Attach VI - RFI Richards.docx
DOCX document 37 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- 36C25026B0006_1
About this file
This is a Request for Information (RFI) document containing 35 questions submitted by Richard Group and official government responses regarding solicitation 36C25026B0006 for the Upgrade Campus Electrical System project at VA Northern Indiana Healthcare System in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The RFI addresses critical project clarifications spanning personnel roles, site logistics, specifications, and materials. Key determinations include: the Superintendent and SSHO may be the same individual; subcontractors must park in lot F or within the construction zone; Indiana tax exemption documentation will be provided post-award; the incumbent Fire Alarm system (Simplex) is being replaced by Edwards ETS4 by July 2026; Access Control uses Lenel card readers requiring contractor-supplied licensing agreements; temporary diesel generator fuel will be supplied by the contractor with remaining fuel transferable to VA tanks; temporary retaining systems for the 10-foot excavation against Building 1 are the contractor's responsibility; EPDM roofing must be 60-mil reinforced (not 100-mil as originally specified); all CMU wall interiors receive P-3 paint finish; mock-ups must be standalone and outside the project; some off-hours work is required for cutover activities; AISC certification for steel erection and fabrication is mandatory with no waivers available; firestopping technicians must be certified through their company but third-party inspectors are not required; and commercial photography with 3-year experience and AutoCAD-based interactive indexing/navigation is required per specifications. Additional specifications for F-1 Thin Brick Finish, F-2 Insulated Metal Wall Panels, metal stair installation elevations, and Special Inspections section 01 45 35 were noted as forthcoming through addendum. The project includes demolition of Building 16, a 6,600-square-foot addition to Building 1 for primary switchgear, three 600-kW emergency generators, automatic transfer switches, and three unit substations.
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REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)
36C25026B0006
| PROJECT NUMBER: |
| 610A4-23-101 |
| Please ensure that before submitting questions or requests for clarification that you thoroughly read the solicitation, specifications, drawings and other pertinent documents. When submitting questions on this project the Government requires contractors to specifically identify the specification and/or solicitation section(s) or drawing number(s) in reference to the question or request for clarification submitted. No question or request for clarification will be answered by the Government unless the above requirements are met. Failure to comply may prevent the Government from responding in a timely manner. |
| PROJECT TITLE: |
| Upgrade Campus Electrical System |
PROJECT LOCATION:
VA Northern Indiana Healthcare System 2121 Lake Ave Fort Wayne IN 46805-5100
| Contractor Name Contact Info (Phone & Address) |
| Richard Group |
Andrew Hom (617.639.7788)
566 W LAKE ST., SUITE 100, CHICAGO, IL 60661
TO: Brian Rosciszewski, Contract Specialist Department of Veterans Affairs Network 10 Contracting Office Brian.Rosciszewski@VA.gov
INFORMATION NEEDED: Write each in the form of a question. Use one document for all questions. Specify any referenced specs/drawings. Submit all questions on one document only to Brian.Rosciszewski@VA.gov. Subject of the email must be: “RFI – {Solicitation #} – Firm Name”
1. Please confirm the Superintendent shall not have any shared duties as a QCM, SSHO, or any other role on the project.
A: The superintendent & SSHO may be the same individual. VA
2. Please confirm the SSHO shall not have any shared duties as a QCM, Superintendent, or any other role on the project.
A: That is GC’s decision, but the superintendent cannot be the QC. VA
3. Please confirm the CQC System manager shall not have any shared duties as the SSHO, Superintendent or any other role on the project.
A: No. VA
4. Please confirm subcontractor parking will be provided on-site.
A: All contractors and sub-contractors will park in lot F (up on hill) or inside the construction zone. Construction zone will be determine at time of NTP. VA
5. Please confirm if this project is tax exempt. If so, will the VA provide the documentation to the prime contractor after award?
A: Indiana allows for tax exemption. Paperwork will be provided for the awardee. CS
6. Please provide the incumbent Fire Alarm provider for the Simplex system per spec 28 31 00.
A1: Contact A; JCI/Simplex for current local vendor. MG, HEAPY.
A2: Simplex system is currently being replaced by Edwards ETS4 which should be in place by July 2026. VA
7. Please provide the incumbent Access Control provider.
A: The card readers run on Lenel. The GC must supply the licensing agreement for each card reader. VA
8. Please provide the preselected HVAC Control System Integrator service company as mentioned in Spec 23 09 23.
A: Not answered. VA
9. Please identify the approved location(s) for the Contractor’s temporary office trailer and laydown/storage areas, or confirm whether these locations will be designated by the VA after award.
A: Civil has staging area on AE201. VA to confirm laydown area, after award. VA
10. Please confirm all fuel for temporary diesel generators will be provided by the VA.
A1: Refer to General Note F on EP101A. MG, HEAPY.
A2: GC provides all fuel for temporary generators. When temporary generators are removed, the remaining fuel may be transferred to VA’s tanks. VA
11. New building requires 10’ excavation up against existing Building 1. Please confirm if any temporary retaining system will be needed for new building.
A: This is a Means/methods question. Contractor to determine and provide engineered temporary shoring as needed to protect Building 1. For bidding purposes, temporary retaining system may be included. ~ AES Group
12. EPDM roofing system per spec 07 53 23 indicates 100mil thickness, reinforced. Subcontractors have advised that available options are 90 mil non-reinforced or 60 mil reinforced.
A: Provide reinforced 60 mil. NM, FFE.
13. West wall elevation as shown on 5/AE312 has a 42” guardrail. Renderings on AE900 show this wall butting up against existing building without a railing in this location. Please confirm if railing is not required here.
A: Renders are incorrect. Existing wall cuts back slightly on plan. Please provide handrail as shown in on 5/AE312 for protection. NM, FFE.
14. Please confirm if all CMU wall interiors are to receive paint finish P-3.
A: All CMU wall interiors to receive P-3. NM, FFE.
15. Please confirm if exhaust pipe going up side of east building can be assembled with flanged/gasketed joints.
Detail 2/SE507 shows support brackets. Please confirm if the intent is for the exhaust pipe to be welded to the channels.
A: The (9) low guides shall be fastened to the masonry infill wall that exists behind the architectural façade. See 3/SE507 SIM (use ½” diameter threaded rods, epoxied 4” into existing masonry). NM, FFE.
16. Please provide attachment details for the circular supports for the vertical exhaust pipes shown on Detail 2/SE507.
A: See Q15. NM, FFE.
17. Please provide specification section 096000 Schedule for Finishes as referenced in Section 034500 Precast Architectural Concrete.
A: There will be no schedule of finishes provided. All references to it can be omitted. There will be no exposed aggregate concrete on project.
18. Please provide specification for F-1 Thin Brick Finish.
A: An addendum will be issued with this spec. NM, FFE.
19. Please provide specification for F-2 Insulated Metal Wall Panels.
A: An addendum will be issued with this spec. NM, FFE.
20. 2/AE311 and 7/AE400 do not indicate how the top of the precast wall is attaching to the steel structure. Please provide attachment detail.
A: See sheet SE502 for detail. NM, FFE.
21. Please confirm the metal finish noted on 5/AE400 is F-2 Metal Wall Panel.
A: It is not F-2. F-2 is used on South Elevation. NM, FFE.
22. Please confirm a flexible and later start date is possible. With lead times of Phase 1 electrical systems potentially being over a year and driving the schedule, mobilization is likely to be further out than VA intends.
A: Postponing is not in consideration currently. VA
23. Please confirm VA is responsible for costs of filling the new diesel tank in phase 2.
A: Refer to General Note F on EP101A. MG, HEAPY.
24. Please confirm whether the referenced 1,000 LF of additional 400A feeder is a contingency quantity included to address potential unknown routing conditions, and that installation of this feeder is only required if directed by the VA.
A: This is a contingency for unknown rerouting of feeders. I am not sure what you are asking. MG, HEAPY.
25. Please provide additional elevations for the metal stair installation.
A: An addendum will be issued with additional information. NM, FFE.
26. Please provide material identification and specification for pavers called on CG201 Grading Plan.
A: The keynote #15 that mentions pavers should be keynote #16 on the plans, there was a typo on the drawings. Please reference the landscaping plans for the pavers information. ~AES Group
27. Please provide spec section 01 45 35 Special Inspections as referenced in 01 45 00 Quality Control.
A: An addendum will be issued with this spec. NM, FFE.
28. Please confirm required mock up’s are standalone and outside project.
A: Mock ups will be stand alone and outside of project. VA
29. Please confirm if off-hours work is required, and if so, please specify times.
A: Some off-hours work will be necessary (e.g. cut overs)
30. Please consider waiving the requirement for AISC certification for steel erection or steel fabrication. There is a limited subcontractor pool who are both an AISC Streel Erector and Fabricator within the areas.
A1: AISC Certification is required per VA spec Section 05 12 00 Structural Steel Framing. Specifications are not normally waved by VA’s as these are their requirements. ~ AES Group.
A2: No waiver will be requested. VA
31. Please confirm that all firestopping must be either installed by an FM global approved contractor, or a UL qualified firestop contractor certified.
A: Contractor does not have to be FM global approved, but technicians must be certified through their company to install firestopping. A third-party installer is not required. Hilti red fire caulk was used as basis of design. VA
32. Please confirm that the contractor is to include the services of a third party independent firestopping inspector in their bid.
A: See Q31.
33. Please confirm no advanced utility metering system is required for this scope of work.
A: Specification 25 10 10 Advanced Utility Metering is not included. Metering systems are required under other specifications. MG, HEAPY.
34. Please confirm per section 01 00 00 that contractor is to provide a commercial photographer/subcontractor with 3 years’ experience and that indexing/navigation will use AutoCAD drawings to be interactive online. Typically this has been waived on most other VA projects as most facilities do not have the capabilities to utilize AutoCAD.
A: Comply with specifications. VA
35. Please provide additional demolition drawings or photos for the removal of Building 16. The current demolition drawings CD101/102 and ED102A do not specify the building makeup and are not sufficient for pricing its removal.
A: Architects response… ED102A is intended to show electrical demolition, not general trades demolition. MG, HEAPY.
Government Response: Posted as attachment to amendment #3 of the solicitation.
REPLY FROM:
NCO 10
DATE: 2/6/2026
ATTACHMENTS:
COPY TO:
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .