S05_Contractor Questions_621-22-109 - AJP-Replace Site UG Sanitary and Storm Sewer Piping .pdf

Contractor Questions 36C24926R0021

The Offeror's technical proposal shall be no more than 50 pages total, which is not inclusive of the solicitation and any amendments issued thereof. The Offeror's price proposal shall be no more than 25 pages inclusive of bid bonds required."

1. Please confirm all pages of the solicitation are to be included in the Technical Proposal, not the Price Proposal, and not as a separate item.

A: Yes all pages of the solicitation and all amendments must be returned as part of your proposal

2. Please confirm that proposals are NOT to include any cover sheet, cover letter, table of contents, or covers for the different sections of content. Or, if they are to be included, will these items count toward the page limit?

A:Yes, Cover sheet, cover letter, table of contents, or covers for the different sections of content are not required

3. The following instructions is evaluated areas: Prime Contractor must show experience in performing this type of requirement for three (3) completed projects within the past five (5) years with a contract value equal to or greater than $10,000,000.00." A

A: is changed to read: Prime Contractor must show experience in performing this type of requirement for two (2) completed projects within the past five (5) years with a contract value equal to or greater than $10,000,000.00."

4. Can CPARS be used in place of past performance questionnaires? This has been acceptable on past projects.

A: Yes

5. If CPARS cannot be used, can past performance questionnaires previously completed for other opportunities be used in order to avoid unnecessarily burdening our past clients once again?

A: Both are acceptable

6. FACTOR 1 – Hospital/Healthcare Construction Management, Sub-Factor 1a and Sub-Factor 1b require experience in underground sanitary sewer piping work, however, the Standard for Acceptability requires experience in new hospital construction, renovation and/or construction additions in a hospital or medical center environment.

FACTOR 3 – Past Performance requires projects of new construction, renovation or new addition of hospital/healthcare facility, medical clinics.

Given this project generally does not include work in active medical patient areas, we believe the Standard for Acceptability for these factors should require past experience in similar underground sanitary sewer piping work, as stated in the Sub- Factor requirements, instead of experience in new hospital construction, renovation and/or construction additions in a hospital or medical center environment.

Underground sanitary sewer piping work of this magnitude for hospitals or medical centers is rare, especially for SDVOSB firms. We request that underground sanitary sewer piping work for other federal government facility types also be considered relevant. Please advise.

A: Yes, Standard for Acceptability for these factors require past experience in similar underground sanitary sewer piping work at any facility.

7. The solicitation documents posted to SAM.gov include CALCULATION OF SELF PERFORMED WORK, Contractor EMR Certification Form, and UEI _ TAX ID. These documents are not included in the proposal instructions.

Are these attachments to be included in one of the proposal sections, or as separate items? Please clarify. If they are to be included in one of the proposal sections, do they count toward the page limit?

A: All attachments are posted with the solicitation on SAM.gov

8. FACTOR 3 – Past Performance requires projects completed within the last five (5) years.

Would the government allow projects that are either 90% complete or substantially complete to be acceptable for Factor 3? This has been acceptable on past projects.

A: Yes

9. There are inconsistencies in the period of performance. Solicitation block 11 states 485 calendar days but the RFP requirements subfactor 2a states Gantt chart achieving successful project completion in 365 calendar days, with all requirements met for contract. Please clarify the period of performance.

A: It will be 485, this includes the long waiting period for the order and the materials needed for construction.

10. Solicitation states: FAR 52.209-7 Information regarding responsibility Matters (b) shall be marked. If not marked, the proposal is technically unacceptable and cannot be considered for award. Please provide where this should be included and if the full representation and certifications should be included in the proposal.

A: in the clause

11. We have been unsuccessful in getting questionnaires filled out due to the recent changes in federal agencies and staffing. May we use previously submitted PPQs or would you except CPARS?

A: CPARS is acceptable

12. Please clarify in which volume of the proposal we should include the Contractor EMR form.

A: With the Solicitation you return as part of your proposal

13. Will the new UG storm and sanitary systems need to be installed parallel to the existing, fully tested and ready to switch over prior to taking down the existing systems?

A: YES, It is necessary to maintain the sanitary sewer service at all times.

14. Will shutdowns be restricted to after normal business hours or will shutdowns be allowed during business hours with adequate notice?

A: Shutdowns can be implemented during normal operating hours as long as they do not affect operations; each case will be evaluated.

15. How long can each system be shutdown during switch over?

A: This will be done without disrupting normal campus operations. Please consider overnight work as it is quite possible in certain cases.

16. Please provide the sign in sheet from the site visit.

A: See Attached

17. Can spoils be disposed of onsite or will they require removal and disposal offsite?

A: Only clean dirt will be allowed; all types of rubble must be disposed of properly in compliance with the law.

18. Will demo debris such as asphalt and concrete need to be removed from the site or is there a fill site on campus?

A: All types of debris must be disposed of in accordance with the law.

19. Regarding traffic control, can the road be shut down during construction assuming there is an alternate path to all buildings?

A: Each case will be reviewed and an action plan for traffic control must be submitted.

20. In the absence of a proper geotechnical report rock removal cannot be determined.

Since a geotechnical report is not provided, will rock encountered be handled by change orders?

A: Yes, please submit a price for the cost of excavating through rocks.

21. In the absence of a proper geotechnical report de-watering cannot be determined.

Since a geotechnical report is not provided, will de-watering encountered be handled by change orders?

A: Yes, please submit a price for the cost of excavating through rocks.

22. Specification Section 02 21 13, 3.4 – Survey Drawing Requirements – These requirement A-T appear to be a complete survey of the existing site and UG utilities.

Since the SOW is for installing new and modifying existing chilled water systems can the survey be conducted only on new chilled water systems and the portions of existing chilled water systems which are directly affected (i.e. tie-ins)?

A: There is no mention of chilled water installation in this project; I believe there is confusion with another project. What is requested is that all types of infrastructure found in the excavations be documented with photos, dimensions, elevation, location, etc.

23. Will an SWPPP be required for this project?

A:Yes, The contractor must ensure that there is no contamination of water bodies and, if there is, must take all necessary measures to mitigate it.

24. With the site visit for this project set as Tuesday 2/17/26, the RFI deadline of Friday 2/20/26 of the same week is not enough time to review plans and generate good RFI’s. Can the RFI deadline be extended to Tuesday 3/3/26?

A: Timeline will remain the same at this time.

25. Note #6 on sheet CD102 says to remove, and re-plant trees. These trees, such as the tree in front of Bldg. B52 are very large, mature trees, with the main root ball under a concrete ramp. Is the intention to remove, store and re-plant this very large tree, or is it to be removed and replaced with a smaller tree of the same variety? See snapshot below.

A: Each case will be evaluated; the intention is to be as far away from the trees as possible, and if removal is necessary, they will be replaced with their equivalent in new trees with a maintenance period of one year for their establishment.

26. 1Sheet CD102 shows what appears to be another tree across the street from B52 with the same symbol for remove and re-plant however, it doesn’t have note #6.

Should note #6 be used for this tree as well? See snapshot below.

A: That small tree, as well as all the bushes along the entire route, should be taken into consideration.

27. Where will the laydown yard be located?

A: One will be available; this will be determined according to availability at the time of the award.

28. Where will power be pulled from for the laydown area?

A: It all depends on the final location of the laydown area.

29. Have the existing storm and sanitary sewer piping had cameras run through them to determine the state of the existing system?

A: Some, therefore, were changed in addition to a change in diameter to accommodate greater flow

30. RFP section 3.C states the POP is 730 calendar days, RFP section A.4 states base execution period is 485 calendar days and the Evaluation Factor 2a states a project schedule is required showing completion in 365 calendar days. The opinion of multiple UG utility contracts bidding this project is that the project cannot be completed in 485 calendar days. Please confirm the correct duration is 730 calendar days.

A: The project duration will be 485 calendar days

31. Section on Access and Outages requires 10 working day coordination but does not define outage windows. Please confirm permitted outage durations, allowable timeframes, and whether night or weekend outages are anticipated or required for sanitary or storm tie ins.

A: The duration will depend on the system but should not exceed 8 hours;

exceptions may exist but will be considered if necessary.

32. Does the 730-day duration assume strictly sequential execution or can multiple non-conflicting phases may be performed concurrently?

A: The project duration will be 485 calendar days

33. General Note #31 on sheet G-002 calls for bypass and prohibit bypass when Contractor is off site. Will bypass pumping be continuously attended 24 hours per day?

A: Unless you have an alarm system and staff are on standby in case intervention is needed.

34. General Note #31 on sheet G-002 calls for bypass and prohibit bypass when Contractor is off site. Will a redundant standby generator be required?

A: Unless you have an alarm system and staff are on standby in case intervention is needed.

35. By pass pumping is required for sanitary and storm systems. Please provide peak sanitary flow rates and storm design event criteria for sizing bypass systems for each run of pipe to be replaced.

A:85% of the pipe's capacity.

36. Storm sewer drawings reference RCP class by detail but do not clearly indicate class by segment. Please confirm required RCP class for each segment and governing live load criteria for roadway crossings.

A: yes

37. Sanitary pipe is noted as PVC SDR 35 for sewer usage. Please confirm whether PVC SDR 35 is acceptable in all installations including deep and roadway crossings, or if DIP is required at certain thresholds.

A: yes, SDR 35 is acceptable

38. Sanitary and storm utility specifications govern testing but drawing notes do not clearly define testing requirements. Please confirm required testing protocols including air testing, vacuum testing, deflection testing, hydrostatic testing, and CCTV requirements.

A: All tests necessary to ensure that the installation is fault-free.

39. Extensive trenching is required across active medical campus areas. Please confirm whether engineered shoring systems are required adjacent to buildings and identify minimum offsets triggering engineered design.

A: All trenches must comply with legal regulations; the use of an engineer should be considered for deep areas or areas near buildings.

40. Earthwork specification governs backfill but settlement thresholds are not defined.

Please confirm Contractor responsibility for post-construction settlement monitoring and define acceptable settlement criteria.

A: Key Settlement Thresholds and Requirements:

• Paved Areas/Public Right of Way: Max settlement of 0.05 ft.

• Non-paved Improved Areas: Max settlement of 0.10 ft.

• Wetlands/Buffer: Max settlement of 0.00 ft.

• Compaction Standards: To minimize settlement, backfill is typically compacted to at least 90-95% of the maximum dry density (ASTM D698 or

AASHTO T180).

• Backfill Material: Select earth backfill, often free of rocks larger than 1-3 inches, is used

41. Tree protection procedures are defined in general notes. Please clarify allowable excavation methods within tree protection zones and whether directional boring is required in root protection areas.

A: It is not required but can be used.

42. Will work in manholes require confined space requirements such as third-party standby rescue services.

A: Each contractor bears sole responsibility for the safety of their personnel and must possess the appropriate resources and protocols to ensure occupational safety compliance. If a contractor determines they lack the capacity to adequately manage safety risks, they are required to engage a qualified third-party entity capable of effectively addressing such safety concerns.

43. Evaluation Sub-Factor 1a and Factor 3 require prior experience involving new construction, renovation, or addition of a hospital/medical center and/or healthcare facility. Given that the majority of work will occur outside of occupied medical facilities and is not anticipated to involve significant interior renovation or Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA) procedure, will the Government consider projects involving underground utility infrastructure at other federal facilities (e.g., other comparable federal institutional campus infrastructure projects.) where the technical complexity and magnitude are comparable?

A: yes

44. The Solicitation requires submission of three (3) Past Performance Questionnaires to be completed by prior clients and forwarded directly to the Contract Specialist in order to satisfy Factor 3 – Past Performance.

Many federal construction projects of similar magnitude are already documented in the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS), which provides detailed evaluations prepared and issued by Government Contracting Officers in accordance with FAR 42.15.

In order to streamline the evaluation process and ensure the use of official Government performance records, will the Government permit offerors to submit copies of relevant CPARS evaluations when available for qualifying projects in lieu of the separate Past Performance Questionnaire form required under Factor 3?

A: See above answer

45. The solicitation does not currently include an economic price adjustment clause such as FAR 52.216-4. In today’s market, significant volatility in both labor rates and material costs presents a challenge for bidders to estimate pricing accurately without including broad contingency allowances. This may result in higher bids and reduced competitiveness. The inclusion of an EPA clause would allow for fair price adjustments tied to actual cost changes, improving pricing accuracy for the government.

Question: Will the Contracting Officer consider including FAR 52.216-4 Economic Price Adjustment – Labor and Material in the contract to mitigate risk related to market fluctuations and reduce the need for contingency-based pricing?

A: This is a firm fixed price contract

46. Spec section 01 45 00 which identifies the qualifications required for the CQC Manager. According to this spec section “The CQC system Manager is required to be a graduate engineer, graduate architect, or a graduate construction manager, with a minimum of 5 years construction experience on construction similar to the scope of this Contract”. This statement would require an on-site person with a 4-year degree in either architecture, engineering, or construction management to be employed full-time, onsite, and for the duration of the project. This is typical of a US Army Corps of Engineer spec reserved for projects with much higher complexity and magnitude than this SDVOSB solicitation for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Enforcement of this spec would require creating an additional high paying position within the onsite staff, thereby increasing monthly overhead project cost to the Government on every project. Meeting this requirement in an industry that already has a significant shortage of labor resources will be both difficult to fill and costly to the project. Based on the size and complexity of this project, we respectfully request that this spec requirement be revised to add the statement “or a construction professional with a minimum of 7 years related work experience” at the end of the sentence quoted above.

A: the factor will remain as posted

47. We are requesting that the cutoff date for questions be extended to 2/27/2026 to allow for additional time to review findings from the site visit that took place on 2/17/2026.

A: cut off date will remain as posted in the solicitation

48. Are there any geotechnical borings for this project, or any historical data that the government can provide to help determine underground conditions, specifically potential rock formations?

A: No, The geological stratigraphy exhibits significant variability, rendering any investigation ineffective within the designated construction zone.

49. The rock in the area is extremely dense and can be difficult to hammer. If rock is encountered, will blasting be allowed?

A: The case will be analyzed individually, according to the risk to the surrounding buildings and infrastructure.

50. Please confirm that the facility has a specified area to place excess spoils, and that they will not need to be hauled off-site.

A: Only clean material, free of debris, will be accepted.

51. Solicitation SF1442 & Scope of Work: There appears to be a large discrepancy in the quantities of proposed pipe stated in the solicitation versus the actual quantities shown on the plans. Specifically, the solicitation and the advertisement state that there is approximately 44,000 LF of Storm Drain and approximately 24,000 LF of Sanitary Sewer. The plans show approximately 9,000 LF of Storm Drain and 7,500 LF of Sanitary Sewer proposed piping. Can the Government confirm that there is in fact approximately 44,000 LF of Storm Drain and 24,000 LF of Sanitary Sewer proposed piping on this project?

A: The quantities are those contained in the construction drawings.

52. Can the government provide as-builts plans for the existing systems?

A: We will provide what we have available at the time construction begins, although it is the contractor's responsibility to do their research.

53. Can the government provide flow rates of the existing sanitary system so that we can determine the necessary size of bypass pumps that will be required?

A: Flow rates can be determined using the information contained in the construction documents.

54. There are several mature trees in and near the path of the proposed new utilities.

The required excavation will certainly cut through critical root zones . Will the government give direction on potential root pruning measures?

A: For a mature tree, the maximum recommended amount of root pruning is generally no more than 25% to 30% of the root system. However, to ensure the long-term health and stability of a large, mature tree, it is safer to limit pruning to 10–20% of the root mass.

55. Can the government provide any additional information regarding its aging and deteriorating asphalt, as far as cutback and milling requirements?

A: See sheet C-501 for asphalt and concrete cutting details.

56. Can the government provide any additional information about its aging and deteriorating curb and gutter removal requirements? IE: Should the contractor plan to repair a certain amount of feet past our trench width?

A: Anything damaged during construction must be repaired.

57. Can the government confirm, as discussed in the pre-bid site visit, that all connections for both sanitary and storm drain are outside of the existing buildings, and can a detail be provided for final connections?

A: It depends on the existing pipe material, and typical construction details will be used.

58. The specifications detail work that is typically associated with interior construction, such as the need for fire watch. Can the government confirm that no interior work is taking place on this project?

A: All work is done outdoors unless otherwise noted in the construction documents.

One possible scenario for intervention inside a building is if a pipe is damaged and needs to be replaced from inside the building, which we hope will not happen.

59. Does the government have an approved MOT plan, and what are the requirements for vehicular and pedestrian traffic?

A: It is the responsibility of the selected contractor to provide all necessary plans to implement safety on the construction site, including the MOT (Maintenance of Traffic).An MOT plan is a detailed strategy for safely managing vehicular, pedestrian, and cyclist traffic around construction or work zones to ensure safety and maintain t raffic flow.

60. Will work site fencing be required for the entire project?

A: Each area must be secured and unauthorized persons must not be allowed to pass through.

61. Will the government provide adequate Material laydown and employee parking space on-site?

A:YES

62. Evaluation Sub-Factor 1a and Factor 3 require prior experience involving new construction, renovation, or addition of a hospital/medical center and/or healthcare facility. Given that the majority of work will occur outside of occupied medical facilities and is not anticipated to involve significant interior renovation or Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA) procedure, will the Government consider projects involving underground utility infrastructure at other federal facilities (e.g., other comparable federal institutional campus infrastructure projects.) where the technical complexity and magnitude are comparable?

A: See answer to this question above

63. The Solicitation requires submission of three (3) Past Performance Questionnaires to be completed by prior clients and forwarded directly to the Contract Specialist in order to satisfy Factor 3 – Past Performance.

Many federal construction projects of similar magnitude are already documented in the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS), which provides detailed evaluations prepared and issued by Government Contracting Officers in accordance with FAR 42.15.

In order to streamline the evaluation process and ensure the use of official Government performance records, will the Government permit offerors to submit copies of relevant CPARS evaluations when available for qualifying projects in lieu of the separate Past Performance Questionnaire form required under Factor 3?

A:

64. The solicitation does not currently include an economic price adjustment clause such as FAR 52.216-4. In today’s market, significant volatility in both labor rates and material costs presents a challenge for bidders to estimate pricing accurately without including broad contingency allowances. This may result in higher bids and reduced competitiveness. The inclusion of an EPA clause would allow for fair price adjustments tied to actual cost changes, improving pricing accuracy for the government.

Question: Will the Contracting Officer consider including FAR 52.216-4 Economic Price Adjustment – Labor and Material in the contract to mitigate risk related to market fluctuations and reduce the need for contingency-based pricing?

A: See answer to this question above.

65. Spec section 01 45 00 which identifies the qualifications required for the CQC Manager. According to this spec section “The CQC system Manager is required to be a graduate engineer, graduate architect, or a graduate construction manager, with a minimum of 5 years construction experience on construction similar to the scope of this Contract”. This statement would require an on-site person with a 4-year degree in either architecture, engineering, or construction management to be employed full-time, onsite, and for the duration of the project. This is typical of a US Army Corps of Engineer spec reserved for projects with much higher complexity and magnitude than this SDVOSB solicitation for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Enforcement of this spec would require creating an additional high paying position within the onsite staff, thereby increasing monthly overhead project cost to the Government on every project. Meeting this requirement in an industry that already has a significant shortage of labor resources will be both difficult to fill and costly to the project. Based on the size and complexity of this project, we respectfully request that this spec requirement be revised to add the statement “or a construction professional with a minimum of 7 years related work experience” at the end of the sentence quoted above.

A: We can make an exception for a person who has 10 years of experience and all their certifications up to date, including their QC certifications, with a maximum of 5 years since obtaining them.

66. Can hydraulic and pneumatic rock braking equipment be used for rock encountered during trench operations?

A: YES

67. Will access for water for testing be available at the site?

A: Yes.

68. The specifications state noise level requirements for the facility, at that this work should take place between 8AM to 5PM. There is also a note in the specifications that some of the work on the project may need to take place at night between 5PM and 1AM. Would the noise restrictions be the same if work needs to occur at night?

A: Each case will be studied individually; if the buildings are not occupied, there should be no problems with the noise.

69. We believe the time duration allocated for this project is inadequate, primarily due to the phasing requirement that each phase must be fully completed one at a time before starting the next phase. We kindly request the Government to add an additional 90 to 120 days to the period of performance.

A: That was taken into consideration, which is why it was increased from 365 days to 485 calendar days.

70. Bid Extension Request - We believe it would be in the best interest of the VA to postpone the project bid date by two weeks. This extra time would simply allow A/E to respond to RFI’s and allow more subcontractors to produce competitive bid proposals for your project, resulting in a more competitively bid project overall.

A: At this time all time lines remain the same as posted in the solicitation.

71. The contract drawings identify manhole locations and invert elevations; however, internal diameters are not explicitly labeled on the plan sheets for each structure.

For bidding purposes, the Contractor has interpreted Detail 1/C-507 and the associated pipe configurations shown on the plan and profile sheets and has assigned internal diameters to each structure as summarized in the attached table.

Please confirm that the proposed internal diameters are acceptable or provide required minimum diameters per structure.

This clarification is requested to ensure accurate pricing and to avoid scope gaps during construction.

A: At first glance, the diameters appear to be correct; however, it's necessary to check if the angles at which the MH receives the pipe were taken into consideration, as this increases the diameter. Please refer to the details on page C-507, which specify the diameter according to the type of angle of connection.

72. On Sheet 4/CW109, Pipe F2 is labeled “SS” and appears to connect into a storm drainage structure.

Please confirm whether:

1. Pipe F2 is intended to be sanitary sewer and, if so, clarify the intended receiving sanitary structure; or

2. The pipe designation is incorrect and should be storm; or

3. The receiving structure is mislabeled.

This clarification is requested to ensure proper system separation and compliance with sanitary and storm drainage requirements.

A: What is shown in detail 4, are identified as S which means sanitary

73. Is cathodic protection required for new piping?

A: No

74. If cathodic protection is required, does it tie into existing cathodic, if so, where?

A: No, N/A

75. Please provide a manhole schedule showing the diameter of each new manhole required for this project.

A: Please refer to the details on page C-507, which specify the diameter according to the type of angle of connection.