RFI Log_Castle Point VAMC_Bidding responses 03132025.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 37 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- 36C24225Q0342
About this file
This document is a Request for Information (RFI) log for an asbestos abatement project at the Castle Point Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). The solicitation (36C24225Q0342) involves comprehensive dental area asbestos removal, with key details including a site visit on March 3rd and anticipated project start in April 2025. The VA will provide electrical connections and background air monitoring, while the contractor is responsible for temporary electrical panels, personal exposure monitoring, and removing interior partitions, windows, and ACM materials.
Critical technical requirements include removing all porous asbestos-containing materials, opening terracotta block walls to chase piping, mechanically removing floor mastics, and installing a remote decontamination unit on the loading dock over a weekend. The project requires a Contractor's Professional Industrial Hygienist (CPIH) on-site daily, with specific insurance requirements including $500,000 general liability, $200,000 automobile liability, and workers' compensation coverage. The VA confirmed the project will follow Service Contract Act wage determinations and requires final air sampling with a 24-hour weekday turnaround.
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RFI Log
| Department of Veterans Affairs |
| Dental Abatement |
| Castle Point VAMC |
| AE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION | VA RESPONSE | |||||
| RFI # | ISSUE DATE | RESOLUTION ON THE FOLLOWING | DATE | BY | REQUEST FOR INFORMATION RESPONSE | |
| Bidding Phase | ||||||
| 1 | 3/4/25 | Will the VA provide temporary power, or should the contractor include cost for an electrician to run temporary power? | 3/7/25 | Mabbett | The VA will provide the electrician to connect the Contractor's temporary electrical panel to the electrical panel(s) located in the corridor adjacent to the work location. The Contractor shall provide the temporary electric panel(s) and associated power whips to connect the temporary panel(s) with sufficient length to place the temporary panel(s) in an agreed upon location outside of the corridor but accessible to the Contractor during all work. | |
| 2a | 3/4/25 | Section 028211 TRADITIONAL ASBESTOS ABATEMENT includes references to “VA Professional Industrial Hygienist (VPIH/CIH)” as well as “Contractor’s Professional Industrial Hygienist (CPIH/CIH)”. The specification outlines many responsibilities but does not provide clear, unambiguous guidance on the division of responsibilities between parties, or qualifications required for each task. If the project is subject to NYS DOL CR 56, all air monitoring and clearance sampling must be performed by an owner-retained, third-party firm—not by a contractor-hired IH. The specification does not clearly align with these conflict-of-interest provisions or specify whether NYS DOL rules override other contract requirements. Please clarify the following: | ||||
| Personnel Monitoring for OSHA Compliance- The specification states that the contractor is responsible for ensuring compliance with OSHA regulations (Section 1.5.B), which includes personal exposure monitoring for workers. It is unclear if the Competent Person can conduct personnel monitoring internally per NYS DOL CR 56 & OSHA standards, or if an IH must be retained by the prime or abatement subcontractor for this responsibility. | 3/6/25 | Mabbett | The CPIH (Contractor's Professional Industrial Hygienist) shall be retained by the abatement subcontractor. The CPIH will be responsible for conducting personal exposure monitoring for workers. | |||
| 2b | 3/4/25 | Background Air Monitoring - The specification references background air sampling before work begins (Section 1.5.K.2) but does not specify who is responsible. | 3/6/25 | Mabbett | The VPIH (VA Professional Industrial Hygienist) shall conduct background air monitoring. | |
| 2c | 3/4/25 | Final Clearance and Compliance Monitoring - The definition of "Clearance Sample" (Section 1.4.B) states that it is performed by the VA’s VPIH/CIH. However, in Section 1.5.B, the contractor is required to cover all costs for CPIH/CIH services. Abbreviation “CIH” in the definitions should not apply to both VA’s and Contractor’s Professional Industrial Hygienist - this is one source of confusion. Does the VPIH provide this service, but contractor must cover the costs? | 3/6/25 | Mabbett | The VPIH shall conduct clearance sampling. Any repeated final inspections and/or testing, if required, will be paid for by the Contractor. | |
| 3 | 3/5/25 | The drawing and specs says to refer to the Mabbett & Associates report dated 4/4/2024 for reference. There is no report in the bid docs, please provide. | 3/6/25 | Mabbett | Report will be provided. | |
| 4 | 3/5/25 | Based on the level of contamination inside of the space the NYSDOL will require a precleaning to make room for a decon inside of the building. The loading dock may need to be blocked with a decon for this work - will the VA accommodate this for a week or so? | The VA requires this work to be performed on a weekend over the course of 2 days maximum. A remote decon may be utilized if requested. | |||
| 5 | 3/5/25 | The proposed negative air location appears to block an egress exit from the floor above. How do you want this to be handled? Who will be responsible to create a temp egress for that area (i.e. interior signage and route for redirecting building occupancy)? | 3/7/25 | Mabbett | As indicated on Drawing HA101, the Contractor shall install temporary temporary fence on the exterior of the building to prevent access to the area immediately adjacent to the negative air machine exhaust with the intent of having the negative air machines inside the work area. The temporary fence shall be installed between the sidewalk leading from the egress stairs referenced and the building; therefore no conflicts should exist with the egress path. | |
| 6 | 3/5/25 | We understand the intent of this project is to remove all porous materials as ACM from the space. Is it the intent of this project to also remove all interior studded walls to create one wide open room? | 3/7/25 | Mabbett | Yes, the intent is to remove interior partitions, associated sill plates, and any ACM flooring that may be beneath the sill plates. | |
| 7 | 3/5/25 | Please inform if the plaster perimeter walls have been sampled. If so, what are the results? This is plaster on terracotta block, which is difficult to completely remove without damaging the block. To what level of clean will the VA require? Does VA recognize and understand that the terracotta block may be left in a poor condition after abatement is complete? | 3/7/25 | Mabbett | The wall plaster was tested and determined to be non-detect for asbestos. | |
| 8 | 3/5/25 | Who is responsible to repair the walls in the adjacent hallway that are damaged prior to the start of abatement and may cause a breach of containment during abatement. What will the requirements be for this condition? | Provide clarification on the damage observed including location and approximate extent. The VA will need to provide input on this one once clarification is received to determine if repairs will be done by the in house team or as an add alt for the Contractor to repair. | |||
| 9 | 3/5/25 | The drawing calls out multiple window caulks to be removed, is it the intent to remove and discard the windows as ACM waste to ensure all caulks are abated? Is the contractor responsible for re-caulking or boarding-up these windows/openings? | Yes the intent is to remove the windows and abate all associated ACM caulk. The Contractor will be responsible for the installation of plywood over the openings once the windows and ACM caulk are removed. | |||
| 10 | 3/5/25 | The drawings call to remove ACM insulation in hidden walls, is the intent to open the terracotta block walls to investigate and chase piping? | Yes, the intent is to open the terracotta block walls to investigate and chase piping. | |||
| 11 | 3/5/25 | The drawings call for the plaster ceiling to be removed as ACM. Please provide the sample results indicating which layer was positive. | 3/7/25 | Mabbett | The ceiling base coat plaster is ACM. The sample results are provided in the Mabbett & Associates report dated 4/4/2024. | |
| 12 | 3/5/25 | There are dripping pipes and ductwork in the work area. What is the VA plan to control this during abatement activities? | The dripping pipes and ductwork will be isolated by the VA as much as possible. | |||
| 13 | 3/5/25 | What is the projected start date? | VA anticipates the project to start in April 2025. | |||
| 14 | 3/5/25 | Please provide the turnaround time the VA will require for final air samples at the completion of this project. | 3/7/25 | Mabbett | The final air sampling will be conducted by the VPIH and submitted for a weekday 24 hour turn around. | |
| 15 | 3/5/25 | As discussed at the walk through the temporary electric panels (two (2) 100A panels) will most likely need to be in the service corridor for the duration of the project. Please confirm this is acceptable. | 3/7/25 | Mabbett | See response to RFI #1. Temporary electric panel(s) shall be placed in an agreed upon location outside of the corridor but accessible to the Contractor during all work. | |
| 16 | 3/5/25 | Abatement projects per code rule 56-7.7 requires temporary power to fixtures, lights, machinery, and outlets Whitin the enclosure must be down and locked out. Temporary power must be provided from outside the regulated work area. A temporary panel with GFCI outlets is used to supply the work regulated work area with temporary power until final air clearance is achieved. Who will be responsible to hook up temporary power into the existing facility breaker box? | 3/7/25 | Mabbett | See response to RFI #1. | |
| 17 | 3/6/25 | Is the ceiling plaster applied directly to concrete deck or is it a suspended system? | 3/7/25 | Mabbett | It is applied to the concrete deck. | |
| 18 | 3/6/25 | Section 02 82 11 identifies the regulated work area as a contaminated work area. Work area preparation per code rule 56-7.5(b) requires the decontamination unit to be installed prior to entering the regulated workspace to begin work area preparation, drawing HA101 indicates the decontamination unit to be installed on the inside of the regulated work area. This would put the decontamination unit in the contaminated area and have workers building the decontamination unit in a contaminated area. Please clarify how to proceed while maintaining compliance with the regulations. | 3/7/25 | Mabbett | See RFI log response to RFI #4. Intent is for a remote decon to be constructed on the loading dock over the weekend. | |
| 19 | 3/6/25 | Will chemical removal be approved to remove floor mastics and glue? | 3/7/25 | Mabbett | No, mastic to be removed by mechanical methods. | |
| 20 | 3/6/25 | Section 028211 page 21 1.6A.1.a states the contractor is to provide a professional Industrial Hygienist/CIH (CPIH/CIH) necessary for coordination of the work. Is the contractor responsible for having a CPIH/CIH employed and on site daily? | 3/7/25 | Mabbett | Yes | |
| 21 | 3/6/25 | The documents include a wage determination for Service Contract ACT, is this correct or should the Davis-Bacon Act Wage determination be used? Is a WD# available for the project? | 3/7/25 | VA | This project is being procured as a commercial service. SCA applies. | |
| 22 | 3/6/25 | No insurance requirements were included with the solicitation. Are any insurances required? | 3/7/25 | VA | Yes, insurance is needed to work on a government facility. SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS |
In accordance with FAR 28.307-2 and FAR 52.228-5, the following minimum coverage shall apply to this contract:
(a) Workers' compensation and employers liability: Contractors are required to comply with applicable Federal and State workers' compensation and occupational disease statutes. If occupational diseases are not compensable under those statutes, they shall be covered under the employer's liability section of the insurance policy, except when contract operations are so commingled with a Contractor's commercial operations that it would not be practical to require this coverage. Employer's liability coverage of at least $100,000 is required, except in States with exclusive or monopolistic funds that do not permit workers' compensation to be written by private carriers.
(b) General Liability: $500,000.00 per occurrences.
(c) Automobile liability: $200,000.00 per person; $500,000.00 per occurrence and $20,000.00 property damage.
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