Specifications include, but are not limited to: A. Geotechnical Investigation and Laboratory Testing: The selected proposer/offeror shall provide foundation and geologic/geotechnical exploration in accordance with the procedures, requirements and guidelines outlined in the latest edition of the New Mexico Department of Transportation (“NMDOT”) Geotechnical Design Guide (“Manual”). The geotechnical exploration and laboratory testing shall include at least the following: 1. For roadway, soil sampling and testing during construction the selected proposer/offeror shall represent the two (2) foot prism of finished subgrade. 2. For bridge elements, one (1) soil boring and/or rock core shall be completed at each abutment and each pier element. At the abutments the borings should be taken to a depth of eighty (80) feet. At the piers, the borings should be taken to a depth of hundred (100) feet. Lesser depths of exploration will be acceptable with the presence of bedrock or very dense soil strata. 3. For retaining walls, one (1) soil boring and/or rock core shall be completed every two hundred (200) feet with no less than two (2) borings completed per wall. Borings should be taken to a depth of twice the height of the walls. 4. For drainage or utility structures and trenches, the need for borings will be determined on a siteby-site basis. 5. Perform required lab testing and soil classifications as required by the Manual. Lab testing may require consolidation and tri-axial testing of undisturbed samples if clay soils are encountered, direct shear tests, or rock core point load and unconfined compression tests. 6. Perform required lab testing and soil classifications as required by the Manual. Lab testing may require consolidation and tri-axial testing of undisturbed samples if clay soils are encountered, direct shear tests, or rock core point load and unconfined compression tests. 7. For roadway design, the results of the borings/cores shall determine a Designated Design R-Value for each independent project. Additionally, based on a project-by-project basis for the Owner will determine a number of R-Values (T-190) and NMDOT Charted R-Values needed for the internal pavement design. 8. For roadway, a recommended pavement design based on the results determined by the lab testing. B. Laboratory and Field-Testing During Construction: Selected contractor/s shall perform on a dayto-day basis, Quality Control, Quality Assurance, and Independent Assurance (“QC, QA and IA”) support during construction. Quality Control (“QC”) is best described as the control of day-to-day testing operations during construction for the placement of construction materials in conformance with the Project’s plans and specifications. Quality Assurance (“QA”) is best described as the periodic sampling, testing, inspection, and other activities to determine payment and make Acceptance decisions in conformance with the Project’s plans and specifications. Independent Assurance (IA) is a construction management tool in which a third party, not directly responsible for process control (QC) or Acceptance (QA), provides an independent assessment of the work, materials, or the reliability of test results obtained from process control (QC) and Acceptance (QA) testing. 1. Required field sampling and testing services shall include, but are not limited to field density tests using a nuclear densometer (trench bedding and backfill, subgrade, base, Hot Mix Asphalt a.k.a. HMA), concrete compressive strengths, concrete slump, concrete air-entrainment, concrete unit weight, modified proctor, standard proctor, sieve analysis, Atterberg limits, HMA Superpave (most common) and Conventional lab testing, material source acceptance testing, determination of the strength of soil-lime or soil-cement mixtures, and R-values. 2. Required sampling and testing of construction materials for source acceptance services shall include but are not limited to the following: concrete and asphalt aggregates, cement, asphalt binder, hydrated lime, reinforcing steel tensile strength, base materials, engineered fill, foundation material and/or subgrade including lime or cement mixtures, bedding material, and hot mix asphalt. 3. Attendance and involvement at meetings selected contractor/s shall be required to attend design team meetings, preconstruction, weekly construction project meetings, and pre-paving operation conferences. 4. Coordination and involvement. The selected contractor/s will be expected to work with a general contractor’s schedule as it relates to the appropriate time to observe work activities, obtain samples, and conduct testing. Both the County and a general contractor rely on prompt performance of services and accurate and timely reporting of results to meet construction project progress, production and completion schedules and allows for timely adjustment of field operations or batch plant manufacturing. 5. Construction projects, under the terms of the respective contracts, may be subject to pay adjustments based on the quality of hot mix asphalt materials, in-place density of the hot mix asphalt materials, and the record compressive strength of Portland cement concrete in accordance with project specifications. As part of quality control, the selected contractor/s may be tasked to core both top and lower mats for representative lot-acceptance. The selected contractor/s shall input the test results into the latest NMDOT CPF (Composite Price Factor) for non-QLA (Quality Level Assurance) spreadsheets for hot mix asphalt less than 20,000 tons being produced. 6. Observation and documentation. Selected contractor/s shall observe and document the quality of materials and their placement/installation during construction that would include any visits to batch plant or source pit locations. 7. Sampling or Testing. Whether performed during the project design or construction phase, County may require traffic control management and devices. Depending on either of these situations, these services may be provided by the general contractor, or the selected contractor/s. Traffic Control Services shall only be performed by those possessing a nationally recognized traffic control plan, and installation and management of traffic control devices for the duration of their use. The selected contractor/s shall call for utility locates using NM One Call service and complete any and all required permits. Permits include traffic control and excavation. County will waive County permit fees and will compensate for traffic control operations shall be coordinated with the general contractor to avoid any conflict within an established work zone. 8. Return condition of sampled locations: Selected contractor/s, or its subcontractor is responsible for the proper patching of core holes using County accepted patching materials as well as final site clean-up (i.e. filling holes, sweeping tracked areas, leveling wheel ruts caused by sampling operation, etc.) once sampling operations are completed. C. Deliverables: The County will issue Task Orders. The timing and format of such deliverables shall be mutually agreed upon and included in each Task Order. When tasked, the following deliverables shall include any single or combination of the following: 1. The selected contractor/s shall provide the results on test reports and shall include a “pass” or “fail” description associated with the quality criteria identified in the construction contracts, the most current NMDOT or AWWA Specifications, International Building Code (“IBC”), and as determined by the County Project Manager or Engineer of Record. Soil Classifications are reported as “AASHTO method” unless otherwise specified within the assigned Task Order. Hot Mix Asphalt (“HMA”) laboratory testing is to follow AASHTO test procedures for conformance to Superpave design requirements unless otherwise specified within the Task Order. 2. The selected contractor’s geotechnical investigation reports shall include remedies or solutions to soil-foundation problems identified. Reports shall specify the required test results as requested by the Project Manager or Engineer of Record. 3. The selected contractor’s field documentation or daily records must be specific to quality and description of construction materials and their placement/installation methods (e.g. field test reports documenting weather conditions, discussions with a Project Manager, Engineer of Record, and/or a general contractor, and shall provide any pertinent information on the work being performed such as recommended roll patterns to achieve proper density). 4. The selected contractor/s must provide an NMDOT CPF (Composite Price Factor) for non-QLA (Quality Level Assurance) completed for each lot of HMA placed.
