580-22-105 Clarifications.pdf

36C25623R0049 Clarifications Page 1

RFI # DIVISION/TRADE QUESTION REPONSE

1 010000 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Please clarify that amount of work the SDVOSB is required to perform. Page 1 of the SF1442 notes a minimum of 25% which is in direct conflict with VAAR 852.219-75 VA Notice of Limiations on Subcontracting which requires a minimum of 15%

Limitation on Subcontracting is 15% for this project.

2 010000 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Please confirm anticipated award date and NTP/start dates The VA anticipates to award this contract by 4/28. NTP will be issued 30 days after 3 010000 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Would the VA consider revising the solicitation to include and/or accept NAICS Codes

236220 or 238910 in lieu of 237310. NAICS Code 237310 remains unchanged.

4 010000 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Please confirm that the General Contractor does not have to provide unarmed guards at the project site after construction hours.

The general contractor is responsible for their equipment and to ensure equipment and material secured from theft at all times.

5 010000 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Please confirm that the General Contractor does not have to install equipment for recording guard rounds to ensure systematic checking of the premises.

The VA does not require recording of rounds should the general contractor choose to use this option to secure their site.

6 010000 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Please confirm if a project/construction sign is required per spec section 01 00 00 Project signage is not required for this work.

7 010000 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Please confirm if a safety sign is required per spec section 01 00 00. If acceptable all safety information and data would be posted for all construction personnel in the contractor's on site job trailer.

No sign is required.

8 010000 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Please confirm if any mock ups are required No mock ups are required

010000 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Due to the short P.O.P of 150 days would the VA consider revising the submittal and RFI review periods from 15 and 10 working days to 5 working days. If not we suggest extending the POP to 365 days to allow for sufficient submittal review and procurement periods.

Period of performance will be 210 calendar days from NTP. Review times are unchanged.

10 013526 - SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

Please confirm if a CSP or CSHT is required to performly monthly site visits & reports The expectation is the safety program is audited by contractor's management. Safety information will be reported during regular meetings. Any safety irregularities will need to be corrected by the contractor and in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.

013526 - SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

Please clarify if the SSHO can dual hat or triple hat the roles of Superintendent and QCM. If the SSHO can only dual hat please clarify which role they may dual hat. No triple hatted roles. Dual role for supervision and safety can be allowed. Quality will need to be an independent verifier reporting back to your home office.

12 010000 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

It is our understanding that there is a separate project at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center to Repair & Replace Roads 36C25623R0048, project number 580-16-102. If the general contractor was awarded both projects can the project team from the Correct Safety Hazard SCI and Main Entrance project cover the Repair and Replace Road project or will two separate supervision teams be required.

If awarded both projects, a plan to phase the work will need to be approved by the VA to ensure proper supervision and safety span of control is maintained.

13 013526 - SAFETY REQUIREMENTS

Because this is an exterior project please confirm that TB vaccines and/or Tuberculosis screenings are not required for the general contractor or any subcontractors TB is communicable and VA reps will interact with contractor and subcontractors on daily issues, observations, etc. Yes, TB testing is required.

014529 - TESTING LABORATORY

SERVICES

Please confirm if full time observation of fill placement and compaction by a 3rd party geotechnical technician is required or if standalone field density testing and reports are acceptable in lieu of full time observation

Standalone field denisty testing and reports will be acceptable provided the equipment used is properly calibrated and verified.

15 010000 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Please confirm any special work day or work hour restrictions on any of the roads or entrances. It is presumed that any road or entrance may be shut down with the appropriate traffic control devices and signage.

The entrance and exit would be closed with the appropriate traffic control including the tunnel exit. Internal traffic will be re-routed and coordinated with VA Police. See added note to detail 4/AS-501 and key note #14 for high early concrete to reduce the time the access is closed attached.

16 010000 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Please confirm if traffic flagmen are required at all times if/when a main entrance is shut down.

Please confirm if those flagmen have to be off-duty uniformed Houston Police Officers

A flag person would be required during certain operations to direct foot traffic as well as vehicles. This would be part of the traffic control submittals. With the correct construction barriers in place for traffic control, during normal operation additional flag person would not be needed.

17 010000 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Please provide a campus map of all existing and new utilities including but not limited to gas, fiber optic, power, sewer, storm sewer, water, fire water, ETC.

Electrical, storm and lighting see attached Site Utilities.

36C25623R0049 Clarifications Page 2

18 010000 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Please confirm the working hours and working days for this project. The notes on the drawings are not clear as to the working times. If work at the hospital entrances is limited to off hours or weekends only the P.O.P. will need to be extended to be able to perform the work within the scheduled end date.

Some work will be required at night and weekends as noted in the SOW part 1.6 and

8.3. The building entrances will remain open during the construction. SCI entrance can be closed on weekends with advance notice and approval of the COR. This is the reason work will need to be phased. Valet traffic will be re-routed but there will still be pedestrain traffic.

19 010000 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Please confirm that there are no liquidated damages associated with this contract.

Confirmed.

20 010000 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Please confirm that work at the Hospital Entrances and the main campus entrance can be performed concurrently. If work in each area is to be performed consectuctively please confirm which area will be started first. Additionally please be advised if work is to be performed consectively the 150 calendar day P.O.P. may not be enough for submittals, procurement, and construction. The VA may want to consider extending the P.O.P. to 365 Calendar days or consider two separate P.O.P.'s one for submittals and procurement, and another one for construction.

Some work will be required at night and weekends as noted in the SOW part 1.6 and

8.3. The building entrances will remain open during the construction. SCI entrance can be closed on weekends with advance notice and approval of the COR. This is the reason work will need to be phased. Work can be done at both building entries concurrently if contractor is able to meet the requirements of the entries being open.

21 010000 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Please confirm where a laydown area will be provided to the contractor to store materials and equipment.

The VA COR will assign laydown in lot W. Other laydown areas can be discussed if contractor requests, but is not guaranteed.

111200 - PARKING CONTROL

EQUIPMENT

Please confirm the manufacturer and model of the existing gate arms. If there an existing service contract in place for the existing gate arms please provide the name of the company and any available contact information.

See question 23 and 41. Rolling Gates are controled through the PACS system. These are not gate arms.

23 111200 - PARKING CONTROL

EQUIPMENT

Sheet AS-302 Key note #16 states to "Repair and re-install existing gates and bottom rail. Verify operation" Please clarify this scope as the operators do not appear to be located in the road where replacement will occur and do not appear to need to be removed for new work to be installed. The word "Repair" is vauge and does not indicate what needs to be repaired. If the gate arm/bar is the item that needs to be repaired and/or replaced please clarify. Please provide existing manufacturer, model, and length of the gate arm/bar.

The rolling gate is custom built metal gate with rolling wheels and a base track attached to the roadway. The base track and wheels will need replaced and aligned for smooth operation. Some repair welding is needed on the gate itself. The wheels are bolt on and the track is a "V" stype. The sentex controller is located in the center island and is where the gate loopes connect.

Please provide a MFG and model for the existing precast paver required per note 7 on sheet AS-

Precast paver is 19"x19"x4" thick paver, exposed aggrergate finish on a 2" grout bed.

Option would be a cast in place concrete to match the finish as close as possible.

Thickness would be 6".

25 Contractor recommends changing the note 7 pavers to decorative concrete. See response to question 24, option provided.

Sheet AS-501 does not list a detail for the precast paver listed per note 7 on sheet AS-301. Please provide a paver detail.

Paver detail added to sheet AS-501 detail 6 attached.

AS-301 note 8 calls for broken granite pavers to be replaced with the pavers that were removed from other areas. The note says that the existing pavers are mud set. it is not likely that any of the tiles will come out whole. It will also be difficult to re-install the pavers in the existing locations that replace broken pavers. We recommend removing the granite pavers and replacing with decorative concrete. The existing tiles to remain have grass and weeds growing between them and we believe the granite tiles will continue to be high maintenance.

The existing granite pavers are installed on a dry pack and should be easily removed.

The grout used is the paver sand (Polymeric sand) and can be removed by pressure washing. Decorative concrete in place of the damaged granite pavers is not acceptable.

For note 8 on sheet AS-301 the existing areas to not appear to have any grout between the tiles and the new scope only direct us to epoxy grout the tiles being replaced. It does not mention grouting all of the existing. Please verify what is required.

Sanded grout can be used to match the polymeric sand thet was used on the original installation if space allows. The VA will install grout in the remaining pavers.

29 Note 8 is called out twice on detail 3/AS-301 but there are two other areas to the left of the callout locations that symmetrically would have the same finish type. Please clarify what callout applies to these other two areas.

Note #8 only applies to areas that have existing granite that is damaged and needs replaced with material being removed in other areas. Not all areas are damaged.

Additional information was added to the detail attached.

The existing ceramic tile that is to be replaced in each area as shown per note 3 on sheet AS-301 appears to only a percentage of the overall square footage in each area. The new tile will not match the existing tile. Please clarify how the contractor is to proceed?

Daltile Stepwise Technology rekindle medium grey with a DCOF wet 0.60 will be a close match to the existing Ash Grey P405.

The callout notes on sheet AS-301 do not say that they are “typical” of each area with the same hatching/pattern. Some of the areas do not have callouts, but list square footage. Please clarify what areas receive the respective callouts for the sections without note callouts.

Only the area with the callouts are included in the project. Approximate area is included for each section.

36C25623R0049 Clarifications Page 3

Please clarify what note 16 on sheet AS-301 requires regarding repairs. Are there specific repairs that the VA is aware of that need to be addressed? Please provide additional information.

The existing gates have some damage and would require new rollers and some welding of damaged vertical bars and bottom track replacment.

33 Is this project expected to be completed only on weekends? No, as noted in the SOW, some work will be nights and weekends. Building entries will remain open during the construction. This will require some demolition and installation to take place at night or weekends to have a minimal impact on facility operations. See question #18 for additional information.

34 Will there be noise restrictions for working in the entrance area? Yes, see response to question #33 and #18

What is the thickness of the asphalt that is to be removed per note 10 on sheet AS-301? It varies and was installed as a cold patch to correct the tripping issue. It runs from a feather thickness to approximately 3 inches. It was placed over the existing concrete.

Detail 5/AS501 lists new tile pavers over mud set. is this detail for the ceramic tile, or for pavers? Ceramic tile. Detail attached has been modified for clarification.

37 A detail for granite paver tiles has not been provided on sheet AS501. See detail 7/AS501 attached for reference.

38 Please confirm that areas without square footages shown, are not in contract. Correct, see question 31.

Note 1 is called out for the areas across the top of detail 3/AS-301, but not across the bottom half that appears as the same surface type. Are these areas part of note 1, and do the respective quantities of 600SF per side include the areas below the column that do not have a quantity or callout shown?

Area reference removed in areas that receive no new work.

The bottom strip on 3/AS-301 that runs across the columns shows 1100 SF but does not have a note callout. Please clarify what is to be done here.

Area reference removed in areas that receive no new work.

41 What is the make and model of the existing gate controllers? Is there a specific vendor that has the warranty or supports this gate system?

DAC provides support for the gate operator as it is part of the PACS system. This contract only requires reconnection of existing wiring as needed to the controls. This equipment is not under warranty.