Copy of S05 - Pre-Bid RFIs Final.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 19 KB Posted
- Attached to
- Z1DA--Replace Cast Iron Fittings 676-23-009
- Solicitation number
- 36C25226B0037_01
About this file
This file is a Pre-Bid Requests for Information (RFI) and Responses document for IFB 36C25226B0037, a construction project at the VA Medical Center in Tomah, Wisconsin to replace cast iron fittings in steam system infrastructure. The project encompasses multiple phases (1A through 22) involving steam system demolition, asbestos-containing material (ACM) removal from pipe insulation, and installation of replacement cast iron and malleable iron components across several buildings. The contract performance period is 350 calendar days, with work required to maintain phasing sequences as specified, prohibiting concurrent execution of multiple phases unless written authorization is obtained from the Contracting Officer. The Government requires Class II infection control measures for most work areas in the occupied healthcare facility, with all work to be performed during normal business hours except where utility shutdowns necessitate off-hours work to ensure system restoration by 7:00 a.m.
Key clarifications provided address contractor staffing flexibility, asbestos abatement scope, and project coordination requirements. Supervisory Staff for Health and Safety (SSHO) and Construction Quality Control (CQC) personnel may be temporarily reassigned to other projects during work gaps but must return before construction resumes; standby costs are not automatically compensable except when the Government directs suspension or change orders. ACM removal is limited to tramway areas with approximately ±10% quantity variance, with a 200 linear feet minimum removal requirement per location to establish consistent abatement scope. Additional cast iron components encountered will require RFIs and contract modifications, while steel component replacement will be evaluated based on age and surrounding cast iron quantities. The contractor must coordinate all utility shutdowns and off-hours work with VA personnel in advance, with multiple planned outages permitted when necessary and subject to Government approval. Asbestos abatement activities may begin prior to valve replacement shutdowns and may proceed continuously across phases, pending Government determination of acceptable uninsulated piping exposure at any given time.
View the file
Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| 36C25226B0037 0002.docx | DOCX document | |
| S06_SF30 Continuation Page IFB Sol 36C25226B0037 A-0002 CON 676-23-009_09172026.pdf | ||
| 36C25226B0037 0001.docx | DOCX document | |
| 36C25226B0037 0001.docx | DOCX document | |
| S02 - 676-23-009 Replace Cast Iron Fittings - 100 Bid Drawings P2.pdf | ||
| S02 - 676-23-009 Replace Cast Iron Fittings - 100 Bid Specifications.pdf | ||
| VAAR 852.docx | DOCX document | |
| S02 - Wage Det 07242026.txt | TXT text file | |
| S02 - 676-23-009 Replace Cast Iron Fittings - 100 Bid Drawings P1.pdf | ||
| S02 - 36C25226B0037.docx | DOCX document |
On GovTribe
Work with this file
- Download the original file
- Contacts named in this file
- Similar government files
- Ask GovTribe AI about this file
Text version
Pre-bid RFIs
| Tomah VAMC | ||||
| 676-23-009 Replace Cast Iron Fittings | ||||
| IFB 36C25226B0037 RFIs | ||||
| No. | Date | Comment | Response | Published |
| 1 | 9/1/26 | Given the phased nature of the project and the potential for interruptions associated with utility coordination, design |
clarifications, RFIs and contract modifications, please clarify the Government's expectation regarding retention of SSHO staffing during periods when field work is not actively progressing through no fault of the Contractor. May such personnel be temporarily reassigned during these periods, or should bidders assume continuous project assignment for the duration of contract performance? This clarification is requested so that all bidders may establish a consistent Given the phased nature of the project and the potential for interruptions associated with utility coordination, design clarifications, RFIs and contract modifications, please clarify the Government's expectation regarding retention of SSHO staffing during periods when field work is not actively progressing through no fault of the Contractor. May such personnel be temporarily reassigned during these periods, or should bidders assume continuous project assignment for the duration of contract performance? This clarification is requested so that all bidders may establish a consistent
| basis of bid regarding required project staffing during periods of Government-directed inactivity. | SSHO staff may be reassigned to other projects during periods of downtime on this project. An SSHO is only required to be on-site during active construction activities. If there are gaps in work and the SSHO is temporarily reassigned to another project, they must return to the site before construction activities resume. | ||
| 2 | 9/1/26 | Given the phased nature of the project and the potential for interruptions associated with utility coordination, design |
clarifications, RFIs and contract modifications, please clarify the Government's expectation regarding retention of CQC System Manager staffing during periods when field work is not actively progressing through no fault of the Contractor. May such personnel be temporarily reassigned during these periods, or should bidders assume continuous project assignment for the duration of contract performance? This clarification is requested so that all bidders may establish a consistent basis of bid regarding required project staffing during periods of Governmentdirected
| inactivity. | CQC staff may be reassigned to other projects during periods of downtime on this project. An CQC is only required to be on-site during active construction activities. If there are gaps in work and the CQC is temporarily reassigned to another project, they must return to the site before construction activities resume. | ||
| 3 | 9/1/26 | The project requires dedicated management, quality control, safety oversight, scheduling, and subcontractor sta;ing. |
In the event project progress is delayed by Government-directed suspension, pending RFIs, pending design revisions, or pending contract modifications, please clarify whether reasonable standby costs for retained project personnel will
| be considered compensable. | Standby costs are not automatically compensable. If the Government directs a suspension, delay, or change, the contractor must mitigate costs and may temporarily reassign personnel unless the Contracting Officer directs that specific personnel remain available. Any request for standby costs must be properly documented and submitted to the Contracting Officer for review under the applicable contract clauses. Only reasonable, allowable costs resulting from a compensable Government-caused delay or change will be considered through a written contract modification. | ||
| 4 | 9/1/26 | The Statement of Work indicates all work can be performed during normal working hours; however, the specifications |
and drawings contain extensive requirements for utility shutdowns and restoration by 7:00 AM. Please clarify whether all work may be performed during normal working hours or whether portions of the work are expected to occur during
| nights, weekends, or o;-hours shutdown periods. | No. Not all work may be performed during normal working hours. Portions of the work involving utility shutdowns may require approved night, weekend, or other off-hours work to ensure required systems are restored by 7:00 a.m. The contractor shall minimize shutdown durations and coordinate all shutdowns and off-hours work with VA personnel in advance. | ||
| 5 | 9/1/26 | Section 01 35 26 identifies the primary project scope as Class II infection control, but also states that work outside |
the primary scope area may require di;erent classifications. Because the project includes steam system demolition and asbestos insulation removal in occupied healthcare facilities, please confirm whether any work locations are anticipated to require Class III or Class IV infection control measures and identify all locations where enhanced
| containment requirements are expected. | There are no anticipated areas that will require higher than Class II infectious control. | ||
| 6 | 9/1/26 | Since the project drawings acknowledge that existing piping locations and elevations may vary from the documents, |
please clarify what level of variation is anticipated and how di;ering site conditions will be handled when actual
| conditions prevent installation exactly as shown. | The VA does not have a good measure of anticipated variation. Differing site conditions will need to be handled on a case by case basis. An RFI will need to be entered ahead of time if the variation goes beyond what the contractor thinks is reasonable to adjust to without compensation. | |||
| 7 | 9/1/26 | Please identify under what circumstances allowance steam traps will be authorized and whether installation labor associated with allowance traps will be compensated separately from the required material unit pricing | Labor will be billed seperately from material costs. Circumstances for steam trap allowance is to adjust for incorrect quantities. Verification with the COR at the time using RFIs to document for as-builts would be the perfered method. | |
| 8 | 9/1/26 | Please clarify the contractor's responsibility if unforeseen conditions or failures of existing equipment prevent |
restoration of service by 7:00 AM despite reasonable e;orts. Will additional outage windows be granted without
| contractor liability? | As stated in #4 Night work is not being required unless there is a specific reason for those hours to be required. As such there should not be many, if any, situations where 7am restoration is a requirement. As long as VA personnel is involved in shut down, there is no reason to expect the contractor to be liable for any equipment not being installed directly. | |||
| 9 | 9/1/26 | Have existing isolation valves identified for project shutdowns been tested and verified operational? If existing valves fail to isolate or require replacement to facilitate project work, will replacement be considered additional scope? | Existing valves have not been tested. If found to be faulty to the point that work can not be completed and not part of the original scope they will need to be added as a modification. | |
| 10 | 9/1/26 | Please clarify the specific access restrictions, required notification periods, escort requirements, and allowable work hours associated with these areas so bidders may accurately estimate labor and schedule impacts. | I am not aware of any areas with access restrictions or escort requirements for this project. COR/CCR needs to be notified of areas where work is being done and a weeks notice would be preferrable. | |
| 11 | 9/1/26 | The drawings repeatedly state that phasing must be maintained, but the specifications do not expressly state whether f. Multiple phases may proceed concurrently. g. The contractor may alter sequence. h. Work in later phases may begin before earlier phases are complete. i. Multiple buildings may be worked simultaneously. Section 01 00 00 establishes Phases 1A through 22 and divides several buildings into multiple sub-phases. Please |
clarify whether these phases are mandatory sequential milestones or whether the contractor may execute multiple
| phases concurrently, provided utility outages and operational requirements are coordinated with the COR. | No. The phases and sub-phases identified in Section 01 00 00 shall be performed in the sequence specified. Multiple phases may not proceed concurrently, the contractor may not alter the sequence, work in later phases may not begin before earlier phases are completed, and multiple buildings may not be worked simultaneously unless otherwise authorized in writing by the Contracting Officer. | ||
| 12 | 9/1/26 | The specification further states: b. "At locations where less than 200 lineal feet of ACM is removed on steam devices and related piping, extend the removal to include the branch steam pipe supply and return pipes to equal 200 total lineal feet ACM |
removed." This is not merely "possible ACM." The specification appears to create a potentially large asbestos abatement scope tied to each location. The language raises several questions: c. What constitutes a "location"?
i. Is every steam trap one location?
ii. Is every PRV station one location?
iii. Are drawings HA101-HA104 comprehensive?
iv. Has all ACM been identified?
v. Why is a fixed 200 LF minimum being applied?
vi. Please identify all locations where this requirement applies and provide the asbestos survey, sampling reports, and ACM quantity takeo;s used to establish the quantity and limits of ACM removal. Also clarify whether any additional ACM encountered outside the identified limits will be
| treated as di;ering site conditions. | HA101-HA104 are very comprehensive and any LF beyond the approximate quantities + - 10% will be considered differing site conditions. A full report has not been found from the AE survey but all insulation found to be contaminated has been painted and labeled. | ||
| 13 | 9/1/26 | The specifications include allowances for di;ering site conditions but do not clearly define how discovered components beyond those shown will be handled. If additional cast iron or malleable iron steam system components |
are encountered; or if components called out as cast iron are actually steel, that are not identified on the contract drawings but are within the a;ected systems, should they be replaced under the base bid, or will such work be
| processed as a contract modification? | Both additional cast iron and steel components will need RFIs for tracking. Any cast iron missed will be added with a modification. Steel component replacement will be based on age and amount of cast iron in the same area. | |||
| 14 | 9/1/26 | The solicitation identifies a contract duration of 420 calendar days in the Bid Schedule, while the Statement of Work and Construction Period of Performance Chart identify a duration of 350 calendar days. Please clarify the required contract performance period and identify which requirement governs. | Please follow the SOW POP of 350 calendar days. | |
| 15 | 9/4/26 | Is the abatement work limited to the tramways? | For bids, assume abatement is only tramways. Any found outside that area will need RFIs and should be limited. | |
| 16 | 9/4/26 | Are we able to work outside of normal work hours? For Example: M-TH 6:00 am – 5:00 pm or 7:00 am – 6:00 pm depending on time of year. | GC should hold themselves to normal work hours. | |
| 17 | 9/4/26 | Are we able to leave an asbestos waste dumpster onsite throughout the duration of the project? | As long as it is properly maintained and location is approved by COR. | |
| 18 | 9/4/26 | Is a total LF quantity available for pipe insulation containing asbestos? A large amount seems to be fiberglass. | Design includes LF quantities in as much detail as the VA has available. | |
| 19 | 9/6/26 | 1. End Cap Testing: Has the VA pre-tested this end cap paint/mastic? If so, is it confirmed ACM? Please provide any available hazardous materials reports. | Design survey checked pipe insulation. No note of end cap only ACM. No report available. | |
| 20 | 9/6/26 | 1. 200 LF Abatement Rule: Does the "200 linear feet of asbestos abatement per location" requirement (Spec 02 82 11, Paragraph 1.1.B.1.a) apply to non-hazardous fiberglass if only the end caps contain ACM? | This will need to be determined in a case by case basis. Currently unaware of anywhere only the end caps are positive. | |
| 21 | 9/6/26 | 1. Alternative Removal Methods: Will the VA permit localized glove-bag removals of the asbestos end caps in lieu of full negative-pressure containments for the non-hazardous fiberglass straight runs? | This will need to be determined in a case by case basis. Currently unaware of anywhere only the end caps are positive. | |
| 22 | 9/8/26 | Drawings MP125 and MD125 identify multiple large-diameter HPS valve replacements within Phase 21. Please clarify the anticipated number of shutdown windows the Government expects bidders to carry for execution of the Phase 21 tramway work. Are all valve replacements anticipated to be completed during a single outage period, or should multiple planned outages be assumed? | Shutdowns must be approved by the COR in advance. The contractor shall coordinate the proposed number, sequence, and duration of shutdowns with the COR. Multiple planned outages may be permitted when necessary, subject to Government approval. Bidders should include all labor, coordination, and associated costs necessary to complete the Phase 21 valve replacements. | |
| 23 | 9/8/26 | For Phase 21 tramway asbestos abatement activities, please clarify whether visual inspections and final clearance sampling are anticipated at each individual containment area or only upon completion of all Phase 21 asbestos abatement activities. | Final clearance samplings will happen earlier than the end of Phase 21 but not necessarily at the end of each containment area. | |
| 24 | 9/8/26 | The tramway notes require significant preparatory work prior to major HPS shutdowns. Please clarify whether asbestos abatement may be completed in advance of the approved shutdown periods, or if the Government expects ACM removal and valve replacement activities to occur during the same shutdown window. a. If ACM abatement activities will be allowed to occur before the steam shutdowns are done, will this allow the possibility to perform abatement continually until completed through all phases? | ACM will be allowed to be removed prior to shutdowns and will allow for the possiblity of continual abatement, but decisions will need to be made to determine how much un-insulated piping will be allowed at one time. | |
| 25 | 9/8/26 | Please confirm whether all tramway segments identified for Phase 2 will be made available concurrently or whether access will be restricted to specific segments at specific times. | Tramway segments should be available concurrently | |
| 26 | 9/8/26 | Please confirm whether the May 15 through September 15 restriction applies to all Phase 21 tramway activities or only to the major HPS valve replacement shutdown operations specifically identified in the drawings. | This limit is entirely dependant on what downstream systems are affected and duration of the shutdown. |
&F &P of &N
Sheet1
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .