RFI-AMENDED SOW BOILER INSPECTIONS.docx

US Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Statement of Work

Contents

Project

YEARLY BOILER INSPECTION AND TUNING

General Information

1.0 Scope of Work

The United States Department of Agriculture/National Center for Animal Health (USDA/NCAH) has a requirement for yearly inspection and tuning of our gas fired boilers tuning. This contract will be base plus 4-year written contract.

2.0 Background

The USDA/NCAH campus is a premier facility dedicated to safeguarding animal health through advanced research, diagnostics, and disease control measures. Comprising of National Animal Disease Center NADC), National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL, and the Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB), the NCAH serves as a critical hub for addressing both endemic and foreign animal diseases. These facilities conduct vital work in biosafety levels (BSL) 2 and 3 laboratories, involving the study of zoonotic diseases, vaccine development, and diagnostic testing. Established to enhance the USDA’s capacity to support the livestock industry and protect public health, the NCAH is equipped with state-of-art laboratories and containment facilities. The center’s mission aligns with the USDA’s broader goals of ensuring a safe, abundant food supply, and improving animal health and welfare through scientific excellence and innovation.

The USDA needs annual inspections and tuning of boilers

1. Boiler #1 Burnham Industrial 3 pass boiler model # 5P-800-SPL-GO-GP,

2. Boiler #2 Burnham Industrial 3 pass boiler model # 5P-800-SPL-GO-GP,

3. Boiler #3 Murry Iron Works CO. serial 9582,

4. Boiler #4 Cleaver Brooks MFG serial no. SP-4573.

5. HRSG2 MFG. (Rentech Boiler services) serial # 2007-31, This boiler will need inspections only no tuning.

6. Boiler #5 Cleaver Brooks MFG serial #4573.

The successful vendor is required to have their NBIC certification.

The National Board Inspection Code (NBIC) is an internationally recognized standard that governs and maintains rules for the installation, inspection, repair, and alteration of in-service pressure equipment. The NBIC is adopted into law by most US and Canadian jurisdictions. It is the basis for NBBI’s four accreditation programs (R, VR, NR, and T/O) and is utilized by more than 5,200 repair organizations in over 60 countries. The NBIC is recognized as a national standard by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

All inspection details are noted below.

Contractor Requirements

3.0 Technical Requirements / Tasks

The inspection will be an internal inspection as well as an external inspection. All boilers will be individually inspected and individually tunned after each inspection is completed between the months of May through Sep of the same year. After completion of tuning verify all operations of boilers through the master in the control room.

· Inspect all accessible internal surfaces for waterside and fireside deposits, including scaling, sediment, debris, and carbon deposits.

· Examine all stay and stayed plates.

· Inspect gas side baffles.

· Inspect internal drum surfaces and steam separating internals.

· Inspect soot blowers and verify proper alignment.

· Inspect tubes, tube ends, and tube alignment, checking for sagging tubes.

· Verify that all nozzles of internal piping suck as feedwater admission and bottom blowoff collection are clear with no obstructions.

· Inspect seating surfaces of manways and handholes.

· Check that boiler structure is plumb and level with no excessive deformation.

· Check for missing items such as bolts and nuts.

· Examine all valve and pipe connections to the pressure vessel.

· Inspect refractory including burner throat, expansion joint, bull ring, furnace seals, furnace walls, and floor.

· Verify proper alignment of burner assembly.

· Test operation of water level gage glass.

· Perform mechanical and electrical inspection of disassembled low water cutouts (disassembled by USDA). After reinstallation, test operation to the extent possible. Test low water cutouts on hot boilers by lowering water level gradually.

· Verify that the steam pressure gage is properly calibrated.

· Test operation of high steam pressure cutouts on hot boilers by raising steam pressure.

· Inspect safety valve installations and verify that the valves have proper capacity and set pressure and valves, drains and vents are properly installed. Verify that valve locking seals are not broken. On boilers that are hot, perform an operation test under pressure to confirm operation at proper set pressures. Operate boiler with burner at high fire to verify adequate steam flow capacity of the safety valves (“accumulation test”).

· When a boiler is to be prepared for internal boiler inspection, the Owner will not remove water until the setting has been sufficiently cooled at a rate to avoid damage to the boiler.

· The contractor will verify and LOTO (LOCK OUT TAG OUT) all areas before entering.

· The contractor shall not enter a boiler before all safety precautions listed above have been taken. The contractor shall ensure that all free blow vent or drain valves are open. The temperature of the boiler shall be such that the inspecting personnel will not be exposed to excessive heat.

· The contractor will follow all confined space entry requirements that meet the owners program. The contractor shall be satisfied that a safe atmosphere exists before entering either the fireside or water side of a boiler. The contractor shall not be permitted to enter an area containing toxic, flammable or inert gases, vapors or dust without appropriate personal protective equipment. The oxygen content of the breath-able atmosphere shall be between 19.5% and 23.5%.

· Personal protective equipment and clothing must be worn as appropriate. This may include, among other items, protective outer clothing, gloves, eye protection, and foot protection. The contractor shall have the proper training governing the selection and use of any personal protective equipment necessary to safely perform each boiler inspection. Particular attention should be afforded respiratory protection if the testing of the atmosphere of the object reveals any of the hazards noted in the paragraph above.

· If requested by the contractor or required by regulation or applicable procedure, a responsible person (“attendant”) shall remain outside the boiler at the point of entry while the contractor is inside and shall monitor activity inside and outside and communicate with the contractor as necessary. The attendant shall have a means of summoning rescue assistance if needed and to facilitate rescue procedures for those inside the boiler without personally entering the boiler.

External boiler inspections: The contractor will determine that all code required safety devices and components are properly installed and working. The following items are typically evaluated during an external inspection:

· Safety relief valves,

· Low water cutouts,

· flow switches,

· Gas valves and controls,

· Temperature limits,

· Remote power switches and any other attached control or protective features.

· Visible metal or insulation discoloration due to excessive heat.

· Visible distortion of any part of the pressure vessel.

· Visible leakage from any pressure-containing boundary.

· Any operating records or verbal reports of a vessel being subjected to pressure above the nameplate rating or to a temperature above or below the nameplate design temperature.

· A suspected or known history of internal corrosion or erosion.

· Evidence or knowledge of a vessel having been subjected to external heat from a fire.

· A welded repair not documented as required.

· Evidence of an accident, incident or malfunction that could affect or may have resulted from a problem with the object’s integrity Boiler tune-up: Tune-up will be performed on each boiler with natural gas and diesel fuel. All boiler adjustments and modifications should be completed by qualified, experienced technicians.

• Boiler operations in general and tune-up activities in particular are hazardous and require the skill and knowledge of experienced technicians.

• The tune-up technician should be skilled in the evaluation and adjustment of the specific boiler and burner equipment in use.

Tuning your boiler is essential to ensure that the combustion process is optimized for efficiency, safety, and emissions. A poorly tuned boiler can result in a range of problems, including increased fuel consumption, higher emissions, reduced performance, and safety hazards. Regular combustion tuning is necessary for both hot water and steam boilers.

When performing a combustion tune, it is essential to warm up the boiler correctly and tune the boiler through the complete firing cycle. Below we will discuss a sophisticated electronic meter known as a combustion analyzer. This tool analyzes gas percentages present in the exhaust to determine the ideal mixture.

Tune-up: The tune-up activity is the act of ensuring the burners are properly mixing the air and fuel and re-establishing the most appropriate amount of excess air throughout the operating range of the boiler.

· . Operate burner(s) on each fuel from low fire to high fire and back to low fire in at least six increments and record combustion performance (flue gas oxygen, carbon monoxide, NOx where applicable), fuel train pressures, atomizing train pressures, burner pressures, stack temperatures, boiler steam output.

· Compare the combustion performance data with requirements and previous readings. If necessary, adjust the fuel flow and combustion air controllers, control valves and dampers to obtain the required performance. Record the new performance data.

· Verify accuracy of instrumentation listed below. Verify that all devices are properly selected for the application in terms of type, size, set point range, performance, code approval. Calibrate all instruments that are not within manufacturer’s specifications for accuracy.

iv. Immediately inform COR of any recommended repairs or modifications.

Refer to Deliverables in Statement of Work for Non-Compliant

· All of interlocks and safety devices to be inspected and tested on each boiler/burner/equipment, are contained in the Current VHA Boiler Plant Safety Devices Testing Manual, along with testing procedures.

· Tune-up each operating position of the combustion control system (from high-fire through low-fire).

· Establish steady operation for the target operating point. ii) Adjust combustion control position relationship to achieve desired combustion characteristics.

· Flue gas oxygen content - target will generally be the manufacturer’s specifications.

· CO content - target will generally be the manufacturer’s specifications.

· NOx content, if applicable – target will generally be the limit specified in the environmental permit.

· Adjustments for emissions control are generally completed after combustion adjustments are established.

· Measure and record the following for each operating position of the combustion control system.

· Observe flame pattern, flame dimensions, and burner condition.

· Flue gas oxygen content.

· Flue gas CO content.

· Flue gas emissions content (NOx and others).

· Final flue gas temperature.

· Document any modifications completed at each point.

· Document tune-up.

· Document the tune-up including the following.

· As-found conditions.

· Post tune-up conditions.

· Modifications and repairs completed.

· Recommended investigations and modifications.

· Identified shortcomings of the equipment.

4.0 Government Furnished

: Government will provide escorts and assistance for access to building 154 and proper precautionary measures.

The owner will prepare each boiler for internal boiler inspection in the following manner:

· The fuel supply and ignition system shall be locked out and/or tagged out, in accordance with the owner-user’s procedures.

· Water shall be withdrawn and the waterside thoroughly washed.

· Manhole and hand-hole plates, washout plugs, as well as boiler inspection plugs in water column connections shall be removed as required by the contractor. The boiler shall be cooled and thoroughly cleaned.

· Any leakage of steam or hot water into the boiler shall be prevented by disconnecting the pipe or valve at the most convenient point or any appropriate means approved by the contractor.

· Before opening the manhole(s) and entering any part of a boiler which is connected to a common header with other boilers, the required steam or water system stop valves (including bypass) must be closed, locked out and/or tagged out in accordance with the owner-user’s procedures, and drain valves or cocks between the two closed stop valves opened. After draining the boiler, the blow-off valves shall be closed, locked out and/or tagged out in accordance with the owner-user’s procedures. Alternatively, lines may be blanked or sections of pipe removed. Blow-off lines, where practicable, shall be disconnected between pressure parts and valves. All drains and vent lines shall be open.

Quality Control Requirements

A. The POC (Joe Kadolph) shall inspect the completed work for approval with the contractor prior to considering the work to be complete.

Temporary Facilities

A. Utilities: The existing USDA utilities at the site may be used by the Contractor for completion of the contract work at no cost to the Contractor.

B. Smoking is only allowed in the outdoor smoking building located at the northwest corner of Building 20. The contractor will need to check in and out at the South Guard Desk of Building 20 to use the smoking location, no propping of doors is allowed.

5.0 Deliverables / Schedule

Key Deliverables Item No.

Deliverable

Objective

Due

Building 154.

Between the months of May through Sep

Building 154 Between the months of May through Sep

6.0 Travel

N/A

7.0 Contractor’s Key Personnel

N/A

8.0 Security Requirements

A. Site Security Access

1. Access to the site is controlled by a security fence and visitor/contractor check-in/check-out system. All contractor/subcontractor employees shall sign-in and out at the site entrance gate and always wear a contractor/visitor identification badge while on the site. The ID badges will be turned in at the end of the workday. A current government-issued identification with a picture ID is required for entry.

2. The Contractor shall use only the service roads and access routes approved by the Contracting Officer’s Representative, Jeff Waterbury. Unless accompanied by a NCAH/USDA employee, the Contractor, subcontractors, and their employees shall not enter buildings or facilities not specifically part of this project. Reasons included, but are not limited to, disease control and health requirements.

3. Additional security requirements may be imposed. Additional directions will be provided if the situation occurs.

4. Failure to comply with access requirements shall be adequate grounds for the removal of the Contractor/subcontractor employees from the site and barring further site access to individuals.

5. No “tailgating” of USDA employees through secure entrances is allowed.

6. No animals/pets are allowed to be brought on the site regardless of whether they are left in a vehicle in the parking lot or not.

B. Work Hours: Regular work hours for the site are 7:00am to 6:00pm, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays.

C. Work Outside of Regular Work Hours: Is not authorized unless it is an Emergency Situation and Contractor has been requested to by the proper Federal Authority.

9.0 Data Rights

If data is to be produced, furnished, acquired, or used in meeting contract requirements, delineate the respective rights and obligations of the government and the contractor regarding the use, production, and disclosure of that data.

Insert Data Rights Here

10.0 Section 508 – Electronic and Information Technology Standards N/A

Attachment image1.png