36C25618B0674-0004001.pdf

1) The alternates indicated in the keyed notes on sheet A0101 does not match the Solicitation.

Please clarify?

A. On sheet A0101, keyed note #2 and keyed note #3 both correspond to Deduct Alternate 4 on the Solicitation and keyed note #4 corresponds to Deduct Alternate 3 on the Solicitation. To clarify, keyed notes #3 and #3 are both to be included in the base scope of work and both are to be excluded if Deduct Alternate 4 is accepted.

2) No spray foam specification has been provided. Please provide?

A. Where drawings refer to “Foam insulation” at interior face of exterior masonry, user mineral board insulation per specification section 07 21 13, 2.2C. References to “Foam insulation” in the drawings will be revised to note this.

3) The resinous flooring specifications indicate two different types of resinous flooring, but no finish schedule has been provided to indicate which product is to be installed and where. Please advise?

A. For all areas indicated to receive resinous flooring, follow specification section 09 67 23.60.

Section 09 67 23.20 will be removed from the project documents.

4) There is a seismic restraint specification but the drawings do not identify what equipment, piping, etc. that is to be restrained or any details for the restraints. Per the master VA specification, “the design professional’s responsibilities are to identify the components to be restrained, to identify the lateral force coefficient, to provide details for restraints on the construction drawings,”. This design information is required to price the work. Please advise?

A. Seismic bracing is required on all equipment and components, except where ALL of the following apply:

1. The component is positively attached to the structure; 2. Flexible connections are provided between the component and associated ductwork, piping, and conduit; and either 1.) The component weighs 400 lb. or less and has a center of mass located 4 ft. or less above the adjacent floor level 2.) The component weighs 20 lb. or less or, in the case of a distributed system, 5 lb./ft. or less. It is the responsibility of the installing contractor to design the seismic bracing in accordance with the seismic design criteria specified. This allows flexibility on how the installing contractor coordinates and integrates the installation.

5) No door specification has been provided. Please provide?

A. HM doors and frames will comply with standard VA specification, Level 3 door equivalent frame. Full specification to follow.

6) It appears that new roof penetrations will be required. We have the following questions regarding this:

a. What type of roof is existing?

b. Who installed the roof?

c. Does the roof still have a warranty in place?

A: Roofing vendor and warrantor is Tremco Roofing – call (800)852-6013 for local representative contact.

7) On sheet E0050, there is a ductbank that is indicated as being a replaced ductbank. It appears to cross over a parking lot. Please provide patching details of any hardscapes that will have to be removed to install the ductbank.

A. Perform repairs to pavements per Mississippi Department of Transportation’s Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction, 2017 edition. Repair pavement material to be like kind to surrounding or impacted existing pavement.

8. Please provide the name and contact information of the current water treatment vendor?

A Terry Langston with ChemAqua 601-613-0858

9. Confirm that the contractor is to dispose of any equipment removed under this solicitation, no existing equipment is to be turned over to the VA?

A. It is full intent that all items / equipment become responsibility of Contractor for removal from site.

10. Confirm that the temporary chillers and pumps are not to be integrated into the existing JCI control system?

A. A. CONFIRMED. THE TEMPORARY CHILLERS AND PUMPS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BE

INTEGREATED INTO THE EXISTING JCI CONTROL SYSTEM. THE TEMPORARY SYSTEM MUST BE

MONITORED CONTINUOUSLY, EITHER BY LOCAL OPERATOR ON CALL AND NOTIFIED THROUGH

AN ALERT SYSTEM OR REMOTELY WITH SOME SORT OF PAGING SYSTEM AND IMMEDIATE

RESPONSE. COORDINATE WITH VA FOR APPROVAL OF PROPOSED MONITORING OF

TEMPORARY PLANT.

11. Confirm that the current temporary equipment instructions indicate a 500‐ton load with 100% redundancy, and that the contractor may be able to meet this requirement with other equipment configurations as long as they meet the capacity and redundancy requirements?

A. THE CONTRACTOR IS ABLE TO PROPOSE ALTERNATE STRATEGIES AS LONG AS MINIMUM

PERFORMANCE AND REDUNDANCY MEETS THE INTENT OF THE CONTRACT DOCUMENTS AND

THE SYSTEM CAN FIT ON SITE.

12. Confirm that the contractor can configure multiple temporary pumps as required to meet the flow and total head requirements specified?

A.THE CONTRACTOR MAY CONFIGURE MULTIPLE TEMPORARY PUMPS TO MEE THE TOTAL

HEAD REQUIREMENTS.

13. Confirm that it is expected that the existing electrical system can support the temporary equipment specified without the need for a temporary generator?

A. CONFIRMED. THERE IS NO NEED FOR A TEMPORARY GENERATOR.

14. Confirm that due to the expected 180‐day duration, no limitation will be placed on the contractors work hours for this project? A. It’s unclear what is being asked of the government???

15. Confirm that the VA will expedite processing of submittals, less than the typical 2‐week review, to facilitate the project duration. A. Submittals shall be processed in accordance with the SOW. Should a more expeditious review be required coordination can be discussed with the COR prior to submission.

16. Will the VA include the 52.216‐2 Economic Price Adjustment Clause for this project to provide relief in the event lead times that force the project to be delayed until the winter of 2019, or unknown tariffs, cause material price escalations? A. No

17. What is the “base” system pressure? A. WE ARE ASSUMING YOU MEAN THE PRECHARGE SETTING OF THE EXPANSION TANK. M0101 SHOWS THE EXPANSION TANK PRECHARGE. THE MAX SYSTEM PRESSURE WOULD BE 125 PSI WHICH IS THE PRESSURE RATING OF SOME OF THE HYDRAULIC SPECIALTIES.

18. Can roller bearings be an acceptable alternate to the magnetic bearings specified for the chiller?

A. THIS IS ACCEPTABLE TO THE A/E, PROVIDED ALL OTHER PHYSICAL AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA ARE MAINTAINED. Follow plans and specifications.

B. There are chillers manufactured that meet or exceed specified performance but that do not offer magnetic bearings in the chiller size requested. – Not sure what is being asked of the gov’t?

A. THIS IS ACCEPTABLE TO THE A/E, PROVIDED ALL OTHER PHYSICAL AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA ARE MAINTAINED. Follow plans and specifications.

19. Who is the current HVAC controls vendor for the facility? Please provide contact information A. JCI IS THE CONTROLS VENDOR. THIS IS EXPRESSLY ARTICULATED IN SEVERAL PLACES IN

THE CONTRACT DOCUMENTS.

20. Will current controls vendor be required to be used for this project or can an alternate contractor be used to perform work? A. JCI IS THE CONTROLS VENDOR. THIS IS EXPRESSLY ARTICULATED IN SEVERAL

PLACES IN THE CONTRACT DOCUMENTS.

b. Are there mandatory systems in place that require maintenance to be provided by a specific contractor, if so who is the contractor?

A. Equipment no if control systems, yes.

21. Will current water treatment vendor have to be used for this project or can an alternate vendor be used to perform work?

A. Question can be coordinate with the COR if not previously addressed

22. Please provide the pre‐bid sign‐in sheet as soon as possible. A. See amendment No. 3

23. Confirm that contractor is not responsible for maintenance of water/chemical levels of cooling towers during central plant outage and temporary cooling?

A. THE CONTRACTOR IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE COOLING TOWER

OPERATION DURING THE CENTRAL PLANT OUTAGE AND TEMPORARY COOLING.

24. Will the VA consider an extended project duration with performance expectations? I.e.: must have 750 tons available by such & such date, must have 1500 tons available at such and such date, must have 2250 tons available at such and such date.

A. Please follow plans and specifications as outline. Suggestion will can be addressed with awardee if needed.

25. Can the Superintendent also fulfill the roles of SSHO and CSHT if they meet the requirements of each? A. See Q&A under amendment A00003 for government response.

26. Is TB Screening a requirement of this solicitation? A. Yes

27. Specification section 01 91 00 1.8C “Members Appointed by VA” indicates that the Commissioning Agent will be appointed by the VA and engaged under a separate contract. Please confirm that the VA will engage the commissioning agent under a separate contract, and that the contractor is NOT required to carry the cost of commissioning?

A. COMMISSIONING IS BEING CARRIED BY OTHERS; HOWEVER, COMMISSIONING COORDINATION, INTERFACE BY CONTRACTORS, AND RESOLUTION OF ITEMS IN THE COMMISSIONING ACTION LOG IS

REQUIRED TO SUPPORT COMMISSIONING ACTIVITIES.

28. Can demonstration and training recordings, as referenced in section 01 91 00 3.9.C.5, be performed by a member of the contractor’s organization or will the recordings need to be made by a “Commercial Photographer?”

A. If professionally done.

29. Please confirm that any warranty referenced in the specifications, even if it modifies FAR clause 52.246‐21, beyond one year is intended to be a manufacturer’s warranty for the product as referenced in the specification section?

A. Contractor is liable to ensure products utilized in the Specifications required to have a warranty period beyond 12 months are addressed by the contractor…e.g. Reference 1.9: Joint Sealer

30. Please provide location of staging area for field office and storage.

A. Shall be addressed afterward

31. Please confirm that 24/7 Security Guard presence is NOT a requirement of this solicitation. A. See Q&A responses in amendment A00003.

32. Please confirm that the contractor is NOT required to install security cameras at the job site.

A. THE CONTRACT DOCUMENTS DO NOT SPECIFICALLY REQUIRE CAMERAS, BUT SECURITY OF

THE TEMPORARY FACILITIES IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CONTRACTOR.

33. Please confirm that this project does not require whole building commissioning and that the only systems to be commissioned are the ones listed in section 01 91 00 subsection 1.7.

A. CORRECT. COMMISSIONING IS BEING CARRIED BY OTHERS; HOWEVER, COMMISSIONING

COORDINATION, INTERFACE BY CONTRACTORS, AND RESOLUTION OF ITEMS IN THE

COMMISSIONING ACTION LOG IS REQUIRED TO SUPPORT COMMISSIONING ACTIVITIES.

34. Sheet D0601 temporary chiller schedule lists the chillers as 480V 3 Ph. 43MCA, and the temporary pumps at 50HP each. Where is temporary power to be fed from?

A. FEED FROM EXISTING SWITHGEAR OUTSIDE OF THE CHILLER PLANT.

35. If temporary power is provided by facility electrical utility, will temporary power be an expense to the

VA? Or, will this need to be metered and paid by contractor?

A. NOT APPLICABLE.

36. On the feeder schedule, feeder 4000/4, from transformer #1 to the GE Spectra Series switchboard, shows (11) 4” conduits with 500kcm wire. The duct bank schedule calls for 5” conduits. Which is required? A. USE 5” CONDUITS.

37. Existing feeders from transformer No. 2 to GE Spectra switchboard Main 2, are routed directly beneath switchboard Main No. 1. The existing feeder to Main No. 1 is routed through the wall behind the switchboard. The plans call for the new feeder to Main No. 1 to be routed underground into the switchboard at a minimum depth of 30” to top of the duct bank. The new feeders will collide with existing feeders to Main No. 2. Please advise

A. WHEN YOU GET NEAR THE SWITCH GEAR THE ELEVATION OF THE DUCT BANK CAN CHANGE TO MISS

THE EXISTING DUCT BANK.

38. On the walls to be insulated, there are multiple exposed conduits, junction boxes & wireways, fire alarm devices, etc. Are these required to be removed to facilitate insulating the walls? Some have conduits stubbed up through the floor. Are these to be re-routed & re-connected or removed?

A. ALL ITEMS ARE REQUIRED TO BE REMOVED AND RELOCATED TO FACILITATE INSULATING THE

WALLS. CONDUITS STUBBED THROUGH THE FLOOR WILL NEED TO BE RELOCATED AND RECONNECTED

OR REMOVED FROM SERVICE IF THEY ARE ABANDONED AND INTERFERE WITH THE NEW INSULATION.

39. Can the project Site Superintendent dual role as the Site Safety Health Officer (SSHO)?

A. a competent and qualified may serve dual roles

40. Can the project Site Superintendent dual role as the Quality Control Manager (QCM)?

A. Yes

41. Must the Site Superintendent, SSHO, and QCM all be employees of the Prime Contractor or, can any of these positions be assigned by formal delegation to a subcontractor?

A. Yes

42. Is the contractor responsible for providing seismic-force-restraint shop drawings and calculations signed and stamped by a Professional Structural Engineering registered in Mississippi?

A. YES, WHERE REQUIRED. SEE ANSWER FROM A PREVIOUS QUESTION ON APPLICABILITY OF SEISMIC

RESTRAINTS AND BRACING.

43. Is the contractors rigging plan for this project required to be designed and signed by a registered

Professional Engineer?

A. If specification and drawings are silent on this issue, contractor is responsible for providing safe and effective rigging plan.

44. Section 23 09 23 – DDC System for HVAC, Paragraph 1.1 B states, “Completion of the controls scope of work described in this section shall be completed by Johnson Controls…”. Is the intent of the bid documents to sole source Johnson Controls? A. The intent is to maintain current system integrity utilizing the facility existing system and protocols provided by Johnson Control.

45. We do not see a Justification and Approval (J&A) for other than full and open competition on the DDC

System Specification section 23 09 23. Please confirm that other controls providers can be utilized if they are compatible with the existing DDC system. A. To maintain consistency of the current DDC

System. The VA is not at this time entertaining hybrid system as it relates to this requirement.

46. Are there any specific experience or qualification requirements of the contractors “Commissioning

Manager” as required in 01 91 00 – 15 paragraph 1.8, B. ?

A. THE COMMISSIONING CONTRACT IS BY OTHERS, BUT COMMISSIONING COORDINATION, INTERFACE

BY CONTRACTORS, AND RESOLUTION OF ITEMS IN THE COMMISSIONING ACTION LOG IS REQUIRED TO

SUPPORT COMMISSIONING ACTIVITIES.

47. Can the commissioning team (i.e. Commissioning Manager) have other responsibilities on the project outside of commissioning duties?

A. THE COMMISSIONING CONTRACT IS BY OTHERS, BUT COMMISSIONING COORDINATION, INTERFACE

BY CONTRACTORS, AND RESOLUTION OF ITEMS IN THE COMMISSIONING ACTION LOG IS REQUIRED TO

SUPPORT COMMISSIONING ACTIVITIES.

48. Is there any existing service company taking care of the water treatment and chemicals on this site? If so, please provide the contact information.

A. Terry Langston with ChemAqua 601-613-0858

49. Drawing D0601- Demolition Note 13. “Contractor is responsible for providing continuous security for construction site.”. Please elaborate on the exact requirements and expectations of providing

“continuous security”. A. See Q&A in amendment A0003.

50. Drawing D0601 – Temporary Plant Operation Notes state, “Construction shall be phased such that the facility is using the temporary chiller plant only between the months of November-February”. If the project does not start prior to November, due to equipment lead time for example, will work be suspended until the following season in 2019? A. Suspension of work, if necessary shall be coordinated between contractor and the government to determine best approach.

51. Is the existing roof under warranty? If so, please provide contact.

A. See Q7 above.

52. The HVAC demolition drawings do not provide much of any detail for estimating the quantity and size of pipe to be removed. Will an updated demo drawing be provided?

A. PREVIOUSLY ANSWERED WITH AVAILABLE DOCUMENTATION.

53. If no other HVAC demo drawing is to be provided, are there any existing as-builts or drawings of the chiller plant that can be used to more accurately quantify the demolition? B. Are there six or eight boilers?

A. Additional as-builts may be available after award for clarifications. B. THERE ARE 4 CHILLERS TO BE

DEMOLISHED. NO BOILERS.

54. Can contractor block off vehicle traffic from entering the area while excavation/trenching is in progress for the new duct bank? Or, will all work be required to be completed after-hours and on weekends?

A. All work will need to be coordinated through COR. Some weekend work may be required. Access to area behind boiler plant will be required at all times.

55. Will a tax exemption certificate be provided by the VA for this project? A. No

56. To clarify the statement on A0002, the 180-day project duration is preferred however, phasing is to be outlined by contractor when submitting bid?

A. If contractor deemed 180-days is not feasible and contractor cannot abide by phasing suggestion reflected in A0002, submission of an alternate Phasing-plan may be submitted and reviewed for consideration.