Questions and Answers.pdf

Vendor Questions - Glycol Loop Flushing - 36C26327Q0060

1. We are interested in conducting a site visit and would appreciate your assistance in providing the available dates and times.

We are available from 1-3pm on Wednesday October 28th.

2. Please advise if there are any specific access requirements, security procedures, documentation, identification, or other information that must be provided in advance of the visit.

Contractor personnel must check in and out at the Engineering Office each workday, and all transportation must be coordinated to minimize impacts on hospital operations. Once the contractor has checked in, escorts to the area will be performed by VA engineering personnel.

3. Will as-built mechanical drawings (or riser diagrams) of the Surgery and Microbiology glycol heating loops be provided? If so, please attach them.

N/A

4. Are there any areas the glycol systems serve or pass through that are sensitive or restricted during draining, flushing, or filling (operating rooms, sterile processing, laboratory spaces)? Are ICRA or other infection-control requirements applicable?

N/A

5. Are there restrictions on running hoses through building corridors (routes, hours, protection, signage)?

The contractor shall minimize the use of hoses for transporting fluids within the hospital.

Because the air handlers and closed-loop systems are located in mechanical rooms or on exterior roofs, hoses shall not be routed through or brought into the main hospital. The contractor shall store, handle, and transport glycol in accordance with the SDS, VA safety requirements, and applicable regulations. Glycol must remain labeled, sealed, secured, and protected from leaks, with spill cleanup and disposal performed properly. Elevator 5 (freight elevator) can be used for the Surgery loop, and Microbiology loop.

6. What are the total volumes of the Surgery and Microbiology loops, or the amount of glycol on hand?

No information, must be investigated by contractor.

7. Where can totes be staged, and is there a loading dock or freight elevator route to the mechanical rooms?

Loading docks are located on the Southeast side of the Omaha VA main hospital.

Freight elevators are located near the loading docks inside the building.

8. Does the VA supply the deionized water, or must the contractor bring it?

Deionized water is contractor furnished. Scope requires the contractor to provide all labor, materials, supervision, tools, safety equipment, testing instruments, transportation, and incidentals, and explicitly states“Perform site flushing using deionized water (DI).”

9. The second service is about 12 months after the first, but the POP ends 10/31/2027.

Should both services be completed by 10/31/2027?

The period of performance shall include a second system flush scheduled 12 months after the initial glycol flush. Total POP should be 13 months (initial service within 30 calendar days and a second flush 12 months thereafter)

10. How many glycol loops are included, and which buildings, air handlers, chillers, or heat exchangers does each serve?

Two closed-loop glycol heating systems. The glycol loop for surgery feeds a steam to hot water converter that feeds three air handlers located on the 5th floor roof. The glycol loop for the microbiology feeds a steam to hot water converter that feeds one air handler located on the 3rd floor roof.

11. What is the total system volume (gallons) per loop, and the current glycol type (propylene or ethylene) and concentration?

Volumes are unknown and must be calculated by the contractor. The SOW specifies propylene glycol-based heat transfer fluid for refill, but it does not state the current concentration and requires testing concentration with a refractometer after refill.

12. Please provide mechanical drawings, piping schematics, or a riser diagram showing drain, fill, and isolation valve locations.

During the site visit, the contractor shall walk down each affected area to verify existing conditions, confirm the location and accessibility of valves and connections, and identify the most effective tie-in and drainage points. The contractor shall evaluate pipe routing, elevations, low points, hose or equipment access, discharge locations, and potential impacts to occupied spaces to ensure the systems can be safely isolated, drained, flushed, refilled, and returned to service.

13. Are there existing strainers, side-stream filters, air separators, or expansion tanks that must be cleaned or serviced as part of the flush?

The SOW specifically calls out cleaning Y-strainers and the feeder tank, and verifying proper function of the glycol feeder tank. It does not mention side-stream filters, air separators, or expansion tanks.

14. Is the contractor to furnish new glycol for refill? If so, what manufacturer, inhibitor package, and final concentration (e.g., 30% or 40%) are required?

Yes—contractor is to fill loop with new propylene glycol heat transfer fluid. The contractor shall verify that both glycol loops contain an adequate concentration of approved glycol, based on the manufacturer’s recommendations, to provide freeze protection at or below –20°F. The contractor shall also confirm that the heat-exchanger manufacturer’s published documentation supports the proposed glycol concentration and shall provide verification to the VA.

15. What flushing method and cleaning chemical are required or prohibited (e.g., chemical pre-clean, neutralization, number of water rinses)?

Requires flushing with DI water and specifies “Flush loop with four complete loop volumes per flush.” No chemical pre-cleaning, neutralization steps, or prohibited chemicals are mentioned

16. Are pre- and post-service fluid lab analyses required (pH, freeze point, inhibitor level, iron/copper, TDS), and should results be submitted with the service report?

The contractor should provide a written comparison of pre-flush and post-fill results (PH, iron/copper, freeze point, glycol type/concentration). The final report should also include the amount of glycol added, batch or lot information.

17. Who is responsible for disposal of spent glycol and rinse water? Does the VA have a preferred disposal method, and will manifests be required?

The contractor to drain to storage totes and coordinate transportation of totes to disposal facility. Disposal manifests are required in the deliverables. The VA’s preferred disposal method is not specified beyond compliance and manifesting.

18. What are the target months for the two flush-and-refill services, and how much system downtime is allowed for each?

Work on the Surgery loop shall be performed when outdoor temperatures are expected to remain above 50°F or during weekends or after hours. Work on the Microbiology loop shall be performed when outdoor temperatures are expected to remain above 40°F or during weekends or after regular business hours. scheduling is to be coordinated with the VA COR.

The contractor shall ensure that the hydronic loops are fully filled, properly circulated, and ready for operation whenever outdoor temperatures are expected to exceed the temperatures specified above.

19. Must work be performed during off-hours or weekends? Will the VA provide temporary heating or cooling during the outage, or is the contractor responsible?

Work on the Surgery loop shall be performed when outdoor temperatures are expected to remain above 50°F or during weekends or after hours. Work on the Microbiology loop shall be performed when outdoor temperatures are expected to remain above 40°F or during weekends or after regular business hours. scheduling is to be coordinated with the VA COR.

The contractor shall ensure that the hydronic loops are fully filled, properly circulated, and ready for operation whenever outdoor temperatures are expected to exceed the temperatures specified above.

20. Will VA engineering staff operate valves, pumps, and controls during the work, or will the contractor?

The Scope assigns the contractor to provide all labor and tasks to drain, flush, clean, refill, test, and dispose, but it does not explicitly assign operation of building equipment/controls. Coordinate with VA Engineering/COR.

21. (SOW Section 2, page 4; CLINs 0002 and 0003, pages 8–9) We don't know how much glycol is in each loop, but CLINs 0002 and 0003 are each listed as 1 job. Can you tell us roughly how many gallons each loop holds? If not, can you share the pipe sizes/lengths, when the fluid was last changed, and its current strength? Is 30% glycol the correct strength? How many 250-gallon totes should we plan to dispose of?

Volumes and current condition are unknown and must be sampled and calculated;

it does not include pipe sizes, last change date, current strength, or a target strength (e.g., 30%). CLIN details are not included in the SOW provided, so we cannot answer the CLIN aspects. Pipe sizes should be measured by contractor during site visit.

22. (CLINs 0005 and 0006, page 9; SOW 3.2, page 5) What is the difference between CLIN 0005 (Flush and Drain Labor) and CLIN 0006 (Flush Labor)? Should both the Surgery and Microbiology loops be included in each CLIN? SOW 3.2 says extra flushes can be done if VA approves – how will we be paid for these, since there is no CLIN for them?

CLIN 0005, Fill* and Drain Labor, is intended to cover labor required to drain and fill the designated hydronic loop(s), including field verification of valves, connections, low points, discharge locations, and restoration requirements.

CLIN 0006, Flush Labor, is intended to cover flushing only, without draining the loop.

Both the Surgery and Microbiology loops shall be included in the applicable CLIN.. The contractor shall use the site visit to verify existing conditions, confirm valve and connection locations, and determine the most effective methods for isolation, drainage, flushing, refilling, and returning each loop to service.

The contractor must provide documentation supporting the need for additional flushing, such as test results, water-quality findings, flow or pressure data, system condition reports, or other objective evidence. Additional flushing beyond the quantities identified in the contract may be performed only with the Contracting Officer’s written authorization. Any approved additional flushing will be priced and paid through a bilateral contract modification or other authorized contracting action.

23. Please confirm the question deadline of “5:00pm Central Standard Time (CST), 10-20-2026” means 5:00 PM local Central time.

Yes, Central Standard Time (CST) means local Central time.