Sandsage Bison Range & Wildlife Area

EVT0001413 Fence Specifications

Sandsage Bison Range & Wildlife Area

A.  The Sandsage Bison Range & Wildlife Area is located in central Finney County, approximately 0.5 mi. south of Garden City, Kansas, and is owned and operated by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism. This contract is to cover the removal and disposal of an existing fence, and the construction of approximately 3.5 miles of hi-tensile woven wire fence (see Figure 1). The contractor must furnish all necessary labor, equipment and material to complete the project.

B.  Fence shall be constructed entirely of new materials. All existing wire, staples and posts must be removed from the existing fence line and disposed of properly by the contractor. Fence posts may not be removed by cutting or breaking them off; they are to be pulled from the ground. On posts that have already rotted or burned off, the contractor does not need to remove the portion still in the ground. All steel posts shall be salvaged and stacked in a pile (for potential reuse) at a site designated by the refuge manager. When new wire is being put up and stretched, the end of a day’s "run" of new fence must be the anchor post of a single "H" brace, the center post of a double “H” brace, or a corner post, whichever the specific site requires.

C.  The new fence shall be constructed to the following specifications:

1.  Posts: All wood posts and braces shall be CCA pressure-treated southern yellow pine with a minimum of 0.40 lbs. of treatment per cubic foot of post.

Line posts shall alternate between 5" diameter x 10 ft wood posts set 4.5’ in the ground and 8 ft steel T-posts with anchor plates rated at 1.33 lbs./ft (painted green)set at 2.5’ in the ground. Line posts shall be installed on 18 ft centers. H-type braces shall not be spaced more than 1320’ apart.

Corner posts and all brace posts shall be 12 feet long wood posts with a 6 inch minimum diameter, installed a min. of 5’in the ground with a preference of 6.5’ depth. Distance between corner posts and brace posts shall be 12.5’ feet. The horizontal brace between these posts shall be 12.5’ X 2” SS-20 H.T. tubing and held in place using ½” galvanized pins. No notches are to be cut in the corner or brace posts. The brace shall be installed using a ½” X 10” galvanized pin on the brace post and a ½” X 4” pin on the end or corner post. Brace wire, made of smooth 12 1/2 gauge high tensile wire, is to be wrapped twice around the posts, pulled tight and then fastened with an inline strainer, instead of being twisted. Two nicopress sleeves shall be used to fasten the inline strainer to the end of the wire. Brace wires shall run from the bottom of the anchor posts to the brace post over the top of the exposed end of the 10” brace pin.(See Figure 2).

All posts shall be driven (pounded) for efficiency and firmness. A straight fence line must be maintained and posts must be installed at right angles to the contour, except as next described for corner and brace posts.

2.  Wire: Solidlock high tensile woven wire, type 16/61/12, with 16 indicating the number of horizontal wires, 61 indicating the fence height in inches, and 12 indicating the spacing in inches between vertical wires, shall be installed. The woven wire shall have 12 1/2 gauge (minimum) high tensile horizontal wires, 12 1/2 gauge (minimum) medium tensile vertical wires, 13 gauge (min.) nonslip knots, class 3 galvanizing, roll lengths of 330 or 660 feet, and graduated horizontal wire spacings. The bottom of the woven wire shall be fastened first approximately 3 inches above the ground. Alternating horizontal wires shall be stapled on each wooden line and brace post, always including the stapling of the top and bottom wire on each line and brace post. Steel line posts shall have clips on alternating horizontal wires, always including the top and bottom wire. Individual wire runs shall not exceed 1320’ between H-type braces.

3.  Staples: 1 ¾” x 9 gauge Class 3 galvanized double barbed staples shall be used. Staples are not to be driven vertically, but angled and slightly staggered to straddle the grain in the wood. The staples shall not be hammered home, but left out just enough to allow free lateral movement of the wires.

4.  Gates: Ten gateways will be constructed ("H" brace assembly on each side) and ten gates installed with galvanized fittings and boltthru hinges. The gates will be 5'H x 18'W. Gate locations will be designated by the refuge manager.

Corner posts, brace posts, and "H" braces shall be constructed first and line posts installed in a straight line between them.

D.  The woven wire shall be fastened to the corner posts by passing it around the posts and tying it to itself, or else by fastening it by the use of Nicopress split sleeves (two Nicopress sleeves on each horizontal wire). Either of these two methods may also be used to fasten one roll of woven wire to another. If the two ends are tied together, the two ends shall be joined together where two stay (vertical) wires meet. Staples are not to be used on the end posts except to position the height of the woven wire. The tension on the wires will hold the position firmly when the woven wire is stretched. The use of staples can cause a twisting pull on corner posts, weakening the structure. The woven wire shall be stretched to the proper tension. Proper tension occurs when the tension curves on the horizontal wires are pulled half straight at the normal mean temperature in the area, or a wire strainer with a builtin tension indicator can be used to stretch the wire to the specification recommended by the manufacturer. Strainer clamps designed for 61" or taller wire must be used, and three wire strainers attached to the clamps to ensure the clamps are tensioned evenly at the top, center, and bottom. All wires shall be placed on the side of the posts facing the interior of the bison range. The side of the woven wire with the vertical wires on the front shall be placed to face the interior of the refuge.

E.  Where an abrupt change in topography occurs, an anchor post shall be installed on that point and "H" braced in both directions. The ends of the fence shall be brought to the brace assembly from each direction, properly tensioned, and tied to the anchor post. In places where the change in topography is less severe, the fence may be properly tensioned to follow the contour of the land and pass over small rises and be pulled into shallow dips. Additional posts may have to be installed in those areas in order to maintain the proper 3” distance between the bottom wire and the ground (wire must follow contour of ground).

F.  Where there are any narrow, deep gullies that exit through the boundary, the fence shall be stretched straight across the top of the gully and an independent section of fence constructed below it to block the gully. These areas will be designated by the refuge manager.

G.  The contractor shall mow a 6 ft wide minimum path centered directly on the boundary line once he has removed the old fence, so as to expedite construction of the new fence. The new fence shall be located as flagged by the area manager.

H.  All bidders must have prior experience in the construction of woven wire fence and will be required to provide two references from prior fencing projects involving hi-tensile woven wire. All bidders must be bonded and insured. Each bidder must provide a total bid and also must show a breakdown of the bid into the following parts: Materials (Total and per foot basis) and Labor (Total and per foot basis). The contractor shall be paid for materials ASAP after they are delivered to the Bison Range. The contractor shall be paid for labor every two weeks based on the number of feet of fence that has been replaced and completed according to the specifications of the contract.

I.  On-site work under terms of this contract can start immediately upon signing of contract; and weather permitting, shall start within 30 days of signing the contract. Project must be completed by October 1, 2012.

J.  Qualified bidders may contact the Bison Range manager, Tom Norman, to get a complete tour of the work site prior to bidding. Tom may be reached at the following address and phone number: Sandsage Bison Range & Wildlife Area, 785 S. Hwy 83, Garden City, Kansas 67846, 620276-8886 (office) or 620-474-3645 (cell). It is strongly recommended that all bidders do this, so as to get a complete feel for the job and all its requirements. The low bidder will be required to meet on-site with the Bison Range manager before the contract is signed. Bison Range manager Tom Norman of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks will serve as the Department’s representative and inspect and approve all work completed under terms of the contract.

Figure 2

EVT0001413 Bid Schedule

What is your total bid price for this project? $______

Per Section H, provide a breakdown of the above cost by:

·  Materials Total $______

·  Materials (at a per foot cost) $______

·  Labor Total $______

·  Labor (at a per foot cost) $______

Provide two references below along with contact information. References shall be for prior fencing projects involving hi-tensile woven wire.