Consolidated Questions and Responses.docx

Consolidated Questions & Responses Solicitation 36C25925Q0740 — Fire Alarm & Fire Suppression Maintenance and Support Services VA Salt Lake City Health Care System (SLCHCS)

A. Acquisition Strategy & Set-Aside

1. (A1) Is this an SDVOSB set-aside, and why is it open market rather than a set-aside?

No. This solicitation is Open Market, unrestricted. Based on responses to the Sources Sought and overall market research, the "primary and vital work" would be performed by subcontractor(s) that are neither SDVOSB nor VOSB. Applying the ostensible subcontractor rule and the Limitations on Subcontracting, the VA Rule of Two was not met, and two or more small businesses were not found to intend to self-perform the primary and vital work. The requirement is therefore competed as open market, unrestricted.

2. (A2) Does VAAR 852.219-75 (Notice of Limitations on Subcontracting) apply, and will it be removed from the Volume IV instructions?

VAAR 852.219-75 is not incorporated into this solicitation, and the Limitations on Subcontracting does not apply to this open market, unrestricted procurement. Offerors shall disregard any Volume IV instruction to complete VAAR 852.219-75.

3. (A3) Is this a new requirement or a follow-on with an incumbent contract?

This is a follow-on new requirement with a fully overhauled SOW for the VA SLCHCS. Prior contract numbers and incumbent information are not relevant to this solicitation.

B. Period of Performance

4. (B1) Will the Base Year start date be adjusted from the dates shown in the solicitation?

Yes. The Base Year begins 11/01/2026. (This supersedes the 05/01/2026 – 04/30/2027 Base Year dates shown in the original solicitation.)

C. Inspection & Testing Schedule and Frequencies

5. (C1) What is the current inspection and testing schedule?

See SOW paragraph 3.1.3, Inspection and Testing Schedule, which links to The Joint Commission (TJC) Inspection and Testing Schedule. The subparagraphs summarize the schedule for each applicable standard.

6. (C2) What annual testing window governs for other supervisory initiating devices (EC 02.03.05 EP 1)?

The current SOW governs: third quarter of each calendar year. (Note: The earlier Amendment 0004 statement that annual inspections are "due in January" is superseded by the current SOW.)

7. (C3) Are there any projects that would prevent the contractor from performing the regular inspection schedule?

No. Inspections are scheduled jointly by the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) and the contractor per the SOW.

8. (C4) Which buildings require quarterly sprinkler main drain testing (EC 02.03.05 EP 9)?

All buildings are fed through backflow preventers. Therefore, the main drain test requirement is quarterly for all buildings.

9. (C5) Is the five-year internal obstruction investigation of sprinkler piping (NFPA 25) within scope, and when is it due?

Yes. Compliance with NFPA 25 is within scope. The investigation is due in 2030. (The last five-year internal inspection was performed September 2025.)

10. (C6) Is weekly/monthly fire pump no-flow (churn) testing the contractor's responsibility?

No. Weekly/monthly churn tests are conducted in-house by the VA. No separate line item will be created.

11. (C7) Is NFPA 96 kitchen exhaust hood and duct cleaning within scope?

Yes. Compliance with NFPA 96 is within scope. Hood/duct cleaning suppression system inspection and testing is required quarterly.

12. (C8) Are standard swinging fire doors included in the EC 02.03.05 EP 20 roller/slider door requirement?

No. Standard swinging fire doors are excluded. The facility has no "slider" doors. See the TJC Equipment Summary List for quantities.

D. Buildings & Priced Scope

13. (D1) How many buildings shall the offeror price?

Twenty-eight (28), per the numbered rows in the building table. This answer, read together with the exclusion of Building 49 (see Item 14), is 28 priced buildings. There are 19 buildings with active fire suppression systems. Building 49 may be added later, but not right now. For actual monitored FACP (fire alarm control panels) there are Buildings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16, 27, 32, and 38. Building 45 is tied into building 2 FACP. Parking garage is tied into building 14 FACP. Building 47 is tied into building 3 FACP. Building 18 has fire suppression and a stand-alone FACP that is not monitored.

14. (D2) Building 49 (Police, annotated "future") — included in the Base Year price?

Excluded from the priced scope.

15. (D3) Building 45 (Research, annotated "condemned") — included in priced scope?

Included at this time (Fire Alarm and Fire Suppression).

16. (D4) Building 18 (Emergency Management, "X – stand alone") — included in the 24-hour monitoring under CLIN 0001?

No, Building 18 is not included in the CLIN 0001 monitoring.

17. (D5) How many buildings on campus have active fire suppression systems?

Nineteen (19).

E. Monitoring (CLIN 0001)

18. (E1) How many monitoring accounts require active monitoring as of the contract start date?

Seventeen (17) individual accounts.

19. (E2) Buildings 35 and 37 show Fire Alarm coverage but no FACP — which panel do they report to?

These are local alarms only. They are not tied into the redundant loops, and there are no current plans to do so.

20. (E3) Buildings 45, 47, and 48 show Fire Suppression but no FACP — how are waterflow and valve tamper devices monitored?

Building 45 is tied to the Building 2 FACP; Building 47 to the Building 3 FACP; Building 48 to the Building 14 FACP.

21. (E4) Are monitoring communicators, transmitters, and communication pathways Government-furnished, or contractor-furnished under CLIN 0001?

The Government has some spares on hand. If a device fails, the vendor shall acquire replacements at the Government's expense as part of the contract.

22. (E5) Are recurring cellular, IP, or telephone line charges Government-furnished or included in the CLIN 0001 monthly price?

The Government covers the phone bills for the existing copper lines.

23. (E6) Will existing monitoring accounts transfer to the awarded contractor, or must new accounts be established?

The existing accounts are through the existing vendor's monitoring service. If the awarded contractor uses a different monitoring service, it must establish new accounts.

F. Device Inventory & Quantities

24. (F1) Where are device quantities provided?

See the TJC Equipment Summary List (Amendment 0004) attachment, which provides quantities per the SOW paragraph 3.1.3.1 section. Each bottom tab corresponds to a TJC standard.

25. (F2) The TJC list contains quantities only for Buildings 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, and 14 — will quantities be provided for the remaining buildings?

Those listed buildings are the only ones subject to The Joint Commission. The awarded contractor shall determine quantities for the remaining buildings.

26. (F3) Buildings 3 and 5 (EC 02.03.05 EP3 tab) show identical device quantities — will corrected quantities be provided?

Contractor to inspect upon award.

27. (F6) Will the quantity and location of dry and pre-action systems be provided? The facility currently has only wet systems, with one dry-type system located in the exterior covered section of Building 8.

28. (F7) How many standpipe risers and hose valves are present by building?

Building 14 has one; Building 1 has three.

29. (F8) How many kitchen hood suppression systems are present, and what is the cleaning frequency?

Building 5 has one (Commercial Kitchen Suppression Exhaust System). Building 8 has two (one Grill Hood Suppression Systems and one Steam/Oven Hood Suppression System). These must be cleaned and inspected quarterly.

30. Will the Government provide duct detector quantities by building?

G. Dampers — Testing, Frequency, and Access

31. (G1) What is the current inspection cycle for smoke and fire dampers?

Per SOW paragraph 3.1.3.1.11 (EC 02.03.05 EP 18): tested to verify full closure 1 year after install, and at least every 6 years thereafter.

32. (G2) When was the last smoke/fire damper testing performed?

Building 14: 3/23/2022 – 3/29/2022. Building 1: 4/8/2022. Building 3: 6/21/2022. (Reference the VA SLCHCS Fire and Smoke Damper List, Amendment 0004, for dates.)

33. (G3) In what contract year is the six-year damper test due?

The Government intends to reset the testing frequency and perform all damper testing in the Base Year. The last test (2022) produced poor data, and dampers added since are due one year after install date; the Government wants all dampers on the same frequency going forward.

34. (G4) Under which CLIN shall the six-year damper test be priced?

CLINs 0007, 1007, 2007, 3007, and 4007. (Frequency may be adjusted to align all tests to the same year.)

35. (G5) Will dampers in the new Interventional Radiology and Emergency Department suites be tested before contract start?

Yes

36. (G6) How many motorized, dynamic, or combination fire/smoke dampers are included?

See the attachment (Building Fire Damper locations for Buildings 1, 14, and 3). The drawings do not distinguish between fire damper types.

37. (G8) Who is responsible for creating and restoring ceiling, wall, and ductwork access required to physically test dampers?

The contractor.

H. Pricing, CLINs & Allowances

38. (H1) Are emergency/unscheduled service calls paid under CLINs X005 and X006?

Yes. CLINs X005 and X006 are the annual allowance for onsite unscheduled (non-PM) maintenance service calls.

39. (H2) Are a single blended hourly rate or separate labor-category rates required under CLINs 0005 and 0006?

One rate per CLIN.

40. (H3) Do the hourly rates under CLINs 0005 and 0006 include travel time?

The Government will not pay for travel time.

41. (H4) Under which CLIN shall the five-year standpipe flow test be priced (next due approximately September 2030)?

CLINs 0007, 1007, 2007, 3007, and 4007.

42. (H5) For price reasonableness, will the Government accept a line-item breakdown of the prime's final cost instead of the supplier's quote?

No. The Government is not requesting proprietary information. The prime shall provide its supplier's parts quote as a reference point against the prime's itemized unscheduled-maintenance quote (labor hours plus parts) so the COR can determine the repair and parts pricing is fair and reasonable, including whether any markup is reasonable.

I. Response Times & Emergency Maintenance

43. (I1) What response time applies to an emergency during normal business hours (7:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., Monday–Friday)?

Four hours.

44. (I2) Is the two-hour after-hours emergency response satisfied by telephone acknowledgment or physical arrival?

On-site (physical arrival).

J. Access, Safety & Logistics

45. (J1) Can annual inspections be performed during normal business hours, or must after-hours/weekend work be planned?

Preference is Monday–Friday, 0700–1600, for all scheduled work. Operating Room (OR) access is difficult and historically done on weekends; with roughly three months' advance planning, normal-hours OR access (or a non-public Federal holiday) may be possible. After-hours work applies to hood cleanings/inspections (Building 8 after 1500; Building 5 after 1800) and emergency work.

46. (J2) Will Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA) requirements apply during inspections?

No, not during inspections. ICRA may apply to repair work, especially emergency repairs.

47. (J3) Must the prime contractor have an employee on site with subcontractors at all times during inspections?

No. However, the subcontractor must be qualified in accordance with the SOW.

48. (J4) Who provides fire watch during system impairments caused by scheduled inspection and testing?

The contractor.

49. (J5) Are lifts, scaffolding, or other high-access equipment Government-furnished or contractor-furnished?

Contractor-furnished.

50. (J6) Will the Government sponsor PIV credentialing for subcontractor technicians?

Yes.

K. Siemens Software, UIDs & Password of the Day

51. (K1) Must the contractor hold its own Siemens programming license, or will Government-furnished software access be provided?

The contractor must hold its own Siemens programming license.

52. (K2) What is the current Siemens software version in service, and how is the Password of the Day (POD) controlled?

Siemens software protocol version 14.5; panels are at version 14.1 or higher (Desigo). The POD is controlled by VA Salt Lake City. The Server software is on Version V3.0 Platform 30.0110.4

53. (K3) Are there ongoing Siemens tenant improvements or projects the contractor must coordinate with?

Not at this time. There are no known ongoing projects impacting the requirement; the COR will update the contractor if that changes.

54. (K4) Do all devices have existing UIDs, or must the awardee establish and tag new UIDs?

All current devices have existing UIDs. The awarded contractor is responsible for establishing and tagging new UIDs for any new devices added to the Fire Alarm & Fire Suppression network.

55. (K5) Is a specific Government database required to record and manage MITMR results by UID?

No specific Government database is required. Per the SOW, the contractor shall provide MITMR reports to the COR.

L. Drawings & Documentation

56. (L1) Must the contractor provide new as-built drawings / Fire Protection Engineer review, and under which CLIN?

No new as-built drawings must be provided under this contract. As-built drawing requirements apply only after major system upgrades are completed, per the SOW. Because the system upgrade is a separate effort (see Section M), the as-built requirement does not apply to this inspection/testing/maintenance scope.

57. (L2) Will the Government furnish existing facility CAD drawings as Government-furnished information?

Yes.

58. (L3) Will facility map layouts / as-built drawings for all buildings be provided?

The zip file contains the facility map layout. Full as-built drawings are not relevant to this solicitation because a site visit was conducted and the TJC equipment list is attached.

59. (L4) Will past inspection and testing reports (last 12–24 months, including deficiency notices) be provided?

These are not necessary for this solicitation, which seeks pricing for routine scheduled support and preventive maintenance (PM) services. This is not an all-inclusive maintenance contract; non-PM deficiencies or upgrades requiring parts and labor require the contractor to submit quotes to the COR for review and approval before performance. The VA SLCHCS may provide past inspection and testing reports to the awarded contractor after award.

M. System Modernization / Upgrades

60. (M1) Is all modernization work performed only under separately funded contract modifications?

There will be a separate contract for system modernization.

61. (M2) Are the Main Desigo Server and Fire System Server upgrades (programming, software, licensing) funded from the CLIN 0007 allowance or by separate action?

These are covered under the separate modernization contract, not the CLIN 0007 allowance.

62. (M3) Will the Government provide a list of obsolete/antiquated fire panels and devices?

Replacement upgrades are not part of the PMs. Per the SOW, such work requires the contractor to submit quotes to the COR for review.