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Viewing inquiries for 08-0Q9104

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Inquiry #1: Would you please post the sign-in sheet from the Mandatory Pre-bid on 11.15.18.
Inquiry submitted 11/21/2018

Response #1:submitted for consideration
Response posted 12/03/2018


Response #2:Please use the following hyperlink:

http://sv08data.dot.ca.gov/memos/memos.php

Response posted 12/12/2018




Inquiry #2: Micropile anchorage assembly's bearing plate is currently called out as 8" 40ksi XXStrong steel pipe (ref. Page 54 of 69). Procurement of this material is expensive and difficult compared to the less expensive and more common 8" A500 Schedule 80 steel pipe. Is A500 Schedule 80 steel pipe an acceptable substitution for the as-given specification?
Inquiry submitted 12/03/2018

Response #1:submitted for consideration
Response posted 12/03/2018


Response #2:The substitution is not acceptable. Please bid per current contract documents.
Response posted 12/05/2018




Inquiry #3: Section 8-1.04C of the Special Provisions states, “Start job site activities within 55 days after receiving notice that the Contract has been approved by the Attorney General or the attorney appointed and authorized to represent the Department.” Because this project is estimated under $200 million and per Section 3-1.04 “Contract Award” of the Standards, the low bidder should expect Contract Award within 30 days after bid opening. 55 days later would fall then within the rainy season in which, per Section 10-1.03 of the Special Provisions, “No work is allowed in the Santa Ana River Wash from October 15 to April 15”. Is it the intention of the Department to begin the project’s Working Days within the 2018-2019 rainy season?
Inquiry submitted 12/06/2018

Response #1:submitted for consideration
Response posted 12/06/2018


Response #2:The intent is to work outside of the rainy season. Please bid per contract documents.
Response posted 12/27/2018




Inquiry #4: Section 14 Environmental Stewardship requires a Contractor Supplied Biologist (CSB) to perform several activities prior to the start of construction activities. 30 days prior to commencement of project activities, the appropriate CSB shall submit a Nesting Bird Plan and Pre-construction plant surveys. Do these 30+ days of biologist work and reporting count towards the contract work days?

For Species Protection Area 3, Interstate 10 Bridges, the specs require a 6 month lead time for a CSB Bat Survey of the existing bridges before work can start on the bridges. Here are a few of the spec sections in question. "A CDFW-approved CSB bat biologist shall conduct a bat roosting habitat suitability assessment of any locations with potential for roosting on the I-10 bridges that may be removed, altered, or indirectly impacted by the proposed project." "If the appropriate CSB determines any portion of the project contains habitat suitable for bat roosting or as a maternity roost, the appropriate CSB shall survey those locations, no less than six (6) months prior to the commencement of project activities." "No work shall commence onsite prior to CDFW review and approval of the bat survey report." Do these possible 6 months for Bat Survey before construction on the bridge begins count towards contract working days?

"Work will be conducted outside of the bird nesting season of February 15 to September 15. If work cannot be conducted outside the nesting season, the appropriate CSB will need to conduct a preconstruction nesting bird survey no more than 3 days prior to commencement of project activities." Is it Caltrans intent for the contractor to not work from February to September? What qualifies as "work cannot be conducted"? The specifications do not provide criteria for what reasons would be valid to allow the contractor to work during this period.

Inquiry submitted 12/10/2018

Response #1:submitted for consideration
Response posted 12/11/2018


Response #2:Inquiry: Do these 30+ days of biologist work and reporting count towards the contract work days?
Response: Yes

Inquiry: Do these possible 6 months for Bat Survey before construction on the bridge begins count towards contract working days?
Response: Yes

Inquiry: Is it Caltrans intent for the contractor to not work from February to September?
Response: No, if nesting is discovered, stop work and follow procedure under 2015 Standard Specifications Section 14-6.03B.

Inquiry: What qualifies as "work cannot be conducted"?
Response: Construction activity described under 2015 Standard Specifications Section 14-6.03B.

Inquiry: The specifications do not provide criteria for what reasons would be valid to allow the contractor to work during this period.
Response: Please follow 2015 Standard Specifications Section 14-6.03B.


Response posted 12/27/2018




Inquiry #5: Does the bird exclusion devices and Contractor Supplied Biologist get paid under change order or under which bid item?
Inquiry submitted 12/10/2018

Response #1:submitted for consideration
Response posted 12/11/2018


Response #2:Please refer to 2015 Standard Specifications Section 9-1.03 for Division II payment.
Response posted 12/27/2018




Inquiry #6: Plan Sheet #25 shows that the contractor is required to excavate under the existing footing to create roughly a 10" void between the bottom of the existing footing and the soil. Then the contractor is supposed to pour new structural concrete under the existing footing while the footing is only being supported by the existing pile. Is there any time or length limitations on how much of the existing footing can be undermined during this operation?
Inquiry submitted 12/11/2018

Response #1:submitted for consideration
Response posted 12/11/2018


Response #2:Your concern is being investigated. Unless an addendum is issued, please bid per current contract documents.
Response posted 12/27/2018


Response #3:No there aren't such limitations. Please bid per current contract documents.
Response posted 01/07/2019




Inquiry #7: Plan sheet 59 of 69 includes a detail "Typical Channel Section" that describes a 10" cored hole through the existing channel lining. The various structure plans for the pier retrofits indicate saw cut full depth at all location with footings and micropiles. Which locations do the "Typical Channel Section" detail apply?
Inquiry submitted 12/11/2018

Response #1:submitted for consideration
Response posted 12/11/2018


Response #2:Inquiry #8 requested that Inquiry #7 be disregarded.
Response posted 12/12/2018




Inquiry #8: Please disregard the prior inquiry regarding the 10" Core for micropile. Thank you
Inquiry submitted 12/11/2018

Response #1:submitted
Response posted 12/11/2018


Response #2:Inquiry is disregarded.
Response posted 12/12/2018




Inquiry #9: Will Self-Consolidating Concrete be allowable for Pier Wall Structural Concrete?
Inquiry submitted 12/12/2018

Response #1:submitted for consideration
Response posted 12/12/2018


Response #2:Please see Addendum No. 3, dated December 14, 2018.
Response posted 12/17/2018




Inquiry #10: This project has a 12% DBE goal. Considering that this project is mostly self-performed work; 12% is unreasonably high. Would you please consider lowering the goal to make it attainable?
Inquiry submitted 12/12/2018

Response #1:submitted for consideration
Response posted 12/12/2018


Response #2:Please bid per contract documents.
Response posted 12/27/2018




Inquiry #11: Please provide Lane Closure Tables with special working hours for the approach slabs which allow for longer working windows. From the closure hours allowed on Closure Charts G1 & G2, you need to deduct at least 1.5 hours to allow concrete to cure and at least an hour for traffic control. Also, when working on the approach slabs in the middle lanes, a buffer lane is needed on either side for a total of 3 lanes closed. We are only allowed to have a 3-lane closure for 3 hours, and with traffic control and cure time, that reduces the actual working hours on middle lane approach slabs to less than an hour. This makes the approach slab construction near impossible.
Inquiry submitted 12/12/2018

Response #1:submitted for consideration
Response posted 12/13/2018


Response #2:An addendum will be issued to address this matter.
Response posted 12/27/2018


Response #3:Please see Addendum # 6, dated January 3, 2019.
Response posted 01/07/2019




Inquiry #12: For the days which work in the channel is prohibited due to the permit restrictions, will the contractor receive non-working days?
Inquiry submitted 12/13/2018

Response #1:submitted for consideration
Response posted 12/17/2018


Response #2:Please see Standard Specifications 2015, Section 8, Prosecution and Progress.
Response posted 12/27/2018




Inquiry #13: Please confirm that the 210 working days are continuous, I.e. we will not be able to stop in the River on 10/15/19, and begin again 4/15/20 to use up the remaining 210 days. Also, please confirm that the 55 calendar day max before the "start of jobsite activities," does not count against the 210 working days allowed by the contract.
Inquiry submitted 12/14/2018

Response #1:submitted for consideration
Response posted 12/17/2018


Response #2:
Response posted 12/27/2018


Response #3:1)With regards to the 210 working days question part:
210 working days are not continuous if conditions are unsuitable for work progress, RE may suspend project. Refer to Standard Specifications 2015 Section 8-1.05 and 8-1.06

2)With regards to the 55 calendar days question part:
Please refer to the 2015 Special Provisions under Section 8-1.04C - Prosecution and Progress
Response posted 12/27/2018




Inquiry #14: I could not find any historic flow rates for the river through the project. What flow rate should the contractor assume for bidding purposes?
Inquiry submitted 12/19/2018

Response #1:submitted for consideration
Response posted 12/19/2018


Response #2:The requested information is not available from Caltrans. Determining assumed flow rate for bidding and/or other purposes is the responsibility of the Contractor. The final Hydraulic Report will be included in an upcoming addendum.
Response posted 12/27/2018


Response #3:Please see Addendum # 6, dated January 3, 2019.
Response posted 01/07/2019




Inquiry #15: Is the concrete in bid item 25(F) Minor Concrete, 4000 psi concrete or standard Caltran's Minor Concrete mix?
Inquiry submitted 12/19/2018

Response #1:submitted for consideration
Response posted 12/19/2018


Response #2:Minor Concrete must comply with Caltrans 2015 Standard Specifications.
Response posted 12/27/2018




Inquiry #16: The permits in the Informational Handout require the work area to be demarcated. Where does this get paid?
Inquiry submitted 12/19/2018

Response #1:submitted for consideration
Response posted 12/19/2018


Response #2:Your concern is being investigated. Unless an addendum is issued, please bid per current contract documents.
Response posted 12/27/2018


Response #3:Please refer to Standard Specifications 2015, Section 9-1.03 Payment Scope, Division II payment.
Response posted 01/07/2019




Inquiry #17: "If the appropriate CSB determines any portion of the project contains habitat suitable for bat roosting or as a maternity roost, the appropriate CSB shall survey those locations, no less than six (6) months prior to the commencement of project activities."

“Inquiry 4: Do these possible 6 months for Bat Survey before construction on the bridge begins count towards contract working days?
Response: Yes”

“Inquiry 4: Do these 30+ days of biologist work and reporting count towards the contract work days?
Response: Yes”

If the Contractor Supplied Biologist (CSB), determines that the bridge has a habitat suitable for bat roosting, then the CSB must complete a survey, no less than 6 months prior to the commencement of project activities. This 6-month delay would make it impossible to finish work in the Santa Ana River before the October 15th dry season deadline, and the project would not be completed until after April 15 of 2020. Caltrans should have all these biologist surveys completed before or during the 55 days before the start of job site activities. The responses in Inquiry 4 and the Specification requirements in Section 14, Environmental Stewardship, will likely delay the start of work and cause considerable overtime costs, and might lead to a multiple month delay that pushes the project into the next dry season in 2020. Please consider revising or clarifying the specifications to alleviate these requirements.

Inquiry submitted 12/31/2018

Response #1:submitted for consideration
Response posted 01/07/2019


Response #2:Please bid per contract documents.
Response posted 01/07/2019


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.