Answers Project 504-23-102 - Replace Repair Campus Floors - RFI 36C25723B0002.pdf

1) Will we have access to freight elevator for all necessary scopes of work? Yes, the contractor will have access to the freight elevator.

2) For resinous flooring a mechanical means of concrete surface prep, using equipment that requires 2 circuits of 209-220 volt @ 30-amp single phase, will be necessary. Will the hospital allow the hook up of temporary power supply in the form of pigtail or whips? If so, does the hospital have electrical personnel on staff to facilitate the connections or will we need to hire an electrical contractor? If the hospital will NOT allow for pigtails, what will be the arrangements for generator power access to the area receiving resinous flooring? The contractor will be allowed to use the electrical power they are requesting. However, the contractor must verify and use available power from an existing panel. The contractor will be responsible for hooking up and running the conduit and wire to the area for their temporary use. When finished, the contractor will be responsible for removing said conduit and wiring and returning the panel back to the way it was found.

3) Will the hospital allow for manufacturer required moisture testing far enough in advance to determine if moisture mitigation may be required? The contractor will be allowed to do the required moisture testing if it does not interrupt the normal activity of the hospital.

4) In areas without exterior access what will be the plan for exhausting negative air pressure? This will depend on the area, and the ICRA whether air scrubbers can be used in areas where the negative can’t be exhausted out.

5) What are the requirements for transport of demo flooring through the hospital to outside dumpsters? Bagged?

Covered carts? This will depend on the ICRA, however for bidding purposes, construction debris will need to be bagged and hauled off in covered carts.

6) What type of barriers are required between work area and the rest of the hospital? The barriers that will be required for this project will be outline the ICRA for this project.

7) Do non asbestos containing areas require any special containment outside of plastic drop cloth? The barriers that will be required for this project will be outline the ICRA for this project.

8) Are there any additional areas within the scope/drawings that contain asbestos and are not shown on the drawings? Currently, there are no additional areas withing the scope that contains asbestos.

9) Can the asbestos survey be provided? Yes, the asbestos survey is available on the VA site for contractors to review.

10) When removing cove base in areas, will any paint touchup outside of the immediate damage be required.

Example: Remove 6” base, Install new 4” base and paint touchup 2” above base. If the contractor removes a 6” base, and installs new 4” base, then the contractor will need to touchup the paint, and blend it to the existing.

11) Please provide information as to how to package the requested alts within the proposal/CLINs. See Revised Bid Schedule Published in SAM.gov on October 20,2022 as an attachment on Amendment 0001.

12) What will the typical work hours be for the project? Normal working hours for the hospital is 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday thru Friday. However, certain areas in this project will require the contractor to work evenings and weekends to allow the normal activity of the hospital to function.

13) Who will be responsible for moving medical equipment? Who will be responsible for moving furniture? The Amarillo VA will move the medical equipment and furniture.

14) Are we to dispose/abate of any asbestos, lead, mold, or other hazardous material as part of this project? If so, provide appropriate hazardous material site survey report. The only hazardous material anticipated with this project is asbestos material.

15) What will the ICRA level be for this project? Currently, there is no ICRA assigned to this project. However, for bidding purpose contractors should anticipate the highest level being assigned to this project.

16) Are there any required/proprietary subcontractors the general contractor is to hire associated with this project?

No, there are no required subcontractors the general contractor will have to hire in associate with this project.

17) Will all work associated with this project able to be performed during regular working hours? See answer to question 12.

18) It is our understanding that the Solicitation is a negotiated Bid (RFP) design-bid-build project with the Government's AE being responsible for the design portion (providing a full and complete set of Specifications and Plans) and the successful offeror being responsible for bidding and building the project based on the Specifications and Plans provided by the Government's AE. Put another way, the successful offeror will not be required to perform any design-build services as part of the contract - correct? This is not a design-build project.

The contractor will only be responsible for the construction of this project based on the specifications and drawings.

19) For asbestos abatement, will the VA arrange 3rd party air quality monitoring for this project, or will this be a contractor responsibility? The contractor will be responsible for the 3rd party air quality monitoring for this project.

20) For asbestos abatement, will the VA provide asbestos consultation services, an industrial hygienist, and the protocol/specifications for asbestos removal or will this be a contractor responsibility? The contractor will be responsible for asbestos consultation services, an industrial hygienist, and the protocol/specifications for asbestos removal for this project.

21) Is there a current asbestos survey available for these areas? See answer to question 9.

22) Will the hallways need to be divided to allow passage during the abatement or will the entire hallway be allowed to be blocked during the abatement process? It might be best to block the entire corridor or what is called out in the ICRA, during the abatement process. Corridors may be allowed to be divided once the abatement is completed.

23) If divided, how will phasing be scheduled for mobilization purposes? The phasing will be scheduled by the contractor and approved by the VA.

24) Can the floor tile be removed utilizing RFCI methods that don’t require full containment and negative pressure and still maintain compliance with ICRA? The RFCI method is not allowed at the Amarillo VA.

25) Is the abatement contractor responsible for supplying the air monitoring or does the hospital have an IH selected for the project? The abatement contractor will be responsible for supplying all air monitoring equipment and supplies.

26) Section 02 82 13.19, page 166 1.5.4 State Requirements: Cites “Chapter 1954 – Asbestos Health Protection

(Act)” and “Texas Administrative Code Title 25, Part 1, Chapter 295, Subchapter C – Texas Asbestos Health Protection (Regulations) (TAHPR).” The Act is still correct. However, Chapter 295 ceased to exist as of July 8, 2021, and was replaced with Texas Administrative Code Title 25, Part 1, Chapter 296, Subchapter A – Texas Asbestos Health Protection (Regulations). One significant difference is that the federal regs and old state reg used the same definition of asbestos, that being: “a material containing greater than one percent asbestos;”

whereas, the new reg defines asbestos as any material containing one percent or mor of asbestos. Point counts and occasionally phased light microscopy can frequently be reported as “1%.” Under the old rule this material would not be ACM, but under the new rule this material would now be ACM. There are other differences in the old versus the new rule as well. Questions from above information listed at point 13 are below:

• Have the asbestos survey report(s) the VA relied on for this project specifications been reviewed for compliance with the new TAHPR definition?

• Would the VA make asbestos survey reports available for review prior to requiring submission of pricing? It is unknown if the asbestos survey was reviewed for compliance with the new TAHPR definition. Yes, the asbestos survey is available on the VA site for contractors to review.

27) The specifications Table of Contents identify Section 02 41 00 “Demolition”. Section 02 41 00 “Demolition” is present in the specifications beginning on page 93. However, no drawings identify where, or if, demolition is to be performed. Questions from above information listed at point number 14 are below:

• Is demolition included in any portion of the scope of work for this project?

• If the answer above is yes, where?

• Does this building, or portion thereof contain suspect asbestos-containing materials?

• Have the suspect ACM been tested for the presence of asbestos?

• If suspect ACM have not been tested, is it the VA’s intent that the GC would hire qualified persons to conduct the survey and collect samples for analysis? The only demolition expected for this project the floor tile and cove base. Please refer to the project drawings for the areas of work. The project drawings also show the areas that contain asbestos materials, which have been tested.

28) The specifications Table of Contents identify Section 02 82 13.13 “Glove-bag Asbestos Abatement”. Section 02 82 13.13 “Glove-bag Asbestos Abatement” is present in the specifications beginning on page 97. However, no drawings identify where, or if, thermal systems insulation (TSI) abatement for piping is to be performed.

Questions from above information listed at point number 15 are below:

• Is TSI abatement included in any portion of the scope of work for this project?

• If the answer above is yes, where? Currently a TSI abatement is nor required for this project.

29) The specifications Table of Contents identify Section 02 82 13.31 “Traditional and Transite-Type Abatement.”

Section 02 82 13.31 “Traditional and Transite-Type Abatement.” is present in the specifications beginning on page 195. However, no drawings identify where, or if, Traditional or Transite-Type abatement is to be performed. Questions from above information listed at point number 16 are below:

• Is Traditional or Transite-Type abatement included in any portion of the scope of work for this project?

• If the answer above is yes, where? Traditional type abatement will be required for this project. Refer to Sheets B28-1, B28-2, B28-4, and B4-2, “LEGEND” – ASBESTOS CONTAINING MATERIAL BLACK MASTIC UNDER FLOOR TILE for drawing identifying abatement areas.

30) Is there any existing terrazzo flooring below the current flooring material that will need to be removed?

Currently, no terrazzo flooring is anticipated to be removed in this project.

31) If there is terrazzo flooring that will need to be removed, what is the estimate quantity of such terrazzo flooring?

An estimated answer for bidding purposes is critical to know since after the terrazzo flooring is removed Ardex or some other material will be required to level the floor. Currently, no terrazzo flooring is anticipated to be removed in this project.

32) Is there any tile cove base that needs to be removed? If so, please specify the estimate quantity for bidding purposes. Yes, there is tile cove base that will need to be removed. For bid purposes, the amount of tile cove base to be removed is approximately 400 linear feet.

33) Are there any other requirements such as, wallpaper, crash rails, corner guards, etc. to be removed and or replaced? Currently, this project does not anticipate any wallpaper, crash rails, corner guards, etc. to be removed.