B11_Site_Visit_Q_A_MORA_T-Woods_Fiber_Optic_Cable_Install_0002.pdf

National Park Service Mount Rainier National Park

Pre-Proposal Site Visit

T-Woods Housing Fiber Installation Project Solicitation 140P8326Q0014

04 March 2026, 12:00 pm PST 55210 238th Ave E, Ashford, WA 98304

Questions / Answers:

Q1. What type of boxes do you want installed on the exterior of the houses and the trailer pad? And does each conduit that comes up from the ground need to be directly attach to each box?

A1. The boxes to be installed on the houses and trailer pad shall be a plastic residential wall-mount fiber optic network interface device known as a “NID”. These boxes have the necessary fiber cable attachments and bulkhead panels. A printed copy showing an example of a NID box (PDF included with this document) was provided as an example to vendors. It was verbally explained that the example shown is only a general idea of what is being requested and that I am not requesting the shown product.

It would be up to contractors to supply and install NID boxes that meet the specifications laid out in the SOW.

The conduits that come up out of the ground at the houses should be stubbed off at 6 to 12 inches above ground. The fiber cable can be exposed for the short distance to the NID box presumably mounted above it.

Q2. 2.5” conduit is not as available on the market as 3”. Can one 3” conduit be run (between vaults 4 and 9) instead of two 2.5” conduits?

A2. Yes, it would be acceptable to instead go with one 3” conduit instead of 2 x 2.5” for the path between vaults 4 and 9 as shown on the project map.

Q3. 120-fiber cable is not as available on the market as 144-fiber cable. Can 144-fiber cable be used instead?

A3. Yes, a 144-fiber cable would be acceptable. Fibers 121 through 144 would remain unterminated at the cable endpoints. The cost difference between 120 and 144 fiber cable is expected to be negligible.

Q4. What type of fiber panel should be installed in the Admin Building server room?

A4. Contractor shall supply and install a 19” high-density rackmount fiber patch panel or ODF capable of terminating 120 fibers to LC/UPC connectors. It shall be mounted directly underneath an existing fiber patch panel in the same rack.

Q5. Regarding the installation of underground conduit – the pathway has a lot of tree roots and brush (especially between vaults 5 and 6) that would all be disturbed if trenching is performed exclusively with a machine such as an excavator. Can boring or other methods be used instead?

A5. Yes. Contractors may propose directional boring, trenching, other methods, or a combination thereof in their bid proposals. There were no known stipulations provided in the environmental compliance documentation that limited the project to a specific type of digging to be used.

Q6. Regarding the asphalt road cut between vaults 6 and 7 – could that be bored instead of an asphalt cut?

A6. Yes. Same answer as A5.

Q7. Do the exposed above-ground conduits need to be painted brown?

A7. No. They can be painted later by the park if the need arises.

Q8. Regarding the apartment building conduit/cabling for future install of WiFi APs – what type of conduit and cabling? Can conduit junction boxes be installed?

A8. For conduit, ¾” EMT is typical for this type of installation but other sizes would be acceptable in bid proposals if the contractor believes it would make more sense to do

so. For the ethernet cabling, Cat 6A is the requirement in the SOW but standard Cat 6 would also be acceptable. If installation of junction boxes is desired, the type, size, and location/placement of the boxes should be included in the bid proposal.

Q9. Regarding the exterior EMT conduit runs at the apartments – how do you want the conduit paths run from the main rack cabinet out to each AP location?

A9. The conduit may all be surface-mount, and the paths/runs be kept out of view when looking at the building from the front. So if the conduits were run under the floor, underneath the lower veranda deck up to the conduit box locations, that would be acceptable, however any other alternate plans will be considered. It is up to each contractor to provide their proposed design in their bid proposal.

Q10. Regarding feeding underground fiber from Vault 4 to T117 – this conduit path has a lot of brush and tree roots in the way. Could this conduit path (and Vault 10) be removed and replaced with a conduit path from T118 instead?

A10. Yes this would be acceptable. The 12-fiber cables for both apartment buildings could be fed to T118 first, then a spur conduit could be run from T118 over to T117. The fiber for T117 would pass through T118 to get there.

Q11. How should the conduit enter each apartment building structure? Under the foundation? Core drill through the foundation? Install an exterior LB into the room and run surface-mount conduit?

A11. We do not have a preference on this, other than it must meet common building codes and standards, and installed in a professional manner. It would be up to each contractor to include their plan in their bid proposal.