2 - Amendment 1 - Attachment - Questions and Answers.pdf

FCI/FPC PEKIN REPLACE FIRE ALARM SYSTEM

PROJECT 23Z4AM8 - QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

SOLICITATION 15BFA023B00000034

1. Is the Government the responsible entity for the design portion?

CLARIFICATION: Any changes to the existing design are to be completed as per the Statement of Work and it is the responsibility of the contractor to make those changes in compliance with NFPA 72 to make the new system, with changes, fully compliant. Changes to the existing design are in the Statement of Work Section 1.1, BB, Section 1.1, CC, and Section 1.1 KK.

2. Is this device for device replacement and upgrade of existing EST panels to new EST4 Panels and two (2) Fire Works systems.

CLARIFICATION: The existing system was certified as NFPA compliant when installed in approximately 1994. The new system, with changes, must be compliant with current NFPA standards. See Statement of Work, Section 1.1 B, C, E, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, Y, Z, AA, BB, and CC.

3. Has the Government shown or listed in the SOW all initiating and annunciation devices to meet NFPA and the FBOP design?

CLARIFICATION: The as-builts for the existing system from original installation in approximately 1994 are provided. The new system, with changes, must be compliant with current NFPA standards. See Statement of Work, Section 1.1 B, C, E, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, Y, Z, AA, BB, and CC.

All the buildings listed require: SFP Network Controller CAT5 UTP Copper. Section EE states “The fire alarm system must communicate through the currently installed fiber optic system FCI/FPC Pekin.

4. Why are the Network Controllers specified as copper when the system must communicate through multi‐ mode fiber?

CLARIFICATION: The communication from building to building is multimode fiber. The communication between the fiber switch to EST node is on a CAT6 cable.

Drawing Sheet E317 shows a typical fire alarm system wiring detail with fiber between the fire control panels except for between FACP (S, QR, P, N/O, and M)

5. For this project, does the copper wiring remain between these buildings?

CLARIFICATION: The fiber between panels is to stay. All communication between panels is to stay. That communication is run on multimode fiber. See Statement of work Section 1.1 EE, FF, and GG.

6. Is the contractor required to pull new fiber between the panels?

CLARIFICATION: If installing EST 4 panel and devices, the fiber between building panels will stay. If changing system to equal system, new fiber must be pulled to accommodate a running system while construction is performed. See Section 1.1, EE, FF and GG

Drawing Sheet E317 shows a 25‐conductor communication cable from the Main FACP to the Security Central Processing Equipment.

7. What type of receiving equipment is in the Security Central Processing Equipment?

CLARIFICATION: The Security Central Processing Equipment does not exit. See detail on the bottom of E317 print. “This detail is not an actual panel layout. See Fire Alarm Drawings for type FACP, Number of Zones, And Number of Devices.” The main FACP is fireworks.

8. Is the FireWorks Command Station located in the Security Central Processing and using the 25‐conductor communication cable for the connection between the Main FACP and the FireWorks?

CLARIFICATION: Fireworks is the main control panel, and will communicate using a CAT6 cable to the fiber switch, with approximately 50 cable feet of distance between the two.

9. How many escorts will be guaranteed daily? This is important as this will determine crew size and the duration of the fieldwork. We would recommend that three escorts be available daily to complete the project in the allotted Period of Performance. Please confirm the number of escorts that will be provided each day.

CLARIFICATION: FBOP will provide a minimum of one escort, at all times, each day. More than one escort per day, or part of a day, is dependent on personnel availability and project need.

10. Will the contractor be required to enter and exit daily from the Front Dest and then be escorted through the facility to the Rear Gate, exit the facility, gather tools and material, reenter Rear Gate and then be escorted to the work site.

At the end of the day, the Contractor would then repeat this process in reverse. We estimated that this would take

2½ to 3 hours per workday per man. Is there any possibility of being able to enter and exit through the rear gate directly to reduce this daily unproductive time?

CLARIFICATION: As explained in the pre-bid site visit, we understand the timing of entering and exiting the premises adds to the over all labor hours. Our knowledge of working at the facility daily, gives us the best understanding of the most efficient entering or exit procedures. We will determine weekly the best procedure to reduce these times. We will plan specific days to bring material and tools into the facility. On the non-material and non-tool days, we will utilize our main lobby for entrance to the institution.

11. Who will be responsible for correcting the faulty wiring?

CLARIFICATION: See Statement of Work Section 1.1, C; Section 1.1, F and Section 1.1, G for areas known to require new wiring. Any faulty wiring found in the course of the project not in the scope of Section 1.1, C;

Section 1.1, F and Section 1.1, G will need to be brought to the attention of the FBOP without undo delay. The plan of action to remedy any such defective wiring discovered will be the responsibility of the FBOP.

12. Will the existing panels be cleared of all troubles, faults, alarm conditions prior to starting work?

CLARIFICATION: No

13. IN SCOPE OF WORK, Section D The exiting graphic workstation functions shall continue to display the address of the alarm – It is believed that the exiting workstation software needs upgradation & is not able to ensure interface between new and existing FACPs during the process of installation, in that case can a second graphic workstation be used simultaneously.

CLARIFICATION: Fireworks will need to be reprogrammed, as each building is taken down, to perform installation of new equipment. Once a building is complete, Fireworks needs reprogrammed to work for that building to be a functioning system. We emphasize in the Statement of Work that one building at a time must be worked on. The rest of the buildings must stay operational with the existing system. The existing system uses the building multimode fiber to communicate. This fiber system loops from building to building. Those strands of fiber used for this communication must stay to keep the rest of the system operational. The FBOP will not be responsible for purchasing or installing additional fiber to run a simultaneous equal system. See Statement of Work Section 1.1, EE; Section 1.1, FF and Section 1.1, GG.

14. IN SCOPE OF WORK, Section F New Fire Alarm Cabling – If the new equal system is compatible and reuses exiting hard‐wire cable, this will be a significant saving to the project. Does it have to be removed? Please specify the exiting hard‐wire cable type?

CLARIFICATION: See Statement of Work Section 1.1, C; Section 1.1, F and Section 1.1, G for areas known to require new wiring. The existing wire is 16-2 non-shielded fire alarm cable. The existing wiring method is a T-tapped installation. To install addressable devices, new continuous runs must be pulled to meet the requirements for compatibility with EST 4 addressable devices.