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PROJECT NUMBER: 673-23-111- DB REPLACE AND RELOCATE CHILLED WATER PIPING SCI
| JAHVA |
| PROJECTS SECTION - CONSOLIDATED RFI - RESPONSES |
| Response Date |
| 11/13/2025 |
| No. |
| Question |
| Reference |
| Contractor |
| 1 |
| Can the VA confirm that 913 days is correct for this project, and we should anticipate including General requirements/overhead costs for this lengthy duration in our proposal? |
TLS
| VA Response |
| YES, if it is determined this is the time needed. Bidders can recommend in their written approach an intended period of performance based on their own calculations of time needed for design, pipe relocation and equipment re-connection. Any information about minimum design and construction time needed, by bidders, may help the VA determine who is most qualified for the project. |
| 2 |
| Reference FACTOR 3 – Relevant Past Performance – Page 10 of 88 in solicitation. The last sentence states “Do not provide forms completed for prior solicitations”. Because of the current situation in Washington and trying to obtain signed PPQs from VA personnel that may be unavailable at this time of the year; |
Question: Can the Contractor provide “recent PPQs” that were signed from 2024-2025 for their Past Performance Projects submitted?
TLS
| VA Response |
| This is acceptable to the VA. |
| 3 |
| Please clarify if a superintendent can be a dual hat to cover the requirements of SSHO? |
Blue Cord
| VA Response |
| The dual hat to cover the SSHO requirement is acceptable to the COR/ACOR. Projects Section Supervision does not have an issue with dual hat. Comments are dual hat must be present for the work that is going on, especially in the SCI. So, the PM/Safety person must be present while work is going on and not inside a trailer or out in their vehicle. A lot of the demo work in the patient care areas will need to be done on days with less traffic. I.e. weekends. The PM/Safety person needs to be in attendance at all times as these are active patient care areas that trades will be working in. |
| 4 |
| If not to the question above, will the SSHO need to be full-time for this project? |
Blue Cord
| 5 |
| Please clarify if a superintendent can be a dual hat to cover the requirements of QA/QC? |
Blue Cord
| VA Response |
| Superintendent can perform QA/QC other than any piping needing to be welded / soldered. A certified welder should be utilized in the performance of QC of the piping. Projects Supervision agrees with this statement. |
| 6 |
| If not to the question above, will the QA/QC need to be full-time for this project? |
Blue Cord
| 7 |
| Can a superintendent be a triple hat to cover the requirements of SSHO and QA/QC |
Blue Cord
| VA Response |
| No. See #5 - A certified welder should be utilized in the performance of QC of the piping. |
| 8. |
| Please confirm the issued drawing set is the latest and complete set. |
Blue Cord
| VA Response |
| Confirmed. The drawings provided are the latest and most complete VA Projects / Engineering has available. |
| 9. |
| Please confirm the current design documents meet current VA TIL guidelines. |
Blue Cord
| VA Response |
| The VA cannot confirm the current design documents meet current VA TIL guidelines and most likely do not meet current VA TIL guidelines. Specific deficiencies are not currently known, but any current deficiencies shall be noted and corrected as part of a current re-design. These deficiencies should be limited to the piping being relocated and any connection to equipment that is determined to not be VA TIL compliant, Code Compliant, or incorrectly installed. An example of this would be chilled water supply and return lines installed on the wrong locations on the coil. |
| 10. |
| Please provide the latest wage determination for this project’s county. |
Blue Cord
| VA Response |
| General Decision Number: FL20250208 05/23/2025 is the current Wage Determination at https://sam.gov |
| 11. |
| Past Performance: If we have a PPQ, requested for another opportunity, that is less than 12 months old, can we use it within our proposal? Or will a new PPQ need to be requested? |
Blue Cord
| VA Response |
| COR/ACOR do not have any issue using a PPQ for another opportunity. |
| 12. |
| Is the use of temporary plastic wall panels (such as STARC panels) acceptable |
Blue Cord
| VA Response |
| Yes. With STARC Sound Attenuating & ICRA Certified Walls. |
| 13. |
| Who is responsible for the terminal clean of the project area? |
Blue Cord
| VA Response |
| The VA - Each area being worked will need to be terminal cleaned or just cleaned (Non-Patient Care Areas) by EMS |
| 14. |
| Who is responsible for contracting the commissioning agent? |
Blue Cord
| VA Response |
| The contractor will be responsible for the commissioning agent contract under this Design – Build. |
| 15. |
| Please confirm order of precedence for the contract documents. Does SOW prevail over the specifications and construction drawings? |
Blue Cord
| VA Response |
| The S.O.W. does take precedence over the VA TIL specifications and construction drawings requirements. |
| 16. |
| It was stated during the site visit that the chilled water lines run into the individual wings. If this is the case, please provide a list of equipment they are located in the individual wings and mechanical drawings showing the chilled water lines. |
Blue Cord
| VA Response |
| After review of the drawings it has been determined that there are no chilled water lines that go past the hallway that enters each wing. During the walk it was not known if there was any equipment with CHW supply in those wings. |
| 17. |
| Please provide the existing loads of the ahu’s that the chilled water lines serve. |
Blue Cord
| VA Response |
| The existing loads are not known or documented. This should be a part of the design process to determine the size of correct sizing of the piping. If any of the equipment being served is required in the future to be replaced with pandemic mode units, than the new piping should allow for that increased amount of CHW to be available. The design intent would be to not have to replace the piping as we upgrade any of the AHUs that serve patient care areas. |
| 18. |
| Please confirm the contractor will need to provide temporary air while chilled water lines are shut down. |
Blue Cord
| VA Response |
| Confirmed, temporary air may be required, unless the CHW lines will be down for a short period of time in the overnight time when cooling is not needed (Wintertime here). This would only be for a very limited time needed to connect the equipment to the new CHW Lines. If the lines are down for any extended period of time, temporary air will be required as the patient care areas are unable to be provided fully vacant. |
| 19. |
| Please clarify how the VA intends to proceed if project costs exceed the listed magnitude range |
Blue Cord
| VA Response |
| Options include asking for an increase in funding for the project, reducing the period of performance time, (To reduce Management Fees), and cancelation or postponement of the project. |
| 20. |
| On page 10 of the solicitation, it states “the offeror is required to demonstrate recent (within the last five years) successful performance under contracts (ongoing or completed) which are similar in scope, magnitude, and complexity to the subject requirement. Recently it has been defined as completion within the last seven years.” Can the Government please clarify if relevant experience should be within five or seven years to be considered recent |
AmeriTech
| VA Response |
| The offeror is required to demonstrate recent (within the last five years) successful performance under contracts (ongoing or completed) which are similar in scope, magnitude, and complexity to the subject requirement. The requirement is 5 years; the definition is 7 years |
| 21. |
| Will the Government consider past performance examples from proposed subcontractors or team members, provided the projects meet the stated relevance criteria (e.g., scope, complexity, dollar value)? |
AmeriTech
| VA Response |
| Yes, Projects Section will evaluate team members past performance for experience, if relevant. |
| 22. |
| Can the Government please clarify whether past performance examples must be from a firm acting as a Prime Contractor or is experience as a subcontractor acceptable? |
AmeriTech
| VA Response |
| Yes, Projects Section will evaluate team members past performance for experience, if relevant. In other words, we will evaluate both if submitted; just clarifying that the experience managing a contract is different as a Prime Contractor and a subcontractor. |
| 23. |
| For projects performed by subcontractors are there any specific labeling or formatting expectations (e.g., identification of prime vs. sub role, duration of involvement, or dollar share) the Government requires within the Experience or Past Performance sections? |
AmeriTech AmeriTech
| VA Response |
| Yes, please identify the role the Prime or Subcontractor had during the example past performance provided. Yes, you may provide details, such as length of the project (P.O.P), Dollar Share or % of the Project Completed by the Prime or the Sub-Contractor if the data is available. It is hard for the Government to evaluate the Past Performance if some information about the extent of the work is not provided. An example of this would be did the team member just perform commissioning or testing or did they construct the entire system or just the piping, etc. |
| 24. |
| Is a formal Teaming Agreement required to be in place between the A/E Firm and the Offeror for the purposes of this solicitation? |
AmeriTech
| VA Response |
| A letter of intent is sufficient for the solicitation process. At the time of Contract Signing a Teaming Agreement shall be provided to Contracting prior to award. Information must also be provided about SDVOSB status of team members and what % of work each would be responsible for. IAW VAAR 852.219-75 |
| 25. |
| Will the Government consider and evaluate past performance examples that meet the dollar threshold ($1M to $2M) but were not performed in an active healthcare environment? |
AmeriTech
| VA Response |
| Yes, Due to the majority of the work being completed in non-patient care areas, such as garage or interstitial areas, this would be acceptable for consideration. Chilled Water Piping experience and work with AHUs that are in service is also a consideration. |
| 26. |
| Conversely, will the Government consider and evaluate past performance examples performed in an active healthcare environment, but under the $1M to $2M threshold? |
AmeriTech
| VA Response |
| Also a Contracting Question |
Yes, experience in a healthcare environment will be considered during evaluation under the $1M to $2M threshold.
| 27. |
| On page 10 of the solicitation, at the end of Factor 2, formatting and other restrictions include using the Experience Information Sheet and keeping the factor to a 16-page limit. Also for this section, it states above that the offeror is required to submit three (3) relevant example projects. In looking at the Experience Information Sheet, we notice there are four pages per project with a total of four projects being presented in that document. Can the Government please clarify the following: |
a. Are we required to present three or four relevant example projects?
b. MAY we submit four if only three are required.
c. If we are to only submit three projects, therefore three Experience Information Sheets, are we allowed to use the additional four pages for other narrative?
AmeriTech
| VA Response |
| Contracting Response: |
The requirement is Three (3) Projects The “Document Experience Information Sheet” is 16 pages. If you want to add 1 more project that is acceptable.
Yes, you are allowed to use the additional Four (4) pages.
| 28. |
| Please confirm whether a specific equipment provider has been identified for this project. The solicitation references coordination with an equipment provider, but it is unclear whether the Government has designated a particular vendor or if the contractor is expected to furnish and install equipment. Clarification will ensure proper coordination planning in our proposal |
AmeriTech
| VA Response |
| There is no specific equipment provider for this project. The Government advises that the project is a piping relocation project and not an equipment procurement project. There does not appear to be any new equipment being furnished or installed. Just existing equipment. If there is HVAC components not to code or unable to be used, the design will provide that vendor / manufacturer of the equipment that the |
| 29. |
| Would projects conducted in hospital support facilities such as dietary, laundry, or logistics buildings be considered as taking place in an “active healthcare environment” for evaluation purposes? |
AmeriTech
| VA Response |
| Active healthcare environment would be where patients are located, being treated, while repair or construction activity is taking place at the same time. Inpatient or outpatient type of care, as long as the work was ongoing in an area where patients were also present. Dietary, laundry, or logistics areas do not qualify as active healthcare environments. |
| 30. |
| Can the Government please clarify whether any specific licensure or certifications are required for the prime contractor, key personnel, or subcontractors in order to be eligible or considered responsive under this solicitation? |
Specifically:
| • | Must the offeror or its team members hold construction or trade licenses in the state or jurisdiction where the work will be performed? |
| • | Are there any required professional licenses or registrations (e.g., GC license, electrician/mechanical trade license, PE registration) that must be included at the time of proposal submission? |
AmeriTech
| VA Response |
| Any Pipe Fabrication shall be installed by a certified welder in their State of business or the State of Florida. Contractors performing work at the facility shall be licensed in the work being performed in their State of business or in the State of Florida. For the piping re-design and any equipment connections being re-designed, P.E. Registration is required in the State they are from or the State of Florida. |
| 31. |
| In the solicitation, SF 330 forms are not mentioned as a requirement in the Phase I submission. The solicitation references submission of SF 330s of key A/E personnel only under Phase II – Factor 4: Management Approach and Key Personnel Narrative. Can the Government please confirm if any portion of the SF 330 (such as Part I or Part II) is required with the Phase I submission, or if the SF 330 forms are to be submitted only during Phase II by offerors invited to advance. |
AmeriTech
| VA Response |
| The VA is not requesting SF 330s portion for Phase I submission. |
| 32. |
| Can the Government confirm if a basis for design will be provided? |
AmeriTech
| VA Response |
| No Basis of design is being provided by the VA. On the site visit the basis of design was discussed as two options: Relocation of Chilled Water piping to the Garage Level – Pipe Basement Level and/or the interstitial space above the Ground Floor. |
| 33. |
| Please advise if there is a required FA vendor |
Sigma
| VA Response |
| Tampa VA - Utilizes J.CI. at this facility. Aka Johnson Controls / Tyco / Simplex for the current Controls and Fire Alarm Systems here at this facility. |
| 34. |
| Are we to on-board reps from each manufacturer of the medical equipment being provided, as noted in the spec book? |
Sigma
| VA Response |
| Projects Response: There does not appear to be the need to “on-board” reps of manufacturers as this project is focused on relocating existing CHW piping to a different, less risk prone location. |
| 35. |
| Please clarify what VV and VC stand for in the equipment schedule on A-101 |
Sigma
| VA Response |
| VV and VC typically denote different categories of equipment based on procurement and installation responsibility. |
VV stands for VA Purchased and Installed Equipment.
VC stands for VA Purchased and Contractor Installed Equipment.
Selected AE can coordinate with facility to determine the specifics of any one piece of equipment as it applies to the intended re-design and requirements of the equipment.
END OF RFIs FOR THIS SOLICITATION
