Attachment Technical Questions.docx

SOLICITATION # 36C77622B0005 PROJECT NAME: EHRM CORRECT DATA CENTER DURHAM - TECHNICAL QUESTIONS AND VA RESPONSE TRACKING SHEET

ITEM

NO.

Please can you provide a print which shows data outlets in the areas surrounding the data center that are served from the data center?

None is available at this time.

Please can you confirm these cables are to be Category 6A?

All new ethernet cables must be Category 6A.

These racks are to be provided and installed by the awarded contractor?

Please can you provide a specification on the racks required at these locations to include:

Desired manufacturer and part number if known?

Dimensions to include depth, width, and height.

Fully enclosed with side panels, front, and rear doors?

APC AR3340. NetShelter SX 42U 750mm Wide x 1200mm Deep Networking Enclosure with Sides Black

These racks are to be provided and installed by the awarded contractor?

Please can you provide a specification on the racks required at these locations to include:

Desired manufacturer and part number if known?

Dimensions to include depth, width, and height.

Fully enclosed with side panels, front, and rear doors?

Yes. APC AR3340. NetShelter SX 42U 750mm Wide x 1200mm Deep Networking Enclosure with Sides Black

This rack is to be provided and installed by the awarded contractor?

Please can you provide a specification on the racks required at these locations to include:

Desired manufacturer and part number if known?

Dimensions to include depth, width, and height.

Fully enclosed with side panels, front, and rear doors?

Yes. APC AR3340. NetShelter SX 42U 750mm Wide x 1200mm Deep Networking Enclosure with Sides Black

Please can you confirm the APC cabinets shown to be “new” will be furnished by the VA and installed by the awarded contractor?

Any APU labeled “APU New” cabinets to be furnished and installed by contractor. “APU” cabinets are existing on-site.

Do you require the racks and cabinets to be installed to the concreate floor beneath the raised floor?

Typically not. The cabinets have wheels on the bottom for relocation, then adjustable stands to secure at location.

Please can you provide rack elevation drawings for the following to show termination hardware, wire management and any other equipment to be furnished and installed by the awarded contractor?

Please refer to sheet DC602 for rack and tray elevations.

Please can you confirm the quantity and lengths of Category 6A patch cords to be installed at the following locations?

Each MDA cabinet Each HAD. Cabinet Each 5U Rack mounted above the cabinets

DC200 Wiring Legend:

MDA: (48) 6 CAT6a to each HDA HDA: 24 to patch panels

Total distance of each run will need to be calculated. Max distance from each HDA won’t be more than 15m

Please can you confirm the quantity and lengths of the fiber optic patch cords to be installed at the following locations?

Each MDA cabinet Each HAD. Cabinet Each 5U Rack mounted above the cabinets

DC200 Wiring Legend:

MDA: (8) 48 strand fiber to HDA HDA: (1) 24 strand to patch panels

Total distance of each run will need to be calculated. Max distance from each HDA won’t be more than 15m

Please can you provide a plan view to show the final basket tray layout in the Data Center?

Drawings DC600, DC601, and DC602 will show this information and be provided to bidders.

The intention if the Prime contractor to have a person(s) vetted to provide watch while inside the Data Center. The intention is for the VA to conduct spot checks on the contractor and not provide constant monitoring.

The idea obviously being that it becomes cumbersome to both the contractor and its subs AS WELL AS whomever is responsible for attending the door each time we need in and out. We would not want to see a situation where its “once you are in there your in there” situation which becomes problematic with running tools and materials back and forth or bathroom breaks, etc. I’m sure you get the idea.

See #13 above.

No. Once the project has been awarded space will have to be found for a dumpster. As space close to the loading dock is at a premium, it might not be located close to the back of the building.

The prime contractor will get one parking pass. Other on-site parking is for patients or employees only. Other contractor Vehicles will have to be parked off-site.

Yes, to bathrooms and yes, to commissary/canteen. But it is expected that the areas are treated respectfully as other patrons of the hospital will have to use the bathrooms/canteen.

Nothing was done for investigating hazardous materials, if hazardous material are discovered a change order will have to be done.

No current contracts. Local OI&T is currently cleaning and removing non-standard equipment.

Approximately 240 tiles

All existing plywood shall be removed. See AD-102 and Dwg. AE-102, Note M, General notes.;

“The existing plywood panels that are for the support of the Equipment and Electrical panels shall ALL be removed “in the area of new work and over the rated walls”, and replaced with fire resistive plywood, only where new equipment or electrical panels are shown. “

There are a number of ply wood panels in the existing Telecom and Lab areas, where the tel/data racks were scheduled to be removed by VA, ahead of the construction.

Those walls should be patched and matched by the contractor with new 5/8” FC GWB. No new ply wood panels are needed where there is no equipment being replaced.

It is unclear if the gypsum board is 5/8-inch fire rated gypsum that surrounds the outside walls of the data center is existing. Also, if it is damaged or has openings in it that will need to be repaired. Please clarify if the walls surrounding the Data Center will have to removed and replaced with 5/8 inch Fire Rated Gypsum?

See Note #28

There is a note for full height FR plywood support panel on the drawings. Keep the panels 18” min. above the finished floors or raised tiles.

This portion of the basement below the Data Center is considered a crawlspace, height 3’-4’.

Servers will be brought down and migrated from area to another depending on the phase being completed. Planning will need to be coordinated with Engineering, BioMed and IT.

Servers and racks are currently connected by fiber and Ethernet via the overhead cable trays.

To minimize dust and debris a 3 mil plastic sheet can be used to cover the equipment, but installed in a way as to not block the air flow to the front of the server racks.

Per our records, the walls around FG104 are not 1hr rated. The contractor is to provide a fire rated walls that are identified by Note #11, the contractor can propose a means and method to meet that requirement post-award..

Can the overhead rough in for phase 1 be completed during normal working hours 7.00AM to 5.00PM?

Yes.

Can these racks be moved to their new location during normal working hours 7.00AM to 5.00PM?

Not during normal operating hours. 0700-1700

Do you require the cabinets and racks to be secured to the floor slab beneath the raised floor?

See answer #8 above

How many strands are required?

This fiber will be OM4 rated?

The fiber will be terminated on LC connectors or MTP.

Fiber link to FG158A must be 24-strand OM4 terminated on MPO connectors and then with MPO to duplex LC cassettes on each end.

Notes- Sequence 1. Is there a list and quantity of network equipment to be relocated?

No. Network equipment will be relocated with local OI&T and Enterprise Service Line assistance as it will require downtime planning.

Notes- Sequence 1. 1.B. Is there a drawing showing existing work area outlets and associated devices?

No.

Notes- Sequence 1. 1.E. & 1.F. Owner to remove all abandoned cabling. Contractor to remove existing cabling . Please clarify.

Local OI&T is in the process of removing decommissioned equipment and cabling. Vendor will remove cabling of existing equipment after new connections to overhead panels have been completed.

Notes- Sequence 1. 1.H. Why will the existing cable tray be removed? Is there a drawing showing the existing cable tray and the new cable tray?

DC600, item 1 Existing cable tray not adequate for fiber cables and not properly installed. Previous contract failed and abandoned demolition.

DC601 & DC602 – New Tray Plan

See DC600, DC601, DC602 to be issued as an addendum.

Keyed Notes. 4. Will the racks be removed (TBD) by contractor and after Owner will relocate them?

THE OWNER IS RELOCATING THE EQUIPMENT IN THE RACK. CONTRACTOR MUST REMOVE THE CABINET/RACK.

Keyed Notes. 3. Are there specs for the 12” Vertical Cable Managers?

THE VERTICAL CABLE MANAGERS MUST BE A MINIMUM OF 12”W X 10”D. See Spec 27 11 00, 2.1.13.H for other details

Panduit PR2V Vertical Dual Sided Manager, 45RU, 12 in. Wide, Black

PR2VD12

Keyed Notes. 7 & 8. Will the cooling units be relocated by owner?

No. This work is within the contractor’s scope of work.

Keyed Notes. 9. Will the new cooling unit be installed by owner?

No. This work is within the contractor’s scope of work.

Fiber Distribution Narrative. 1. Please clarify “ Follow diverse routes” ?

Fiber runs will need to follow along the cable trays to their respective HDA cabinets. As well as to the server cabinets. Flow of data will have redundant connections.

THE CABLES MUST NOT SHARE THE SAME CABLE TRAY OR CROSS EACH OTHER TO THE FURTHEST EXTENT POSSIBLE.

Fiber Distribution Narrative. 1. Please clarify “ Through to Server Cabinets with equal feeds from each side” ?

MDA-A & MDA-B are mirrors providing redundant connections. Each HDA will replicate those redundant connections to each server cabinet patch panel.

THE ROUTE FROM MDA CABINETS WILL GO THROUGH THE HDA CABINETS TO SERVER CABINETS AS SHOWN IN THE 1-LINE DIAGRAM ON DC200

Fiber Distribution Narrative. 1. Please clarify “ To the overhead racks above each cabinet” ? Are the “ cabinets” in note, the HDA cabinets since the backbone (A and B) is from MDA cabinets to HDA cabinets ? Now, Do the HDA cabinets have an overhead 5U Rack?

The network feed reaching to the Server Cabinets. Each HDA cabinet will feed fiber and CAT6a to the overhead panels.

No, see DC600 & DC601

THE HDA CABINETS DO NOT HAVE AN OVERHEAD 5U RACK. THE OVERHEAD RACKS ARE ABOVE EACH SERVER CABINET.

Fiber Distribution Narrative. 3. Only one of the three cabinets (MDA-A or MDA-B), will be dedicated for patching; meaning that the “Backbone à (1) 48 Strand OM4 Fiber cable & (6) UITP Cat6A cables “to the associated HDA cabinets will be from only one of the three MDA cabinets?

Yes.

Of the 3 cabinets for each MDA, 1 cabinet will provide the patching/backbone connections. 1 backbone connection from MDA-A and 1 from MDA-B to HDA-B-4 creating the redundant/mirrored connections.

SEE THE 1-LINE DIAGRAM ON DC200. THE LINKS MUST BE FROM BOTH MDA-A AND MDA-B.

Fiber Distribution Narrative. 6. Will all other cabinets (no the MDA cabinets, no the HDA cabinets) have an overhead 5U rack, including the Backbone termination racks?

No. ALL OTHER CABINETS WILL HAVE OVERHEAD 5U RACK EXCEPT FOR MDA, HDA, AND BACKBONE TERMINATION RACKS.

Fiber Distribution Narrative. 6. Are there specs for the overhead 5U rack?

OVERHEAD RACK SHALL BE ORTRONICS OR-60401015 OR APPROVED ALTERNATE.

Fiber Distribution Narrative. 6. Will the overhead 5U rack be attached to the upper level of the Copper of the Fiber tray?

THE OVERHEAD RACH ATTACHES TO BOTH THE UPPER AND LOWER LEVELS OF CABLE TRAY.

Fiber Distribution Narrative. 7. Per Detail 2. Only from HDA-B-2, HDA-A-2, HDA-B-1, and HDA-A-1 cabinets (located on the right of Detail 2. ) will it be (1) 24 Strand OM4 fiber cable & (24)UTP Cat6A cables to all racks/cabinets in all Rows inside Data Center? No connections from left cabinets (see cabinets inside green mark below)?

THE CABINETS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE 1-LINE DIAGRAM CONNECT TO RACKS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THOSE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE DIAGRAM FOR ALL ROWS INSIDE THE DATA CENTER.

Fiber Distribution Narrative. 7. “From each HDA Cabinet to each Overhead patch panel shall be (1) 24 Strand OM4 fiber cable & (24)UTP Cat6A cables.” Per this note, from each of these HDA cabinets (HDA-B-2, HDA-A-2, HDA-B-1, and HDA-A-1) , it shall be (1) 24 Strand OM4 fiber cable & (24)UTP Cat6A cables to each of the Non-HDA Cabinets ( quantity = 48 ) (see drawing below) ?

Correct.

Remove counts from Future Backbone and NTWK Rack 1, 2, 3

THE HDA CABINETS CONNECT TO EACH OF THE CABINETS IN THEIR ROW, NOT ALL CABINETS IN THE DATA CENTER. FOR EXAMPLE, HDA-A-1 AND HDA-B-1 WILL EACH CONNECT TO ALL OF THE CABINETS BETWEEN THEM IN THE ROW BUT NOT TO OTHER SERVER CABINETS IN THE DATA CENTER.

Should all cables (fiber & copper) in Data Center and to work areas be plenum rated?

All cables running external to the Data Center will require plenum. Internal does not.

ALL CABLES MUST MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF ALL APPLICABLE CODES AND STANDARDS BOTH FOR THE LOCAL AHJ AND THE VA.

Is the Low Voltage Contractor (LVC) responsible for providing the six (6) MDA A&B core cabinets?

YES.

Please identify all Non-HDA racks receiving 24 Strand OM4 and Category 6A cables.

ALL RACKS NOT LABELED HDA, MDA, OR FUTURE BACBONE TERMINATION RACK MUST HAVE AN OVERHEAD RACK AND OM4/CAT6A CABLING.

Please reference DC600, DC601 & DC602

Is there a preferred manufacturer and type of vertical cable manager?

THE VERTICAL CABLE MANAGERS MUST BE A MINIMUM OF 12”W X 10”D.

Is this supposed to be a cabinet or a rack?

Networking Cabinet to patch panels above Server Cabinets

The plumbing work shall need to be done when the servers are at their lowest load (overnight work or weekend work, possibly even overnight weekend), unless the contractor can show their means and methods can handle the Data Center’s heat load at other times via temporary cooling.

Please see Solicitation 36C77622B0005 amendment 0002 VHA Supplemental Contract Requirements for Combatting COVID-19.

RFI 65

Appendix

Panel FGEE1 plate and tag

Panel FGEE2 image3.jpeg image4.jpeg image5.jpeg image6.jpeg image7.jpeg image8.jpeg image1.png image2.jpeg