Amendment 0006_36C24126Q0613.pdf

Amendment No.: 0006 Solicitation No.: 36C24126Q0613 Date: August 17, 2026

Purpose of Amendment

The purpose of this amendment is to provide responses to questions submitted, provide updated line items and updated Statement of Work regarding the solicitation. As a result of these questions and responses, updated line items and updated Statement of Work the response due date remains unchanged.

1. Are 12yr fire extinguisher hydrostatic testing to be performed under this contract? If so how can this be priced as the cost for each different extinguisher type is widely different?

Answer: The size, type, and rating of every fire extinguisher was provided in the SOW. The manufacture date for all extinguishers on site are more than one year old. We would like them all replaced with new ones when the respective extinguishers are due for 6 year inspection which will be within the fully exercised contract timeframe. This should be calculated into the cost of the contract.

2. Question: Can the VA add a NTE line item so the pricing for 5yr/6yr/12yr fire extinguisher service can be charged as they are actually needed? Charging for these services as they occur would be a fair and reasonable way for the government and contractor to cover the cost of fire extinguisher service? This would also allow for better tracking of the cost for fire extinguisher replacement?

Answer: Line items updated. Please see new line items. A repair line item has been added to cover non scheduled repair costs. The repair line items will have a not to exceed amount. All costs that are expected under the repair line item need to be approved by the COR prior to work starting.

3. Question: Can the contractor provide/install fire extinguishers in the base year? Many other VA are doing this so that all the fire extinguisher require service at the same time. This would also eliminate the need for trying to replace up to 180 fire extinguishers each year.

Answer: Statement of work has been updated. The base year of the contract will include the replacement of all Fire Extinguishers, Batteries and Fire Sprinkler System Gauges on line item 0001.

4. Question: The current 2025 NPFA 72 14.4.3.2 states that a battery is load tested every 3 years and to replace it if lower than 80% capacity. Will the VA be following TJC/VHA guidance in regards to battery testing?

Answer: Yes, the understanding is that the VA will be following TJC/VHA guidance and currently not perform the battery load test.

5. Question: Can the VA add a NTE line item so the pricing for battery replacement so it can be charged as they are actually needed? Charging for these services as they occur would be a fair and reasonable way for the government and contractor to cover the cost of battery replacement? This would also allow for better tracking of the cost for battery replacement

Answer: Line items updated. Please see new line items. A repair line item has been added to cover non scheduled repair costs. The repair line items will have a not to exceed amount. All costs that are expected under the repair line item need to be approved by the COR prior to work starting.

6. Question: Can the contractor return after a monthly inspection to swap out any fire extinguishers that were found to need 5yr/6yr service?

Answer: Yes.

7. Question: Will the VA provide space for the (1) eight hour training session per year?

Answer: Absolutely, it will be at the primary campus (200 Springs Rd, Bedford).

8. Question: How can the contractor provide a 24 advance notification if a technician got sick, had an car accident, death in the family, etc…? Can this be modified to allow for the contractor to provide the notification as soon as possible?

Answer: No, but extenuating circumstances permit reasonable accommodation.

9. Question: Is telephone or email debrief acceptable after work is completed?

Answer: No, the process for checkout is specified in the SOW. There will most likely be keys and/or badges to return, they need to sign out after visiting the campus, it’s necessary for tracking purposes, turn-over of any equipment replaced, etc.

10. Question: How many existing troubles and supervisory notifications are currently on the fire alarm system? At the time of award can the VA provide an updated list of troubles so contractor will know what troubles existed right before contract PoP?

Answer: There is currently a Local Trouble Act - Network Audio Circuit A Fault and a Local Trouble Act – Demux Audio Input on the system. Both are currently actively being worked on to get cleared/fixed.

11. Question: Are there fire alarm or sprinkler devices located in any know confined spaces?

Answer: No.

12. Question: There are fire dampers mentioned in the SOW but not in the attached inventory list. Can the VA provide the quantity of fire dampers? Can the VA confirm if the fire damper require and NFPA 80 or NFPA 72 inspection? The NFPA 72 inspection is annual.

The NFPA 80 inspection is every 6 years. If an NFPA 80 inspection is required what year is the inspection due?

Answer: Fire dampers are not included in this contract.

13. Question: Can the 12 hour response to a routine service call be moved to 48 or72 hours? If you are asking for a 12 hour response to a service call then you are effectively asking for every service call to be treated as an emergency. A service call placed at 2pm would require an emergency on call technician to be dispatched.

Answer: No, we want the problem to be looked at the next day by the end of the day if the problem is reported in the afternoon.

14. Question: The TJC/VHA/NFPA do not allow for annual fire alarm testing to be split into 25% increments. The annual fire alarm inspection is designed to be a snapshot full picture of how the fire alarm system program will operate. Testing in 25% increments could allow for the program to be changed several times in between 25% testing. The program could change and something you tested in quarter 1 could not work properly because of a fire alarm program change. You could pass a device that no longer works because of a human programming error. I believe VA FPE have previously said that breaking the 100% annual fire alarm test into 25% increments was not acceptable. Can VA provide documentation for the NFPA 72 Deviation via TJC/VHA Memorandum?

Answer: VA documentation is public information. The contractor should be familiar with the requirements to receive required results to maintain most stringent NFPA/JC/VA requirements.

15. Question: Can you confirm that the VA wants semi-cleaning of sprinkler heads? Sprinkler heads are normally cleaned once per year and as required, not if they are already clean.

Answer: Cleaning and maintenance is specified in the SOW and to be conducted according to the most stringent requirements among NFPA/JC/VA.

16. Question: Can you confirm that audio/visuals will be tested annually at one time? Because of the testing required for audio/visual devices you could not properly test resound, zoning and program functionality by doing 25%. Can VA provide documentation for the NFPA 72 Deviation via TJC/VHA Memorandum?

Answer: It is the contractors’ responsibility to schedule testing to receive required results to maintain most stringent requirements among NFPA/JC/VA. Documentation is public information and obtainable by the contractor.

17. Question: Can the VA clarify what Phase one and Phase 2 elevator testing is exactly?

Answer: Testing required by ASME A17.1 – Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators. Fire Alarm Contractor is required to be present and assist Elevator Contractor with setting off fire alarms to test functionality of the elevator in alarm scenario, to reset the panel, and perform any other necessary functions Fire Alarm System related. It can be planned for a single day to do all elevators.

18. Question: Can you confirm that remote annunciators are to be tested quarterly TJC/VHA/NFPA only require remote annunciators to be tested semi-annually.

Answer: Testing to be conducted according to the most stringent requirements among

NFPA/JC/VA.

19. Question: What time is each kitchen hood system available for testing? Can kitchen hood inspections be coordinated for the same day? Will VA have staff to take disable fire alarm systems for kitchen hood testing?

Answer: The kitchen hoods are available at different times in the afternoon (1:30+). The buildings will be called-out as part of the routine testing procedures. They should probably be able to be done in one day, it depends on how long the testing takes.

20. Question: Main Drains are to be tested quarterly per TJC/VHA. Can the VA confirm if quarterly or annual testing is required?

Answer: Testing to be conducted according to the most stringent requirements among

NFPA/JC/VA.

21. Question: Can the VA coordinate when the 3yr dry sprinkler testing is due?

Answer: 3 and 5 year testing due at contract Base Year.

22. Question: Can the VA confirm when the 5yr standpipe flow testing is due? Does the VA have rooftop discharge connections for standpipe flow testing?

Answer: 3 and 5 year testing due at contract Base Year and no known rooftop discharge connections for standpipe flow testing.

23. Question: If the non-restorable type heat detector is being tested annually and passed why would it need to be replaced? Can the VA verify that it wants every non-restorable heat detector that is tested to be replaced annually? If so please provide the quantity of these heat detectors to be replaced annually?

Answer: There are no known non-restorable/non-resettable type heat detectors, they have not reportedly found any in years. If any are ever found during testing, they should be annotated, replaced, and can be invoiced at 1 hour per device following prior approval.

24. Question: If the contractor has an initiating device/indicating device/control equipment fail during inspection is that repair to be quoted (labor/materials)?

Answer: Answered in the SOW and/or among these modifications.

25. Question: Can the VA confirm that if a repair can’t be completed that the VA will create an ILSM? These are a VA document that are usually created by the safety office.

Answer: If an ILSM is required due to an unsafe condition, the ILSM document will be provided by the Safety Office that the contractor must fill out. The procedure is described in the SOW.

26. Question: The EST3 is obsolete and longer supported by the manufacturer. These systems require lots of repairs based on its age. Can the VA add more labor hours to cover service calls/repairs? Can the VA add a NTE line item for parts so we don’t have to bare such a large financial risk?

Answer: No, the panels were installed less than 7 years ago, all panels were installed at the same time. The entire system’s age is all less than 10 years, annotated in the SOW. The manufacturer didn’t stop making panels until the end of 2023. Historical data shows most of any work or repairs on the fire alarm system are from components, smokes, pull stations, etc. The panels don’t routinely have any problems due to age, and the panels are scheduled to be replaced with the EST4 under a separate contract.

27. Question: Can the weekly deficiency spreadsheet be changed to bi-weekly or monthly?

Answer: Changes in the reporting frequency can be discussed upon contract award.

28. Question: Can the hard copy reports be provided quarterly versus monthly?

Answer: Our JC requirements are for hard copy reports, the specifics of the reports can be discussed upon contract award.

29. Question: What is the exact list of alarm that occurred monthly the VA is requesting?

Answer: Unresolved problems that cause repeated nuisance troubles/alarms must be reported monthly with an update of the status to resolving the issue(s).

30. Question: Please confirm that extinguishers need 6-year maintenance (not 5 year).

Answer: We have 5 year life cycle extinguishers and 12 year life cycle extinguishers. They all require monthly and annual inspections covered by this contract. The 5 year life cycle extinguishers require replacement at the 5 year period under this contract. The 12 year life cycle extinguishers require replacement at the 6 year period, covered under this contract.

31. Question: Please provide reports from current vendor for all product lines/locations.

Answer: Example and inventory documents already provided. (See previous amendments)

32. Question: Are we required to be present and provide fire alarm support during annual elevator testing?

Answer: Answered in question 17 of this document.

33. Question: Are inspections and testing of any ANSUL/special suppression systems included?

Answer: Yes, and they are listed under Dry Chemical Systems in the inventory.

34. Question: Are all required 3-year and 5-year sprinkler system inspections/tests expected to be included in the base contract pricing?

Answer: Yes.

35. Question: Several areas of the statement of work refer to all repair and replacement parts are to be included in the price for regularly scheduled inspections and services. Can you please elaborate on this requirement? A contractor cannot absorb this risk and offer the government a fair and reasonable price at the same time. The wording of the requirements used throughout the statement of work as written without a parts rider requires the contractor to replace every device on the system without being paid for it. We almost always see a Parts Rider for the contractor to be reimbursed replacement parts because it’s impossible to predict a fair and reasonable budget for 5 years’ worth of repairs.

Answer: Line items and Statement of Work have been updated. All regularly scheduled work will fall under the Fire Alarm & Maint Testing line item. Repairs, emergencies and non-scheduled work will have its own line item with a not to exceed amount. The not to exceed amount will be included in the contract at time of award. This amount is only an estimate and you are not guaranteed to the full amount.

36. Question: Can you please define general repairs, standard troubleshooting, normal repairs, and standard replacements so it is clear the exact extent to which the contractor is responsible for including these unforeseen costs into our fixed price?

Answer: As there are many unforeseen costs, the line items and Statement of work have been updated.

37. Question: These two provisions appear to give different guidance: 52.212-1(e) encourages the submission of multiple or alternate quotes, while the 52.212-2 addendum states the Government is not requesting or accepting alternate quotations. Please confirm which provision governs.

Clarification is important because the answer interacts with other questions regarding parts and material reimbursement. If the Government's intent is for the contractor to furnish all repair and replacement parts at no additional cost with no material reimbursement over a 5-year contract, an offeror would need to price that open-ended risk in full, which would materially increase the quoted price. If alternate quotes are permitted, an offeror could instead submit both (1) an all-inclusive quote covering unlimited parts, and (2) a quote priced for the regularly scheduled inspection, testing, and maintenance at a fair and reasonable rate, with parts for unforeseen repairs and replacements handled separately (e.g., under a Government-funded parts allowance or rider which is typical in most federal government contracts for these exact services). Confirming whether alternate quotes are acceptable will allow offerors to present the most cost-effective structure for the Government's needs.

Answer: FAR 52.212-1(e) is not applicable and is hereby considered removed.

38. Question: The SOW requires personnel certifications and Massachusetts "C"/"D" licenses "at the start of the contract," yet the Technical factor evaluates the offeror's demonstrated qualifications.

Please confirm exactly which certifications/licenses (company MA "C" license, factory training, personnel "D" licenses, backflow tester, OSHA-10, confined space, etc.) must be submitted with the quote for evaluation versus provided at contract start.

Answer: Please provide with your quote for evaluation.

39. Question: Please state the relative order of importance of the three factors (Technical, Past Performance, Price). Are Technical and Past Performance, when combined, significantly more important than, approximately equal to, or less important than Price?

Answer: Our approach is to evaluate quotes comparatively. There is no relative importance of the three factors. We reserve the right to consider a quotation other than the lowest price that provides additional benefits. Each quote must meet the minimum requirements of the solicitation, you may choose to exceed these requirements if you believe that if will present a benefit to the government.

40. Question: The evaluation states offerors may exceed the minimums and the Government may select a higher-value quote but is not required to. How will exceeding the minimums be credited in the comparative evaluation, and can the Government give examples of added benefit that would be viewed favorably (e.g., faster response times, additional in-house certifications, self-performed work vs subcontracted)?

Answer: Any exceeded minimums will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. How they are credited in the comparative evaluation will be dependent on the minimum that is being exceeded and the benefit the government will receive. The examples stated in your question are examples of added benefits that may be viewed favorably. However, there is no guarantee that including those benefits will improve your evaluation.

41. Question: The fire-extinguisher population is stated four different ways: the p.3 size breakdown sums to approximately 723, p.7 cites 750, Amendment 0003 cites 719 (712 + 7), and the Equipment List totals 679. Which count is authoritative for pricing monthly and annual inspection/testing and the approximately 180-unit/year replacement obligation?

Answer:

The number in the SOW was given based on the inventory and that list should be used as what will be getting checked monthly, inspected annually, etc.

o 2.5lb, Dry Chemical – ABC Rated 115 o 5lb, Dry Chemical – ABC Rated 535 o 10lb, Dry Chemical – ABC Rated 40 o 20lb, Dry Chemical – ABC Rated 26 o 10lb, Carbon Dioxide – BC Rated 3 o 6L, Wet Chemical – K Rated 4

Recommend replacing them all at base year

42. Question: Please confirm whether all hydrants are private/on-campus or publicly owned by the local water authority.

Answer: All hydrants are private and on campus.

43. Question: Because maintenance and replacement volume drives price, please provide the current in-service/manufacture dates (or an age distribution) for the fire extinguishers and fire-alarm batteries, and the anticipated number of each type of fire extinguisher due for 6-year maintenance, 12-year hydro, and 5-year replacement in each of the five contract years.

Answer: All fire extinguishers will be replaced during the base year of the contract. Any subsequent replacements will be covered by the repair line item.

44. Question: Please provide the authoritative count and model breakdown of fire-alarm control panels/annunciators (EST IRC-3, FCC, EST-3, EST-4) by building and confirm that the "Control Panel" column in the Equipment List reconciles with the stated 28 networked panels.

Answer: There are (31) EST-3 Fire Alarm Panels located at the main facility and (1) EST-4 Fire Alarm Panel located at Crescent House. (5) EST-3 Remote Annunciators (3-ANN) located at the main facility (Bldgs: 10, 12, 22, (2)78) and (1) EST-4 Remote Annunciator located at Crescent House.

Updates to the inventory “Control Panel” column for the scope of this contract are as follows:

Bldg 5 = 2, Bldg 21 = 0, Bldg 78 = 2

45. Question: The SOW requires the contractor to provide "relevant/necessary upgrades" to the FireWorks system, but Amendment 0003 states no upgrades are in scope. Please clarify whether FireWorks software updates/patches, license renewals, and configuration changes are in scope under the fixed line, and where the boundary lies between in-scope maintenance and out-of-scope "upgrades."

Answer: Software updates are within scope; hardware upgrades would be covered under the repair line item.

46. Question: Please confirm the 40 annual hours of Level 2 (Programming) labor are restricted to active FireWorks programming/reprogramming only, are Government/COR-directed, and are estimated not-to-exceed quantities (unused hours unbilled).

Answer: Confirmed, the government cannot pay for a service that is not performed.

47. Question: The dry-chemical suppression system locations differ between the SOW (Bldg 3, 7, 78, and 19/21) and the Equipment List (Bldg 3, 7, 78, and "Maintenance"). Please confirm the exact quantity, type (dry vs. wet chemical), and building locations of all kitchen-hood and fixed suppression systems, and the applicable service standard (NFPA 17/17A/96).

Answer: (7) Dry-Chemical suppression systems are located:

• Building 3 – Facility Kitchen (1 System)

• Building 7, Rm 102 – Domiciliary Kitchen (3 Systems)

• Building 78, Rm B23 – Canteen Kitchen (1 System)

• Exterior Building 22 – Hazardous Containment Unit (1 System)

• Exterior Building 70 – Hazardous Containment Unit (1 System)

48. Question: Please identify the "Maintenance" location listing 120 extinguishers - are these spare/stock units held for swap-out, and are they counted within the total population? Please confirm the required inspection cadence for spare units and whether the 120 are included in or additional to the campus totals.

Answer: They are in vehicles on the campus and the monthly inspections are performed by the drivers. The monthly inspections do not need to be included in the inspections for any listed under “maintenance” location. The annual inspection does need to be included and is usually performed on a single planned day.

49. Question: Please provide the number and type of water-based systems (wet, dry, pre-action, standpipe classes) by building/riser, and confirm the scope of NFPA 25 activities included in the fixed line - specifically 5-year internal pipe obstruction inspection, 5-year gauge replacement, dry-pipe trip tests, and quarterly/semi-annual valve and water-flow testing.

Answer:

Buildings with 1 riser: 2, 5, 8, 10, 19, 21, 70, 80, 81, Crescent House Buildings with 2 risers: 3, 6, 7, 12, 17, 18, 33, 61, 62 Buildings with 3 risers: 4, 78

All gauges will be changed out over the course of this contract along with all required dry-pipe trip tests, and quarterly/semi-annual valve and water-flow testing. This will all be included in the cost of the contract. The list of gauges is in the SOW Attachment A Inventory.

50. Question: Backflow-preventer certification typically requires a state-certified tester and jurisdictional reporting. Please confirm the number and sizes of backflow preventers, and whether Massachusetts/local water-authority certification submittals are the contractor's responsibility under this contract.

Answer: Inventory is accurate in the SOW Attachment A.

(22) 4” backflow preventors and yes, submittals are the contractor’s responsibility.

51. Question: For the 23 elevators, please confirm who schedules and pays the separate elevator maintenance contractor required for Phase I/II and shunt-trip testing, and whether that coordination cost is the fire-alarm contractor's responsibility or will the VA ensure their elevator maintenance contractor will be present at no additional cost to the contractor awarded this contract.

Answer: Elevator maintenance covered under this contract involves setting off the smoke detectors outside the elevators, making sure the elevators return to their default floors and open its doors.

After each test the elevator must be reset with its respective elevator Fire Department Key. The contractor must also have a tech present for the 5 year testing when it is performed.

52. Question: Please confirm whether the scope is limited to testing the magnetic hold-open/release devices and rolling-door releases, or also includes annual NFPA 80 fire-door drop testing/inspection of swinging and rolling fire doors; if the latter, please provide the count of fire/smoke door assemblies.

Answer: Scope includes testing magnetic hold-open/release devices, rolling-door releases, and NFPA 80 Fire-Door Drop Testing/inspection of Rolling Fire Doors of which the facility has 5.

Scope does not include NFPA 80 testing/inspection of swinging fire doors.

53. Question: Please confirm the response-time obligations (2 hours for failed system/accreditation; 12 hours for service calls) apply to the Bedford main campus and Crescent House and clarify the expected response standard for the four fire-extinguisher-only CBOCs. Please also confirm the response clock starts upon notification to the contractor's business office by phone or email.

Answer: There are no response times for services/emergency services on the fire-extinguisher-only CBOC’s. The properties are leased and fall under the landlord. The only portion under this contract for those locations is complete fire extinguishers care. If one is found at the time of service to fail its inspection it should be changed/replaced with a new one at that time by the contractor. If one is used in an event known to the government like a small fire, then the government will replace the device with a new one.

The response clock does start for the monitored times when the notification to the contractor’s business office by phone or email is given. This process should be specifically addressed and finalized among other things upon contract award.

54. Question: Please clarify the documentation/software requirement: is a Microsoft Excel deliverable acceptable, or must the contractor furnish and maintain a specific digital inspection/compliance reporting platform or database? If a platform is required, please name it or state the interface/format the VA expects.

Answer: Inspection Compliance Reporting platforms/databases are required for this contract. The one currently in use is Building Reports.

55. Question: Approximately how many contractor personnel will require PIV credentialing and Research-area health clearance, what background-investigation tier applies, and what is the typical VA processing time? Given a 1-Sep-2026 start, will any credentialing lag be excused from the 2-hour response and scheduled-testing obligations until badges are issued?

Answer: The PIV is needed to allow unaccompanied access to the facility; it doesn’t prevent personnel from entering or visiting the facility. The number of contractor personnel requiring PIV is dependent on how many personnel the contractor is expected to send to the facility on a regular basis and can be discussed after contract award.

Tier 1 level background investigation (formerly NACI) and a favorable Special Agreement Check (SAC) fingerprint record check.

56. Question: Please define the boundary between work included in the fixed "Fire Alarm Maintenance & Testing" line ("Regularly Scheduled Services... general repairs, standard troubleshooting, normal repairs, standard replacements") and work chargeable to the hourly CLINs ("extensive/persistent problems, renovation, adding new devices, after-hours emergencies"). A concrete threshold or examples would let offerors price risk consistently.

Answer: Line items and Statement of Work have been updated. All regularly scheduled work will fall under the Fire Alarm & Maint Testing line item. Repairs, emergencies and non-scheduled work will have its own line item with a not to exceed amount. The not to exceed amount will be included in the contract at time of award. This amount is only an estimate and you are not guaranteed to the full

57. Question: The Price Schedule contains no CLIN for materials/parts. For hourly (Level 1/2, after-hours) and renovation/new-installation work, how are parts and materials to be invoiced?

Answer: Line items and Statement of Work have been updated. All regularly scheduled work will fall under the Fire Alarm & Maint Testing line item. Repairs, emergencies and non-scheduled work will have its own line item with a not to exceed amount. The not to exceed amount will be included in the contract at time of award. This amount is only an estimate and you are not guaranteed to the full

58. Question: Please confirm "JB" denotes an annual lump-sum/job unit covering all Regularly Scheduled Services for that period at all in-scope locations, and confirm whether the fixed price is invoiced monthly, quarterly, or on another schedule.

Answer: Job (JB) has been changed to Year (YR) and yes it denotes an annual lump sum covering all regularly scheduled services.

59. Question: All fire extinguishers listed (except 7 [CO2 and K]) do not require 5-year testing, NFPA 10 requires 6-year maintenance for the ABC's, but no requirement for a 5 year test. Can you please elaborate on what scope is expected every 5 years for ABC fire extinguishers?

Answer: We want the ABC extinguishers replaced with new ones when the 6 year inspection comes around. All extinguishers are more than a year old so they will all get replaced under this contract. We also want the (7 [CO2 and K]) replaced with new ones instead of 5yr testing. Please price this according to the contract cost. It is optional but this could also be done in the base year and with the batteries, and gauges.

60. Question: The statement of work requires the contractor to replace 180 fire extinguishers each year but also states we need to perform maintenance. If we replace 180 fire extinguishers each year, then maintenance shouldn’t be required because the next maintenance cycle on a new fire extinguisher wouldn’t occur for 6 years. Please clarify if we’re performing maintenance and replacements, or just replacements?

Answer: Just replacements.

61. Question: This statement requires factory trained personnel for all work performed on the fire alarm systems. Can you please clarify the extent to which this applies? Industry standard is that any competent fire alarm inspector can inspect and test any manufacturer of fire alarm system and not be factory trained by a specific manufacturer. When repairs and programming are required on the fire alarm system, then it is required for the factory trained and certified technician to perform that work.

This approach offers fair and reasonable pricing to the government while maintaining the integrity of the system. Providing factory trained technicians to inspect and test while drive the cost of this contract much higher than what is needed.

Answer: Factory trained personnel are required when they are repairing the panel or working on/in the program. Their training and certifications are also tracked as Performance Measures under the QASP so the documentation must also be provided upon contract award and monitored annually or when certification expires, respectively.

62. Question: Throughout the statement of work it repeatedly mentions the contractor must provide repairs and replacement parts at no cost to the government. This paragraph now includes rolling and fire doors. The cost associated with the requirement to provide repairs and replacements at no cost to the government continues to grow in scope and risk. A fire door replacement can be a 5-figure cost to the contractor. These requirements are making this scope of work nearly impossible to price fair and reasonably. We strongly encourage the government reconsider this requirement to ensure fair and reasonable pricing is received for these services.

Answer: Line items and Statement of Work have been updated. All regularly scheduled work will fall under the Fire Alarm & Maint Testing line item. Repairs, emergencies and non-scheduled work will have its own line item with a not to exceed amount. The not to exceed amount will be included in the contract at time of award. This amount is only an estimate and you are not guaranteed to the full

63. Question: Can you please clarify the extent to which cleaning sprinklers and smoke detectors is required? Typically this is a service performed semi-annually as noted during the inspection, and is not intended to imply that 100% of sprinklers and smoke detectors are cleaned. If the requirement is to provide cleaning semi-annually of 100% of sprinklers and smoke detectors, for a campus this size, this could be 2 full-time technicians for the life of the contract, which we don’t believe it’s the intent of the government to spend that much money on this contract. Can you please confirm this is required as observed and not 100% of the devices regardless if they are already clean?

Answer: If they are inspecting the sprinklers they should be cleaning the sprinklers at that time. Not needed other times.

64. Question: This requirement holds the contractor responsible to replace failed batteries as soon as they are identified. During the base year of the contract, until we complete a full inspection of the systems, we have no information on what size and type of batteries are installed. Please provide a battery inventory by size and type to ensure that contractors are stocked with the necessary batteries to meet this requirement. Otherwise, the contractor will be required to write this up as a deficiency, and return with the appropriate batteries at a later date to replace them.

Answer: The contractor is required to provide an inventory of all serviced equipment and there will be a grace period for this process. At that time the contractor can order the necessary batteries as needed and then replace them. After the initial inventory it will be expected for the contractor to monitor the expiring life expectancy of the batteries and have them on hand to replace at the next scheduled inspection prior to them expiring.

65. Question: This requirement states semi-annual testing is to be increased to quarterly testing if water flow devices tests show the system is not reliable. Please confirm this increase in scope will be addressed through a contract modification, as increasing from semi-annual inspections to quarterly inspections effectively doubles the work we’re required to perform and we can’t provide fair and reasonable pricing now if we need to protect for potentially 5 years of quarterly inspections on something that is supposed to be semi-annual.

Answer: Yes.

66. Question: Please define the scope of work for semi-annual fire extinguisher inspections. NFPA 10 does not define a semi-annual inspection, so we require the government to define the expectations of the contractor when performing semi-annual inspections of spare fire extinguishers.

Answer: Supposed to read, monthly then annual. There is no semi-annual inspections of fire extinguishers.

67. Question: So we can accurately bid this scope, can you please identify the total number of non-restorable heat detectors installed through the campus?

Answer: There are no known non-restorable/non-resettable type heat detectors, they have not reportedly found any in years. If any are ever found during testing, they should be annotated, replaced, and can be invoiced at 1 hour per device following prior approval.

68. Question: This states the contractor is to correct deficiencies immediately. This is not standard inspection and testing procedures. If we stop inspection and testing every time a deficiency is noted to correct it, the inspection and testing work itself will not get completed within the allowable timeframes. Standard practice is to complete all inspection and testing, provide a deficiency report, and then work with the VA and their available funding for repairs to determine which repairs should be prioritized over others. Stopping inspections to make repairs, unless it’s a critical life safety issue, is inefficient and would result in the facility being out of compliance with respect to required completion timelines per NFPA and the Joint Commission.

Answer: The process for inspection and testing that we are requesting is described in the SOW along with the process of turning in replaced/changed-out equipment during the check-out process.

69. Question: We cannot predict now the cost of fire watch services as we have no idea the amount of time these systems could be impaired as we have no idea of the amount of repairs that will be required. Please confirm fire watch services will be included in the allotment of hours for CLIN X002 or will be authorized to be included as part of our repair quotes?

70.

Answer: Line items have been updated. The repair line item can be used for this type of work. COR approval is required prior to utilization of the repair line item.

71. Question: CLINs X002 and X003 differentiate between a technician for programming and a standard technician, however CLIN X004 does not. Please confirm this is for a standard technician only, and if after-hours programming is required that we will have the opportunity to invoice for that service at the programming technicians overtime rate?

Answer: Line items have been updated please see new line items.