Frog Switch - Carlisle PA - Supplemental Phase II Environmental Site Assessment

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides responses to contractor questions regarding the "Frog Switch – Supplemental Phase II ESA Drilling Support" opportunity. It clarifies requirements related to utility clearance, decontamination, work hours, labor, survey, refusal conditions, drilling methods, quantities, pricing, and site access.

• Utility Clearance: Private utility locates require a trained individual with GPR/EM experience; a specialized subcontractor is not mandatory. 811 (One Call) is insufficient; GPR/EM scanning is mandatory. No specific license or certification is required unless mandated by regulations.
• Decontamination: Basic bucket and water wash is acceptable for drilling equipment. Wash water does not require special handling or containment unless determined to be grossly contaminated by the Volpe Center.
• Work Hours: Field work is limited to 8-hour days (8:00 AM – 4:30 PM), with no extended workdays or overtime anticipated without prior approval.
• Labor: Service Contract Act (SCA) rates are applicable, not Davis-Bacon.
• Survey/Boring Location: The contractor is not responsible for recording or surveying boring locations; the Volpe Center will handle this. Survey-grade accuracy is not required.
• Refusal & Offset Borings: Up to two offset attempts are permitted if refusal is encountered (and not believed to be bedrock). The Volpe Center representative will confirm when a location may be abandoned.
• Drilling Methods: Direct push methods, potentially with coring for concrete slabs, are anticipated. Contractors may propose alternate methods. Borings are considered complete at 15 ft. or bedrock refusal. Pricing should include concrete coring/pre-drilling.
• Quantities: The estimate may be based on 35 borings, with additional days available if more are required.
• Site Access: Volpe will clear initial access paths; contractors are responsible for any additional clearing and security of staged equipment.

These clarifications refine the understanding of requirements for utility locating, decontamination procedures, labor rates, boring completion criteria, and pricing structure, which may impact bidder proposals and cost estimations.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document outlines the "Instructions to Offerors and Evaluation Criteria" for the "Frog Switch Supplemental Phase II: Drilling Activities" opportunity. The U.S. Department of Transportation, Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, is seeking quotes for this requirement, which is anticipated to result in a firm-fixed-price purchase order.

• Vendors must meet all solicitation requirements.

• The core of the requirement involves drilling and utility clearing activities.

• Offerors must provide a written proposal (max 2 pages) including:

  • Evidence of being a Pennsylvania certified/licensed driller with previous utility clearing and drilling experience.
  • Proof of certification/license and resumes of individuals performing the work.
  • A brief write-up on how tasks will be performed, including personnel and equipment.
  • A minimum of two relevant references/past performance reports for similar projects within the last two years.

• Registration and current status in the System Award Management (SAM) database is required for award.

• A schedule for the work must be submitted with the proposal.

• The anticipated contract type is a firm-fixed-price purchase order.

• The Period of Performance will be from the date of award to 31 July 2026.

• NAICS Code: 238910

• Small Business Size Standard: $16.5M

• Questions due: Tuesday, 14 April 2026, by 1:00 PM EST.

• Quotes due: Monday, 4 May 2026, by 11:00 AM EST.

• Submission contact: Roland Regan (roland.regan@dot.gov)

• Evaluation will be based on "Best Value," considering the following factors in order of priority:

  1. Experience, past performance, and technical proposal.
  2. Schedule.
  3. Price.

• Technical factors are considered more important than price.

• No specific set-aside is mentioned.

• CLINs 00100 (Quantity: 1, Unit: EA), 00200 (Quantity: 5, Unit: DY), and 00300 (Quantity: 3, Unit: EA) are listed for firm-fixed-price quotes.

• Reference to Attachment 3 (SOW) and supplemental information in Attachments 4 and 5 is made for task details.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document outlines the instructions for submitting quotes and the criteria for evaluating offers for the Frog Switch Supplemental Phase II: Drilling Activities. The government anticipates issuing a purchase order for these services.

• Vendors must meet all solicitation requirements.

• The proposal must include evidence of drilling and utility clearing experience, including Pennsylvania certification/license and resumes of personnel.

• A brief write-up on the proposed plan to perform tasks, staffing, and equipment is required.

• A minimum of two relevant references/past performance reports for similar projects within the last two years are needed.

• Registration and current status in the System Award Management (SAM) database is mandatory for award.

• A schedule for the work must be submitted with the proposal.

• A purchase order is anticipated.

• The period of performance is not explicitly stated but the government desires the work to be completed as soon as possible after contract award.

• Questions are due by 1:00 PM EST on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

• Quotes are due by 11:00 AM EST on Monday, May 4, 2026.

• Questions and quotes should be submitted to Roland Regan at roland.regan@dot.gov.

• The proposal (excluding resumes and certifications) is limited to two pages.

• Award will be based on "Best Value," considering technical factors more important than price.

• Evaluation will be comparative, assessing which offer is best suited and provides the best value.

• The award priority is: 1. Experience, past performance, and technical proposal; 2. Schedule; 3. Price.

• Vendors must be a Pennsylvania certified/licensed driller.

• Registration in SAM.gov is required.

• Failure to meet a requirement may result in ineligibility for award.

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

To provide assistance with soil borings and related tasks as part of a Supplemental Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) at the former Frog, Switch & Manufacturing Company site in Carlisle, PA. The goal is to further characterize soil impacts identified in a previous Phase II ESA.

• Advance soil borings at 35-45 locations to a depth of 15 feet bgs (or shallower if refusal is encountered).

• Collect 2-inch cores for logging, volatile screening, and sampling by Volpe personnel.

• Backfill completed borings to surface grade using drill cuttings or clean sand/bentonite.

• Patch/seal borings through concrete floors.

• Provide three (3) 55-gallon steel drums for disposal of grossly contaminated soil cuttings, if authorized.

• Delineate areas of soil contamination and collect background samples for arsenic.

• Work must be conducted in accordance with Federal, State, and local requirements, as well as applicable Volpe Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

• Contractor must be a Pennsylvania licensed driller.

• Borings are located on various ground coverings, including difficult subsurface conditions.

• Period of Performance: Date of award to July 31, 2026.

• Approximate Work Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

• Location: Former Frog, Switch & Manufacturing Company, 600 East High Street, Carlisle, PA.

• Attend a kickoff meeting within five (5) business days of contract award.

• Submit a Work Plan within five (5) business days of the kickoff meeting, including:

  • Description of required permits and justification if none are needed.
  • Proposed schedule.
  • Site Safety and Health Plan and Risk Management Plan.

• Notify Call-Before-You-Dig (811) services and utilize ground penetrating radar/electromagnetic technologies for utility clearance.

• Coordinate all activities and access through the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) or alternate point of contact.

• Deliverables include a Brief Work Plan and Call-Before-You-Dig Notification Ticket.

• Contractor travel costs are to be included in line item pricing.

Forms / Attachments / Pricing Sheets

This document, "Attachment 2 - FAR Clauses - SAP (by reference and full text)," lists and provides the full text for various Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clauses that are incorporated by reference into the contract. It also lists some additional "TAR CLAUSES" (likely agency-specific clauses) by reference.

• FAR Clauses: Includes full text for clauses such as 52.204-17 (Ownership or Control of Offeror), 52.204-18 (CAGE Code Maintenance), 52.203-19 (Prohibition on Confidentiality Agreements), and 52.204-21 (Safeguarding Covered Contractor Information Systems). It also lists numerous other FAR clauses incorporated by reference, covering topics like small business concerns, labor standards, environmental requirements, and payment terms.
• TAR Clauses: Lists several clauses by reference, including those related to Organizational and Consultant Conflicts of Interest, Seat Belt Use, Electronic Submission of Payment Requests, and Information and Communication Technology Accessibility.

This document is critical for bidders as it outlines the mandatory regulatory and contractual requirements that will apply if they are awarded the contract. Understanding these FAR and TAR clauses is essential for preparing a compliant proposal and for fulfilling contractual obligations. Bidders should pay close attention to clauses related to data security, small business subcontracting, labor laws, and any specific prohibitions or requirements mentioned.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) titled "Site Access and Utility Clearance." It outlines the procedures, protocols, controls, and requirements for accessing a site and performing utility clearance before any subsurface investigations or excavations.

• Definitions: Clarifies terms such as "Call-before-you-dig (811) services," "Excavation," and "Utility."
• Equipment: Lists necessary equipment for site access and utility clearance, including site plans, PPE, marking paint, and cameras.
• Procedures: Details steps for:
  • Site Access: Initiating contact with property owners (at least 30 days prior), sending access agreement letters, and following up.
  • Utility Clearance: Gathering site plans, pre-marking excavation areas, contacting private utility locators, and using the 811 service at least 72 hours before excavation.
• Marking Standards: Specifies a color scheme for marking utilities (e.g., Red for electric, Yellow for gas).
• Excavation Safety: Emphasizes awareness of markings, careful digging, using spotters, and maintaining safe distances from utilities.
• Quality Assurance/Control (QA/QC): Assigns responsibility to Volpe Field Staff for ensuring proper site access and utility clearance.

This SOP is crucial for any bidder involved in site work requiring excavation or subsurface investigation. It details the mandatory steps for obtaining site access and ensuring utility lines are identified and avoided, which is critical for safety and compliance. Understanding these procedures will help bidders plan their fieldwork and ensure adherence to safety and regulatory requirements.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a Field Sampling Plan (FSP) for a Supplemental Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) at the Frog, Switch & Manufacturing Company site in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It details the procedures for collecting soil samples to further characterize contamination identified in a previous Phase II ESA and to establish a background standard for arsenic.

• Scope of Work: Includes utility clearance, soil boring advancement (35 borings total for contamination delineation and background study), soil sampling, and elevation surveying.
• Sampling Design: Specifies collection of soil samples from various depths for analysis of metals (arsenic, cobalt, iron, manganese, nickel) and semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs), particularly polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). It also details a background study for arsenic.
• Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC): Outlines procedures for field and laboratory QA/QC, including cooler temperature checks, field duplicates, matrix spikes, equipment rinsate blanks, and field blanks.
• Data Management: Describes how field notebooks, boring logs, and chain-of-custody records will be managed.
• Project Timeline: Provides an anticipated schedule for FSP preparation, EPA review, contracting, field work, laboratory analysis, and reporting.

This document outlines the specific sampling and analytical methodologies to be employed in the Supplemental Phase II ESA. Bidders involved in environmental consulting or remediation services may find this useful for understanding the scope of work, the types of contaminants being investigated, and the quality standards required for the project. It provides detailed information on the planned sampling locations, depths, and analytical parameters, which are crucial for assessing the site's environmental conditions.