RFI LOG UPDATE AMENDMENT 002.xlsx
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- Solicitation number
- 36C26126R0028
About this file
This is an RFI Log Update Amendment containing responses to 22 contractor inquiries regarding a VA construction project to replace and expand chilled water infrastructure in Building 1 at the Palo Alto VA Health Care System.
Key clarifications address schedule and design requirements: CPM schedules are acceptable and will be excluded from page count, including 11x17 format schedules counted as single pages. The scope includes modifications to the existing fire sprinkler system limited to supporting new work, with interim life safety measures required during construction; no new sprinkler system design or hydraulic calculations are needed except where modifications increase pressure requirements. Working hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM during the proposal phase, with after-hours work addressed as needed during construction phases. Additional responses clarify that asbestos abatement is budgeted at $500,000 as a separate line item with unused portions credited back; field verification of fan coil unit and chilled water cooling coil performance data is the contractor's responsibility despite incomplete schedule information; the pump schedule on Drawing M-601 governs for pricing (two 60-HP and two 20-HP variable-speed pumps plus standby); temporary piping requirements are detailed on updated drawings; phasing plans are not required for proposals; commissioning specifications (Section 01 91 00) remain pending; and as-builts are available for reference only with contractors responsible for verifying site conditions. The 915-day period of performance establishes the project timeline for this hospital renovation work requiring coordination with VA facility operations and compliance with NFPA 13 and all applicable codes and regulations.
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Sheet1
| RFI No. | Question | Response |
| 1 | “Factor III Schedule Phasing Management. The Section M paragraph 3 evaluation states “provide a phased schedule with a synopsis as to how the work will be accomplished within a 915-day period of performance.” Is a CPM graphical Schedule required? | Yes, a CPM schedule will suffice for this submission |
| 2 | Factor II Schedule Phasing Management. The Section M paragraph evaluation states "provide a phased schedule with a synopsis as to how the work will be accomplished within a 915 day period of performance. Is a CPM graphical Schedule required and exclude from page count? | Yes, a CPM schedule will suffice for this submission |
| and we will exclude from the page count. |
| 3 | Factor III Schedule Phasing Management. The Section M paragraph 3 evaluation states “provide a phased schedule with a synopsis as to how the work will be accomplished within a 915-day period of performance.” Is a CPM schedule required and allowed to be 11x17 and that page size count as 1 page (not 2)? | Yes, a CPM schedule will suffice for this submission |
| we will remove the schedule from the page count. |
| 4 | See uestion Attachment RFI 4 | Response: Contractor shall assume $500,000.00 for |
| asbestos abatement as a sepearate line item on price | ||
| break down sheet. Any unused portion shall be credited | ||
| back to the VA. Any additional required shall be a modification | ||
| to the contract. |
| 5 | Specification Section 21 13 13, Wet-Pipe Sprinkler Systems, states that the work consists of modifications to the existing sprinkler system as required to facilitate the project, that such modifications shall be limited and only required to support the installation of new work, and shall include selective demolition and minimal new work to restore existing conditions impacted by the project (Section 21 13 13, 1.1.B, 1.1.C, and 1.1.D). Please confirm that the existing fire sprinkler system is to remain in place and that only minor modifications are required to accommodate the new work under this contract. new work under this contract. | |
| Where sections of the existing ceiling are removed to perform the new work, please confirm whether the existing pendent sprinkler heads in those areas are to be reworked / turned up to the upright (vertical) position, and confirm the extent of any such head relocation or reorientation to be included in the bid. Please also confirm that any heads disturbed by the ceiling demolition are to be reinstalled to restore the existing conditions, consistent with Section 21 13 13, 1.1.D. Please confirm that the Contractor is not required to perform any new fire sprinkler system design, engineered sprinkler layout, or hydraulic calculations for this project. Section 21 13 13, 1.3.A.3 states “Hydraulic Calculations: Not required based on scope of work. Modifications to the existing sprinkler system shall be based on the pipe schedule of the existing system.” We understand this to mean the work is limited to modifications based on the existing system’s pipe schedule, working drawings are not required and that no full system design or hydraulic modeling is required. Please confirm this understanding is correct | 1. The work consists of modifications to the existing sprinkler system as required to facilitate the project, that such modifications shall be limited and only required to support the installation of new work, and shall include selective demolition and minimal new work to restore existing conditions impacted by the project. This project does not replace the fire sprinkler system or otherwise provide upgrades to the system. 2. Provide interim life safety measures to provide protection during construction. See 01 35 26 Safety Requirements. Comply with NFPA 13 requirements for sprinklers that are removed. A sprinkler that is removed from its fitting is required to be replaced. 3.The building is hydraulically calculated. Where modifications are proposed that increase the pressure requirements, calculations are to be expected as a requirement. Where sprinklers are moved to the next ceiling tile to accommodate other work, this minor modification is not anticipated to cause a requirement for calculations. Fire sprinkler design (shop submittals) will be required where modifications are necessary to facilitate the other scopes of work. |
6 The SOW states normal hours of operation are 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday, and that utility shutdowns require 72-hour (minor) to two-week (major) advance coordination. Because Building 1 remains a fully operating hospital, please provide the allowable working hours for each type of occupied area affected by the work — for example, Clinics, ICU, Kitchen, and the 7th Floor Administration area. A floor-by-floor breakdown of permitted working hours and access restrictions would be very helpful for planning, phasing, and pricing. Will weekend work be required on a regular basis in any of these areas? Please confirm so that after-hours and weekend labor premiums can be appropriately reflected in the base bid and the schedule. In our opinion, many areas will have to be vacated in phases during the work. A significant portion of the work is located in the hallways, and for patient safety and other practical considerations we believe that access to the adjacent patient rooms, clinics, and other occupied spaces will be impractical and unsafe while construction operations are underway in those corridors. Please confirm the VA’s expectations for temporary relocation / decanting of these spaces and how phasing is to be coordinated with ongoing hospital operations. We anticipate that the Laboratory and surrounding areas will be highly impacted by the work. What move-out and phasing can be expected for the Lab — for example, will the Lab be relocated or temporarily or partially taken out of service, and what sequencing, duration, and interim life-safety measures does the VA anticipate for that area? For the purposes of the price proposal, work hours will be Monday through Friday 7:00 AM to 4:00 AM, or other established daytime 40 hour week. Any after-hours/weekend work will be addressed as the need arises. The facility will address this matter at each phase.
7 See Question Attachment RFI 7 Typically, construction is Commercial of The Shelf (COTS) parts, and that is an exception to the Buy American Act. Unless you have an item that is specifically manufactured for this project.
8 Drawings MP-901 (Mechanical Piping) and M-701 (Mechanical) show the chilled water piping layout, but the pipe size designations (line sizes/diameters) are not entered on the drawings. Pipe sizes are required to properly size all valves, complete material take-offs, confirm equipment connection sizes, and verify pressure drop and pump sizing, and they directly affect procurement quantities and price. Please enter/provide the pipe sizes on Drawings MP-901 and M-701, specifically:
(a) the line size for each segment of the chilled water supply and return mains shown on each drawing;
(b) the branch and runout sizes serving each equipment connection; and
(c) any size transitions/reducers and tie-in sizes to existing piping that are not currently called out.
Please issue revised/marked-up MP-901 and M-701 with the pipe sizes shown, or a schedule keyed to each drawing. Absent these sizes, valves cannot be properly sized and the hydronic piping scope cannot be accurately quantified or priced. Riser pipe dimensions have been added to sheet MP901. Lateral pipe dimensions are found on the individual floors. See Updates Attached - Dav Energy Solutions
| 9 | The Fan Coil Unit Schedule (Drawing M-601, 24 units) and the Chilled Water Cooling Coil Schedule (Drawing M-602, 72 coils) show the capacity, CFM, and GPM fields largely blank, with notes directing the contractor to replace units “like-for-like” and to “perform airflow measurement on each unit prior to demolition and match new unit flow to existing.” Under a design-bid-build delivery method, the Architect/Engineer of Record is responsible for providing the equipment performance data; selecting and sizing equipment from field measurements is design-build scope and cannot be performed during the bid period. It is impossible to accurately price the Fan Coil Units and Chilled Water Cooling Coils without the missing performance information. Accordingly, please provide complete, scheduled performance data for each unit and coil so the equipment can be bid, including: total and sensible cooling capacity (MBH); heating capacity, if applicable; CFM; entering/leaving air temperatures; GPM; entering/leaving water temperatures; water-side pressure drop; fluid type; coil rows/fins and connection sizes; fan motor HP and electrical characteristics; and the model/basis-of-design selection. Absent the missing schedule data, bidders cannot price the Fan Coil Units and Chilled Water Cooling Coils on a fixed-price basis. |
| See updated schedules on sheets M-601 and M-602. It remains the contractor responsibility to field verify the values in the table during the construction phase and replace like-for-like. |
10 Drawings M-703 (Pump Control Point Schedule) and M-705 (Seasonal Change Over Valve Control Point Schedule) are essentially blank — the schedule headings are shown, but the control points and associated data are not filled in. Without this information the HVAC controls/DDC scope cannot be quantified or priced (the point count directly drives controller, input/output, wiring, and programming costs) and the control sequences cannot be implemented. This is a design-bid-build project; the completed control point schedules are required from the Architect/Engineer of Record in order to bid. Please provide the completed M-703 Pump Control Point Schedule and M-705 Seasonal Change Over Valve Control Point Schedule, including for each point: point name/description; point type (AI, AO, BI, BO); signal type/range; whether the point is hardwired or obtained via network/integration; setpoints and alarm limits; the associated equipment or device; and any interlocks. Please also provide the associated sequences of operation for the pumps and the seasonal changeover valves so the points list can be reconciled with the intended control sequence. Absent the completed control point schedules, bidders cannot accurately price the building automation/DDC controls for the pumps and seasonal changeover valves on a fixed-price basis. See updated sheets M-703 and M-705 in Bulletin 1 issued July 1, 2026
11 The Statement of Work (Work Required – MEP / Mechanical) calls for “two or more new 10-HP” and “two or more new 25-HP” chilled water pumps. However, the Pump Schedule on Drawing M-601 lists P-KCOIL at 2,020 GPM / 60 HP (two pumps, including N+1 standby) and P-ZONE at 730 GPM / 20 HP (two pumps, including N+1 standby), all variable-speed, 460V/3-phase, with NEMA premium-efficiency motors. Please confirm the M-601 Pump Schedule governs for pricing, including the motor horsepower, the total pump quantity (four pumps plus standby), and the VFD requirement. See updated pump schedules on sheet M-601 in Bulletin 1, issued July 1, 2026. Contract documents (drawings and specifications) govern.
12 See Question Attachment RFI 12 Update sheets MP101A-1 and MP101B-1 in Bulletin 1 issued July 1, 2025 show a diagramatic layout for the required temporary piping. All risers will be required to be maintained operational until the system is fully transitioned to the new risers. Updated schedule on M-601 details the requirements for the two (2) temporary pumps.
13 May we have an As-built for the Canopy that is currently holding and carrying the chilled water? Yes, As Buils are attached in 2 parts
14 Will we have to cut through hard lid ceiling in the kitchen. Has that ceiling been tested for Asbestos? The In-Scope Kitchen Area is ceiling tile. The Asbestos report does not have any information on the ceiling . The grout on the floor was negative
15 Will we need to submit a phasing plan as part of our technical proposal A technical phasing plan is not required for proposal.
16 Which areas of the hospital will need to be worked on after hours? For the purpose of the proposal plan on standard daylight hours.
We will modify contract for any after hour work as the need arises
17 Which floors of the hospital will have patients there 24/7 and what should we plan to schedule for those floors 5th floor East and West wing, 6th floor East Wing. For the purpose of Bidding plan on standard day light hours. We will modify the contract for any after hour work as the need arises.
18 May you be able to add as-builts for all 7 floors of the Fresno VA? AS Builts of the facility are available for refrence only. It's the contractors responsibility to verify site conditions
19 How do we account for the mental health ward Accounabilty of tools and persons must be maintained at all times. Tools and fastenters must be accounted for at all times. Check in with Nursing station to log tools, persons and equipment at all time.
20 Do you have roof drawings or plans for this project? PENDING
21 Per Spec section 23 08 00.1.1 and 26 08 00.1.1: The commissioning process, which the Contractor is responsible for executing, is defined in Section 01 91 00 GENERAL COMMISSIONING REQUIRMENTS. A Commissioning Agent (CxA) appointed by the VA will manage the commissioning process. Will the general contractor be providing commissioning or will the VA provide? PENDING
22 Can you provide specs for 01 91 00? It is included in the table of contents but there are no specs for commissioning. PENDING
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