The following questions and answers are provided to help
customers find answers to frequently asked questions. If you
wish to suggest additional questions, please contact
Bob Callaway, the Unit Manager of SEOPL.
QI. Does a PD-02 Exception Letter allow a
project to be awarded?
Q2. Can a Notice
to Proceed (NTP) with construction be issued with outstanding PD-02
Exception Letter issue(s)?
Q3. [Estimator Question] Why is the
catalog lined through for certain items – do I have a faulty
catalog?
Q4. What is the best way to select a bid
date for my project?
Q5. [Hybrid Lump
Sums Question]
Why is the
Structure Excavation - item 0510.0101000A LS on the website and m³
in Estimator?
Q6. [Hybrid Lump Sums Question] Does the
"A" at the end of the item number designate a hybrid item?
Q7. [Hybrid Lump Sums Question] Why does
0510.0101000K show as m³ on both?
Q8. [Hybrid Lump Sums Question] When I
print out the estimate from Estimator, the bid items with an "A" at
the end of the item number still show up with specific quantities
(i.e. m³). This is incorrect, what is happening?
Q9. [Hybrid Lump Sums Question] What
happens if I don't have quantities for a hybrid, and I just want to
use a true LS?
Q10. [Hybrid Lump Sums Question] Should
I use the 9Z9 item when I want to use a true LS?
Q11. [Hybrid Lump Sums Question] I don't
want to disable the bid histories by using a quantity of 1, but I'm
not finding a way around it yet. How can I do this?
Q12. [Estimator Question]
I've checked the most current
English Bid Item List, and it appears that there is no item number
for the Deck BT 72 Precast Prestressed Beams. In situations where a
bid item is not listed on the bid item list, should we just indicate
the first four digits of the item number or leave the bid item
number blank?
Q13. [Estimator Question]
In one of the training sessions, we
were told that we could obtain a copy of the template file, which
was used to create a previous job that lists the most common bid
items typically associated with a new bridge construction. How can
I get a copy of that file?
Q14. [Estimator Question]
If there is not a current 9Z9
miscellaneous item number in the catalog under the proper section
(0290), how do I add one? I'm trying to create two 0290-9Z9 items,
but I can't get the field to accept my typed in entry.
Q1. Does
a PD-02 Exception Letter allow a project to be awarded?
A1. PD-02 exception letters provide a mechanism to
request authorization allowing a project to proceed to bid
advertisement given some incomplete PS&E submittal requirement(s).
The exception letter must list all outstanding items and include
for each item:
o
a resolution plan,
o
the expected resolution date,
o
the responsible person for each outstanding item.
By default, approved PD-02 exceptions letters are assumed to
authorize projects to proceed to advertisement only.
Projects will not be allowed to proceed to bid opening, project
award, or issuance of a Notice to Proceed unless explicitly
requested in the exception letter and approved by the Deputy
Director.
In all cases, the Office of Pre-Letting (OPL) QA staff has
been tasked to track identified outstanding PD-02 issues by
periodically querying the PL/CPM/LAL regarding the status of the
resolution plan(s). The project PL/CPM/LAL carries the
responsibility to confirm to the OPL QA staff that all the
listed issues have been resolved. The ODOT Procurement
Office Construction Contracting Unit must also be so advised so
they can proceed with contract award. This notification needs
to be in writing (e-mail preferred) and can be directed to the
project QA engineer, to OPO Construction Contracting directly,
or both.
Answer updated 04/20/06
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Q2
Q2. Can a
Notice to Proceed (NTP) with construction be issued with outstanding
PD-02 Exception Letter issue(s)?
A2. PD-02 exception letters
routinely request authorization to proceed to bid advertisement
and bid opening given some incomplete PD-02 required items.
This request must list the outstanding items and include a
resolution plan for each of them. Most often PD-02 exception
letters only request permission to proceed with advertisement
and are silent regarding the question of proceeding with
contract award.
In the latter cases, the Office of
Pre-Letting QA staff has been tasked to follow the outstanding
PD-02 issues by periodically querying the PL/CPM/LAL regarding
the status of the resolution plan. When the PL/CPM/LAL has
confirmed that all the listed issues have been resolved, the
ODOT Procurement Office Construction Contracting Unit can be so
advised and will then proceed with contract award. This
notification needs to be in writing (e-mail preferred) and can
be directed to the project QA engineer, to OPO Construction
Contracting directly, or both.
Unless PD-02 letters explicitly request
authorization to advertise and award, contracts will not
be issued until confirmation from the PL/CPM/LAL that the
outstanding issues have been satisfactorily resolved.
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Q3
Q3. [Estimator Question] Why is the catalog lined through for certain
items – do I have a faulty catalog?
A3. The “unit system” default must be
preset before entering data into the “Skeleton”. In this case,
the metric default was not changed to English prior to accessing
an English catalog to enter new bid items. View
Screenshots below:
Screenshot 1- Location of entry error
Screenshot 2 - Resulting view from the catalog
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Q3
Q4. What is the best way to select a
bid date for my project?
A4. The need to identifying your
project bid date accurately depends somewhat on stage of the
project. We recommend following the logic shown in the diagram
linked below. The logic can be described as follows:
-
At project initiation and up to 13 months
prior to the planned bid month, we recommend you target the
first day of the month in which the project is desired to be
bid. Be sure to account for the PS&E submittal/advertisement
lead time, typically 45 calendar days prior to bid opening -
longer for projects intended to be advertised more than 3
weeks.
-
During the 13th month select one of the
"standard" bid dates, as listed on the ODOT Office of
Procurement (OPO) web page:
http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/CS/OPO/construction/bid_opening_dates.shtml
-
During the 7th month, contact the Office of
Pre-Letting to confirm the recommended bid date. This last
step will enable you to take into account any additional bid
dates beyond the "standard dates" that may have been added
to the schedule and to place your project for competitive
bidding. Once this date is agreed to it will be shown on the
"Six Month Schedule of Projects" which OPO makes available
to the contracting community and the public.
http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/CS/OPO/construction/schedule_of_projects.shtml
Bid Date Planning Guide
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Q5
Q5. [Hybrid
Lump Sums Question] Why is the Structure Excavation - item
0510.0101000A LS on the website and m³ in Estimator?
A5. The website shows the bid items
as they will be viewed and bid by contractors. An "A"
designation at the end of a bid item indicates the bid item is
either a lump sum (LS) or a "hybrid". Hybrids are bid items that
have been developed from specific estimated quantities, but for
bidding purposes, have been "lumped" together as a lump sum.
When using hybrid bid items the estimated quantities are input
in Estimator and automatically converted to lump sum within the
PES/DSS systems.
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Q6
Q6. [Hybrid Lump Sums Question]
Does the "A" at the end of the item number designate a hybrid item?
A6.
Not necessarily – the "A" designation indicates either Lump Sums
or Hybrids. Be sure to check the unit of measure in Estimator
with each item – again, if the A designation is accompanied with
anything other than “LS” in the unit of measure field, this is
your indicator that the item is a Hybrid
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Q7
Q7. [Hybrid Lump Sums Question] Why does
0510.0101000K show as m³ on both?
A7. This is because the
"K" designates a bid item
intended to be bid by a specific quantity. Hybrids
are only calculated from the "A" designation.
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Q8.
Q8. [Hybrid Lump Sums Question]
When I print out the estimate from Estimator, the
bid items with an "A" at the end of the item number still show up
with specific quantities (i.e. m³). This is incorrect, what is
happening?
A8. The printing function for
Estimator will show and print the item with quantities and
prices. You will not be printing the bid schedule for the
contractors so this is not a problem. The PES overhead
system will take care of the contractors bid schedule – that
will print out the 1 and “LS” for bidding purposes.
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Q9
Q9. [Hybrid Lump Sums Question]
What happens if I don't have quantities for a hybrid, and I just
want to use a true LS?
A9. In all cases, we will want
quantities for the hybrid lump sums – simply using lump sums has
never been an ODOT standard for cost tracking and in the past
the Bridge group has been manually entering the quantity data
into systems for federal reporting and cost information that is
sent back to the bridge designers. In some cases, the bridge
group has had to go back and re-calculate quantities to complete
their reporting data. The Estimator system is designed
to eliminate the redundant data entry process. In all cases, we
will need the quantities.
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Q10
Q10. [Hybrid Lump Sums Question]
Should I use the 9Z9 item when I want to use a true LS?
A10.
Do
not use the 9Z9 items for missing data – the PS&E bid
schedule will be incomplete and we will not upload an incomplete
set of data.
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Q11
Q11. [Hybrid Lump Sums Question]
I don't want to disable the bid histories by using a quantity of 1,
but I'm not finding a way around it yet. How can I do this?
A11. The simple answer is to
contact the bridge designers and obtain the quantity data
necessary to complete the hybrids. The Estimator training
for designers is beginning next month – these designers will be
using the template system to enter data for their engineering
discipline.
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Q12
Q12. [Estimator Question]
I've checked the most current
English Bid Item List, and it appears that there is no item number
for the Deck BT 72 Precast Prestressed Beams. In situations where a
bid item is not listed on the bid item list, should we just indicate
the first four digits of the item number or leave the bid item
number blank?
A12. Please do not leave blanks in
the bid item list selection box. You will need to select a bid
item with the first four digits matching the Oregon Standard
Specifications for Construction
(as closely as possible) and with the first 3 digit places
following the dash (-) designated as "9Z9" and the last letter
matching the unit of measure you are selecting for the item. In
this case you would select the letter "F" for feet. Once this is
selected you will need to fill in the supplemental description
box with the item description - all letters in caps.
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Q13
Q13. [Estimator Question]
In one of the training sessions, we
were told that we could obtain a copy of the template file, which
was used to create a previous job that lists the most common bid
items typically associated with a new bridge construction. How can
I get a copy of that file?
A13. The template file is available from
the region tech center. Please contact your local tech center to
obtain a copy.
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Q14
Q14. [Estimator Question]
If there is not a current 9Z9
miscellaneous item number in the catalog under the proper section
(0290), how do I add one? I'm trying to create two 0290-9Z9 items,
but I can't get the field to accept my typed in entry.
A14.
Use
the 9z9 from another section that
is a close fit to the 0290 section - the prefix to the -9z9 does
not need to be an exact fit for the "bucket item" bid items.
This data is not intended to be regenerated in the historic data
fields.
Q15
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