Attch A 656-26-201 Pre - Bid Questions.pdf

1. Specification Section 02 82 13.19, paragraph 1.6.A.1.c.1, requires that the abatement contractor have conducted three projects of similar complexity and dollar value within the last three years. Paragraphs 1.6.A.1.c.2 through 1.6.A.1.c.4 separately establish experience requirements for the Competent Person, the CPIH/CIH, and abatement personnel. Will the Government accept the documented project history of the proposed key personnel in satisfaction of paragraph 1.6.A.1.c.1 where the abatement firm is fully licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health and carries the required asbestos liability insurance, but is newly formed?

If not, will the Government accept qualifying projects performed by those same personnel under a predecessor entity?

No. The contractor must demonstrate that the contracting entity has completed three comparable asbestos abatement projects within the last three years. The experience requirements for the Competent Person, CIH/CPIH, and abatement personnel are separate and do not replace the contractor experience requirement.

2. Section 02 82 13.19 requires the Contractor to provide unit prices for newly discovered ACM beyond the estimated quantity, to be used for additional work. The Price Schedule contains a single lump sum line item with no unit price line. Will the Government add a unit price CLIN for newly discovered ACM, or should bidders submit unit prices with the bid, and if so in what format?

Bidders shall include unit prices with their submissions.

3. The Scope of Work, Part I.1, states that floor leveling and subsurface work shall be estimated to include all areas of VCT installation at an average approximate depth of correction of one quarter inch, with levelness required at one quarter inch in ten feet. Please confirm how the average depth of correction was determined and whether existing floor elevation or survey data is available for review. Please also confirm how the one quarter inch average will be verified during performance, and whether corrections exceeding that average will be handled as a change under the contract.

The average 1/4-inch correction depth identified in the SOW is the required tolerance and is not based on a separate floor elevation survey available for distribution. Per the SOW, bidders are required to act as reasonable and prudent bidders anticipating substrate conditions typical of a historic 1923-era building, and shall field verify existing conditions and include all substrate preparation necessary to achieve the specified 1/4” in 10’ tolerance.

Neither individual corrections exceeding ¼” nor an aggregate average exceeding ¼” across the installation constitutes a change to the contract. The contractor is responsible for all substrate corrections required to meet the specified tolerance.

4. Exhibit B identifies ACM in the Building 28 basement, and Section 02 82 13.19 estimates approximately 3,500 square feet of flooring and mastic. The Scope of Work states abatement is required in two locations in the Building 28 basement.

Please confirm the specific room numbers and corridor segments included in the abatement scope, and the estimated square footage assigned to each, so all bidders price the same quantity.

Please refer to the drawings. The 3,500 SF quantity identified in Specifications is an estimated quantity for bidding purposes and is not a guaranteed quantity; the Contractor is responsible for verifying the actual quantities through field verifications within the identified regulated areas.

5. The Scope of Work requires asbestos clearance testing before release of the affected phases. Please confirm whether clearance air sampling and final clearance testing will be performed by the VA Professional Industrial Hygienist consultant at Government expense, as indicated in the Section 02 82 13.19 definition of clearance sample, or whether the Contractor is to furnish a third party clearance consultant at Contractor expense.

The Government will provide clearance air testing through the VA's Professional Industrial Hygienist (VPIH/CIH) at no cost to the Contractor. Contractor is responsible for all required contractor quality control, personnel monitoring, and project monitoring required by the SOW, Drawings, and Specifications. If repeat final inspections or clearance testing are required due to failure to meet the specified clearance criteria, the Contractor shall be responsible for the associated costs, in accordance with Specifications.

6. The Scope of Work requires prefabricated modular barrier systems, STARC or equal, in Buildings 2, 1, and 28, and directs that specification statements requiring drywall or wood one hour rated barriers be disregarded. Please confirm that modular barrier systems may be reused and relocated between phases rather than furnished new for each phase.

Yes. Prefabricated modular barrier systems (STARC or equal) may be reused and relocated between project phases, provided they are dust free, maintained in good condition and reinstalled to fully comply with the contract requirements for dust-tight containment, infection control (ICRA), and security. The Contractor remains responsible for maintaining the barriers in serviceable condition throughout the project.

7. Abatement Contractor Experience Requirements

Specification Section 02 82 13.19, paragraph 1.6.A.1.c.1, requires the abatement contractor to have completed three projects of comparable complexity and value within the past three years. Paragraphs 1.6.A.1.c.2 through 1.6.A.1.c.4 separately outline experience requirements for the Competent Person, the CPIH/CIH, and the abatement team.

For a newly licensed abatement firm that meets Minnesota Department of Health requirements and holds the necessary insurance, will the Government recognize the documented project history of key personnel, including the Competent Person and industrial hygienist, as satisfying paragraph 1.6.A.1.c.1? Alternatively, will projects executed by these personnel under a predecessor entity be acceptable?

Please refer to the answer to question number 1.

8. Unit Pricing for Additional ACM

Section 02 82 13.19, paragraph 1.2.A, requires unit prices for additional ACM discovered beyond the 10% variation, with those prices used for extra work.

However, the Price Schedule lists only a single lump sum line item (0001) with no unit pricing.

Will the Government add a unit price CLIN for newly identified ACM, or should bidders include unit prices with their submission? If the latter, in what format should this be provided?

Please refer to the answer to question number 2.

9. Subsurface Leveling Requirements

The Scope of Work, Part I.1, specifies subsurface leveling across all VCT installation areas, estimating an average correction depth of 1/4 inch, with a required levelness of 1/4 inch over 10 feet.

Can the Government clarify how the average correction depth was determined and whether floor elevation data or surveys are available for review? Additionally, how will the 1/4 inch average be verified during execution, and will corrections exceeding this threshold be treated as a contract modification?

Please refer to the answer to question number 3.

10. Building 28 Basement Abatement Scope

Exhibit B identifies approximately 3,500 square feet of asbestos-containing material (flooring and mastic) in the Building 28 basement, and the Scope of Work indicates abatement in two areas.

Can the Government confirm the specific room numbers and corridor segments included in the abatement scope, along with the square footage assigned to each, to ensure consistent pricing among bidders?

Please refer to the answer to question number 4.

11. Asbestos Clearance Testing Responsibility

The Scope of Work requires asbestos clearance testing before releasing affected phases. Section 02 82 13.19 defines "Clearance sample" as testing completed by the VA's Professional Industrial Hygienist at Government expense.

Can the Government confirm whether this testing will indeed be performed at no cost to the contractor, or if the contractor must provide a third-party clearance consultant at its own expense?

Please refer to the answer to question number 5.

12. Modular Barrier System Reuse

The Scope of Work specifies the use of prefabricated modular barrier systems, such as STARC or equivalent, in Buildings 2, 1, and 28, and notes that requirements for drywall or wood one-hour rated barriers should be disregarded.

Please confirm whether modular barriers may be reused and relocated between phases rather than requiring new systems for each phase.

Please refer to the answer to question number 6.

13. Site Visit Registration and Access Requirements

Regarding the site visit scheduled for July 29, 2026, can the Government confirm whether advance registration is required, what identification is necessary for campus access, and whether subcontractor personnel accompanying a prime contractor must be listed by name ahead of time?

This question pertains to the pre-bid site visit conducted on July 29, 2026. Since the site visit has already occurred, the question is no longer applicable and no response will be issued.

14. Confirm that Attachment I applies to Solicitation 36C26326B0032 and Project No.

656 26 201 at the St. Cloud VA Health Care System.

Yes, Solicitation 36C26326B0032 and Project No. 656 26 201 at the St. Cloud VA Health Care System.

15. Issue a corrected Attachment I identifying all applicable buildings, including Building 29.

Attachment I updated and it includes Building 29

16. Confirm whether the approximately 31,212 square foot scope consists primarily of carpet removal and VCT installation.

Per the SOW, the estimated quantity is approximately 31,212 SF of carpet removal and VCT installation. This quantity is approximate and is not guaranteed by the Government. The Contractor is responsible for field-verifying actual quantities based on the areas identified in the contract drawings and documents.

17. Identify which specified manufacturers, product lines, colors, and product numbers constitute mandatory brand name requirements.

Please refer to the Scope of Work, and the specifications.

18. Confirm whether bidders may propose technically equivalent products for any of the specified flooring, wall base, transition, or carpet tile products.

Please refer to the SOW and specifications. The products identified in the contract documents are required. Any proposed substitution or technically equivalent product is subject to prior review and written approval by the Contracting Officer.

Substitutions shall not be used without Contracting Officer’s written approval.

19. Provide the required procedures and submission deadline for requesting approval of an equal product.

Please refer to the Scope of Work. The SOW requires Contracting Officer approval for substitutions but does not establish a separate pre-award procedure or deadline for requesting approval of equal products.

20. Confirm that Attachment I applies only to the specified brand name material portion of the acquisition and not to the selection of the construction contractor.

Sole Sourcing for the products to be used.

21. The Scope of Work and ICRA notes require negative pressurization at 0.01 inches water gauge, HEPA exhaust to the exterior through existing windows, and continuous differential pressure monitoring in Buildings 2, 1, and 29 during demolition. Please confirm whether the Government requires documented pressure logs for each work shift, and whether a specific number of air changes per hour is required within the contained areas, or whether the contractor may size equipment as needed to achieve and maintain the specified negative pressure.

The Contractor shall size and operate the equipment as necessary to continuously achieve and maintain the specified negative pressure and minimum air changes per hour for each area as specified in the SOW, and Specifications. Yes, all pressure readings shall be recorded in daily logs for each work shift, as specified in specifications.

22. The Scope of Work directs bidders to disregard specification statements requiring drywall or wood one-hour rated barriers and to use STARC or equal modular systems in Buildings 2, 1, and 28. For the non-ACM demolition areas, please confirm whether the Government requires the same modular-barrier standard throughout, or whether critical barriers built from existing walls, doors, and 6-mil poly, as described in the ICRA notes for Building 29 and portions of Buildings 2 and 1, are acceptable in those locations.

The modular barriers are not required throughout all non-ACM demolition areas.

Sealing existing walls/doors with properly installed 6-mil poly barriers are acceptable in the locations identified in the ICRA notes and construction plan. STARC or equal modular systems are only mandatory in the designated areas of Buildings 2, 1, and 28, and in ACM abatement zones.

23. The Scope of Work requires demolished carpet to be HEPA-vacuumed, rolled, and enclosed in 6-mil poly within the work zone before removal, and requires demolition of carpet within an entire phase in one work shift. Please confirm whether the one-shift demolition requirement applies per phase as mapped on the phasing drawings, and whether the Government sets any maximum duration a contained area may remain under negative pressure between completion of demolition and completion of new work.

Per SOW, the one-work-shift demolition requirement applies to each phase individually. All carpet demolition within a phase shall be completed within one work shift. The SOW does not specify a maximum duration between completion of demolition and completion of new work.

24. The Scope of Work allots two 30-minute windows per day, one morning and one evening, for loading and unloading at the designated locations. Please confirm whether removal of poly-enclosed demolition debris and delivery of new flooring materials must both occur within those same two windows, or whether debris removal from the contained work areas to the Contractor staging area may occur at other times, provided material only leaves the site during the designated windows.

Removal of any material, including poly-enclosed demolition debris, from the contained work areas to the Contractor’s designated staging area, as well as delivery of new materials to each work area, shall occur only during the two designated 30-minute windows each day.

25. The Scope of Work requires HEPA exhaust to be routed to the exterior through existing windows to maintain negative pressure. Please confirm whether the contractor may temporarily modify or fit existing window openings to accommodate exhaust ducting, and whether the contractor is responsible for returning those windows to their original condition at closeout at no additional cost.

The Contractor may temporarily fit or modify the existing window openings as necessary to accommodate the exhaust ducting. Any temporary modifications shall not damage the existing construction, and the Contractor shall restore the windows and surrounding finishes to their original condition upon completion of each phase at no additional cost to the Government.

26. Building 28 requires night-shift work from 5:00 PM to 1:30 AM in the ACM and corridor areas.

Please confirm the badging and after-hours access procedure for night-shift personnel, including whether a VA escort is required after normal hours and how contractor personnel are to enter and secure the work areas between shifts.

All contractor personnel shall obtain and wear VA-issued badges at all times. The COR will serve as the sole Point of Contact for all the duration of the project onsite, and all onsite coordination and communication shall be directed exclusively through the COR. The COR will be on-site during all work, including night work, and will arrange access as required. The Contractor shall provide both the CO and COR a minimum of 15 calendar days’ advance notice for any after-hours work. Contractor personnel shall access work areas using VA-approved keys and must secure and lock all construction zones at the end of each shift in accordance with the specifications.

27. Further, based on the site visit and Exhibit B the ACM abatement scope in the Building 28 basement appears limited to the ACM-marked area south of Office 13 and the ACM-marked area south of Waiting 55, excluding Group Room 54. Please confirm whether these are the only two abatement areas and provide the estimated square footage of each, so the total can be reconciled against the 3,500 square foot estimate.

Please refer to the drawings. The 3,500 SF quantity identified in specifications is an estimated quantity and is not a guaranteed quantity; the Contractor is responsible for verifying the actual quantities through field verifications within the identified regulated areas.