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Contractor's Inquiry Responses

Contract No. FR5325127


Inq. 22	Post Date: 5/10/2007	Inquiry Date: 5/10/2007
	Q. Section 2.09.03.4 refers to the presentation. When and where will the presentation take place?
	A. The presentations will take place at the SHA Office of Materials and Technology located at 2323 West Joppa Road. Lutherville MD, 21093. The date will be Friday June 1, 2007. Once the Technical Proposals are receive, we will inform each DB Team of the time and room for their presentation.

Inq. 21	Post Date: 5/9/2007	Inquiry Date: 5/9/2007
	Q. In Section 2.09.03.01(a) on Page 69 of the project manual, the resumes are called for in 255 format, ½ page per person. As it is somewhat difficult to fit both qualifications and relevant experience on ½ page, may we ask that a full page resume in 255 format per person be made acceptable?
	A. The resumes must be limited to 1/2 page.

Inq. 20	Post Date: 4/26/2007	Inquiry Date: 4/25/2007
	Q. Could SHA clarify the value to be used for comparison purposes for the difference in days for completion of the project to be specified in the Proposers' schedules? This will help the Proposers balance the completion time versus the excess cost to accelerate the project and best meet SHA's needs.
	A. The time needed to complete the project is one element of Section 2.09.03.2 / CPM Schedule that will evaluated. SHA wants to know the Proposer's opinion on the time needed to successfully complete the project.

Inq. 19	Post Date: 4/25/2007	Inquiry Date: 4/25/2007
	Q. Our DB Team is interested in your clarification whether the project is to be LEED certified or weather we are to just achieve the points
	A. The project is to be LEEDs certified at the Silver Level.

Inq. 18	Post Date: 4/24/2007	Inquiry Date: 4/24/2007
	Q. "We have reviewed the SHA's Special Provisions 2.09.03.9.2 Bonding and Insurance Requirements for this job. The SHA is requiring the attachment of two endorsements to your general liability policy, the CG 22 79 01 96 and the CG 22 80 01 96. The most current edition for these forms is 07 98, not 01 96. The 01 96 edition date has been removed from use. The CG 22 79 endorsement is used to fill in possible coverage gaps between the general liability and professional liability policies. There is an exception in the exclusion that states that "professional services do not include services within construction means, methods, techniques, sequences, and procedures employed by you in connection with your operations in your capacity as a construction contractor." These activities remain within the scope of your general liability coverage when the CG 22 79 is attached to your general liability policy. The CG 22 80 01 96, Limited Exclusion-Contractors-Professional Liability, extends limited professional liability coverage for professional services performed only in connection with construction work performed by your or on your behalf. If you already have a separate professional liability policy as required by the SHA Special Provisions, insurance companies are unwilling to provide Limited Professional Liability coverage under your general liability policy as well. The CG 22 80 would also conflict with the terms of the CG 22 79 already attached to y our general liability policy.
	A. This language will be deleted as part of an addendum which will be issued after the determination of the Reduced Candidate List.

Inq. 17	Post Date: 4/18/2007	Inquiry Date: 4/17/2007
	Q. Page 85 3.06.10.02 General Scope of M/E Services states:" All drawings shall be generated in CAD that is 100% compatible with Microstation V8 since all drawings will need to be turned over to the Administration in Microstation Version 8 format at the completion of the contract." Can the work be performed in AUTOCAD and converted to Microstation V8 prior to being turned over at project completion?
	A. In general the answer is yes. However certain versions of AUTOCADD may not be completely compatible with Microstation V8. Therefore the conversion must be tested prior to being turned over to the SHA.

Inq. 16	Post Date: 4/18/2007	Inquiry Date: 4/17/2007
	Q. Paragraph 2.09.02 Team Cover Letter indicates that the Cover Letter must be signed by all Major Participants. It further states that Major Participants can be defined as ... any firm having at least a five percent share of the project. Do you intend this mean that any subcontractor perfuming at least five percent of the work is considered a Major Participant?
	A. As a clarification a Major Participant is defined as the legal entity, firm or company, individually or as a party in a joint venture or limited liability company or some other legal entity, that will be signatory to the Design - Build Contract with the Administration. Major Participant(s) will be expected to accept joint and several liabilities for performance of the Design - Build Contract. Major Participants are not design subconsultants, construction subcontractors or any other subcontractors to the legal entity that signs the Design - Build Contract.

Inq. 15	Post Date: 4/17/2007	Inquiry Date: 4/11/2007
	Q. Will the date of the receipt of technical proposals be extended
	A. Yes an addendum will be forthcoming extending the receipt of technical proposals from May 4 until May 25.

Inq. 14	Post Date: 4/17/2007	Inquiry Date: 4/11/2007
	Q. DBE for Federal Aid Contracts. Question: Contractor seeks clarification for the allowable percentage as follows: 1. Given an organizational structure whereby the contractor elects to engage a non-MBE design firm in a Professional Service Agreement, what is the allowable participation percentage for a MBE firm then similarly engaged by the Design Firm?
	A. Please refer to Inquiry #9.

Inq. 13	Post Date: 4/17/2007	Inquiry Date: 4/11/2007
	Q. IFB Pages 69,103; Appendix G Building Commissioning: Page 103 specifically states "A Commissioning Agent shall be provided by the MSHA". At the Pre Bid Meeting however, there seemed to be some confusion regarding this issue:Q# 1 -Is the intent of MSHA to require for the DB Team to Provide the Commissioning Agent? Q#2- Further, if the answer is yes to Q#1, will MSHA provide a list of approved Commissioning Agencies?
	A. Please refer to Inquiry # 3

Inq. 12	Post Date: 4/12/2007	Inquiry Date: 4/5/2007
	Q. I was inquiring to see if this project utilizes light gauge metal rood trusses?
	A. The project calls for all trusses to be heavy timber where the ceilings are planned to be exposed. Any areas not expose could be a different roof supporting method. This is a design build project and the selection of the non exposed ceiling roof support method will be determined by the Architect on the Design Build Team.

Inq. 11	Post Date: 4/12/2007	Inquiry Date: 4/4/2007
	Q. Are we allowed to deviate from the design concept drawings in order to provide a building that is potentially easier (and less expensive) to construct? If so, what are the guidelines?
	A. Please refer to Section 2.07.02 on Page 52 of the IFB. Only changes required for the purposes listed will be permitted.

Inq. 10	Post Date: 4/12/2007	Inquiry Date: 4/4/2007
	Q. Are the firms who developed the concept drawings allowed to be members of a design-build team? Obviously anyone associated with the concept development would have an advantage over other architects/engineers.
	A. Firms that participated in the development of the Project are ineligible to participate on a design build team. Refer to Section TC 2.07.01.1

Inq. 9	Post Date: 4/12/2007	Inquiry Date: 4/4/2007
	Q. a) Please confirm the self-performance requirement for the Contractor. b) Also, please confirm if the stated MBE participation goal (30%) for this project applies to the entire award value or this same value, reduced by the value of the self-performance component.
	A. a) Since it is a design build project the goal can be distributed between the designer and / or the builder. b) The goal is 30% of the overall contract amount.

Inq. 8	Post Date: 4/12/2007	Inquiry Date: 4/4/2007
	Q. Invitation for Bid, Page(s) 11, VII. SUBETTING OR ASSIGNING THE CONTRACT and 47, GP-8 PROSECUTION AND PROGRESS On page 11, as referenced above, the documents state "1. The contractor shall perform with its own organization contract work amounting to not less than 30 percent or a greater percentage if specified elsewhere in the contract of the total original contract price,.." On page 46, as referenced above, the documents state "Contractor to whom a contract is awarded shall perform…work of a value of not less than 20 percent…". Note that this language is included as a CHANGE to General Provisions 8.01 and not the section referenced above.
	A. The Required Aid Federal Contract Provisions on Page 11 will govern. GP Section on Page 47 will be amended to read 30%

Inq. 7	Post Date: 4/12/2007	Inquiry Date: 4/4/2007
	Q. Does the SHA have a specific number of Teams it is looking to place on the RCL.
	A. No. However the SHA is looking to have sufficient interest in the project to be reasonably assured of adequate competition.

Inq. 6	Post Date: 4/12/2007	Inquiry Date: 4/4/2007
	Q. Is attendance at the pre-proposal meeting mandatory?
	A. No.

Inq. 5	Post Date: 4/12/2007	Inquiry Date: 4/4/2007
	Q. Has the design team for the waste water treatment plant been chosen and when is the advertisement date?
	A. The Waste Water Treatment project is currently under design by a consultant under contract to the SHA. This project will be a traditional design-bid-build project. This project is scheduled to be advertised in the late fall of 2007.

Inq. 4	Post Date: 4/12/2007	Inquiry Date: 4/4/2007
	Q. The project has a 30% MBE goal. Does this mean 30% of the entire project or 30% of the work not subcontracted?
	A. The goal is 30% of the overall contract amount.

Inq. 3	Post Date: 4/12/2007	Inquiry Date: 4/4/2007
	Q. Commissioning is a large part of the LEEDS program. The way the RFP/IFB is written the Commissioning Agent is provided by the SHA and not the DB Team. Should the Agent be part of the Design Build Team?
	A. The SHA prefers that the Commissioning Agent remain on the SHA Team. The SHA Agent will be responsible for accomplishing those items needed to satisfy the LEEDS' program commissioning activities. The materials, documentation etc. will be provided to the DB Team, who will in turn submit the application for the Silver Rating to the Green Building Council.

Inq. 2	Post Date: 4/12/2007	Inquiry Date: 4/4/2007
	Q. Can we get a copy of the Pre-proposal Meeting Minutes and Sign-in Sheet?
	A. Yes, email your request to Ms. Janice Harris at [email protected] and to Mr. Jim Keseling at [email protected]

Inq. 1	Post Date: 4/12/2007	Inquiry Date: 3/29/2007
	Q. I am requesting that a substitution be considered for the upcoming I-70 Welcome Center Project. The eastbound center has one long wall in the SW corner and the westbound center has three walls by the building. The walls are specified as 'cast-in-place concrete'. I would like our Cornerstone segmental wall system to be considered. Doing these walls in modular block instead of concrete would benefit in several areas: cost savings, faster construction, and aesthetics.
	A. In order for a proprietary retaining wall product to be used on a SHA project, it must be on the list of approved retaining walls. If it is not on the approved list it must be reviewed and approved in accordance with Office of Bridge Development's Policy and Procedure Memorandum No. D-85-25(4) "Proprietary Retaining Walls." Furthermore if this system is approved it would still need to meet the aesthetic appearance which has been described in the RFP/IFB.

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