Federal Highway Administration, Loudoun Tech Center, 21400 Ridgetop Circle, Sterling, Virginia 20166-6511

Y -- NORTH CAROLINA FOREST HIGHWAY PROJECT NC PFH 3-1(1) (SECOND PROPOSAL) SOL DTFH71-97-B-00004 DUE 012397 POC Contact for verifying availibility of bidding documents: Contract Specialist Sue Stanton, 703-285-0006; Contact for technical information: Engineering Coordinator, Robert Sparrow, 703-285-0075; Contracting Officer, Mary W. Daigle. Sealed bids from all business concerns will be accepted for the North Carolina Forest Highway Project NC PFH 3-1(1) (Second Proposal), Pisgah National Forest, in Transylvania County, North Carolina. The project consists of the replacement of the existing bridge over the West Fork of the French Broad River, and includes installing retaining walls; realigning the approach roadway; grading; paving; drainage improvements; and other miscellaneous work. Principal items of work and approximate quantities are as follows: Roadway excavation, 1,350 cubic meters; Structure excavation, 475 cubic meters; Structural concrete, 300 cubic meters; Precast prestressed concrete structural members, I-beams, AASHTO type 3, 200 meters; Concrrete bridge railing, 140 meters; Drilled shafts, 900 mm diameter, 40 meters. The project is expected to fall within the price range of $500,000 to $1,000,000 and has a construction completion date of December 31, 1997. Invitation for Bids No. DTFH71-97-B-00004 to be issued on or about December 23, 1996. Plans, proposal and contract booklets, standard specifications, and other bid documents, will be available on or after the issuance date, from the Federal Highway Administration, Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division, 21400 Ridgetop Circle, Sterling, Virginia 20166-6511, telephone: 800-892-8776, at no charge to bidders, subcontractors, and suppliers. Please call to verify availability of the bid documents. All requests for bid documents and planholder's lists will be mailed first class. It is strongly recommended that all requests for bid documents and planholder's lists be received 7 calendar days before bid opening to ensure receipt of requested materials. Requests for 'faxing' or overnight mailing will not be accepted. Bid opening on or about January 23, 1997, at 2:00 pm, local time at the Office of the Division Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, Eastern Federal Lands Highway Division, 21400 Ridgetop Circle, Sterling, Virginia 20166-6511. The following applies to Minority, Women-Owned and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises: The Department of Transportation (DOT) Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization has bonding programs to assist minority, women-owned and disadvantaged business enterprises in acquiring short-term capital and bonding assistance for transportation-related contracts. Loans are available under the DOT Short Term Lending Program (STLP) at prime interest rates up to $500,000 per contract to provide accounts receivable financing. The DOT Bonding Assistance Program enables firms to apply for bid, performance and payment bonds up to $500,000 per contract. DOT provides an 80 percent guaranty on the bond amount to a surety against losses. For further information and applicable forms concerning the STLP and Bonding Assistance Program, please call (800) 532-1169. (0339)

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