36C24919R0075-0005001.pdf

Solicitation 36C24919R0075 RFI’s Project # 626-18-101

Corrections for Life Safety Compliance Nashville TVHS MATOC “Seed Project”

Questions 55 - 60

Question #55: Will the contractor or VA be responsible for providing signage and modified way-finders during stairwell outages to direct patients to adjacent means of egress? If it is the contractor’s responsibility, please furnish a plan for qty, location and sign type.

Answer #55: VA will be responsible.

Question #56: The removal and installation of the handrails are considered a leading edge, high fall risk activity. If safety tie off points are do not currently exist in the stairwells an engineered solution will be required for each specific location and could result in many different solutions per stairwell. This is a very costly expense to the project. Are there tie off points present for the contractor removing and installing the handrails to utilize? If not, will the government provide structural drawings of each stairwell in order for bidding contractors to design a safety tie off solution based on existing wall types (Filled CMU vs. Reinforced Concrete vs hollow CMU etc.)?

Answer #56: There are additional drawings to provide at this time. Contractor to verify and implement own means and methods.

Question #57: The plans do not show that all stairwells have roof access to utilize a diesel powered welder. Is there adequate dedicated service to support electric welders available for each stairwell?

Answer #57: All stairwells DO NOT have roof access. There is not adequate dedicated service to support electric welders

Question #58: Will the contractor be allowed to set a diesel powered welder on the roof? If so are there any special fire watch protocols required to support the unit while in operation?

Answer #58: Yes, they will be allowed but no “special” protocols are required.

Question #59: Is a roof hatch or exhaust vent available to vent out the negative air and hazardous fumes from welding operations in each stairwell? Welding in the stairwells appears to meet the OSHA definition of confined space and a method for ventilating the stairwell well be necessary during welding or other hazardous fume producing activities.

Answer #59: All stairwells DO NOT have roof access.

Question #60: Would like to get clarification on this if there is time. Below is the RFI and government response in Italic and my question below the RFI in red:

ORIGINAL RFI #11 WITH RESPONSE:

Question #11: Note 9 on numerous sheets states: “REMOVE AND SALVAGE DOOR AND

HARDWARE FOR REINSTALLATION. REINSTALL DOOR TO SWING IN DIRECTION OF

EGRESS. REINSTALL HARDWARE INCLUDING HINGES. INFILL FRAME VOIDS WITH

STEEL PLATES. INSTALL STAINLESS STEEL SCREWS IN HOLES IN DOORS AND

FRAMES.”

Are the doors and frames to be modified Fire Rated? If so will the government accept the repairs as requested in a fire rated door, even if it removes the stated fire rating?

Can the government quantify the number of holes and diameter to receive stainless steel screws in each door?

Answer #11: Provide new doors and frames. Materials and frames to match existing.

Remove note #9 from the following details:

Detail 1 on sheet A-405

Detail 1 on sheet A-406

Detail 1 on sheet A-407

Detail 1 on sheet A-410

Detail 2 on sheet A-411

I would interpret this first part of the answer (“Provide new doors and frames”) to mean that it is the governments intent to replace all doors scheduled (cost of several thousand per door) to be new in lieu of remove/recondition/re-install (cost of less than 1k per door). However the next part of the answer makes me unsure if that is truly the governments intent since note #9 is on several other sheets and the provided list does not delete all the #9 notes in the drawings. There are still 6 instances where note #9 remains in the drawings. Does the government want all scheduled doors/frames/hardware to be replaced as new or only the ones associated with the list above and still recondition/re-install the rest of them?

Answer #60: Contractor to provide new doors and frames in lieu of saving and reusing to ensure we meet fire rating requirements. This is for the remaining locations that note #9 remains.

Remove note #9 from the following details: This means this work is removed from the contract

Detail 1 on sheet A-405, Detail 1 on sheet A-406, Detail 1 on sheet A-407, Detail 1 on sheet A-410, Detail 2 on sheet A-411

General Note – The project scope doesn’t require any stair tread replacement. The only reason stair treads would need to be replaced is if they are damaged by the contractor during construction.

END OF RFI’s