RFI Tracker 695-22-123.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 17 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- 36C25226B0023
About this file
This is an RFI (Request for Information) Tracker documenting pre-bid/proposal clarifications for a VA medium-voltage electrical feeder upgrade project. The document contains 22 answered inquiries addressing installation methods, site conditions, equipment specifications, testing protocols, outage management, and project execution strategies for the Z1DZ--695-22-123 Upgrade N Campus Medium Voltage Feeders project at Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration Veterans Integrated Service Network 12.
Key clarifications include: directional boring is not acceptable except for jack-and-bore operations under General Mitchell Boulevard; no geotechnical information is available and contractors should bid assuming no rock or unsuitable soils, with unforeseen obstructions handled through RFI/change order processes; existing duct banks and manholes are suitable for reuse without repair based on recent field inspections; no grounding upgrades are required at existing manholes; field testing must comply with specification section 26 05 13 part 3.7 with VLF testing and deficiency recommendations required; contractors may verify cable lengths post-award and adjust quantities at their own expense; outage windows are limited to 8 hours for Buildings 146, 147, 148, and 102, and 12 hours for Buildings 112 and 150, with no outages permitted before sunrise or after sunset; contractors must supply a 10kW portable generator for Building 11; fault indicators are required at every incoming and outgoing cable per specification section 26 12 19; full restoration of disturbed areas matching pre-work conditions is required; schedule extensions for long lead time equipment are available through Phase 0 suspension with a minimum 60-calendar-day anticipated duration; any modifications to phasing, means and methods, or installation sequences require prior VA approval at no additional cost and with no operational impact; and temporary generation is the typical method for maintaining power to critical buildings during construction phases.
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RFI's
Pre-Bid/Proposal RFIs
| NO. | RFIs | VA RESPONSE DATE |
| 1 | The contract documents depict open-cut installation between MH-12D and MH-12B. Please confirm that directional boring will be accepted as an approved alternate installation method provided minimum conduit depth and separation requirements are maintained. | No directional boring will not be acceptable. As shown on CS101 and detailed on CS402, Jack and Bore between MH-12D and MH-12B is only allowed under General Mitchell BLVD. All other areas are to be trenched |
| 2 | Please identify if any geotechnical information is available for the feeder route. If rock, unsuitable soils, or obstructions are encountered, will removal and disposal be handled as a change in scope? | No geotechnical information is available for the feeder route. All excavated material is to be considered low level contaminated, unless the contractor decides to test it at their expense, per the Wis DNR agreement. VHA exspects the GC use a campus condition of no rock, unsuitable soils, or major obstructions for bidding.Obstructions, if found, will be handled via RFI/RFP process. |
| 3 | Will the VA provide as-built utility information for all underground utilities impacted by the feeder route? If undocumented utilities are encountered, please confirm resulting impacts will be addressed by a contract modification. | Utility information that the VA has is provided in the plans, see sheets VF101, VF102, and VF103 for details. Unforeseen site conditions will be handled through the RFI/RFP process. |
| 4 | Please confirm all existing duct banks indicated to remain are suitable for continued use and free of collapsed conduits or conditions requiring rehabilitation. | At the time of the last field inspection no issues of note with existing duct to remain banks or conduits were present. |
| 5 | Are all existing manholes intended for reuse considered structurally sound and suitable for new medium-voltage cable installation without repair or modification? | At the time of the last field inspection no issues were noted with existing to remain duct manholes. |
| 6 | Please confirm if grounding upgrades are required at existing manholes being reused and identify the scope of work expected. | No, grounding upgrades to existing manholes is not required. |
| 7 | Please confirm the required field-testing protocol for newly installed MV feeders, including VLF testing, partial discharge testing, acceptance testing, and responsibility for engineering review of results. | Specification section 26 05 13 part 3.7 lists the required acceptance checks and tests as well as the requirements for the field test report. The field test report requires conclusions: "If any deficiency is discovered based on test |
results, provide recommendations for corrective action."
| 8 | Please confirm contractors may verify existing cable lengths after award and adjust reel quantities to accommodate actual field routing requirements. | Confirmed. Unreeling and Rereeling to be perfromed at contractor expense. Contractor accepts liability to any damage that may result from additional unreeling and rereeling of cables. VA will be present during unreeling and reeling. |
| 9 | Please provide the maximum allowable outage duration for each phase and identify any facilities that require continuous operation. | No outage will start before Sunrise nor end after Sunset. Outages Impacting Building(s):146, 147, or 148 shall be a maximum of 8 Hours; Outages impacting Bldg 102 shall be a maximum of 8 Hours;Outages impacting Bldg 112 shall be a maximum of 12 Hours; Outages impacting Bldg 150 shall be a maximum of 12 Hours |
| 10 | Specification language references generator support during outages. Please confirm if temporary generator equipment and associated distribution are included in the project scope or will be provided by the VA. | Power must be maintained to all Critical Buildings listed on drawing E-001. Building 11 is the only building which does not have an installed generator. GC will need to supply a small generator. VA has found that a 10kW portable generator is more than adequate for this purpose. |
| 11 | Please confirm all existing switches, terminations, transformers, and associated MV equipment intended to remain are operational and suitable for reconnection. | At the time of the last field inspection there were no issues noted with existing to remain switches, terminations, transformers, and associated MV equipment. |
| 12 | Please clarify if fault indicators shown in the feeder schedule are required at every termination point or only where specifically indicated on the drawings. | Specification Section 26 12 19 part 2.10.A "Provide each incoming and outgoing cable within the medium-voltage |
compartment with a single-phase cable fault indicator with in-rush restraint."
| 13 | Please clarify the extent of landscaping restoration required beyond disturbed areas immediately adjacent to trenching and manhole construction. | The Contractor shall be responsible for restoring the entire area disturbed by its work to conditions matching those existing prior to commencement of work. | |||
| 14 | Please confirm restoration requirements are limited to disturbed areas and that full-width roadway replacement is not required unless specifically identified. | The Contractor shall be responsible for restoring the entire area disturbed by its work to conditions matching those existing prior to commencement of work. | |||
| 15 | The specifications acknowledge long lead times for MV equipment. Please confirm schedule extensions will be considered for manufacturer lead times beyond contractor control. | Per SOW paragrah 5: "5. | Phase 0: Preliminary Work Phase | ||
| i. | Provide submittals for long lead time equipment and materials. Promptly order long lead time equipment and materials once the submittals have been approved by the VA. Once long lead time equipment and materials have been ordered, the project shall be placed onto suspension in order to preserve contract days. The suspension duration shall be subject to the lead times and critical path planning. |
The VA anticipates a minimum of 60 calendar days for the completion of Phase 0, including the submission of the long lead time submittals, and the review and approval of the submittals.
Once suspension is lifted, the project shall be constructed within a single year. The construction of the project shall not overlap into multiple years, specifically the construction phase. Provide contingencies for maintaining communication with the VA during the suspension."
| 16 | Please confirm the contractor may modify the sequence of work and phase execution shown in the phasing plans provided overall project milestones are maintained. | Any proposed changes to phasing will need to have prior VA approval. If phasing changes are approved, it will be at no added cost to the government and have no negative impact to operations. |
| 17 | Where installation methods, excavation methods, and sequencing are not specifically restricted by the contract documents, please confirm these items are considered contractor means and methods and may be modified to improve safety, reduce campus disruption, and expedite completion. | Means and Methods are the responsibility of the contractor. Any modifications to installation methods, excavation methods, and sequencing from the contract documents will need to prior VA approval.If modifications are approved, it will be at no added cost to the government and no negative impact to operations. |
| 18 | The Phase 4A sequence appears to require the replacement of approximately three panels, four transformers, and nine medium-voltage feeder sections. Please clarify the Engineer's intended outage strategy and whether this work was anticipated to be completed during a single outage or multiple planned outages. | The design intent is that this work will be completed in a single outage. The VA is open to alternate plans to be handled via RFI process after award. Please note that per drawing GC104 general notes, site outages must be coordinated with the COR and VA Campus. |
| 19 | Please clarify the design team's contingency plan should a planned outage exceed its scheduled duration due to unforeseen field conditions, equipment issues, testing failures, or commissioning activities. Was temporary power, temporary backfeed, rollback procedures, or any other restoration strategy assumed during design? | No specific contingency plans are included since they are situational and will be different depending upon the cause of the delay, the location of the delay, the buildings and equipment impacted by the delay, available resources to work around the delay, etc. It is expected that the GC will present outaage-specific contingency plans prior to each outage for VA review and approval. |
| 20 | Please clarify whether temporary feeders, temporary transformers, or temporary generation were assumed by the Engineer to facilitate completion of the work within the depicted phasing sequence. | Temporary generation is the typical method for keeping critical building(s) powered during the respective phase. If a building has an existing generator, that may be used as the method to keep the building powered. If a generator does not exist, a portable generator will need to be sourced for that outage. Refer to the general notes on the phasing plan on drawings GC101 through GC113 for more information. |
| 21 | Drawing Note 7 on GC102 appears to permit installation by trenching or directional boring in certain portions of the project. Please clarify whether the selection of trenching versus directional boring is intended to be a Contractor means and methods decision, provided the completed installation complies with the contract documents and applicable design requirements | Trenching versus directional boring is not a contractor means and methods descision. Drawing CS101 gives an overview of where Jack and Bore is required, with drawings CS401 and CS402 showing more detail. Other areas will be trenched. |
| 22 | Several replacement HVPs, HVSs, and transformers are shown installed on existing equipment pads. Please confirm whether the design is based upon a specific manufacturer and model footprint, or whether pad modifications will be permitted where required to accommodate equivalent approved equipment from alternate manufacturers | Basis of design equipment is listed in equipment schedules on drawing ES601 and ES602. Approval of equivalent equipment substitution would need to go throught the submittal process after contract award. Equipment substitions and any related modifications would be at no additional cost to the VA. Existing pad modifications are permitted where required. See ES502 Detail 5 for installation detail. |
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