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520-22-161 Pre-Award RFI Register
| Would the Government please confirm or clarify whether the access points’ installation includes configuration—which for our purposes means installing the devices, configuring the actual devices, and deploying all devices onto a network- |
| Contractor will be required to install cabling, installation of access points, configuring of access points and adding to existing public network. |
Installation of access points will be to ceiling grid, hard sheet rock ceiling, or wall mount support based on location.
| Or does the Government only require installation of devices without any configuration? |
| No, the Government will require installation of devices with configuration. |
| What is the correct submission date for this project? SAM.gov has the submission date as Wednesday, 9/1/2021, the solicitation has the submission date as Friday, 9/3/2021. |
| Correction to Beta. SAM was made to reflect a submission date of 09/03/2021. |
| When would the Government like to start the project? End the Project? |
| As soon as possible; 180 days after NTP is issued. |
| Will the Government please provide a Site Visit Attendee List? |
| Has been provided. |
| What firm installed the existing system and does that firm have preference installing the new system. |
| Siemens installed existing system. Contact Siemens for further information. |
Siemens POC:
Timothy Hornocker Siemens Industry, Inc.
14231 Seaway Road, Suite F2 Gulfport, MS, 39503 Dir: 228-265-8100 Fax: 228-265-8149 Cell: 601-329-1731 timothy.hornocker@siemens.com
| SOW references " Basis of design". Will this design be provided or is the VA requesting a new Wi-Fi design for all the included buildings/floors? |
| The scope calls for the contractor to coordinate with “Siemens” for device/network compatibility and to ensure proper Wi-Fi coverage in each building. |
A design is not provided. Shop drawings will be required to be submitted for proposed AP locations with the coordination of Siemens POC listed above.
| Are there any other hardware requirements, for example FIPS 140-2? |
| No, this is guest Wi-Fi only. This will not be connected to the VA Network. |
| What model number is the current controller? |
| Aruba 7205 |
| Is there room in the VA racks to accommodate new switches at each location? |
| No. New racks will be required. Wall mount or 2/4 post as determined by contractor submittals. |
| Can the government please provide/update the maps/floor plans to show location of MDF and IDFs for cabling purposes? |
| Public Wi-Fi system will not be located in VA Communication Rooms. |
Do you plan to utilize existing VA provided fiber to interconnect new switches into existing environment at all buildings/floors? If so, please provide the following information:
· Are there fiber pairs available to use in each building/floor?
· Fiber type
· Fiber termination type at patch panels
· What are the current switch models the new switches will connect back to?
Where available, contractor to use EMS Fiber Network. Fiber will be required from building demark location to switches.
| Is electrical power available in the main distribution facility (MDF), intermediate distribution facilities (IDF), and telephone rooms (TRs) to power new switches? |
| Public Wi-Fi system will not be located in VA Communication Rooms. |
Where is the main computer room located (room number) in each building?
Where is the main distribution frame (MDF) located (room number) in each building?
Public Wi-Fi system will not be located in VA Communication Rooms.
| What are the room numbers of the intermediate distribution frame (IDF) and telephone rooms (TRs) in each building and on each floor? |
| Public Wi-Fi system will not be located in VA Communication Rooms. |
| Can Contractor perform uninterrupted work during normal business hours? |
| Any loud/vibration work in medical areas to be coordinated with COR and performed in accordance with the ICRA. Bldgs 1, 3, 14, 15, 25 and 30 are health care buildings, but the afterhours work may not be limited to just those buildings. |
| Will the Government accept network equipment delivery? |
| No, the contractor will need to be on station to accept equipment delivery. |
| Will the Government provide secure on-site storage for materials and network equipment? If not, will the Government provide a location for storage pod? |
| No room/building space will be provided. A location for a Conex can be made available for contractor storage. |
| How many personnel require training? |
| The majority of the electric shop will need to be trained. Plan approximately 8 people. |
| How many holes will need to be cored? Locations? |
| Plan for core drilling for all multi-floor buildings one hole per floor in height. Contractor will be required to X-Ray concrete floors for conduit, pipes, and rebar prior to core drilling for all buildings. Take extra precaution in Building 3 where conduits and pipes are run in the floors. Core drilling will be expected to be performed after hours. |
| How many APs will need to be wall mounted? |
| Anticipate utilizing AP wall mount brackets for a minimum of 20% of access points. |
| Will Panduit Raceway (or equivalent) need to be installed to get to located? |
| No Panduit Raceway will be allowed. |
| How many electrical rooms will require conduit to be ran? |
| Electrical power will be required for all new network switches |
| What size conduit? |
| Minimal allowable conduit is ¾”. Follow NFPA 70 conduit fill guidelines. |
| What mode of fiber how many strands will be required? |
| Single multi-mode or multi-mode as determined by distance and investigation by contractor. |
| Does site have a containment cart that can be used or does contractor need to provide one? |
| No, has to be provided by contractor. Waste Dumpster shall be furnished by contractor. |
| Will color of cable and jacks be purple? |
| The CAT-6 jacket color is to be purple. |
| What type of Aruba wireless architecture are you all currently running? Controller based with Aruba OS 6.X or Aruba OS 8.X |
| New system will require Aruba OS8.X or and equal/compatible product |
| What Aruba controllers do you currently have in place (per SOW based on Building 17 requirements)? |
| Aruba 7205 |
| Do you currently have redundancy in place? |
| No |
| In your current wireless infrastructure, how many Aruba AP(s) do you currently have installed? |
| 62 |
What is the current Aruba 320 model installed, AP-325 or AP-324? Are you open for an alternative Aruba AP 530 model series? https://www.arubanetworks.com/assets/support/EOS_Notice_320_Series_ Campus_APs.pdf https://www.arubanetworks.com/support-services/end-of-life/ The current WAP is AP-325. Yes, Aruba AP-535 would be acceptable or and equal/compatible product
| What type of 24 port Network Switch model do you currently have installed? |
| Aruba 2530 Series |
| Does the 24 port Network Switch model require 1G, 10G, or 25G uplink module? |
| 10G Uplink |
| Do the 24 port Network Switch model require redundant power supply? |
| No |
| Are you all planning on stacking the Network Switches per building? Does the Network Switches require stacking cabling? |
| No |
| What type of SFPs optical transceiver modules are required? SR MMF, LR SMF, or ER SMF? |
| SFP+ 10Gb LR and SFP+ 10Gb SR. |
Per '36C25621R0108+SOW.pdf' document, Building 17 is where the Optical Distribution Switch is located?
· What type of Optical Distribution switch is currently installed? Is this a single switch or two redundant switch for High Availability (HA)?
· What is the current port density (Access ports and Uplink) and speed for the Optical Distribution switch? Do you require 40G and 100G speed for uplinks?
· What are the fiber type/mode & length between the Optical Distribution switch and the 24 port network switches in other buildings? This will help us to determine the type of optical transceiver modules to propose.
The current switch is required to be replaced in this project. The replacement is to be a single switch with a minimum of 24 SFP+ ports.
10Gb for Uplinks
Single mode is preferable for uplink. Distances vary.
| What type of management platform are using to manage your wireless and switching infrastructure? |
| The wireless infrastructure is managed by the Aruba controls. |
| Do you all require FIPS validation? |
| No |
| Do you require TAA components? |
| Yes |
| Are you all currently utilize a Captive Portal? If so, how are you all accomplishing this? |
| No |
| What are specs and color of cable to be used? |
| The CAT-6 jacket color is to be purple. |
| What are the model # for POE switches? |
| Aruba 2530 Series or and equal/compatible product |
| What is the quantity of POE switches needed? |
| Contractor to provide quantity of switches needed to support 464 AP’s to be installed. |
| What are the specs for the fiber to be used? |
| Single mode and multi-mode with plenum rated jacket |
| Is conduit needed in only areas where cable could be exposed? Not above ceiling tile? |
| Conduit is required in electrical and mechanical spaces and where there is no ceiling tile. |
| Will HEPA carts be needed in all areas? |
| Yes |
| Can we get drawings showing where AP’s are going and where the network closet they are going to are? |
| Contractor cannot use network closets. The contractor will be required to install AP’s as needed to provide coverage as specified in Scope of Work. The drawings included in the SOW provides to scale floorplans for each building and floor where coverage will be required. |
| Will 120VAC power be available/provided for new network switches or will it be required to be installed |
| Power will need to be installed as part of this project. |
| Are software licenses available on the existing system for the new installation Wireless Access Points or will licenses be required to be purchased. |
| No, Licenses will be required to be purchased by the contractor. |
| Is there rack space available in the existing communications rooms for the new network switches. |
| No |
| Will Core Drilling in Patient Buildings be required to be performed after hours. |
| Plan for core drilling for all multi-floor buildings one hole per floor in height. Contractor will be required to X-Ray concrete floors for conduit, pipes, and rebar prior to core drilling for all buildings. Take extra precaution in Building 3 where conduits and pipes are run in the floors. Core drilling will be expected to be performed after hours. |
| What is the demark location of the ISP that will be utilized for the public Wi-Fi system |
| The demark location is in Building 12, the building near the front gate near Pass Road. |
