Questions Round 1_Baton Rouge LA FINAL.pdf

Baton Rouge, LA OPC RLP No. 36C10F23R0027

Questions Round 1

1. Lease Section 3.14.A.4 states “The Lessor is encouraged to purchase at least 50 percent of the

Government tenant’s electricity from renewable sources.” Please confirm the 50% renewable electricity is not a requirement.

Response: This is not a requirement.

2. Lease Section 3.40.A states “HVAC systems shall be installed and operational per the requirements of this lease, additional codes listed, and Agency Specific Requirements identified in the Appendices, including all Building common areas. The design, operation and maintenance of the systems will meet American National Standards Institute, American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ANSI/ASHRAE) Standard 170, Ventilation of Healthcare Facilities. All HVAC systems shall be provided as part of the shell rent.”. This is not consistent with the Typical GSA Shell Mechanical Requirement for an “Open Office Space”. Appendix A.2 Lease Design Narrative Section 4.4 does not note that the TI Specific Systems or Equipment as Shell. Please confirm if Lease Section 3.40 can be revised to include the “GSA Standard Mechanical System” as a Shell Costs and the premiums for the VA Required System designed during the CD Process are TI Costs. If not, please provide additional information so the Complete System can be priced and included in the Shell Costs including VA provided equipment that impacts on the HVAC system.

Response: This a VA requirement, and there will be no revision to Lease Section 3.40.A.

Lease Design Narrative and Room Data Matrix provide HVAC requirements. The system and components shall be a part of Shell rent. Planned equipment is provided in the Project Room Contents List.

3. Lease Section 3.45.A Security for New Construction states “DESIGN-BASIS THREAT –The Lessor is responsible for providing countermeasure provisions outlined in the attached FSL document.” Please confirm that all items listed in the FSL Document are not Shell and that the ASR notation of Shell versus TI is correct.

Response: Please refer to the preamble of Appendix A.5, Security Requirements, for the distinction between shell and TI.

4. The Appendix A.2 Lease Design Narrative does not include any “Shell” designations. Please confirm unless included in Lease Section 3, all items noted in the Appendix ASR and Lease Design Narrative are TI Costs. Including the items noted below:

a. ASR Section 2.1.7 Photographic Documentation

b. ASR Section 4.1.1.3 Loading Dock (including dock equipment and overhead doors)

c. ASR Section 4.2.7 Entry Canopies

d. ASR Section 4.3.7 Window Shades

e. ASR Section 4.6.1 Standby Generator / Essential Electrical System

Response: Shell requirements provided in the Lease Design Narrative shall be provided as part of the shell rent. Tenant Improvement requirements provided in the Lease Design Narrative shall be a part of the TI Allowance.

a. TI

b. Shell

c. Shell

d. TI

e. Code required EES or Emergency Generators are shell, additional capacity as required by section 4.6.1 is TI.

5. RLP Section 3.06.AC calls for a Project Schedule. Lease Section 4.01 provides the required Schedule Design and VA Review Periods but does not provide all required Durations. Please provide durations to complete Section 4.01 and a projected “Award Date”.

Response: Offerors should submit a project schedule that includes proposed timeframes for the durations not specified in Lease Paragraph 4.01. In accordance with RLP Paragraph 1.02.G, substantial completion is anticipated to be 30 months from lease award. The Government has not provided guidance on the timing of lease award.

6. Appendix - Facility Security Level II Section 1.11 Vehicle Barriers as a “(Shell)” Cost but does not provide quantity per location. Please provide additional information regarding the required QTY.

Response: Quantity and location of vehicle barriers are dependent on an offer’s unique site design.

7. Appendix - Facility Security Level II Section 2.1 Blast Resistance-Windows, 2.2 Blast Resistance:

Façade and Structure, and 2.3 Blast Resistance: Progressive Collapse as a Shell Cost. Typical GSA/VA FSL II Buildings don’t require blast resistance including Blast Resistance Windows. Since this is a FSL II Building please confirm if Blast Resistance is a requirement.

Response: The requirements listed in sections 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 of Appendix A.5, Security Requirements, are the requirements for this project.

8. Appendix - Facility Security Level II Section 2 states “For new construction projects and major rehabilitation projects over 100,000 GSF, a blast engineer with formal training in structural dynamics and demonstrated experience with accepted design practices for blast resistant design must be included as a member of the design team” but does not designate this a Shell Cost. Please confirm if this is a requirement and confirm these costs are a TI Cost.

Response: For new construction projects and major rehabilitation projects over 100,000 GSF, a blast engineer with formal training in structural dynamics and demonstrated experience with accepted design practices for blast resistant design must be included as a member of the design team. A/E fees for shell shall be included in the shell rental rate and A/E Fees for T.I. shall be included in the A/E Fees proposed in section 1.09 of the L-100.

9. Appendix - Facility Security Level II Section 5.1, 5.2, and 5.4 calls for a “VSS” system as a Shell Cost and Appendix A.2 Lease Design Narrative Section 4.8.8.7 calls for the CCTV system to be a TI Cost. Please confirm that all VSS and CCTV system costs are TI Costs.

Response: LDN Section 4.8.8.7 doesn’t call for the CCTV system to be a TI cost. Appendix A.5, Security Requirements, Sections 5.1, 5.2, and 5.4 are shell requirements. Any additional cameras because of the post-award design development can be allocated to TI allowance.

10. Appendix - Facility Security Level II Section 5.5 calls for an Intrusion Detection System as a TI Cost, and Section 5.6 calls for Intrusion Detection Monitoring as a Shell Costs. Please confirm that all costs associated with the Intrusion Detection System are TI Costs.

Response: The IDS sections are accurate as written. IDS coverage is a TI cost, and IDS monitoring is a shell cost.

11. Will the VA be considering a 3-week extension for this project?

Response: Please refer to RLP Amendment 1.

12. 2C -Appendix A.2- 4.1.1.3- How many truck spaces shall be provided at the dock? How many dock levelers shall be provided?

Response: A minimum of one (1) truck lane and one (1) dock leveler.

13. 2C – Appendix A.2- 4.1.2.1 states that there are 600 parking spaces required. Are the motorcycle spaces included in the 600 parking spaces, or in addition to the 600 spaces?

Response: Motorcycle spaces are included in the parking count.

14. 2C -Appendix A.2- 4.6 “Additional Electrical Requirements" states generator fuel capacity of 72 hours; 4.6.1.1.4 states 24-hour fuel runtime.

Response: Generator fuel capacity shall be 72 hours.

15. 2C -Appendix A.2- 4.6 “Additional Electrical Requirements" states a separate life safety and fire pump ATS (if required) will be provided, is the intent to place all other optional standby loads a single emergency branch? Or should the system have additional branches of emergency power i.e... critical, equipment delayed equipment automatic, optional standby etc.

Response: Standby systems are used to provide backup power for building systems and equipment the VA wants to back up during a power outage. If the generator also supports life safety loads, then the Offeror shall determine appropriate branches or separations necessary per code requirements.

16. 2C -Appendix A.2- 4.6 “Additional Electrical Requirements indicates the entire building shall be on backed up by the emergency generator, other sections indicate specific emergency power requirements, should those areas be placed on a higher priority branch of emergency power?

Response: VA does not have any preference for higher priority branches regarding back up power. Offerors shall design a standby generator system for continued operations during a power outage.

17. 2C -Appendix A.2- 4.6.1.3 calls for circuits for a mobile medical unit. There is no mention of a mobile unit elsewhere in the Lease Design Narrative or the Conceptual Floor Plan. Are provisions for a Mobile Medical Unit required? If so, what type of provisions?

Response: Please provide 3 (50A) separate circuits. Location to be determined during design development.

18. 2G-BR -Conceptual Floor plan is it required to have the normal power service physically separated by a room from the emergency power distribution? The floor plan does not indicate separation.

Response: Provide as required by the Authority having Jurisdiction.

19. 6-BR Form 1364 is blank is that intentional?

Response: Offerors are instructed to fill out this form and submit it in their price proposals.

20. 2C Appendix A.2- 4.5.5.4 “Special Plumbing Requirements" calls for piped natural gas in multiple rooms. What appliance will require natural gas?

Response: Planned equipment requirements are detailed in the Project Room Contents List.

21. 2C Appendix A.2 - 4.5.5.3 What high purity water systems are required in the laboratory space and where do they require outlets?

Response: Please see response to Question 20.

22. 2C Appendix A.2 - 4.5.5.4 What specialty gases are required in the laboratory space and where do they require outlets?

Response: Please see response to Question 20.

23. A.2-4.1.2- Does there need to be any separate parking for emergency vehicles (ambulance / police) and would that be part of the 600 parking spaces?

Response: No separate parking for emergency vehicles (ambulance / police) is required.

24. There are spaces identified as Audiology and some associated spaces. Are we going to need an “Acoustical Engineer” on this project?

Response: Provide all necessary A/E services for the design and construction project.

25. Section 4.5.5.4- It talks about specialty plumbing and mentions a “Gym”, it also mentions a “PMRS treatment Exercise Area”. I didn’t really see anything in the Program that mentions anything like this except a “Treadmill Room” in the Multi-Specialty Clinic Section. We would need more information for the equipment. If there are treadmills or specific work-out equipment, they typically require dedicated circuits and that could easily increase electrical loading, depending on how much they want to do.

Response: “Gym” is referring to the Exercise Treatment Area in PM&R. Please refer to Project Room Contents List for planned equipment which includes Joint Serial Number (JSN) that detail electrical requirements of equipment include if dedicated circuits are required.

26. Page 7. Sec 2.02 Regarding 1 in 100-year flood plain. Known as Flood Zone AE in Louisiana.

Would sites where the proposed building and parking lot sit in flood zone X, but the immediate and adjacent roads to the development sit in flood zone AE be eligible for consideration?

Response: Please refer to the second paragraph under RLP Paragraph 2.02.

27. Page 28 Joint Venture. If submitting as a Joint Venture between landowner and other partners/investors, please confirm that “all submission documents” would exclude items such as tax returns and such that would be submitted in respect to each partner/component of the joint venture. The submission and lease agreement would be in the name of the new joint venture, LLC submitting as a whole.

Response: Pursuant to RLP Submission Instructions Section B Financial Resources (page 23-25) Section iii-iv, all partners must submit the requisite financial information even if the entity has created an LLC.

28. Page 18 Sec 3.07A Does the Tenant Improvement Pricing include any FF&E or Medical Equipment or machines in its number, whether attached or not attached?

Response: Project Room Contents List provides the planned Contractor-provided / Contractor-installed equipment which would be a part of the T.I. Allowance.