RFI 5.15 (002).docx

1. Will there be any areas with time limitations on hours of work. Only in the morning / Only in the afternoon / After 4 or 4:30 pm / or later. The station work hours are M-F 7:30 am-4 pm specialty areas will need to be scheduled by the COR at a set time but it will be during these hours.

2. What type of ceiling, sheetrock, lift out tile, 2x4 or 2x2. This was all shown in the site walk and varies as you are pulling wires. A summary will not be provided cause we are not telling you the route you have to take between AP’s and the OIT closets. As per section 2 contractor is to verify for bidding purposes and during the pre bid walk.

3. Is there any insulation batting above the ceiling? The ones I know are the attic of 2 yes, attic of 11 yes, attic of 32 yes, for if you plan on pulling in the attic from the site walk we held. Buildings 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 31, 32, 35, 36, 55, 61, 90, and cbocs have no insultion in the drop ceilings. As per section 2 contractor is to verify for bidding purposes and during the pre bid walk

4. How high are the ceilings? What is the typical ceiling height for all locations? Anywhere from 8 ft to 24 ft. Access options vary but all ladders and lifts and use must be OSHA compliant. As per section 2 contractor is to verify for bidding purposes and during the pre bid walk

5. Will we be working in occupied areas, i.e. nurse stations, patient rooms, hallways? Yes this is a functioning hospital and CBOC’s and you will be in a variety of different occupied areas. Infection control will be enforced. As per section 2 contractor is to verify for bidding purposes and during the pre bid walk

6. Is there a list of existing product/system brands we are to use? For example: CommScope, LanStar, Belden or Krone. Cabling and conduit brands are not specified you will have to submit what you are proposing to meet the new OIT guidance on the VA TIL site, which is accessible online in a Google search and spelled out in the bidding documents. The AP’s are provided by the government so the brand will not effect a change in parts from what is called out in the OIT guide on the TIL and provided in the plans and specs.

7. Are we to dispose/abate of any asbestos, lead, mold or other hazardous material as part of this project? While this project is not to abate any of these environmental hazards we are an older facility and we can’t guarantee we are free of these. Our asbestos studies have not shown asbestos where this work will be happening. If there are any of these found that stop work the CO/COR will need to be contacted immediately for further guidance.

8. Will all work associated with this project be able to be performed during regular working hours? See question 1.

9. How many floors at the facility will this project cover? The number of buildings and the number of floors which have AP’s are called out in columns BLDG and FL of the attached RFI work with in scope document. As for if cables will need to be pulled to other floors to get the OIT closet then yes 22 of them and the CBOC pulls will be pulled to other floors to get to the OIT closets. All but the OIT closet for Building 35 was shown during the pre-bid walk. As per section 2 contractor is to verify for bidding purposes and during the pre bid walk

10. Will there be any critical areas that require special access? Buildings 9, 32, 35, 36, 90,31 and CBOC’s will all require a set time to do the work so we can get access.

11. Reference Solicitation SF 1442

1. The project has an acceptance period of 90 Days. Does the VA anticipate taking 90 days to make an award for this project? We are going to make the award as soon possible and try to be within the 90 days.

1. Is funding currently available for this project? Funding is available.

12. Reference Solicitation Page 8 of 73 paragraph 4

1. Paragraph 4 states that AT&T is scheduled to perform their work during the period of 10/3/22 – 10/28/22. Should this be 2023? Section 2.2 on sealing AT&T penetrations as crossed out, 2.4 as crossed out, Section 3.2 as modified on the solicitation not depending on AT&T, is not part of this contract as they were completed by AT&T or between the time AT&T completed their contract and this contract went out for bid.

1. When is AT&T Scheduled to perform their work? See question 12a

1. Please confirm that the contractor is only providing the installation of J-Hooks, conduit, ceiling patch and repair, and Fire Stopping for any new penetrations between floors or through fire rated walls. Yes contractor is to hang and install per fire code and professional standard and the OIT guide on the TIL. All of the mentioned and more are required in the mentioned standards and codes and will apply to this contract.

1. Is the contractor to provide AT&T with ICRA containments for their work? See question 12a

1. Please confirm that AT&T is responsible for installing cabling, and WiFi Antennas only. See question 12a

1. Please Identify the asbestos material the contractor is responsible for removing? No asbestos ceiling material is mentioned in the Asbestos Management Operation Plan. See question 7.

13. The period of performance is 60 days which is very aggressive for this project, will the VA consider a 90 day period of performance for this project? If not will a no cost time extension be granted if we need the time? No this will not be considered, how Bidders plan theirs means and methods to get this done in the period of performance will help determine successful bidders. An example (but not bidding direction) on why 60 days is enough time-If bidders can bid the project in 90 days with for example 1 crew for 3000 hours, bidders can bid 3 crews (1000 hours each crew working the same days on site) for a third less days for the same number of hours charged to the job and complete it in 60 days. While this example is not telling bidders how many crews to bid (this is your means and methods to determine) it does show bidders why we are not going to accept a longer period of performance.

14. When estimating the Linear FT of Cat 6a cable, did you factor in the service loops as well as the extra footage requested for future moves? If not, these cable footages are well over the +20% range. The services loops where not included in the estimate but the SOW does tell you to provide them and the 20% is on top of this. This lengths shown do not have service loops included but services loops are required as per the references from section 4. Include these lengths in your bid and then the +-20% will apply on top of these final numbers. As per section 2 contractor is to verify for bidding purposes and during the pre bid walk.

15. In building 2, which APs need to be installed? On the estimated linear document, you have stated AP 04 and 05. On the detailed document you have stated AP 01 and 05. AP 01 and 05

16. Can we use the existing cable tray when presented as a pathway for the new APs? Then, add a conduit from the existing cable try to APs location instead of having a full-length conduit run from the IT closet to device? If the existing cable tray meets the requirement for how full they are per section 4.2 then yes they can be used, same with existing conduit.

17. Can we get pictures of the sites and locations of devices we did not visit during the site walk? It would be for buildings in Afton, Riverton, Rocksprings, and Worland. Below is a hallway in Afton, Riverton, and Worland. Also a picture of the inside of B35 cause we couldn’t get in for the pre-bid walk.

18. If you noticed the word doc SOW that table has significant differences from the tables in the pdf SOW's we need clarification on what we'd be under contract to do. Use the table attached to this RFI document for the bidding the other tables are for informational purposes only on site condition if you need it.

19. All other questions are based on the assumption that we're working off what's shown in the tables on PDF's- Construction SOW and SOW att.1. see attached table and sow to show changes and this RFI for clarification on SOW.

20. Gillette is listed as a location on SOW item:1 General Intent, but no drops are shown on the tables, is there any work in Gillette? No work in Gillette or Casper Vet center.

21. Riverton and Rocksprings are on the tables but are not listed under item:1 General Intent. Provide address's of all work locations. Riverton is listed in section 1 d, Rock Springs will be removed from the contract.

22. On the SOW attachment 01 table, under the column- condiut required and "YES". Are the CAT6A cables required to be installed inside conduit for their entire length from the IT room to the wifi box? There are multiple locations in the basements with existing cable tray systems that could be utilized, and then a short run of conduit to the final location. Yes all cabling is required per section 2 of the SOW where there is a cross reference table to use with attachement 1 with estimated cable pulls. See question 14 also. See other questions in this RFI to address the use of existing conduits.

23. Could you please provide a list of materials the VA will be providing or what will be need to complete. The only items provided by the VA are in section 2.2 for AP devices.