S02 - Attachment 7 - Questions and Answers from previous solicitation - 596A4-18-102.pdf

QUESTION AND ANSWERS – 596A4-18-102 – Upgrade Elevators P1, P2, P3, S4, and S5.

1. Factor 3: Past Performance:

Can we use CPARS in lieu of PPQs?

Answer - Yes you can use CPARS in lieu of PPQs.

2. Factor 3: Past Performance:

It states the client is to send the Past Performance Questionnaire to you directly. Do we need to also include our past performance in our proposal?

Answer - Past Performance should be submitted with the proposal.

3. Factor 3: Past Performance:

May you consider allowing us to submit prior PPQs that are already filled out by the CO especially if it was very recent? We find it difficult to get these done in a timely manner.

Answer - You can use CPARS or prior PPQs.

4. Factor 3: Past Performance:

Factor 3 states we are to submit a minimum of 3 PPQs, but sub-factor 1a only requires two relevant projects. Can these be any projects we would like to use aside from our projects in sub-factor 1a?

Answer - Yes

5. Factor 3: Past Performance:

If PPQs are required and we are unable to obtain it from the CO on time, will you except the first page Section A 1-7 filled out only?

Answer - PPQ’s are not only required. CPARS can be used and will be used as well.

6. Can you please confirm the price breakdown is not counted in this page count?

Answer – price breakdown is not counted in the page count.

7. It has been requested we provide our EMR rating with this proposal. We generally also add in our OSHA forms. Seeing there is a page count for this price proposal, Will you require us to include our OSHA forms?

Answer - OSHA forms will not count in the page count.

8. We are currently on site as the prime contractor for Upgrade Elevators P4, P5, S6, and S7.

Although this is only about 40% complete…would you except this as relevant experience?

Answer – This would be considered as relevant experience however, a project will need to be completed for you to receive credit for past performance.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

596A4-18-102 – Upgrade Elevators P1, P2, P3, S4, and S5

1. Is this project tax exempt, and will the CO/COR provide the necessary tax exempt certificates?

Answer – This project is not tax exempt.

2. The RFP requires submission for detailed division breakdown on VA form S02 spreadsheet. Can contractor use own divisional formatted detailed breakdown spreadsheet lieu of VA breakdown form S02?

Answer – Yes

3. Can the owner provide as-built drawings for the current installed elevators for review for this solicitation? Also, can any other drawings of revisions / modifications made to the elevators be provided?

Answer – Not aware of any as-builts for the equipment.

4. Note N on drawing G1002 states contractor to re-label all doors with same signage as existing from 290 signs company (sole source). There isn’t a signage drawing plan showing signs contractor will need to replace for pricing. Are there signs to be replaced?

Answer – All doors worked on during this project will need replace signage.

5. Due to the unprecedented and unpredictable material price increases occurring in the nation, will the CO/VA/Owner allow a fixed price contract with economic price adjustments per FAR

16.203 to be used as the basis for contract award? This will allow the most competitive price to be offered at this time.

Answer – No, Firm Fixed Price will be used.

6. Where will the designated parking and laydown area be for workers accessing the construction site as parking at Lexington VAMC is of concern?

Answer – Parking and Lay down are TBD after NTP.

7. For this solicitation, has the work area been checked for asbestos, lead based materials and/or other hazardous materials? Is there a report available?

Answer – 2018 Campus asbestos report will be available to the contractor.

8. Will the owner accept the use of the industry leading Procore Project Management software as the primary submittal and data tracking tool for this project?

9. Please confirm this project can be completed during normal working hours, not nights and weekends.

Answer – Some work will require nights and weekends for patient safety. The VA reserves the right to require night and weekend work when required. Normal working hours will be allowed when coordinated with the COR.

10. Can the contractor’s onsite superintendent also have duties of SSHO (site safety) and QACQ

(quality control)?

Answer – Yes, the Superintendent can be the SSHO and QC.

11. 2.15 VAAR 852.223-70 Instructions to Offerors - Sustainable Acquisition Plan (Sept 2019). This paragraph states that “Offerors shall include a Sustainable Acquisition Plan in their technical proposals. The plan must describe the approach and quality assurance mechanisms for applying

FAR subpart 23.1, Sustainable Acquisition Policy and other Federal laws, regulations and

Executive Orders governing sustainable acquisition. The plan shall clearly identify those products and services included in the proposal." This sustainable acquisition plan is not required in the

RFP submission and evaluation section. We assume this is not a submission requirement for this

RFP. Will the VA provide an amendment statement removing VAAR 852.223-70 from proposal narrative submission.?

Answer – The amendment will include the removal of VAAR 852.223-70 from the proposal narrative.

12. If RFI question VA response doesn’t quit answer the contractor need for understanding and elicits a follow-up question, will an additional RFI submission period be allowed?

Answer – Follow up questions will be allowed on a case-by-case basis.

13. Will the VA provide a copy of RFI questions and responses submitted from all contractors on this solicitation?

14. Will the contractor be authorized to build a temporary office inside the space in lieu of no available space on this VA Campus?

Answer – No

15. Drawing G1004 detail 1 shows 5 phases for the elevators. Can one elevator in the 'P' passenger elevator bank and one elevator in the 'S' service elevator bank be worked on at the same time?

One elevator in the Service elevator bank and two elevators in Passenger elevator bank would be free for passengers.

Answer – At no time should more than one elevator in a group be out of service.

16. Spec section 14 21 10 paragraph 2.17 Traction Hoist Machine states, 'remove existing overhead gearless traction hoist machine' and 'provide geared traction machine with an AC motor.'.

Several elevator vendors have indicated that with required speeds for these elevators, utilizing a geared machine is of concern. Is this requirement to replace a gearless traction hoist machine with a geared traction machine hoist the desired basis of design for the VA? Otherwise, we bid project per spec.

Answer – This is a typographical error. Specifications should read “provide gearless traction machine with AC motor.”

17. Detail 5 on drawing G1003 shows a fire pull station with audio/visual fire alarm. Is a fire alarm pull station to be added for all ICRA temporary wall-built rooms and for all elevators at each floor? Additionally, are these pull stations and fire alarm audio horn strobes to be tied into the

VA hospital fire alarm system?

Answer – Fire Pull stations will not be required on the ICRA temporary walls.

18. Drawing detail 1 on G1004 shows elevator banks with the temporary ICRA containment wall/rooms about each elevator. These walls are shown on G1003 as 1 hour drywall stud partitions. If the scope of work for any one elevator at any floor be completed in a typical one workday shift and the work area be turned over to the VA/Public in less than 24 hours, do we have to build full drywall stud partition walls? Because it doesn't make sense to spend 2 to 3 days building 1-hour partitions for a work area where the work can be completed in one workday. There are other alternate ICRA provisions that can meet the temporary ICRA requirements and be installed and taken down within one day; area turned over to the

VA/Public within 24 hrs. It would be cost savings to the government.

Answer - MBA does not recommend building 1-hour enclosures. Recommend movable barricades be constructed at the top and bottom floor with doors. Temporary barricades should be used if at the floor level for minor work. Existing hoist way doors form the enclosure, and they should not be off any entrance for more than a full day with a barricade in front of the entrance frame.

19. Follow up question on drawing detail 1 on G1004 question on ICRA containment walls. If the work at any elevator and at any floor be completed within a typical one-day shift and returned to the VA/Public access in less than 24 hours with VA approval for use of other ICRA containment, that would eliminate the addition of the fire alarm and pull station for each ICRA containment wall/rooms as shown on G1004 and details on G1003. Will the VA allow this process? It would be cost savings to the government.

20. Spec section 14 21 10 paragraph 1.9B states 'where an adjacent elevator is in operation, isolate the elevators from each other with suitable barriers between them, extending from the pit floor to bottom of the slab at top of hoistway, while work is in progress'. Further it states to remove the partition when work is completed. Looking at site walk field conditions for all elevator hoistways where elevators are close together with limited space, along with side guide rails, cabs, cables, etc as shown on the drawings, there is very little space where a partition can be built from the elevator pit to top level. This requirement is going to limit the working space needed to upgrade the elevator hoistway and cab upgrades. Will the owner revise this requirement stating that elevators can be isolated by other means necessary rather than a built partition?

Answer – Elevator contractor to provide compliant temporary hoistway screening. This is OSHA approved and is typical for elevator projects.

21. Sub-Factor 2a - Project & Construction Quality Control. This sub factor requires submission of

Gnatt chart validating the contract period of performance by schedule of values by trade discipline and by General Wage Decision (formerly Davis-Bacon Act). For this requirement, is the VA requesting a Gnatt chart with WBS of trade activities and time duration for the project critical path where contractor can validate that the POP can be met?

Answer – Yes, the Gantt Chart will be used to validate period of performance.

22. The existing elevator doors are blue. Paragraph 3.5G3 &H3 seem to indicate exterior faces of elevator doors are to be painted. Are new elevator doors to be polished type stainless steel without painted color?

Answer – A. Refinish existing stainless-steel entrance frames or paint existing painted entrance frames or clad existing entrance frames in stainless steel.

Provide cladding or refinishing of all entrance frames for stainless steel. New doors are Stainless

Steel.

Provide new stainless steel hoistway doors. Door panels shall be not less than 16-gauge sheet steel and not less than 32 mm (1.25 in.) thick flush type construction with the hall side and leading edge wrapped in one continuous piece of 16-gauge stainless steel. Top and bottom of door panels shall have continuous stiffener channels welded in place. Reinforcement of the door panels shall be approximately 1.0 mm (0.04 in.) in thickness and of the hat section type.

Reinforce each door panel for hangers, interlock mechanism, opening and closing devices. Do not use hangers that are constructed integrally with the door panels.

23. Paragraph 2.45 C states, 'remove existing finish floor and plywood subfloor' and 'provide new marine plywood subfloor' Paragraph 2.46 B says reuse car interior panels and flooring. Both elevator schedules on drawing A201 and A202 indicate No to replace flooring. It would seem if the elevator existing platform is removed and re-worked, a new floor finish would be required.

Will the elevator cabs need new flooring finish? If yes, what type of flooring and spec is required?

Answer – Fritz tile is specified. Need to confirm the finishes and elevation, but this is in specifications.

Remove existing finish floor and plywood subfloor by saw cutting around interior walls of car enclosure. Provide new marine plywood subfloor WITH ANY REQUIRED STRUCTURAL

REINFORCEMENT and Fritz Tile finish floor as indicated in Equipment Summary.

24. Paragraph 2.46 A/B/G call for existing car enclosure to be reused, interior panels reused, and existing handrails reused. Drawings A201 and A202 for both elevators that walls are to be replaced and new handrails. The specs and drawings appear to be in conflict. Are cab walls and handrails to be replaced with new?

Answer – Specifications call for reuse of cab interior. I would recommend that we revise the specification to show what is in the drawings.

25. With the new proposed elevator upgrade BOD (basis of design) stated on drawings and in specs, have the existing elevator machine room and other locations of elevator equipment areas been checked and/or evaluated for proper ventilation, heat gain from equipment, and temperature controls from existing HVAC systems? The drawings and specs do not indicate or show modifications are required for those systems.

Answer – If new equipment is installed, there should be a reduction in BTU output with new permanent magnet gear-less motors. Do not know if they did the correct review but can be sure it will be less loads.

END OF QUESTIONS