The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), Mid-Pacific Region is seeking information from all potential contractors on how they would go about removing the bridge described below. Reclamation does not intend to pay for this information. A site visit is scheduled for November 15, 2006 at 10:00 AM. To register for the site visit, please contact Dan Holsapple at (209) 536-9094, ext. 220. The date for receipt of this information is November 27, 2006 at 2:00 PM. All contractors are encouraged to submit their technical approach on how they would go about removing the bridge to the attention of Debra A. Keith, Contracting Officer, 2800 Cottage Way, Room E-1815, Sacramento, California 95825 no later than November 27, 2006 at 2:00 PM. REMOVAL OF OLD CAMP NINE BRIDGE, NEW MELONES LAKE-LOCATION AND SITE ACCESS--Old Camp Nine Bridge is located on the upper arm of the Stanislaus River, spanning between Calaveras and Tuolumne Counties, California. The bridge is situated 50 to 150 feet downstream of the Stanislaus Afterbay Dam, a timber and steel wicket-type structure. The afterbay dam is owned by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). The bridge is approximately 1 to 2 miles downstream of the Stanislaus Powerhouse, owned and operated by PG&E. Access to the bridge is via State Route 4. Approximately 5 miles east of Angels Camp, take Parrotts Ferry Road south. About 1-1/4 miles south of the Parrotts Ferry Road/State Route 4 junction, Camp Nine Road branches off to the east. The bridge is located about 7-8 miles east of the Parrotts Ferry turnoff. The Camp Nine Road is steep, narrow and winding. Access by large vehicles may be limited. Access to the north end of the bridge has been eliminated by reconstruction or realignment of the Camp Nine Road. Access to the south end of the bridge can be obtained by crossing the New Camp Nine Bridge, located about two miles downstream of the Old Camp Nine Bridge. After crossing over the new bridge, turn left and travel in a northeasterly direction to the site of the old bridge. BACKGROUND--Old Camp Nine Bridge is a steel bridge consisting of three spans. On the center span, the steel stringers are supported by steel floor beams which in turn are supported by Warren trusses. The stringers on each of the two approaches to the center span are supported by two steel bents. The timber deck of the bridge, though severely deteriorated, is still present on the north span and central span. Timber guardrails are still intact on the north approach span. The timber guardrails and timber decking have been stripped from the southern span of the bridge. The construction date of the bridge is unknown and no drawings of the structure are known to exist. It has been speculated that the bridge was originally built to serve the town of Camp Nine which once stood where PG&E's Stanislaus Powerhouse is now located. The bridge may have been built to provide access to the old Stanislaus Powerhouse. During the construction of New Melones Dam, the New Camp Nine Bridge, a modern concrete and steel bridge with increased load-carrying capacity, was built approximately 2 miles downstream from Old Camp Nine Bridge. With the introduction of this new bridge, Old Camp Nine Bridge was no longer required to provide access across the upper Stanislaus River. Following construction of the new bridge, the approach road at the north end of Old Camp Nine Bridge was apparently realigned, cutting the bridge off from traffic at that end. The bridge has been inundated from time to time due to the fact that it lies below the high lake surface elevation of 1088.00 feet above mean sea level. The pavement for the north approach road to the bridge consists of an 18-inch thick concrete slab, half of which is now missing. The upstream half of the slab is missing and the downstream side of the roadway is severely undercut. This undercutting ranges between 1'-6" and 3'-10" depending, on location. Because of the undercutting, the remaining concrete slab has sagged slightly under its own weight. The concrete slab that remains is in good condition. Photographic evidence implies that the steel components of the bridge were coated with red-lead primer paint, covered by an aluminum overcoat. THE REQUIREMENT--The Contractor is required to remove the bridge, as described below. Due to fluctuating lake surface levels, the onsite demolition work will have to be performed during the months of August and September, 2007. Prior to commencing onsite work, the Contractor shall obtain Government approval of the Contractor's proposed method of preventing debris from entering the waterway. The Government will obtain all environmental permits required to perform the work, based on the method of removal proposed by the Contractor and accepted by the Government. The Contractor is required to comply with all conditions of the permits in force during the contract work. The Contractor shall: 1. Remove the timber deck (two spans). 2. Remove all steel (stringers, trusses, bracing, bents, and all embedded anchor rods projecting above the rock line). 3. Remove the two concrete piers (one located at each end of the center span) down to the rock line. 4. Remove six (6) short concrete walls, three (3) per side. Four of the six are foundations for steel bents that provided intermediate support for the bridge stringers on the outer spans. 5. Preserve abutment, wing walls, and pavement slab on the north side of the river. 6. Remove guardrail from roadway slab on north side of river. 7. Remove south abutment and wing walls. 8. Preserve rubble walls adjacent to and in the vicinity of the abutment wing walls on both sides of river. 9. Remove miscellaneous debris (timbers, broken concrete, and scrap steel). 10. Remove fence barriers that have been placed at each end of the bridge to close off access. All removed materials shall become the property of the Contractor and disposed of offsite in an approved manner. RESTRICTIONS--It is imperative that the demolition work be performed without damaging the rubble walls adjacent to the north abutment and the rubble walls in the vicinity of the south abutment. Also, the roadway on the south end of the bridge must be preserved. These rubble walls are part of the historic Camp Nine Road and must be protected under federal cultural resource protection laws. Damage to the walls or to the roadway resulting from the Contractor's operation will be required to be repaired by the Contractor at the expense of the Contractor. The Contractor shall comply with all federal, state and local laws and regulations, including but not limited to: National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Endangered Species Act (ESA), Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Archeological Resources Protection Act, 49 CFR for Hazardous Materials, 40 CFR for Solid Wastes, OSHA for Safety, Department of Transportation for transportation issues, Federal Aviation Administration for air transport etc. Contractor shall comply with Reclamation Safety and Health Standards. Some species that may be impacted by the work are: kokanee salmon, bald eagles, ospreys, and valley elderberry longhorn beetles. REFERENCES Bureau of Reclamation Travel Report - Old Camp Nine Bridge, New Melones Dam - General Condition Assessment - Inspection Date July 21, 2004.