S06 - Richmond - RFI Q and A - 10.31.24.pdf

Bidder Questions for “Improve Surgical Access” Project (652-323)

1. Can you please provide the make, model, and version of the existing nurse call system currently utilized in the operating room suite? The existing system in place is inoperable and will be replaced soon (see no. 2 below)

2. In the event the existing nurse call system is no longer available for purchase or supported by the manufacturer, would an "or equal" nurse call system be acceptable, provided it meets or exceeds the existing system's functionality and integration requirements? Baxter/Hillrom Voalte

Nurse Call would be a replacement of equal or greater value with enhanced clinical communication capabilities.

3. Can you please provide the make, model, and version of the existing Public Address and Mass

Notification System currently utilized in the operating room suite? There is no other notification system in place other than the Nurse Call system.

4. In the event the existing Public Address and Mass Notification System is no longer available for purchase or supported by the manufacturer, would an "or equal" nurse call system be acceptable, provided it meets or exceeds the existing system's functionality and integration requirements? (Reference no. 2 above)

5. Our company, District Veterans Contracting, is very interested in trying to win work on construction projects at VAMC Richmond. We currently work on numerous VA campuses, including other campuses in Virginia. On most of those campuses, a state contractor’s license is not required because the facilities are on property owned by the U.S. federal government. Are we required to have a Virginia General Contractor’s license to work on the Richmond campus? A

Virginia State Contractors license is not required.

6. Will the owner accept Procore Project Management software as the primary submittal and data tracking tool for this project? Yes

7. Will the owner accept the “Out-Build Scheduling Software” for schedule submission and monthly updates? Prefer email and Procor

8. Is this project tax-exempt, and will the CO/COR provide the necessary tax-exempt certificates?

No, this is not tax exempt. Please see attached “Special Notes regarding FAR 52.229-3: Federal, State and Local Taxes.”

9. Because of COVID-19 throughout the U.S. and the resulting Federal, State and local governments’ responses/requirements, are there any new work requirements or mandates that will be required by the VA on this project? Only wearing masks in areas designated. Since this is a new build and mostly outdoors, this will be limited.

10. Many VA campuses are beginning to address tuberculosis protocols on VA campus projects, including the 90-day screening before assignment to the worksite. This requirement will limit the amount of personnel who can immediately perform work right after the award. Will this project be required to follow 01 35 26 1.13 for TB-required protocols and a requirement to follow the 90-day screening before beginning work on the project? Yes

11. What is the approximate duration between issuing the award and issuing the NTP? The approximate duration between issuing the award and issuing the NTP is 7 to 30 days depending on the circumstances at the facility.

12. For planning the preliminary project schedule, please provide an anticipated award date.

Due to required reviews and approvals of final award, it can take 30 to 60 days for contract award to be issued.

13. How many calendar days should be included in the critical-path method schedule for the owner and A/E to review and respond to

RFIs? 1 week

14. How many calendar days should be included in the critical-path method schedule for owner and A/E submittal review? 2 weeks

15. Will the Government provide the 3-D REVIT Design model in native file format for the creation of coordination drawings and use by contractor? Yes

16. Specifications section 01 35 26 para 1.7.C explains that SSHO has to be a separate qualified individual from the Prime Contractor’s Superintendent. Specifications section 01 45 00 para

3.4.B mandates that CQC System Manager cannot have duties as project superintendent. Please confirm that the superintendent cannot dually hat as CQC or SSHO. Correct, separate.

17. Please confirm that the project scope (including work at the basement and the 1st /2nd-floor interstitials) will be completed during normal working hours, not nights and weekends.

Normal work hours are preferred but some night/weekend work may be required for any water/electric outages. (A minimum 2 weeks’ notice for these outages)

18. The project scope is widespread across the building and performed in and around numerous existing building systems that will need coordination. How many site visits do owner consultants have for MEP and systems coordination with GC, and will the VA have a designated MEP representative available on site? Pre-Construction site visits with the VA internal MEP team are highly recommended and the COR will coordinate and any additional concerns with the A/E as necessary. Communication is key to a successful project therefore the COR will accommodate multiple mtgs as needed.

19. Can you confirm that the owner will be contracting directly with a third-party commissioning agent for commissioning the project and that the Contractor is only to include participation/coordination with the Commissioning Agent? The contractor will be required to subcontract a 3rd party MEP commissioning agent and coordinate accordingly. The VA has a 3rd party “Air Monitoring” contract for any asbestos removal services.

20. Knowing that the campus is limited on space and parking, it is critical that the contractor project superintendent have freedom of access and close proximity to the work. Can the

VA/Owner provide a designated parking spot for the contractor project superintendent?

The VA will provide parking and a laydown area designated for this project.

21. Has the facility Operation & Maintenance team reviewed the Contract Documents for operability to avoid change orders? The VA team has reviewed the construction documents to hopefully minimize the change orders for his project.

22. Can the contractor use an existing office inside the building for a temporary construction office during construction instead of setting up a temporary trailer? A Temporary trailer will be required

23. Can the contractor use the existing restroom facilities in the work area or adjacent ones nearby? Yes

24. Can the contractor use the existing on-site utilities for temporary electrical and water free of charge? Yes, for the temporary trailer only. Any additional needs can be requested for approval

25. Will the owner provide the fire watch during the period that the fire suppression and/or fire alarm system is not in service? Yes

26. Please provide detailed guidance for noise and vibration operations, including acceptable levels/duration, hours of operations for acceptable levels, and acceptable noise levels after hours. This will all be discussed at the Preconstruction and well defined for construction planning. Pls anticipate normal working hours and staff will be well informed of noise and vibration operations. There will be opportunities to some after hours and weekends as long as a safety permit is not required.

27. There are no partition tags where the headwalls/patient bed service walls are located. Could you please confirm that these units will be in a standard 3 5/8" stud size wall. A/E

Headwalls are located on the exterior walls where section 1/AE510 calls out 6” studs (PFA DJP)

28. Ref drawing AD131- During walk-thru we were unable to view the 3rd floor rooms 3A-126 thru 3A-159. Can photos be provided of the spaces? A walk thru was provided on Oct.16 th, 2024

29. Ref drawing AE900/4- Can a floor plan be provided for the 2nd floor interstitial area at the new stair 3 location? For shoring purposes can photos of the area be provided? A walk thru was provided on Oct.16th, 2024

30. Ref price cost schedule- Bid Deduct Alternate #3 calls for rigid sheet wall protection in lieu of metal cladding. The finish schedule on drawing AF732 calls for AWC-1 on the OR1 & OR2 walls

(there is no mention of metal cladding). AWC-1 is specified as Altro Whiterock wall cladding in standard white. Is AWC-1 to be used in the base bid and if Alternate 3 is accepted the OR walls received standard .060 rigid sheet wall protection of standard color? This Bid Alternate has been deleted and the only option is to provide the Altro Whiterock wall cladding in standard white.

31. Ref drawing AF732- Several alcoves have dashed lines with reference to keynote 3 which requires full height wall protection. What type of wall protection is required in each area?

CS ACROVYN: SM-20N "IRISH CREAM" 997 (PFA DJP)

32. Ref AF732 & AF733- There are numerous rooms on the finish schedules where the floor and base finishes appear reversed. Will clarification be provided?

Contractor to follow finish tags on the finish plans which show base and floor finish assignments correctly. The finish schedule has the base and floor finishes reversed. (PFA DJP)

33. Ref drawing AF732- RF-1 flooring on the stair landings is specified as roll goods but this only comes in tile to match the specified treads. Will clarification be provided?

RF-1 description is misleading. The intention is to provide Rubber Treads. Per ROPPE website

Rubber Treads are available in scheduled color (PFA DJP).

34. Ref. Price Cost Schedule- Where are the Federal Pacific Panels located that are being replaced? Will this task become a critical path task that will require 15 days for replacement since the 425-day duration of the base bid is reduced if alt #1 is accepted?

There are no Federal Pacific distribution panels being replaced.

35. Ref. Price Cost Schedule Alt #4 & Alt #5- Can more detail be provided on what is being deducted from the Hybrid OR and one standard OR if either alternate is accepted? Will floor, wall and ceiling finishes be eliminated? Will grills registers, diffusers, electrical devices, and lighting be eliminated?

General OR to be constructed as a storage room with minimal MEP and construction to match other new storage rooms within the project. Maintain current MEP sizes/configuration at perimeter of room for future OR buildout. Transition to branches sized for storage program.

• Supply and return air terminal units are to be sized as scheduled, with reduced operating air cfm setpoints. Run new 10x12 supply air branch ductwork to (2) new 8” ceiling diffusers. Run new 10x10 return air branch ductwork to (1) new 10” ceiling return grille. Adjacent space pressurizations to be maintained.

• Route all electrical conduits for shelled OR, as shown in design documents, to ceiling space of future OR. Provide junction boxes in ceiling space for future connection. Coil power and low voltage wiring within junction boxes and provide labeling on every junction box. Provide (4) 2x4 type A2 ceiling mounted light fixtures in room with ceiling mounted occupancy sensor for control. Provide (1) duplex receptacle connected to the corridor receptacle circuit in the area. Delete isolation panels and all other electrical devices as shown within room footprint.

• Cap medical gas service piping 6” within the future OR from the zone valve box installed in the corridor. Delete OR scrub sink. Provide plumbing rough-in and cap piping to future OR scrub sink.

• Provide sprinkler coverage for storage program in lieu of OR program.

• Provide ACT ceiling. Floor/walls/finishes to match type of other new storage rooms within project.

• Contractor to price general ORs separately as alternates (i.e exclude 1 or exclude 2)

36. Ref zip folder dated 6/28/24- A SOW Addendum zip folder was posted on SAM dated

9/12/24 with drawings and wood door spec 08 14 00. The architectural and MEP drawing appear updated in the revision table as addendum 1 dated 6/26/24 but there is no description of the clouded areas on these drawings. Are these the latest drawings to be considered and will a description of the changes be provided?

Yes, these are the latest drawings 6/26/24. The clouded area indicates a 4’0” wide door leading into the pump room.

37. Ref structural drawings- Will a pier schedule be provided?

The original dwgs include the pier schedule sizes within the column schedule on the 2nd floor plan on

SF131.

See highlight snippet below:

The 2nd Floor plan has section 15/SF501 cut at a typical P2 and a typical P1. And Detail 15/SF501 indicates the pier height and reinforcing. See snippets below:

38. Ref drawing AE232- keynote 6 indicates refer to vendor equipment drawings for additional work to be done by the GC to accommodate installation of ceiling mounted equipment. Will vendor equipment drawings be provided?

Final site-specific drawings of purchased equipment to be provided by the VA

39. Ref drawing AE510- Will a spec be provided for the 6” metal studs for exterior walls? Are these walls framed with cold form framing? See attachment

40. What is the brand, model, date of installation and software version of the current Nurse Call and/or Code Blue System?

See the response to Question #2 above.

41. What is meant by “extension of existing system”? If the question is in reference to Nurse Call system, see the response to Question #2 above.

42. What is meant by, “match existing system”? If the question is in reference to Nurse Call system, see the response to Question #2 above.

43. It is the Contractors understanding that the existing system has failed and is repeatedly offline, is this the case? The existing Nurse Call system in place is inoperable and will be replaced soon (see no. 2 above.)

44. Is there a maintenance service agreement in place for the existing system as to limit the

Contractors exposure to warranty issues outside the SOW provided? no

45. What is the brand, model, date of installation and software version of the current Real Time

Locating System? Ref. no. 2 above

46. Does Hunter Holmes McGuire VAMC Richmond have a schedule or estimated installation timeframe for the Low Voltage installation? There is a Nurse Call project scheduled to begin in the Spring of 2025 and an EHRM project scheduled to begin later in the same year but both will be under separate contracts and will have no impact on this project.

47. Bid Deduct #4: Refer to document "S02+-+Richmond+-+SOW+-+Final+-+07.09.24". In bid items section on page 2, the description for deduct alternate #4 states that FIT OUT OF HYBRID

OPERATING ROOM IS TO BE ELIMINATED as part of this alternate. However, it is not clear what does the term "fit out" mean in this project or what items/work fall under the category of "fit out".

(1) Does it mean that all surgical equipment in the hybrid operating room is to be removed (while keeping GC and MEP work in place) as part of this alternate?

(2) Does it mean that MEP services are to be removed in the hybrid operating room as well in addition to equipment (while keeping GC work in place) as part of this alternate?

(3) Does it mean that all work in the hybrid operating room (equipment + GC + MEP) is to be removed as part of this alternate? Please clarify.

This bid deduct has been removed. At a minimum, this project will have a fully functional

HYBRID OR and the only deducts will be in the General ORs (refer to question 35) Also, for clarification, the VA will purchase all Large Medical Equipment for the ORs and the contractor will only be responsible for the coordination with the 3 rd party supplier for installation.

48. Bid Deduct #5: Refer to document "S02+-+Richmond+-+SOW+-+Final+-+07.09.24". In bid items section on page 2, the description for deduct alternate #5 states that FIT OUT OF ONE

STANDARD OPERATING ROOM IS TO BE ELIMINATED as part of this alternate. However, it is not clear what does the term "fit out" mean in this project or what items/work fall under the category of "fit out".

(1) Does it mean that all surgical equipment in the standard operating room is to be removed (while keeping GC and MEP work in place) as part of this alternate?

(2) Does it mean that MEP services are to be removed in the standard operating room as well in addition to equipment (while keeping GC work in place) as part of this alternate?

(3) Does it mean that all work in the standard operating room (equipment + GC + MEP) is to be removed as part of this alternate? Please clarify.

See response to question 35

49. Can the SSHO be dual hatted, i.e. Sup or PM?

See Spec Section 013526 Safety Requirements, para. 1.7.C states that the SSHO has to be a separate qualified individual from the Prime Contractor’s Superintendent.

50. What are the CQC Staff requirements, and can the Project Superintendent and PM fulfill this requirement? See Spec Section 014500 Quality Control, para. 3.4 for the staff requirements.

51. Is the VA providing the commissioning agent and commissioning plan?

See response to Question #19 above.

52. Is the Project taxable? Ref. question no. 8

53. RFI regarding alternates #4 and #5 in the bid items section of document "S02+-+Richmond+-

+SOW+-+Final+-+07.09.24." On page 2, it is stated that "the fit-out of operating rooms is to be eliminated" as part of these alternates. However, there is some ambiguity regarding the scope of the term "fit-out" in this context. Specifically, we seek clarification on the following: Does this imply that all surgical equipment in the operating rooms should be removed, while retaining both the GC and MEP work? Alternatively, does it mean that both the MEP services and equipment are to be removed, while retaining only the GC work? Or does it indicate that all work in these rooms, including equipment, GC, and MEP, is to be completely removed as part of these alternates?

See response to question 35

54. Ref spec 07 48 00- Per part 1.2, A. The rain screen system assembly shall include the following components from the substrate out:

*Spray polyurethane foam (applied to interior wall cavity for steel stud wall framing).

* Substrate: Wall framing assembly and sheathing.

*Weather Resistant/Air Barrier over continuous insulation.

* Continuous insulation.

* Thermally broken rainscreen attachment system.

* Exterior cladding.

Is the spray polyurethane foam insulation applied to the steel stud cavity at ACM Metal panel locations and 1-1/8” lightweight brick locations also? Will a spray foam insulation spec be provided?

Foam insulation to be only at the ACM locations. Note that at ACM locations insulation is attached directly to the exterior studs without exterior sheathing per Continuous Insulation specification and see drawings. Specification has been provided with RFI response. (PFA DJP)

55. Ref spec 07 21 10 & 07 21 13- Which spec is used for the 2-1/2” rigid insulation applied on the 6” exterior wall framing?

Section 07 21 10 Continuous Insulation to be used.

56. Ref drawing AE411-Keynote 6 calls out to provide aluminum sun control shades. Drawing

AE510 details 1, 2 and 3 calls out the sun control shades to be by others. Which is correct? If by the contractor can further drawing details be provided?

Sun control device to be provided by Aluminum Storefront manufacturer from their Standard out riggers and stock lengths. Basis of design was YKK APP ThermaShade Angle blade (E9-3710) and

24” Square Intermediate Outrigger (E1-3823L or R – 0200) (PFA DJP)

57. Ref drawing AE613- Will a glazing schedule be provided for IG-1 and IG-2?

Schedule is provided in Specification Section 08 80 00 / 3.11

58. Ref spec section 12 24 00- Which windows require window shades? Are shades required at all glazing or just IG-1?

Shades are only required at all vision glass (IG-1)

59. on page 5 of the vol. 5 print it mentions multimode fiber, however, I do not see anything on the legend or on the actual drawings. Is there any fiber on this project?

New IT room interconnection, see drawing E-602, Detail #2, Sheet note #9.

60. How are the speaker cables expected to be installed (ex. Home runs, daisy chain, etc)? And are they being provided by the VA?

Daisy chained, See drawing E-502, Detail #8. Speakers, cables and GFCI to be provided and installed by the contractor.

61. It is indicated that yellow cat 6a is what is required for the regular data cabling and we see that it is calling for cat 6 for the nurse call cabling. What color cables are required for all nurse cable installations?

Cat 6A for the Nurse Call cabling and the color is seafoam green.

62. Ref drawing AE613- Will a glazing schedule be provided for IG-1 and IG-2?

See response to previous RFI #57.

63. Ref spec section 12 24 00- Which windows require window shades? Are shades required at all glazing or just IG-1?

See response to previous RFI #58.

64. Ref solicitation- It appears 425 days from NTP is allotted for this project. Due to pre-construction administrative requirements and the complexity of the project, 425 days is extremely tight and will require after hours and weekends to complete the project within the time frame which will add to the overall cost of the project. Will the VA consider 605 days from

NTP?

Based on our recent experience with similar projects and product deliverable delays, we have extended the construction period to 510 days.