The Butler County Engineer's
Office (BCEO) intends to contract for inspection services in
connection with the Contract for Inspection Services. This contract
will require the inspection of all bridges in each contract year.
Engineering firms which have been prequalified with the BCEO
for structures and which are interested in being considered for
the contract to provide the required services should reply with
a letter of interest no later than 4:30 p.m. on February 26,
2010. Letters received after this time and date will not be considered.
Letters should be submitted to Gregory J. Wilkens, P.E., P.S.,
Butler County Engineer, Attn: Ms. Annette Peters, 1921 Fairgrove
Avenue, Hamilton, Ohio 45011-1965.
As required by Ohio
Revised Code 153.65-71, the responding firms will be evaluated
and ranked in order of their qualifications. Letters of interest
will be evaluated based on the following criteria: background
and experience on similar projects, management and team credentials,
experience of current professional staff, proximity to project
site, equipment and facilities, availability to meet schedule,
past performance for the County Engineer, and a reference check
for quality, ability to meet deadlines and schedules, ability
to control costs and meet budget, and communication and cooperation.
Since we have your qualification statement on file, please include
in your letter of interest specific information relative to the
above criteria that will assist us in evaluating your firm for
this specific project. Following the evaluations, the Butler
County Engineer's Office will enter into contract negotiations
with the most highly qualified firm.
As required by Ohio
Revised Code 3517.13 (Sections I,J) the following form needs
to be attached with your submittal (Certificate
of Compliance). It is related to any contributions that were
given by engineering firms to the Butler County Commissioners
over the last two years. If you have contributed in excess of
the maximum contributions to the Butler County Commissioners
or you do not submit a signed certificate of compliance with
your RFQ, your letter of interest will be removed from consideration.
During the advertisement
period, there will be no formal meetings with the Butler County
Engineer's Office regarding these projects. Any specific questions
regarding the projects can be directed via email to David Quimby,
P.E., BCEO Design Engineer, at quimbyd@bceo.org.
The preliminary project
description is as follows:
Name of Project: 2010-2012 Bridge Inspections
Location: Butler County, Ohio
Description: The scope of work for bridge
inspection includes the routine inspection as defined in the
latest ODOT Bridge Inspection Manual (See Exhibit #2), of 396
County bridges, 23 City of Fairfield bridges, and 26 City of
Hamilton bridges. The services will include:
1. Completion of all
Bridge Inspection Reports, BR-86, including submission to and
approval by ODOT. The submission to ODOT will utilize the CEAO's
(County Engineer's Association of Ohio) Bridge Inspection Program
v.9.0.
2. Completion of a
written and electronic report with recommendations for repair,
maintenance, replacement, increased inspection frequencies or
follow-up in-depth inspections.
3. Completion of a
listing of all bridges, by rating (0-9).
- 4. Preparation of
a maintenance report, listed by category of maintenance as follows:
- a. Concrete repairs
- See Exhibit #1
- b. Steel repairs
c. Guardrail repairs
d. Pavement repairs
e. Embankment repairs
f. Channel work and erosion control
Note: Each repair should be ranked for priority.
5. Recommendations
for load limits showing the bridge, reason for load limit, and
the recommended limit.
6. Separate reports
shall be kept for Butler County, the City of Fairfield, and the
City of Hamilton.
7. Furnish all data
in electronic format (Microsoft Access tables). Format shall
be approved by the Butler County Engineer's Office before submitting.
Equipment Requirements:
Vehicles, inspection
equipment, traffic maintenance equipment, safety equipment, and
a laptop computer shall be provided by the Consultant. The computerized
inspection data (including data base of previous inspections
and copies of reports) can be provided by the Butler County Engineer.
Inspectors: The number of team members
will be determined by the Consultant. Since the requirement is
routine annual bridge inspection as defined by the Ohio Department
of Transportation's most recent Bridge Inspection Manual (See
Exhibit #2), only minimal usage of ladders will be necessary.
If the inspector feels that scaffolding or rigging is required
to adequately inspect a structure, this would be considered an
in-depth inspection and should be recommended as such. The routine
inspection should be completed first.
The minimum bridge
inspector qualifications necessary are stated in the ODOT Bridge
Inspection Manual (See Exhibit #3).
Source of Funding: Local
Project Schedule: Anticipated date for 2010
completion: 8/1/10. Anticipated date for 2011 completion: 8/1/11.
Anticipated 2012 completion date: 8/1/12.
Special Requirements
or Restrictions:
EXHIBIT #1
A. Concrete Repairs
Road: Tylersville
Bridge No. 01.000
Description of work:
Toe-wall needed on rear abutment
Priority Ratings: 5
= ASAP Emergency; 4 = Within one (1) week; 3 = Within one (1)
month; 2 = Within 2 - 4 months; 1 = Within 5 - 8 months; 0 =
Within 9 - 12 months.
EXHIBIT #2
Routine Inspection:
This is a regularly scheduled, intermediate level inspection
consisting of sufficient observations and/or measurements to
determine the physical and functional condition of the bridge,
to identify any developing problems and/or change from "Inventory"
or previously recorded conditions and to ensure that the structure
continues to satisfy present service requirements.
The Routine Inspection
must fully satisfy the requirements of the National Bridge Inspection
Standards with respect to maximum inspection frequency, updating
of Structure Inventory and Appraisal data and the qualifications
of the inspection personnel. These inspections are generally
conducted from deck, ground and/or water levels, and from permanent
work platforms and walkways, if such are present. Special equipment
(e.g. under - bridge inspection equipment, rigging and staging)
is necessary for a Routine Inspection, in circumstances where
its use provides the only practical mean of access to areas of
the structure that are being monitored.
The results of a Routine
Inspection are to be fully documented with appropriate photographs
and a written report that includes any recommendations for maintenance
or repair and for scheduling a follow-up In-Depth Inspections,
if necessary. Load capacity evaluations will be provided to the
extent that changed structural conditions would affect any previously
recorded ratings.
EXHIBIT #3
BRIDGE INSPECTOR QUALIFICATIONS,
SKILLS AND EQUIPMENT
Qualifications: The
Code of Federal Regulations - 23 highways - Part 650 - Subpart
C requires that the individual in charge meet the following requirements:
§ 650.305 Definitions.
Program manager. The
individual in charge of the program, that has been assigned or
delegated the duties and responsibilities for bridge inspection,
reporting, and inventory. The program manager provides overall
leadership and is available to inspection team leaders to provide
guidance.
Team leader. Individual
in charge of an inspection team responsible for planning, preparing,
and performing field inspection of the bridge.
§ 650.309 Qualifications
of personnel.
(a) A program manager
must, at a minimum:
(1) Be a registered professional engineer, or have ten years
bridge inspection experience; and
(2) Successfully complete a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
approved comprehensive bridge inspection training course.
(b) There are five ways to qualify as a team leader. A team leader
must, at a minimum:
(1) Have the qualifications specified in paragraph (a) of this
section; or
(2) Have five years bridge inspection experience and have successfully
completed an FHWA approved comprehensive bridge inspection training
course; or
(3) Be certified as a Level III or IV Bridge Safety Inspector
under the National Society of Professional Engineer's program
for National Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET)
and have successfully completed an FHWA approved comprehensive
bridge inspection training course, or
(4) Have all of the following:
(i) A bachelor's degree in engineering from a college or university
accredited by or determined as substantially equivalent by the
Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology;
(ii) Successfully passed the National Council of Examiners for
Engineering and Surveying Fundamentals of Engineering
examination;
(iii) Two years of bridge inspection experience; and
(iv) Successfully completed an FHWA approved comprehensive bridge
inspection training course, or
(5) Have all of the following:
(i) An associate's degree in engineering or engineering technology
from a college or university accredited by or determined as substantially
equivalent by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology;
(ii) Four years of bridge inspection experience; and
(iii) Successfully completed an FHWA approved comprehensive bridge
inspection training course.
(c) The individual charged with the overall responsibility for
load rating bridges must be a registered professional engineer.
(d) An underwater bridge inspection diver must complete an FHWA
approved comprehensive bridge inspection training course or other
FHWA approved underwater diver bridge inspection training course.
Skills: The inspector
should be capable of climbing structural steel without difficulty.
He should have the ability to letter legibly and to read bridge
plans, visualize details, draw technical sketches, and operate
a camera. He should possess a mechanical aptitude and a working
knowledge in the use of measuring devices such as rules, tapes,
protractors, and calipers. The inspector should have an awareness
of potential hazards and exhibit a serious attitude toward safety
precautions to be taken while climbing and inspecting bridges.
The inspector must approach each task sincerely and with the
proper motivation since his judgment and thoroughness is relied
upon to guarantee public safety and to protect public investment
with respect to bridges.
Equipment: The inspector
should be equipped with a pocket tape, folding rule, 50 ft. tape,
calipers, chipping hammer, scraper, sounding line, binoculars,
camera, safety line, small magnifying glass, small mirror, flashlight,
ladder, marking tools, safety belt, hard hat, etc.
Difficulty of access
to any portions of the structure should not be allowed to prevent
a thorough inspection. However, the inspector should not unnecessarily
jeopardize his/her safety and should arrange for ladders, scaffolding
and assistance as deemed necessary.
