QA.pdf

Questions and Answers

1. How many buildings/facilities are included in this solicitation? Can you please provide building names and/or numbers, so it is clear which buildings are included?

Answer:

Building 1, Main Medical Center Building 5, Education Resource Center Building 6, Police Administration Building 7, Warehouse and Boiler Plant Building 9, Administrative Building Building 10, Engineering Building 13 Regional VBA and VAMC Wilmington Administration Building 15, Office of Information Technology Building 17, Community Living Center (Nursing Home) Building 18, Generator Room Building 19, Generator Room Building 20, Switchgear Room

2. For offerors to have a clear understanding of the magnitude of devices requiring inspection, would you please share the most recent annual inspection reports for all equipment to be tested?

This request needs to be routed through the appropriate FOIA channels.

3. Is a site visit scheduled for potential offerors to review the buildings in the scope of work to gather a better understanding of the potential challenges we may face during the performance of this contract? If nothing is currently scheduled, who can we contact to schedule a site visit?

See amendment details.

4. Not all items on Attachment A can be priced as they are not individual components and are assemblies consisting of several components, such as a wet riser, dry systems, pre-action systems, roll down doors, and fire pumps. These assemblies could require 1 or more control valve, alarm/check valve, waterflow switches, tamper switches, pressure switches, etc. It’s not possible to price these assemblies until it is known what exactly will be needed. There could be varying costs associated with these assemblies that may or may not be needed in a repair. Is it acceptable to mark these items as not separately priced?

See revised statement of work.

5. Attachment A is titled Parts List Pricing and contains estimated quantities of each component listed. Is this document intended to serve as the device population for all components requiring inspection and testing under this contract? If this document is not intended to serve as the device population for all components, can you please provide a device list so we know how many of each device is required to be tested?

See revised statement of work.

6. The solicitation references kitchen suppression systems and fire extinguishers are to be included in the scope of work. However, there’s no additional information regarding these systems and equipment.

a. How many individual kitchen suppression systems are there?

Answer: 5 systems.

Nutrition and Food Service, Bldg 1, 1st Floor: 1 System

Veterans Canteen Service, Bldg 1, 2nd Floor Center: 2 Systems

Community Living Center (Nursing Home), Bldg 17, Ground Floor: 2 Systems

b. Who is the manufacturer of the kitchen suppression systems?

Answer: Nutrition/Food Service: Ansul R102

VCS Canteen: Ansul R102

CLC/Nursing Home: Ansul R102

c. Can you please provide a total quantity of fire extinguishers requiring annual inspections? In order to provide fair and accurate pricing, a quantity of each type of fire extinguisher is needed (i.e, 5 lb ABC, 10 lb ABC, 20 lb CO2, etc).

Answer: Type: Qty

ABC 5lb: 284

CO2 5 lb: 36

CO2 10 lb: 8

MRI water Mist: 4

K: 7

Purple K: 5

Halotron, 5lb: 8

7. How many buildings have standpipe systems?

a. The 5-year standpipe flow test is an expensive test, so it is imperative that we understand the size and number of standpipe systems. Please list by building name/number the total number of stairwells and floors served by the standpipe system.

Answer:

Building 1, Main Hospital, Stairwell 1: 9th Floor to Ground Floor, 1 Standpipe

3 Risers – Located on East and West Stairwells 8th Floor to Ground Floor and Clinical Addition Stairwell 3rd Floor to Ground Floor.

8. Can you please provide additional information regarding the size of the fire pump (rated flow and pressure, make and model number, etc)?

Answer:

FIRE PUMP

Type: Horizontal Split Case

Manufacturer: Patterson

Serial #: FP-C066082

Model #: 6X5X17 SSC

Rated GPM: 1000

PSI/FT rated RPM: 1750

Rated Boost @ 100% Flow: 80

Rated Boost @ 150% Flow: 57

DRIVER

Type: Deisel

Manufacturer: Clarke

Serial #: 10151611150

Model: HU1H-UFH8

Rated HP: 264

Rated RPM: 1760

9. If a report format other than what’s recommended by NFPA 25 and NFPA 72, can you please provide a sample of the referenced “authorized equivalent”?

If using a report format that differs from NFPA standards the report will need to be approved by the VA prior to use.

10. In order to understand the after normal hours support that will be required, additional information is needed. Can you please specify which buildings and areas where our testing will interfere with building operations so we can budget to perform that work outside of normal working hours?

a. Item 9 on page 9 specifies work after normal hours is required for testing audible devices, elevator capture, fan shutdown, etc). Is this for every building and every floor? Or are there only specific buildings/floors this is required after normal hours?

Area that include after hours testing include Building 1, Main Medical Center and Building 17 CLC (Nursing Home) only. Floors Ground to Eleven.

11. Can you please clarify which is to be used for testing frequencies? The table provided on page 4 of 61 of the solicitation states the Joint Commission frequencies apply, however, on page 6 of 61 item 1.a under inspection, testing, and maintenance for fire alarm and sprinkler systems states NFPA is to be used for testing frequencies. Because this is for the VA, the Joint Commission is typically the standard to be followed for frequencies.

Answer: Testing frequencies will follow The Joint Commission using the most current NFPA standards.

12. Line item 0005 in the pricing table is for annual inspections of the central monitoring station. Can you please elaborate on the inspection requirements at the central monitoring station? As required by EP5, annually we will ensure the monitoring station is receiving alarms, troubles, and supervisory conditions during the annual inspection and testing, however, there is not typically a physical inspection performed at the central monitoring station. Please provide further direction on this line item as there does not appear to be anything in the solicitation that specifically maps to monitoring inspections.

Answer: There is no requirement to perform an annual inspection of the monitoring center. The only requirement is that of the NFPA to verify annually that the monitoring station is receiving alarms, troubles, and supervisory conditions during the annual inspection and testing.

13. Will you please provide a 5-business day extension to the quote due date following the release of questions and answers so offerors can have enough time to develop cost competitive pricing?

See amendment.