Questions and Answers.pdf
PDF 217 KB Posted
- Attached to
- GAOA JMRD Stanford Bunkhouse
- Solicitation number
- 1240LU25R0020
- Issued by
-
Department of Agriculture Forest Service
About this file
This document is a Questions and Answers (Q&A) file dated 2 September 2025 for a federal project, containing three key clarifications from potential contractors. The first question addresses cable installation specifications, confirming that Service Entrance Rated (SER) and Romax (NM) cables are permitted, with installation required to comply with the 2020 National Electrical Code and be concealed within walls, floors, or ceilings with a 15-minute thermal barrier. The second question clarifies that no parking lot lights are part of the project, and a motion sensor note on sheet E3 is a "typical" note that should have been removed.
The third and most substantive question relates to Buy American requirements for lighting and controls, with the Forest Service specifying that the Buy American Act (BAA) applies to all Federal procurements over $10,000. The document provides detailed definitions of Buy American Act and Made in America Certification, explaining that manufactured items must be predominantly produced in the United States. The Forest Service will review substitutions after contract award, accepting alternatives that meet quality and performance requirements, and will accept a "Made in America" certificate for light fixtures.
View the file
Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| Attachment 4 Stanford Bunkhouse Drawings Signed.pdf | ||
| Attachment 2 Section C Statement of Work.docx | DOCX document | |
| 1240LU25R0020 Stanford Bunkhouse Solicitation.pdf | ||
| Attachment 1 Schedule of Items.docx | DOCX document | |
| Attachment 3 Specifications.pdf | ||
| Attachment 5 Wage Determination.pdf |
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Questions and Answers
2 September 2025
1. Specification section 25 05 19 – part 3.02 indicates Service Entrance Rated (SER) cable and Romax (NM) cable are acceptable for installation in this building. These cables would not be installed in conduit. We are double checking that this is aligned with the intent of design.
Answer: Yes, Type SE and NM Cables are permitted. Installation shall comply with all specifications, drawings, and the 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC) per sheet A3 of the drawings. For context, use of SE or NM cables outside conduit “shall be concealed within walls, floors, or ceilings that provide a thermal barrier of material that has at least a 15-minute finish rating as identified in listings of fire-rated assemblies.” (NEC 334.10.3).
2. Keynote 1 Sheet E3 shows a motion sensor for parking lot lights, but there doesn’t appear to be parking lot lights called out anywhere. Is this for future lights? Please review and clarify. Thank you.
Answer: There are no Parking Lot lights in this project. Key Note 1 on sheet E3 does not have a call out in the plans and is a “typical” note that should have been removed from this plan set.
3. Lighting (265100) and controls (260923) for this project. Note 10 of the fixture schedule states that a Made in America Certification is required. I went over the written specifications and didn’t find anything further about the requirements. Do you have additional information on what is required? I’m familiar with Buy America/n projects and BAA and BABA but not Made in America Certification requirements.
Answer: The Buy America Act (BAA) applies to all Federal procurements valued at over $10,000. The Buy American Act applies to all manufactured items in this contract. I did not see this in the specifications, but did find these two notes in the drawings:
Drawing sheet E1:
Drawing Sheet E6 note 10:
Regarding light fixtures, I would accept a “Made in America” certificate.
Brief definitions:
Buy American Act (BAA): Manufactured items must be manufactured in the United States, but qualify as such if they are manufactured in the United States, and (1) at least 60% of the cost of components is mined, produced, or manufactured in the United States, or (2) the item is a COTS item.
Made in America Certification: Indicates that a product is made in the United States and complies with the FTC's guidelines, which require that a product advertised as "Made in USA" be "all or virtually all" made in the U.S. This means that the significant parts and processing must originate from the U.S., and the final assembly must also occur domestically.
The Forest Service will review substitutions after the contract has been awarded.
Substitutions will be accepted as an “approved equal” as long as quality and performance requirements of the contract are met.
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