PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO TOWERS PROJECT
ADDENDUM NO. 1
Date: April 30, 2024
RE: Public Safety Radio Towers Project
BID DATE HAS CHANGED:
Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 2:00 p.m.
Location for the bid opening remains the office of the Shelby County Chief Financial Officer, located at 200 West College Street, Room 125, Columbiana, Alabama, 35051
General:
The Mandatory Pre-Bid Conference Meeting Notes and Sign-In Sheet is included in this addendum.
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Clarifications:
- Q1. Were Microwave Path Studies performed for the new sites?
A1. Path studies were preformed using Cambium Networks LINKPlanner by the County
- Q2. Confirm fence coating will be black vinyl coated chain-link fence at the Thompson Tower location.
A2. Yes, vinyl coated chain link is required at the Thompson site, The Dogwood and Shelby sites will be galvanized chain link with three strands of galvanized barbed wire. The height of all fences shall be 8’. The Thompson site will not require barbed wire but shall require black vinyl privacy slats.
- Q3. Please clarify on the required time of performance 90-day completion requirement. Permits require plans and submittals. Approval may take 60-90 days. Lead time on some items may be 35 weeks.
A3. Owner will allow following the bid award and contract execution 30 calendar days for design submittals and permitting, after design submittals are approved 120 calendar days shall be allowed for materials procurement followed by 90 calendar days shall be allowed for construction time. The owner is receptive to input from contractors regarding various materials lead times and the owner shall adjust allowable lead times accordingly in a subsequent addendum if deemed necessary. The contractor shall also be allowed to advance the construction of the Dogwood Site and Shelby Site if materials availability allows.
- Q4. Are topographic surveys available for guyed towers?
A4. Each site has been cleared and graded for the radio communications compound and guy wire locations where applicable. Any topographic surveys required for the complete tower design will be the responsibility of the contractor.
- Q5. Guyed Towers may require six anchor points – only three geotechnical drillings are shown per tower in the bid documents.
A5. Per the geotechnical report, drilling was performed at all three tower bases and for each of the two proposed guyed tower sites three bores were performed at the estimated location of the guy anchors as shown on the geotechnical report and site layouts. Any additional exploration and/or borings required to complete the tower designs will be the responsibility of the contractor.
- Q6. Tower Structure Class – Assume Class III for Public Safety.
A6. The structure shall be Class IV – Per ANSI/TIA-222-H.
- Q7. Generator Functionality prior to move (test) (Confirm the removals and setting by County at new tower locations)
A7. Owner will deliver a new generator and transfer switch to the new sites. Contractor is responsible for installing. Owner’s generator supplier will perform the start up. Contractor is responsible for disconnecting and removing from the compound the existing generators and transfer switches. Owner will transport the existing generators and transfer switches from the existing sites.
- Q8. Bid states “appropriate line kit”. Are we to assume the same as existing line kit? A change could be necessary based on final height and configuration at new towers.
A8. TX Antenna AirCell 50 Ohm Transline Cable 1-5/8” and appropriate grounding or equivalent RX Antenna AirCell 50 Ohm Transline Cable 7/8” and appropriate grounding or equivalent. Microwave (2 per radio) CNT-400 50 Ohm Braided Coaxial Cable 3/8” and appropriate or equivalent.
- Q9. Drain Propane (time) (Confirm the removals from existing location and setting by County at new tower locations)
A9. Contractor shall coordinate and provide the relocation of the two existing tanks to the two new sites (Shelby Site and Dogwood Site). The Contractor shall also provide the new tank as required to the Thompson Site. The Owner will be responsible for coordinating and suppling via its vendor any propane gas supply required for service.
- Q10. Shelter Foundation Designs for existing?
A10. Owner does not have any design on the existing shelter foundations.
- Q11. Thompson Site (Confirm New Shelter Manufacturer VFP or Equivalent depending lead times)
A11. The proposed shelter manufacture must be approved during the bidding process. If any materials lead times are such that the allowed time of performance cannot be met the bidder shall notify the owner prior to bid opening.
A12. The site disturbance shall be minimized and is anticipated to be under one acre which does not require NPDES permitting. If the disturbed area is greater than one acre any required permitting shall be the responsibility of the contractor.
- Q13. Is a UPS required for the new Shelter at the Thompson Site?
A13. Yes, contractor to supply UPS for the Thompson Site. The Dogwood and Shelby Sites shall utilize the units to be relocated.
- Q14. Shop Drawings - Detailed site layout to include dimensions of tower, shelter, ice bridge, generator pad, propane tank pad and fence.
A14. Yes, contractor to supply detailed shop drawings for the items listed above after contract execution.
- Q15. Conformation that new towers will or will not need to be painted per FAA
A15. The general coating of all steel members shall be galvanized. However, below are the determinations by the FAA for each of the sites regarding markings and lighting:
SE Shelby - As a condition to this Determination, the structure is to be marked/lighted in
accordance with FAA Advisory circular 70/7460-1 M, Obstruction Marking and Lighting, 24-hr med strobes-Chapters 4,6(MIWOL),&15.
Montevallo - As a condition to this Determination, the structure is to be marked/lighted in accordance with FAA Advisory circular 70/7460-1 M, Obstruction Marking and Lighting, a med-dual system-Chapters 4,8(M-Dual),&15.
Thompson: As a condition to this Determination, the structure is to be marked/lighted in accordance with FAA Advisory circular 70/7460-1 M, Obstruction Marking and Lighting, 24-hr med strobes-Chapters 4,6(MIWOL),&15.
- Q16. Confirm power footage from customer provided drop pole to 3 gang meter panel, mentioned 50’ at site walks.
A16. Yes, power will be supplied to within 50ft of the compound fence locations.
- Q17. Specific Line Size and Antenna Type for the additional Carrier install for Tower Design.
A17. The specifics for an additional future carrier are unknown – assume a cellular carrier with LTE/5G remote heads.
- Q18. Pad Removals and Ice Bridges at existing sites (confirm to be performed by County)
A18. Existing concrete pads and Ice bridges will be removed by the contractor and stone shall be placed to match the surrounding stone surface by the contractor at the existing sites. All other infrastructure removal shall be the responsibility of the contractor. Disposal at the Shelby County landfill associated with this removal shall be provided by the owner.
- Q19. Can you provide us with the Shelby County’s preferred vendor that is used for maintaining the generators and propane tanks?
A19. Owner will be supplying new generators for the three sites.
- Q20. Have site drawings been prepared that show general site layouts, grounding and electrical diagrams?
A20. All available site drawings were included in the Project Manual.
- Q21. Who is responsible for site clearing and access road installation?
A21. Site clearing and access road installation has already been performed by the owner.
- Q22. What are the sizes of the coax and wave guide that is being supplied?
A22. No coax or waveguide is being supplied, that is the responsibility of winning contractor.
- Q23. Please provide additional detail on the required tower lighting.
A23. Tower lighting shall be ILS-3600 Dual LED with Infrared (IR) L-864/L-865
- Q24. Please provide additional detail on the required UPS unit at the Thompson Site.
A24. The UPS unit required is an Eaton 9PXM 8KVA with remote Gateway (Modbus TCP/TRU)
- Q25. Please provide additional detail on the required TTA (Tower Top Amplifier) unit.
A25. The unit required is Bird Technologies 7-9552-2
- Q26. Please provide additional detail the required stiffarms.
A26. All dishes shall include a minimum of one inbound and one outbound stiffarm.
- Q27. Please provide contact information for the AHJ / permitting authority.
A27. Shelby Site and Dogwood Site – Shelby County Development Services 205-620-6652, Thompson Site – City of Alabaster 205-664-6823