The following list is comprised of paraphrased Requests for Clarification (RFC) submitted by potential bidders or sub-bidders in writing via email, letter, and this form:
Request for Clarification (RFC) 20-10-C
These paraphrased questions and associated responses are not part of the contract documents and shall have no bearing whatsoever on the interpretation of the Standard Specifications, the Standard Plans, the Special Provisions, or the Plans. Nor shall they have any bearing whatsoever on the interpretation of other publications referenced therein.
Questions without answers may be posted here to indicate that we have received them before the deadline and we intend to respond.
Last updated: 10/9/2020 8:53am
What are the scheduling constraints? (RFC 20513 and 20514 submitted 9/14/2020)
All paperwork from the lowest bidder would need to be submitted to the State for approval, which may take around 90 days. Potential start date would be in late-January or February. The target end date is June 30, 2020. The County would need to request an extension from the Department of Water Resources if this is exceeded, but ideally we would meet the target end date. Response date: 9/16/2020
When does school start? (RFC 20515 submitted 9/14/2020)
Because of Covid, we can’t be sure. Fresno County is still on the watch list. The target end date is June 30, 2020, due to funding considerations. Response date: 9/16/2020
When is the last day for RFI’s? (RFC 20516 submitted 9/14/2020)
The last day is seven days prior to the bid openings, currently October 8, 2020 at 2PM. Response date: 9/16/2020
There are designations on the plans where they have a cross over, where the new line ties into the existing line. We will need to shut the existing line off. How long can we shut the existing line off to make that connection? (RFC 20517 submitted 9/14/2020)
Section 01 11 00 "Description of Work and Schedule Constraints" of our Technical Specifications.
Section 1.3 D. 2. a. States that no water service shall be without service for longer than 4 hours. Response date: 9/16/2020
During the construction, there are areas we will need to designate one side of the road as no-parking. What do we do about the cars that are undrivable, including missing wheels? (RFC 20518 submitted 9/14/2020)
The County will need to inform the property owners to move them or eventually tow them. The owners will need to bring equipment to move them. The contractors are not responsible for moving them. Response date: 9/16/2020
Is there a soils report for this project? (RFC 20541 submitted 9/14/2020)
Yes. The Geotechnical Report has been posted on the project’s website under Supplemental Information. Response date: 9/16/2020
Are there street lights? (RFC 20542 submitted 9/14/2020)
No. Neither community has streetlights. Response date: 9/16/2020
Patch paving structural section does not show any baserock. (RFC 20543 submitted 9/14/2020)
See Details: Sheet CD3 – Detail 8. The typical patch after trenching says 7" Hot Mix Asphalt Concrete (HMA). Response date: 9/16/2020
Drawing No. CD 1 & CD 2
Detail 5 of CD the lead line shows polyethylene. Detail 2. 4 on CD 1 shows the lead line to be PVC schedule 80. (RFC 20544 submitted 9/14/2020)
Detail 4 on Sheet CD-1 is on private part of line. From main to meter is the "public portion" which is polyethylene as shown on Detail 5 on CD-2. Downstream of the meter, it’s going to be PVC. Response date: 9/16/2020
How much coverage has to be on the private line? (RFC 20545 submitted 9/14/2020)
The Service line on private side needs to be 12 inch deep minimum. Response date: 9/16/2020
Drawing No. CD 1
Detail 5. CD 1 shows the water and sewer together. Is that correct? (RFC 20546 submitted 9/14/2020)
It is an existing condition. Detail 5 on CD1 is the plan view of the Mobile Home utility connection pad. The separation of the sewer and new water service connection shall be 5’ minimum as shown in detail 6 on CD-1 Response date: 9/16/2020
Do all services have a working shut off valve? If the services don’t have a shut off valve, if they are schedule 80 or galvanized how are we going to plug that? (RFC 20547 submitted 9/14/2020)
All of the existing water services are supposed to have existing corporation stops at the water main connections. The existing meters should also have shut-off valves. Response date: 9/16/2020
Houses are set back at different distances. Are we to use a specific distance and if they’re shorter or longer get a credit for extra work? Can we measure? On private property? (RFC 20548 submitted 9/14/2020)
The unit of measure is by linear foot for the service line. Response date: 9/16/2020
At the Three Rocks site or El Porvenir there is an existing tank site. Is that available for a staging area? (RFC 20549 submitted 9/14/2020)
There is not much space at the tank site, but the park is also County property. Contractor will be allowed to fence a portion of the park for staging. Response date: 9/16/2020
When going on service sites, from meter to house, when there’s rubbish or materials in the way, will the owner be required to move that? (RFC 20550 submitted 9/14/2020)
Yes, County will ask the owner to clear area where the pipe is to be installed. Response date: 9/16/2020
Specification No. 32-12-13 024100
Regarding Trench Paving: Is prime coat required? (RFC 20562.1 submitted 9/15/2020)
This is not required. Response date: 9/17/2020
Specification No. 32-12-13 024100
Regarding Trench Paving: Is seal coat required? (RFC 20562.2 submitted 9/15/2020)
No. Response date: 9/17/2020
Specification No. 32-12-13 024100
If trench section is ground, can grindings be used in lieu of cold mix? (RFC 20562.3 submitted 9/15/2020)
No, follow the description of Bid Item #23 in Technical Specification Section 012200 Response date: 9/17/2020
Specification No. 32-12-13 024100
Can the contractor grind all of the trenches and roll and leave in place until the pipe is laid? (RFC 20562.4 submitted 9/15/2020)
No, see the description of Bid Item #23 in Technical Specification Section 012200 Response date: 9/17/2020
Will the County allow a drop off of .15 in the excising roadway? This will be created when we grind the existing road to incorporate the T cut to place the final lift of asphalt. (RFC 20587 submitted 9/16/2020)
Refer to section 39-3.04C (2) of the Special Provisions. Drop-off 0.15’ is allowed in the longitudinal directions at the centerline or lane line, not in the transversal direction of the traffic. Response date: 9/17/2020
Does the contractor need to do the 6 inch grind on each side of the trench for the water service trench that is coming off the main line? (RFC 20595 submitted 9/16/2020)
Yes. The 6 inch grind on each side of the trench ("T" cut) is applicable in every trench in the existing roads Response date: 9/17/2020
BID ITEM 21 & 74
If the service lateral is backfilled with a concrete slurry will the County accept it? Will it still have to be asphalt patched or will lamp black be accepted? (RFC 20648 submitted 9/18/2020)
The County won’t accept backfilling lateral with slurry concrete Response date: 9/29/2020
Bid Items 25 & 62.
Will the County allow a .15' drop off the existing asphalt for the final lift of the permanent trench patch? (RFC 20678 submitted 9/21/2020)
Refer to section 39-3.04C (2) of the Special Provisions. Drop-off 0.15’ is allowed in the longitudinal directions at the centerline or lane line, not in the transversal direction of the traffic. Response date: 9/29/2020
Since there are no Storm Drain Lines, when the contractor flushes the water lines, can it be left to flow down the curb and gutter if the treated water is dechlorinated. (RFC 20679 submitted 9/21/2020)
Water can be discharge to the storm drain system as long is dechlorinated first per AWWA standard. At CSA 30 water shall be discharged to the drain inlets shown in sheet C1-3 Hidalgo STA 38 and El Progresso STA 23 sheet C1-2. For CSA 32 the drain inlets are located on Latta Ave STA 67 (sheet C2-2) Response date: 9/29/2020
If the contractor has ALL of the pipe delivered to the job will the County pay for the Material on Hand? (RFC 20680 submitted 9/21/2020)
Refer to section 01 20 00, Paragraph 1.2. A. 2 Response date: 9/29/2020
Bid Item 30 & 68- Remove and dispose of asbestos cement pipe.
What does EACH mean? Size, Length and location?
(RFC 20708 submitted 9/22/2020)
Bid Item 30 – Existing abandoned 6-inch AC pipe removal. "EACH" refers to each location as designated on the plans with the symbol "F" as included in the "Water Distribution System Legend" on Sheet G3. These are locations where we anticipate there will be a conflict where the new water main crosses the existing abandoned AC pipelines. At each location, only a minimum length of AC pipe needs to be removed (trench width + 1 foot+-) to allow for the installation of the new water main.
Bid Item 68 – Existing 6-inch AC water main removal. "EACH" refers to each location as designated on the plans with the symbol "G" as included in the "Water Distribution System Legend" on Sheet G3. These are locations where we anticipate there will be a conflict where the new water main crosses the existing AC water mains. At each location, only a minimum length of existing AC pipe needs to be removed (trench width + 3 feet+-) for the installation of a temporary bypass (as shown in Detail 4 on Sheet CD-6) to allow for the installation of the new water main. The temporary bypass installations are included separately in Bid Item No. 70. Response date: 9/29/2020
Drawing No. DETAIL 1 SHEET CD-7
Bid Item 29 - Remove Fire Hydrant
Detail 1/CD-7 has Note 3 missing. (RFC 20709 submitted 9/22/2020)
The missing Note 3 should be the same as Note 3 in Detail 2 on Sheet CD-7. It should read as follows:
"3. Edge of excavation shown for illustration purposes only. Trench width may vary." Response date: 9/29/2020
Drawing No. 1/CD2
Bid Items 20 & 57
Do the Fire Hydrants require bollards? 1 or 2? (RFC 20759 submitted 9/24/2020)
Not all of the fire hydrants require bollards. They are only required at the locations specified on the plan and profile sheets. Two (2) bollards will be required at each of those locations. The locations are generally as follows:
- No bollards are required in CSA 30.
- There are two (2) fire hydrants requiring bollards within the westerly portion of the Cantua Creek subdivision in CSA 32. These are located on Latta Avenue & Domengine Avenue. This is the portion of the subdivision that has rolled curbs, and the existing fire hydrants being replaced have existing bollards for protection.
- Bollards are also required for all of the fire hydrants being installed along Clarkson Avenue and San Mateo Avenue, where there are no existing curbs. Response date: 10/1/2020
BID ITEM 69
Do we tie onto existing sewer in the street. Location of lots that have new sewer? Existing depth varies, need to know where new sewer lines go. (RFC 20896 submitted 10/1/2020)
Bid Item No. 69 is for removing and reinstalling existing 4" sewer house branches anywhere the existing house branches conflict with the new water main installations (refer to Detail 3 on Sheet CD-6 of the plans). This could affect any or all of the existing house branches within the Cantua Creek subdivision in CSA 32. We do not know the actual depths of the house branches, so we cannot specify how many or which ones will need to be replaced. The quantity on the bid form is an estimate only based on the number of existing house branches along Hidalgo Avenue, between Domengine Avenue and Terrado Avenue, as that is the shallowest portion of the existing sewer system and the most likely location to have conflicts. Response date: 10/2/2020
Bid Item 94
Quantity? Bid Sheet Shows 77 ea. Is this correct? (RFC 20960 submitted 10/5/2020)
The quantity and unit are both correct.
There are 73 lots in the Cantua Creek subdivision and each lot requires a new 1" meter & meter box.
In addition, Outlot "B" of this subdivision also requires a new 1" meter & meter box.
The 3 homes on the south side of Clarkson, west of San Mateo each require a new 1" meter & meter box.
This totals 77 new 1" meters & meter boxes. Response date: 10/6/2020
Can we move locations of meter boxes? Walking the job the locations shown will encounter Palm Trees 12 to 15 inch diameter, Small Trees, Cactus, Tree stumps, Rose Bushes, Gardens etc... (RFC 21038 submitted 10/8/2020)
The design locations shown on the plans for the new water meter boxes in both CSA 30 and CSA 32 have been established to be relatively close to the locations of the existing water services and to meet the following criteria: New meter boxes shall not be allowed within driveways, and to maximize the horizontal separations between the new water service lines and the existing sanitary sewer house branches.
The locations of specific proposed new meter boxes may be adjusted by the Contractor, with the prior approval of the Engineer, however, no new meter boxes will be allowed within driveways. In CSA 32, minimum horizontal separations between new water service lines and existing sanitary sewer house branches shall be maintained.
If the Contractor relocates any proposed meter boxes farther away from the existing water services than shown on the plans, and the "Additive Bid Items" are not awarded, no additional compensation will be made for any costs of additional lengths of pipe and fittings or additional labor needed to reconnect the new water service lines to the existing private service lines. Response date: 10/8/2020
I had a question on GFE for the above-mentioned project. I read that post solicitations for bids or proposal for minimum of 30 calendar days before the bid opening. We did not advertise 30 days in advance. Does that mean we can not bid on project as a general? (RFC 21066 submitted 10/8/2020)
Not meeting the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Good Faith Effort Requirements for the project will cause your bid to be found non-responsive. Response date: 10/9/2020