RFIs ADD 589A6-26-448 LIGHTNING PROTECTION TO HOSPITAL.pdf

1. Is this project tax exempt? Yes.

2. Can the Government confirm the exact buildings included (A, B, C, and

Building 122) and provide roof plans or elevations of the building? The buildings in the scope of the project are the hospital (Buildings A, B and C) and the entirety of Building 122. The majority of the hospital consists of flat roofs at various elevations, the highest elevation being the roof of the mechanical rooms located on the roof. The roof is the equivalent to a sixth floor. There are two roofs of the hospital (Building B) that are Mansard-like roofs. Building 122 has a pitched roof except for the mechanical area located on the northeast side of the east wing. Background plans will be provided to the contractor.

3. What is the perimeter of rooflines? A, B, C, and Building 122? Using Google Earth, the perimeter of the hospital is approximately 3,000 feet and the perimeter of Building 122 is approximately 1,300 fteet.

4. Will the Government provide as-built drawings for roofs and grounding systems? The contractor will receive background and outline drawings.

5. Where are staging, laydown, and material storage areas located? The staging areas will be at the storge areas 112 and 113 located northeast of Building 71.

6. Are there weather-related schedule constraints for roof work? Weather constraints are determined by the primary contractor’s safety guidelines.

7. Are there environmental or hazardous-material concerns in roof or soil areas? No. If any concerns are discovered, contact the COR immediately.

8. Please verify that the Level of protection sought is Level 1?

“Lightning protection is classified into four levels (I-IV) based on IEC 62305 standards, determining the risk tolerance and system efficiency (99% for LPL I to

84% for LPL IV). These levels dictate the stringency of air terminals, down conductors, and grounding systems, with Class I designed for high-risk, critical infrastructure and Classes III/IV for lower-risk structures.”

Per Specification No. 26 41 00 Paragraph 2.1.A, components of the lightning protection system shall conform to NFP 780 and UL 96 for use on Class I structures. Clarification: Building 122 is a medical building.

9. Which type of "earthing" is required? Per Specification No. 26 41 00 Paragraph 2.1.A.4, ground rods are to be copper-clad steel, 0.75” diameter by 3 m long.

10. What third party testing will be required upon completion of installation? Per Specification No. 26 41 00 Paragraph 1.4.A.2.c UL certification is required.

11. Is this a required hand delivered proposal to the NCO 15 contracting office? Yes. Please contact CO if needed.

12. Will there be project specifications? There are project specifications.

13. What are the working hours? The normal hospital hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Working construction hours can differ and will need approval from the medical director.

14. What kind of safety plans will be required for scaffolding or boom lifts? Safety plans are provided by the primary contractor.

15. Please provide a description of the parapet flashing and trim material? The parapet flashing and trim are ply sheets and sheet metal.

16. Will the government provide a detail of where the anchors points will be on the exterior sides of the building for the ground cable? The anchor points on the exterior sides are to be submitted by the contractor as shop drawings for approval.

17. Please provide all available information for the buildings/areas included in the lightning protection scope. This should include roof plans or dimensions/areas, building footprints, building/roof heights, key roof-mounted equipment and protrusions (if available) and access constraints. For estimation purposes:

measurements using Google Earth show a perimeter of approximately 3,000 linear feet for the hospital based on eaves and parapets on various levels. The area of the hospital is approximately 102,000 square feet as projected onto the ground. The linear footage of the Building 122 perimeter is approximately 1,300 feet. The area of Building 122 is approximately 28,600 square feet as projected onto the ground. Another walk-through can be done if needed.

18. Will a service elevator be available for contractor use to transport lightning protection materials, tools, and equipment to upper floors and/or to the level where roof access is gained? Please confirm hours of availability and any restrictions (after-hours only, escort required, etc.), size/weight limits and any material handling limitations, and required coordination process (who to schedule with). There are no service elevators. All elevators are rated for 3,500 lb.

19. The solicitation currently requires physical delivery of proposal binders along with a CD containing the technical and price information.

Would the Government consider allowing electronic submission of the Technical Proposal volumes (e.g., via email, secure file transfer, or other designated electronic platform) in lieu of hard-copy binders and CDs?

If electronic submission is not permitted, can the Government please confirm whether the CD alone is sufficient for evaluation of the Technical Proposal, or whether the hard-copy binders will remain the primary evaluation documents?

CD alone is not acceptable. Please email and hand deliver copies. Please contact CO for alternate accommodation.

20. Could the Government please clarify whether past performance examples must be from the offeror acting as a Prime Contractor, or if relevant subcontractor experience will also be considered? Prime Contractor

21. Can the Government please clarify whether the projects submitted under Factor 2: Experience may be the same as those submitted under Factor 1: Past Performance? Or is the Government seeking distinct projects in each section to demonstrate a broader range of experience? Please adhere to the instructions in the solicitation package as close as possible.

22. Do projects presented for Factor 2: Experience need to be 100% complete, or can they be ongoing and substantially complete (at least 50%)? Please adhere to the instructions in the solicitation package as close as possible.

23. For factors that require projects to be complete, would active multi-year contracts—such as a regional preventative maintenance and service contracts or BPAs with discrete, completed task orders—be considered compliant and relevant, provided they include scopes of work that are directly applicable to the solicitation?

If ongoing contracts may be considered, are there specific parameters or documentation requirements (e.g., percent complete, interim evaluations, summary of completed work orders) that must be provided to demonstrate relevance and performance success? Information provided will be rated accordingly to what is requested in the solicitation package.

24. Will the Government consider past performance examples from proposed subcontractors or team members, provided the projects meet the stated relevance criteria (e.g., scope, complexity, dollar value)?

If subcontractor past performance is permitted, is a Subcontractor Consent Form or Letter of Commitment required at the time of proposal submission? If so, is there a specific format or template the Government prefers?

Also, for projects performed by subcontractors, are there any specific labeling or formatting expectations (e.g., identification of prime vs. sub role, duration of involvement, or dollar share) the Government requires within the Experience or Past Performance sections?

Information provided will be rated accordingly to what is requested in the solicitation package.

25. Will the Government consider and evaluate past performance examples that meet the dollar threshold ($1M to $5M) but were not performed in an active healthcare environment? Information provided will be rated accordingly to what is requested in the solicitation package.

26. Conversely, will the Government consider and evaluate past performance examples performed in an active healthcare environment, but under the $1M to $5M threshold? Information provided will be rated accordingly to what is requested in the solicitation package.

27. Can the Government please clarify permitted working hours, roof access restrictions, and any ICRA or Interim Life Safety Measures required for work performed on active hospital buildings? The normal hospital hours are 7:30 a.m.

to 4:30 p.m. Working construction hours can differ and will need approval from the medical director. There will be no restriction to roof access. ICRA’s will likely be required. The safety plan is to be provided by the primary contractor.

28. Can the Government please confirm testing, inspection, and certification requirements upon completion, including whether third-party inspection or Government witnessing is required? Per Specification No. 26 41 00 Paragraph 1.4.A.2.c UL certification is required.

29. Can the Government please confirm any crane, lift, or boom truck restrictions related to patient care areas, emergency vehicle access, or structural loading limitations? See Specification No. 01 35 26.

30. Factor 2 requires 15% self-performed labor. While we understand there is a calculation worksheet provided, can the Government please confirm whether the 15% self-performance requirement is evaluated based on total contract labor cost or total contract value excluding materials? The cost of project labor performed on site.

31. Will plans be provided for this project? Background drawings will be provided to the primary contractor.

• If plans are not to be provided, can the VA provide some form of quantities for how large of a system is needed? For estimation purposes:

measurements using Google Earth show a perimeter of approximately 3,000 linear feet for the hospital based on eaves and parapets on various levels. The area of the hospital is approximately 102,000 square feet as projected onto the ground. The linear footage of the Building 122 perimeter is approximately 1,300 feet. The area of Building 122 is approximately 28,600 square feet as projected onto the ground. Material quantities are based on the lightning protection design as determined by the contractor.

32. Does the Superintendent need to be directly employed by the Prime Contractor? Yes, the superintendent has to have accountability to the prime contractor.

33. Must the Superintendent be on site at all times while work is commencing? Yes

34. Does the SSHO (Site Safety Health Officer) need to be directly employed by the Prime Contractor? Yes, the SSHO has to have accountability to the prime contractor.

35. Must the SSHO be on site at all times while work is commencing? Yes.

36. Can the Superintendent & SSHO be a dual-hatted individual assuming that individual is qualified for both roles? Yes.

37. Are there any other mandatory on-site roles required in this contract? The four on-site roles are: project manager, quality control manager, safety officer and superintendent.

38. When does the VA expect the project to start following the award? An award notice will be posted to Sam.gov after proposal evaluaations.

39. Are there any concerns for Asbestos Containing Material or Lead in the areas being worked in? No. If asbestos is suspected, immediately report to COR.

40. Are there any ICRA requirements for this project? ICRA’s will likely be required.

41. Is this contract Tax Exempt? Yes

42. For Proposal Factors 1, 2, and 3 - Can project experiences/examples greater than $5m, but less than $10m be acceptable? Information provided will be rated accordingly to what is requested in the solicitation package.

43. For Proposal Factors 1, 2, and 3 - Can project experiences/examples 75% or more complete be acceptable? Information provided will be rated accordingly to what is requested in the solicitation package.

44. Can the VA provide the expectation for the down leads run for grounding contact? Down leads shall meet the requirements set by Specification No. 26 41 00.

45. Spec sheet states “where the ground ring is shown” but there are no drawings provided by the VA. Will a new ground ring be required? If so, this work will require removal and replacement of soil/concrete/asphalt, does the VA have utility drawing that can be provided? The design of the lightning protection system is determined by the contractor, shall conform to Specification No. 26 41 00 and shall be submitted for approval. The contractor will be responsible for maintaining/replacing/repairing and groundwork performed for this project.

46. Will the contractor need to provide a private utility contractor to verify ground penetration work? Yes, if it is determined necessary. Clarification: the contractor is responsible for the protection of existing utility lines regardless if the utilities are located or not.

47. During the walkthrough, we discovered what we assumed to be a communications ground bar which was the only one building ground found during the walk-through, can the VA produce a previous UL certificate and drawings or verified visual evidence of bonds to all incoming gas, water, electrical, communications and proper TVSS on all electrical systems? If not, the ground ring would be required to obtain a UL Master Label certificate. It should not be assumed that the communications ground bar located during the walk through serves any other utility.

48. Can the VA provide the roof membrane manufacturer to determine the preferred method of attachment and required materials if needed? The roof materials, manufacturers and warranty holders will be shared with the contractor. There are no extra or replacement tiles that can be used on this project.

49. What type of roof is installed on building 122? If it is slate, does the VA reserve replacement slate available if repairs are needed? Building 122 does have a slate roof. There are no extra or replacement tiles that can be used on this project. The roof materials, manufacturers and warranty holders will be shared with the contractor.

50. Will the sign-in sheet from site visit be available in addendum? Posted.

51. Please clarify if a superintendent can be a dual hat to cover the requirements of SSHO? Yes

52. If no to the question above, will the SSHO need to be full-time for this project?

N/A

53. Please clarify if a superintendent can be a dual hat to cover the requirements of QA/QC? Yes.

54. If no to the question above, will the QA/QC need to be full time for this project?

N/A

55. Can a superintendent be a triple hat to cover the requirements of SSHO and QA/QC? No.

56. Please confirm if tax should be included in our proposal? State of Kansas is Tax Exempt.

57. Please provide details on existing roofing type and materials. The flat roofs of the hospital are bituminous. The sloped roofs on the hospital are asphalt shingles.

Building 122 has a slate roof, except for the mechanical area which is bituminous.

58. Are there any as-builts drawings available of the existing roof areas?

Background and layout drawings will be provided for the contractor.

59. Solicitation and Statement of Work describe this project as “to provide all material, labor, and equipment to install lightning protection systems on Hospital and Building 122.” Please provide design drawings showing intended layout of lightning protection systems and actual locations of electrical rooms, switchgear, panelboards, ground bus bars. This information is needed to quantify materials and labor. The contractor will provide the design of the lightning protection system. For estimation purposes: measurements using Google Earth show a perimeter of approximately 3,000 linear feet for the hospital based on eaves and parapets on various levels. The area of the hospital is approximately 102,000 square feet as projected onto the ground. The linear footage of the Building 122 perimeter is approximately 1,300 feet. The area of Building 122 is approximately 28,600 square feet as projected onto the ground.

60. Will shutdowns be required to be done during off hours or weekends? Shutdowns will be scheduled with the hospital and Building 122 schedule thru the Contract Officer’s representative (COR) and the VA Medical Director. Off hours work for this project is likely.

61. It appears using NAICS 236220 is a construction contract, therefore construction clauses appear to me missing from the solicitation. Most of your instructions to offerors, Reps and certs, and general conditions all of the construction clauses

4.6 thru 4.39

62. To allow sufficient time to review responses and prepare our bid we kindly request that you please extend the bid date. Please see amendments posted to Sam.gov.

63. Can the cables be run exposed down the exterior of the structure rather than roof penetrations and trying to conceal these cables?

64. Is the system required to meet UL96A or NFPA 780? Per Specification No. 26 41 00 Paragraph 2.1.A, the components shall conform to NFPA 780 and

UL 96.

65. Is the counterpoise cable required? The design of the lightning protection is determined by the contractor, shall conform to Specification No. 26 41 00 and shall be submitted for approval.

66. Can the cables be run exposed down the exterior of the structure rather than roof penetrations and trying to conceal these cables? The design of the lightning protection system is determined by the contractor, shall conform to Specification No. 26 41 00 Section 3.1 and shall be submitted for approval.

67. The NFPA 780 requires structures that exceed 60’ in height to have a “ground loop conductor” The ground loop conductor and a “counterpoise” are similar.

The counterpoise must be buried underground, and the ground loop conductor must be installed within 12’ of the base of the structure. Which means that the ground loop conductor could be above grade or below grade or a combination of both. Are we required to have a counterpoise cable or ground loop conductor?

The design of the lightning protection system is determined by the contractor, shall conform to Specification No. 26 41 00 and shall be submitted for approval.