S06 - Att 1 Pre-Bid RFIs 20240703.pdf

Line Question Response

Are open protocol (Non-JCI) control systems allowable? This would give much more flexibility for the facility in the future and not sole source / lock into only JCI.

Yes

Can Distech be added as an approved control device o FIPS and PICS documents are attached for consideration. These are more secure than the JCI controllers. Distech is used by the pentagon and other major government facilities due to their numerous benefits.

REFERENCE:

ECB BACnet Series B-ASC_PICS_15.pdf EC-NET B-BC_PICS.pdf ECB BACnet Series B-AAC_PICS_15.pdf 140sp3106.pdf

Yes Examples submitted were:

S06 - Att 3 ECB BACnet Series B-AAC_PICS_15 S06 - Att 4 EC-Net B-BC_PICS S06 - Att 5 ECB BACnet Series B-ASC_PICS_15 S06 - Att 6 140sp3106

If competitive high security, open protocol, and modern alternates to JCI are acceptable, are control as-builts available for each area/panel?

Additionally, an extensive site visit would be requested.

No. OK.

The Attachment 1 – Project Manual references The ACM – Lead-Based Paint Report is included in the specifications. We cannot locate this manual. Can you provide the ACM – Lead-Based Paint Report?

There are hazardous materials layouts in the drawings showing areas to avoid.

8 Opportunity to please schedule a makeup site visit?

4.16 - Contract Specialist (CS) addressed through Email that the VA is currently considering making some changes to this solicitation which would offer another walkthrough date.

9 Please confirm if the general contractor or the owner responsible for asbestos abatement work.

There should not be any abatement work (Drawings note locations to avoid), but if there is, it would be a contract modification and GC is responsible.

10 Please provide a copy of the most recent asbestos report.

2015 Inventory attached S06 - Att 7 ACM Spreadsheet Inventory

11 Since NAEs are very close to end of support contractor recommends upgrading to new SNEs rather than upgrading NAEs. Is this acceptable? Yes

Please clarify the extent of the scope as it relates to the wording… “Control devices,” “controls” and “field devices.”

a. Does this mean all control devices including sensors, valves, actuators, dampers or just controllers?

b. Some examples of this wording are:

i. Notes 1 and 2 on drawings MD701

ii. Items B,D,F,G,H under “PHASE 3: B401” on drawing GC101

iii. Items A,B,C and D under “PHASE 8: B409 AND B410” on drawing GC101

iv. Multiple other instances on drawing GC100

Controllers only

Tomah VAMC Replace Building Automation System (Metasys System) 36C25224B0006 676-21-007

Pre-Bid RFIs

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Tomah VAMC Replace Building Automation System (Metasys System) 36C25224B0006 676-21-007

Pre-Bid RFIs

Please clarify the extent of the scope related to Items I under “PHASE 3: B401” on drawing GC101

a. Is this just controllers and programming/commissioning or is mechanical work required for the hot water pumps, heat exchangers, chilled water pumps, condensate pumps, and condenser water pumps?

Controllers and Programming/Commissioning only

Some temperature sensors on the Siemens system may not be compatible with new Metasys controllers. In order to confirm compatibility can as-builts for the Siemens systems being replaced be provided? Otherwise, can that be excluded from the scope for now and assessed as a change order to project as they are discovered?

a. Any zone temperature sensors for Siemens are likely a smart style and will require being changed out.

As builts for every space & device are not available. Changes and sensor compatibility will be evaluated on a case by case scenario during construction.

15 Can another walkthrough please be scheduled?

The VA is looking at a change to the Solicitation and a new walkthrough date will be published

16 Additional engineering time is requested to properly design the system and order correct materials prior to beginning installation.

OK with a month. Please provide explanation and amount of additional time required.

17 Is pre-work TAB work required for this project? It would be good to confirm that flow capacity is available prior to doing any new work. Yes

Is TAB work required for systems not directly served by field controllers being replaced? In other words, is TAB work required on controllers that are remaining but the supervisory controller (i.e NAEs or NIEs or NCMs) is being replaced?

No.

19 Are updated graphics desired? Is reuse of existing graphics acceptable? Updated graphics

Is setting up space-based navigation and equipment relationships required? If so, mechanical drawings showing the relationships between equipment and equipment and equipment and spaces is requested (ductwork and piping drawings that include correct and up to date room and equipment names).

Yes. See section 23 05 11 2.4

Wanted to reach out to you regarding this bid. We would like to put a number together for the ACM and lead based paint portion, but we are having difficulty locating the report mentioned in the bid documents. Would it be possible to have that forwarded to us, or could you possibly direct me to a different resource?

4.30 CS Answered via email that solicitation is an Invitation for Bid for the entire project and not just certain parts, though that doesn’t stop you from possibly working with the recent site visit attendees that were recently posted as an amendment to the solicitation.

This solicitation is being set aside for Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses, and looking at the Veteran Small Business Certification (sba.gov) (VetCert) website I was unable to locate your company. Also, you have inactive registration, through the website SAM.gov.

22 Confirm that the Bid Bond requirement is 20% Yes, as stated in the solicitation

23 Timeline for new SOW to be published The VA is looking at a change to the Solicitation and a new walkthrough date will be published

24 New timeline for RFIs to be answered The VA is looking at a change to the Solicitation, in which an amendment will be produced, the RFI questions received will be addressed.

25 New Site Visit Date The VA is looking at a change to the Solicitation and a new walkthrough date will be published

26 Does Gov anticipate an amendment to extend the bid opening date / and When

4.23.24 The Contracting Officer (CO) answered yes via Email, to the question of extending the bid opening date, and added that this will be pushed out several weeks.

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Pre-Bid RFIs

27 Next Available Site Walk The VA is looking at a change to the Solicitation and a new walkthrough date will be published

28 Confirm the Bid Date and time listed above are unchanged 6/5 @10am The VA is looking at a change to the Solicitation, providing an opportunity for another walkthrough date, and pushing out the Bid date.

29 Planholders List/Bidders list This being a IFB , you can reference in the amendment who attended the walkthrough

30 Complementary set of Bid Documents Bid Documents were in the original solicitation

31 Have you Issued an Additional Addenda after addendum 1? Is so please attach them to this response The VA is looking at a change to the Solicitation, providing an opportunity for another walkthrough date, and pushing out the Bid date.

32 Provide a time for the updated SOW, RFIs, and Site Visit?

The VA is looking at a change to the Solicitation and a new walkthrough date will be published

33 Site Visit, bid Extension The VA is looking at a change to the Solicitation and a new walkthrough date will be published

Is this a tax-exempt project?

If tax-exempt, will the government provide the prime contractor with a tax-exempt certificate for use by subcontractors and vendors?

This is not at tax-exempt project.

35 Can the Superintendent be shared across multiple projects, or should they only be dedicated full-time to this project and this project only? Dedicated full-time to this project

36 Can the Superintendent fulfill the Quality Control Manager role? Yes

37 Can the Superintendent fulfill the SSHO role?

Specification 01 35 26 - 1.7 C. - the SSHO must be a separate qualified individual from the Prime Contractor's Superintendent and/or Quality Control Manager with duties only as the SSHO

38 Does the VA require any scope of work in this project to be performed outside of regular work hours?

GC101 - General Note 15 - Work requiring outages or loud noises with an exception for CLCs.

39 For work scopes that must be performed off hours, what trades or scopes will be required to perform off-hour work? GC101 - General Note 15 - 8 PM - 6 AM and Weekends

40 What will the work hours and days be for scopes that require off-hours work? GC101 - General Note 15 - 8 PM - 6 AM and Weekends

41 Please provide a copy of the Site Visit Attendance Sheet. Site Visit sign-in sheet is attached to Amendment A00003.

42 In the event of a schedule slip, will overtime work be allowed? At no additional cost to the VA

In the event of contract modifications, should contractors apply bond premiums to the individual modification or wait until the end of the job, at which time the VA will issue a final modification to reimburse contractors for bond overruns?

Bond premiums to individual modifications

44 Where is the designated contractors' and subcontractors' parking area? GC101 - Note 8 - West side of VA campus

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Pre-Bid RFIs

45 Will the VA allow 2-3 spaces for the prime contractor and each subcontractor? Specification 01 00 00 - 1.5-E-2 - Yes

46 Where shall these people park if the VA cannot make 2-3 spaces available for the prime contractor and each of the subs? NA

47 How many hours should the prime contractor and subcontractors budget for onsite badging, safety training, orientation, etc?

Time to complete badging is case by case. May require vist to site prior to start of work.

48 Is TB Testing required before contractors can commence work onsite?

Specification 01 35 26 - 1.13 - Screening within 90 days prior to assignment to the worksite and been found negative.

49 Will the VA provide the point of contact information for the BMS integration contractor? No

50 Will the VA provide the point of contact information for the Fire Alarm integration contractor? No

51 Will the VA allow contractors to use water from VA sources? Specification 01 00 00 - 1.22

52 Is temp power available for contractors to connect to? Yes

53 What are the locations for temp power? GC101 - Note - West side of VA campus

54 Are contractors required to set a pole and meter electric usage? GC101 - Note - West side of VA campus - Yes

55 Is space available for a 10’ x 40’ temporary ground-level office near the temporary power source? GC101 - Note - West side of VA campus - Yes

56 Will the VA provide space for a 20-yard dumpster? GC101 - Note - North West side of VA campus - Yes

57 Where shall contractor dumpsters be located? GC101 - Note - North West side of VA campus - Yes

58 Can the VA accommodate a dumpster near the job site? In most cases

59 Will the VA allow contractors to use VA indoor restrooms? Yes

60 Can Porta Johns be placed within a 100’ radius of the job site if required? Near Office or Laydown area

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Pre-Bid RFIs

Will the VA consider waiving the AISC (American Institute of Steel Construction) requirement for structural steel fabrication and erection for this project? This requirement makes steel procurement on the project exponentially more difficult and costly.

Structual steel not part of this project

62 Are any AISC substitute certifications acceptable instead of AISC certification? NA

63 Can contractors perform crane lifts during regular hours? Yes

64 Can utility tie-ins be performed during regular hours? Yes

65 Can system commissioning activities be performed during regular hours? Yes

66 Will the VA allow for stored material so that we can procure and lay down long lead items and/or critical path material/equipment? GC101 - Note - North West side of VA campus - Yes

67 Will the VA fully pay for this material/equipment if stored onsite? Yes

68 What are the ICRA requirements for this project? What class is needed and how many LF is required?

GC101 - Note - HEPA cart. Expected Class II for 80% and Class III for 10% and Class IV for 10% of work.

Please confirm that the areas marked with abatement do not need to be removed from the site. At the on-site meeting it was discussed that these areas are to be avoided all together. Please confirm.

No abatement in this scope. Avoid the areas shown in Hazardous Materials section of drawings.

70 Please confirm that VA Tomah’s standard of 100% conduit for all wiring is required on this project per usual.

Specification 23 09 23 - 3.1 - Yes, required

PCG: Spec section 26 05 33, 3.1, A. to E. indicates “complete mechanically and electrically continuous runs.” Yes, to respond that all wiring is in conduit.

Please confirm, as communicated during the walkthrough, that since the existing Metasys head-end was just upgraded any and all installed controls are to be integrated into the existing Metasys head-end.

- This reduces the number of interfaces that staff need to work in to get their work done and find needed information.

- Reduces maintenance of a separate head-end system

Yes - Windows 10

Please confirm that all “quality assurance” items required by the specification for BAS (23 09 xx) suppliers will be strictly enforced. Your existing Johnson Controls provider meets/exceeds these requirements which include:

- Similar Projects -Does similar mean projects in same service area that are no less than 90% of the number of controllers as this project?

-Facility Distance -Subcontractor Experience -Does this item mean experience in government healthcare?

Yes, enforced. Similar: has building control system. Does not need to be government healthcare.

PCG: The similar projects do not have to be in the same service area, but should have the same type of fully functioning control systems in operation. Only technical staff and spare parts are required within 50 miles and for 5 years after the project is finished.

No, only similar type and size systems.

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Pre-Bid RFIs

Since a goal of this project is to meet security standards please confirm that all other Johnson Controls Metasys Head-end controllers (SNEs and NAEs/NCEs) should be upgraded to meet the FIPS standard even if not shown on the plans. Without doing this security concerns remain.

Yes. Head-end controllers should be upgraded

PCG: We do not know where the FIPS is mentioned in the specifications. The project SOW was to upgrade the ECC to Windows 10 and identify deficiencies in current equipment and cabling to prevent compatibility with Windows 10.

Since there is an existing service agreement with Johnson Controls to maintain the BAS is a maintenance agreement required to be included in this contract by any other BAS provider to cover additional maintenance costs? If so will that include upgrading and maintenance of any new software (server or workstation), onsite troubleshooting and labor for all installed devices and guaranteed response times of 24 hours or less?

Specification 23 09 23 - 1.6 - Yes. Not beyond the requirments of the waranty

PCG: There is nothing in the specifications stating the current maintenance agreement is voided if the operating system is upgraded to Windows 10. The contract between the VA and JCI is not altered or changed in any way by this project. Upgrading the operating system of the BAS does not change the current contract between the VA and JCI. This project requires all new devices, cabling, equipment, and programming be covered by the warranty.

The warranty, repairs and maintenance, and its requirements are defined in the specifications and must be followed.

75 Please confirm a validation test plan, created by the BAS supplier, is required. Specification 23 09 23 - 3.2 - Yes, required

Please confirm existing sequences of operations, PID tuning parameters, reset schedules for temperatures and pressures, should be confirmed and reused.

-If they cannot be confirmed should any additional costs for Mechanical Engineering to write sequences be included?

Yes, confirmed and reused 23 09 23 - 1.1 G 4

PCG: Drawings M501, M502, M503, and M504 contain standard details, control diagrams, points lists, panel layouts, and other essential details to complete the required work. Alteration of existing sequences, schedules, temperatures, and pressures is not noted. Upgrades of certain devices and equipment may require additional information provided by the VA, but does not change the intent of the work shown or required.

Since a goal of this project is to meet security standards, please confirm that EVEN if an Alternate is accepted the Johnson Controls Metasys Head-end controllers (SNEs and NAEs/NCEs) should still be upgraded to meet the FIPS standard even if the buildings they are in are removed from scope. These can still connect to the existing N2 controllers in those buildings.

Yes. Head-end controllers should be upgraded in all buildings

PCG: We do not know where the FIPS is mentioned in the specifications. The project SOW was to upgrade the ECC to Windows 10 and identify deficiencies in current equipment and cabling to prevent compatibility with Windows 10.

78 Please confirm that VA Tomah’s standard of 100% conduit for all wiring is required on this project per usual. See #70

Please confirm, as communicated during the walkthrough, that since the existing Metasys head-end was just upgraded any and all installed controls are to be integrated into the existing Metasys head-end.

- This reduces the number of interfaces that staff need to work in to get their work done and find needed information.

- Reduces maintenance of a separate head-end system

See #71

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Pre-Bid RFIs

Please confirm that all “quality assurance” items required by the specification for BAS (23 09 xx) suppliers will be strictly enforced. Your existing Johnson Controls provider meets/exceeds these requirements which include:

- Similar Projects -Does similar mean projects in same service area that are no less than 90% of the number of controllers as this project?

-Facility Distance -Subcontractor Experience -Does this item mean experience in government healthcare?

See #72

Since a goal of this project is to meet security standards, please confirm that all other Johnson Controls Metasys Head-end controllers (SNEs and NAEs/NCEs) should be upgraded to meet the FIPS standard even if not shown on the plans. Without doing this security concerns remain.

See #73

Since a goal of this project is to meet security standards, please confirm that EVEN if an Alternate is accepted the Johnson Controls Metasys Head-end controllers (SNEs and NAEs/NCEs) should still be upgraded to meet the FIPS standard even if the buildings they are in are removed from scope. These can still connect to the existing N2 controllers in those buildings.

See #77

Since there is an existing service agreement with Johnson Controls to maintain the BAS is a maintenance agreement required to be included in this contract by any other BAS provider to cover additional maintenance costs? If so, will that include upgrading and maintenance of any new software (server or workstation), onsite troubleshooting and labor for all installed devices and guaranteed response times of 24 hours or less?

See #74

84 Please confirm a validation test plan, created by the BAS supplier, is required. See #75

Please confirm existing sequences of operations, PID tuning parameters, reset schedules for temperatures and pressures, should be confirmed and reused.

-If they cannot be confirmed should any additional costs for Mechanical Engineering to write sequences be included?

See #76

We are working on getting a bid together utilizing Distech Controls and I wanted to touch base with you related to if this bid is going to be sent direct to the VA or through a GC? I am assuming that since this project is a BAS replacement, there is no GC and will be bid direct, but I could not see anything that confirmed that.

This Solicitation is an Invitation for Bid for the entire project and not just certain parts, though that doesn’t stop you from possibly working with the recent site visit attendees that were recently posted as an amendment to the solicitation.

This solicitation is being set aside for Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses, and looking at the Veteran Small Business Certification (sba.gov) (VetCert) website I was unable to locate your company. Also, you have inactive registration, through the website SAM.gov.

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Pre-Bid RFIs

Class II:

Specification section 01 35 26 states the requirements for Class II. However, the VA stated that 80% of the project shall be Class II. We’re not sure what quantity the 80% is referencing. Ideally, we would need a quantity to which we can apply unit costs. We cannot do that with a percentage because it's not known if it's 80% of 1,000 sqft or 80% of 100,000 sqft.

PCG: General Note 10 on all plan drawings states to perform the work in corridors and any room with HEPA Cart(s), 2 maximum.

Class II, Class III or Class IV barriers as defined in a previous VA response are difficult to quantify. The real issue is those barriers will be needed where the HEPA Carts cannot fit. We don’t know where those locations are. We could not guess and add locations to the drawing set either. We propose you redefine the VA’s response to the following for quantities:

A Class II barrier at every Basement and Attic door +/- 36 for the campus.

A Class II barrier where HEPA Carts cannot access +/- 6 instances per building: 132 for the campus.

Class II total = 132 + 36 = 168

We would price this with plastic for 1 time use covering a doorway with the duration of 8 hours. The exception is basements and attics have a longer duration. Plastic is allowed for all classes.

Class III:

Similar to the above, the plans state that 10% shall be Class III, but we don’t know what 10% references. Please provide quantities that we can use to apply unit prices and formulate an accurate bid.

PCG: Class III barrier where HEPA Carts cannot fit and meets the Class III criteria: +/- 10% of 168 = 12

Class III:

Specification section 01 35 26 states that Class III can either be an “Airtight plastic barrier that extends from floor to ceiling” or a “Drywall barrier erected with joints covered or sealed to prevent dust and debris from escaping.” Please advise us on which method we should use.

Plastic

Class III:

Can we use temp wall systems for the locations requiring drywall? Yes

Class III:

Since no ICRA drawings were issued, please provide the locations and instances where each of these options (one or both) are required. See #87

Most of these spaces are B400

Class IV:

Similar to the above, the plans state that 10% shall be Class III, but we don’t know what 10% references. Please provide quantities that we can use to apply unit prices and formulate an accurate bid.

PCG: Class IV barrier where HEPA Carts cannot fit and meets the Class IV criteria: +/- 10% of 168 = 12

Class IV:

Please confirm the number of anterooms that are required to be built for the project. 12

Class IV:

Can these temp walls and anterooms be made of temp walls? Yes

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