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

Y -- BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY PROJECT PRA-BLRI 2M19,N13 SOL DTFH71-97-B-00003 DUE 011697 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. This procurement is open to all business concerns. Blue Ridge Parkway Project PRA-BLRI 2M19,N13, in McDowell County, North Carolina, consists of slide repairs and approach work on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Mileposts 336.9, 345.2, and 351.9; pavement overlay at the Singlecat Ridge Parking Area; and includes grading, drainage improvements, embankment reinforcement, placement of aggregate base and hot asphalt concrete pavement, and other miscellaneous work. Principal items of work and approximate quantities are as follows: Roadway Excavation, 3,500 m3; Unclassified Borrow, 500 m3; Geogrid Reinforcement (primary and intermediate), 8,500 m2; Aggregate Base, C or D, 2,000 metric tons; Hot Asphalt Concrete Pavement, Class C, Grading B and D, 2,000 metric tons; Steel-Backed Timber Guardrail, 500 m; Temporary Traffic Signal System, 3 each. The project is expected to fall within the price range of $500,000 to $1,000,000 and has a construction completion date of September 15, 1997. Invitation for Bids No. DTFH71-97-B-00003 to be issued on or about December 17, 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 16, 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. (0338)

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