Ag Center AV RFP Q_A.pdf

General Questions

1. Need ceiling information for speaker mounting and cabling.

1. Ceiling heights for each area with speakers.

2. Ceiling type for each area.:

1. Drop tile suspended ceiling?

2. Open ceiling with structural attachment?

3. Structural attachment points:

1. Concrete slab?

2. Steel / iron trusses?

3. Other?

2. Verify all power / Wall structure Support for displays will be provided by others and not in AV contract.

3. Are there any display mounting elevation drawings? Not sure how high we are mounting. Looks like some doors in the way of some locations. I don’t have an exact display height. We will determine this after the bid award.

4. Need to know cable pathways.

1. How will the low voltage cabling be ran and attached for support in each area. Height of ceilings will need to be known estimate labor.

This should be identifiable - at least an estimate - on the additional posted drawings.

5. Will motorized lifts be required at any point for mounting displays and or running cable?

1. I assume AV vendor would supply lift if needed. Vendor would supply lift.

6. Signage system:

1. Are the signage media players to be mounted behind the displays and connected directly to a dedicated display? or, are they to be mounted in the AV rack and connected to the AVoIP system so they can be routed to any display?

7. Are the signage players and the cameras the only video sources? No, external sources must be allowed. The facility could be rented and tenants bring other sources.

8. Does DSP and Wall plates have to be Symetrix or can we do Alternate. You can do alternate but if all other things are equal the specified brands would receive more points in the bid scoring.

9. As for the 220" and 165" LED displays:

1. Will all be wall mounted?

2. Do you have elevations of the walls where they will be mounted?

Estimate from the posted drawings. A few feet on mounting displays will not determine this bid award.

3. Ceiling Heights?

Building AV System:

10.AV Rack Location. MDF 109A? Need room dimensions.

11.Streaming Encoder for USB stream.

1. What would be the source of the USB stream? Would we convert HDMI to USB and then send to a dedicated PC for recording/Live streaming Service? The winning bidder will supply the complete system and determine the recommended way to accomplish this.

2. Verify that the customer would provide the streaming service. We do not provide such services. What do you mean?

12.Need zone layouts now for ensuring we have correct quantity of outputs needed. We don’t have this. Roughly – full building, livestock area, show area, multi-purpose room, outside speakers, and combination of these areas. I would allow for a couple more zones.

Livestock Area 115A:

13.Are there any source connections for laptops required in this area?

1. Please provide Qty and locations. no 14.Floor plan shows (7) [AV-01] designations for displays but SOW only calls for (2) 220" displays. 2 video walls and the rest are smaller displays for signage/content.

15.Also the display for the Plan West wall looks like it is in front of doors? Or maybe above? Above doors.

1. Do you have elevation (mounting height) requirements no estimate from drawings.

16.Verify the intent for the ZeroOhm device?

1. Are you wanting speakers to be Low impedance (4 or 8 Ohm? Or 70 volt distribution)?

Seems like this is a transformer? You will have to provide your recommended solution for this. In other ag centers we visited, the quality of the sound was a major issue and the device above was recommended.

Show Area:

17.Are there any video source input connections for laptops required in this area?

1. Please provide Qty and locations. Yes – where the main connections/mic setup are located. Also, in the data closed with the AV system – which is near the show area.

18.Floor plan shows (6) [AV-02] designations for displays but SOW only calls for (1) 220" display. Please verify QTY and locations. 1 video walls and the rest are smaller displays for signage/content.

19.Also the display for the Plan West wall looks like it is in front of doors? Or maybe above?

1. Do you have elevation (mounting height) requirements above doors

– estimate height

20.Floor plan calls for (1) AV-03 on plan west wall. Signage display. Not listed in SOW for Show area.

1. Do we add a 55" display, mount and signage player?

21.PTZ Cameras:

1. Mounting Locations? TBD – propose your recommendation

2. Mounting Type Wall or suspended mount? TBD

3. Color of cameras (White or Black) Black

4. Intent of cameras?

1. Just for Live Streaming and or routing to the displays? Both

2. Routing to any display or just ones in the Show area? ANY or

ALL

22.Floor Plan shows [AV-03] on plan east wall for digital signage. This is not called out in the SOW.

1. Do we add 55" display, Signage player and mount? Yes

1. Wall mounted or suspended from ceiling?

2. Need mounting height requirements.

23.FBT Shadow Speakers:

1. Need mounting information. What are we mounting to?

2. Coverage area? Just Bleacher area? Entire area – show floor and bleachers

3. Are JBL speakers adequate / approved alternate? Specified brands are preferred. Alternates of same quality or better will be accepted but could be scored lower.

24.Pendant speakers:

1. Coverage area: floor area only? They should be indicated on the drawings 25.On the XLR input plate: Are Alternates allowed? Same as above

1. Just (1) XLR inputs? Assume for Microphone input.

26.Bluetooth Wall plate Location:

1. Are alternatives allowed? Same as above 27.Wireless Mic system mics:

1. What type mic (1) Lapel and (1) handheld? both 28.Wall mounted touch panel:

1. Location? The location indicated for the “stage” area.

Corridor 100B / Concession

29.Confirm the (3) 55" displays in the scope are as shown on floor plan:

1. [AV-05] Inside concession? Yes

1. Wall mounted?Yes

2. [AV-04] outside concession?

1. Actual listed as corridor? Confirm.

2. Wall mounted? yes

3. [AV-07] outside concession (Confidence monitor)?

1. Actually looks like it is in the Multipurpose room? Confirm.

2. Wall mounted.

4. Do these displays get signage players:

1. If yes location of signage player? Yes. I assumed all signage players would be in the AV/Data closet but that may not be what you propose

5. These displays are indoors and do not require any special housing correct? Correct.

30.Are there any video source input connections for laptops required in this area? No

31.Ceiling type and height for speaker mounting and cable paths for speakers. You will have to estimate this from the drawings.

Outdoor Area

32.Confirm outdoor area? Is it the deck looking area on the plan east of the floor plan?

33.Confirm mounting location and what mounting to:

1. Mount to side of structure? Yes

2. Pole or post mount?

3. Other?

34.Color of speakers? We don’t have colors yet.

35.All on same zone? Yes

Multi-Purpose Room 107A

36. Is [AV-07] the confidence monitor for MP room? 55"?

37.Location for the laptop input plate?

1. Color? TBD 38.Location of wall touch panel?

1. Size 7" or 10"? your best recommendation

2. Black or White? TBD

39.QR Codes on touch panel.

1. We can put the QR code image on a touch panel that you can use a camera in a phone or tablet to access the help file on the phone that would be located on your network. Is that whet your expectation is? The phone of course would need access to your network

40.What is the intent of the cameras?

1. DO they need to be on the AVoIP system as sources so they can be routed to any of the displays in the system? YES

2. Are they for Web Conferencing Also? Only the multi purpose room

3. If conferencing, will the laptop be the device that initiates the conference call?

1. So the cameras and room audio need to feed this laptop for

(TEAMS, ZOOM etc.?) Yes

We will consider other, equivalent manufacturers with equivalent warranties.

However, if all other things are equal, preference would be given to bidders proposing the specified brands.

1. A floorplan diagram was provided; However, it was more so camera drops, access point drops and door access drops related to security items . Are there diagrams with dimensions of the A/V areas that are being requested, if so can they be provided? I posted this online today. I have also attached it.

1. A complete facility layout/floorplan would be preferred if possible.

2. Are there any pictures of the areas that are being requested for the upgraded be provided? ie where would MCCS like the video wall mounted? The grading for the building is expected to begin in November.

3. To confirm, all spaces of the spaces are indoor, outdoor, or hybrid? Livestock area is covered but open air when doors are open.

4. Can requested hardware be swapped out for a different manufacturer if it meets the same hardware specifications and capabilities as the requested hardware?

Yes, but it could be scored lower on the evaluation.

5. Do the video walls need to be outdoor video walls, or will they be installed in indoor spaces? They will be completely covered. But the area is very dusty and not climate controlled in the livestock area.

6. Will digital signage content be managed and produced by the customer, or does a service need to be priced to support content creation and management?

Complete system in proposal

7. Are all of the areas to be connected to the AV-over-IP network and be able to send content to any of the displays at any time or is every system its own standalone system? The speakers will have zones and need to be flexible. Each video wall has it's own decoder. However, we do want to display the live show events on all displays at once OR on certain displays.

8. If all locations are to be connected, what existing connectivity between the buildings or areas is currently in place? There is only one building.

9. Are there cabling paths in place to pull cabling between areas/buildings if that is a requirement? All needed conduit should be in place.

10. For the outdoor area, how far apart are the locations where the 8 outdoor speaker horns are supposed to be installed? The attached drawing should assist with this

1. Are there existing cabling paths that can be used for cabling between speakers?

11. Additionally, the Agricultural Center Bid Informational was not listed on the

1.3 Schedule of Events on the RFP – will there be an additional date set to go on the campus ground for a site visit or to take pictures of the facility?

Can a site survey date be scheduled to review the areas and determine cabling requirements and distances? We have already had two site visits and 1 is scheduled for next Thursday at 2 pm. But note that we don't even have the plans for the building yet and grading will not start until November. So you are only looking at an empty lot. The site visit is primarily for the fiber contractors bidding on the low voltage RFP.

● There are mentions of project timeline being established working together with the electrical contractor, etc. Generally speaking, what is the expected date of completion for this project as a whole? We don't have this. Grading will begin in November.

● Is this new construction or remodel? Drawings make it look to be new, so what is the state of construction at this time? Is there time to request conduit pathways be established, or is construction closer to completion?

● Is there an audiovisual consultant or designer working on the project? Or is this a full design-build opportunity?

● Is there a Specification document for these items (Section 27) What?

● Are there any AV specific drawings yet – floorplans and reflected ceiling plans provided thus far are mainly for low voltage networking and electrical. Posted today. Also attached to this response.

● Throughout the Scope of Work there is a mix of items with Brand specific names and some that are not specific. Are any of these brands required for the proposal? If there are campus or county standards that need to be maintained, we would like to know what manufacturers and models NEED to be kept and which are flexible. We tend to lean toward certain vendors for different items based on reliability and experience, but we have access to any brands required by the client. All displays in our district are Clear Touch. Where brands are specified, they could be scored higher during the evaluation.

● Do you have a current recording or streaming platform that you want the new equipment to be compatible with? Facebook or YouTube or whatever you propose.

● Considering the sound levels in a livestock area, are there specific SPL levels that are required in these areas? (limits to how low it can be to be heard over the livestock, or limits to how loud it can be to protect the people and animals present. Everything I know is in the scope of work.

● Is this project limited to companies on the state contract? We have a low-voltage subcontractor who is interested in the Low Voltage portion. If the project is limited to a State contract, could they work as a subcontractor under us for that project? I do not believe that was specified. They must have an eVerify number.

Conflict/Question Answer

35 WAP drops are noted, but I counted 15 2-port interior and 6 1-port exterior locations, with a total of 36. Please reconcile this count.

Bid 36

The first paragraph calls out two fiber runs but there is only one described, please clarify.

there will be two additional buildings on this site

The location of the MDF (Room 109A) may result in network cable drops exceeding the maximum distance limitations (drops near door 115A3 will exceed 328 Feet). Will a 2nd distribution frame be established to correct this?

We will use boosters for these drops.

Is there a preferred manufacturer for the fiber optic cabling materials?

Siemon and Corning

Will we provide patch cords for the work area outlets or only in the IDF? If yes, will they be a different length?

Device end - do not quote

Will J-hook cable supports need to be painted to match the ceiling color?

Yes - and cable will need to match

Will any additional data drops be required for the A/V system or are they included in the quantities provided?

They should be identified

Is there a minimum length requirement for the fiber cable service loops?

Will providing the 4" conduit for fiber connectivity between buildings be included in the LV scope, or will it be by others?

from existing MDF to where GC stops at road will be included in this proposal - see new clarification

Will the build out of MDF 109A be included on the LV scope? If yes, please provide requirements and specifications for materials and equipment.

This should be scoped

Will the outlets for exterior WAPs and

Outdoor cameras are POE - Camera installers will do these penetrations

CCTV cameras be located in outdoor rated junction boxes or inside the building?

If data outlets for exterior devices are located inside the building, will exterior wall penetrations be included in the LV scope, or provided by Div. 28?

Will providing surge supression for exterior WAPs/CCTV cameras be included in the LV scope? If yes, please provide the specifications for the TVSS materials.

Are prevailing wage rates/Davis-Bacon labor rates required? If so, please provide the applicable wage determination publication.

Not sure about this - will have to ask the GC

Will we receive floor plans with AV callouts/locations?

Those will be necessary for accurate pricing.

These were posted today. The winning integrator will be expected to meet very quicklly with the architect and GC team.

For the ClearDigital LED walls -- can a comparable substitution be presented?

Yes - but our district is currently Clear Touch only so you could be scored lower with a different brand.

For speaker quantities, specs, and amps --should we follow the spec to the letter or can/should we make professional recommendations if applicable.

Propose your best system

FBT Speakers appear to be a niche Italian brand of speakers, with only one reseller in the country -- can comparable substitutions be presented?

Propose your best system - preferred brands may be scored higher

Wireless mic system --are both channels handheld microphones or should we supply any beltpack transmitters with wearable mics?

Both cordless wearable and handheld

Wireless mic system -- It states they're primarily for the show area but used in "other areas as needed." What other areas should have wireless coverage

Possibly the multi purpose room - even Livestock area - TBD for the RF microphones?

In lieu of the Zero-Ohm device (depending on availability), can the system be configured with traditional 70v speakers and amplifiers?

I believe these were first installed at Jackson County (how we based our

Multi-purpose room (MPR) -- Should we present an intelligent multi-camera solution (AutomateVX) as an add/alt?

I would not add unless you price separately -any addiitonal equipment - you could state recommended additons

MPR -- Is there a standard UC platform that should be integrated into the room (Teams, Zoom, etc.) or should the room be driven by a "soft codec" PC that is platform-agnostic?

MPR -- Do they want BYOD conferencing or only local screen sharing?

There could be any range of community members using the Ag Center

MPR -- Ceiling mics, can a comparable substitution be presented?

same answer about substitutions

MPR (or elsewhere) is there a need/desire for wireless screen sharing and/or conferencing?

Should all video routing for the building be unified (i.e. all sources available to all displays?) or should some areas be separate (e.g. the MPR)?

Both

MPR -- should wired or wireless voice lift be included?

Symetrix Dante wallplates (XLR and Bluetooth) -- can a comparable substitution be presented?

see above

Ceiling types, Drop Tile Ceilings, Hardpan, wood, etc…?

Open in all areas except multi purpose room and concession area

Wall types for walls, concrete, wood, sheetrock, etc?

block to ten feet - see drawings - textures noted

Will the display and video wall mounting locations require backing?