International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico, United States Section, The Commons, Building C, Suite 310, 4171 N. Mesa Street, El Paso, TX 79902-1441

Y -- RIO GRANDE AMERICAN CANAL EXTENSION (RGACE) REACH D Sol. IFB 97-01. Due 012097. Contact Mary Nichols at (915) 534-6682. Pre-Solicitation Notice. The Contractor shall provide all labor, materials, and equipment for the construction of Reach D of the Rio Grande American Canal Extension (RGACE) project located in El Paso, El Paso County, Texas. Reach D begins in the area adjacent to the International Dam and ends at the Leon St. Wasteway. Reach D is located adjacent to the Rio Grande on U.S. Government property on the landside of the U.S. Levee. Reach D is the last major part of an overall project which involves the construction of approximately twelve (12) miles of lined canal and three (3) miles of Franklin Canal reconstruction. The ultimate purpose of the facility is to provide a more equitable distribution of waters between the United States and Mexico, and to reduce water losses through bed seepage and surface evaporation. Reach D will encompass 7,947 feet of the Franklin Canal and will require the partial demolition (only that required to facilitate construction) of 3749 linear feet of the lined canal and 2324 linear feet of partially lined canal. The project will also require the demolition of a small concrete and steel bridge and other small canal structures. The canal will be replaced with a precast two barrel (12' X 12' each) concrete culvert conveyance system. Other major structures to be constructed under this contract include: In-line check structures, wasteway, sag culvert, lined settling basin, emergency intake structure, utility relocation/concrete encasement, levee gravel surfacing, canal transitions, demolition of small canal structures, placement of riprap, fill a scour area, and the seeding of areas disturbed by construction. Reach D will be performed in two (2) stages. Stage 1 will consist of the construction of the lower part of the project a total length of 3,826.42 feet and is to be completed during the 1997/1998 non-irrigation season. The non-irrigation season begins in mid-October and extends to mid February. The first stage will require the following features to be constructed: The Leon Street Check Structure and Wasteway Connection, Robertson Water Treatment Plant Intake Structure, the upstream and downstream Railroad Box Culvert Transitions, miscellaneous utility relocations and/or extensions, installation and backfill of 3,264.08 feet of precast 2 barrel (12' X 12' each) concrete square box culverts, and demolition of small canal structures. Stage 2 will consist of the construction of the upper part of the project a total length of 4,120.46 feet, to be completed during the 1998/1999 non-irrigation season. The beneficial occupancy date (placement of box sections and construction of associated structures) for Stage 1 is February 15, 1998, in order to begin the irrigation season in the El Paso valley. Stage 2 will require the following features to be constructed: The transition from the American Canal to the RGACE, an emergency inlet structure, settling basin, College Arroyo inlet, sluice apron, Harts Mill Wasteway, Harts Mill Check, Harts Mill Flume to box transition, RGACE Sag Culvert, miscellaneous utility relocations and/or extensions, installation and backfill of 3,338.9 feet of precast 2 barrel (12' X 12' each) concrete square box culvert, demolition of small canal structures, and demolition of the bottom portion of the Franklin Canal lining, levee gravel surfacing, seeding of areas disturbed by the construction, and the filling of a scour area. The beneficial occupancy date (placement of box sections and construction of associated structures) for Stage 2 is February 15, 1999, in order to begin the irrigation season in the El Paso valley. Attendance of a pre-bid conference is highly recommended. Funding for Stage 1 will be provided at the time of Contract award. Funding for Stage 2 is subject to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Clause 52.232-18 Availability of Funds. A firm fixed price contract will be awarded. The estimated range of construction is more than $10,000,000. Tentative dates for issuing and opening IFB 97-01 are December 20, 1996, and January 20, 1997, respectively. The contract performance period is scheduled for 825 calendar days after issuance of Notice to Proceed (NTP). Plans and specifications will be available for inspection, without charge, at the International Boundary and Water Commission, U.S. Section, The Commons, Building C, Suite 206, 4171 North Mesa Street, El Paso, Texas 79902-1441. Copies of the bid package are available for a $165 charge payable to the ``IBWC/US Section.'' All requests for the bid documents must be made in writing; no telephone or facsimile requests will be accepted. Requests for the bid documents must be sent to the preceding address, ATTN: Mary Nichols, and must be received by December 16, 1996, in order to ensure availability of bid documents. Limited copies will be available after that date and will be issued on a first-come first-served basis. No express mail procedures will be utilized in mailing of the bid documents. Award is not restricted to small businesses. (325

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