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Inquiries for Project 04-444214

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CONTRACTOR'S INQUIRY RESPONSES

October 21, 2008

CONTRACT NO. 04-444214
Widen Shoulder, Realign Horizontal Curves, And Realign Duhig Road
County Route: NAP-121-0.5/3.3

 

The responses to contractors' inquiries, unless incorporated into a formal addenda to the contract, are not a part of the contract and are provided for the contractor's convenience only. In some instances, the question and answer may represent a summary of the matters discussed rather than a word-for-word recitation. The responses may be considered along with all other information furnished to prospective bidders for the purpose of bidding on the project. The availability or use of information provided in the responses to contractors' inquiries is not to be construed in any way as a waiver of the provisions of section 2-1.03 of the Standard Specifications or any other provision of the contract, the plans, Standard Specifications or Special Provisions, nor to excuse the contractor from full compliance with those contract requirements. Bidders are cautioned that subsequent responses or contract addenda may affect or vary a response previously given, and any such subsequent response or addenda should be taken into consideration when submitting a bid for the project. Inquiries submitted within seventy-two (72 ) hours of the bid opening date might not be addressed.

The Caltrans District 4 Office is located at 111 Grand Avenue, Oakland, CA 94612. Send Contractor Inquiries via email to the Duty Senior at Duty_Senior_District04@dot.ca.gov. The mailing address is P.O. Box 23660, Oakland, CA 94623-0660. The Duty Senior's telephone number is (510) 286-5209 and the fax number is (510) 622-1805. All inquiries must include the contract number.

During the days from 10/14/08 to 10/21/08, new or updated responses were provided for the following Inquiries #
1 , 6 , 9 , 11 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22

Total Number of Inquiries: 22

Inquiry Index
20

Inquiry No. Inquiry Response

1.0

Are cross sections available in .pdf format for online download? Also, are digital cross sections available for this format?

Cross sections are available for purchase from Ford Graphics, 2210 Magnolia Street (near West Grand Ave.), Oakland, CA 94607; phone (510) 451-9060, fax (510) 595-2363.

Cross sections are also available for inspection by appointment at the Department of Transportation, Duty Senior's Desk, 111 Grand Ave, Oakland,CA; phone (510)286-5209.

You can download cross sections in pdf below (posted 9/9/08):

2.0

Can you make items A thru I of Section 5-1.12 Project Information available online for bidding contractors?

Project Information documents are available for purchase from Ford Graphics, 2210 Magnolia Street (near West Grand Ave.), Oakland, CA 94607; phone (510) 451-9060, fax (510) 595-2363.

Project Information documents are also available for inspection by appointment at the Department of Transportation, Duty Senior's Desk, 111 Grand Ave, Oakland,CA; phone (510)286-5209.

You can download Project Information documents in pdf below:

3.0

Please provide drainage details for drainage system #16 and the box culvert for drainage system #17.

Also, it appears the Drainage Detail sheets DD3, DD4, DD7 & DD8 have been omitted from the contract documents for this project. Please provide these drawings in an addendum.

For the RCB of Drainage System 16, use the details for the RCB of Drainage System 17. DD-15, 16, and 17 and Standard Plans for Wing Walls.

DD 3, 4, 7, and 8 were removed as they no longer applied to this project.

4.0

There is no detail for the AC Dig outs (Replace AC Surfacing). Please provide a depth in order to determine the total quantity of pavement replacement.

A depth of 150mm was assumed.

5.0

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    		• The details for the Class 3 Permeable blanket & 150-mm pipe shown on sheet X-4, X-5 & C-5 indicate filter fabric is to be placed in the trench & along the bottom of the Class 3 Permeable section. However, it is not clear that fabric is to be place over the Class 3 between the Class 3 Perm and the Class 3 Agg Base. Please clarify.

    		Yes, the PM(3) and the Underdrain are to be encapsulated in filter fabric.

    6.0

    		Please provide cross sections for the Temporary Detour shown on the stage drawings (sheet SC-5 & SC-13).

    		You can download the cross sections below:

    Cross Sections (pdf, 1.6mb)

    7.0

    		Drainage Unit No. 9 (14' x 12' RCB @ Sta. 110+41) has time constraints for construction and is required to be completed within the first season. Per the details shown on DP-3 & DD-6, the south wing wall footings for the new structure encroach onto the existing WB lanes of the roadway. Clearly the work will need to be constructed in two stages. Is Caltrans going to provide a staging plan to construct this safely in one season?

    		An addendum has been requested to address this question.

    8.0

    		Under Section 10-1.04 of the Special Provisions, the subsection entitled "Structure Removal Over or Adjacent to Water" (pg 52), states:
      "The Contractor shall not allow demolished material to enter storm water systems or watercourses. The Contractor shall use covers and platforms approved by the Engineer to collect debris."
    By definition, a watercourse is a channel through which water flows, whether or not water is actively flowing. This means all existing ditches, culverts, headwalls and RCB structures are a part of a watercourse and part of a storm water system. Please explain the intent of this specification and how it may or may not prevent the removal of these above-mentioned structures without allowing some debris to enter the watercourse.

    		Any and all watercourses will be protected from any debris during construction. Bid according to plans and specs.

    9.0

    		Please confirm the pay limits for Bid Item# 86 "Class 3 Permeable (Drainage Blanket)" on this job. Structural section #4 does not show class 3 permeable per drawing X-1 but it is shown on sheet X-4, X-5.If material under structural section #4 is not being measured, which bid item would it be measured under? The width varies from 1.8M to 5.3M on detail C on sheet X-5 and the depth is a minimum of 730mm. In most cases this is shown where plans call for Underdrain pipe including Station A 116+10 to 116+20 (Sheet X-5) on left side shoulder where there is no Underdrain pipe. The summary of quantities sheet Q-2 has combined all Class 3 Permeable and Underdrain pipe in one chart. Does it mean that Caltrans will pay all Class 3 Permeable material in the underdrain pipe trench and underneath the structural section #4 on bid item# 86?

    		An addendum has been requested to modify Q-2 and clarify the quantities for PM (3) and underdrains.

    10.0

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    		• What are the abbreviations on existing structural section #2 shown on sheet X-1 for PMS and ISM?

    		The abbreviations are described as shown on lower right labeled "Abbreviations".

    11.0

    		The details for the Embankment Confinement System show filter fabric separating & containing the select backfill from the select topsoil in the ECS. However, there is no horizontal dimension shown for the depth of fabric into the select backfill. Since the fabric is not a separate pay item, please provide a horizontal dimension.

    		The filter fabric should have 1.52 m (or Five ft.) return on top and bottom of each layer of SELECT BACKFILL (ECS).

    12.0

    		Under Section 39-3.04 of the Standard Specification Amendments, (pg 259), it appears that the headings for minimum atmospheric & surface temperatures for placing HMA is stated as Farenheit, but the numerical values indicate Centigrade. Please clarify.

    		Yes, the headings for minimum atmospheric & surface temperatures for placing HMA should be in Centigrade.

    13.0

    		The original bid documents indicated this project was to be an A + B contract. Addendum No. 1 has changed this to a standard contract by virtue of the new bid form which left out the A + B format. As such, there has not been any stated number of working days or liquidated damages. Please clarify.

    		This is an A + B project. An addendum has been requested to address this portion of Addendum 1.

    14.0

    		Under Section 10-1.34 Remove Base & Surfacing, it states that "resulting holes & depressions shall be backfilled with earthy material selected from excavation to the lines & grade established by the Engineer". We do not have any contour grading plans for these areas. Please provide a contour grading plan for the areas where the old roadway is to be removed (Sta. 110+00 to 112+40 & 115+80 to 118+20).

    		Please bid according to the grade as shown on the typical cross sections and existing topo on the layouts on the plans. Wherever the existing roadway is outside the catchpoints of the new roadway, the lines and grades for Remove Base and Surfacing should follow will be the existing topo grades as shown on the layout plans.

    15.0

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    		• The drainage quantity sheet is showing different quantities then the bid item list for example:

    Drainage plans Caltrans quantity Caltrans contract bid item
    Remove rsp 2.5 m312 m3
    Remove headwall11 ea12 ea
    Remove inlet 1 ea 2 ea
    Remove culvert413.6 m 470 m
    Abandon culvert13.5 m76 m


    This is as far as I got. But it appears these do not jive. Could you let me know if I am missing something?

    		Please see stage construction sheet (SCQ-3, page 114) for additional quantities to the items in question in BI #15. The total shown in the Caltrans Contract Bid Items include the total from the drainage and stage construction plan sheets.

     
    Drainage plans (caltrans quantity) Stage ConstructionCaltrans contract bid item
    Remove rsp2.5 m39.5 m312 m3
    Remove headwall11 ea1 m312 ea
    Remove inlet0 ea2 ea2 ea
    Remove culvert413.6 m 56 m470 m
    Abandon culvert13.5 m62 m76 m

    16.0

    		Based on the cross sections, it appears that the temporary detour is to be removed between stations 121+10 to 124+40. Please provide interim grading cross sections showing the detour design vs. the ultimate design and the quantity of roadway excavation generated from this final grading plan.

    		See Bidder Inquiry No. 6 above.

    Also, quantities are shown on Q Sheets, please bid accordingly.

    17.0

    		There is a detail for a concrete lined ditch shown on sheets 70 & 71 of the plans. There is also a bid item for concrete channel lining (Item 96 @ 26 M3). Per the detail, this could be over 200 M in total length. However, there are no limits shown for concrete lined ditch on the drainage plans, nor is there a column summarizing concrete lined ditch in the drainage summary. Please provide a plan showing where the concrete lined ditch is to be installed as well as a revised drainage summary including concrete channel lining.

    		DD-9 and DD-10 has the details for the ditch. The length of the lined ditch is the "Limit of Transition" as shown on DD-9 under "Plan" view and "Section D-D". Please bid accordingly.

    18.0

    		Under drainage quantities in system 17i RCB, there is a quantity of 6.84 M3 minor concrete. Is this concrete used in the RCB or is this a typo?.

    		6.84 M3 minor concrete comes from page 72 DD-11 section A-A Minor Concrete.

    19.0

    		Could you please confirm there is no DVBE goal on this project?

    		Yes, there is no DVBE goal for this project.

    20.0

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    		• Under Section 10-1.49, Biofiltration Swales, page 115 refers to a milestone date for installation of plant materials as not starting before Nov. 15th. It further states that plant maintenance shall be required for 90 working days after planting has been completed. Will any of these dates and durations be used to determine the total number of days stated in the B portion of the bid proposal?

    		No additional days to accommodate planting and/or maintenance of bioswale areas. This work is to be done during the total number of days stated in the B portion of the bid proposal.

    21.0

    		Please clarify whether the plant establishment on this contract is Type 1 or Type 2.

    		There is no Plant Establishment Work proposed for this job. The bidder is instructed to factor into their "B" proposal, the time restriction for planting liners for biofiltration swales (Nov 15) and the 90 day maintenance requirement to establish planting for biofiltration swales.

    22.0

    		Pertaining to page 115 under Maintenance for the Biofiltration Swales, it states: "The Contractor shall maintain erosion control materials and liner plants for not less than 90 working days." Does this mean that we must provide an additional 90 days to our working days in order to tabulate our "Total Bid for Time"?

    		See response to bidder inqury #20.