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Project #502-19-107 RFI Register
| 1. We are requesting the Geo-Tech report be made available with soil borings to assist in determining pile type and size to meet the design requirements. |
| Geotech report will be provided |
| 2. We are requesting for a pile bid depth to be established for conformity in the bidding process since it is difficult to specifically address the required depth for each pile involved, even when a Geo-Tech report is provided. |
| Geotech report will be provided. Contractor shall determine estimated tip depth based on the information provided in the geotechnical report and the contractor selected helical piles with grouted shafts. |
| 3. Require a line item for the unit cost relating to an add or deduct cost for piles that deviate from the actual bid depth. |
| There will be no deduct line item. Significant variation to warrant a line item is not expected given the minimal footprint of the project. |
4. Will load testing be required? If so, please specify the quantity of load tests.
(Since the load capacities are low and helical piles derive their capacity based on the torque achieved, monitoring and verification of the torque is an effective way to verify helical pile load capacities in lieu of load testing.)
Pile load test shall be performed per specification section 31 65 00 to confirm that the calculated installed torque meets the design load requirements.
5. The plans reflect a grouted shaft helical pile, which is also referred to as a Helical Micro Pile, but does not specifically specify the need for the grouted shaft or the diameter required.
a. Is it a requirement to install a grouted shaft helical pile if the loads can be achieved with only the helical pile itself?
b. If the grouted shaft is required, please specify the minimum diameter for the grouted shaft.
Shaft shall be grouted; minimum grout diameter is 5”
6. Helical Piles
a. The Construction Documents indicates the Helical piles are to use a grouting system?
b. The documents also state that the Helical Pile Company is to provide the Engineering and Testing on the piles. Are we to follow the Project Engineers methods or can we use the method engineered by the installer?
a. Contractor shall provide a grouted shaft helical pile that meets design load requirements.
b. Engineering methodology may be per the Helical pile contractor’s engineer. Helical pile selections and shop drawings shall be signed and sealed by the helical pile contractor’s engineer. Testing of the piles shall be per specification 31 65 00.
| 7. Is it possible to get the drawings supplied for this solicitation on 42 x 30 paper rather than the 11 x 17 paper which were in the bid documents. It will allow for more accurate measurements. |
| No |
| 8. Please provide a basis of design for the AHUs and Chiller specifications to ensure the correct equipment is procured and to ensure fair competitive bidding? |
| Basis of design for air handling units is Nortek. Basis of design for chiller is Quantech. These brands aren’t required for the AHUs and Chiller. The equipment selected must meet or exceed what is specified in the contract documents. Shop drawings and submittals are required for any equipment per spec section 01 33 23 and other contract documents. |
| 9. Both the Outside Air Handling Unit and VAV AHU Schedule call for a VFD w/ bypass. Spec 23 73 00 Indoor Central Station AHUs para. 2.1, G, Plenum Fans, no. 3 says “Use of a drive with bypass is not permitted.” Please confirm. Selections have been made without a VFD bypass for now. |
| Provide VFD without bypass. |
| 10. Spec 23 73 00 Indoor Central Station AHUs para. 2.1, L, Electrical and Wiring, calls for 100W vapor-proof lights and convenience duplex receptacle in any section over 12” wide. In the Scope of Work document it calls for “Air handling equipment will be provided with UV lights and windows in the access sections to verify UV light operation.” Carrier does not allow both Marine Lights and UVC lamps in a coil section. They also do not allow Viewports in coil sections with UVC lamps (you don’t want the UV light escaping the AHU and damaging materials external to the AHU). I am unsure what other manufacturers allow, but we’ll need to proceed without Marine Lights and Viewports in the coil sections. |
| Outside Air Handling Unit and Variable Volume Air Handling Units scheduled located on Sheet M002 require UVC lamps for equipment. Provide marine and UVC lights in all sections over 12” wide as specified. UVC light cannot pass through glass. There is no harm to look through an air handling unit access window at UVC lighting. |
| 11. Spec 23 73 00 Indoor Central Station AHUs para. 2.1, L, Electrical and Wiring, calls for 100W vapor-proof lights and convenience duplex receptacle in any section over 12” wide. Carrier does not allow Marine Lights, Receptacle, and Light Switch on the same side of the Fan/Motor control panel. It would have to be mounted on the other side which is not accessible since the right-hand side of the AHU is against the wall. I am unsure what other manufacturers can do, but we’ll need to proceed without Marine Lights and Viewports in the supply fan section. |
| Provide convenience outlet and lighting control switch in accessible location. Provide marine lights and viewports as specified. |
| 12. Does AHU-1 require pre-filters? The VAV AHU Schedule only notes MERV 13 final filters which per Spec 23 40 00 HVAC Air Cleaning Devices are to be 12” MERV 13 side load cartridge filters. Typically, pre-filters are provided on cartridge filters. Spec 23 40 00 HVAC Air Cleaning Devices calls for pre-filters to be MERV 8 pleated. |
| Due to space constraints, the pre-filters were not required for AHU-1 only. MERV-13 filters are box filters, not cartridge type. |
| 13. The VAV AHU Schedule calls for 1,960 Heating Airflow CFM. The schedule does not call for a heating coil. All heat comes from the Air Terminal Units. |
| This value is the total of the ATU boxes at their heating airflow setpoints. The VAV AHU does not provide heating. All heating is done by the ATUs. |
| 14. Air Cooled Chiller Schedule calls for Factory Mounted Air Separator, Expansion Tank, and Chemical Feeder. Some manufacturers have factory installed Expansion Tanks, and Carrier does up to 70 tons. However, we need a nominal 80 ton machine to meet the scheduled capacity with 25% propylene glycol. Carrier does not offer Factory Mounted Air Separator or Chemical Feeder. Please note that our quote will include Field Installed Air Separator, Expansion Tank, and Chemical Feeder. |
| Contractor shall provide coordination drawings for submission and review with equipment submittals noting locations of items provided separately. Warranties shall also be provided for items not provided as part of the packaged system. If anything different than what is in the contract documents is selected, this needs to be noted in the submittal cover sheet. Selected equipment must meet the minimum requirements of the design and it must be verified that the equipment will fit in the locations specified on the contract drawings. |
| 15. Will the spaces where the work is being performed be available for us to have full access to the room without smocking up? |
| Yes, SPS and Logistics will be completely vacated before construction. |
| 16. Will the VA be providing a tax-exempt certificate for this project? |
| No. This project is not tax exempt. |
| 17. Please provide Siemens point of contact for controls system integration. |
| See sheet M203 for point of contact information. |
| 18. Please provide point of contact for fire alarm company currently servicing this facility. |
| See sheet FA201 for point of contact information. Also, the VA Fire Chief has stated that the fire alarm company must maintain a current Fireworxx Certification, as well as a current UL Laboratories ISO 9001 certification. |
| 19. There have been changes recently by the VA on the acceptability of using ProPress. Please clarify if ProPress will be allowed on this project. |
| No. ProPress isn’t acceptable or allowed for this project. |
| 20. Reference page 14 of 71 in the solicitation. Are contractors allowed 20 pages each for factor 1 & 2 or is this a 20 page limit for both Factor 1 and factor 2 combined? |
| The standard is 10 pages per factor. |
| 21. Please confirm that Proposal Covers or title pages will not count against the page limits. |
| Proposal covers or title pages will not count against the page limits. |
| 22. To confirm, the desired format for subfactor 1b “schedule” is a CPM schedule from a software such as Microsoft project or Primavera P6? |
| The VA is not requesting a critical path method schedule. The VA is not requiring specific software be used for this evaluation. The means and methods to deliver a schedule in the requested format is at the contractor’s discretion. |
| 23. 28 05 00 – 6 states that the “contractor shall provide proof project superintendent with BICSI” certification. Please confirm this is for the installing contractor or subcontractor for that system and not the general superintendent. |
| The installing contractor’s project superintendent is the one to be a certificated BICSI |
| 24. Reference 01 91 00 -17: Please confirm that for this project, the VA is responsible for overall project commissioning including Commissioning Agent. |
| Refer to Specification 01 91 00, Section 1.2. VA will hire 3rd party commissioning agent for the project. Project superintendent will need to work with the third-party commissioning agent to ensure that the objectives of the contract documents are met per section 1.16 A of spec 01 91 00. |
| 25. Reference 01 35 26 – 12: Please confirm if random monthly safety inspections will be required by a CSP or CSHT. |
| Will not be required. However, the project superintendent must have OSHA 30 certification and will act as safety representative for contractor. Subcontractors must have OSHA 10. Random daily inspections will be performed by VA Safety Chief and COR. |
| 26. If the Prime Contractor has other work ongoing at this facility, may the Superintendent oversee multiple projects? |
| No. The superintendent must be dedicated 100% to this project only and must be on site during any work on the project. This is a highly complex and high-cost project related to Sterile Processing, so several VA requirements will have to be met. |
| 27. Will the Government be providing an area to set a dumpster for the large amount of debris caused from the demolition on this project. |
| Construction laydown area will be determined after construction contract award. |