Questions and Answers v2.docx

Questions are in black ink Answers are in red ink Excerpts from the PWS are in blue Q1. Is this a new requirement, or is there an incumbent contractor? If existing, can you provide me the contractor and award amount? This is a new requirement.

Q2. Do we need to charge you sales tax on this project? The contract will be exempt from additional taxes and the awardee will receive a tax-exempt certificate if they require one.

Question Submittal #3.

Will a site visit be scheduled? Yes.

Boilers What is the horsepower for the cleaver brooks boilers? 4WI 500-600 HP What is the average load percent? Boiler is rated for 20,700 of steam per hour. So roughly 10,000 to 15,000 per hour depending on demand.

Condensate Return percentage? About 70% of condensate is returned.

What type of pretreatment (softeners, RO, etc)? We have 1 media prefilter, 1 carbon prefilter, and 3 softeners. Also, a small 9 membrane RO unit that runs about 35gpm.

Do you have any annual water consumption documentation? 6000 to 9,000 per day depending on demand What are the pressures that these are run at? Boilers are currently running at 110psi Feedwater quality, i.e. hardness, alkalinity, iron, conductivity? Feedwater is 8.8-9.7pH, 0 hardness, 0-50conductivity Cooling Tower Do the towers have a common header/equalizer line? Yes What are the dimensions of the towers? See below Each cell: (Without Options)

Per 4-cell tower: with options)

What is the average recirculation rate? 4500 GPM Chillers What is the nominal tonnages of the 6 chillers? 1500 per chiller Chilled Loop What is the estimated volume of the chilled loop? Estimating 115,000 gallons.

RO Unit What is the make and model of the RO unit? CRANE EPRO 57K How many membranes are there? 9 membranes What is the average flow rate? 35 gpm

Recovery Motor HP 3 phase

Carbon Filter What is the make and model of the carbon filter? Model FCF-200-200 Carbon Filter. Pentair Composite Filter, CH33421, 264 What is the average flow rate? Average is 7000-9000gal/day Question Submittal #4 Is there a site visit scheduled for this project, and if so, when will that be? Yes. 4 February 2021 at 10:00AM CST at 2400 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70112.

Will remediation and retesting be included in this contract, in the event of a positive Legionella test? There will be a modification to add those services, if required and if prices can be determined to be fair and reasonable.

Are tower cleanings to be included in this contract? Yes Question Submittal #5 Please define tower cleaning. Hydraulic cleaning only or chemical cleaning? Basin only or to include fill? Tower cleaning includes basin and fill. It’s on the contractor for preferred methods as long as all the scale is removed off the fill, drifters, and basin.

Question Submittal #6

RO two filter change outs per year – Does this mean prefilters or RO membranes, or both? Please clarify that this means to provide the filters/membranes and the service to change them out. Filter change-out includes both filters.

Question Submittal #7 Is this contract classified as a service contract or a services and supplies contracts? Every CLIN on this contract will be a service CLIN. The entire contract will be considered a service contract.

Will the supplier be required to feed bleach continuously and maintain a 0.5 ppm Total chlorine residual in the cooling tower or is a traditional 3x weekly slug feed biocide program allowed? It is up to the contractor to decide what methods is going to be used as long as they maintain the chlorine residual. We prefer to continuously feed.

How often does the RO run, days per year? The RO unit will be online as long as there are no issues running it.

Is the RO currently in operating condition? Yes

Is Carbon replacement cost to be included in cost of contract for requested Change out or will it be supplied separately? If included please provide specs be of the carbon that is to be supplied (activated/non-activated, type, volume, etc). Yes. One Carbon Filter change out is required per contract.

Are Carbon Pre-filters included in change outs? Yes. One Carbon Filter change out is required per contract.

Will Legionella retests be paid for off contract? Included in this contract.

Will Disinfections or tower cleanings in case of Legionella positives be paid for off contract? Included in this contract.

Question Submittal #8

1. Is this project sales tax exempt? If the project is sales tax exempt can the government provide a sales tax exemption certificate? The contract will be exempt from additional taxes and the awardee will receive a tax-exempt certificate if they require one.

2) Will the Government provide VA badges/PIV cards for contractors working on-site for this project? Yes.

3) If contractors are provided a VA badge/PIV card, will they be allowed to move throughout the facility without a VA escort? Yes. If not, what areas of the facility specifically require VA escorts to enter? Contractor will be able to move throughout the facility unescorted.

4) Will the Government provide contractors with access to locked workspaces (such as mechanical rooms and plumbing closets) via badge/keycard access? Yes.

5) Will the Government provide contractors with access to locked workspaces (such as mechanical rooms and plumbing closets) via a master key? Yes.

6) Can the VA provide a full ICRA report for this project as it relates to infectious control? Yes. See page 14 of the Legionella Prevention Plan.

7) What is the level of infectious disease control rating for this project at this facility? Yes. See page 14 of the Legionella Prevention Plan.

8) Will the government accept the use of the industry leading Procore Project Management software as the primary submittal and data tracking tool for this project? The software is compatible with the VA’s networks and is currently in use at many VA locations. No.

9) Where will the designated parking area be for workers accessing the construction site? There is not guaranteed parking on the site for contractors. We will ask the police department if you can park in the patient garage.

10) Will the VA provide a location to store materials on-site prior to the start of work, and will this location be available for the full length of the project? No.

11) Can the VA please clarify the NAICS code for this service/maintenance contract is 238220 and the product service code is J041 as stated in beta.sam.gov and the original solicitation? The NAICS code is for Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors and the NAICS code is for Maint/Repair/Rebuild Of Equipment- Refrigeration, Air Conditioning, And Air Circulating Equipment.

12) Can the VA please clarify what the minimum self-performance requirement is for SDVOSB contractors on this solicitation? Refer to FAR 19.1407(a)(1) - For services (except construction), spend at least 50 percent of the cost incurred for personnel on its own employees or the employees of other SDVOSBs

13) The following statements are taken from the original solicitation:

a. From “Objective:” on pg. 5: - “service to include complete preventative maintenance (PM Service), routine repair service, emergency repair service and on-the-job training for the equipment.”

b. From “Preventive Maintenance (PM Service) – Definition/Description” on pg. 6: - “PM service does not involve maintaining the equipment itself.”

Can the VA please clarify if any routine repairs or emergency repairs will be required for the equipment itself? Routine repairs or emergency repairs refer to the chemical feed treatment systems, from the chemical tanks to the point of entry to the associated equipment.

14) The following statement was taken from the original solicitation:

a. From item #4 in the “Scope” section on pg. 6: - “The Contractor shall provide all staffing and transportation necessary for the delivery and administration of the necessary chemicals for the treatment of the systems noted. The contractor is responsible for bringing the needed chemicals to specific site locations and transferring chemicals to and from the site. The contractor will also be responsible for handling all chemical transfers into all the tanks.”

Does this include the salt required to maintain the water softener? Additionally, can the VA please provide the POC information for all the existing vendors providing chemicals for treatment of the systems noted? The VA will assist the contractor with the refilling of the salt between service visits. VA is not providing this information.

15) The following statements are taken from the original solicitation.

a. From item #8 in the “General Requirements:” on pg. 8: - “All parts, controllers, pump and fitting or other items required to perform normal, routine services (to include labor) that are $3,500.00 or less are included in this contract.”

Does this $3,500 limit include the cost for materials required to perform preventative maintenance? Some examples of such materials include, but are not limited to, salt for the water softener and other chemical additives. All parts, controllers, pump and fitting or other items required to perform normal, routine services (to include labor) that are $3,500.00 or less are included in this contract. (Routine maintenance is from the chemical tanks to the point of injection into the systems).

16) Can a subcontractor act as any of the 3 positions identified in the original solicitation (Project manager, operations manager, technician), or is it required that any/all of these positions be filled by prime contractor personnel? We require the Prime Contractor to be the Project Manager and Operations Manager.

17) Should tower cleanings be performed using chemical cleaning methods or pressure washers only? Contractor’s choice as long as the scale buildup is removed off the cooling tower.

18) When will the VA have the RO system back fully operational? The RO Unit is back in service as of 2/5/2021.

Question Submittal #9 Contractor Staff/Personnel Qualifications:

1. (Prime) contractors and subcontractors shall possess the necessary capabilities, qualifications, and experience necessary to execute the specific tasks in this Performance Work Statement. No unqualified individuals shall perform maintenance and/or repair service for the equipment listed in this Performance Work Statement at any time during the performance period. Contractors and subcontractors shall have the minimum qualifications as listed below(i.e. core competencies) for the staff/personnel that are provided.

Project Manager (PM):

• Minimum of five (5) years’ experience on the equipment to be maintained (as specified in this Statement of Work) to include original equipment manufacturer and other related devices. If the Project Manager (PM) is also serving as the Operations Manager (OM) (dual role) then he/she shall have the additional experience required for an Operations Manager.

Operations Manager (OM) and Technician:

• Minimum of ten (10) years’ experience on the equipment to be maintained (as specified in this Statement of Work) to include original equipment manufacturer and other related devices).

• Minimum of seven (7) years’ experience performing water testing and chemical treatment on chiller and boiler systems.

The government cannot afford to take any risks during execution of services and therefore must ensure that only qualified personnel are performing these services. Therefore, personnel must have the minimum experience as annotated in this section. While the government cannot prevent unqualified personnel from helping other staff members, personnel not possessing the minimum qualifications are not allowed to be performing maintenance/repair on the equipment. If the prime contractor is partnering with another subcontractor to provide services, the subcontractor will be required to possess the same qualifications as the prime contractor. Prime contractors are responsible for the actions/inactions of their subcontractor for this requirement.

2. Contractor shall provide personnel/technicians that have successfully completed service and training from the manufacturer or a manufacturer accredited school that resulted in the core competencies mentioned above.

3. All personnel who will be performing services on the required equipment shall demonstrate that they have the necessary capabilities, qualifications, and minimum required experience by providing the appropriate credentialing documents. Resumes shall be provided for each personnel/staff member that will be performing work and/or who will be managing personnel, the services being conducted, and/or the progress of this requirement in a direct or indirect capacity. r documents may be provided by the contractor/subcontractor as needed (or if appropriate) if such documents adequately describe the qualifications, experience, skills The submittal of resumes is required for both prime contractor and subcontracting personnel/staff. Other, and technical capabilities of those personnel. To be relevant, the qualifications, experience, skills, and technical capabilities described/listed must be specific and must mirror the current requirement (Chemical Maintenance and Treatment of Boilers and Chillers that is described herein). To be valid, qualifications, experience, skills, and technical capabilities of personnel must be verifiable through a cross check of the credentialing documents that are required/submitted. The minimum required experience of contractor personnel who will be performing services on equipment shall be verified by the COR prior to the commencement of these services by these personnel. The contractor will notify the COR if there are substitutions or replacement of these personnel so that additional and/or follow up verifications can be done.

4. Contractor’s shall familiarize themselves with Addendum A: Hazardous Material Identification and Material Safety Data as listed below for this requirement.

5. Contractor’s shall familiarize themselves with Addendum B: Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) guidelines as listed below for this requirement.

Use of Subcontractors:

The government does not encourage or discourage the use of subcontractors by prime contractors (and affirms a neutral position on this matter for this requirement only). The government is only concerned with the successful completion of the tasks/deliverables/requirements that are described herein. However, prime contractors and subcontractors are expected to adhere to the guidelines and limitations regarding subcontracting as stipulated in the solicitation for this requirement.

Subcontractors that are to be utilized for this requirement shall be identified by the prime contractor and subcontracting personnel must meet the minimum qualification standards as described herein.

1. Must the Prime Contractor’s Project Manager meet the requirements outlined in the “Contractor Staff/Personnel Qualifications” section? Yes.

1. Can the prime contractor meet the requirements by partnering/ teaming agreement with a fully qualified partner for the project? We require the Prime Contractor to be the Project Manager and Operations Manager.

1. Can the requirement be met through the skilled labor force of ONLY the subcontractor as long as the participation requirements are met for the contract? Yes.

1. Please be specific as to the participation requirements for this solicitation as it is listed as a “service & maintenance” contract but under the NAICS code 238220 for Specialty Construction Trades? Refer to FAR 19.1407(a)(1) - For services (except construction), spend at least 50 percent of the cost incurred for personnel on its own employees or the employees of other SDVOSBs.