QUESTIONS - Upgrade Station Chilled Water for PID.pdf

Questions Responses

Please provide the plan location for SWBD “B” on an overall plan. We need this to determine the length of the feeder for LP-7LS.

SWBD “B” is part of the Building 1 480/277V distribution lineup (Switchboard

“B”, 480/277V), as shown on the Electrical Riser Diagram EP102. The feeder to the new panel LP-7LS originates from the Building 1 480V switchgear/switchboard lineup, and EP102 specifically notes to furnish and install a 500A, 3-pole circuit breaker in the Building 1 480V switchgear to provide power to LP-7LS. For feeder length takeoff: the exact conduit routing and final feeder length shall be based on field-verified routing and provided as part of the contractor’s conduit routing / coordination drawings and installation submittal for approval (typical VA coordination requirement for routing, pull boxes, bends, penetrations, etc.), Refer to 001 General Requirements specification.

Please provide a side view of the building with elevations up to the 7th floor.

We need this to determine the length of the feeder for LP-7LS.

A side elevation / building section up to the 7th floor is not provided on the electrical contract drawings for this scope. The electrical riser diagram (Sheet

EP102) is diagrammatic and is intended to show distribution intent (source and destination), not exact installed conduit lengths.For the Contractor’s estimating takeoff, the feeder length to LP-7LS shall be determined by field-verified routing

(including vertical floor-to-floor transitions, offsets, and required working clearances) and coordinated with existing conditions. The Contractor is also required to provide conduit routing / coordination drawings showing the proposed routing with field verification (bends, pull boxes, penetrations, etc.), which will establish the final feeder length for pricing and installation.Voltage-drop shall be evaluated as part of the Contractor’s final feeder design and conductor sizing using NEC recommended practices after routing is verified.

Please provide a rise point pathway for the feeder for LP-7LS. Please provide plan details where will core floors 2 thru 7.

The contract documents do not identify a specific vertical rise point or exact floor core locations for the feeder serving LP-7LS. The electrical riser diagram shown on Sheet EP102 is diagrammatic and illustrates system intent only; it is not intended to represent exact conduit routing or penetration locations.

In accordance with VA Master Specification Section 26 05 33, Raceway and Boxes for Electrical Systems, and Division 01 coordination requirements, the Electrical

Contractor is responsible for field verification of existing conditions and for developing detailed conduit routing shop drawings indicating the proposed vertical pathway. The Contractor shall determine the most appropriate riser location based on field conditions and coordination with architectural, structural, and mechanical systems.

All floor penetrations through levels 2 through 7 shall be coordinated prior to coring and shall comply with VA firestopping requirements per Section 07 84 00 to maintain the required fire-resistance rating of the floor assemblies.

Penetration locations shall be reviewed for structural impact and coordinated with the Structural Engineer of Record where required.

Final feeder routing, core drill locations, sleeve sizing, and firestopping details shall be submitted as part of the coordinated shop drawing package for review and approval prior to installation.

Can coring be done during the day or does it need to be performed on off-hours? Coring operations may be performed during normal working hours unless the work impacts an existing operating system, occupied space, patient care area, or requires temporary shutdown of utilities. In cases where demolition or coring activities require interruption of an active building system or may disrupt hospital operations, the work shall be performed during off-hours, including nights or weekends, as directed by the Owner or Contracting Officer’s

Representative (COR), at no additional cost to the Government.

All coring activities shall comply with Division 01 General Requirements and VA phasing, infection control, and interim life safety measures (ILSM) requirements.

The Contractor shall coordinate work schedules in advance and obtain written approval prior to performing any activity affecting building operations.

Please provide the breaker specification for the 400A breaker to be installed in SWBD

“B”.

The 400A circuit breaker to be installed in SWBD “B” shall comply with the requirements of VA Master Specification Section 26 24 16 – Panelboards, and

Section 26 28 13 – Fuses and Circuit Breakers. The breaker shall be of the same manufacturer and type as the existing switchboard assembly to maintain listing, labeling, and short-circuit rating integrity.

The breaker shall be rated 400A, 3-pole, with an interrupting rating not less than the available fault current at the installation location as determined by the short-circuit and coordination study per Section 26 05 73. The breaker shall be fully rated unless otherwise permitted by the coordination study and approved by the

Government. Adjustable trip settings shall be provided where required to maintain selective coordination in accordance with VA electrical design criteria and NEC Article 240.

Final breaker characteristics, including frame size, trip unit type (electronic or thermal-magnetic as applicable), and settings, shall be coordinated with the approved coordination study and submitted for review prior to installation.

Can the breaker install in SWBD “B” be done during the day or does it need to be performed on off-hours?

See the response for Question 4. Electrical contractor shall be coordinated with the Owner, and work hours must be confirmed prior to the start of any work.

Please provide the manufacturer for the fire alarm system. If there is a specific contractor that services the building, please provide contact information.

The contract documents do not identify the existing fire alarm system manufacturer. The Electrical Contractor shall field-verify the existing fire alarm control panel (FACP) manufacturer, model number, and system configuration prior to procurement of any new components.

All new fire alarm devices, modules, and interface components shall be fully compatible with the existing fire alarm system and shall comply with VA

Specification Section 28 31 00 – Fire Detection and Alarm. Any additions or modifications shall maintain system listing, UL certification, and compatibility with the existing network architecture.

If the existing system is under service agreement or proprietary programming control, the Contractor shall coordinate with the Owner and the VA-approved fire alarm service provider for programming, testing, and commissioning. All work shall be performed in accordance with NFPA 72, VA design criteria, and facility operational requirements.

Contractor shall confirm servicing entity and coordinate all testing, integration, and final acceptance with the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) prior to implementation.

Will duct detectors be required of AHU-1A? None are currently shown. Duct smoke detectors associated with AHU-1A are existing and are intended to remain as part of the current scope of work. No new duct smoke detectors are being added under this project.

During field verification and site survey, if any existing duct smoke detector is found to be non-operational or deficient, the Contractor shall immediately notify the COR and the EOR in writing. Upon notification, the condition will be reviewed, and direction will be provided in accordance with VA requirements and the applicable codes and standards.

Is there any ACM anticipated on the 7th and 6th floors where ceiling demolition and piping is to be run?

No ACM survey is available. If materialas containing suspected ACM are encountered notify the COR immediately

Drawings indicate this is a level 4 contamination. Space around the entrance to room

6-214 and 6-215 is very limited, will 2 anti-rooms be necessary for this scope of the work?

Level 4 is required based on constuction to be undertaked and the uses within the building. Assume 2 anti-rooms. Final ICRA plan configuratrions must be coordinated and approved by the VA.

Existing soffits on the 7th floor have been known to carry medical gas lines. Are there medical gas lines anticipated in the 7th floor ceiling space where the new chillers are to be installed? If so, will the lines need to be rerouted or can the be cut and capped and recertified?

The Contract Documents do not indicate active medical gas piping within the 7th floor ceiling space in the immediate vicinity of the proposed chiller installation.

However, portions of the 7th floor soffits have historically contained medical gas distribution piping.

The Contractor shall field verify all existing conditions prior to commencement of work in accordance with the Contract Documents.

If medical gas piping is encountered within the work area, the Contractor shall:

1. Immediately notify the COR.

2. Coordinate investigation with VA Engineering Service.

3. Determine, in coordination with the VA, whether the piping is active or abandoned.

No medical gas piping shall be cut, capped, disconnected, or modified without prior written authorization from the COR.

If piping is determined to be:

1.Ac ve: Any required rerou ng or modifica on shall be performed in accordance with NFPA 99, VA Master Specifications (Division 22), and VA medical gas system requirements. Work shall be performed by a qualified medical gas installer and verifier. System shutdowns, tie-ins, testing, and recertification shall be coordinated with VA Engineering and Infection Control and may require after-hours work.

2.Abandoned: Removal or capping shall comply with VA requirements, including proper identification and documentation.

Any required rerouting, modification, testing, or recertification not indicated in the Contract Documents will be addressed by modification to the Contract.

All work shall comply with VA Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA) procedures and Interim Life Safety Measures (ILSM), as applicable.

When running the new chilled water line from room 7-222 to room 6-215, how many fire/smoke rated walls are going to be penetrated and required to be resealed?

Floor penetrations will be required to be resealed. Plans do not show a smoke barrier penetration in the scope. All existing walls should be labeled above the ceiling.

Table of Content is missing from the spec book. Please provide as it will help to check if any spec section is missing from book.

TOC to be added.

There is a spec section 02 82 11 for Traditional Asbestos Abatement. But there are no drawings showing this work or any quantities listed in the spec section. Please provide these missing documents.

No ACM survey is available. If materialas containing suspected ACM are encountered notify the COR immediately. Removal to be per specified methods.

In spec section 05 12 00 there is a AISC requirement for the steel fabricator and erector, can agency please waive off these requirements as this is not a ground up construction.

AISC certification required.

There is a spec section 07 13 00 for Sheet Waterproofing, if there is any work then please identify on project drawings.

Not required.

There is a spec sec 09 05 16 for Subsurface Preparation for Floor Finishes. Please identify the work of self-leveling on the project drawings and also advise how much is the thickness required.

Room 7-222 will require floor surfacing. Minumum thickness to properly prepare the floor for the RES specified finish.

The new aluminum louvers have to be caulked from the exterior too? Per Section 2.2 – EXTERIOR WALL LOUVERS, the specification states:

“Heads, sills and jamb sections are to have formed caulking slots or be designed to retain caulking.”

This requirement applies to exterior wall louvers and clearly indicates that the louver framing system (head, sill, and jambs) must be detailed to receive sealant.

Since these components are located at the exterior wall interface, sealant installation at the exterior perimeter is required to ensure proper weatherproofing.

Additionally, under Part 3 – EXECUTION, 3.1 INSTALLATION, the specification states:

“Set work accurately, in alignment and where indicated in construction documents. Install plumb, level, free of rack and twist…”

This reinforces that louvers are to be installed in accordance with construction documents and industry standards, which include proper perimeter sealing to maintain the building envelope integrity.

Therefore, the aluminum exterior wall louvers shall be caulked at the exterior perimeter (head, jambs, and sill) as part of a complete weather-resistant installation consistent with Section 08 90 00.

Spec sec 08 90 00 page 1 states the louvers to be blast resistant. The specified basis of design louver manufacturer does the make blast resistant and does have fire dampers. So please specify a new louver manufacturer which makes blast resistant with fire damper. Also please confirm louvers material is aluminum (as para 2.1 states

Al/stainless steel/ Galv) and has to be blast resistant.

Manufacturer: CHOPAIR United Enertech - 5" deep profile. Its reinforced aluminum construction meets both ASTM F2927 blast standards and AMCA 500-

L water penetration tests. (Basis of Design)

Drawing GC301 ICRA policy note no.10 states provide temporary 1 hour fire barrier partition as indicated. – Please identify on floor plan the locations of these barrier walls.

T1 partitions are the 1 hour rated partitions. T3 and T4 are used to insolate for construction of the 1 hour rated T1 ICRA partition. All doors in one hour partitions are to be one hour rated doors. No T3 or T4 used after 1 hour stud partition is installed.

Drawing GC301 ICRA policy note no.15 states to construct an airtight one hour rated anteroom. – Please identify on plans the location and size of this anteroom. Also please confirm if the wall construction shall be type T1 or T2?

Based on Construction Type and Risk Type no ante room is required. Level III

ICRA is required.

Drawing GC501 door and frame schedule states door type ‘FF’ and in remarks it states

‘M.G. Sound Attenuated Door’. – Please provide the missing door elevation FF and clarify what is ‘M.G. Sound Attenuated Door’/what is the STC rating? Door "FF" is a pair of doors each 3'-0" x 7'-0"

Drawing AE-103 demo key note D1 states Demolish interior finish back to stud construction and note A2 states to all existing frame const to receive new insulation and 1 layer of sound attenuated GWB on mech room side. Please confirm this work is required at all the four perimeter walls of the new mech room. All walls except the exterior walls.

Drawing AE-103 indicates to demolish the existing partition wall between rooms 7-

222 and 7-223, is this existing wall a masonry wall? Not masonry.

Please confirm there is no phasing required and the work at 6th and 7th floor can be performed simultaneously.

Sheet MD-101 "Phasing and Construction Notes", note 2 Contractor to assume 4 phases. Note 6 should be revised to assume 4 phases.

Please verify the correct information for EUH-1. Information on drawings MH600 and

EP101 are in conflict. Please verify ampacity and voltage. The correct voltage and ampacity for EUH-1 shall be based on the equipment schedule shown on Mechanical Drawing MH600. The electrical drawings shall be coordinated to match the mechanical schedule requirements. Final feeder and breaker sizing shall be verified against the approved equipment submittal and nameplate prior to installation.

Please provide VFD schedule for mech equipment. Drawings are unclear. Also provide VFD specifications.

Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) requirements for the mechanical equipment are defined in Section 26 29 11 – Motor Controllers. As part of this bid clarification, Section 26 29 11 has been revised to clearly identify the equipment requiring

VFDs, including AHU-1 supply fan and chilled water pumps P1 and P2. The specification includes the VFD manufacturer and model series, motor sizing requirements, harmonic compliance in accordance with IEEE 519, bypass configuration, integration with the existing Building Management System, and startup and commissioning requirements.

All VFD schedule information and technical requirements are fully defined within the specification. No additional information is required on the drawings.