 3rd paragraph of section 6-1.01, "Material incorporated into the work must be new." You must provide material for rock slope protection that meets the material requirements of section 72.2.02 for Class IX. You must provide the quantity of rock slope protection shown on the Bid Item List. You are to bid per the current contract bid documents.
Response posted 08/22/2019



Inquiry #13: The contract only allows work to be done in the river from April 1st to October 30, will days outside of this work window count against the 450 Work Days allotted for the project?
Inquiry submitted 08/21/2019

Response #1:Please Bid Per Contract Special Provisions, Plans and Standard Specifications.
Response posted 08/22/2019



Inquiry #14: Bid item no. 87 "Water Supply System" has item code 760080 therefore referencing section 76 of the specifications. Section 76 of the specifications is reserved. Please clarify what specification(s) apply to this work. Are there any plans related to this work?
Inquiry submitted 08/22/2019

Response #1:Please refer to Addendum # 1, Issued 8/28/19.
Response posted 08/22/2019



Inquiry #15: Project Specifications Page 16, "You may work within drainage channels only from June 1st to October 31st of any year.
No work is allowed over within the North Fork San Gabriel River from November 1st to May 31st."

Is the Contractor allowed to leave bridge falsework in the River during the rainy season from November 1 to May 31? If the falsework is installed on driven pile can it stay in place and can the contractor work on the bridge over the river during the rainy season from November 1 to May 31?
Inquiry submitted 08/23/2019

Response #1:Not allowing any material to be left within the river over the rainy season.
Response posted 08/23/2019



Inquiry #16: Please provide properties required of non-woven geotextile fabric at the nose of each lift of “Geosynthetic Reinforced Embankment”. We presume the fabric is included in the system to contain fines in the backfill need to know the weight/sy for estimating. We understand the LTDS specified for geosynthetics applies to the geogrid reinforcement that extends back into the fill and is not applicable to the fabric discussed herein.

Refer to the Revised State Specifications 96-1.02R dated 10-19-18 where a table is given.


Inquiry submitted 08/28/2019

Response #1:Per plan sheet 64, this fabric is called out as RSP Fabric (Class 10). Please refer to section 96-1.02I for the properties for this material. Please bid per the current contract bid documents.
Response posted 08/28/2019



Inquiry #17: On page 2 of plan sheets (Typical Cross Sections X-1), typical structural cross sections
1- .25' Cold plane AC pavement
.25' HMA ( Type A)
2- .20' RHMA- G
.30' HMA (Type A)
.50' Lean Concrete Base Rapid Setting
.35' Class 3 Aggregate Base
Is it the state's intent to have different material and thickness for the cold plane section tying into the full dept section for the cap lift? It seems that a .20 cold plane with .20 RHMA would provide a more uniform pave and finish and would avoid placing an unnecessary construction joint at the detail 1 matchline to detail 2. Please clarify.
Inquiry submitted 08/28/2019

Response #1:It is the State?s intent to have different material and thickness for the cold plane section and the full depth section due to the following reasons:

1. There is a criteria to require that at least 0.15? existing AC pavement be remained after cold planing for stability and to ensure the milling machine does not loosen the base material. Since the existing AC pavement is 0.25? AC (Type B), cold planing any less than the 0.25? would not permit the 0.15? to remain. The result is to cold plane the entire thickness of the AC pavement, and not cold plane 0.20? as thought of by bidder to match with the next section proposed for 0.20? RHMA-G/0.30? HMA-A/.50? LCB/ 0.35? ABCL3.

2. Because the maximum thickness for RHMA-G is 0.20?, we cannot increase the 0.20? RHMA-G top layer of the full depth section to 0.25? to match with the next section of 0.25? cold plane and overlay.

Response posted 08/28/2019



Inquiry #18: Given the complexity of this bid, the Labor day holiday, and the lack of responses to questions we respectfully request a bid date extension of 2 weeks.
Inquiry submitted 08/28/2019

Response #1:The Contract will bid as scheduled on 9/10/19.
Response posted 08/29/2019



Inquiry #19: Drawing Sheet No 59 shows a 53 ft cut in front of the new bridge abutment 2. In order to construct the gabion wall, it will require the 53 ft to be shored. Please confirm that the State will allow 53 ft shoring of the new bridge.
Inquiry submitted 08/28/2019

Response #1:Per sections 7-1.02K(6)(b) and 19-6.01C, you must submit shop drawings for this excavation. These shop drawings must be reviewed and approved by the Department. Per section 5-1.01, where the means and methods to complete the work are not described in the Contract, you are to choose the means and methods to complete the work. Please bid per the current contract bid documents.
Response posted 08/29/2019



Inquiry #20: Project Specification Section 7-1.02K(6)(j)(iii) mentions the presence of lead in the earth material on the project. Is this material quantified?

What is the method of payment for the handling, testing, and placement of the lead material?


Inquiry submitted 08/29/2019

Response #1:The type of material is Roadway Excavation. The bid package has bid item 30, bid code 190101 of 3620 cy and should also be shown on the plan sheets.
The method of payment for the handling, testing, and placement of the lead material is reflected in the Bid Item List and Standard Specifications, Section 9 Payment.

Response posted 08/29/2019



Inquiry #21: Section 13-13.03 of the Special Provisions States "Construction, use and removal of the TSRDS is restricted to the time period from June 1st to October 31st." It does not appear that The State took the seasonal nature of this project into account when calculating the working days allowed on the project. Please consider extending the working days allowed on the project to allow for an additonal season of working with the TSRDS in place.
Inquiry submitted 09/05/2019

Response #1:Please Bid per the contract Special Provisions.
Response posted 09/06/2019



Inquiry #22: specs section 78-4.07A(1) includes specifications for staining galvanized surfaces to achieve a rustic brown color
with a matte finish. It says to "apply the stain to all visible galvanized surfaces of midwest guardrail systems." Does this include the 140 LF of reconstruct guardrail or only newly placed guardrail items (i.e. 4 of the WB-31 transitions & 4 of the Alt. In-Line Terminals)?
Inquiry submitted 09/06/2019

Response #1:It does include the 140 LF of reconstruct guardrail.
Response posted 09/06/2019



Inquiry #23: Will Caltrans relax the time on concrete and add mixture due to the mountainous terrain. Concrete trucks cannot make it within the permitted amount of time per the specs.
Inquiry submitted 09/10/2019

Response #1:Bid per Contract Special Provisions, Plans and Standard Specifications.
Response posted 09/10/2019



Inquiry #24: Will retarders be allowed for concrete?
Inquiry submitted 09/10/2019

Response #1:Bid per Contract Special Provisions, Plans and Standard Specifications.
Response posted 09/10/2019

The information provided in the responses to bidder inquiries is not a waiver of Section 2-1.07, "JOB SITE AND DOCUMENT EXAMINATION" of the Standard Specifications or any other provision of the contract, nor to excuse the contractor from full compliance with the contract. Bidders are cautioned that subsequent responses or contract addenda may change a previous response.